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The Early Settlers of Indian River
by John R. McLellan, Indian River, March, 1898
from The Summerside Journal, Prince Edward Island, About the year 1787, John and Angus McLellan, with their families, came to this Island from Glaich Liath at the foot of Ben Corodale, on the east side of Beinn Mhór, on Loch Oinart, near the point of Uisinish. South Uist, one of the western islands of Scotland. When their landlord, the chief of Clan Ranald, heard of their intention to emigrate, he tried to prevent them. He went among his other tenants, telling them that if they would buy any of the stock from the McLellans he would pull down their houses and throw the stones into the sea to gather kelp. Not withstanding this the McLellans managed to sell all their stock. They sailed for America, their destination being Glengarry, Upper Canada, now Ontario, where many of their country people had gone, but the captain of the ship in which they sailed deceived them, telling them that smallpox was prevalent in Quebec, where it was their intention to land. He landed them at Charlottetown, where they met Lieut.Col. Robert Stewart, who then was part proprietor of Lot Eighteen. He advised them to settle on his estate, telling them that at or near the mouth of Indian River they would find a deserted French house. It appears they did as he advised them, for they started for Indian River, and as there was neither railway nor highway in those days, they went up the East River as far as Scotch Fort, crossed to Tracadie Bay, where they engaged a French schooner to take them to Malpeque. At Malpeque they borrowed canoes from the settlers to take themselves and their effects to their future homes at Indian River. When they arrived it was too late to put in a crop, so they began clearing the land and preparing for the next year. During the first year they endured many hardships and privations. Though the rivers teemed with fish and the shores with shell fish, there was a scarcity of other food stuff. The adults could get along well enough, but the children wanted bread. Mrs. Angus McLellan, née Effie Stewart, used to take a canoe and paddle to what is now called Raynor's Creek, leave the canoe there, cross through the woods to Bedeque Bay, and board the timber ships from Greenock and Liverpool, where, upon making her wants known, they would give her as much ship bread as she could carry. She would then return to her canoe and paddle back to Indian River. The year after their arrival they put in a crop, buying their seed from their neighbours at Malpeque, distant about twelve miles by water. This year, having grown wheat and other cereals, they had plenty of bread. They had a quearn, (sic) which they brought with them from Scotland, and with which they ground their grain. After this, everything prospered with them and everything yielded abundantly, their sheep, cattle and horses increasing to their heart's content. Their most felt want on this Island at the time was a Gaelic speaking Priest, to administer to their spiritual needs, the Rev. James McDonald, who came out with Glenaladale in 1772, having died in 1785. Opposite Indian River, about six miles across Richmond Bay, was a French settlement, where there was a chapel, which was visited occasionally by a Priest from Quebec named Beaubien, and by the Abbe de Colonne from Charlottetown. Here they had their spiritual wants attended to partly through interpreters, until the arrival of the Rev. Aeneas McEachern from Scotland in 1790. About this time the French moved to Miscouche and Rev. Father McEachern advised the Indian River people to build a church for themselves. This they did and he consecrated a cemetery for them, in which those worthy people are now awaiting the sound of the last trumpet. Bishop McEachern visited Indian River for the last time in June, 1834, when he baptized all the young children, and on June 24th, the Feast of St. John the Baptist, he confirmed all who were prepared, the writer of this sketch being among the number. After mass he preached the first Gaelic sermon I ever heard, and the last, excepting a few words by the late lamented Father McGillivray. I remembered the sermon many years. After the ceremony was over the people went out on the green before the church door, and when the Bishop came out he addressed one of his parishioners, Roderick McIsaac, saying, "I think Roderick, you were late for Mass." Roderick answered that they had a saying in Scotland, that "Late plowing is better than no plowing at all." The Bishop then told them that this was his last visit to Indian