Port Hood has always been
the shiretown of Inverness County formerly, the name was given to the port
alone, but is now applied to e whole municipal district as well. Both town
and district are important communities in this County, the former, largely
for its memories, the latter, for its growth and solid strength. No doubt
Port Hood was made the shiretown on account of the harbour on which it is
built. On any other ground the selection would seem illogical d unfair, in
such a long, loose-jointed municipality as Inverness.
At the time of the early settlement the
harbour of Port Hood was very different from what it now is. There was
then a substantial neck land connecting the northern end of the inner
Island with the main-land. The arm of the sea which ran into that neck of
land from the South constituted an ideal harbour of refuge. The port was
then an admirable fishing station, and such stations meant much to our
pioneer fathers. That early harbour also facilitated communication with
Pictou and Prince Edward Island, and this communication was keenly desired
in the days of Auld Lang Syne.
In the course of the years that neck of land
was worn away by the sea and the storms, giving two entrances to the
harbour. Then this safe and satisfactory haven was laid open to the full
force of the Northern blast. The shifting sands of the neighborhood were
stirred into action and mischief. These drifting sands were sent churning
through that new found channel, settling down betimes into bars of danger
in the very middle of the harbour.
The most distressing marine disaster we ever
witnessed occurred near the centre of Port Hood Harbour. It was late in
December 1877. On a certain evening several schooners entered this harbour
in a stiff north-westerly wind, and cast anchor under the lee of the
Island. During the night the wind rose into a living gale, and the sea was
lashed into rank insanity. Some of those vessels broke away from their
mooring's, and were again made fast with perilous difficulty. One of them,
"Maggie B.", of Port Hastings, Murdoch MacLennan, master, drifted in
towards the shore, and was stranded on a dangerous sand bank in the middle
of the harbour. It was a night of terror. No attempt at rescue was
possible. The frost was intense, the wind was terrific, it was snowing and
drifting, the ship listed and stuck, the sea was rolling mountains high,
the spars, hull and rigging screamed and strained, death to all was
imminent. Three of the crew lowered a boat and made off for the beach: the
boat was swamped, the men were drowned. The rest of the crew and
passengers stood by the wreck, and suffered pitifully till removed the
following afternoon by daring men from the shore. All were badly frozen.
One lady passenger, a Mrs. Roberts of West Newfoundland, was so badly
frozen that her limbs had to be amputated. Her husband, the Captain and
all aboard were painfully frost-bitten.
That tragedy of the home seas left some
heart-aches in Inverness that will abide for ever; it has sent several
souls to eternity for whom all the wealth of creation were not a ransom.
And yet, the condition of Port Hood Harbour, -instead of being improved,
has been going from bad to worse ever since. Poor Doctor MacLennan, made
while in Parliament, a very practical effort to relieve the situation
here; but that strong and steadfast servant died too soon. Port Hood
awaits his fitting successor.
THE SMITHS OF PORT HOOD.
In 1787 Captain David Smith, with his wife,
five sons and one daughter, came in his own vessel from Cape Cod,
Massachusetts, and settled on Port Hood Island. The fact that he came from
Cape Cod, in his own vessel, with a large family, to dwell on a small
Island, is pretty good evidence that he was fairly forehanded; it is also,
a strong suggestion that he intended to pursue methodically the various
fortunes of the sea. But to him, as to us ail, alas! the future is a
sealed book. In February 1789, Captain David and three of his sons went
out sealing on the "Big Ice" north of their Island home. A violent
snowstorm ensued, breaking up and parting the ice, leaving the Captain on
one side, and his three sons on the other. The sons drifted a distance of
twenty miles down the coast to Cape Mabou, where they effected a safe
landing. The father never reached the shore. Captain David Smith was a
native of Truro, Cape Cod, and was married to Rebecca Lambert of that
place who died at Port Hood Island, November 30th 1821, aged seventy-six
years. Their family consisted of six sons and one daughter, namely:
Harding, Lewis, David, Isaac, John, Parker and Rebecca.
Harding remained at Cape Cod when the rest of
the family came to Port Hood. Some years later, however, he came to Port
Hood, and built houses for his brothers there, after which he returned to
Cape Cod where he had a wife and family.
Lewis and David took up large tracts of land
in Mabou. (See Hillsborough).
Isaac settled on the mainland at Port Hood,
about the centre of the town, was married to Catherine Fraser, sister to
Robert Fraser. He died on September 8th, 1853 aged 72 years. His children
were the following, - Williard Crowell who went to the United States and
made his home in Essex; Isaac Jr., who was married twice, firstly to Sally
McIsaac, and secondly to Miss Hanna of Guysboro, and died without issue;
David who settled in Mabou, and married Isabel Lawrence (See
Hillsborough); Matilda, who married a MacDonald in the United States;
John, who lived on a part of the old homestead in Port Hood town, and was
married to his cousin, Mary Jane Smith, daughter of Parker; Eliza, who
died young; Mary, who married her cousin John Smith (David's son); Adelia
who married Simon Bull of Port Hood; Robert and William both of whom lived
on the old homestead and died unmarried.
Parker Smith (son of Captain David) remained
on the old home on the Island. He was born at Cape Cod October 8th, 1781,
and died January 22nd, 1851. He was married to Mary Hayes, daughter of
Edward Hayes of Port Hood. She died on April 25th, 1831. The issue of
their marriage were as follows: Margaret, born December 7, 1811, died June
18th, 1891; Edward Hayes, born March 15th, 1813, died December 11, 1897;
John, born March 19th, 1815, died March 19th 1869; Isaac born April 17th,
1817, died September 8th, 1853; Nathaniel born July 5th, 1819, died
November 20th, 1900; Thomas born 1822, died February 26, 1901, Parker Jr.
born January 12th, 1825, died January 9th, 1888, Mary Jane, born July 13,
1828, died July 22, 1890, James born April 25th, 1831.
CHILDREN OF JOHN SMITH AND ROSS.
This John Smith was a son of Parker Smith and
was married to Ann Ross of N. E. Margaree, lived on the Island and had the
following family: Edmund Parker, born February 23, 1840, died February 22,
1862; Mary Jane died 1920; Joshua, born .Lay 1, 1844, Hezekiah, born
November 1 1845; Armenia, born November 1, 1850; Richard Potter, born
April 3, 1853, died November 13, 1899; Alice Evangeline, born June 27,
1855; Amos T, born June 29, 1859; Obediah, born October 24, 1863. This
Obediah is and long has been, one of the strong merchants of Halifax.
The father John Smith was born March 19, 1815,
died March 19, 1869. The mother, Ann Ross, was born at Margaree, and died
at Baddeck, October 20, 1902.
John Smith (son of Captain David) settled on
the Island where Amos now lives. He was drowned returning from the Strait
of Canso in a boat with a brother of Robert Fraser. He was married to
Nancy Martin of Guysboro, with issue: Rebecca, who married Joseph Hart of
Guysboro, Jane, who married Robert Hart of Guysboro, and Susan married to
William Smith, David's son. Mariner Smith of N. E. Margaree is a son of
daughter of Captain David was married to the first Myles McDaniel of
Margaree Forks (see Forks).
David Smith, (son of Captain David) settled on
a farm in Mabou, where he lived for fifty-five years. He was married to
Agnes Lyle of Guysboro. (See Hillsborough).
The first Murphy to settle in Port Hood was
Dennis Murphy, who was born in Wexford, Ireland, and came here about the
year 1802. He took up land here and married Isabella Watts. He was the
first Crown Land Surveyor in this County, and his son John was also Crown
Land Surveyor, succeeding him. His other sons Nicholas and James were
farmers and lived in Port Hood. He had three daughters, Isabella, Mary and
Murphy, his brother, came to this Country about the year 1804. He was a
soldier in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, and was also on a Warship for
several years following that time. He was born in Wexford, Ireland. After
coming here he took up a large tract of land and married Catherine
MacDonald, who was born in Invernesshire, Scotland. He had a family of
four-Nicholas, Angus, James and Ellen. He was drowned on September
sixteenth in the year 1816, and was one of the first-to be buried in the
Grave Yard here. Two of his sons, Angus and James were Saddlers and worked
at Campbellton, N. R., and afterwards at Port Hood. The late John H.
Murphy, Town Clerk, Port Hood was a son of Angus's. James died at Port
Hood on the 11th day of September, 1912, at the age of 97 years. Dennis
Murphy died here on the 19th day of September, 1836.
THE WATTS FAMILY.
Captain Hugh Watts was the progenitor of all
the Wattses of Port Hood. He came here from England where he had been
married to Sally Heather whose father was a large shipowner. Mr. Heather,
the shipowner, had seven daughters, after each of whom he named a ship. On
the wedding day of any one of his daughters she was to have and receive,
as a free gift, the ship named after her. In this way Mrs. Hugh Watts fell
in for the ship named "Sally". After Mrs. Watts death, in England, Captain
Hugh, with the ship "Sally" was sent to America for a cargo of timber. He
came to Port Hood, having on -board his three young children, a son and
two daughters. The timber was secured without difficulty; the vessel was
loaded and ready for the return trip, with Captain Hugh and his three
children aboard. On the way out, near the entrance of the harbour, the
heavy laden ship struck a reef, known since as "Sally's Reef", and became
a total wreck. Captain Hugh and his children remained in Port Hood.
The son William settled at Marble Hill, Port
Hood, and had a large family, one of whom, William Jr., was the father of
the late Parker, John and Isaiah Watts of Port Hood. One of the daughters
of Captain Hugh Watts was married in Port Hood to an Englishman by the
name of John Roper. The other daughter was married to Dennis Murphy, a
native of Wexford, Ireland, who came to Port Hood in 1802. The descendants
of the first William Watts of Marble Hill were numerous and respectable,
and connected up with the Smiths, Ruells, Bulls, Murphys, Jacksons and
have already described the family of George C. Laurence, the first Sheriff
of Inverness County. The next Sheriff was Robert MacDougaIl of the
MacDougalls of Judique Intervale (See Judique). As a young man Mr.
MacDougall was clerking for many years with Hon. Peter Smyth, he was also
associated for some years with Nicholas Murphy in business, and became Mr.
Lawrence's successor in the shrievalty. He was an active, tasty, popular
man who kept neat books and records. His official duties were onerous in
those times, and performed with credit and satisfaction. He was married to
a Miss Keating of Guysboro, with issue: Maggie Ann, Mary Ellen, Eliza,
Maud, Teresa, Joseph, Angus, Alexander and Vincent.
