This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: cdrisc1 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.driscoll/586.1.1.2.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: In May of 1825, nine ships set sail from Cork Harbour laden with 2,024 emigrants, 710 of them adults, 1314 children under 21 years of age. The group did not arrive at Scott's Plains (The present Peterborough) until fall of 1825. Once on Scott's Plains, the emigrants were given their allotment of 100 acres for each head of family. The families were divided by townships as follows: Emily 142, Ennismore 67, Douro 60, Otonabee 51, Asphodel 36, Smith 34, Ops 7 and Marmora 6. The 1825 Robinson emigration was organized by Peter Robinson, a man born in New Brunswick of United Empire Loyalist stock. This emigration was the second one he organized, the first in 1823 was a smaller experiment with only 571 Irish who settled the Bytown (Ottawa) area. Original papers and records of the 1825 emigration are in the Peterborough Centennial Museum and Archives. Trent Valley Archives is preparing the complete thesis for publication. Much information can be obtained from the book, The Holy Land, by Clare Galvin. It has not been determined why the Driscoll family left Ireland (probably harsh politcal times?) and their exact origin in Ireland is unknown other than the passenger list information which lists Michael's and Honora's former area of residence on the island of Cape Clear, a part of Cork County. The Driscolls were probably fishermen, farmers or pirates before immigration. Michael, or Mack as he was commonly called, came to Canada on the ship Brunswick with brothers, Cornelius & Denis. Cornelius' family was nearly wiped out as soon as they arrived. His wife Johanna Driscoll died at the depot in Peteborough on arrival in October 1825 and Cornelius died in Emily shortly thereafter when a tree fell on him. Daughter Ellen died in Ennismore that same year, but two other of their children's names on the passenger list were crossed off, indicating they probably died aboard ship. Of the original family of 8, older brothers John and James were not mentioned further and only Honorah was left; she married Peter Ryan and they lived on the land until 1848. Cornelius had not left a will so the family fought over title to his land off and on for years. Mack received his own land (South 1/2 L11, C8) in Ennismore Twp. He also laid claim to his brother Cornelius' land and settled on it. He lived there (North 1/2 L10, C5) practically from the beginning.! In 1849, Mack went to Toronto to the Commissioner of Crown Lands and fraudulently claimed Honora had died. She had actually moved with her second husband, a Mr. Ward, to Western Ontario and was very much alive, but this was not discovered until 1867. She lost her claim because she found out too late what had been done When Mack died (year ?) his oldest son Patrick who was then living in the U.S., inherited the property, but since Mack never had the deed, legal wrangling had to be done. His younger son, Lawrence, living in Canada at the time went looking for a "patent" to legally obtain the land for his brother. It could not be obtained, but somehow he held on to the property until finally losing it in 1869 to Cornelius' sister's son, Daniel Whalen. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.