Hi, Deb, In my own case, my ancestors came from Ireland to Canada (in the early 1830s) because they could get "lots" of land for very little cost here. Some family members subsequently moved to the US because it was easy to get more land (large families needed lots of farm land for the sons). Also, many Canadians moved to the US to work in the lumber industry. In the 1800s there was lots of movement across the border in both directions. Crossing the border was a very much simpler matter then than it is now. HTH Betty (in rainy Delta, BC)