All the daughters were married except Teresa,
who joined the religious Order of the Congregation de Notre Dame. The son
Joseph was a lawyer, who practised his profession first at Port Hood,
afterwards in Montreal with MacMaster and MacLennan, and lastly in Western
Ontario where he died. The son Angus became a priest of the Roman Catholic
Church, and is, we think, a member of the Order of Holy Cross. The sons
Alexander (deceased) and Vincent removed to Montreal. All the family have
left Port Hood except Maud, who is married at Port Hood Mines, and with
whom lives the mother of the family, now an aged lady.
THE TREMAIN FAMILIES.
John Lewis Tremain and Dunsier Tremain came
from Halifax to Port Hood, the former about the year 1825, and the latter
was a lawyer and a man who was well liked. When the Island of Cape Breton
was one County, and that the County of Cape Breton, John Lewis Tremain was
Deputy Prothonotary, Deputy Registrar of Deeds and Deputy Registrar of
Probate at Port Hood. He was afterwards the first Judge of Probate and the
first Registrar of Deeds for Inverness County. His children were: Lewis,
Fitz-Clarence, Mary Lee, Seaward and Barclay E. This last named son was
also a lawyer who practised in Baddeck, and was the first County Judge for
District No. 7., comprising the Counties of Cape Breton, Richmond and
Tremain was born in 1806, and came from Halifax to Port Hood in 1830. He
located on a piece of land adjoining the land of John Lewis Tremain at
Port Hood. In the early years of his Cape Breton life he carried on a
small mercantile business, first at B. C. Marsh, and afterwards a branch
at Hillsborough. Later on he occupied for several years the position of
County Treasurer for Inverness, and subsequently held the position of
Postmaster at Port Hood. He was married to Eliza Kennikell of Lunenburg,
with issue: Francis Albert, Georgina Adelaide, Ellen Eliza, Eliza Emma,
Eliza Marion, Maud, William Lee, Henry, Edward D., Fred Valentine, Philip
Augustus and Rufus Arthur.
There is none of the children or grandchildren
of John Lewis Tremain now in the County of Inverness. The only one of
Dunsier's large family still in Port Hood is Edward D., now in the 82nd
year of his age. On the 31st day of May, 1860, he was admitted to the Bar
of Nova Scotia, the first native of Inverness County to achieve such
distinction. From that time on he practised his profession in Port Hood
without intermission, until 1918. He was a careful and hard worker, and
probably saved more money than any other man in this County ever did.
During the greater part of his life he was Judge of Probate for Inverness,
Sub-Collector of Customs at Port Hood, and Agent of the Dominion
Government Savings Bank at Port Hood. For more than half a century he was
a Commissioner of Schools for the Southern District of Inverness. He was
an admirable official, an honest faithful lawyer, and a lifelong gentleman
without a stain. He was married to Emma Hadley of Port Mulgrave, with
issue: Albert, Hadley, May, Louise and Hazel. Albert and Louise are dead;
May and Hazel are married, Hadley, better known in this Provinceas
Lieutenant-Colonel Tremain of the 112th N. S. Battalion, is practising law
in the town of Windsor. During the last two parliamentary terms he has
been a member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the County of
Hants, Nova Scotia.
ANGUS MACDONNELL AND FAMILY.
Angus Macdonnell of "Cullachy" in Glengarry,
Scotland, came to Antigonish before the dawn of the 19th century. He was
married to Ann Bigelow, a native of Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. She first
belonged to the Protestant Church but became a convert to the Catholic
faith, and lived to the age of 106 years. The issue of her marriage to Mr.
Macdonnell was as follows: James, Angus, Charles, William, John and Ann.
All the sons excepting James and Angus were, during the greater portion of
their lives, Master Mariners, sailing their own vessels, as was their
father before them.
The son James came to Port Hood in early life and remained there all the
rest of his days. He was widely known, and everywhere respected in the
County of Inverness. He was born in Antigonish on May 30th, 1821, and died
at Port Hood, September 21st, 1880. He was appointed Prothonotary of the
Supreme Court for the County of . Inverness on November 30th, 1853; a
Justice of the Peace on 13th August 1854; Inspector of Schools-the first
for this County under the Public School law, in 1864; Commissioner for
taking Affidavit's in the Supreme Court in 1856; Captain of the 2nd
Regiment of Militia, Inverness County, in 1863; and Registrar of Deeds for
this County in January 1871. In all these positions he did credit to
himself, and justice to the public. He was an official of acknowledged
accuracy and neatness, with a manner and memory that were quite uncommon.
Mr. James Macdonnell was married to Charlotte
Fuller of Arichat. Her father was John Fuller, Esquire, who was
successively High Sheriff and County Treasurer for the County of Richmond.
She was born in Arichat on October 11th, 1824, and died at Port Hood on
May 5th, 1894. The family of Mr. and Mrs. James Macdonnell were the
following: William, who became a Master Mariner, sailed the seven seas for
many years, and is now exploiting our absorbing Western heritage; John A.,
who succeeded his father as our respected Registrar of Deeds and
Prothonotary; Thomas in Seattle, Washington; Mary Louise, who lives in
Antigonish, and was married to the late Dougald MacDonald, formerly a
prosperous merchant of Port Hood, and latterly one of the best respected
commercial travellers of Nova Scotia; Annie Laurie, who is married to
Samuel McAdam, a printer and publisher of long experience now in the
United States; Ada, who died young and unmarried; and Maggie, who was
married to the late Hon. Daniel MacNeil Judge of the County Court for
District No. 6.
Macdonnell, brother to James lived some years in Inverness County where he
learned the trade of Saddler and Harness maker.. 3e removed from this
County, and ultimately settled down into a life, of mercantile business at
Pugwash in the County of Cumberland.
John, son of Angus Senior, also spent some
time in this County, and was appointed Deputy Sheriff for the District of
Juste-au-Corps n 1820. He afterwards moved away never to return.
Ann, daughter of Angus Senior, was married to
Captain Artemus Cameron, a Nova Scotian, who was drowned on the Grand
Banks. [n her early widowhood she came to Port Hood and started an hotel
known at that time as the "Cameron House". She kept and conduce-;ed that
house creditably all the rest of her life. After her death her mother took
charge and held it till she was past the century mile stone. 4s a memorial
of happy things that were, this aged and vacant house ,till stands,
silent, sad and gray.
THE MACDONALDS OF RED BANKS.
Angus Macdonald came from Arisaig, Scotland,
about the year 1790, landing at Cape D'Or, in the County of Cumberland
where he remained for years with other Scottish immigrants. In 1807 he
came to Cape Breton and took up his abode at Red Banks in the County of
Inverness. His brother Ronald MacDonald (Raonghnal Ban) came with him from
Scotland, tarried for years at Cape D'O'r and "eventually settled at Broad
Cove Chapel in this County (See B. C. Chapel Sketch). Angus was married in
Scotland to Catherine MacEachern, daughter of Lachlan, by whom he had four
sons and one daughter, namely: John, Alexander, Ronald, Lachlan and Janet.
After the death of his first wife at Red Banks, he was married again to
Mary MacEachen of Hillsdale by whome he had Hector, Ronald, Angus, Christy
and Margaret, in all seven sons and three daughters.
John married Mary MacDonald of Arisaig,
Scotland, and had a. family of three sons and three daughters, namely:
John, Ranald, Angus Catherine, Mary and Ann. Of this family, John married
Mary MacEachen of Port Hood with issue: John, Ranald, Alexander, Donald,
Angus, Michael, Peter, Charlie, Mary and Sarah.
Ranald married Flora Gillis of Arisaig,
Antigonish County, and lived on the old homestead at Red Banks with a
family of four sons, and four daughters: John, Angus, Ronald R. (on the
old homestead) Donald, Sarah, Annie, Mary and Catherine Ann.
Angus married Mary Gillis, Williams Point,
Antigonish County, and had John (on the homestead) Dan, Ronald, Angus,
Hugh, Mary and Margaret Ann.
Catherine married Big Ronald MacEachen of
Little Judique. Mary and Ann never married.
Alexander married Flora MacQuarrie of Little
Mabou, settled at Port Hood, and had a family of six sons and three
daughters, namely: Ronald, Alexander, John, Ronald Jr., Charles, Neil,
Flora, Janet and Catherine.
Of this family Ronald married, Mary MacDonald,
without issue. After the death of his first wife he married a MacIsaac
woman of Rear Little Judique, and had Alexander, John, Lauchlin, Flora,
Mary and Sarah. Alexander married Mary MacDougall, Judique, and had nine
daughters, Flora, Mary, Jessie, Eliza, Margaret, Cecilia, Katie, Minnie
married Ellen MacEchen, Judique, and had Alex J., John, Ronald J., Sandy,
Flora, Ellen, Mary, Isabel and Jessie.
Ronald J. lived at Port Hood, was married to
Sarah McIsaac and had no family.
Charles married Elizabeth Gillis, lived at
Port Hood and had Flora Mary and Margaret.
Neil also lived on the homestead at Port Hood,
was married to Isabel MacLeod of B. C. Marsh, no issue. Flora married
Allan MacDonald of Little Judique. Catherine and Janet remained unmarried.
Captain Ronald, son of Angus MacDonald and
Mary Gillis of William's Point, sailed a trading vessel between Port Hood
and St. John's, Newfoundland. On one of these voyages, his vessel, cargo,
crew and himself were lost at sea. Nothing was ever seen or heard of their
settled at Broad-Cove, was married and had a family.
Janet married Alexander Fraser of Creignish
and had a family.
Hector married Catherine Gillis of Judique, with issue, John, Angus,
Ronald, Archy, Donald, Alexander, John, Mary, Flora, Jessie, Annie and
married Isabel Gillies of Little Judique, with issue: John R. Angus R.,
Ronald, David, Mary, Christy, Jessie, Isabel and Sarah.
THE MacMILLANS OF HAWTHORNE.
Donald MacMillan, with his wife Sarah Gillis,
came from Invernesshire, Scotland, to America in the year 1801. Other
members of his family came with him. All landed at Pictou, but the others
proceeded to Ontario where they settled down. Donald and his wife went
from Pictou into the County of Antigonish where he remained for a time.
Subsequently, he came to Little Judique where he settled down and died.
His family consisted of one son and seven daughters, namely: John,
Christy, Catherine, Mary, Margaret, Isabel, Ann and Marcella.
The daughter Christy was their oldest child,
and born on the passage to America. She was afterwards married to John
McDonald of Judique and had a family. Catherine was married to Angus
Gillis of Margaree, Mary to Angus Beaton of Hawthorne, Margaret to Hugh
McDonald, P. E. I. Isabel to Hugh MacMillan, Rear Little Judique; Ann to
Donald Gillis, and all had families. Marcella remained unmarried.
The son John was married to Catherine MacDonald of Little Judique Ponds,
with issue; five sons and four daughters, namely: Donald, Hugh, John,
Allan, Donald Jr., Ann, Christy, Margaret and Sarah.
