Immigration Records are held at the national level. For information about those records and where to find them, please visit CanadaGenWeb.
Why did my ancestors come to Ontario?
Where did they settle in Ontario and why?
Why did they leave Ontario?
| Time Period | Area | Cause of Migration | Destination |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1839 | Canada West (Ontario) | In 1839 approximately 140 "Canadian Exiles" (which included some Americans) were transported on the ship 'Buffalo' to the British penal colony of Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania, Australia). They were political prisoners captured after the Battle of Prescot in Nov 1838. Once they arrived in Hobart they were put to work in chain gangs until 1844-1846 when almost all were pardoned. | Australia |
| 1860's | Oxford County | Several families from Oxford County followed the lead of Eli Pavey who moved to Humboldt County, Iowa in 1875. He had left Oxford County in 1866 for Illinois before moving on to Iowa. He was joined in Iowa by the Bartley, Cook, Luddington, Vandercar, Wood and Winegarden families who had previously settled in East Zorra Township, Oxford County, Ontario. | Iowa |
| 1872 | Ontario | The Dominion Lands Act allowed any male over 21, or any female head of household, to apply for and receive 160 acres of land in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia or the Northwest Territories. | Western Canada |
| 1874-1875 | Victoria County | 386 immigrants from Iceland settled in Kinmount, Victoria County. Finding Kinmount unsatisfactory, they moved to the Red River Valley of Manitoba. At first only eighty left Kinmount, going east to a settlement in Markland, Nova Scotia which didn't fit what they were seeking. They led the way to the Red River Valley where they were joined by the remainder of the group. | Manitoba |
| mid 1800's | Ontario | Newspaper 'The Canadian Statesman' carried this advertisement: "Wisconsin Lands, 500,000 acres, on the line of Wisconsin Central Rail Road, for full particulars which will be sent free address Charles L Colbey, Land Commissioner, Minawankee, Wis." | Wisconsin |
| 1880's | Ontario | Several settlements in Michigan were founded by Ontario emigrants seeking homestead lands | Michigan |
| 1898 | Ontario | Settlers were drawn to Yukon Territory after the discovery of gold | Yukon |
