The McMicking Family

For most members of the McMicking Family in Canada their ancestory begins in the tiny community of Stamford, Ontario. Stamford is now only
remembered as a district within the City of Niagara Falls, Ontario, but in 1780 it was a new and developing community township which thrived
for over a hundred years.

First it was designated a township within the county of Welland in Upper Canada, later as a town within the region of Niagara Falls in the Dominion
of Canada.

Regardless of where you live in Canada and many places in the USA, it is most likely that your roots began in Stamford when Thomas McMicking settled there around 1783. Thomas and his brother John
and their mother, Janet Mulwain and sister Janet, and her two boys arrived in the area near the end of the American Revolutionary War (1776-1783).

Thomas originally immigrated to Tryon County, New York with his younger brother John around 1774. During the American Revolutionary War, he came under much persecution and even imprisonment for his loyalty to The Crown. Eventually he was guided by Seneca Indians to Niagara-On-The-Lake (Fort George) around 1780, after which he made his way to the falls settling in the town of Stamford around 1782/3

In 1774 a number of McMickings left from Stranraer, Scotland heading for Delaware County (Tryon County), New York aboard the ship “Gale of Whitehaven”. Although there is a list of passengers on board the Gale, their relationship is unclear. But we do know that Thomas McMicking and his brother John McMicking were on board. Janet Mulwain, along with her daughters Sarah and Janet Cooper and her two sons, apparently departed from Stranraer a little over a year later aboard the "Jackie" heading for Philadelphia. [Ref: Listing from Scots Colonist ] It is believed that Peter McMicking actually arrived in New Jersey as early as 1771 and made his way up the Delaware river to Albany County, NY settling in the town of Schenectady where two of his children were born. As a loyalist he left the region and eventually settled in Stamford, but not before Thomas had already arrived there.

In 1787, John and Thomas returned to Scotland on "family business". It is believed that they returned via NY and made their way up the Delaware to Tryon and Greene Counties. John married and remained in NY before taking his family to Michigan (Province of Quebec) where he died at around 100 years of age. Thomas met and eventually married Isabella Gass who had immigrated to Greene County in 1773 with her parents. Thomas and Isabel had 14 children and it is from their union that most of the McMickings in North America can trace their ancestry.

Janet Mulwain was the "first burial" at Stamford Presbyterian Church Cemetery (above) in 1784. The original cemetery remains but her grave site is now unknown. Many other McMicking family members are also buried there, including her son Thomas (1830), grandson William (1857) great grandson James Russell (1914) and great great grand daughter Bertha Agness (1916) - and many others. Their gravesites are well marked.

Click HERE to download/print/save "A Sketch of the Life of Thomas McMicking by James McMicking, his youngest son", as submitted by Bob Mitchell.

Click HERE to download/print/save "A Sketch on the Life of William McMicking by E.L.Dennis,his daughter", as submitted by Bob Mitchell

Click HERE to view summaries of the McMicking family land deed transfers, sales and willed estates in the Counties of Welland and Lincoln in Upper Canada

Stamford Presbyterian Church & Cemetery

on corner of St Patrick Ave. & McMicking St.
(view looking east on McMIcking St.)

Stamford Presbyterian Church & Cemetery

on corner of St Paul Ave. & McMicking St.
(view from St Paul Ave & Brock St.)

Stamford Presbyterian Church & Cemetery

on corner of St Paul Ave. & McMicking St.
(main entrance from St Paul Ave)