cation by land - both previously non-existent. When train rails were laid through this area by 1874 no settlers were living within the pre- sent village limits. The contractor and foreman boarded at the home of Joseph Mugridge in Unionvale.

The first building erected in O’Leary was the station house. People then began to move inland. They wanted to live near the rail- road. Many settlers came between 1880 and 1885.

The first settlers, Hugh and Charles Murray, came from Bedeque in the late 1870's and settled in what is now the eastern part of the village.

In 1876, Robert Ellis, originally from Bideford, moved in from Springfield West. He bought four hundred acres of land on the south side of the O'Leary Road. Part of this property is now owned by his grandson Garfield Ellis. Robert (locally known as Big Bob) also oper- ated a store near the railway crossing. At the same time, John MacDonald from the eastern part of the province became O'Leary’s first blacksmith.

A little later, two Ramsay families came - David from Knutsford and D.C. Ramsay from Port Hill. D.C. Ramsay operated the first store in O’Leary on practically the same site as the former Handy Andy Store. The original store was hauled behind Kenneth Ellis' house by Sanford Phillips. The Jelleys, originally from Linkletter, moved from Unionvale to O'Leary. Thomas Robinson and family, originally from Brackley Point, also moved from Unionvale to O’Leary.

As the settlement grew, most settlers established their own busi- nesses. John Frost, O’Leary’s first postmaster, moved in from Springfield West. He lived approximately where Bernard Shea now resides. William Jelley, the first tailor in the area, lived in the same vicinity. James Barclay moved up from Ellerslie and entered into part- nership with D.C. Ramsay. In 1880, he built and operated a saw mill powered by steam approximately one hundred feet behind the pre- sent fire hall. In 1888, he built a water powered flour mill near Coleman. This mill is now operated by Warren Leard. The Barclays lived in the house now owned by Thiren and Shirley Ellis.

In 1881, William Bulger, father of Peter, moved up from Unionvale and resided on property now owned by Doreen Matheson and her son Roderick (Roddie). He was a mail courier on the Cape Wolfe route. He also operated a small general store at the front of the lot.

Later came the Perry’s (Joe and Arthur), James MacAulay, James Dennis, Robert Ellis, Ebenezer Lidstone, MacKenzies, MacPhersons, MacArthurs, MacLennans, MacFadgens, Champions, Chisholms, and