Tag Archives: Sutherland

Earltown’s First Murderer – Domhnall Caimbeul

The scene above is from a view point on Campbell’s Hill, southeast of the village of Scotsburn.  It is a spring day in which the leaves are just beginning pop out. In the near distance is the tower on Bethel Presbyterian Church. A bit further in the view is a ridge adorned with farms in the community of Heathbell.  In the distance is the blue waters of the Northumberland Strait and, on the horizon, the eastern end of Prince Edward Island.  It is a peaceful spot that gladdens the soul.

It was not always that way.  In 1819, a few dozen feet from this viewpoint, the most horrendous murder in Pictou County, (at least up until 1877), was committed.

This farm was first settled by a Campbell family, probably around 18031.  They were from Rogart in Sutherland.  The next farm up the hill was also settled by a Campbell family2, most likely a sibling or near relation.  The names of the parents are presently unknown.  Their graves, whether in Scotsburn or Durham, are unmarked.  The mother died before 1819 after which the father took a second wife, also a Campbell, who was part of a Campbell clan on Scotch Hill.  Of the first marriage, we only know of one son – Donald – the principal character in this story. 

George Patterson in his 1877 publication The History of the County of Pictou, describes the events which I will paraphrase here.

Donald Campbell, then settled in the Earltown district, was returning from errands in Pictou and took the opportunity to stop at Campbell’s Hill to visit his father and stepmother. It is unknown whether something was said during the visit to upset Donald or if he was already angry when he stopped for a visit. It is believed that Donald resented the second wife of his father as he felt she was going to delay or diminish his eventual inheritance. The visit ended with Donald resuming his trip back to Earltown.  He stopped at various farms between Campbell’s Hill and West Branch, giving the impression that he was trying to get home to Earltown before it became late.

However, Donald retraced his steps back to Campbell’s Hill after dark.  He fastened the door of his father’s log cabin with withes attached to the latch handle to prevent the occupants’ escape and then set fire to the cabin while his father and stepmother were asleep.  Awakened by the fire, the father managed to force the door open and started to remove the contents.  Donald, lurking in the dark, struck the father with a stick and pushed him into the flaming house where the bones were found the next day.  While this was unfolding, the stepmother managed to get out.  She was a sturdy woman and would have won a fair fight, but was struck down by Donald’s weapon.  He only partially succeeded in putting her into the flames, as she was “quite a load” to borrow an old phrase.

Hearing shouts and seeing the fire on the crest of the hill, a MacIntosh neighbour arrived to see a man fleeing whom he then believed to be a ghost.  A small dog was also found at the scene which belonged to Donald and later aroused suspicion.

The remains were buried without an investigation.   At the funeral, Mrs. Campbell’s brother, Angus Campbell, expressed his belief that there had been foul play.  The authorities opened a case, exhumed the body of Mrs. Campbell, and determined she had been dealt a deadly blow.  The scene of the crime was examined where a missing button from Donald’s coat was found as well as a flint that matched a gun Donald owned.  It was suggested that Donald lost the flint, causing him to resort to using a bludgeon.   Upon arrest in Earltown, it was noted that Donald had scorch marks on himself.

The subsequent trial received considerable attention.   S.G.W. Archibald of Truro presented the case, which was adjudicated by a jury with Judges Haliburton and Wiswall presiding. Archibald presented a strong case after which the jury was quick to find Donald guilty.  He was immediately sentenced  “to be taken from where you now are to Prison whence you came and from thence to the place of execution and there hung up by the neck until your body is dead”.  A clerk later noted: “Exactly a week later on the 22nd September Campbell was executed at Rogers Hill within a few yards of the spot where the crime was committed, pursuant to a warrant from the Earl of Dalhousie, our Lieut. Governor”.

Executions were a spectator sport in those times, appealing to the darker side of the human spirit.  On the appointed day, Donald was loaded on a cart and transported to the Kirk then located beside St. John’s Cemetery.  This was the end of a proper road.  Access to points beyond was by way of paths.   Guarded by the militia and accompanied by a group of clergymen, the procession climbed the 3 km path to the remains of the incinerated cabin.  Once at the scene of his crime, Donald confessed to his crime but showed no interest in repentance despite the efforts of Rev. Dr. James MacGregor and other clergy. 

Acadian Recorder – October 9, 1819 – The paper didn’t report the proceedings but instead published a separate account. At least one copy survived into the 1960’s in Earltown.

The execution was supervised by the High Sheriff of Halifax County.  The ineptitude of the chosen executioner added to the drama.  Hanging, despite the image it conjures, was somewhat merciful.  The process involved releasing a trap door or a push off the gallows platform.  The sudden drop of the body would cause the noose to break the neck, thus bringing instant death.  In this case, the bolt on the trap door didn’t release fully thus causing the rope to slowly tighten instead of snapping the neck. The result was death by a slow strangulation 3. So disturbing was the spectacle that many in attendance vowed never to view another hanging.

Patterson was silent on the particulars of Donald’s own family and life back in Earltown.

Two and one half kilometers east of Earltown Village on the Berichon Road, an old road branches to the north.  This was once a listed shortcut between the Berichon and Clydesdale.  (It is now gated by the owner of the surrounding woodland).  About 250 meters in, a logging road branches northwest into a grown-over clearing.  A few meters off this road is the cellar of Senoid Sutherland.   Senoid is Gaelic for Janet and is pronounced Shawna, which morphs into Shawney, the equivalent of Jennie.  This farm was once known as the Shawney place4. 

The land grant map found online shows this to be the 150 acre grant to a Janet Campbell.  Another version of the land grant maps show it to be the grant of Donald Campbell.  Some deeds of surrounding properties reference the line of Janet Sutherland while others state Janet Campbell.   

This confusion of names confirms the oral tradition around Earltown that this property was that of Donald Campbell, convicted killer.  It also confirms another interesting story that Donald’s widow, in shame and horror, changed her surname and those of her children to Sutherland to distance themselves from the crime at Campbell’s Hill. 

Sutherland was Janet’s maiden name.  There is a tradition that she was connected to John Sutherland “Doula” who settled an adjoining farm but the connection has yet to be confirmed.  She was born in Sutherland and came to Nova Scotia prior to 1815.  She had at least one brother in the Scotsburn area who gave evidence at Donald Campbell’s trial.

Janet and Donald’s eldest son, John, was born at Rogers Hill in 1816 which would place their marriage around 1814-15.  Janet’s eventual land grant was among those petitioned by a group of second generation immigrants living at Rogers Hill.  These petitions were in 1817, suggesting that Donald and Janet may have begun clearing their farm that summer. The deeds would not be granted until later in the 1820’s hence Donald’s name is absent. A second son, George, was born in 1818  at Earltown.

It is hard to imagine the situation that Janet found herself in on that 22nd day of September, 1819.   Widowed, two children ages 3 and 1, a crude log cabin, a partially cleared farm, no immediate family in close proximity, and an epic scandal to overcome.  Donald Campbell was characterized as an ignorant and unsavory character with obvious violent tendencies.  The scandal may have been a blessing.  Domestic abuse is as old as matrimony. 

