Scotland memories and stories

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surname/tag: Scotland

The incentive that brought the first settlers from the British Isles and Europe to this country was that of owning their own land and a home of their very own. Most had been tenants under a feudal system which made this impossible. They either worked for landlords on farms or in factories with poor pay. Their only choice seemed to be to keep on doing the same or get out to a new land that offered them a chance of ownership. This meant leaving behind all their friends and relatives and most of their worldly possessions, knowing they would likely never again see their homeland. However, that thought of ownership and being free from the domination of bosses and landlords and a chance for freedom for their families led them on in the adventure to a new land across the ocean.

Transportation for the pioneers across the ocean was by sailing vessel which was both slow and hazardous with very few conveniences. Passengers had to bring some of their own food as recorded earlier and as stated on the passenger ticket I am fortunate to possess. This is a vast contrast to the method of travel today. In 1961 when Hilda and I flew across the Atlantic, we traveled by Turbo Prop aircraft. It was a very nice airplane and carried less than 100 passengers. It took all night to get to London. Today, nearly all trans-Atlantic planes are jets that take from 200 to 300 passengers and only a few hours to make the same flight and there are still larger and faster planes being produced, the jumbo jets.

I have always understood that the Farrishs came from Gretna Green on the Scottish-English border so when in the U.K. in 1961, Hilda & I spent part of a day there. On inspection of a church & its cemetery, we came across a Farrish tombstone. This was quite old & moss covered. The names included people who had been buried as early as 1718 & also in the1800s. One inscription was for a Margaret Farrish who had died in Montreal. I’ve forgotten the year.

A few years back, our youngest son who was in the Navy, while in Edinburgh, spoke to the curator of Edinburgh Castle and got some rather interesting information. He told him the Farrish name was of French origin, a derivative of Ferrier or Iron Man.

While in Gretna Green, we visited the old blacksmith’s shop where the runaway (underage) marriages were performed. Exiles from Scotland could be married and cross over into England & vice versa without being prosecuted for being illegally married.