Catholic Parishes in PEI (c. 1885) by Rev. Alfred E. Burke
Please see the Contents page for information on this and other historical sketches of PEI Roman Catholic parishes, as compiled by Father Alfred Burke circa 1885.
The Mission of St. Bonaventure, Tracadie
Upon a sun shining June morning in the year of grace 1772 an ocean vessel made her way up the curving line of blue now known as the Hillsborough River. Very slowly and carefully she glided over these, (to her) unknown waters, avoiding shoals and mussel beds innumerable. After passing an old fort once occupied by the French who had been the former settlers in this district, the good ship skirted a low lying shore, where the young marsh hay scented the summer air and gave promise of easily gained crops in future years. Finding no landing, she sailed on, coming to anchor at a spot where the shore slightly curving, offers a firm footing at the base of a low bank of deep red clay. This ship was the "Alexander" from Lock Boisdale in South Uist and her passengers were emigrants come to seek their fortune in St. John's Island under the guidance and protection of Captain John MacDonald of Glenaladale, called by his clansmen Fer-a-glilline. Of these emigrants one hundred were from Uist and one hundred and ten from Morar and other parts of Invernesshire. They were accompanied by one Father James MacDonald from the diocese of the Isles, who had left his parish of Drummond to conduct his fellow clansmen to their new home, and to supply them with the consolations of that religion which was costing some of them so dear. We may well imagine that two hundred and ten persons "Strangers in a strange land" and hampered with a tremendous amount of luggage that to modern eyes would appear curious and cumbersome, would take some little time to scatter and settle upon the spots destined to become their homes. Captain John MacDonald's family and tenants were taken over the narrow strip of land where the seigneury of Tracadie stretches across the northern beach, but others remained where they had landed.
The year before the arrival of the "Alexander" with her human cargo, Captain John MacDonald, who had undertaken to assist his oppressed and persecuted countrymen to emigrate, had sent his younger brother Donald with a band of mechanics to erect buildings and make some preparation for the accomodation of those who were to be tenants on the Glenaladale estate. In this pioneer band was one McRae who had a house a few miles above the portage where the "Alexander" anchored, in a district which, in opposition to the old French fort they had passed on their way from Port-La-Joie, the emigrants dubbed Scotch Forts, a name it retains to this day.
It is probable that McRae's house was the first erected and that his fellow artisans sought its shelter after their days work was over, as well as in the months when the storm King rode abroad in the forest and on the river, driving even these hardy mountaineers in doors to seek the comfort of a blazing wood fire and consoling pipe.
How they must have talked of home on such occasions, and visited in spirit the rusty lochs and rugged isles, where their dear ones were praying for the absent, and looking forward to the coming summer when they too, should face the untried future in the new world. Tradition tells, that, in one compartment of that first log house, the faithful would distinctly hear the words of the Holy Mass, as if an invisible priest, were offering the sacrifice for them in their midst, even the tones of his voice were clearly audible as he addressed the almighty in the grand invocations of the Canon. The old people further tell you that when Father James MacDonald landed from the "Alexander" his first mass on Canadian ground was offered in McRae's house, and those who had preceded the priest into exile recognized his tones as those they had heard during the past winter when no mass was being celebrated within many miles of their cabin. Be that as it may, it was in that part of Tracadie known as Scotch Fort and in the house of Donald McRae that Father James MacDonald took up his abode, and from there he started in his canoe voyages to minister to the sick in other parts of the province.
On the northern sie of the road, a little above the McRae clearing, were the ruins of an old French Church and a French burying ground, the church was at the time unfit for use, but it was afterwards repaired and Father James said Mass in it. In the archives of the diocese there is mention made of the old church of Tracadie which was interdicted "a cause de son indecence" by Bishop Denant in his pastoral visit of 1803.
The late John McIntosh of Neufrage used to relate how on All Saints Day 1801 he went with his father to the Scotch Fort chapel. Bishop, then, Priest McEachern celebrated mass, and the banns of Angus Gillis of Fort Augustus and of Ann McDonald were published.
The chapel, according to Mr. McIntosh was thirty feet in length, by twenty five in width, and ten feet high.