A return to the Rogers Hill area was not likely an option given the circumstances.  Earltown was still in infancy and new settlers were arriving with no ties to the victims or accused.  It would appear that Janet stayed on course and made the small farm work.  Undoubtedly, there would be some assistance from siblings in Roger’s Hill, possibly a kind father was still living.  The Highland culture ensured that widows had help.  Hard labour, such as the annual threshing and wood cutting, was often a collective labour in the neighbourhood.  It must be remembered that back in Scotland, the women were the gardeners and looked after the dairy livestock. 

The 1838 census confirms that “Widow Sutherland” with two males over 14 were still living on the Berichon Cross Road.  The next census in 1861 finds her son John as the head of household, which indicates that Janet had passed away in the intervening years.   No tombstone marking the grave of either Janet Sutherland or Janet Campbell exists but she most certainly rests in the village cemetery.

The eldest son John took over the homestead.  In 1857 he married Catherine, daughter of “Laughing” Sandy Sutherland and Christy Baillie of The Falls.  They had one daughter Betsy.  John’s brother George is absent from the  farm in 1871 but returned in 1881.  When John died in 1885, he left the farm to George with the stipulation that Catherine be provided a living for as long as she would live.  By 1911, both George and Catherine are absent from the census.   As for John and Catherine’s daughter Betsy, we have no further information.

The property was later purchased by George MacIntosh.  It is a short distance through the woods to the main MacIntosh farm on the Denmark Road.  The Shawney place continued to used for pasture and crops by the MacIntoshes and later the Van Veld family.

Sources:

Patterson, George “Old Court Records of Pictou County, Nova Scotia published by The Canadian Bar Review, Vol13 No 3 1935

Patterson, Rev. George  A History of the County of Pictou, Nova Scotia  Dawson Bros, Montreal 1877

Gladys Sutherland MacDonald – Interview – 1978

A. Howard Murray and Mary Douglas Murray – Interview – 1978

Layton Lynch – assistance in locating the Campbell – Sutherland homestead in the Berichon.

  1. The Dunwoodie family were the next to occupy this farm for a couple of generations. After the farm was vacated, James and Harold Forbes of Lyon’s Brook farmed it for many years. ↩︎
  2. The farm owned by Hugh and Stanley Campbell in the mid 20th century. ↩︎
  3. The executioner was brought by the Sheriff from Halifax. Pictou had its own executioner at the time who served the courts in Prince Edward Island as nobody on the Island would accept the responsibility. ↩︎
  4. The current owner has it gated to keep out traffic. His number is posted on a sign for people to call for permission to enter. ↩︎

The Kildonan Riots (The Earltown Connection)

Kildonan Parish is located in the north-east of Sutherland along the Caithness border.  It begins in the high country on the watershed between Strath Halladale and Strath Ullie and follows the latter southeasterly down the Helmsdale River towards the sea.  In the early 19th century, it was home to at least 1,500 souls, predominantly Gunn, MacKay, Polson, Sutherland, Matheson, and a handful of other Highland names.  The valley floor had abundant land suitable for grains and the surrounding hills afforded thousands of acres of grazing for cattle and sheep.

Helmsdale River near Kildonan Farm – Julian Paren Photo

In 1807-1808, the Sutherland Estate created a farm in Kildonan out of three townships and leased it to an outsider.  The collection of small tenants cleared out in making this farm, offered no resistance.  In all likelihood, they were not expecting such a move nor were they organized or prepared to mitigate the situation.

On January 5th, 1813, farmers “from away” were seen exploring and surveying other parts of the parish, which raised alarm among the traditional tenants.  In the lead was the proposed new tenant for another extensive farm which would precipitate another clearance.  Major William Clunes, who already had a farm on the coast, would have been recognized by former soldiers in the parish from their days in the Peninsular War.  That evening, it was learned that Clunes had settled for the night in the manse of Rev. Alexander Sage. 

A delegation was appointed by the local tenants to confront Clunes at the manse.  They summoned Clunes to the yard for a conversation and learned that Clunes was doing due diligence on a lease near Torrish.  The delegation appealed to Clunes to abandon the plan and let them continue to farm in peace. The conversation became heated and ended with threats.

Kildonan Church Chris Heaton Photo

This was reported back to the leaders of the protest, who were awaiting word at a nearby mill. The protests were being organized, allegedly, by the local schoolmaster, George MacLeod, and an influential catechist by the name of George MacKay.  While they all realized that their actions were against the law, the catechist was able to assure them they had the moral high ground.  Overnight, tempers flared, adrenaline flowed, and the protest took on a momentum that was hard to contain.

The following morning, as Clunes was saddling his horse, he was confronted with a mob of fifty men bearing sticks and cudgels.  He was warned to take leave of the strath before blood would be shed.  Realizing there would be nothing productive happening that day, Clunes saddled up and went home.

Meanwhile, other southerners in the same party were housed with a Turnbull family further up the Strath in Suisgill.  Another party of 50 concealed themselves in the thickets and gullies surrounding the Turnbull farm.  A couple of shepherds/farmers, managed to escape on horseback across the hills into Caithness, but others were trapped in the house.  The scene became quite ugly with threats of violence.  One of the tenants, a pragmatist by the name of Alex Fraser, entered the house and suggested that the party mount up and leave.  They were advised to tell the mob what they wanted to hear and not engage in any conversation that would make matters worse.  If they obeyed Fraser’s instructions, they would likely get away unscathed.  As predicted, the men safely departed, although they continued to be threatened with harm should they ever be found in the parish again.[1]

Suisgill,- Approximate locale of second mob Julian Paren Photo

This so unsettled the southern farmers that they avoided the parish in the weeks that followed.

Complaints were presented to Sheriff Substitute MacKid by the Estate.  Sheriff MacKid attempted to get peace bonds served but was unsuccessful.  The Estate then called a meeting whereby they promised crofts on the North Coast or smaller ones within Kildonan in exchange for their current leases.  These offers were rejected.  The tenants decided they needed to counteroffer to move things along and proposed to match whatever terms Clunes had negotiated for his lease.  The bearer of this counteroffer was arrested and jailed in Dornoch which only served to raise the temperature once again.

Over time, the Sheriff learned the names of some likely ringleaders.  Summons were issued to appear at court in Golspie to give evidence.  When one of the constables, Donald Bannerman, arrived in the Strath, he discovered those named were nowhere to be found and were believed to have been hiding in Caithness.  Bannerman, later to be labeled a brutal thug in later clearances, returned to Golspie empty-handed.  Nevertheless, he posted the names of the men expected to appear for discovery on February 10th at the Golspie Inn.[2]

Once bitten, twice shy.  There was no doubt in Kildonan that the discovery was an ambush to arrest the alleged ringleaders.  Once again, the men of the Strath congregated in the mill of John Gordon to develop a plan.  It was quickly decided that all that were able would accompany the named men to Golspie to ensure their protection.  Two men were dispatched to Caithness to hopefully raise upwards of a hundred men.  Another two men, George MacDonald and John MacKay were sent south to recruit in Strathbrora.

Strathbrora (home of many of the Earltown settlers) could be expected to be sympathetic with the Kildonan tenants.   Like Kildonan, much of Strathbrora was leased by the Sutherland Estate to small tenants. It was equally suitable for large scale sheep farming.  One of the gentleman farmers present at the Kildonan Riot was Gabriel Reid, the owner of Carrol on Loch Brora, who had ambitions to expand up Strathbrora.