Donald married Isabel Beaton and had John, Dan
Allan, Catherine and Christina. Donald Allan and Catherine are dead.
Hugh went to the United States when quite a
young man, got married there and had a large family.
John was married to Mary MacDougall, and had
six sons and five daughters, two sons and two daughters are dead; four
sons and three daughters survive. The surviving sons are John A., Hugh and
Donald living at Harbour View, Port Hood, and James on the old homestead
at Hawthorn. The living daughters are Sarah, Catherine Ann and Margaret.
John, the father of this family was well
known, in the County of Inverness, and beyond it, because of the
intelligent interest he always evinced in public affairs. He had from time
to time, many important contracts from the federal Government for the
building of piers and wharves in Cape Breton and Eastern Nova Scotia, and
his record as such contractor was always good and clean. In politics, he
was a Tory coming and going.
Allan was drowned on the Grand Banks in his
budding manhood. He was not married.
Donald Jr. is living at Harbour View and
married to Mary MacDonald, without issue: He died since writing the
married to Archd. Gillis of Hawthorne, and had a family.Christy married
Alexander McNeil of St. Rose, with issue: Margaret was married to Archd.
Gillis, Harbour View, without issue. Sarah never was married.
MACMILLANS (The Dancers).
Allan MacMillan was born in Lochaber,
Scotland. About the year 1817 he came to America, landing at Pictou and
spending his first winter in the new world with relatives at the Gulf
shore of Antigonish. In 1820 he came to Rear Little Judique in the County
of Inverness where he took up 200 acres of land.
On the eve of his departure from Scotland he
was married by Fr. William Fraser (afterwards Bishop of Arichat) to
Catherine Rankin of Lochaber. She was a Catholic and he a Protestant. He
remained in the Protestant faith until his last illness, when he became a
Catholic, and received the last rites of the church at the hands of
Reverend Alexander MacDonnell of Judique. He was a celebrated dancer, and
after coming to this county, kept a dancing class in both the settlements
of Judique and Creignish. He had four of a family, namely: John, Donald,
Ann and Sarah.
was married to Catherine Rankin, daughter of John Rankin of Mabou Coal
Mines, with issue; Allan, John, Alexander, Mary, Kate and Jessie.
Allan, the oldest of the last named family, is
the well known Municipal councillor for the District of Port Hood, married
to Isabel Beaton of Mabou Coal Mines, having one son, John Dan.
John, the councillor's brother, is married to
Elizabeth MacLellan of St. Rose, without issue. Alexander is married to
Margaret MacNeil of S. W. Port Hood, and has Hugh, Alexander E., Donald,
Jessie Catherine, Maggie, May, Sarah and Ann.
Mary was married to Ronald MacEachern (Angus'
son) with issue: Angus, Hugh, Jessie, Mary, Katie Ann, Sarah and
Catherine; Katie married Donald McDonald with issue: John, Catherine and
Jessie. Jessie (sister of Councillor ) died unmarried in 1895 at the age
(son of Allan the Dancer) was married to Christy MacIsaac of Rear Judique
Intervale with issue: Allan, Mary, Ann and Katie. Allan and Mary are
single, and Katie is married to Donald MacDon-nell of S. W. Mabou, without
of the Dancer) was married to Lauchlin MacIsaac of Rear Judique Intervale,
with issue: Katie and Donald, both deceased.
Sarah (daughter of the Dancer) died unmarried.
THE LIVINGSTONE FAMILY.
John Livingstone of Fort William, Scotland,
came to Cape George, Antigonish, about the year 1812. He was married to
Isabel MacDonald, a native of Eigg, and had two sons and seven daughters.
They moved to Little Judique in 1818 and bought 400 acres of land there
from a Mr. Watts. One of the sons, Angus, died at the age of ten years.
The other son, Malcolm, stayed on the Little
Judique farm, and was married to Sarah Cameron whose people settled in
Judique, and had a family of twelve children, among whom were the
following: Captain Allan, who died a few years ago; Captain Alick drowned
on the Grand Banks in 1888; Donald and Angus who died in midlife at home;
Colin, who died on the farm, unmarried, not many years since; and John,
who is still living on the farm at the advanced age of 90 years.
The daughters of the first John Livingstone
were: Ann, married to Alexander MacIsaac a native of Eigg who settled at
Little Judique about 1815, with issue, Mary, who married John MacDonald of
Judique Banks and had a family; Catherine married James MacDonald Rear
Judique Intervale with issue: Sarah, who was married to Roderick McDonald
of Low Point with issue; and Margaret who was married to Donald MacDonald
of Judique Banks and had a family. Two daughters remained single and died
John, son of
Malcolm, was married to Katie, daughter of Big Rory McDonald of Judique,
with issue: Malcolm, Roderick, Alexander, Hugh and Jessie.
Captain Allen was married to a daughter of
John Chisholm (Colin) River Dennis, with issue: Malcolm on the homestead,
two daughters in the Unites States and one at home.
Captain Alick was not married.
Donald was married to a daughter of Big John
McIsaac, Upper South West, with issue: one son, Malcolm, and two
daughters, one married in the United States and one married to Duncan
MacInnis (Sandy Rob's) Judique.
The daughters of Malcolm Livingstone were
Jane, Christy, Isabel and Mary.
JOHN MacEACHEN (Farmer.)
John MacEachen, accompanied by his wife Sarah
MacEachen of Arisaig, Scotland, emigrated to Inverness County in 1801. He
granted Lot Number 709, (380 acres) at East Street, Port Hood, and through
industry and thrift became one of the most prosperous farm ers in Southern
Inverness. He was known as "John the Farmer".
His family were (1) John who married
Catherine, daughter of Donald MacDonald, Counsellor, Port Hood, with
issue: Angus, who married Mary Gillis, Port Hood; John and Donald, who
removed to Gloucester; Catherine, who married John Gillis, Bay St. George,
Nfld., and Sarah who married Alexander Gillis, Judique; (2) Angus, who
married Catherine MacDonald of Antigonish Harbour with issue; Angus, who
was Collector of Customs at Bay of Islands, Nfld., where his children now
reside; John, who married Mary Ann McLellan of Lakevale, Antigonish, John
and his family reside in Boston; Neil, who married Anne, daughter of Allan
MacNeil, Port Hood; Anselm, who resides in Ontario; Lewis, who married
Mary, daughter of Lauchlin MacEachern, Judique, and his wife Mary,
daughter of Ian Phadruig MacEachern of River Inhabitants; Ronald, who
resides in British Columbia; Donald, died in early youth; Margaret, who
married James McIsaac, Port Hood, Sarah Bridges and Mary remained
unmarried. (3) Mary married John MacDonald (John Mor) Upper South West
Mabou. (4) Margaret married Angus Beaton, King's farm, Mabou, (5)
Catherine married Rory MacLean, Little Mabou, they settled at Woodstock,
N. B. (6) Anne died unmarried.
MURDOCH MACPHERSON'S FAMILY.
Murdoch MacPherson and his wife Anne, sister
of John MacDonald, Big, Lake Ainslie, emigrated from Bohuntin, Lochaber,
to Mull River in 1823. They afterwards removed to Glengarry, Port Hood
District, settling on the splendid farm now owned by their grandson Hugh.
The MacPhersons (Clan Mhuirich) and the MacKintoshes are branches of the
Clan Chattan, who originally possessed Badenoch, Strathnairn and a part of
Lochaber. Murdoch's family were (1) John who married Ann, daughter of John
Campbell, with issue: Murdoch, William, John, Duncan, Angus, Ann,
Margaret, Kate, Isabel and Jessie, (2) Angus, who married Margaret
daughter of Ian MacPhadruig MacEachrn of River Inhabitants with issue:
Murdoch, Charles, John, Hugh, John, Donald, Angus, Mary Margaret, Kate and
Mary Jane. (3) Kate married Allan MacDonald "Allan the Ridge" of whom
elsewhere. (4) Mary married Angus MacDonald, brother of "Allan the Ridge".
(5) Isabel married John Campbell of Antigonish with issue: Murdoch,
Donald, Angus, Anne and Catherine. (6) Sarah married Donald MacDonald
(Saddler) Black River, See Lake Ainslie. (7) Margaret married Alexander
MacKillop, Mabou Ridge, with issue: Hugh, Duncan, Ellen and Margaret. (8)
Anne married Alexander Beaton, Mabou Mines, (9) Mary married Duncan
Cameron of South West Mabou, with issue: Finlay, John, and Murdoch. Janet
Campbells made their first appearance in Scottish history in the reign of
Alexander III when they were divided into two great families which were
distinguished by the patronymics of MacArthur and MacCaileanmore. The
MacArthur branch were originally at the head of the Clan Campbell and held
this position until the reign of James I when it was displaced by the
MacCaileanmore branch. In 1266 Gillespie Cambel, head of the
MacCaileanmore branch, witnessed the charter of erection of the burgh of
Newburgh by Alexander III. It was not until the reign of Robert Bruce that
the Campbells obtained a firm footing in Argyle and laid the foundation of
their future greatness and power. To the gratitude of Robert Bruce for his
faithful services, Sir Neil Campbell of Lochawe was indebted for many
grants out of the lands forfeited by the House of Lorn, the Comyns and
other supporters of the Balliel party. The marriage of this Baron with
Lady Mary, sister of Robert Bruce, attached the Campbells still more
closely to the dynasty of Bruce. The Clan has another designation than
Campbell in Gaelic, namely: the Clan Diarmaid an Tuirc or Diarmaid of the
Wild Boar from an ancient Celtic hero on which account all the Campbells
carry the boar's head for their crest. This Diarmaid was the Achilles of
Fingalian heroes. Present day branches of the Clan Campbell are the Argyle
(or MacCaileanmore), Bradalbane, Cawdor and Loudoun.
THE CAMPBELLS OF S. W. MABOU.
Donald. John and Malcolm Campbell were born in
Tulloch, Lochaber, Scotland, between the years 1780 and 1786. Their
parents were Samuel Campbell and Jane MacGregor. Parents and family
emigrated to America, settling first in the County of Pictou and removing
later on to S. W. Mabou about the year 1803.
Donald Campbell, when quite a young man, went
to Glasgow where he worked in a factory. He got married to Effie MacCallum,
daughter of Dougald MacCallum of Mull, with issue: Samuel late of Margaree
Forks, born in Glasgow and came to America at the age of four years;
Dougald, who at the age of twenty went to sea, and was last heard of in
Australia, and Jane, who was married to Andrew Macdonnell of S. W.
