· "Mysie, born Margory
MacDonald, was eight years old when she and her family
entered the wilderness of New Brunswick in 1836. After a six-week sail to
Saint John, another boat took the settlers from Saint John to Fredericton, NB.
The settlers then travelled north through dense forests to Scotch Settlement
by horse team. A recorded 45 Scottish families, mostly from the Isle of
Skye, came to the Stanley, NB area that year. (Another 15 families from England
also settled in the area now known as English Settlement.)"
entered the wilderness of New Brunswick in 1836. After a six-week sail to
Saint John, another boat took the settlers from Saint John to Fredericton, NB.
The settlers then travelled north through dense forests to Scotch Settlement
by horse team. A recorded 45 Scottish families, mostly from the Isle of
Skye, came to the Stanley, NB area that year. (Another 15 families from England
also settled in the area now known as English Settlement.)"
In the spring of 1838, many of
the remaining immigrants pushed on to Stanley and the nearby communities. Of
the survivors was a family of McDonalds. The daughter Mysie McDonald remained
until a few months prior to her death. She is buried in the old Catholic
cemetery in Stanley. Mysie was a strong woman determined to survive. She cut
logs and built her own cabin shingling the roof with cedar bark. She carried
her dead brother on her back to Stanley for burial. It was reported she was
honest and never begged but would accept a cup of tea or a hot meal. Her
ability to tell the future resulted in her being called a witch. Some people
poked fun at her. Mysie was an incredible woman, a survivor.
A 1861 Canadian census in Stanley listed James as a
brother and farmer and head of household, a Margaret as a mother, a brother
Donald who was a Trapper and a brother Charles who was a laborer and then a
Mysie who is listed as an "Idiot." How sad to be listed as such. She
was no "idiot" as this census reflects if she was able to live off
the land, build her own home, etc.
Women had to be strong to be on their own then, come to think of it, women still have to be strong to be on their own now.....
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Well-that didn't sound real good, but, you know what I mean!