The two emissaries, George MacDonald and John MacKay, crossed from Kildonan into the upper settlements of the Skinsdale and Blackwater valleys which they followed down into Strathbrora.  They had instructions to go west to Braegrudy at the entrance to Rogart where John Sutherland, Tacksman of Scibberscross, was known to be opposed to the “improvements”.   The two proceeded from township to township, tapping on windows and entering wherever they were welcome.  After explaining their mission, the Strathbrora men were asked to meet the Kildonan men at the bridge in Brora and proceed together to the outskirts of Golspie.  They would then be instructed to enter the village in small parties and pretend to be on business until proceedings started at the Inn.

Reports vary as to how many showed up.  There was likely a full contingent from Kildonan.  They may have been 50 to 100 from Caithness and a similar number from Strathbrora.   The appointed time the mob assembled in front of the Inn.  The Sheriff and Clerk came forward and read the names of those to appear.  Two started forward but the crowd became agitated and unruly.  The discovery was called off and the officers retired to Dunrobin Castle for safety. 

The next move was to employ the military. Infantry was dispatched from Fort George near Inverness to bring order to Kildonan.  This seemed to bring the temperature down while the Kildonan tenants sought out alternatives to the proposed small crofts offered by the Estate.  The only violence reported was the flogging of a soldier for unwanted advances on a local woman.

Hearings, known as precognitions, were held in Golspie in March.  These proceedings would be similar to what is known as a discovery in our current justice system.  This becomes interesting from an Earltown perspective as familiar names appear among the witnesses.

The first of interest is Alexander Sutherland of Balnakyle.  Unfortunately, Sheriff Depute Cranston and his interpreter, Alexander Anderson, didn’t use descriptor names which were then prevalent, so we have no idea if this Alex Sutherland was a future emigrant to Nova Scotia.  He describes visiting at the home of Widow MacPherson, Faissalach, along with his Uncle Donald MacLeod of Achrimisdale and John Bruce of Baddenbeg.  Also present were Robert Bruce of Ardachu, William Gilcrest of Wilkhouse, John MacLeod of Gartymore and Hugh Ferguson of Rhives.   He declared that George MacDonald and John MacKay of Kildonan came into the house and said that they had come down from Kildonan to go down Strathbrora and afterwards westward to Braegruidy to invite men in those parts to come to Glasslochan to meet the Kildonan people and fifty men from Caithness who were all going to Golspie to prevent the persons cited there by the Sheriff from being committed to jail

Mid Strathbrora Jonathan Billenger Photo

Alex further declared that “… the men about Clyne had been told by Major Houston to be quiet and that they might be needed to help peace officers.”  He also mentioned that “… the men of Kildonan and their assistants were determined to take John Bannerman … out of the Dornoch jail.”

The next witness of interest is Adam MacDonald.  Adam MacDonald of Aschoilmore was the father of Alexander MacDonald “Macadie”, and early settler at The Falls and ancestor of the MacDonalds who operated the Balmoral Grist Mill and a large branch who later settled in California[3]. 

Adam’s testimony was very similar to that of Alex Sutherland.  He declared that George Clyne, Tailor, of Gobernausgach and his apprentices were also in the house and would have understood more of what was said as he, Adam, was sick in bed at the time.  It was noted that he was still in a very infirm state.  His testimony was read back in Gaelic as he declared that he never learned to write.

Adam recovered from his malady and was still alive when the Estate turned their attention to the clearing of Strathbrora.  As reported elsewhere, he and his brother-in-law, Mad Donald MacKay, attempted to renegotiate their leases at terms matching those of Gabriel Reid.  They successfully orchestrated resistance to the clearance in 1820 but were finally removed in 1821 with the military present.

The next precognition was that of George Ferguson.  Many in Northern Nova Scotia, myself included, descend from this man.  He was the miller of Kilpheddermore in mid Strathbrora.  His testimony is a bit longer than those preceding him, as he admitted to being at the Golspie Inn disturbance.

George “declared that he remembered when the Kildonan men were to be examined at Golspy and thinks it was about the beginning of February last but he cannot specify the day of the month;  that William Sutherland “Merchant” in Ellan told the declarant upon the day before that intended examination that the Kildonan men were to go to Golspy the next day and the declarant thereafter being solemnly sworn and interrogated if William Sutherland wanted him to attend at Golspy.  Deponed that he did not but that William Sutherland informed him that the Strath Brora people had been invited to attend by two men from Kildonan but he did not mention their names and that the purpose of their attendance was to see what would become of the persons who were cited for examination; that Sutherland said nothing of preventing those men  from being apprehended or of rescuing any person from Dornoch jail  Depones that the deponent himself went to Golspy on the day of examination, and his purpose in doing so was to get payment of a debt which a man in Kildonan owed him;  That he was present when the Officer called over the names at the door of the Inn, but he was a good way down the road and only heard the last of them; That he does not recollect to have seen the Sheriff Substitute on that occasion but he saw Mr. Taylor, Sheriff Clerk, and Mr. Leslie the Procurator Fiscal.  Being interrogated how he could see these two Gentlemen at the door of the Inn when he was a good way down the road and the crowd between him and them, depones that there was a considerable interval between them and the crowd which enabled him to see them. Deponed that he saw some of the people whose names were called come in front of the crowd, but he did not see an Officer attempt to apprehend them or the crowd close in about them.  Deponed that the deponent expressed his sorrow for having gone to Golspy that day to Adam Sutherland in Kilfeddermore and Alexander McLeod in Torrisellar both in Strathbrora – Being interrogated what the cause of his sorrow since he only went to crave payment of a debt.  Depones that it was because he saw the people were likely to make a disturbance and he was afraid of being implicated. Deponed that he saw some Strath Brora men at Golspy on that occasion in particular Donald Sutherland in Kilfeddermore, Donald MacKay, Tailor in Strath Roy, John Sutherland, Pentioner, in Duchal, Alexander Sutherland in Achnamean, the said William Sutherland, Merchant, who informed him that the Strath Brora men had been invited to attend, Donald Grant, son to Donald Grant, Tenant in Ellan, Robert Sutherland, son of Donald Sutherland, Tenant, in Kilfedderbeg, Donald and William Grant, Tenants in Urachcall, William Sutherland, Stone Dyker in Scottary, Donald Murray, Alexander MacKay and Norman Douglas all in Ballenleden, Donald MacDonald, Donald Baillie and Robert MacKay, Tenant’s sons in Aschoilmore; Alexander Sutherland, James MacLeod and Robert Baillie in Oldtown of Carrol. Alexander Sutherland, Weaver, and John Sutherland, Tenant in Brachary, Robert Bruce and John Sutherland in Aultsmerrel; Deponed that he returned home that evening in company with some of the Strath Brora men who were saying in conversation that the Kildonan men who had been cited were prevented from being taken into custody, but he did not hear them say there were determined to prevent all arrests for the future.  Depones that he was informed the day before the said William Sutherland that Strath Brora men were meet the Kildonan men on the day of examination at the Bridge of Brora and to proceed together to Golspy, but the deponent did not fall in with the party till they reached Strath Stephen.  That William Sutherland informed him that they were to be joined by men from other parishes in Sutherland and also from the County of Caithness  – that William Sutherland did not mention the number of men expected but said they were to get as many men as they wanted – all which is Truth as he shall to God and depones he can not write – the foregoing Oath being administered and the Deponent interrogated through the medium of Alexander Anderson, Wright in Brora sworn Interpreter,   signed Geo. Cranstoun   Rob MacKid “

Aside from actual ringleaders from Kildonan, this discovery was unusually lengthy and detailed as to those present at the Inn. Reading between the lines, the interrogators seemed to be doubting George’s reason for being in Golspie on that particular day and this descendant is not entirely convinced, although the opportunity to collect a debt is plausible.

