Since I had a great deal of information on the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Hugh Simpson and Mary Kidd who first arrived in Canada around 1833 or 1834, I thought it of interest to examine how they became dispersed across Canada (primarily to the West) over the following 75-80 years.
The children of Hugh Simpson and Mary Kidd:
1. Margaret Simpson remained in the Orono area of Ontario.
2. George Simpson moved a short distance to farm near to
Peterborough, Ontario.
3. Joseph Simpson left Ontario in 1895 to settle in Manitoba
and then homesteaded in Saskatchewan.
4. Hugh Simpson settled in the Owen Sound area where he
farmed. I believe he moved to Michigan, USA for about 15
years before returning to the Grey County area. (So, he
should be given 1/2 points?)
5. Mary Simpson remained in the Orono area and then retired to
Peterborough.
6. Sarah Jane Simpson moved to the Owen Sound area of Ontario
where she remained.
Two family members left the province of Ontario (33.3%). So there was not much geographic redistribution for the first generation. But we can predict that with the second generation there would be more mobility as land became scarce in the areas of their parents and grandparents.
Grandchildren of Hugh Simpson and Mary Kidd
Children of Margaret
Most of Margaret’s children stayed quite local but one moved
to Bruce County North, Ontario.
Robert George Ard lived in Texas
Children of George
Only one child moved to Saskatchewan and the rest remained
near their birth place.
Hugh Simpson moved to Saskatchewan
Children of Joseph
John Simpson moved to BC
William George Simpson in Saskatchewan
Eva Christina Simpson Bellamy lived in Saskatchewan
Robert J. Simpson lived in Saskatchewan but died in Alberta
Hugh Thomas Simpson lived in Saskatchewan
Children of Hugh
All Hugh’s children appear to have remained in Grey County, Ontario except for their 15 years in Michigan. ( Not sure how to count them.)
Children of Mary
Only one child remained in Bruce County, Ontario.
John H. Cooney moved to Detroit or Tennessee.
Mary M. Cooney Williamson may have moved to Los Angeles late
in life.
William George Cooney moved in Regina and then to
California.
Joseph Edward Cooney lived in Toronto, Edmonton and then in
Victoria, BC.
Children of Sarah Jane
Three or four of Jane’s children remained in Grey County but three moved to British Columbia and one of those moved on to Alberta.
Margaret Monford Hutchison in Enderby, BC.
Elizabeth Monford Hutchison in BC then moved to Alberta.
George Monford in Kelowna, BC.
Mary Jane Monford Thompson moved to Manitoba.
Here we find that about 15 of 43 children moved out of the province (34.8%). These are the grand children of Hugh and Mary.
Great Grandchildren of Hugh Simpson and Mary Kidd
Grandchildren of Margaret
Robert George Ard and wife Eliza went to Manitoba and then to
Sask (Saltcoats, SK)
Ernest S. Ard and wife Mary were in Sask. by 1916, living in
Maple Creek area.
Grandchildren of Sarah Jane
Jane Henrietta Thompson in Manitoba.
Charles Thomason in Manitoba.
Ida Thompson in Manitoba.
Henry Wilton Thompson married in Regina, Saskatchewan.
Margaret Ellen Thompson in Manitoba.
Keith Howard Thompson in Manitoba.
Wilbert Simpson Thompson in Manitoba.
Roy Clevland Hutchison in BC.
Mildred Wilmenina Hutchison in BC.
Ruth Marion Hutchison in BC.
Grace Beatrice Hutchison Davenport in BC.
William Henry Hutchison in BC.
Frank Hutchison in BC.
Lorne S. Hutchison in BC.
Vina Hutchison in BC.
Pearl Hutchison in BC.
George Stanley Hutchison in BC.
William Hutchison in Washington, USA.
Clare Ethel Hutchison in Washington, USA.
Zella Monford in BC.
George Lorne Monford in BC.
Elisha Bailey Monford in BC.
Netta Monford in BC.
Grandchildren of Joseph
Mabel L. Simpson lived in BC.
Helen Marion Simpson Doyle lived in BC.
Iva Jean Simpson lived in BC.
Robert Simpson lived in Manitoba.
George Lester Simpson lived in Alberta.
Donald Simpson lived in BC.
Chester Simpson lived in BC.
Ella May Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Evelyn Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Arthur Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Lyall Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Ada Simpson lived in Saskatchewan
Harold Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Annie Simpson lived in Saskatchewan.
Jackie Bellamy lived in Saskatchewan.
Grandchildren of Hugh
All apparently remained in Ontario
Grandchildren of George
Durward Simpson lived in Broadview, Saskatchewan.
Grandchildren of Mary Simpson Cooney
Lloyd Cooney in Los Angeles.
William “Billy” Cooney lived in Los Angeles.
Betty Margaret Cooney lived in Los Angeles.
Edward Lloyd Cooney lived in BC.
Laura Josephine Cooney lived in BC (and then moved to
Ontario).
Mary Eileen Cooney Lived in BC and then may have gone to
Michigan.
50 grandchildren, out of 93 I was able to trace, located in the west or the USA (53.7%). This figure is exaggerated by the fact that the children already in the west had large families. So in the third generation over half of the great grandchildren of Hugh and Mary were located in the West or in the USA.
Summary
First generation 25.0% (children of Hugh and Mary)
Second generation 34.8% (grandchildren of Hugh and Mary)
Third generation 53.7% (great grandchildren of Hugh and
Mary)