Despite the large number of Sutherland emigrants to Northern Nova Scotia, there are very few references to their homeland in their new communities. Here a few: New Lairg in Pictou County and found on some maps. However the train and post office chose to call it Landsdowne during the 1900's. New Lairg is preferred by the natives. Berrichan (sometimes spelled Boirachan), a farming community located south east of the village of Earltown in Colchester County. It was vacated in the early 1900's. Spiddle Hill, north of Earltown, was said to have been named after a place in Sutherland. The old church records call it Cnoc na Spidail. An early settler came from Slettill in Strath Halladale which may have been the intended name. Brora Lake is found in south east Pictou County. Cnoc Na Guidh is a hill found near Earltown which was settled by people from Strath Brora who named it after a feature in their home area. Surnames were far more common in naming geographic features. There is a Sutherland River, Baillie Brook, at least three Matheson Brooks, Bein Na Mhathanach, (Matheson's Mountain), MacKay's Brook, Murray Brook, etc. throughout Colchester and Pictou Counties. Glen M. _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com
I am trying to find names (and most common spelling of those) for Clyne parish which I hope to have up on net by Christmas. This will be in the form of a map with links to pages giving details of families known to have lived there. I am particularly interested in the area upstream from Loch Brora. I intend to add picures of those places but that will have to wait till the spring. This will be part of a larger site giving details of my own Clyne ancestors. Grant