Towards the end he was quite forthcoming with a list of attendees, which likely didn’t please his neighbours back in Strathbrora if they learned the content of his testimony. 

Some of the names are of interest.   William Sutherland, Merchant, lived in Ellan, the township where the Sutherlands of MacLeod Road were born.   William Sutherland of Scottary was likely William Sutherland “Ruidh” of The Falls.  Alexander MacKay, Ballenledan, is undoubtedly Alex MacKay ‘Caribou’ who emigrated to Pictou in 1815 and later settled in the Berichon.

Donald MacDonald of Aschoilmore would be a brother to Alex MacDonald, The Falls.  Donald became an employee of the Hudson Bay Company at Fort Edmonton.   Norman Douglas settled in Loganville.

George Ferguson returned to his labours at his grist mill.  Having an inkling of what would likely happen in Stathbrora in the not-too-distant future, he began to mull over the merits of emigrating to Nova Scotia.  Before that dream became a reality, he developed cancer and died around 1817.  His widow, Catherine Graham, left with six young children.  She was among a group in Scottary[4] that petitioned the estate to let them occupy their leases until they departed for Pictou in May of 1820.  Patrick Sellar, the Estate factor and ruthless promoter of the clearances, was happy to see them go believing them to be better suited to the wilds of Nova Scotia.

As for the Kildonan people, Thomas Douglas, Earl of Selkirk, had plans for them.  He needed settlers for his proposed settlement on the Red River and the hardy people of Kildonan fit the bill. In June of 1813, 90 of them sailed from Stromness to Churchill on Hudson Bay, arriving in September and overwintering in that frozen land. The following spring they were confronted by an 800 km trek through the wilderness to their new home.  By 1820,  the Strath of Kildonan was empty but for a few farmers, shepherds and their families.

Sources:

Hunter, James  Set Adrift Upon the World, The Sutherland Clearances  Birlinn Ltd  2015

National Records of Scotland, High Courts AD14-13/9 Precognitions, Kildonan 1813

Credit to Joyce Ferguson, The Falls, for noticing George Ferguson’s name in the High Court Index.

For more information on George Ferguson’s mill site and the township of Kilfeddermore, see this video by Nick Lindsay of Brora

[1] There was only one Kildonan immigrant to Earltown, John MacLeod, who later removed to North River. He would be in his late teens during this period.  James Murray, North River, and a member of the Earltown congregation, was also from Kildonan.  The Polsons of North River also had roots there.  Alexander Murray “Corrigan” was operating a mill at Aultandon in a remote part of Kildonan at this time and was later cleared. Thomas MacKay, grantee of the eastern end of the Berichon Road in West Branch was also from Kildonan.

[2] The Kildonan Riots is a complicated story that is well presented in James Hunter’s “Set Adrift Upon the World, The Sutherland Clearances”.  The story has been heavily condensed to give context to the Strathbrora portion of events.

 [3] The writer’s Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather. 

[4] The mill lease was likely given up when George took ill, necessitating the move to a holding in Scottary down stream.

The Lubeag Sutherlands

Late in the summer of 1819, Robert Sutherland “Lubeag”, his second wife Eliza MacKay as well as the sons to his first wife, found themselves on a Pictou wharf beginning a new chapter in their lives.  They were collateral damage in an agricultural and social experiment beyond their control.  Their arrival in Pictou was within their control. While they had the option of remaining in their native shire, Northern Nova Scotia offered more opportunity – or so they hoped.   

Lubeag comes from the Gaelic lub, which means a loop or curve, and beag, which means little. In this case, it perfectly describes the geographic setting where this family lived prior to the clearances.  It is the name of a pre-clearance farming hamlet on the Skinsdale River in the back country of Clyne Parish in Sutherland.   It is over a dozen miles from the parish center near Brora and was home to six or seven families.  One of those families was that of Robert Sutherland (1779-1861).

Lubeag from the air. (Crown Copyright- Canmore)

The aerial photo shows the pronounced curve in the river, giving the area its name.  Lubeag is located on the far side of the river.  Arable land for crops is found along the river, while the homes and animal enclosures are located on a terrace above the fields.  Beyond is an expanse of rough grazing land on Cnoc na Lubeag and beyond.  In the foreground is another pre-clearance settlement known as Muiemore. 

Lubeag to the right with Cnoc na Lubeag in the background (George Brown Photo)

Wild and remote today, that was not always the case in those times.  It was located along a droving route through the centre of Sutherland.  The route commenced near Kinbrace in Kildonan where cattle were aggregated from various routes coming out of Caithness and the northern valleys of Sutherland.  The cattle were driven down this trail collecting more cattle from communities along the way.  It passed through Lubeag and continued on to Sciberscross, then crossed into Rogart and ultimately crossed into Easter Ross at Invershin. The cattle would end up at livestock markets in the south of Scotland.  Cattle were the primary cash income for farmers before the influx of sheep.

Strath Skinsdale was originally not part of the Sutherland Estate.  It was owned at the beginning of the 19th century by William Munro of Uppat.  His leases with his tenants were due for renewal in 1819.  In 1812, Munro sold Strath Skinsdale to the Sutherland Estate with the existing leases being assumed.  After 1812, Widow Sutherland appears as the sole tenant of Lubeag1. That doesn’t mean that her family was the sole occupant.  Tenants would usually sublet portions of their lease to a secondary class of farmers and labourers.   

Grazing land near Lubeag (Andrew Tryon Photo)

Small and targeted evictions had been occurring in Clyne for several years as leases expired or opportunities arose.  Most of Clyne was slated for removal in 1819 however most of the downstream communities were spared that year for a variety of reasons.  Skinsdale was not.  It was cleared in May along with parts of Kildonan and Strath Naver.  There is no indication that violence was employed in the Skinsdale communities however the constables did set fire to the dwellings to prevent re-occupation by the evicted2.

This was not unexpected.  Those with means likely had an exit strategy in place as would appear to be the case with Robert.  He was among a boatload that left Sutherland that May for Pictou and beyond.  This passage was known about the previous year when Donald Ross of Earltown reported to the Court of Sessions in Truro that twenty-five families from the highlands were expected in Earltown the following year.  Most of these families were from Rogart and most of those had ties to the upper settlements of Strath Brora within the Rogart boundaries. 

From the obituary of Angus Graham, Plainfield, we learn that he was a passenger on the ship Diana in 1819 that brought many of the first settlers to Earltown3.  Robert and his family were most likely on this passage as well as future next door neighbour, Alex Sutherland “Ballem”. 

We know that Alex Sutherland “Ballem” left his wife with relatives or former Rogart neighbours in Scotsburn while he went ahead to construct a crude cabin and start a clearing.  There is no narrative as to how Robert handled this first step but he likely left Eliza with connections in the Caribou-Toney River area4.  That area has been receiving Sutherland immigrants since 1813.  One of those families, also a Robert Sutherland family, was said to have been closely related.