River, as he had but a short time to live. Mr. McIsaac, above mentioned, said to him, "When you die, see that you will put in a good word for us." The Bishop replied, that he would make no rash promise, as he did not know how his own case would stand. He then made them all kneel and he blessed them and made the sign of the cross over the four quarters of the parish, on their houses and belongings. The people began to lament and say, "When you are dead we will be as badly off as ever for a Gaelic speaking Priest." He said, "you now complain of the scarcity of priests, but the day may come when there will be complaints that there are too many of them to support and that they will take the children's bread from the hearth." He told them that when he would be gone the Rev. D.B. McDonald would administer to them in their own tongue. He then bade them farewell. He died in the spring of 1835. The Clan McLellan lived in the South of Scotland, where the ivy covered ruins of their castle still stands, in the shiretown of Kirkcudbright. The forefathers of the McLellans of Indian River and of their kin of Grand River, belonged to the clan MacIain (John) of Glencoe. They never changed their surname to that of their chief, as a great many did for empty honours. John and Angus, who came to this country, were the sons of Donald, he the son of Angus, son of Donald , son of John, son of Philip. John, the older brother, was married to Catherine McPhee, of South Uist, by whom he had seven sons - Donald, Angus, Archibald, Alexander, Roderick, Philip, and James, and one daughter, Catherine. Donald and Angus settled on Lot 14. Donald married first, Mary Gillis, of that place, by whom he had two sons, Donald and John, and two daughters, Christy and Nancy, and secondly, to Christina McDonald, of the same place, by whom he had six sons, Angus, Archibald. Alexander, Augustine. James and Matthias, and four daughters, Catherine, Ann, Mary and Margaret. Angus married Sarah Gillis, sister to Donald's first wife. They had seven sons, John, James, Donald, Hugh, Stephen, Joseph and Andrew, and two daughters, Mary and Catherine. Archibald married Ann Morrison, of Pt. DeRoche. They had one son, Donald, and six daughters, Cicely, Catherine, Mary, Louise, Flora and Martina. Alexander married Sarah McCormack, of St.Andrew's. They had three sons, Augustine, John, and Joseph, and six daughters, Catherine, Mary, Nancy, Agnes, Ellen and Bibian. Roderick married Mary McDonald of Barbara Weit. They had five sons, John, Stephen, Alexander, Joseph and James, and four daughters, Sarah, Catherine, Mary, and Matilda. Philip married Flora Morrison of Darnley. They had four sons, John, Bennet, James and Philip, and two daughters, Catherine and Mary. James married Flora McKenzie, of Indian River. They had six sons, John P, Donald, Leo, James, Alexander and Archibald, and six daughters, Catherine, Mary, Elizabeth, Lucy, Theresa, and Julia Ann. Catherine married Peter Hickey. They had six sons, Angus, Thomas, John, Peter, William, and James, and four daughters, Mary, Catherine, Elizabeth and Bridget. Angus, the younger brother who came to this country, was married to Effie Stewart, of North Uist. They had two sons, Roderick and Donald. Roderick married Sarah McCormack of Pt. De Roche. They had five sons, Angus, John, Joseph, Donald, and James, and four daughters, Christina, Catherine, Elizabeth and Nancy. Donald married Catherine McIntyre. They had two sons, Donald and John, and six daughters, Nancy, Effie, Mary, Margaret, Joanna and Matilda. There were other children but they died young. Besides the two brothers before mentioned, three sisters came to this country and one remained in Scotland. Those who came to this Island were married, one to Dougald Steel, of Miscouche, one to Donald Campbell, of Tracadie, and one to James Nowlan. The one who remained in Scotland was married to a Mr. McIsaac. She was the mother of the late John McIsaac, of Barbara Weit. John's family all died within eight years, five of them died within a year. Angus died Oct. 8th, 1859, aged 84 Roderick died Dec. 29th, 1860, aged 72 Donald died Apl. 2nd, 1866, aged 96 Catherine died 1866, aged 92 Philip died Mar. 21st, 1867, aged 77 Alexander died Mar. 22nd, 1867, aged 81 Archibald died Apl. 4th, 1867, aged 88 James died Dec. 24th, 1867, aged 75 Angus' family. Roderick died Nov. 11, 1855, aged 76 Donald died May 9, 1859, aged 75
There are many things I might mention, but as I only set out to trace the family for three generations so that those now living could trace up to their own time, I will conclude this rather imperfect sketch of family history. |