Campbell's first wife died at S. W. Mabou. He died at the same place
himself on April 6th, 1872. He was married a second time to Flora
MacDonald, a sister of Allan the Ridge. Of his sons, John died at the old
home at S. W. Mabou, March 22, 1906. This John had three sons, Dougald,
John and Archy. Dougald still lives on the old homestead.
Alexander (son of Donald Campbell) died at
Holding Forks, Min-nesota, in 1911. He left the S. W. in 1869 and became a
prosperous farmer in Minnesota. Some years ago a newspaper of that State
referred to him as follows:-"The grand old man of eighty years, hale and
hearty, weighs 200 pounds, can still outdo a young man at a day's work,
fond of violin playing (Scotch and American airs) can play 300 Scotch
tunes without "taking his hand from the horn."
Donald, a shoemaker died, at Upper S. W. Mabou
in 1889. Three sons of this Donald, namely: Malcolm, Alexander and Dan,
are still living at Upper South West, and two daughters, Mary and Flora,
are married and living at Rear Little Judique.
As to Samuel Campbell (son of Donald Sr.) and
family, see District Sketch of Margaree Forks.
John Campbell (brother of Donald and Malcolm)
came to America in 1803, was married to a Miss Chisholm of Bailey's Brook,
Pictou County, and settled at S. W. Mabou where he died at the age of 55
years. He had fourteen children, among whom were the following:
Alexander, who died at Rocky Ridge, Rear Port
Hood at the age of 84; Duncan, who went to New Zealand, followed lumbering
and died, aged 85 years,; James, who died at Rocky Ridge aforesaid at the
age of 98; Samuel, who died at Port Hood at 91; Colin, who left home at
21, entered into livery business in New Brunswick, and died at the age of
75; John and Robert went to the United States in early life joined the
army of the North in 1863, since which nothing has been heard of them;
Jennie, who was married to a MacDonald of Mabou Ridge; Katie, who was
married to John Pringle and moved to the U. S. A., Mary, married to Angus
Campbell, S. W. Mabou; Jane, to William Gillis of Little Mabou, Ann to
John MacPherson, Rear Port Hood; and Margaret to Angus Beaton of Broad
Cove Intervale. Many of he later descendants of John Campbell can be found
among the work-ing and worthy citizens of S. W. River, Port Hood, Little
Judique, Little Mabou, Strathlorne and other sections of Inverness County.
Malcolm Campbell (brother to John and Donald
first mentioned) also came to America in 1803. He removed in after years
to the State )f Minnesota, and has no descendants there.
THE MACDONALDS OF S. W. MABOU, ET AL.
These Macdonalds of the South West River were
strong, stern men of talent and character, and some of them were Bards of
local distinction. John, commonly called "John the Hunter" brother of
Angus Tailor composed some excellent songs, chiefly in Gaelic. We made an
unsuccessful search for a specimen of his best. We heard some of his songs
sung,-and well sung-, and they are all entitled to live. He had no
descendants. Aonghnas MacAldsdair was also a gifted poet.
Aonghais MacAlasdair another son of Alexander
(Grandfather of Shop Macdonald) was a gifted poet. He had a large family
in-cluding Donald, and Catherine wife of Peter Gillis of Port Hood town.
MacDONELLS OF SOUTH WEST MABOU.
Angus McDonell, weaver, and his wife Ann
McArthur emigrated from Lochaber, Scotland in 1816, with one son Alexander
(Alasdair Og) id two daughters, Sarah and Usable. In 1817 they granted 200
acres ; Mull River. In 1819 they exchanged lands with one William Worth ,
South West Mabou.
Alexander married Catherine Beaton, daughter of Alexander Peain of Little
Judique, with issue: six sons and four daughters, Angus, John, Archibald,
Alexander, Allan, Donald, Sarah, Mary, Ann and Margaret. Sarah married
first to Angus McNeil issue: one son, Angus; she afterwards married
Alexander McKillop, issue six sons and one daughter: Angus, Donald,
Alexander, John, Sandy, Archibald and Catherine. Isabel married Angus
Boyle, issue eight sons and three daughters; Duncan, Archibald, Donald,
Alexander, Dougald, Angus, John, Norman, Catherine, Ann and Mary.
ALASDAIR OG'S DESCENDANTS.
Angus married Ann Campbell (Anna Iain ic
Dhomhuil Mhor) issue, Alexander, Donald, John, Catherine and Mary. John
married Margaret Beaton (Peggy Alasdair Mac Dhomhuil Pheutan) issue:
Alexander, Alex. Duncan, John Andrew, Janet, Catherine, Mary Ann, Maggie
Bell and Annie. Archibald married Catherine McIsaac (Nighean Neal
Gillesbeag Bhan), issue: Alexander, Neil, John, Allan and Colin.
Alexander, without issue; Allan married Catherine Campbell (Nighean Iain
Mac Aonghnai ic Dhugal), issue: John, Alexander, Angus, Catherine and
Mary; Donald married Catherine Beaton (Nighan Dhomhuil Bhan) issue:
Alexander, Donald, Ann, Katie Bell and Maggie May. Sarah married Donald
Campbell (Dhomhul Dhomhuil Mac Dhugal), no issue: Mary married Alexander
Beaton (Alasdair Mac Dhomhuil Pheutan) issue: Donald, Alexander, Jessie,
Sarah and Catherine. Ann married John Beaton (Iain Mac Dhomhul Og) issue:
Alexander, Donald and John; Margaret married Donald Cameron (Dhomhul
Gilleasbuig Chamaron), issue, John Alex, Angus, Archibald, John Archy,
John Duncan, Angus Dan, Isabel, Catherine, Mary Ann, Mary Jessie and Mary.
With Angus the Weaver there came also from
Ruaidh, Lochaber, his sister in law, Kate McArthur, who was blind all her
life. She could not tell one member of the family from the other except by
their voices, but she could tell the colour of a skein of yarn.
It is impossible to describe separately within
the compass of this work all the families in every different section. The
MacDonalds of South West Mabou were mostly descended from the MacDonalds
of the Ridge and South East Mabou, whose origin we are attempting to give
in the sketch of "Glencoe." The oldest of these N1acDonalds of the South
West with whom we were acquainted was Finlay MacDonald, better known among
his neighbours as "Little Finlay". He was a sane, solid, prudent little
man. Farming was his general occupation, and he had a good farm at
SouthWest. He had a mind for other things, also. On several occasions he
had large Government contracts for public improvement along the coast of
Cape Breton, Inverness and Antigonish Counties. In these contraets there
was generally associated with him a fine neighbour by the name
ofAlexanderBeaton(Red Sandy). In his latter days Mr. MacDonald sold his
farm at the South West, and bought the farm at Mabou Harbour formerly
owned and occupied by the late Hon. Wm. McKeen. Here he died at a very
advanced age. Mr. MacDonald was an intelligent, industrious, upright
citizen of Mabou. Better than all, he was an unmistakably good man, and
that is the desired sum of human existence. He was the father of Right
Reverend Alexander MacDonald Bishop of Victoria, B. C.
ALEXANDER BEATON (RED) AND FAMILY.
Alexander Beaton (Red) came with his brother
Donald Beaton (Ban) Prom Lochaber, Scotland, to South West Mabou about the
year 1817. They each took up 200 acres of land on the South West River.
Alexander (Red) was married to Catherine Campbell a half sister to John
Campbell, son of Big Donald of North East Mabou, with issue: Donald,
Alexander, John, Angus, Dougald, Mary, Catherine, Sarah and Ann.
Donald (son of Alasdair Ruaidh) was married to
Sarah MacDonald daughter of Finlay MacDonald (Donald Ban) with issue, one
son, Alexander. This young son became a priest and died at his father's
home at Glenora, a comparatively young man. See Poplar Grove.
Alexander (son of Alasdair Ruaidh) learned the
blacksmith's trade and was locally known as the "Big Blacksmith". He was
married to Catherine Campbell of Mabou Ridge, with issue: Alexander, who
died at the end of May 1921, in Woodstock, N. B., Katie who was married o
Edward McQuarrie, and Ann, married to James Gillis (See Glencoe).
John, son of Alasdair Ruaiddh, was married to
Flora McDonald daughter of Finlay MacDonald Ban) with issue: one son, John
Alexander. This John bought a farm at Mabou Ridge, where he made a
comfortable home for himself. He died by accident at MBA Bridge thirty
(son of Alesdair Ruaidh) became a tailor, and also lived on t large farm
at Mabou Ridge. He was married to Ann Cameron, daughter of Allan Cameron
of Mabou Harbour, with issue: John A., Alexander, Allan, John Angus,
Alice, Flora (Sister of Charity) Katie, married to John Donald Cameron,
and Sarah, who died young; and a second time to Miss MacIsaac, daughter of
Angus Ban MacIsaac of Big River, without issue. Angus the Tailor was a
very prominent citizen A the Glencoe district. Time after time he was
elected Municipal Councillor there until age compelled him to retire. His
son succeeded him, and held the position till his death. The oldest son
John A. is and has been for many years the acceptable Municipal Clerk for
Dougald, son of Alasdair Ruaidh, well remembered as "Dougald the Miller",
was married first to Catherine McIsaac of Big River and had Angus, and
Catherine, both deceased; second to Catherine Cameron, daughter of Allan
Cameron, and had Alick, Allan, Catherine, Mary Catherine and two
daughters, who have joined the religious Order of the Sisters of Charity.
These two brothers, Donald and Dougald (sons of Alasdair Ruaidh) bought
from their cousin Donald Campbell the property and mills at North East
Mabou all of which are now operated and owned by the sons of Dougald. See
Poplar Grove. A certain miller in Antigonish took unusual pains to secure
for himself a millstone. He got it, and used it long with great
satisfaction in a grist mill at Monk's Head. When that mill ceased its
service the stone was still fit for duty. The Beaton Millers of Mabou
bought it, conveyed it in an open boat from Antigonish to Mabou Harbour,
and up through that harbour and river to a place called the "Landing" near
Glendyer; trucked it from here to Glenora and had it installed in the
Beaton grist mill. It is said "a rolling stone gathers no moss", this one
gathered glory. This millstone came to Mabou in 1830, after long service
in Antigonish, and continued from that time till 1918 to manufacture
oatmeal for the hearty sons of the Highlands. Donald Beaton (brother of
Alasdair Ruaidh) was married and had Angus, Alexander, John and Donald,
and two daughters, Catherine, who became the mother of Bishop Alexander
MacDonald, and Ann who was married to a Rankin.
Alexander (son of Donald) was also called Red
Sandy and sometimes Sandy the Contractor. He was married to a daughter of
Donald Beaton (Tailor) Mabou Coal Mines, with issue: Rev. John Beaton,
deceased, Donald, Angus and Alexander.
