140th Anniversary of “Sidonian” Colonists

"Sidonian" 11 April 1874; The "Sidonian" leaves Glasgow. via Callum Stuart, FB Chapman, Cumming, & Duncan Family History, April 12, 2014;
The “Sidonian” leaves Glasgow. (Thanks to Callum Stuart for the clipping.)

The Provincial Archives of New Brunswick provides a list of names and ages of Scottish immigrants who were passengers arriving in St. John, New Brunswick by the Sidonian on May 14, 1874, ending the log with this news item that tells what happened next:

“16 May 1874 – Woodstock, N.B., 15th May -The train with the Scottish immigrants arrived here at half past 4 this afternoon, under the charge of Mr. STEWART. They are now being transferred to the steamer “Ida Whittier”, Capt. Rideout, which leaves at 8 p.m. They will arrive opposite Mr. BEVERIDGE’s at Andover (Victoria Co.) tomorrow forenoon and proceed at once to their future homes, up the Tobique River some seven miles where the settlement commences and extends to New Stonehaven.  ”

About 210 colonists sailed April 30-May 14, 1874, arriving in Andover, New Brunswick about May 16, 1874.

Thirteen-year-old William Cumming tells the story of the voyage across the Atlantic and up the St. John River to Upper Kintore here.

At the 75th anniversary of the Upper Kintore Church on September 1, 1968, it was noted in the church bulletin: “Miss Elsie Innes is the last living survivor, who came over from Scotland in May, 1874 on S. S. Sidonian, with a passenger list of 219, who settled in Upper Kintore, Bon Accord and S. Tilley. She is now 95 years of age, and resides in a Rest Home, Portland, Oregon.”

Here is a link to a related spreadsheet: Scotch Colony: Castalia & Sidonian passenger lists compilations. Use the tabs along the bottom to view different lists.

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