(From the book "Irish Emigration and Canadian Settlement: Patterns, Links & Letters" by Cecil J. Houston and William J. Smyth, published in 1990 by the University of Toronto Press.)

The emigrants who left Ireland for Canada in the early part of the nineteenth century were not a representative cross-section of the Irish population. Willingness to emigrate had not been expressed by all classes, nor had it spread to all parts of the country. Those leaving in the first few years were most likely to have had modest capital, sufficient to sustain them in an adventure that few Irish had yet undertaken. The first emigrants were also without the social support that they themselves would provide for subsequent arrivals and were in the full sense pioneers. Most of them, like the earlier emigrants to colonial America, were Protestant. The high cost of passage selected emigrants of higher socio-economic status, and the Protestants of Ulster and the scattered southern enclaves formed a disproportionately large fraction. In short, the earliest immigrants were derived from among the better-off, and only in time would poorer elements be added to the mix.

The end of the wartime agricultural boom in 1815 initiated a protracted period of economic adjustment in rural Ireland. The eighteenth century had been a period of economic growth and expansion, characterized by the development of great landlord estates, market towns, and commercial agriculture. The agricultural economy, with its growing emphasis on export of grain, meat, and butter, had prospered, and the English demand for provisions during the Napoleonic Wars gave the Irish economy an increased stimulus. After 1815, sharp reductions in the price of grain and higher profitability of livestock triggered a change in the use of land from tillage to pasture in many parts of the country. The disadvantages of the new economy were felt most by medium and small farmers, those with less than twenty acres and thus least likely to benefit from grazing. Among the larger farmers, fewer were now willing to subdivide their family holdings among their sons, and as a consequence the maturing generation of the better-off was displaced. Similarly, agricultural labourers encountered fewer opportunities for work and became increasingly redundant and impoverished. Demographic conditions compounded economic difficulties. Ireland had just entered a period of rapid family formation consequent upon the rise in the birth rate in the previous century. Increasing demographic pressure had further constricted opportunities. For the very poor there was little to do but survive as they might; those with some means could emigrate. Thus the relatively better-off, born in the high-fertility years of the 1780s and 1790s, constituted the first wave of emigrants and inaugurated the modern phase of mass emigration from Ireland.

... Unlike in Ulster, however, the southern Protestant settlements were rarely contiguous but were formed of isolated pockets of better-off tenant farmers and the commercial classes in towns. Constructed under artificial conditions and in a period of economic prosperity, these Protestant enclaves felt the full impact of the nineteenth century's economic recession. Their inhabitants also lived as minorities among Catholic neighbours, whose hostility had peaked in the sectarian and political bitterness of the 1790s. Their power and position were under threat and like their counterparts in Ulster their response included emigration."

Descendants of William Mark CARDIFF

William Mark CARDIFF

Born 1809 in County Carlow, Ireland,
died 1888 Grey twp, Huron co, ON, Canada.

Margaret Jane DUFFIELD

Born 1835 in County Wexford, Ireland,
died 1893 in Grey twp, Huron co, ON, Canada.

Children:
(MC1)......Elizabeth CARDIFF (born 1835)
(MC2)......Mary Jane CARDIFF (born 1837)
(MC3)......George CARDIFF (born 1839, died 1921)
(MC4)......John CARDIFF (born 1831)
(MC5)......Henry CARDIFF (born 1844)
(MC6)......Richard CARDIFF (born 1846, died 1867)
(MC7)......Thomas CARDIFF (born 1848)
(MC8)......Mark CARDIFF (born 1850)
(MC9)......Sarah CARDIFF (born 1853)
(MC10)....William James CARDIFF (born 1856)
(MC11)....Alice Rebecca CARDIFF (born 1867, died 1874)


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Descendants of Elizabeth CARDIFF

