Subj: [CLARE] Francis Spaight's clearing of his estate Date: 7/31/2001 7:30:59 AM Eastern Daylight Time From: [email protected] (Sharon Carberry) To: [email protected] For those of us following the history of ejectments, assisted emigration, and the ships leaving Limerick with our ancestors, here is a link and an excerpt from the testimony of Francis Spaight, who owned the Jane Black and other ships which carried timber from Canada to Limerick and then our people back there. He also owned an estate called Derry, by the Shannon, in Clare and used a system of "vountary" emigration after concluding there was no other way to improve the lot of the poor creatures who inhabited his estate and who hadn't paid even nominal rent in quite some time. He also makes observations about the emigra- tion of the Palatine descendants in the Limerick area. Sharon Carberry the link: http://www.swan.ac.uk/history/teaching/teaching%20resources/An%20Gorta%20Mor/e migrationexperience/spaight.htm the excerpt: 3274. There is a great Excitement against the Landlord who displaces Tenants, but have you ever known an Instance of such Feeling being excited against a Man who prevented a Subdivision of Land? [Spaight's answer:] Not to the same Extent, but a good deal has taken place a few Years since. Under my present System of Emigration I make it a Rule never to take an Individual or Part of a Family; I take the whole Family or none, and the House is levelled.... (Liz's comment on that last line ---> what a hero, he takes the whole hand rather than just a finger)