Roads in Earltown in 1819 were still rough trails through the forest marked with blazes on trees.  Their guide would have been Donald Ross, an early settler at Rossville, who seemed to working in tandem with Donald Logan of Lyon’s Brook.  Logan, a native of Creich, was an active recruiter in Ross and Sutherland.   Robert’s ticket of location was a 200 acre parcel of land which began at the junction of Highway 311 and Kemptown Road and then extended along the left side of the road leading up Gunn’s Hill.  The parcel extended southerly almost to Earltown Lake.   His fellow passenger, Alex Sutherland, settled on the right of the road leading up Gunn’s Hill.   The cabin and eventual house were located over a ridge from the current 311 highway.

The site of the Lubeag Sutherland farm on Gunn’s Hill. (David Heatley site confirmation and photo)

As already indicated, Robert was married twice.  His first wife, Elspeth, died in Clyne.   She was the mother of two sons,  Donald (Big Donald, and  Alexander (Alex Lubeag).  Before leaving Scotland, Robert married a second time.  His new wife was Eliza MacKay, daughter of Donald.   She was the mother of Betsy, James, John, Annie, William, Isabel and Donald M.5.  

“Big Donald”  (1811-1881) married Catherine Sutherland “Ballem”, the girl next door.  She was born near Scotsburn in 1819 shortly after her parents arrived in Pictou.  Donald and Catherine lived on the north branch of the Alex MacDonald Road.  They had no family.

Alex “Lubeag” (1813-1866) married Marion Baillie, daughter of Marion Baillie (later married to Donald MacKay “MacComish”).  Alex and Marion lived at Central Earltown on what is now the Alex and Linda McNutt farm.  They had six children:

  1. Robert on the home place and was married to Annie Sutherland “Mighty”;
  2. Christy, unmarried;  
  3. Nancy, unmarried;
  4. Donald “Little Donald”  was a carpenter and coffin maker in Earltown Village. He was married to 1. Christena Matheson and 2. Isabel Lynch;
  5. Isabel married 1. William Matheson, Matheson Corner and 2. Alex Graham of Graham Settlement;
  6. William who died young.

Betsy (1820-1892), never married and lived on the home place.

James (1823-1878), remained on the original farm.  He married Christy MacKay “MacComish” of West Earltown, daughter of Donald MacKay and Marion Baillie6.  This branch of the family was more commonly known by the descriptor “Lake” due to their proximity to Earltown Lake.  Their issue:

  1. Elspy 1848-1932  unmarried
  2. Donald 1850-1858
  3. Marion 1851-1931  married Alex MacKay “Tailor” who lived further up Gunn’s Hill on the left.  After his parents died, they moved to Boston.
  4. Ann  1853-1907  married William Ferguson, Rossville
  5. Margaret 1855-1931 unmarried
  6. Elizabeth  1856-1932 unmarried
  7. Dolina  1858-1938  married Dan Munro of Upper Kemptown and lived on the College Grant Road.
  8. Robert  1862-1945  went to Boston as a young man and married Martha Sanborn.  They lived in Plymouth, NH.
  9. Alexander 1863-1947  went to Boston as a young man and married Clista Sherburne of New Hampshire.  He died in Boston.
  10. John William 1865-1944   aka  Johnny Lake.  He remained on the home farm unmarried with his sisters. 
  11. Jennie Bell 1869-1898  married Dan MacKay “Ross” of Rossville. 

Johnny Lake worked at carpentry for a brief period in Halifax and was employed by Strachan Matheson of Upper Kemptown.  Johnny observed the importance of family devotions until death.  Ruth Sutherland Chisholm of Bible Hill recalls his evening visits to her family’s home on Sutherland Road and he would conclude visits by asking that the “books be brought down” and prayers be said kneeling by the kitchen table.

After Johnny’s death, Finley and Jessie MacDonald lived in the house briefly, as did their son, Willard Kitchener MacDonald, who would later become well known as the Hermit of Gully Lake.

Annie  1827- 1870’s married Alexander MacKay “MacComish”.  They lived on Cnoc Na Goidthe, West Earltown where they raised twelve children.  Many of them left home young for unknown destinations.

William 1828-1862  unmarried

Isabel 1831-1864   married William MacKay “MacComish”, brother of Alexander and Christy noted above and a half brother of Marion Baillie, wife of Alex Lubeag.   They had six children.  Isabel died relatively young after which Will married Ellen MacKay “Hector” of West Earltown7.  They removed to New Truro Road.

Donald MacKay 1833-1921 was better known as Donald M and gave rise to another descriptor – the M’s.  Although Robert already had a Donald to the first wife, this Donald was named for Eliza’s father. It was rare not to have a child named for a particular grandparent.   Donald M. first married Mary MacKay “Judge” from Rossville.  They appear in the 1871 census as living near her parents on Stewart Road.   Donald was a lumberman so this may have been a temporary home while working in the woods nearby.   Mary died in in 1873.  They had the following issue:

  1. Robert William  1865-1874  
  2. Janie                       1866-1927 
  3. Alex MacKay        1869- before 1893
  4. Lila                          1872-1973   married John Baillie, East Earltown
  5. Thomas                   1872-1907   in Plymouth, NH.

Donald M’s second wife was Catherine Graham of Graham Settlement.  They were married in River John in 1877.  By this time, the family had moved to a farm at Nuttby which is still in the family.  He continued in the lumber business.   Donald and Catherine’s family:

  1. Daniel G.          1881-1941   married Georgie Matheson and operated a mill at Balmoral.
  2. James A.           1880-1976  married Sadie MacLean and lived in Roxbury, Ma.
  3. Robert              1878-1947  married Minnie Myers. He lived in Winnipeg for many years but returned to Nova Scotia and died in Bible Hill.
  4. Hugh Finley “Hughie M” 1887-1976  lived on the home place at Nuttby. He was married to Mildred Purdy. He continued his father’s sawmill and lumbering business.
  5. Isabel                1883-1924  married John Blakely, Brookside, Colchester County
  6. John J.  “Johnnie M”  1885-1980  married Christena Matheson and farmed on Sutherland Road, Nuttby.  They retired to Balmoral.
  7. Alexander Murdoch “A.M.” 1893-1943 married Catherine MacKenzie.  He took over the Earltown general store from his mother in law.  He was the local county councillor for twelve years and the Warden of Colchester County for six years.  The family moved to Bible Hill where he operated a store before his death.

John 1837-1928    married Jessie Sutherland “Ballem” from next door.  They lived in Bigney near River John where John was a tailor.  They had no natural family but brought up at least one girl.  John died at her home in Trenton in 1928.

There is a local tradition that Robert Lubeag had at least one brother who emigrated to Ontario and settled in the predominantly Sutherlandshire settlements of Zorra and Nissouri.  A descendant, Donald Sutherland, was a senator. 

