A list of places where tickets could be purchased for the tea party included several predominantly Protestant com- munities such as Central Bedeque, Crapaud, the “English Settlement on the Anderson Roadi’ (probably in Township 67), and the Gulf Shore, as well as Summerside and Charlottetown]1 Contact with these places implies coopera— tion, probably based on-business ties, regardless of religious differences.

In March, 1867 the Liberals returned to power in P.E.I.; and political favors again flowed into the five communities. Shortly after the Liberal takeover a public notice was made reminding Islanders to make their requests to the new government before April 5 of that year. On April 3, 1867

the following notice appeared in the newspapers:

NOTICE

At a Public Meeting of the householders resident in this District, held on Wednesday, March 27, 1867, Mr. Michael Brenan in the Chair, the following resolutions were carried unanimously: “Resolved, that the name of this settlement, hither to known as ‘South-West Bedeque, viz., from John Wright’s Bridge to the Coun- ty Line, be changed, and that it be called and known henceforth as Somerset.”

“Resolved, That these proceedings be published in all the newspapers for general information?

Michael Brenan, Chairman J .R. Walsh, Secretary Somerset, Prince County]2

The name, Somerset, though it is the name of a county in England, and therefore a surprising choice for an Irish community, is believed to have been chosen to honor

28

Maurice Somers, the first permanent settler in the Kinkora area; Mr. Somers died in January, 1867]3 It is also believed that he originally came from England.

In May, 1867 the government received “a petition from Patrick Doyle and others of South-West Settlement in Townships 26 and 271’14 asking that a Small Debts Court be established there. This request was granted to Somerset in June of that year, along with the appointment of three commissioners and two Justices of the Peace from the five communities!5 No new buildings seem to have been con— structed for the court, but since it was the custom to hold court in the local tavern}6 Somerset was adequately prepared with two taverns; (see the map at the beginning of this chapter). A new post office was also established in Somerset? 7 And several appropriations for road and bridge repairs rounded off the list of political favors to the communities.

Perhaps the best news to these tenants came in June, 1868 when James C. Pope sold his estate in Township 27 to the RBI. government, (along with 1000 pounds of unpaid rent), at a price of eleven shillings per acre?8 Within the next two years most tenants purchased their farms at a cost of thirteen shillings per acre!9 Most of them took advantage of government loans, which allowed them up to eight shill- ings per acre, at a low interest rate.20 The tenants in Maple Plains, in the southern part of Township 27, and in Newton, in Township 26, had to wait another few years before they had the chance to own their farms.

1867 was also the year the Confederation of Canada was formed; but P.E.I. did not join, at that time. In an election in February of that year Islanders rejected the Conser- vatives, who supported union with Canada, electing 19 Liberal and 11 Conservatives. In the Fourth Electoral District, (formerly the Third District), large majorities were given to the two anti-confederate candidates Cornelius