Glassford Emigration
The Glassford Family's path from Scotland  cannot be traced to a single event but documentation suggests that a series of events took place. Some of these events involve descendants of James Glassford (Born 1623 as identified by William Glassford Genealogist) and in this family's case we have 2 recorded emigrations to Canada in the 19th century, one to the Kingston Area and the other to the Toronto area. There are also UEL other Canadian immigrations that have not as yet been  linked to James and have occurred in the 18th century or before. This data give evidence of a possible early emigration from Scotland to Ireland and then to North America. The destination for the immigration was also not uniquely Canada but also included immigration to the United States, some of which were Loyalists and later emigrated a second time and this time came to Canada.

Another source of emigrants were convicts who were transported from Scotland and England, Peter Wilson Coldham’s investigations into this area as documented in his book "English Convicts in Colonial America"  is used as a reference in the Passenger ships lists and includes a Richard Glasford who was transport to Maryland in 1720. Richard's connection with the family has not been found.

Connections have also been made that show additional emigration to North America and Australia in during the 20th century.

Other Glassford lines have been found via census and other records that were living in Canada and the United States in the 1800's but as yet I have no emigration details to add to this section.


Family Emigration with Confirmed Linked to James Glassford of 1623
James Glassford (1781 - 1840) the eldest son of Robert (Born 1756)
 
The available information indicates that a branch of the GLASSFORD family emigrated to North America  in 1820 when James Glassford (1781-1840) the eldest son of Robert and settled on a farm (called Waterston) outside Glenburrnie of  near Kingston, Upper Canada (Ontario) and later members of it moved to the Canadian Parries and British Columbia. In addition, to farming, James was also a Cabinet Maker and some of his pieces (an oak bed, dresser and wash stand) are in the possession of his 2nd great grandson . The use of the name Waterston may originate two generations earlier when James' grandfather, George, married Mary Orr the daughter of Robert Orr Esq. of Waterston, in approximately 1745. Another interesting connection here is that the 1878 land records shows farms in the same area belonging to Orr’s their relationship to Mary would be interesting to find.

The story of James’ trip from Scotland and his family settling as recounted in letter by the wife (Ann Paterson) of his great grand son   Harry McLeod Blacklock (grandson of Margaret Yates Glassford and William Blacklock ) in 1937 to her daughter Catherine [Blacklock] Evans.
 "James Glassford Sr. and his wife Jane [Jean] Boyd and four children, James Jr., William, Margaret and Janet [Jean] left Paisley Scotland and sailed from Glasgow on the Earl of Buckinghamshire .[ right is a copy of the title page of a narrative about the ship and the settlement published in 1821 about the Buckingham. The ship burned a year after James and his family came to Canada] for Canada in 1820. On the same ship (the Buckinghamshire) the Glassfords were sailing to the new world were Mr. & Mrs. Hugh MacDonald whose son John later became Sir John A. McDonald, first premier of United Canada
Figure 2-8. Cover page from a narrative about the Earl of Buckingshire.
They were eight weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean and then travelled from Quebec to Kingston, Ont. by stage and boat and settled in Barriefield. In 1836, he purchased the land now known as the Craig farm (then called Waterston.), and in 1837 bought the land now known as the Blacklock farm, from John Mowat, merchant of Kingston"
 

Family Emigration with Confirmed Linked to James Glassford of 1623
Peter Glassford (born 1803) the 4th son of Robert (1765)
Another branch headed by Peter Glassford a Presbyterian minister (born 1803) the 4th son of Robert came to Canada in 1854. Peter was married in Bath, Ontario and died in Vaughan just outside Toronto. Peter’s sister, Jeanie Glassford (born 1799) married Robert Stobo and they emigrated in 1825 to Canada. Both Jeanie and her husband are buried in Glen Williams, Ontario. Peter and Jeanie were James’ 4th Cousins. This line seems to have been linked to the church in most generations and in 1904 Robert James Matthew, son of Peter represented Ontario at the 4th Worlds Sunday School Convention in Jerusalem. Rev. Peter’s emigration to Canada is recorded in "A Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation" Vol. 1 by the OGS 1986. However, he is recorded as Glassfurd not Glassford. The dictionary however, does provide some background information which allow the verification of his identity.

