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in the printing and publishing business. He published and edited the King’s County Ad- vertiser, at Georgetown, for six years, and has been continuously editor of the Watch- man, of Charlottetown, since its inception, sixteen years ago. Mr. McCourt wields a trenchant and forceful pen, his productions being marked by superior literary style and finish. His “Life of Hon. Edward Wheo lan,” Island statesman, is a work which has been highly appreciated. Mr. McCourt takes a deep interest in public affairs, and being a fluent speaker, his services are in demand at many public functions. He is a man of many fine personal qualities, and is popular with all classes and creeds. As the nominee of his party, he has been a candidate for the Legislature, and though not victorious, has - shown a remarkable strength and popularity with the people. His political affiliation is with the Liberal-Conservative element, and fratemally he is a member of the Benevo- lent Irish Society, of which he was president for six years, and he now again occupies that position.

On April 24, 1883, he married Miss Fanny B. Byrne, of Georgetown, Prince Ed- ward Island, and to them have been born three sons and two daughters.

GILBERT DESROUCHEs,awell known citi- zen and successful business man at Mis- couche, Prince county, was born in this place on the 24th of July, 1852, and is a son of John and Nancy (Poirier) DesRouches, both also natives of Miscouche. The paternal grandfather, Jesse DesRouches, was born 'at Malpeque, Prince Edward Island, and he was one of the original thirteen who bought

PAST AND PRESENT OF

six thousand acres of land from Major Compton and which included the territory now comprising the district of Miscouche. They named it Belle Alliance, the Indian name Miscouche being subsequently given to it. Jesse DesRouches married Miss Louise O’Neil. The grandfather was a stone ma- son by trade and also engaged in farming to a considerable extent, owning a large tract of land. He had three sons, one of whom was the subject’s father. The latter fol- lowed the stone mason’s trade and also con- tinued the operation of the original home- stead, owning between two and three hun- dred acres in the heart of the district re- ferred to. He was the father of ten chil- dren, seven sons and three daughters, of whom a remarkable fact is that all are liv- ing with the exception of one daughter. The subject of this sketch was the first- born in this family and received his elemen- tary education in the public schools at Mis- couche. After the completion of his studies he remained on the homestead until he learned the shoernaking trade. After two yars’ employment at this he entered into business on his own account in 1876, in which he has since successfully continued. He carries a line of general merchandise, such as is in demand by the local trade and has earned an excellent reputation as a fair dealing tradesman and is now enjoying a large and constantly increasing business. He also gives attention to farming, now owning about sixty acres of the original farm. but which he has made exceedingly productive. He is and has been for some time one of the largest buyers and shippers of oysters on the Island, having handled as many as five thousand barrels in a season. He is also a large shipper of lobsters to the