Descendants of Mary Jane CARDIFF

Descendants of John CARDIFF

(MC5) 1 Henry CARDIFF Ref. #: MC5 (1844-1921)
. m. Mary CRAWFORD Ref. #: MC5A (1852-1909)
. 2 Effie Jane CARDIFF Ref. #: MC51 (aft 1869-)
. 2 Richard Mark CARDIFF Ref. #: MC52 (1871-1934)
..... m. Marion Clare BEAUCHAMP Ref. #: MC52A (1876-1917)
..... 3 Ida Geraldine CARDIFF Ref. #: MC521 (1899-1981)
..... 3 Percy Mark CARDIFF Ref. #: MC522 (1901-1902)
..... 3 Marion Violetta CARDIFF Ref. #: MC523 (1902-1983)
......... m. Frederick R. MINER Ref. #: MC523A (abt 1901-1961)
..... 3 Emma Clare CARDIFF Ref. #: MC524 (1904-1904)
..... 3 Phillip Henry CARDIFF Ref. #: MC525 (1906-1993)
......... m. Guðfriður MAGNÚSDÓTTIR INGIMARSSON Ref. #: SJ1115 (1907-1976)
........ 4 Marion Claire CARDIFF Ref. #: MC5251 (1928-1986)
............ m. James Henry COLVIN Ref. #: MC5251A
........ 4 Phillip John CARDIFF Ref. #: MC5252 (1931-1984)
............m. Eileen ELOP (1931-)
........ *2nd Wife of Phillip John CARDIFF:
............m. Rita O'NEIL
........ 4 Dennis Allan CARDIFF Ref. #: MC52513 (1946-)
............ m. Muriel Gayle MACDONALD (1949-)
........ *2nd Wife of Dennis Allan CARDIFF:
............ m. Daisy Anne DESSON (1948-)
. 2 Robert John Star CARDIFF Ref. #: MC53 (1872-1942)
..... m. Edith Louise FEE Ref. #: MC53A (abt 1884-1961)
..... 3 Eileen Patricia CARDIFF Ref. #: MC531
......... m. Walter DURSTON Ref. #: MC531A
..... 3 Robert Roy CARDIFF Ref. #: MC532 (1906-1976)
......... m. Elizabeth Jane ANGUS (1911-1980)
..... 3 Wilfred Charles CARDIFF Ref. #: MC533 (1908-1976)
......... m. Irene Grace SHIELDS (1912-1985)
..... 3 William "Bill" Henry CARDIFF Ref. #: MC534 (1910-1983)
......... m. Eariel I. (SHAW) BUCHANEN (1912-1991)
..... 3 Edith Muriel CARDIFF Ref. #: MC535 (1911-1911)
. 2 William Homer CARDIFF Ref. #: MC54 (abt 1875-abt 1878)
. 2 Sarah Anne CARDIFF Ref. #: MC55 (1878-aft 1942)
. 2 Ida Violant CARDIFF Ref. #: MC56 (1880-)
. 2 Margaret Elleanor CARDIFF Ref. #: MC57 (1882-1960)
..... m. William Henry WITHELL (1877-1947)
..... 3 Earle Raper WITHELL (1908-1985)
..... 3 Russell Homer WITHELL (1910-1985)
..... 3 Gordon William WITHELL Ref. #: MC572 (1912-)
......... m. Mary Ellen BIRCH (1914-)
..... 3 Clarence Allan WITHELL Ref. #: MC571 (1915-)
......... m. Alice LINDSEY

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Descendants of Thomas CARDIFF

