Vital Statistics

Summerside Progress

13 May 1867
Progress, Summerside, PEI, 13 May 1867

A Long Lived Family

Cases of remarkable longevity are often brought to our notice in this Island (which speak volumes for the healthfulness of our climate); but we have seldom met with an instance of this kind on so large a scale, in a single family, as that among the family of McLellans in Lot 18. This family originally consisted of seven brothers and one sister, of whom now only one survives. A few years ago Angus McLellan died at the advanced age of 80; and some time after, Roderick, his brother, died, aged 72 years. Last Summer another brother, named Donald, died at Grand River, at the extreme age of 91 years. Mrs. Hickey, the sister, died in December last, aged 89 years. In March last, her brothers Alexander and Philip McLellan, aged respectively 81 and 77 years, died at Indian River; and on the 4th of April Archibald McLellan, died at the same place, aged 88 years. The only survivor of this long-lived family is Mr. James McLellan, of Indian River, who is now 84 years of age. Besides the singularity of so many persons of one family living to such an extreme age, it will be noticed that the decease of five of them has occurred within a period of ten months, and three of those within a month. The united ages of this remarkable family is 652 years, and if stretched back in rotation in the world's history would bring us into the thirteenth century (1215), to the very period when that most important charter of human rights was wrested from King John of England, viz: Magna Carta

But, even during the life of any single individual of this family, what remarkable events have occurred in the world's history. What changes in the history of nations, of peoples, of races. What advances in the arts, in science, in civilization, have been made. It is strange and wonderful to contemplate.

As we said before, this instance of longevity, along with others, speaks volumes for the health of our climate; but it also tells a lesson which it would be well for every youth to con over. It speaks of regular habits, strict sobriety, and morality of life, which alone can insure a long and useful existence, and a death made happy by hopes beyond the grave.

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