The Children of Alpin and Janet

Alpin Grant and Janet had five known children. 

• Peter Grant was born in 1767 in Glen Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland. (see Peter in the next post) 

• Elizabeth Grant was born about 1770. She died on 20 Jan 1859 at the age of 89 in Pictou, NS. Elizabeth Grant and Donald Chisholm (1742 – 26 Feb 1842 Pictou) were married before 1787 in Pictou, NS.  Donald's will was written on 7 Feb 1832, ten years before he died.  He left his son James Chisholm the eastern half of his frontland and Alexander the western half of his landed propery.  Alpin and William each received one half of the 100 acres at the rear of the property.  Elizabeth is left the dower right of his land.   Elizabeth and Donald are buried after 20 Jan 1859 in Pioneer Elgin Cemetery, Hopewell, NS.  They had twelve known children. 
•   John Chisholm was born on 4 Jun 1787 in Pictou, NS married and had one known child. 
•    Peter Chisholm was born about 1788 in Pictou, NS. He died about 1789 at the age of 1 in Pictou, NS. He was buried about 1789 in Pioneer Elgin Cemetery, Hopewell. Note on tombstone says Peter died at 9 months of age.
• Catherine Chisholm was born in 1790 in Pictou and married ? Shaw.
• Margaret Chisholm was born in 1794 in Pictou and married ? McLean.
• Hugh Chisholm was born in 1798 in Pictou, NS. He died in 1820 at the age of 22 in Pictouqne was buried in 1820 in Pioneer Elgin Cemetery, Hopewell.
• Alexander Chisholm was born in 1801 in Pictou.
• Elizabeth Chisholm was born in 1802 in Pictou.
• James Chisholm was born in 1804 in Pictou, NS.  John was 4 months old when he died. He was buried in 1804 in Pioneer Elgin Cemetery, Hopewell.
• Alpin Chisholm was born on 2 Mar 1807. He died on 1 Mar 1884 at the age of 76 in Pictou, NS. “Alpin Chisholm, born West Branch, East River, Pictou, was a son of Donald Chisholm. He served his time as a mason with John Hobson.  Went to the States & married a widow (Elizabeth Gregg) who had 2 children: a son Alexander McKay and a daughter Rebecca.  The latter married a son of Alexander McKay and this Alexander McKay was a son of Donald McKay (a brother of Deacon McKay).  Alexander was a clerk with Mr. Carmichael & Angus Chisholm.  He also had charge of the Union Store, Albion Mines.  He also had been a school teacher.  Both step-children of Alpin Chisholm are dead.  When Alpin returned from the States he bought land in the north end of New Glasgow from his uncle, William McLean, built a house and lived there.  He was both a farmer and a mason.  Alpin was an Elder in the James Church, New Glasgow.  For many years he led the singing in that church. He died in 1881 aged 77 He was buried after 1 Mar 1884 in Riverside Cemetery.”  
•  William Chisholm was born on 15 Jun 1809. He was buried in Riverside Cemetery.
•   Mary Chisholm was born on 1 Dec 1810. She was buried in Riverside Cemetery. 
  
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• James Grant was born on 22 Sep 1773 in Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland.  He died about Jan 1803 at the age of 29 in Pictou, NS. 

• Alexander Grant was born between 1778 and 1780 in Windsor, Pictou, NS, CAN. Alexander married Margaret (possibly Robinson) probably before 1808. Alexander worked at a sawmill and also farmed in the Pictou area.  A deed for the sale of the land in Scotch Hill which Alexander inherited on the death of his brother James to William Kidstone Jr. on 7 Nov 1811, indicates the name of Alexander's wife as Margaret. He died on 1 Jun 1855 at the age of 77 in Pictou, NS. James and Margaret had five known children. 
• James Grant was born in 1808 in Pictou, NS. James Grant and Dollina "Dolly" Morrison (1816 Scotland – 7 Apr 1876 Pictou) were married. James worked as an External Revenue Officer, with duties similar to a Customs Officer.  One child's marriage certificate lists his occupation as "seizing" officer. James died on 15 May 1872 at the age of 64. Dollina is buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery, Pictou, NS.  James and Dollena had twelve children 
•  Margaret Grant was born in 1811 and married Henry Rea. She died in 1887 at the age of 76.  
• Susan Grant was born about 1817 and married John Talbot.
• Alpin Grant was born about 1817  Alpin was trained as a printer in Pictou, working on the Pictou Observer.  He moved to Halifax and purchased the Halifax Times, and changed its name to the British Colonialist which became very successful.  The first issue was published on 25 Jul 1848 and it continued until 31 Dec 1874.  Alpin was the sole owner and thus amassed a small fortune.  He also served as the Queen's printer for some time. Alpin married Charlotte Crosskill. He was a member of the Universalist church.He died on 9 May 1900 of apoplexy at the age of 83. He was living at 111 South Park St. in Halifax at the time of his death. 
•   Alexander R. Grant was born in 1820. Alexander married Margaret Fraser and they had two children. He died in 1904 at the age of 84. 