GLASSFURD, Rev. Peter ca. 1800- 29 August 1873 from Glasgow s/o Robert merchant and  Jean MacDougall. Matric. University of Glasgow 1816. To Vaughan Twp. York County Ont. 1854. Relief and UP min. @ Alnvick 1838-42, min @ Leitholm 1842-49, min. Albion Vaughan. m 1856 Anna d/o James Harris qv ch 1 Robert, 2  Dr. William,  3 Charles, 4 Emma, 5 Jean.

UEL and Other Families With No Confirmed Links to James of 1623

Other branches may have come over to Canada and the United States earlier  such as Richard the convict or as is suggested by the following  samples from various publications.

  1. The Montreal Herald which on July 13,1820 announced the marriage in Montreal (Pte. Clare) of an Ann Amelia Glassford youngest daughter of James Glassford to  William Whitney also of Pte. Clare.
  2.  Upper Canada Sons and Daughters of the United Empire Loyalist (Vol. 1)  records indicate direct connections to Glassfords as well as connections via marriage. One of these includes a John Glassford who was living in Matilda Township with his family which included a daughter  Jane who married Henry Coons of Matilda and they applied for a  UEL land grant on June 18, 1799. This infers that John and his family came to Canada in 1798 at the latest and their route was via the US.
  3. Ontario People from 1793 to 1803 also indicate that a Glassford was in Ontario in this period with the names John, Lyttle, Paul and Robert in the Matilda and Lancaster townships. Although for these there is some confusion in the recorded spelling of the name, as it appears to have been spelled for these individuals as "Glafsford" indicating a double or long s sound, Glassford, and "Glasford"  using only a single s, during the same 1793 to 1803 period.
  4. Early Ontario Settlers identifies a John Glassford (ref. no. H392) was living in Upper Canada with a wife and 2 boys and 2 girls  over the age of 10 years prior to 1800. In addition a Robert Glassford (ref. No. H393) is also listed with no dependants.
  5. The first year of Canadian census was 1871 and in it are recorded a number of entries that suggest that other branches of the family may have emigrated at the same time. Some examples are:
    1. The Essex /Kent record shows a John Glassford who was born in Quebec  and at the time of the census was 92 years old making him born in 1779 in Quebec (Ontario or Upper Canada did not come into existence until 1790’s and before that the entire British area was known as Quebec so the specific location of his birth is difficult to identify) .
    2. The Stormont , Dundas, Glengary, Prescott, Russell record identifies a Little Glassford who was 75 at the time of the census and born in Ontario so his parents would have emigrated in at least 1796.
    3. The Halton Peel record indicates that a John Glassford  age 68 and his brothers Thomas (64) and William (60) were born in Ireland and then emigrated to Canada. The existence of an Irish branch of the family may mean an earlier emigration  from Scotland to Ireland took place, or  it may be a situation of mistaken identity caused by the method used to collect the census data. (it  was not uncommon for completed data to be obtained via information from neighbours if the official recorder could not get information directly)
  6. "The County Marriage Register 1858-1869" provides some additional links which can not at this time be traced directly into the family. In reviewing these entries it should be noted that both single and double "s" Glassfords are include as well. The Registry  has also made some assumed corrections by adding a bracketed "s". There is also some confusion as probable  siblings appear to use different spellings. (section 4.0 details this data)
  7. The "Early French Canadians" book refers to settlers and their occupations between 1600 and 1900 and includes a James A.,  A.J..,  and a Mrs. M.A. who were living in Montreal in 1851 -1871 acting as forwarders, shipping agents and importers and can not be tied to the James connection.  No record of the "Kingston" branch going back to Montreal exists,  so this suggests that another branch, which  unlike James did not travel to Ontario after landing in Quebec. 
20th Century Emigration to North America
Information on another series of emigrations from Scotland come from a letter that was sent to Charles Glassford (my 2nd  cousin  twice removed) in 1938 by an Ethel Glassford. Ethel and her husband had emigrated to Saskatchewan in 1919 and her letter provides some links to  other  Glassford emigrations during the early 20th century.  I have not been able to verify the linkage between my family and Ethel’s husband or confirm her knowledge of her husband's family's movements. 20th Century Emigration to Australia
In my searches of the internet I have made some contacts that have allowed me to expand the family
ties to include Australia. One tie is to John Glassford and his wife Nicole, John is my 6th  cousin once removed. Another contact from down under that I have not been able to tie into the family comes from a
Cameron Glassford and his sister Greer. Cameron data also provides another source of Glassfords
coming to North America this century.
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If you have any questions or concerns or wish to provide or obtain additional information please contact Gary Ernest Glassford gary.glassford@sympatico.ca