Re: First Arrivals & Gen Arthur St. Clair

[Gordon Holmes <lafleur@home.com>]

P. C. is acting up..hope this is sent...G.

Gordon Holmes wrote:
> 
> Dear Laurel,
> 
>    I do not know if this will help, but my grandmother and many, many
> Sinclairs were the beneficiaries of land in what is now Manitoba. This
> land was offered to secure the Crowns claim and to discourage American
> interests by populating the prairies with "Tough Scots" who would stay.
> That land was taken by scottish settlers for their own reasons, chiefly
> being (according to Gran and others and supported by documents) that it
> was land and quarrels seemed useless from so far away from the British
> Isles. Going back further....As you know, many traders rambled through
> this territory , all owing their cash trade to London. Kind of a "One
> Hand Washes the Other" relationship with the English.
> I do not know how St. Clair rose so quickly through the ranks, but many
> Scots did. They were fearless fighters and in the times and place there
> was not a lot of choice but to take men and give the natural leaders
> Rank. (doubtless others will help you here) Maybe, like Jame Sinclair,
> he was a free-trader and more... :)
> P.S. Imagine my Grandmothers fury when her eldest daughter announced her
> intention to marry the man who would be my father. He had the gall to be
> born in London!     Love..Cousin Gord
> 
> Spirit One Email wrote:
> >
> > I am assuming that this list is just of first Sinclair arrivals to USA but
> > maybe Canada is there too?
> >
> > I am puzzled about 2 things concerning Gen. St. Clair (pronounced Sinclair)
> >
> > How was it that he became a General so quickly?  Did he have previous
> > military training or mercenary experience in Scotland?
> >
> > In the book "A Dance Called America"  I was struck by the fact that the
> > usual pattern of immigrant Scots was to join the British side many times
> > because they had been offered a commission in the English army.  It seemed
> > to me that these Scots almost fresh from the defeat of Culloden  would have
> > stayed enemies longer.  But now as I remember, they fought first with the
> > English in the French and Indian war and were rewarded with lands in USA and
> > Canada.  So they would have been a bit more sympathtic, I suppose, with
> > their benefactors at that point in history.
> >
> > It was the Scots coming through Ireland or that had been here a few
> > generations that usually made up the patriots.   I know this is a generality
> > and the world abounds with exceptions but it seems like there might be more
> > of a story about why he chose the American side.
> >
> > Laurel
> >
> > [ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
> > [ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
> 
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