John Beaton (Red) son of Donald, was married
to a daughter of Finlay MacDonald (Donald Ban) with issue: John, Dan, Mary
Jr. Mollie, Martina and Sadie. Shortly after his marriage Red John bought
a farm at Big River, Broad Cove, on which farm he discovered the first
seam of coal ever opened or developed there. After this discovery he sold
his farm to Reverend Hugh Ross, a speculator in Coal properties, and
bought another in Antigonish County somewhere around Georgeville. In
recent years five of his clever daughters were well known in the town of
Inverness. One of them was the proprietress of the Imperial Hotel in
Inverness; all of them were exceedingly bright and energetic. They have
since moved away from this County. The old old story: our most capable
sons and daughters are lured away to assist in the upbuilding of other
two other Beaton brothers, both we think in this district, named Finlay
and Alexander, sons of Donald who lived on the South West side of Mabou
Harbour. They were large respectable men who raised fine families and gave
loyal service to Inverness. We remember Angus, son of Alexander. He lived
at the South West and was married twice. We, also, remember his brother
Coll, who was in early life a school teacher, and later a postmaster at
There were fine old families of MacDonalds and Macdonnells living on the
west side of Mabou Harbour. We have not been able to secure their family
history, but we have a recollection of some of the old men. The MacDonalds
there were identified by the title of (Clionn Finnlagh) "Sons of Finlay".
Of these was the late Malcolm MacDonald, who was for a considerable period
Collector of Customs at Port Hawkesbury, and was the father of Finlay
MacDonald, Barrister, of Sydney, C. B. Another of these MacDonalds was the
redoubtable Rory, a well remembered professor of Mathematics in the old
College of Antigonish, and an early School Inspector in Antigonish County.
Poor Rory! Many were the young green blades he guided through the bridle
paths of primitive times.
CAPTAIN ALEXANDER MacDONNELL.
Alexander MacDonnell of "Murlegan", Scotland,
settled on the west side of Mabou Harbour about the year 1823. He had been
a Captain in the British Army, and had a family of three sons and one
daughter, namely: Allan, Angus, Alexander and Annie.
Allan returned to Scotland. All the rest
remained here, and were noted for their cleverness and cleanness of
spirit. They were men to be avoided by people spoiling for a fight. Angus
was married to a Miss Morrison, with issue: Alexander, Mary and Katie.
Alexander was also married to a Miss Morrison,
daughter of Roderick Morrison and had the following family, namely:
Alexander, who was drowned off Gloucester Harbour, Allan, Angus, who went
to P.E. I; Roderick, who went to the United States; John and James, who
died in young manhood; Annie, who married Angus Campbell of Minnesota, and
Flora, who married Angus Hugh MacDonnell of Judique.
Annie, daughter of Captain Alexander was
married to Alexander MacNeil of Mabou, with issue: Annie, wife of the late
James Duncan MacMillan, Rear Judique, and three sons, Neil, Alexander and
Daniel, who died abroad.
Allan, the proprietor of "The Macdonnell
House" in Port Hood, is the only son of this "Murlegan" family we know of
in this County now. He is married to Katie MacDonald, daughter of
Alexander MacDonald (Donal An-t-Saoir) of Mabou Coal Mines and has one
smart son. It is fortunate for Port Hood that even this scion of the
Murlegan family is left, with his very amiable and capable wife, to
minister to the dietetic needs of visitors to our shiretown. The
grandfather of this Mrs. Allan MacDonnell (Donal An-t-Saoir) was the
maternal uncle of the notable Fr. Ronald Rankin mentioned by Blondell in
his History of the Catholics of the Highlands. Her father, Captain Alex.
MacDonald was lost at sea in 1852. Allan of the MacDonnell House died
since the writing of above.
The Reynolds of Port Hood are the people of
that name residing in Port Hawkesbury. Captain Isaac Reynolds came from
Port Hawkesbury to Port Hood in 1861. His people had been largely
seafaring men, many of them master mariners. He started to run a ferry
boat from Port Hood to the Island, the first there was here. He was
careful in all things and very attentive to duty. This is the way to
grow,. and he did grow. Later on he sailed some coastal schooners carrying
freight to and from different points in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward
Island. These schooners in the coastal trade afforded the only means of
transportation in the olden times. They were as necessary as fresh air to
the life of a young secluded colony. We can scarcely imagine now how
interested and anxious the old folk would be over the comings and goings
of Captain Reynolds.
'Captain Reynolds was married and had a family, all but one of whom have
taken up their abode in different parts of Canada and the United States.
His son John is now the only member of that family remaining in Port Hood,
and he well typifies the wisdom and qualities of his English ancestors.
THE DELEHANTY FAMILY.
We may be violating local usage in the
spelling of this name, but we are writing for history and have reason to
believe that ours is the proper way of spelling it.
Patrick Delehanty was a native of County
Kilkenny, Ireland. He came to America at the same time, and in the same
vessel that brought the late Daniel Meagher of Brook Village (Vide
Hillsborough). On coming to Cape Breton Patrick Delehanty settled on a lot
of land at Mull River, Mabou, which lot he afterwards exchanged with John
and Alexander Beaton for another farm at South West Mabou. On the South
West farm Mr. Delehanty afterwards lived and died. This farm is situate on
the western side of the S. W. River, extending towards Port Hood, and
contains 400 acres. Some of his descendants still own and occupy that fine
Delehanty was married to a lady whose maiden name was Mary Casey, but who
at the time he married her was the widow of a gentleman by the name of
Pring, with two young children, John and William Pring. This John Pring
afterwards married a sister to James and Sam Campbell of the South West,
and with his wife went abroad never to return. William Pring became a
stone mason of high repute He was a special adept at cutting stone. When
quite young he cut and erected several gravestones for the Smiths of Port
Hood Island which can yet be seen in the Protestant Cemetery at Port Hood.
Later in life he moved to the United States and fought for the North in
the civil war of the sixties, in which he was a cavalry man. He erected
the stone pillars for Mr. E. D. Tremain's front gate, bearing on their cap
stone the well executed inscription, "TREMAIN, BELLEVUE". He was never
of Patrick Delehanty by his marriage aforesaid consisted of the following
sons and daughters, namely: Patrick, James, Richard, Edward, Michael,
Thomas, Walter, John, Bridget, Mary and Margaret.
So far as we could learn the sons Patrick,
Richard, Thomas, Michael and John never got married. The first three named
left this country in early life and never came back. The son John was also
abroad for some years earning money with which he bought a fine farm at
South West River. On this farm he lived alone for quite a period, and died
three years ago.
son Edward was married to Catherine Tyrell of Arichat, and had two
daughters, Mary and Catherine both living. In his younger life Edward
conducted mercantile business at Port Hood, and was the first contractor
to carry the mails from the Strait of Canso to Margaree by means of a mail
coach. This contract remained for quite a period in the Delehanty family.
Pervious to that time the mails of Inverness County were carried on their
backs by John the Post and other kindred souls.
James, son of Patrick Delehanty, lived in the
United States, was married to an American lady of Irish descent, and had
the following family, namely: Thomas, John, Peter, James, Mary, Margaret'
Walter always stood by the good old homestead on which he lived all his
life. He was married to Ann Cameron, daughter of Hugh Cameron, with issue:
Mary Jane, Thomas, John, James, Margaret, Eleanor, Annie, Michael and John
Jr. The Annie of this family is the accomplished wife of Duncan A.
MacIsaac, Merchant of Inverness.
The daughter Bridget was
married to Michael Fennel and had a family of whom we have no trace.
The daughter Mary was married to Myles Doyle,
who lived at River Dennis as farmer and tanner, and had the following
family, namely: Margaret, Mary Ann, Dan, Eleanor, Anselm and Sarah.
The daughter, Margaret was married to Moses
Doyle of Margaree Forks, with issue: Noses, Patrick, John, Mary, Margaret,
Annie, Elizabeth and Catherine.
THE HARDING FAMILY.
Richard Harding and his wife both of Ireland
settled at Port Hood over one hundred years ago. Their family were (1)
Patrick and Edward, who died young (2) John, who married Ellen daughter of
James Doyle, N. E. Mabou with issue four sons and three daughters. (3)
Eliza, who married Thomas Power, Light-Keeper, Port Hood; (4) Catherine,
who married Michael Barry of Ireland latterly of Port Hood; (5) Ellen, who
married John Doyle of rear Port Hood; (6) Mary who died unmarried.
Alexander Fraser, the ancestor of the Fraser's
that settled at Port Hood, was a passenger on the ship "Hector"; the first
ship to bring Scottish immigrants to Nova Scotia. The "Hector" left
Scotland on the 1st of July and after a stormy passage reached Pictou,
September 15th, 1772.
Dr. Patterson's History of Pictou County,
gives the following account : "Alexander Fraser and family settled at the
Middle River, Pictou County and many of his descendants are still to be
found there. He was related to Lord Lovat, and his family were largely
involved in the rising of 1745. He had three brothers fighting at
Culloden, of whom two were killed; he was too young to serve himself, but
followed them and saw part of the fighting. He married Marion Campbell,
younger daughter of the Laird of Skreigh of Inverness, who had himself
raised a troop to fight for Prince Charlie and was wounded at Culloden."
Alexander Fraser was in comfortable
circumstances, when an instance of Saxon oppression led him to seek
freedom in America. His horses and cart were seized by guagers, to convey
whiskey that they were carrying, taking their plunder to Inverness, where
they had it stored at an Inn, and then proceeded to enjoy themselves. When
they had retired for the night, the stable lad, who was a near relative of
Fraser's, took the horses and cart out, and driving across the country
restored them to their owner, who immediately took them to some other part
of the country, where he sold them, and determined to stay no longer in a
land where he was subject to such treatment. He was the first to engage a
passage on the "Hector". His five children accompanied him on the
"Hector". Alexander, his eldest son, succeeded to his father's farm; this
son was subsequently an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. Simon, the
second son, particularly referred to in the story, moved to Port Hood;
Catherine, first married Alexander Ross, and on death of Ross, John
Fraser, Esquire; Isabella, married David McLean, Esquire, West Branch,
East River; Hugh, married Elizabeth McNaughton, daughter of an American
Loyalist from New Haven, Conn. and settled at Middle River Point. He was
the last survivor, but one, of the "Hector's" passengers.
After his arrival, Alexander Fraser had two sons; David, the first child
born to the Highlanders in Pictou, and William, the first white child born
at Middle River.
Simon Fraser, took up a grant of land at Little River, Port Hood,
consisting of 500 acres. In his younger days, he was a great hunter and :
spent a great deal of his time in the woods, usually with the Indians, who
regarded him as their equal, if not their superior in all the arts of rest
life. He was the first to make his way through the woods from Middle River
to Stewiacke, and blazed the first path between these aces.
