Twelve Years in Dalhousie

As mentioned in a previous post, Robert Gardner received 100 acres and money advancements to help the family get established in their new home in Dalhousie, Upper Canada. After his first six months, Robert owed the Scottish government ₤26 13s. 4d., which was repayable in ten years.(1)

After ten years of working the land, the Lanark settlers petitioned the government in 1831 to forgive the debts they owed on their advanced money. The land had been much poorer than expected, and many of the settlers had not been able to raise the funds necessary to repay their debts. Because of this petition, a surveyor was assigned to examine and report on the lands, which was completed by the end of December 1834. Based on this report, the debts of the 1820-1821 settlers of Lanark were forgiven in January of 1836. The 1834 surveyor's report indicated that Robert Gardner was currently on his land, but he was going to the Western District. His lot was described as "like the last," which was a reference to the previous lot described as "broken, rocky land."(2)

1. Ontario Crown Lands Department, "Account of Monies Advanced to Lanark Settlers" (Vol. 107) 1820-1822: in Land Records ca. 1792-1876 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1982-1984), Hamilton Emigration Society, Robert Gardner entry. (FHL #1,319,967 item 9)

2. Ontario Crown Lands Department, "C. Rankins Report on the Lanark Settlement (Vol. 108)" in Land Records ca. 1792-1876 (Salt Lake City: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1982-1984). (FHL #1,319,967 item 10)