The second group of Selkirk settlers,consisting of Scottish people from the parishof Kildonan and Helmsdale depart due to the

highland clearances as well. Their journeywas equally as problematic and dangerous asthe first group’s, with a disease called typhusspreading on their ship, the Prince of Wales,

and killing their surgeon and two otherpassengers. They faced many tribulationswhich did not cease when they landed on

shore. The Captain had prematurely landeddue to panic, and they set foot on Fort

Churchill on the Churchill River instead ofYork Factory, where they intended to land.Several more people died there. After many

more problems and several hundredkilometers trekked, they arrived at Red River

on August 15, 1814.

The Selkirk Settlers

May 30, 1811

Thomas Douglas, 5th Earl of Selkirkwanted to help his people after theHighland Clearances, so he and hisbrothers-in-law purchased stock inthe Hudson Bay Company - enough

to negotiate land for a colony hispeople can migrate to. He bought 116000 square miles (74 240 000 acres)of land in the Assiniboia territory.

He envisioned the land wouldprovide as home for the evicted

Scottish people and the people couldgrow and supply food for the

Hudson Bay Company fur traders,decreasing the need to export foodand goods to British North America

from Europe.Led by Captain Miles Macdonell, the

first group of Scottish and Irish SelkirkSettlers depart to Red River in the

Edward and Ann. Their journey waslong, dangerous and troublesome.

Many problems arose in the voyage,with some men leaving and other menjoining them. They went through the

Hudson Bay and landed at York Factoryon September 24. They were behind

schedule, and they were unprepared tobear the harsh Canadian winter,

resulting in some deaths. They finallyarrived at Red River on August 30,

1812, ~1 year from the day theydeparted Scotland. Macdonell

established their campsite at the east ofthe Red River (now St. Boniface)

Governor Miles Macdonell and othersettlers plant the first bushel of

wheat on Manitoban soil near what isnow Disraeli Bridge. This was thebeginning of the huge agricultural

areas of Canada’s Prairie Provinces.

By Ralf Castro

Jul. 26, 1811

Oct. 7, 1812

1750 - 1850

The Highland Clearances. Many waves ofScottish people are evicted from theirScottish Highland homes in order to

make room for sheep and cattle. Peopleare forced to flee to the Scottish

Lowlands, Canada, U.S.A and Australia.

Jun. 28, 1813

The Battle of Seven Oaks occurred. Métisworking for the NWC were passing by the

settlement. Robert Semple, the newgovernor after Miles Macdonell was

arrested for his illegal proclamations, andseveral other men confronted them at aplace called Seven Oaks. With tensionsrising between the two companies andgroups since Macdonell’s “Pemmican

Proclamation”, the confrontation turnedviolent and guns were fired. Roughly 20

men from the settlement includingSemple were badly injured or were dying,

while the Métis only suffered one loss.This incident quickly spread throughout

the country and was labeled the“Massacre at Seven Oaks” by news

sources and the Métis were seen as "Half-Blood Savages".

Present Day

Jan. 18, 1814

Jun. 19, 1816

1869 - 1870

Macdonell, concerned over theamount of food for the risingnumber of settlers arriving to

Red River, illegally issues aproclamation to forbid the

export of food from hissettlement, including a food

called pemmican made of buffalomeat. This angered the HudsonBay Company’s competitor, The

North West Company sincepemmican was used to fuel their

fur traders for their voyages.

The Selkirk Settlers did not take much partin Louis Riel’s “Red River Rebellion”. They

thought the rebellion was treason andparticipating in it would not be good for

them, and they were also loyal to the Crown.

Now, residents of Winnipeg arefamiliar with the Selkirk Settlersthrough the many street names,

schools and buildings named afterthe settler families. These names

include Henderson, Gunn, McLeod,Polson, Munroe, Miles Macdonell,

and many more! Many historicmonuments immortalizing these

Selkirk settlers are spreadthroughout Winnipeg, including theOld Kildonan Presbyterian Church,built in 1852-1854 which still standstoday. The Church would have been

used by the settlers, and theirgraves are also nearby.

Sources

https://www.britannica.com/event/Highland-Clearances https://www.lordselkirk.ca/the-settlers/

http://www.mhs.mb.ca/info/selkirk/settlers.shtml https://www.redriver200.ca/

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pemmican-

proclamation#:~:text=On%208%20January%201814%2C%20Miles,chiefly%20of%20pemmican%20%E2%80%9

4%20from%20said http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/pageant/13/selkirksettle

ment2.shtml http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/pageant/13/selkirksettle

ment3.shtml https://www.cbc.ca/history/EPCONTENTSE1EP9CH2PA

2LE.html https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-

lieu.aspx?id=6748