Scots-Quebecers () are

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...

ers who are of Scottish descent.

Background

Few Scots came to Quebec (then New France) before the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...

. Those who did blended in with the French population. Perhaps the first Scot to settle was Abraham Martin dit l'Écossais (1589-1664), who by the year 1800 had 7,765 married descendants among the French-speaking population.The Pioneers
/ref> In 1763, the French population of Quebec was approximately 55,000 when

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

handed it over to

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It ...

under the terms of the Treaty of Paris (1763) that ended the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

. By the beginning of the 19th century, the Quebec population was expanding slowly as immigration began from Great Britain. Impoverished Scottish immigrants, many the victim of the

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

and Lowland Clearances, saw unlimited opportunity in this huge forested land. The bond between Scotland and France, however, also extended to numerous other areas such as the '' Gens d’Armes Ecossais'' (Scots Men-At-Arms) who guarded the kings of France for nearly three hundred years. Today in France there are many descendants of these Scots who have lived there for centuries. They carry names such as Campbell and MacDonald, the most famous of the latter being Jacques MacDonald,

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

Settling

Some of these Scottish immigrants settled in

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the metropolitan area had a population of 839,311. It is t ...

but many with an entrepreneurial drive kept moving west to

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...

which at the time was little more than a small port town on the St. Lawrence River. By far the majority of the Scots arrived in Quebec with little more than the shirt on their back. John Redpath, who had only enough money for ships passage to Quebec City, walked all the way to Montreal.

Commerce, science and culture

In 1779, Scotsman Simon McTavish helped establish what would become the

North West Company The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what is present-day Western Canada and Northwestern Ontario. With great weal ...

to compete in the fur trade with the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

owned giant, the

Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC; french: Compagnie de la Baie d'Hudson) is a Canadian retail business group. A fur trading business for much of its existence, HBC now owns and operates retail stores in Canada. The company's namesake business di ...

. Since 1670, the Hudson's Bay Company had been operating an unchallenged monopoly in the territory in the northwest known as Rupert's Land, which comprised nearly half of what is now Canada. In the process, McTavish became the most important businessman in all of

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...

during the second half of the 18th century. By the first decade of the 1800s, Montreal had grown to around 9,000 inhabitants and the Scottish immigrants who chose to make Montreal their home soon began to play a key role in the city's cultural, scientific, and business life. Although at their peak, the Scots made up only a small percentage of Quebec's population, they affected the city of Montreal and the Province of Quebec far beyond their numbers. Starting from an almost non-existent economic base, they were instrumental in improving the Province's commercial prospects by exploiting an untapped hinterland. They transformed the small fortified town into the business hub for much of the St Lawrence basin and worked to enhance the Province's economic power. Scots led a wave of immigrants seeking a better life that saw Montreal's population grow from 9,000 in 1800 to 50,000 by the year 1850. Other Scots were instrumental in building the Lachine Canal that turned Montreal into one of the most important and prosperous ports in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

. The canal led to a rapid industrialization that began in the late 1840s with Montreal manufacturers producing products for the entire nation. It was also Scots who constructed Montreal's first bridge across the

Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...

and

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan ( cy, Harri Morgan; – 25 August 1688) was a privateer, plantation owner, and, later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he raided settlements and shipping on the Spanish Main, becoming we ...

built the first department store in Canada that was the envy of the country. Scot settlers founded many of the city's great industries including the

Bank of Montreal The Bank of Montreal (BMO; french: Banque de Montréal, link=no) is a Canadian multinational investment bank and financial services company. The bank was founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1817 as Montreal Bank; while its head office remains in ...

Redpath Sugar Redpath Sugar Ltd. (french: Sucre Redpath Ltée) is a Canadian sugar refining company that was established in 1854 and the first refining cane sugar in Montreal, Quebec. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario (with an additional packaging plant in Bell ...

, and from headquarters they established in Montreal, Scots were the driving force that built both of Canada's national railroads. Early on, they realized the importance for the mercantile community to create the institutions and instruments that enabled business to be the catalyst for improved standards of living for all its citizens. Because of their work and vision, by 1860 they were greatly responsible for making Montreal the most important city in British North America. Noted for their willingness to help fellow Scots succeed in the new world, they are also remembered for giving back to the country that had provided them with the opportunity to prosper. Scots established and funded numerous Montreal institutions such as

McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill Univer ...

, the

Literary and Historical Society of Quebec The Literary and Historical Society of Quebec (LHSQ) was the first historical society, and one of the first learned societies, in Canada. It was founded in 1824 by George Ramsay, Earl of Dalhousie, governor of British North America. Its headquar ...

and the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Notable Scots-Quebecers

A few of these Scots and their offspring who were major factors in building Montreal and the Province of Quebec into the economic hub of Canada are: * Hugh Allan (1810–1882), financier and shipping magnate * Montagu H. Allan (1860–1951), banker, ship owner, sportsman * Richard Bladworth Angus (1831–1922), banker * Robert Mitchell Ballantyne (1859–1929), businessman * Aeneas Cameron (1757–1822), fur trader *

Thomas Neill Cream Thomas Neill Cream (27 May 1850 – 15 November 1892), also known as the Lambeth Poisoner, was a Scottish-Canadian medical doctor and serial killer who poisoned his victims with strychnine. Over the course of his career, he murdered up t ...

