A collection of historical and genalogical records
North American immigrants
Information
We are researching early immigrants to the USA and Canada.
Members: 32
Latest Activity: yesterday
Early arrivals
I am keen that we should use this forum to identify those key people, and then work together to trace their ancestors back to Scotland (or Ireland, or England). In some cases, families arrived via the West Indies. It would be good to identify them as well.
A starting point is the list in The Douglas Archives of 'Early Douglas settlers in America'. Suggestions for additions to this list would be very welcome.
Please make your contributions as full as possible, with dates and places included, as appropriate.
Discussion Forum
Tariff wars - Seizure of the Sloop 'America' in 1786 by Captain Drysdal onboard Britain's Custom House Tender 'Vigilant
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale Aug 14. 4 Replies 3 Likes
Drysdale - Early American Settlers - 1600s & 1700s
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale Dec 23, 2024. 7 Replies 2 Likes
William Drysdale 1636 - shipment of 6 condemned men to the colony [Virginia] - perhaps the first American Drysdale?
Started by Ronald Drysdale. Last reply by Ronald Drysdale Dec 21, 2024. 7 Replies 2 Likes
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Comment by Ronald Drysdale yesterday
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Captain James Drysdale seems to have been very unlucky with the ships he commanded, losing another one in 1794, this time the ensuing correspondence included President John Adams:
".....The British brig Perseverance, Capt. James Drysdale, was sailing from Turks Islands to New Brunswick, Canada, when it was captured by the French privateer schooner Sans Pareille, Capt. Jean Bouteille. Crew member Jean Baptiste Bernard brought the brig into Newport, R.I., as a prize on 13 August. Following federal protocols, Rhode Island governor Arthur Fenner seized the Perseverance and charged that the Sans Pareille was an illegal American privateer outfitted in Charleston, S.C.......... eventually the French won the case!
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-21-02-0255
John Drysdale - or James - Master of the Perseverence which was sei...
Best regards
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Captain James Drysdale in troubled waters in 1793:
The British brigantine Catherine, captained by James Drysdale, was captured by the French frigete Embuscade on 8th June 1793 within the limits of the protection of the US. (within US waters) and carried away as a prize into the harbour of New York
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-26-02-0229
".........Deposition of Allen Erskine and four others, Philadelphia, 11 June 1793, wherein four of the deponents, escaped crew members of the Catharine, stated that this brigantine of Halifax, James Drysdale master,
had been on her way to Philadelphia from Jamaica when she was captured by the Embuscade, a French frigate commanded by Citizen Bompard, on 8 June at about 2 p.m., “off Hereford a little to the northward of Cape May And not more than two miles from the Shore of the State of New Jersey,” with the pilot James Skillinger on board to guide the brigantine into the Bay and River of Delaware; and wherein the fifth deponent, who had witnessed the capture from a nearby pilot boat, confirmed the testimony of the others, except that in his judgment the Catharine was about two-and-a-half miles from the shore when captured......."This caused a bit of a fuss and resulted in exchanges of Letters between the US, Great Britain & France - Thomas Jefferson, George Hammond etc and George Washington, the 1st President was informed.
Brig 'Catherine' Captain Drysdale from Jamaica correspondence from ...
Brig 'Catherine' Captain Drysdale from Jamaica in Philadelphia port...
Best regards
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"The Brown-Lafferty Drysdale-Chamberlain ancestry"
- An interesting book which gives some details of a Drysdale family who emigrated from Scotland to America via Canada in the mid 1800s - .
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/?navigation=&...
Best regards
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Comment by William Douglas on July 31, 2024 at 16:15
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I do like this extract from the extracts...
It would be nioe to write a dignified and profound preface in regard
t o the Lower Norfolk records* No. We will have to leave that to the
historians if they ever fal l that low. Oftentimes what they have to say
is quite true . Of course they are not all liars, prostitutes s and fools
as my old friend Morgan Robinson, and the "Englishman, Horace Rounds, used to casually remark. It would be entertaining to hear what these "deceased gentlemen ( not~so gentle ) would have t o say concerning Toynbee, the prevailing fashion in history. Our good friends the historians love to talk C or write ) for the pleasure of hearing themselves talk , A most
charming diversion from the dull facts of history.
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It was your suggestion, I just did the leg work (willingly).
Regards
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Comment by Russell Lynn Drysdale on July 30, 2024 at 20:36
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Well done Ronald Drysdale!
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