The Glenaladale family with many of their clansmen settled in that part of Tracadie fronting on Bedford Bay, and there Captain MacDonald erected his manor house. He ws proprietor of Township thirty five and thirty six, in all about forty thousand acres of land.
Driving from Scotch Fort to Tracadie, at some distance past what is called the Cross Roads, one comes to a spot in the woods where two roads branch off, one leads to the estate of Glenaladale the other to the parish church of St. Bonaventure and the parochial house. The church is of wood, about sixty feet by forty, with a tower twelve feet square, surmounted by a steeple. Preparations for the building of this church were made by the late Rev. Charles MacDonell, but it was erected by his succesor, the late Rev. James Brady, some short time prior to 1840.
The tower and a further addition were added by the Rev. Thomas Phelan in 1864. A farm of twelve acres and enough land for a large cemetery were given to the parish by the late Donald of Glenaladale Esquire.
Tracadie mission comprises portions of Townships Thirt five and Thirty six, extending from Donaldston on the west to the boundary line between township Thirty six and thirty seven on the east, and having Hillsborough as a southern and Bedford Bay as a northern boundary.
The first pastor of this mission was the Rev. James MacDonald, who died in 1785. Then came Father (Afterwards Bishop) McEachern then the Reverend John MacDonald and the Rev Charles McDonell, who was succeeded by the Rev. James Brady.
After thirteen years ministery, he was replaced by the Rev. Thomas Phelan who has been charged with Tracadie mission for thirty two years.
Although of late, it has become one of the most fashionable watering places in the province there is not much in Tracadie to interest the average stranger if we except the magnificent mansion of Mr. MacDonald of Glenaladale, with its outbuildings which surpass everything of their kind in Canada. For the antiquary however, Tracadie has a charm the very name is matter for reflexion Tracadie - whence comes it?
Like Acadie, [? - illegible]smacadie and Shubenacadie, it is a name of the old Acadian days - but the origin of it is lost amid many speculations.
The ancient cemetery at Scotch Fort is still the burying place of the MacDonalds of Glenaladale. A magnificent cross of purest white marble, morticed into a block of Scotch granite, tells the passer by that:
"Here lies deposited in the peace of Christ, awaiting the coming of the judge of the living and the dead, in the hope of a glorious resurrection, and a happy immortality, the mortal reamins of John MacDonald of Glenaladale, Esq., a captain in His Majesty's 84th regiment of Foot, who emigrated with his family to this Island, 1772, bringing with him a number of his clansmen from the Highlands of Scotland, and of Margaret his wife, and of Flora Anna Maria their daughter, relict of the late Alexander MacDonell of Donaldston Esquire.
Commemoration is also made on this monument of many members of the family of Captain John MacDonald, some of whom sleep their last sleep in the same enclosure, and over whose graves the sweet summer roses bloom.
Further back in the old cemetery where the dust of Acadians and Highlanders mingle are many very ancient tombstones. One, over the grave of Donald McEachern bears date 15th July 1788. It is in good preservation. Under the spreading branches of a venerable spruce tree, in an enclosure railed off by a rustic fence, lie in one grave, the remains of the pioneer Scotch missionary, Father James MacDonald, and of Father Augustine MacDonald, a brother of Glenaladale, who came to this country in his old age, and who worn out with years and labour, died at St. Peter's Lake about 1808. Tradition has it that two French priests are also buried here.
Few spots in the Province are more interesting than this old cemetery. There are several other places of sepulture in Prince Edward Island where one can distinguish the graves of the early French settlers, but this is the only one of the French burial places still used by the faithful. Here lie the conquered and the conquerors, side b side, mutely soliciting an alms of prayer from every Catholic visitor to the old mission of Tracadie.
First Settlers of Tracadie
Captain John MacDonald of Glenaladale and family
John MacAuley
Donald MacAuley
Donald McLean
Ronald Steele
McKenzie
McPhee
McDonald
McASkill
MacDougall
Christopher Smith
Welcome | Genealogy | Books | Services | Photography | Poetry | Links | Contact