A quarrel arose between him and his wife,
after settling at Port Hood, and as a consequence, he left in a small
vessel in which he had been trading, presumably for Newfoundland; but
privately he declared some of his intimate friends, that he would never
return. He was accompanied by his son John, a young lad, and by a
Frenchman. Communications received by his family several years later, led
them to believe that he was living in Northwestern Canada, and it is said
that he is the Simon Fraser, who in the year 1804 explored the country
from e Saskatchewan to the Fraser River.
Simon Fraser, had four sons and three
daughters; Alexander, Hugh, Robert, Marshall and John. The daughters were
Catherine, Isabella, and Fannie.
Alexander married Mary Bull. They had four
children; Simon and Jennie settled at Port Hood. Jennie married Alexander
Watts, Catherine married Isaac Smith, Isabella married Robert Bull, Fannie
married Dr. Archibald, Robert Marshall married Margaret Cameron, ho came
out from Scotland with another party of Scottish immigrants. hey had two
sons and four daughters; Allan, Hugh, Marcella, Janet Annie and Isabella.
Allan was drowned at Port Hood Harbor, Janet married Archibald McDonald;
Marcella married Donald Cameron, River Dennis; Annie married Frederick
Smith and lived at Vineyard Caver, Maine, Isabella married Hezekiah Smith.
Hugh, second son of Simon Fraser, was drowned
near the Strait of Canso on his way to Port Hood, and John as already
mentioned, accompanied his father.
Alexander and John, sons of Hugh Fraser,
Middle River Point, nephews of Simon Fraser, came to Port Hood to visit
their cousins in the year 1825, and decided to remain. Alexander, the
eldest brother married Eliza Bell and settled at Dunmore. They had five
children; two sons and three daughters, Hugh, James, Elizabeth, Catherine
and Jennie. Elizabeth married James Lee Hart and lived at Gloucester,
Mass. Catherine married Frederick Nelson and Jennie married Capt. John
Rundell also of Gloucester. Hugh when twenty-two years of age, was drowned
in Halifax Harbor; James married Susan Parker, a daughter of John Parker,
Brook Village. They had four children: Alexander Hugh Ross Fraser, who
died in 1911, and was for eighteen years librarian of Cornell University
Law Library. Two Scholarships, known as The Fraser Scholarships, were
given to his memory the year after his death.
John Fraser, the younger brother, married
Sarah McNeil and took up a grant at Dunmore. They had six children: David,
John, Margaret, Elizabeth, Jennie and Sarah. David was drowned at Port
Hood Harbor. John married Isabella Cameron and lived at Dunmore on his
father's farm; they had ten children. Three died in childhood; John lives
on his father's farm, and the others reside in the United States. Margaret
married James Smith of Port Hood Island, Elizabeth married Matthias
Johnston of Gloucester, Jennie married William West, Vineyard Haven; Sarah
married Robert Cameron and lived at Dunmore.
To show the adventurous spirit of the family
we give the following account of Simon Fraser's brother David taken from
Dr. Patterson's History.
Capt. David Fraser, already mentioned as the
first child born after the arrival of the Hector, when about twenty years
of age went to Halifax and thence to sea. In a short time he became mate
of an ocean going vessel, sailing from the United States. While he was
holding this position the vessel was taken by the Algerians, and the whole
crew kept in close confinement. Fever broke out among them and one after
another died. He was the only survivor, and was sold as a slave to an old
woman and compelled to do all her drudgery. He escaped by swimming out to
a British vessel off the coast, and was later transferred to an American
vessel as mate, to replace the former mate who had died. Thus he arrived
back in Virginia.
then engaged in the secret trade carried on by the Americans with Europe,
and for a time was successful, but finally his vessel was captured by one
of Bonaparte's cruisers. His ship had on board at the time, three barrels
of dollars, one of which belonged to himself. He was deprived of
everything and appealed to the Emperor, on the ground that the Americans
and French were not at war, but received the reply "When I pay the other
bills of the Americans, I will pay that too". From France he made his way
to Stockholm, and thence to England, where he married.
Soon after he returned to Pictou with his wife
and one child' after an absence of twenty years. There he received the
command of a vessel owned by Mr. Mortimer, but his ill-luck followed him
and she, was captured by Commodore Rogers of the American navy and by his.
orders set on fire. The vessel had originally been an American prize and
was fitted up more handsomely than was usual in colonial vessel at that
time. The crew were taken prisoners to Salem, but Capt. Fraser made his
escape and travelled by land to British territory. The crew obtained their
liberty the next spring by the return of peace.
Alexander MacLean (Gow) and his wife Mary
MacNeil both of Barra, Scotland:, settled at Little Mabou about the year
1818. They had five sons, John, Roderick, Peter Angus and Hector. (1) John
married Margaret daughter of Alexander Beaton (Mason) Mabou Mines.
Alexander Mason was a step-brother of John Beaton, Mull River. John
MacLean had six sons, one of whom, Lauchlin, resides on the old home and
three daughters, one of whom Christie married John Campbell (Plasterer)
Port Hood. A son of John Campbell's named John H. (Signaller) made the
supreme sacrifice in the Great War; (2) Roderick married Catherine sister
of John MacEachen (Farmer) and had two children Angus and Catherine. (3)
Peter married Euphemia, daughter of William Sutherland and has seven sons
and four daughters. His son Francis resides on the old homestead. A
daughter of Peter's (Mary) married John Murphy (Bernard) of whose family a
son Joseph gave his life in the recent war. He was wounded on Sept. 30th.
1916 and died four days later. (4) Angus and Hector died young.
Alexander MacLean had a brother Malcolm, who
lived on the Poplar Grove side of Mabou Harbour.
John Botherson of Lancashire, England, settled
at West Mabou Harbour about the year 1835. He was a rope-maker by trade
and proved a useful acquisition to the fishing community. He married a
daughter of John MacIsaac (Carpenter) Judique and had issue; (1) William,
who married Mary, daughter of John MacInnis whose family were: John,
Archibald, Thomas and Mary. (2) John who is owner and manager of the
"Queen Hotel" North Sydney and whose family are William and Agnes; (3)
Thomas in Dakota, (4) Daniel at Margaree; (5) Julia married Isaac
Carmichael and had a family; (6) Catherine married, with issue: James
MacDonald of Mabou Ridge.
Three brothers, James, Thomas and Walter
Whittie from Ireland settled at Port Hood about the year 1814. James moved
to Ingonish where his descendants now reside. Thomas died without issue;
Walter married Catherine, daughter of Angus MacDonald, Judique Banks. He
was her second husband. She was first married to James Murphy, Port Hood;
Walter's family were Stephen and Nicholas, who moved to South West Port
Hood, and two daughters one of whom married Michael O'Hearn of Halifax, W.
J. O'Hearn, K. C., LLB., Halifax, is a grand-son of this union. Stephen
Whittie married Christie, daughter of Angus Walsh, with issue, Angus, for
many years Deputy Sheriff, John, Crier of the Courts; Walter, James and
Frank and several daughters who married abroad. Nicholas Whittie married
and left issue.
the last Century three O'Connor brothers from Ireland: John, Charles and
Daniel took up lands at South West Port Hood; (1) John married and had the
following family: Edward, John, Patrick, Charles, Bridget, Cecilia,
Catherine and Margaret; (2) Charles married and moved to the United
States; (3) Daniel was a school teacher. He died unmarried.
Patrick Power from Ireland was one of pioneer
settlers at South West Port Hood. He married and had two sons, John and
Robert. John married and left issue. Robert left no issue.
THE SUTHERLAND FAMILY.
William Sutherland, who died at Little Mabou,
Feb. 20, 1839, age 53 yrs. was born in Scotland in the County of Caithness
in the year 1786. He married Jane McInnis, daughter of Robert McInnis,
Judique and niece of Bishop Angus B. McEachern of Prince Edward Island.
Nine children were born to them Margaret, Donald, Mary, Robert, Jane,
Angus, James, Euphemia, Francis.
(1) Margaret, died at home at the age of 69.
(2) Donald, living on part of the old homestead married Annie, daughter of
Angus Walsh of South West Port Hood with issue.
(3) Mary, married John McDonald of Mabou Harbor.
(4) Robert, married Helen McDonnell of Long Point, niece of Fr. John V.
McDonnell with issue.
(5) Jane, married John McDonald of Centennial Judique with issue.
(6) Angus and James were drowned at sea, while fishing off Gloucester U.
(7) Euphemia married with issue: Peter, son of Alexander McLean (Gow) of
Little Mabou, and is the only surviving member of the family.
(8) Francis, died at home when young.
Robert Sutherland, who lived on the old
homestead had a family of eight: Jane, Isabella, William James, Angus
Stephen, Alexander, Mary Ellen, Cecilia, arid John Francis. Jane married
D.. McQuarrie, lived in Magnolia, U. S. A., where she died young; Isabella
married Ronald R. McDonald of Seaside, Port Hood, with issue.
William James living on the old homestead
married Mary A. McDonald with issue.
Angus S. living in Port Hood married Mary A.
Chisholm daughter of John Chisholm (Miller) Long Point, with issue.
Mary Ellen married John Botherson residing at
Seaside with issue. Cecilia married John D. MacEachen of Sight Point, now
residing at Port Hood with issue.
John Francis died in Boston, Mass.
Donald Sutherland, William's son, who resided
on part of the old homestead had a family of eleven. William, Isabella,
James, Annie, Cecilia, Francis, Jane, Mary, Christina, Margaret, and Angus
died young at home.
Isabella, married Dougald A. MacDonnell of South West Margaree with issue.
James of Dorchester, Mass. married Nora
Sullivan, with issue.
Annie married Dan Campbell, Blacksmith; of
Mabou formerly of Antigonish, and is survived by one daughter Josephine.
Cecilia married Fred Borden of Manchester, N.
H. Francis, of Dakota, U.S.A. Jane married in Boston.
Mary died young.
Cecilia living in Manchester, N. H.
Margaret married Mr. Collins of Manchester, N.
