Chapter 8

The Potato King

It is widely known that Prince Edward Island is a major potato-producing province in Canada. It is less well known that the birthplace of the Island’s most prized potato ex— port, white seed potatoes, was the Kinkora area; and that the father of the P.E.I. seed potato industry was Michael J. McIver.

“M.JZ’, as he was usually known, was born at McIver’s Point near Hampton in Township 29, P.E.I. in 1878; and after his marriage to Mrs. Catherine (Hughes) McGuigan in 1904 moved to Maine, U.S.A., eventually settling in Van Buren, Maine in 19083 There he gained experience in the production and marketing of potatoes. But he desired to return to his native province, and kept informed about ef— forts at the P.E.I. experimental farm, Charlottetown, to substitute white potatoes for the then popular blue variety.2 In 1919 he returned to RBI. and test-grew twenty-five acres of white potatoes in Newton.3 Satisfied with the results he purchased the eighty-acre farm of- John Wall in Kinkora for $8,000.00 in 1920.4 The following year he moved his fami— ly to Kinkora, and had a large home built on this property. Within the next few years he purchased or leased several more farms within the area, on which he grew potatoes. His Choice of area to begin a seed potato industry was ideal. P.E.I. was a preferred source for seed potatoes because its potatoes were not seriously affected by scab, as were potatoes in other parts of Canada.5 The area around Kinkora lies within what is called “the agricultural heart

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of the Island?’6 Moreover, Townships 26 and 27 were the only townships which recorded increases in potato produc— tion between 1890 and 1920.7 Using his marketing skills and his personal contacts with American buyers, M.J. quickly became a success. By 1924 the newspapers were referring to him as the “Potato King?’8 The following excerpt from 1926 is a sample of the enthusiastic praise heaped upon him.

Mr. M.J. MCI vor, (sic) Kinkora, the pioneer of inten— sified potato culture on REI. started an enterprise in Kinkora, REL several years ago which has nearly revolutionized old methods of growing potatoes, and has been a great source of revenue to a large number of our people — making of their farms a perennial gold mine -— with a rich annual ‘paystreak’. Mr. McIvor has grown this year 35,000 bushels of potatoes. He is also an extensive buyer and shipper of potatoes; he has shipped 50 carloads to New York city alone this fall. He bought and sold 125 carloads in all. REL wants more men like Mr. MCI vor — men who will ‘start’ something. 9

/ 5 M.J. McIver Home, Kinkora (Courtesy of Sr. Winnifred McIver, C.S.M.)