Final resting place of Robert Lubeag – Earltown Village Cemetery

Footnotes:

  1. We can only speculate that the Widow Sutherland was Robert’s mother. Based on naming patterns of his children, Robert’s father was likely a Donald Sutherland. ↩︎
  2. These areas were hard to police. The estate learned from previous evictions that former tenants would return to the area and reoccupy the houses. Therefore the estate field officers, much to the dissatisfaction of the administration, sensitive to bad press, burned the dwellings. Some of the roof timbers belonged to the tenants. These were assessed and paid for by the estate but not before deducting eviction costs ! ↩︎
  3. Angus Graham received a grant at Earltown Village. He quickly lost interest in favour of Plainfield and sold the property to John MacKay “Miller” and Neil MacKay “Tailor” who made permanent homes thereon. ↩︎
  4. Maria Sutherland, wife of John Ferguson, Matheson Brook, had a blood connection to Lubeags. Her father, also Robert Sutherland, settled in the Caribou district. ↩︎
  5. The genealogy which follows is bare bones to give a sense of how the family spread out in the community and beyond. More precise details are available from the author of this post. ↩︎
  6. This family lived at Dalvait, Strath Brora. They were cleared out in 1821 and came directly to West Earltown. ↩︎
  7. Ellen’s father Hector and her grandmother Eleanor emigrated to West Earltown from Muiemore, across the river from Lubeag. ↩︎

Sources:

Adamson, Donald Beck Commercialisation, Change and Continuity: an archaeological study of rural commercial practice in the Scottish Highlands 2014

Hunter, James Set Adrift Upon the World , The Sutherland Clearances Birlinn Limited, 2015

MacDonald, Gladys The Lake Sutherlands unpublished manuscript

WIlson, Margaret The Lake Sutherlands unpublished genealogy

Sutherland Estate Records – Rent Rolls

Nova Scotia Crown Land Grant Map 79

1871 Canada Census, Earltown, Colchester County

Special thanks to David Heatley of Nuttby for the generous sharing of geophysical data in locating old homesteads.

Rev. Donald Sutherland

Rev. Donald Sutherland

It was often said that Earltown contributed, proportional to its population, more than its share to the ranks of Presbyterian clergy in Atlantic Canada. Some were influential clerics in the church’s courts, some were prominent in the cities of North America, some selflessly went to foreign lands as missionaries, and a few quietly went about their duties in the rural countryside.  

The subject of this post, a son of Earltown, is seldom, if ever, remembered in his home community and perhaps in the communities he served. However, his story is worth telling in terms of the hardships endured by clergy who brought the message of hope and encouragement to isolated settlements.

Donald Sutherland was born on Christmas Day in 1835 at Central Earltown.  His parents were Nicholas Sutherland and Christiana MacKay.   With the uncommon forename of Nicholas, it is not surprising that their progeny had the descriptor “Nicky” attached to their names.  Nicholas was born in 1798 in Golspie, Sutherland.  In 1824 he married Christiana MacKay, daughter of James MacKay, miller of Rossal in the Parish of Rogart. The couple settled at Little Torboll in the Parish of Dornoch near the mouth of Strath Fleet where their eldest four children were born.  In 1831/32, they were part of a substantial migration from Eastern Sutherland to Pictou. 

Christiana’s two brothers were already established in Earltown – John MacKay the miller and Neil MacKay the tailor.  Nicholas and Christiana acquired the farm west of Neil about one kilometre from the village.  In total, the Sutherlands had eight children 1.

The MacKay side of the house greatly emphasized education with offspring entering medicine, ministry and politics.  In the Sutherland household, young Donald Nicky showed promise as a serious scholar and was sent to the Pictou Academy.  Upon graduation from the Academy, he entered the Truro Seminary and finished his theological instruction at the Free Church College in Halifax.

It would appear that he was first dispatched to Cape Breton Island as a student minister by the Home Mission, assisting settled ministers in covering their extensive pastorates.   While in Cape Breton, he qualified and was ordained in June of 1860 at Baddeck.   He was immediately sent to Aspy Bay to become their first settled minister.

Sunrise Valley with Aspy Bay in the distance
Sunrise Valley and Aspy Bay – Cousins Photo

The Aspy Bay pastoral charge was headquartered in what is now the community of Cape North. For the first thirty or so years of its existence, the Presbyterians were occasionally visited by a minister from other parts of Cape Breton.   In 1860, Rev. Donald was responsible for the Presbyterian population extending from the top of Cape Smokey, around the tip of Cape Breton  Island and down the western shore to Fishing Cove.  This area included the settlements of Ingonish, Neil’s Harbour, New Haven, White Point, Dingwall, Cape North, Sugarloaf,  Bay St.Lawrence, Pleasant Bay and Fishing Cove to the north of Cheticamp. 

Around Aspy Bay, the settlements and farms could be reached by boat or canoe in the summer months. In some cases, the minister might catch a ride on a schooner heading to the next village. To reach his flock in Pleasant Bay, Rev. Donald had to traverse a ten mile obstacle called North Mountain.  Today, a two lane highway clings to the side of the mountain making it a tense driving experience.  One can only imagine carefully guiding a horse along a narrow path above a sheer drop.  In winter the trip had to be undertaken on snowshoes over snow several feet deep in the uplands.  If a ten-mile hike in snowshoes weren’t a challenge, the unpredictable weather at higher elevations would be.

North Mountain between Cape North and Pleasant Bay – Tourism Stock

While attending to the spiritual needs of Pleasant Bay, the minister would be expected to make a pastoral visit to a small outport called Fishing Cove. This would require a climb up MacKenzie Mountain, crossing the bogs and barrens at the top and descending through a deep gorge to the fishing hamlet. 

Fishing Cove, Inverness County – Currently a remote campsite

Rev. John Murray, in his The History of the Presbyterian Church in Cape Breton, describes Donald as having an uncommonly fine physique.  He was tall, stout and handsome.  He was considered “eccentric at times but had a tender and sympathetic heart”.    In addition to being a theologian and preacher, he was a linguist and mineralogist.

In 1863 Rev Donald resigned his position after which he was sent by the Free Church Presbytery of Halifax as a missionary to the Labrador Coast.  This, by necessity, was a summer posting involving visits to many seasonal fishing ports along the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Labrador Sea.  These ports, and the mission, were serviced out of Harbour Grace where there was an established Free Church congregation.  Whether by coincidence or design, Donald would have reported to Rev. Alexander Ross, a native of Earltown and long time minister at Harbour Grace.

Donald Sutherland reported to Presbytery that future work should center around the Bay of Islands on Newfoundland’s west coast where he found a robust population of Highlanders, many of whom migrated from Cape Breton.  The following summer he was posted to that region.

In 1867,  Donald moved on to Ontario where Gaelic ministers were in great demand.  His tenure there was short and he moved on to Kansas and Nebraska2 for a couple of years.  By 1870 he was back in Aspy Bay tending to a portion of his former flock at Pleasant Bay.  Rev. John Murray  of Scotsburn was serving the Cape North area at that time3.   In addition to his preaching duties,  Rev. Donald was also teaching some of the older students.  He devoted some time to transcribing various Gaelic poems and songs unique to the area.

Rev. Donald’s return to Pleasant Bay may have been a calling other than theological.  On July 27th of 1870  he married Christena MacLean, daughter of one of the original permanent settlers of the community.  

Probably one of Rev. Donald’s most enduring contributions to the community was its current name.  Prior to the 1870’s,  Pleasant Bay was known as Grand Anse.   There was also a community of the same name in Richmond County which was resulting in mail being sent to the wrong community.   To rectify the situation, Rev. Donald put forth the name Pleasant Bay which has survived to the present day.

In 1875  Rev. Donald was called to the Charge of Gabarus which comprised the communities of Gabarus, Kennington Cove and Forchu in Cape Breton County.   It would be a successful and uneventful pastorate of 28 years.