H. Angus Sinclair living in Winnipeg.
Mr. MacDonald was not one of the early
settlers of Port Hood but was for nearly half a century a respected
resident of that town. He was born and brought up on a farm on the River
Dennis Road in the district of Judique. In his budding days it was not the
lot of many in this county to receive a liberal education; but Angus
MacDonald made the best use of the chances that came his way. Nature was
exceedingly generous towards him. He had a thirst for useful information,
was a wit of exalted order, an agreeable man to converse with, and always
a natural gentleman. The first few years of his early life were devoted to
teaching in various rural sections. Subsequently he came to Port Hood and
entered into mercantile business, which he continued till age and illness
obliged him to give up work. He was married to a MacDonald woman from
River Inhabitants by whom hp had a family of three sons and three
daughters, some of whom are dead and all of whom have moved away from Port
Hood. He was Postmaster at Port Hood for many years. Mr. MacDonald will
always live in his good qualities and pleasant witticisms. Many years ago
he and others in the shiretown were summoned before the Ordinary of the
Diocese for the performance of Easter duty. The call was unusual, and not
easy to comply with in midwinter, but poor Angus would not let it go
unheeded. He at once made up his mind to go, and went. When he was just
ready to start he passed this single and solemn comment on the incident:
"It is hard if we cannot get to Heaven except via Antigonish." He left a
MacKay was, also, a native of Judique, who spent the whole afternoon of
his life in Port Hood. He was the son of Angus, son of John - the pioneer
settler of that name on the shore of Judique. In our sketch of Judique
District we made reference to four MacLellan sisters, who seemed to have
belonged to a family of note in Scotland. One of these sisters was married
to John MacEachen, a stalwart Scot-tish immigrant who settled on the rear
of Long Point. After the death of Mr. MacEachen his widow (nee MacLellan)
got married again to the older John MacKay mentioned above. Thus, the
subject of this notice drew virility and talent from both sides of the
house of his ancestors.
As a mere private citizen the late John MacKay
of Port Hood was notably popular throughout the County of Inverness. He
had clean, ever, ways that everybody admired. He commenced life as a live
id pleasant school teacher. Later on, owing to his smart and win-ning
appearance, and to the superior hand he wrote, he got into great demand
with business men for posting their books. Eventually, he settled down
into business for himself at Port Hood, where he spent the remainder of
his life. For many years tie was County Court Clerk for Inverness County,
and Municipal Councillor for Port Hood District. e also kept and conducted
a hotel at Port Hood for quite a period of years. This made the public
better acquainted with him. He was married to a fine, benevolent,
MacDonald woman of River Inhabitants, r whom he had a large family several
of whom are dead. The late Daniel J. MacKay, Postmaster and County Court
Clerk at Port Hood is one of his sons. Another son, Archibald, is in
Alberta doing ?11. He served in the Great War. The oldest daughter, Katie
Ann joined the Order of the Congregation de Notre Dame (Sister St.
Catherine). We do not know where she is at present. A couple of years o
she was the Superioress of the Mabou Convent. Another daughter, Mary Jane,
is the wife of D. C. MacDonald, Esquire, Inspector of customs, Port Hood.
Donald MacDonald (Counsellor) of Arisaig,
Scotland, was a pioneer settler at Port Hood Mines. Two of his brothers,
John and Hector, settled at Antigonish; Father Charles W. MacDonald,
Parish Priest, Bridgeport, C. B: is a grand son of Hector's. These
MacDonalds were of the MacDonalds of Eachainn (or Hector) who are
descended from Hector (or Gaelic Eachann), second son of Roderick
MacDonald, Third Chief of Moydart and Clan Ranald-vide MacDonalds' History
of the Clan Donald, Vol III, Page 227. Donald MacDonald had a brother in
Scotland, Father Ewen MacEachen (or MacDonald) who was one of the first
Gaelic scholars of his day and who was also remarkable for his knowledge
of Mathematics. Donald was twice married, first, to a Miss Gillis by whom
he had one son, Alexander, who died unmarried, and a daughter, Mary, who
married Angus MacEachen (Farmer Family), secondly to Mary MacGillivray,
who was paternal aunt to the late Father Ronald MacGillivray of Broad
Cove, with issue (a) Hugh, who married Margaret Chisholm of Long Point and
had one son and two daughters, (b) John, who married Clementine, daughter
of Hugh GiIlis of Arisaig, Scotland, latterly of Margaree. The late
Reverend Alexander Gillis, Parish Priest at Eigg, Scotland, and the late
Reverend Father Angus Gillis, who died at Creignish, this County, were
brothers of Hugh Gillis. John's family were three sons and one daughter.
Angus Hugh MacDonald, General Merchant, Port Hood Mines is one of the
sons. (c) Christie married Alexander MacDonald, Judique Banks; (d) Sarah
married Hugh MacMaster (Hugh Mor's son) Judique, (e) Catherine married
Angus Smith of Broad Cove; (f) Isabel married Norman Gillis, son of the
above named Hugh Gillis, with issue a daughter, Mary Margaret, who married
Donald Gillis, Barrister, Port Hood. She was his second wife. (g) Mary
married Ronald MacDonald (Alexander Red) Judique Ponds. This Ronald was
twice married. (h) Annie remained unmarried.
THE MacDONELLS OF PORT HOOD AND JUDIQUE
MacDonells of Glengarry are descended from Donald, son of Reginald the son
of John, First Lord of the Isles. The history of the Glengarry MacDonells
is an interesting and illustrious one. They were an honourable and brave
people scorning duplicity and intrigue. Colonel James MacDonnell, son of
the Chief of Glengarry-Duncan XIII - was complimented by the Duke of
Wellington for his extraordinary bravery at the Chateau of Hougoumont the
night before the Battle of Waterloo, and he was afterwards known as "The
bravest man in Britain." Alastair Ranaldson MacDonnell XIV. of Glengarry
may properly be called the last specimen of the Highland Chiefs of
history, a haughty Chief, rigidly adhering to the style of living of his
ancestors. In 1922 on the occasion of King George's visit to Edinburgh he
claimed as representative of the Highland Chiefs to be, with his retinue,
in the king's body guard. This was granted.
The progenitor of Dungarry and Judique
Intervale MacDonnells was Donald MacDonell of Glengarry, Scotland, who
with his wife Mary Scott emigrated to Nova Scotia about the year 1790.
They settled at Nine Mile River, Hants County. It is a remarkable fact
that Mr. MacDonell, who lived to the age of 105 years, possessed vigorous
health and strength and unimpaired faculties after passing the century
mark. His family were Donald, Alexander, John, Angus, Duncan, Archibald,
Catherine and Anne. Donald, Alexander and John moved to Antigonish County.
Donald known as "Donald Garaidhneach" was a blacksmith and resided at St.
Andrew's. He was a man of exceedingly strong personality and was greatly
respected. He attended to the magisterial business of the community. His
wife was Mary daughter of Angus MacDonald (Somerled or Samuel). Their
family were: Angus, Samuel. Donald (Barrister-Kansas), Archibald (BarristerMichigan),
Alexander, who moved to the United States, Allan, Registrar of Probate,
Antligonish; John, St. Andrew's, sole survivor of the Donald Garaidhneach
Family; Mary, who married Alexander Chisholm, St. Andrew's; Anne, who
married a Mr. Boyle, Beauly, and Margaret who moved to the United States.
Angus son of Donald Garaidhneach moved to Judique Intervale. His first
wife was Christina MacIntyre, paternal aunt of Rev. R. K. MacIntyre, M.
A., St. F. X. College, by whom he had issue: (a) Daniel, a brilliant
lawyer, who died in early life, (b) Alexander, who married Christina
daughter of Angus Grant, Long Point, and is survived by one son and two
daughters one of whom is Sister St. Cyril Marytr of the Order of the
Congregation de Notre Dame, Montreal. (c) John Archibald one of the most
progressive men of Inverness County, who resides on the old homestead at
Judique Interval. He married Sarah, daughter of the late Archibald
MacLellan, Esq., Hillsdale, with issue: seven sons and five daughters.
Their son Angus fought in the Great War, and lost an arm at Vimy Ridge: he
is now Government Light Keeper at Port Hood. (d) Angus and Allan who moved
to the United States. (e) Anne, who married the late Malcolm Beaton,
Little Judique and Mary, who married Angus MacDonell (Hugh Thomas) Judique.
Angus's second wife was Mary Boyd, sister of the late Angus Boyd,
Collector of Customs, Antigonish, no issue.
Samuel MacDonell, Barrister, K. C., "Noblest
Roman of them all" was the son of Donald Garaidhneach, - See General
History of the County. He represented Inverness County in Parliament at
Ottawa in the Legislature at Halifax, and was for a short time a Member of
the Government of Nova Scotia. He married Anne Smyth, daughter of the late
Honourable Peter Smyth, with issue:
(1) Peter Smyth, deceased.
(2) Donald Francis, Medical Doctor, New York.
(3) Winfred S. Major and Medical Doctor, who
died overseas while on military duty in the Great War. He possessed in a
marked degree the dash and gallantry of his race.
(4) Archibald Scott on the
grand old home, Dungarry.
(5) Mary. Ellen, who is a registered nurse in
New York where she follows her profession.
(6) Elizabeth, deceased.
(7) Beatrice, who married Neil J. MacIsaac
"Old Smith Hotel" Port Hood.
(8) Teresa (Mrs. Nicholson), Hamilton, Ont.
(9) Pauline, who married Joseph D. Doucet,
High Sheriff, Inverness Co.
(10) Claire (Mrs. Pearson), Maymont, Sask.
In the foregoing sketch of the Glengarry
MacDonnells, we have deferred to the wishes of some of the interested
parties in the spelling of the name. MacDonald and MacDonnell were first
one family. The first public record of spelling the name MacDonald as
MacDonnell, was in 1600, when Aneas MacDonald was raised to the peerage of
Scotland under the title of "Lord MacDonell." The root clan name is
D. F. MacLean was one of the most successful business men of Port Hood in
modern times. He was a native of Black River in the County of Richmond.
His elementary education was received in the school of his home district,
and his High School training in the Arichat Academy. After leaving the
Arichat Academy, he taught in West Arichat and other sections for several
terms. Withdrawing then from the teaching profession, he came to Port
Hastings, and set up as a retail General Merchant, in copartnership with
one Peter Campbell. He was married to a Cumberland young lady by whom he
had three sons, of whom one, at least, is living. Not long after this his
wife died and the business began to develop some evident signs of
ill-health. Whereupon he retired from the business and returned to the
teaching profession. He was one of the comparatively few First Class
teachers of that day.
In 1879, after the coming into force of The
County Incorporation Act, he was elected in Port Hastings as the first
Municipal Councillor for that important district. Within two years
thereafter he came to reside in Port Hood, and started business as a
collecting Magistrate for the Estates of Hon. Peter Smyth and others. He
was an excellent Magistrate and kept his books, papers and accounts in
perfect order. At this work he made money, because of his efficiency and
strict attention to duty. Then he bought the Fraser property at
Freshwater, and made additions and repairs to the buildings thereon. Very
soon followed his acquisition of the store and Lot across the street which
became the home of his future business in Port Hood.
He now got married, a second time, to
Elizabeth Fynn, daughter of Richard Fynn of Mabou, with issue: Sydney,
Leslie, Aubrey, Murray and Louise.
