The collection contains copies of articles on passengers on the "Alexander" and the "Princetown pioneers" written by Rev. Lawson which appeared in the "Island magazine". Also included are research notes re. Scottish sources checked for references to emigration to the new world, in particular to the vessels "Annabella" and "Edinburgh". There is also a copy of the passenger list for the latter vessel. Relevant references have been transcribed or copied. Sources include "The Scots magazine" 1768-1771, Letterbooks of the Customs collector at Campbeltown to the Board of Customs, 1770-1772, Customs accounts, Campbeltown, 1767-1771, and the Campbeltown register of shipping as well as miscellaneous church and public records.

This fonds consists of an exercise book belonging to John McEachern, a diary of the McEachern family for the period 1839 to 1901, and a McEachern genealogy written by John McEachern in 1866. The diary, which was started by John McEachern and continued by his sons Lauchlin and Dougald after his death, contains daily accounts of weather and life on the farm. The end of the diary also includes a section entitled "Fragments of Family History" (1850) written by John outlining his family's Scottish roots and their emigration to Prince Edward Island. This appears to have been the predecessor to his more detailed McEachern genealogy.

The fonds consists of two copies of an undated article written by Beryl Barrett entitled "The Early Hessian Setters of Prince Edward Island." This twelve page article revolves around the families of Johann Christian Ernst Junker (Younker) and George Weckesser (Vickerson), their German origins, service in the American Revoluton, and their emigration to PEI in the late 1700s. The fonds also contains a letter written by Robert Gray to Lieutenant Governor Charles Douglass Smith regarding public money dated the 17 September 1816.

The fonds consists of a three page transcription of a letter written by Alexander Stewart on 12 October 1805, to his father, James Stewart in Perthshire, Scotland. Alexander's letter, postmarked from Charlottetown, was written in response to a letter written by his family in February of that same year. Alexander writes of ships arriving in PEI with emigrants from Belfast and the Isle of Skye. Stewart offers to pay for the passage of his brother John, and encourages his father James to emigrate to PEI for the quality of life it offers and the availability of land.

This collection consists of four letters written to Murdock MacLeod. Three of the letters in this collection are from Murdock's wife Effy MacDonald and his friend John Campbell between 1832 and 1839. There is also an unsigned letter written mostly in Gaelic dated 1831. The collection also contains an envelope addressed to Rev. J. B. Strong, Wesleyan Minister at Bingham College dated 1851.

This paper is a brief overall account of the Irish immigration to Prince Edward Island from 1767 to 1850. It includes extracts on the names Hughes, Hayes and Mulholland from the Book of Ulster surnames. Florence (Hughes) Hydel was the author of this item.

This fonds consists of eight letters written between members of the Rankin and Morrison families of Scotland and PEI. Neil, Coun Douly, and George are the three generations of Rankin family whose correspondence is documented in this fonds. Roderick Morrison, whose correspondence is also included in this fonds, was the tenth child of Hector and Marion. The correspondence relays information about immigrating to PEI, as well as information about friends and family members of the Rankin and Morrison clans. Letters from A.A. Bartlett, brother-in-law of C. D. Rankin, to Cowe Morrison in Mull, inquire about family members and reminisces about a visit to the Morrison family on the Isle of Mull. A newspaper clipping from the "Prince Edward Island Times" dated the 23 April 1836, contains information communicated by the government of the day to the residents of PEI, in which C. D. Rankin is frequently mentioned.

This fonds consists of a pamphlet which appears to be one of Robert Clark's attempts to entice settlers to the colony of St. John's Island. Signed by various London merchants, it depicts an idyllic pastoral setting with great prospects of profit in agriculture, fishing, and commerce for those of an industrious and enterprising nature. All this was to be had for the purchase price of 100 per 500 acres or for a lease granted on "the most reasonable terms".

The collection contains copies of the Lockerby genealogy written by W. Earle Lockerby as well as the history of the community of Hamilton which he edited. It also contains photocopies of a petition and affidavit from the Scottish Record Office pertaining to the voyage of the "Edinburgh" to Isle St. Jean in 1773; an article by Frank Bigwood from "Kintyre magazine" containing a passenger list for the "Edinburgh"; and a covering letter by Earle Lockerby. The latter gives a new interpretation of the date and circumstances of the arrival of the Woodside and Montgomery families on Prince Edward Island. The fonds also contains a copy of the Royal American Gazette and Intelligencer of the Island of Saint John 25 May 1789.

This collection consists records of the 200th anniversary celebration of the "Selkirk Settlers" sponsored by the Belfast Historical Society in August 2003. Material includes a copy of "Selkirk settlers : 200th anniversary commemorative booklet : Belfast, Prince Edward Island, 1803-2003", brochures, programmes, tickets, and a 120 minute commemorative DVD of the anniversary celebrations.