• John Alpin Grant was born in 1780 in NS. John married Annie McLean. He died in Stewiacke, Colchester County, NS.

Grant Home Page

The Glasgow

Alpin Grant

On 3 September 1775, Fort William customhouse officers, Colin Campbell and Duncan McPhaile, signed the following letter.

“Honorable Sirs

“We wrote your honors on the 19^th of June last that a Clyde vessel was expected here to ship off emmigrants for North America. We now beg leave to acquaint you that the above vessel arrived at this port some time ago called the Glasgow Solomon Townshend Master for New York North America, John and George Buchanans at Greenock owners that they shipt here on board the above vessel for New York Sixty five men above Twenty years of age, Seventeen youths from Ten to Twenty years, Forty Boys under Ten years being one hundred and Twenty two males. Seventy Women above Twenty years Twenty four girls from Ten to Twenty years and Thirty five female children under Ten years of age being one hundred and Twenty nine Females – in all Two hundred and Fifty one souls.

These poor People were mostly all from the Northern parts of the shire of Inverness called Strathglass or the Laird of Chisolm’s country – none of them had the appearance of Gentlemen, but a Mr. Fraser and a Mr. Chisholm, the rest seemed to be very poor People at least they had that appearance. They however all made shift to pay (as we were told) for their passage, but about Twenty of them that Indented with the owners of the vessel, and. Misters Fraser and Chisholm who freighted the Vessel for them. They would give us no proper cause for leaving their Country, but the racked rents exacted by the proprietors of the lands, that they found themselves poor and were determined to go abroad while they had any remains of their subject to carry them, and though they were repeated times told of the rebellion in some of the colonies in North America, They did not seem to be moved by that, saying they were assured New York and the parts they were bound to were not in Rebellion and that they did not think themselves in any Danger of being forced to serve either in his Majesty’s troops, or the Provincials – and this morning they sailed with a fair wind in very good spirits __ These are all the circumstances we know of these people, which we think it our Duty to give your Honors the earliest Intelligence thereof, and we are with much respect 

Honorable Sirs

Your Very Obedient

Humble Servants

Less than two months later the belief that they were not travelling into rebellion was quashed. On Wednesday,  Nov 2, 1775, Riverton’s New York Gazetteer (#132) reported …“ The ship Glasgow, Capt. Townshead, which arrived on Tuesday last with two hundred passengers, to settle in this province, is by the commander of his Majesty’s Ship Asia , to Boston, agreeably to some orders received from Admiral Graves.”

This suggests that the vessel arrived in New York on Oct 24^th and that it had taken a week to decide what was to be done with the vessel and its passengers.  What took place during the next two months in Boston is not currently known.  On Saturday 30 Dec 1775, the Constitutional Gazette reported that able bodied men who were on board had been forced to enlist in the British forces.  A Dec 1775 muster roll for the Asia gives a list of emigrants who mustered in on 27 Nov 75.

  

On that list we find the following names[1]:

Major John Small   

2nd Battalion        

84th Regiment

·       10.  Alex^r. Grant (1) - 10^th Co.-  27 Nov.1775 (Maj.Small) 2^nd Co.

·       36.  Alex^r. Grant (2) - 27 Nov. 1775 (Maj.Small) sick in hosp

·       4.    Alpine Grant  - 10^th Co. - 27 Nov. 1775 (Maj.Small) 1^st Co

·       72.  Petr. Grant  - 5^th Co.- 27 Nov. 1775 (Maj.Small) 2^nd Co.