Mr. MacLean's business venture at Port Hood
was a distinct success. He not only attended personally to his mercantile
pursuits, but, also, became the owner and editor of "The Port Hood
Greetings," a Municipal Councillor for the District for some years and a
Mayor of of the town, time after time. He always identified himself with
important public movements in the County and Province. A superior citizen
was lost to Inverness County the day D. F. died. He was for many years an
Overseer of Fisheries in this County, and also, held other offices to all
of which he did credit. He was full of public spirit, 'and took pride in
doing his official work neatly and thoroughly.
JOHN MACDONALD (MOR) FAMILY.
John MacDonald (Mor) of the Isle of Barra was
a pioneer at West Mabou. He acquired an extensive tract of land near Mabou
Harbour Entrance. His wife was Isabel a daughter of Pioneer Robert
MacInnes of Judique. They had a large family of whom the following married
and left issue: Donald (whose family were John Ban and Ellen); Robert,
Rory, Charles, Mary, Anne, Jane and Mary (Junior).
JOHN MACDONALD (BIG) CARPENTER).
John MacDonald (Big Carpenter) son of
Alexander MacDonald "Denoon" of West Lake Ainslie settled on a part of "MacQuarrie"
Lot Little Mabou. He had three sons, Alexander, who married with issue:
Catherine, daughter of William Gillis of Moidart, Scotland (Latterly of
Little Mabou); John who married and left issue and Angus who died
+unmarried. There were also several daughters none of whom left issue
excepting Mary who settled in the Isle of Wight.
MURDOCH MACDONALD (TAILOR), MACDONALDS "CANNA."
At an early date Murdoch MacDonald (Tailor)
son of Alexander MacDonald (Duncan Rory) Foot Cape, Strathlorne, moved to
West Mabou Harbour where he purchased a splendid farm. He married Sarah
daughter of Angus Cameron, S. W. Mabou. Two of his sons Alex and John
reside on the old homestead. Alex married Anne daughter of Dougald
MacEachen (John Ewin Dhu) and of his wife Mary, a sister of the late
Doctor MacLennan, M. P.
JOHN MACQUARRIE FAMILY.
John MacQuarrie and his wife, Sarah MacCormick
of Eigg were prosperous pioneers at Little Mabou owning an extensive farm.
They had three sons, Neil, Lauchlin and Donald and several daughters and
are survived by numerous descendants.
John MacIsaac, a brother to the late, Reverend
Canon MacIsaac of Halifax, was an old settler at Little Mabou. He and a
large family of good sons and daughters, and several of his descendants
are still to be found in Little Mabou.
Mr. Hayes was one of the very early settlers
of Port Hood, and a native of County Wexford, in the province of Lienster,
Ireland. He 'was evidently a man of push, judged by his respectable
accumulation of cash and other property in his adopted forest home. He was
the original legal owner of that valuable lot of land now held by Edward
D. Tremain, Barrister-at-law; and of that other prominent lot on which
stand today St. Peter's Church, St. Peters Hall, the Glebe House and the
Convent. The last mentioned lot was conveyed to the Catholic authorities
by, Mr. Hayes some years before Bishop Plessis' visit to Port Hood in
activities were varied, and all successful. When the late Honorable
William MacKeen first came to Cape Breton he built a gristmill at Little
River, Port Hood. This mill was one of the first, or the very first, of
its kind in this county. Mr. Hayes bought that mill and operated the same
for quite a term of years. The first grocery store ever seen in Port Hood
was owned and conducted by Mr. Hayes. He also built and owned a vessel
which he afterwards sailed as Master. With this vessel he developed quite
a sea-borne trade with the ports of St. John's, Newfoundland, and Halifax,
Nova Scotia. On board this vessel, returning from a trip to Halifax, he
died. Thus fell one ol the most popular and progressive of Port Hoods'
pioneer settlers. His daughter, Mary was married to one of the Smiths of
Port Hood Island. She was the mother of Edward Hayes Smith, father of
Samuel Smith of Little River.
The following is a true copy of Mr. Edward
Hayes' last will and Testament with a memo of the Probate thereof:
COURT OF PROBATE
Honorable Charles Harris Esquire Surrogate General of His Majestys
Court of the Probate of Wills and for Granting Letters of Administration
within and throughout the Provinces aforesaid.
by these presents make known to all men that on the twenty-eighth day of
May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two in
the third year of His Majestys Reign. BEFORE us the last Will and
Testament of Edward Hays of Port Hood in the Island of Cape Breton Yeoman
Deceased was proved approved and Registered-the said Deceased having
whilst living and at the time of his death goods chattels and credits in
divers places in the Province aforesaid and within our Jurisdiction by
reason whereof proving and Registering the said Will and Granting
administration of all and singular the Rights, Goods, Chattels and Credits
of the said deceased, and also the auditing allowing and final discharging
the accounts thereof are well known to appertain ONLY and WHOLLY to us-and
that administration of all and singular the Rights, Goods, Chattels and
Credits of the said Deceased and anyway concerning his last Will was
Granted to the Honorable James Fraser, Lawrence Kavanaugh, Parker Smith
and Dennis Murphy, Executors named in the said Will
they having been required well and faithfully to administer the same, and
to make a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Rights,
Goods, Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased and to exhibit the same
into the Office of the Registrar of said Court in Halifax aforesaid on or
before the twenty-eighth day of August next ensuing the date of these
presents, and also to render a just and true account thereof on or before
the twenty-eighth day of November which will be in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three.
GIVEN under the seal of said Court at Halifax
the twenty-eighth day of April A. D., 1882 and in the third year of his
NAME OF GOD AMEN.
Edward Hays of Port Hood in the Island of Cape Breton, Yeoman being of
sound and disposing mind and memory DO make and publish this my Last Will
and Testament in the manner and form following that is to say: First I
recommend my Soul to Almighty God and as to such real and personal estate
as I shall die possessed of I give, devise, bequeath and dispose of the
same in the manner and form following that is to say: I give and bequeath
all the personal estate, Debts Goods and Chattles of what nature or kind I
own, belonging due or coming unto me at the time of my decease ALL my just
Debts being first paid therefrom unto my beloved daughter Mary Smith the
wife of Parker Smith of Port Hood aforesaid forever. I give, devise and
bequeath unto James Fraser of Halifax in the Province of Nova Scotia,
Esquire, Lawrence Kavanaugh of Saint Peters in the Island of Cape Breton,
Esquire and my son-in-law Parker Smith and my friend Dennis Murphy, both
of Port Hood aforesaid; ALL the Real Estate, Lands Houses and Tenements
belonging unto me wherever the same may be situate; TO HAVE and TO HOLD
the said Real Estate, Lands, Houses and Tenements with all and singular
the Appurtenances thereof unto the said James Fraser, Lawrence Kavanagh,
Parker Smith and Dennie Murphy their Heirs and Assigns forever, Upon this
special Trust, that they my said Trustees their Heirs and Assigns with the
concurrence and consent of my beloved wife shall and will within Five
Years from and after my decease sell and dispose of ALL my said Real
Estate, Lands, Houses and Tenements either at Public or Private Sale as to
them shall seem best, and shall until the same are so sold suffer and
permit my beloved wife to have, hold and enjoy one third part thereof or
of the rents thereof. and shall also suffer and permit my said Daughter
Mary Smith to have, hold and enjoy the other two third parts thereof or of
the rents thereof, and also upon Trust that they my said Trustees their
Heirs and Assigns shall and will after the Sale of my said Real Estate,
Houses, Lands and Tenements lay out and dispose of the Proceeds thereof in
the manner following that is to say; Upon Trust that they the said James
Fraser, Lawrence Kavanagh, Parker Smith and Dennis Murphy shall and will
pay and allow to my beloved wife Phebe Hays during her natural life the
sum of sixty pounds of lawful money of the Providence of Nova Scotia
yearly and every year from and out of the Proceeds of my said Real Estate,
Lands, Houses and Tenements in lie of her Dower therein. And also upon
Trust that they my said Trustees shall and will also out of the proceeds
of my said Real Estate pay and discharge the following Bequests and
Legacies, which I give and bequeath to the following persons that is to
say, to Moses Doyle of Linster in the County of Wexford in the Kingdom of
Ireland a son of my half sister, one hundred pounds of lawful money of
Nova Scotia; To Bridget Doyle, Mary Doyle and Margaret Doyle sisters to
the said Moses Doyle,. Forty pounds of like lawful money each, making in
all one hundred and twenty pounds; to Andrew Dunn a nephew of the said
Moses Doyle who lives in my house at Port Hood two hundred pounds of like
lawful money, to George Danohue of Linster aforesaid my half brother the
sum of three hundred pounds of like lawful money, to the Trustees or
persons having the management of Saint Peters Church, at Port Hood for the
use of the said church the sum of fifty pounds of like lawful money. And
to William Hays, Thomas Hays, John Hays and Edward Hays all of Linster
aforesaid my Fathers, Brothers Sons the sum_ of sixty two pounds of like
lawful money each making in all Two hundred and forty-eight
pounds-PROVIDED ALWAYS NEVERTHELESS that if all, any or either of my
relations and legatees herein before named are already dead or shall die
before the distribution of the proceeds of my said Real Estate, then and
in such case the Legacies of those who are dead or who shall die before
the said distribution takes place shall not be paid to their lawful
representatives, but shall be paid and revert to my Daughter the said Mary
Smith her executors, administrators and Assigns; and also upon Trust that
they my said Trustees, their heirs and Assigns shall and will pay over the
residue of the proceeds of my said real estate to my only Daughter the
wife of the said Parker Smith, whom I make my residuary legatee. But
should my wife not consent to the Sale of my said Lands, Houses, Messuages,
and Tenements upon the terms herein before expressed then and in such case
it is my WILL that she should enjoy her Dower therein during her natural
life and that my said Daughter Mary Smith should enjoy the residue thereof
until the decease of my said wife and from and after my wife's decease. It
is my Will that all my said Real Estate, Houses Lands and Tenements should
be sold by my said Trustees their Heirs and Assigns as fore mentioned and
that with the proceeds thereof they should pay the aforesaid Bequests and
Legacies to such of the before named Legatees only as shall then be alive
and pay over the surplus to my said Daughter Mary Smith or her legal
Lastly I hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my said Trustees, James
Fraser, Lawrence Kavanagh, Parker Smith and Dennis Murphy to be the
Executors of this my Last Will and Testament.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I the said Howard Hays
have here unto my hand and Seal subscribed and Set this twenty-first day
of December in the year of our Lord ONE THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND
and declared by the Testator as and for his Last Will and Testament in the
presence of us, who have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses at the
request of the Testator in his presence and in the presence of each other
the words "and personal" on the second page, third line being first
I. W. JOHNSTON.