Gabarus, Cape Breton County

The Sutherlands had three daughters.  Sarah died at the age of 4,  Christena  died unmarried in Gabarus in 1904 and Jessie married Donald MacLean of Gabarus Lake4.

On July 29, 1903  Rev. Donald Sutherland  “Nicky” died sitting on the veranda of his manse.

Sources:

Murray, Rev. John   History of the Presbyterian Church in Cape Breton, 1921  New Publishing Co., Truro

MacDougall, John L  History of Inverness County Nova Scotia 1922

Moncrieff, Wilfred M.  A History of the Presbyterian Church in Newfoundland 1842-1967 MS

1871 Census of Canada, Inverness County

Murray, Rev. John, The Story of My Life, with Several Reminiscences Edited version by Eric Wilson and William Collett

  1. Other children of Nicholas and Christy Sutherland were: James, a merchant in Halifax; Catherine at home; Janet (David) Murray of Clydesdale; John, a merchant in River John; Annie (Dan) Baillie of Balfron; Marion (Kenneth) MacLean of West Branch and Hugh, mail carrier between Truro and Earltown. ↩︎
  2. Several families migrated from West Pictou to Kansas and Nebraska. Rev. Alexander Sutherland of Earltown briefly served them before returning to Canada. Rev. Donald was undoubtedly familiar with their settlements and may have been invited to serve. ↩︎
  3. This is the same John Murray who wrote the History of the Presbyterian Church in Cape Breton. Murray was from Scotsburn and he was related to many of the families in Earltown. In addition to their overlapping service to Pleasant Bay, they were co-presbyters in Cape Breton County for the whole of Rev. Donald’s tenure in Gabarus. ↩︎
  4. Mr. MacLean died young. Jessie lived much of her remaining life in Sydney and died at the age of 90. ↩︎

Jack Sutherland – Rancher, Miner, Writer and Politician

Obituary 1958 in Hanna Herald:

J.K. “JACK” SUTHERLAND -Alberta Friends Mourn Death of Colchester County Native. (From the Hanna, Alta., Herald) Men and women in cities, town and villages across the farm lands of the west are today mourning, the passing of one of western Canada’s most well known and respected men, J.K. “Jack” SUTHERLAND. The doughty Scot, who was born in Earltown, Nova Scotia, passed away in the Hanna Hospital on Sunday, Aug. 31 following a lengthy illness, that finally sapped the life of this stalwart of the plains. Known far and wide for his ever constant efforts on behalf of the farming industry, Jack SUTHERLAND’s work, his visions and his personality will long characterize the pioneer “sons of the soil.” Known as a real but fair fighter in the farm and political causes in which he indulged down through the years, his sincerity in his beliefs stamped him as a man who commanded much respect and admiration from people in all walks of life. Fine Gentleman. His accomplishments, his ideas and his vision of better things yet to come are legion. Jack SUTHERLAND’s life here will long remain a legend to this district, to residents in all walks of life. We in this section of Alberta, in particular, have lost a staunch friend, a faithful worked, and a fine gentleman. John Kenneth SUTHERLAND was born at Earltown, Nova Scotia on February 16, 1889, the son of Annie McKAY SUTHERLAND and Daniel SUTHERLAND. In 19011, twelve years later, his parents both passed away in the same summer, so his education was limited to a short attendance at public school, working on farms, lumbering, shipbuilding and in the sawmills until 1908, he came west on the harvest excursions accompanied by the late Andrew MacKAY. Taking up a homestead and pre-emption in what was then to be the Hanna area early in the spring of 1909, he was one of the first settlers in this country with the exception of the early ranchers. In the winter months he worked out in the mines, smelters and bush in British Columbia. Four oxen and a saddle horse were his first motive power on his homestead, the nearest town and the end of the steel, was Settle in 1909 and 1910, and in 1911 steel reached Castor, while in 1912 it reached Hanna in the late fall. He was married to Elizabeth Jean MUNRO of Earltown, Nova Scotia, by the Rev. Bill IRVINE. Two daughters and one son survive, Ruth, of Olds, Anna of Midnapore and John at Hanna, also four grandchildren. He first became a member of the United Farmers of Alberta late in the fall of 1909 and he continued until his death. He was also a member of the Trail Mill and Mine and Smelter Workers Union and the Western Federation of Miners the same year. In 192(?) he was elected to the Board of the UDA organization and served as Board Member, Executive Member and Vice President until 1945, Representing that organization, he served on the old Canadian Council of Agriculture, the new Federation of Agriculture, and the Western Marketing Conference under John BRACKEN, at hat time Premier of Manitoba. Help Draft Manifesto. He took part in the organization meeting of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in Calgary in August in 1932 and next year helped to draft the Regina Manifesto at the next annual meeting of that party. He was a member of the Earltown Board of School Trustees for many years, a Board Member of Hanna Local United Grain Growers and Secretary and charter member of Hanna Local U.F.A. and later the FUA and later was still a member of the Earltown FUA, secretary of Acadian District FUA Association. He was also an Alberta Wheat Pool delegate for 12 years in the ‘twenties’ and ‘thirties’, delegate of Alberta Poultry Producers for 15 years and chairman at annual meeting for almost an equal number of years. Was CCF Candidate. The late Mr. SUTHERLAND also took an active part in politics and in the Federal election of 1945 was defeated as CCF candidate.

Genealogy Notes:

Jack was an only child. His parents lived on Campbell Road with his mother’s parents, John MacKay “Achany” and Marion Matheson. His father Donald was married previously to Christena Murray “Ardachu”, sister of Johnny Murray “Bible”. She died within six months of marriage.

Jack’s wife, Eliza Jean, was born on the Captain’s Road, Clydesdale, to Hugh Munro and Isabel MacFarlane. Eliza Jean’s obituary, entitled “Mrs. J. Sutherland Was One of Hanna’s Pioneer Women”, (Drumheller Mail, October 10, 1957), states that she was born in 1880 and educated in Earltown. She finished her education in Halifax. Eliza moved to British Columbia and joined a smelting company in Trail as an accountant in 1918. As indicated in Jack’s obituary, he often spent the winter months working in the smelters of BC and we now have another example of how members of the Earltown diaspora would find each other in far off places. They were married in 1920. Like Jack, Eliza Jean was active in community service and used her business skills to further community development and took a lead in farm organizational work. She served on the provincial executive of the FWUA and was a director of Acadia FWUA for several years. She also played a role in provincial and federal political affairs. In religion, both were active in the local United Church. The obituary notes that their farm was six miles miles southwest of the town of Hanna.

  1. The parents actually died in 1903, Mom in June and Dad in December according to Earltown Village Cemetery inscriptions. ↩︎

Catechists in the New World

The traditional titles, offices and vocations of the pioneer mainline churches are largely unknown today in rural Nova Scotia, having slowly transitioned into more casual forms of religious observance or, in most cases, into a secular lifestyle with a Christian ethical code. Gone are the days of ruling elders, precentors, Clerk of Session, stewards, etc..   Long gone is the Catechist, the subject of this post.

The term Catechist comes from Greek meaning to teach by spoken word. It was a recognized position in the Catholic laity prior to the reformation and thus migrated into the early Protestant church.

