THE MONTGOMERYS OF PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.

There is no name more closely identi- fied with the early settlement, development, political and social history, and educational progress of Prince Edward Island than that of Montgomery. The family traditions as- sert and the claim is well authenticated by history, that the Montgomerys came from the continent of- Europe with William the Conqueror into Britain, and soon spread over the United Kingdom.

The first English-speaking settler in Princetown was Hugh Montgomery who, with his wife Mary (McShannon) Mont- gome'ry and their family, sailed from the Old Country in a ship bound for Quebec in the year A. D. 1769. Finding themselves short of water they made the land at Mal- peque Harbour and dispatched a boat ashore to obtain a supply. Some of the ladies ex— pressed a desire to land and view the coun- try and they landed on Darnley Point. but failing to find any springs of fresh water there, they crossed over the basin to King street, where they found an ample supply. Meanwhile the ladies took in the scenery and enjoyed a walk around the silvery sand and pebbled beach of the basin and the rough sandstone and shelving rocks of the gulfshore. They became so infatuated with the scenery and beauties of Richmond Bay and its numerous islands, that on returning to the ship they besought their friends and relatives to locate here and make this beau- tiful land their home. Hugh Montgomery was the only one on board to respond to this appeal, and he with his family disem- barked and settled on what was then and for years after called “Fox Point,” and there

commenced to carve out a home. His fam- ly consisted of six, three sons and three daughters. John married Miss Ann Hooper and founded the Bedeque family, where James, Thomas and Norman, three of his grandsons, still reside, prosperous and in- telligent farmers and enterprising citizens, loyal to the church of their fathers, the Presbyterian, as well as to the state.

Hugh married Miss Christy Penman, of Port Hill, and was the father of Donald Montgomery, familiarly known as “Little Donald," a successful farmer, and promi- nent public man who represented the first electoral district of Queens county for a number of years in the Provincial Legis- lature of Prince Edward Island.

Helen married Archibald Ramsay, of Beach Point, and to them were born eight children, five sons and three daughters. John Ramsay, the eldest son. bought Rose Hill from his uncle and moved across Richmond Bay. He represented Prince county for a number of years in the Provincial Legisla- ture, was a prominent magistrate, filled the office of high sheriff and other important positions, and was highly respected. Don- ald Ramsay, the fourth son, was for years a member. of the Legislative Council of the province. Mary and Margaret both mar- ried McEwens, of Campbellton, New Lon- don. and Helen married R. S. Patterson. a Presbyterian minister of Bedeque.

Margaret Montgomery married Captain McLeod, by whom she had one daughter. The Captain was drowned and Mrs. Mc- , Leod then married Thomas Archibald, a Scotch merchant and shipbuilder, of Rose-