(1850–1892), serial killer * John William Dawson (1820–1899), scientist, educator * Richard Dobie (1731–1805), fur trader, businessman *

William Dow William Dow (March 27, 1800 – December 7, 1868) was a Scottish-born brewer and financier of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Born at Muthill, Perthshire, he was the eldest son of Dr William Dow (1765-1844), Brewmaster, and Anne Mason. Since 1652, his ...

(1800–1868), brewer and businessman *

George Alexander Drummond Sir George Alexander Drummond, (11 October 1829 – 2 February 1910) was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and senator. Life and career Born in 1829 at Edinburgh, he was a younger son of the entrepreneurial stonemason, building contractor ...

(1829–1910), entrepreneur * James Dunlop (1757–1815), businessman * Robert Ellice (1747–1790), merchant and fur trader * Duncan Fisher (1753–1820), businessman * Hugh Graham (1848–1938), newspaper publisher * Peter Grant (1764–1848), fur trader * William Grant (1744–1805), merchant, politician * Alexander Henderson (1831–1913), merchant and photographer * James D. Johnson (1949) businessman *

William C. Macdonald Sir William Christopher Macdonald (10 February 1831 – 9 June 1917) was a Canadian tobacco manufacturer and major philanthropy, education philanthropist in Canada. Though born in Prince Edward island, he is considered a Scots-Quebecer. Earl ...

(1831–1917), tobacco manufacturer, philanthropist * Dugald Lorn MacDougall (1811–1885), stockbroker, investor * Hugh Mackay (1832–1890), businessman * Robert Mackay (1840–1916), businessman, statesman * Roderick Mackenzie (1761–1844), fur trader, politician * James McGill (1744–1813), fur trader, merchant, politician * Peter McGill (1789–1860), businessman, politician * William McGillivray (1764–1825), fur trader * Duncan McIntyre (1834–1894), businessman * Simon McTavish (1750–1804), fur trader, saw mill and flour mill operator *

(1819–1893), built the first department store in Canada * John Neilson (1776–1848), printer, publisher, politician *

Alexander Walker Ogilvie Alexander Walker Ogilvie (May 7, 1829 – March 31, 1902) was a Canadian politician and businessman. He and his brothers, William and John, are remembered for their pioneering work in the Canadian milling trade with their company, A. W. Ogilv ...

(1829–1902), miller, statesman *

William Watson Ogilvie Captain William Watson Ogilvie (15 February 1835 – 12 January 1900), commanded a division of the Royal Montreal Cavalry during the Fenian Raids. He and his two brothers, Alexander and John, are remembered for their pioneering work in the ...

(1835–1900), businessman * Andrew Paton (1833–1892), textile manufacturer, politician * John Redpath (1796–1869), contractor, industrialist * Peter Redpath (1821–1894), businessman *

James Gibb Ross James Gibb Ross (18 April 1819 – 1 October 1888) was a Canadian merchant and politician from the province of Quebec. Born in Carluke, a village of South Lanarkshire, Scotland, Ross emigrated to Canada in 1832 with his brother, John Ross, ...

(1819–1888), merchant, statesman * James Ross (1848–1913), railway engineer, businessman *William Henry Scott (1799–1851), politician, businessman * Philip Simpson Ross (1827–1907), founder of the Order of Chartered Accountants of Quebec * George Simpson (1787–1860), executive, fur trader * Donald Alexander Smith (1820–1914), fur trader, financier, railroad baron and politician. * George Stephen (1829–1921), banker and railway executive * Daniel Sutherland (1756–1832), businessman * David Torrance (1805–1876), merchant, banker *

John Torrance John Torrance (June 8, 1786 – January 20, 1870) was a merchant and entrepreneur of Montreal, Lower Canada. He entered the railroad industry in the 1830s and ran steamboats on the St. Lawrence River. He was also a director of the Bank of Montre ...

(1786–1870), merchant, shipper * William Watson (c.1795–1867), miller, businessman, politician *

John Young John Young may refer to: Academics * John Young (professor of Greek) (died 1820), Scottish professor of Greek at the University of Glasgow * John C. Young (college president) (1803–1857), American educator, pastor, and president of Centre Coll ...

(1811–1878), entrepreneur, statesman *

(c.1759–1819), seigneur, businessman, judge and politician

Background

Settling

Commerce, science and culture

Notable Scots-Quebecers

See also

References

Further reading