The first century at Cape George

A thesis presented to the department of Celtic studies of Saint Francis Xavier University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with major

By Wilena MacInnis Penny

April 1980

 

Introduction

 

During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, thousands of Scottish Highland emigrants left Scotland and came to North America. The largest number to come to Canada settled in eastern Nova Scotia with Antigonish County receiving many of them. They came from the Highlands and Western Isles, and the place names of Antigonish County clearly reflect the origins of these early settlers.

One of the strongest Scottish settlements in the County of Antigonish was Cape George, although the name does not reflect it’s Gaelic origins. The settlement of these pioneers at Cape George is the subject of the historical research that follows.

As a direct descendant of Hugh MacInnis, the first Catholic Highland settler at Cape George, the history of this settlement holds a natural fascination for me. As well, my childhood years were spent at the Cape in a social milieu which had changed little in the one hundred and fifty years since the first settlers arrived.

The intention here is to trace and discuss the historical development of the area rather that to examine it from the sociological point of view. The present work attempts to delineate the foundations of this settlement, to identify its various place names, its early settlers and their diverse activities. The period covered is from the earliest settlement in the 1790’s up to the middle of the nineteenth century when once again an emigration, this time from New Scotland, was to take so many from their homes.

It should be noted that through the years the spelling of most of the family names has changed from that used by the early settlers. Throughout this study the modern spelling of names is used. Also genealogies are of necessity only presented in barest outline although an almost complete family tree is available for each of the settlers discussed herein.

The treatment of the subject here is restricted although not through want of sources, and the present work is intended only as an introductory statement which could be expanded into an interesting local history.

 

Dedication

 

The Scots have long had a string of oral tradition. The ‘seanachaidh’ or story-teller perpetuated the history, genealogies and folklore of his people. This tradition was carried to the new world by the early settlers and has lasted to modern time. My father is one of those who kept it alive and passed the tradition on his children. He provided all of the background material upon which this thesis is framed. It is to him that I lovingly dedicate this work.

-         To my father – Dan Hugh MacInnis –