By the 18th century, the Catechists were a highly regarded group of religionists in the North Highlands of Scotland. There were initially appointed from among the laity to assist the Parish Minister with Christian education matters, such as instructing parents on baptism, preparing adults for confirmation and presiding over what we now call “bible study meetings”.   The parishes in the north were geographically large and remote.   People living in the out lying areas would be unable to attend the Parish church on a regular basis therefore the Catechist would be dispatched to those areas to instruct a particular family or group of families in their homes.

These Catechists were chosen from the laity by the minister and occasionally by the people. They were men of unwavering piety, deep thought and high functionality in Gaelic. English was not necessarily required and they often supplemented the preaching of the ministers who were not necessarily as proficient in Gaelic.   Some had basic education and could read in both languages however many relied upon a high capacity to remember everything they ever heard including extensive tracts of scripture.   Some received a stipend from the Church of Scotland for those duties performed under the supervision of the clergy. Others simply served as part of a personal calling.

The Catechists were the core of a unique group in the northern shires known as “The Men”.   The Men would assemble at the various sacrament events in the neighbouring parishes.   During the four day communion, Friday was reserved for “The Men”.   A scriptural passage would be presented by a presiding minister and “The Men” would rise in turn and speak extensively as to the meaning. Some were very eloquent and philosophical. Others used the occasion to speak impressively but without substance. The minister would conclude the day long event by correcting scriptural references and summarizing the debate.   Some Catechists became quite famous over the whole of Highlands for their insight and speaking abilities.

By the start of the 19th century, just prior to the clearances, the Catechists had risen to great prominence, surpassing the elected elders and clergy in popularity. This was particularly true in the Parish of Clyne where the pulpit was occupied by Rev. Walter Ross.   Rev. Ross was an appointee of the Countess and, transparently, was a voice of the Sutherland Estate. He was a cattleman, often absent from his duties.   The Catechists filled the spiritual void and often conducted services in the outlying areas as well as in the school in Strath Brora.   In the messy politics of the Strath Brora clearances, Rev. Ross clearly took sides with the Estate.

It will come as no surprise that the Catechists received no special treatment during the upheavals of 1819 to 1822 in Clyne and beyond.   They were among those evicted from their homes and sent elsewhere to start over.   Three such men found their way to Earltown. They came from separate parishes and at different times. But none the less, they came as a result of social upheaval during which their church remained silent.

In Northern Nova Scotia, particularly in North Colchester, Pictou County and parts of Cape Breton, the Presbyterian population exploded in the first decades of the 19th century.   Ministers were scarce and of those that were established in the towns, most did not adhere to the Church of Scotland.   Although disappointed with the Church of Scotland, (The Kirk), the settlers out of the far north of Scotland still clung to it. It would be many years before the infant settlements, such as Earltown, would receive a settled minister.   In the mean time they traveled to Pictou, New Glasgow or Hopewell for baptisms and marriage. Occasionally a missionary would pass through the settlement and handle the backlog. Weekly worship fell upon themselves.

In the case of Earltown, the three Catechists filled the void. They visited families in their remote homesteads, presided over burials and conducted prayer meetings in homes or barns. By the mid 1830’s, Rev. William Sutherland was living at West Earltown as a farmer. He was never called but availed himself to those who would adhere to him. It appears that some families, for whatever reason, stuck with the Catechists until the arrival of the Free Church and a settled minister in 1846.

Proceedings of the Presbyterian Church indicate that the “Catechist” designation was still recognized as late as the 1860’s but only as it related to trained missionaries sent to labour in remote areas not served by a minister.   These Catechists appear to have been student ministers or experienced teachers aspiring to be in the pulpit. “The Men” in the communions of the new world included some former Highland Catechists but now included the elders who now had Christian education as part of their job descriptions.   As the Catechists of old died off, the elders became the sole leaders in education and outreach.

The three following posts will follow the travels of George Baillie, William Murray and Joseph MacKenzie, all active Catechists in Earltown.

Sources:

MacPhail’s Edinburgh Ecclesiastical Journal and Literary Reviews:

     Letter to the Editor by anonymous Highland Parish Minister

 Munro, Rev. Donald, “Records of Grace in Sutherland”, Free Church of Scotland 1953 (A biographical collection compiled by Rev. Munro of Rogart in the mid 1800’s)

 Patterson, Rev. George, “A History of the County of Pictou”, Dawson Bros., Montreal 1877

Report of the Proceedings of the General Presbyterian Council, Edinburgh, 1877

 Correspondence: Dr. Elizabeth Ritchie, University of the Highlands & Islands, Dornoch

Angus Sutherland “Prince”, A First Settler

The narrative of the European settlement of Earltown District starts with two men arriving in the unbroken forest in the summer of 1813.   Historian George Patterson in his  “History of the County of Pictou”  credits Angus Sutherland and Donald MacIntosh as the first settlers.  We tend to imagine a lengthy treck into the forest and carving a clearing in isolation.

However both gentlemen took lots along the Pictou – Colchester border.  On the Pictou side,  a growing settlement had been in progress for four years.   Sutherlandshire and Ross-shire Scots moved into the West Branch area starting in 1809 and were approaching Colchester by 1813.  Consequently the eastern portion of  Earltown was initially an extention of West Branch.

Angus Sutherland was known as the “Prince”.   His facial features reminded people of paintings of Bonnie Prince Charlie.   He came to Scotsburn as the eight year old son of John and Catherine Sutherland in 1801.   They were among a number of families that arrived in Pictou from Rogart that year and settled as a group west of Scotsburn.   Angus witnessed his father’s toil in establishing a homestead in the forest and thus was an experienced homesteader when he arrived on his grant in the community that would eventually be called Clydesdale.   The grant was actually granted in the name of his father John.  It was located on the Clydesdale road about 1/2 kilometer east of the junction of the Stewart and Clydesdale Roads.  The first schoolhouse in the area was on part of this grant.   Angus’ co-founder, Donald MacIntosh, lived to the north at the junction of the roads.

After building a log home and clearing some land,  Angus returned to Scotsburn to marry Annie MacIntosh.  Annie or Nancy was also a native of Rogart who came to Scotsburn in 1801 with her parents,  William MacIntosh and Christy Murray.

Angus and Nancy had eight children.   The Sutherland Prince male line is no longer but there are many descendants to their daughters.

Nancy died in 1848 at the age of 47.    Angus died in 1872 at the age of 82.   They were buried in Scotsburn.

The “Ballem” Sutherlands

The Highlanders were rigid in the naming of children after grandparents and siblings which created a multitude of individuals with the same name.   John Sutherland is an example of a name that appears frequently in Earltown and West Pictou.    As in Scotland,  nicknames became an essential part of the vocabulary to identify the correct person.

One of the larger family groups in Earltown was the “Ballem” Sutherlands.    John Sutherland and Catherine Reid were crofters at Craigachnanarch in the remote northeast of Rogart Parish.   Two of their sons came to Earltown in the migration of 1819 – John, who settled near Rossville, and Alexander who settled at the foot of Gunn’s Hill.   They were known as Ballems.

Ballem was gaelic for balm or ointment.  This once common herbal remedy for sores and burns was a concoction made from resin of the balsom poplar tree.   It was commonly known as the Balm of Gilead,  a reference in the Bible to an ancient balm used in the time of Jeremiah.   This particular family had the recipe for the balm and were the  “go to” people in the event of skin irritations.   Once in Earltown, they were able to continue their skill as the poplar native to this region had a similar resin.