Of those Alpin(e) is our ancestor.  It is quite possible that Peter and one of the Alexanders are brothers. The other Alexander is perhaps a cousin.

The January 1904 issue of Acadiensis contains an article by Jonas Howe “The Royal Emigrants” that discusses the earliest years and Wikipedia has an informative article on the service of 84^th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants)[2].  Alstair Grant has compiled fifteen muster rolls for the eight years that the 2^nd Battalion was in existence.  You will also find a history of the 84^th Regiment of Foot – “The Young Emigrants” on the same site.

O.P.R. Births 107/ 0010 0005 URQUHART AND GLENMORISTON

Researchers suggest that Alpin was born on 15 Mar 1740 in Meikle, Inverness, Scotland and christened the next day, 16 Mar 1740. ^[3]   This is one of four Alpins born in Inverness 1740 but seems the most likely.   This will be discussed more fully later. 

Alpin and at least part of his family were on the Glasgow when it sailed from Fort William on 3 Sep 1775.  Alpin was one of the 31 emigrants and ten seamen and two petty officers that sailed for Boston on 5 Nov.  Sources state that the emigrants were interrogated by Major Small and told that if they wished to volunteer in a body into the Highland Emigrant Regiment their families would be kept together and provided with the regular subsistence for dependents, one half ration for wives and one quarter ration for children.  Also upon demobilization they would be given grants to land in NS which was where they were going to train and serve.  The grants would include 200 acres for each man and 50 acres for each member of his family.  Under these conditions, they volunteered to a man for the duration of the war.  After some time in Boston, the ship sailed for Halifax where Capt. Alexander MacDonald, commander of the training depot met them on 2 Jan 1876.

Uniform of  84th as drawn by prisoner 

in Saratoga, NY

Alpin served as a private with the 2^nd brigade of the 84^th Highland Regiment from Oct 1775 until 1883.^[4]  He was on leave on 2 Sep 1778 and was discharged in October 1783.  His base for the war years appears to have been in the Windsor area and that his wife and son James accompanied him there.  At least two additional sons were born before his discharge in 1783.  

"According to the petition of 1808, Alpin arrived in NS in 1775 and was enrolled in the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants).  He served for 8 years, stationed at Windsor, NS and was discharged in 1783.  He moved to Pictou, NS in 1784 and in September 1787 purchased 100 acres of land from Governor Walter Patterson, of the Island of St. John [Prince Edward's Island] where he established himself and his family.  He also made claim to 500 acres of land on the west side of the Eastern Branch of the East River of Pictou, on account of his services in the British forces.  This land was confirmed to him in 1811 and he immediately sold it to one James Fraser of East River.” ^[5]  

It seems likely that Alpin was not literate. He signed all documents with 'his mark'. However, he did see that his son Peter was educated. He would have spoken Gaelic as his native tongue and his English might have been limited.  In documents Alpin is referred to as a yeoman, generally the term for a land owning small farmer.  In 1793 he paid combined taxes of 3 shillings 2 pence, including a poll tax on himself, and taxes on ten sheep and seven cattle. 

It seems probable that Alpin came from a farming background in Scotland, but it is likely he would not have been prepared for the heavily forested lands of Nova Scotia.  Unlike the barren highland, covered with gorse and heather these lands had to be cleared before they could be farmed.

Alastair has located land records for Alpin covering the years 1787 to 1817. The last known reference to Alpin Grant in Pictou is in the census of 1817. ^[6]   Family tradition says that he died in 1828 at the age of 88 in East River, Pictou, NS. No record of the death of Alpin or his wife Janet has been found to date.   

Grant Home Page

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[1] The number shown is the individuals placement in the list of emigrants on the roster.

[2] Wikipedia

[3]. Parish Registers - Baptisms 1739-1754:, Church of Scotland, Uruquhart and Glenmorriston, Inverness, Scotland, LDS Film 6025664 / C111072,, 6025664.  Smith, Shirley, Letters, Historical Note - The Personal Name Alpin.

[4]. Dobson, David. Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America, 1625-1825. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co. Volume 2. 1984. 216p.  , p 63.  National Archives, Kew, England: Muster Rolls  

[5]. Patterson, Rev, George DD, History of the County of Pictou.  Research of Alastair and Vickie Grant [Pictou Archives, Pictou Land Office

[6]. Canadian Census.