Hugh McPhee was born in 1795 in Kilmonivaig, Inverness-shire, Scotland to Donald McPhee and Ann (McMillan) McPhee. Kilmonivaig is a small village, situated close the the southeast end of Loch Lochy in Spean Bridge, Inverness-shire in the Scottish Highlands. He emigrated to Canada with his parents and his brothers Donald and John in 1802. His sister, Janet, was born in 1803. They came to Canada with the McMillan expedition (the three ships Friends, Helen, and Jane).
Many people from the Highlands made the trip across to Canada and America during the late 18th century. On several occassions, the Glengarry clansmen organised a large scale emigration of their people. The start of war with revolutionary France in 1793 made travel to Canada difficult and dangerous. In 1802, however, a brief period of peace afforded the opportunity for another voyage. This was led by Archibald MacMillan of Murlaggan and his eight lieutenants, charged with the duty of “preserving good order among the people.” Over 500 people set sail with them for Canada.
McMillan chartered three ships to carry the people across to Quebec: the Friend, the Helen, and the Jane. Each passenger paid five guineas. This paid for a small space to sleep and basic food for the journey. Many arrived with only enough money to travel from Quebec to Glengarry County.
Family and friends met them on their arrival. Many earlier settlers had been given land by the government, but by 1802 this was happening less. People rented until they could afford to buy, supported by their Highland community. Hugh’s mother, Ann, was a McMillan, possibly associated with those conducting the expedition.
They arrived in Montreal and walked to Argenteuil County, Lower Canada. There wasn’t enough land for Donald there, so they settled in Finch Township [Eastern Upper Canada] and farmed their land.
Peel Township
As a young man, Hugh fought in the War of 1812, and on January 27, 1816 he married Mary Carter at the Trinity Anglican Church in Cornwall, Ontario. They moved to Peel Township in Toronto and had five children: John (b. February 9, 1818), William (b. October 15, 1820), Duncan (b. 1822), Isabella (b. 1824), and Catherine (b. April 8, 1826). Hugh died in 1849 in Toronto.
Battle of New Orleans, War of 1812
The McPhee family bloodline has been traced back to Ireland between 1500 and 1000 years ago, in the days of Dál Riata. The clan was of Celtic origin, not Viking. They would have come over from Ireland to Scotland between 1000 and 1500 years ago, and prior to the last Ice Age would have occupied the Basque area of what is now Spain.