(MC7) 1 Thomas CARDIFF Ref. #: MC7 (1848-1890)
. m. Eliza FERGUSON
. 2 Richard Albert CARDIFF Ref. #: MC71 (1877-1954)
..... m. Elizabeth Ferguson MENZIES (1872-1945)
..... 3 Vera Ferguson CARDIFF Ref. #: MC711 (1907-1948)
......... m. John Martin SONDER (1902-)
. 2 Margaret Highland CARDIFF Ref. #: MC72 (1879-1949)
..... m. Walter J.O. PENNINGTON (1874-1940)
..... 3 Eric PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC721 (1898-1972)
..... 3 Harold Vivian PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC722 (1903-1936)
......... m. Margaret ANDERSON (1908-1952)
..... 3 Earl Cardiff PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC723 (1905-1943)
......... m. Olive Mae Elizabeth RUDD
..... 3 Thomas G. PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC724 (1907-1971)
..... 3 James PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC725 (1910-)
......... m. Betty Christina HORN (1927-)
..... 3 John A. PENNINGTON Ref. #: MC726 (1912-1981)
......... m. Mary E. MCLEAN Ref. #: MC726 (1926-)
. 2 Emmeline Ferguson CARDIFF Ref. #: MC73 (1881-1935)
..... m. Robert James SHINE Ref. #: MC73 (1875-)
..... 3 Irene Victoria SHINE Ref. #: MC731 (1902-)
......... m. George R. McCLORY Ref. #: MC731
..... 3 Russell Cardiff SHINE Ref. #: MC732 (1904-)
......... m. Hazel Irene SPEIRAN Ref. #: MC732 (1910-)
..... 3 Lauretta Emmeline SHINE Ref. #: MC734 (1909-1981)
......... m. Alfred John ANDERSON Ref. #: MC734 (1902-1978)
..... 3 Edith Muriel SHINE Ref. #: MC735 (1923-)
......... m. Donald Arthur CUMMINGS Ref. #: MC735 (1923-)
..... 3 Evelyn Isabella SHINE
......... m. Samuel Jacob WOLFE
. 2 Mark LLewellyn CARDIFF Ref. #: MC74 (1883-1972)
..... m. Cecilina COUTS Ref. #: MC74 (1888-1982)
..... 3 William Mark CARDIFF Ref. #: MC741 (1911-1979)
......... m. Marion MCCAULEY Ref. #: MC741 (1914-1994)
..... 3 Verna Mary CARDIFF Ref. #: MC742 (1913-1914)
..... 3 Jack Leonard CARDIFF Ref. #: MC743 (1915-)
......... m. Margaret CLEMENTS Ref. #: MC743 (1919-1991)
..... 3 George Edwin CARDIFF Ref. #: MC744 (1917-)
......... m. Rhea JOHNSTONE (-1988)
..... 3 Clifford Wellington CARDIFF Ref. #: MC745 (1919-)
......... m. Helen ALCOCK Ref. #: MC745 (1925-)
..... 3 Viola Adeline CARDIFF Ref. #: MC746 (1924-1976)
......... m. Archie Ross RILEY Ref. #: MC746 (1923-)
..... 3 Vera Arlene CARDIFF Ref. #: MC747 (1929-)
......... m. Lloyd William John WEBER Ref. #: MC747 (1927-)
..... 3 Olive Loreen CARDIFF Ref. #: MC748 (1931-)
......... m. Arthur John BELL Ref. #: MC748 (1928-)
. 2 Mabel Victoria CARDIFF Ref. #: MC75 (1887-1972)
..... m. James BAILLIE Ref. #: MC75 (1880-1943)
..... 3 Mark BAILLIE Ref. #: MC751 (1909-1972)
......... m. Wilda Cristina BAKER Ref. #: MC751 (1911-1990)
..... 3 Alice Myrtle BAILLIE Ref. #: MC752 (1911-1990)
......... m. Blighton FERG Ref. #: MC752 (1908-1975)
..... 3 Millard Edwin BAILLIE Ref. #: MC753 (1914-1978)
......... m. Eva Laura Bell BRODHAGEN Ref. #: MC753 (1915-1989)
..... 3 Wallace Ferguson BAILLIE Ref. #: MC754 (1921-1981)
......... m. Lillian Vernatte HUSTON Ref. #: MC754 (1922-)
..... 3 Doris Mae BAILLIE Ref. #: MC755 (1924-)
......... m. George Clinton COULTER (1920-1993)
..... 3 Lloyd BAILLIE Ref. #: MC756 (1928-1930)

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Descendants of Mark CARDIFF

1 Mark CARDIFF Ref. #: MC8 (1850-1934)
. m. Frances MILLAR Ref. #: MC8 (1848-1930)
. 2 Eva CARDIFF Ref. #: MC81
..... m. John AMES Ref. #: MC81
..... 3 Ruth AMES Ref. #: MC811
..... 3 Mark AMES Ref. #: MC812
..... 3 Francis AMES Ref. #: MC813
..... 3 Cardiff AMES Ref. #: MC814
..... 3 Victor AMES Ref. #: MC815
. 2 Millerd Eric CARDIFF Ref. #: MC82 (1880-1900)
. 2 George Francis CARDIFF Ref. #: MC83 (1881-1961)
..... m. Julia Maude HAMILTON Ref. #: MC83 (1889-1966)
..... 3 Keith Curtis CARDIFF Ref. #: MC831 (1921-)
......... m. Kathleen May KAUFMAN Ref. #: MC831 (1913-)
..... 3 Ruth Frances CARDIFF Ref. #: MC832 (1922-)
......... m. Norman Gordon Maxwell TUCK Ref. #: MC832 (1922-)
..... 3 Eleanor Margaret CARDIFF Ref. #: MC833 (1925-)
......... m. Bert HUNTER Ref. #: MC833
..... *2nd Husband of Eleanor Margaret CARDIFF:
......... m. Rudy NEUBAUER Ref. #: MC833
..... 3 Edith Julia CARDIFF Ref. #: MC834 (1927-)
......... m. William RUCK Ref. #: MC834 (1922-)
. 2 Richard CARDIFF Ref. #: MC84
..... m. EVELYN Ref. #: MC84
. 2 Lewis Elston CARDIFF Ref. #: MC85 (1889-1967)
..... m. Alice MCFADDEN Ref. #: MC85
. *2nd Wife of Lewis Elston CARDIFF:
..... m. Ada May MORRISON (1889-1966)
..... 3 Ross CARDIFF Ref. #: MC851 (1911-)
......... m. Lena STRATYCHUK Ref. #: MC851 (1919-1973)
..... 3 Leota CARDIFF Ref. #: MC852 (1913-)
......... m. Dean DAVIDSON
..... 3 Clarke CARDIFF Ref. #: MC853 (1923-)
......... m. Edythe KRAUTER Ref. #: MC853

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Descendants of Sarah CARDIFF

Descendants of William James CARDIFF