Why did my ancestors come to Ontario?
In 1534 Jacques Cartier claimed the land surrounding the Gulf of St Lawrence for France. Over the ensuing years settlements were established including along the shorelines of Hudson Bay and Lake Huron in what is now Ontario.
As France and Britain colonized this new land they each did their best to populate the settlements with as many loyal subjects as they could. To entice settlers they advertised the wonderful new life they would have and offered free land.
However, the first major influx of settlers didn't occur until the American Revolutionary War ended in 1783 when those loyal to the British Crown fled from the newly formed United States into Nova Scotia. Over the next few years many of these refugees made their way west to Ontario as land became available.
Britain continued its campaign to populate Canada with those loyal to the British crown and encouraged immigration through advertisements and emigration schemes. These included:
