DUNCAN MacLEAN ESQ.

Duncan MacLeans early history is rather obscure, he was born in Scotland and educated for the Christian ministry in accordance with his parents wishes. However he entered the business world in the West Indies and married a Spanish girl and later settled on a farm in Long River in 1837. Mrs. MacLean did not mix in community life and very; little is known about her.

Mr. MacLean taught navigation, astronomy and bookkeeping, Capt. Alfred MacLeod and Franklin Doughart were two who studied navigation. He also did land surveying. '

The Cove MacLeods were special friends of the MacLeans and named one of their girls Lucilla for Mrs. MacLean.

Mr. MacLean was twice elected to the Island Legislature in 1st Queens in the interests of the Conservative Party 1842 and 1847. From 1850 to his death in April 15th, 1859, he was editor of The Islander. A man of education who wielded a caustic and powerful pen. He took an active part in the discussions about free schools, land question, building of the railway and Confederation and like many more, just as the principles which he had so long and ably advocated had taken a firmhold of the public mind and were about to become a reality he was called away and did not participate in the joys for which he had so long laboured. William Simpson of Hamilton said he wrote a short editorial but every word would bite. Hon. Wm. H. Pope succeeded him as editor. Prior to his death he was appointed Commissioner of Public Lands. .

Thomas Laird an architect in New York said when he was a young man in Bedeque he was sent down to interview Mr. MacLean and was shown into his library lined with books on three walls many bound in leather, the best private library he had ever seen.

Duncan and Lucilla had four children, James Scott, Wallace, Fairlie and Isabell. Scott owned the farm where Emmett Fitzsimmons lives, later he and Wallace went to Michigan. Fairlie married Michael Fitzsimmons and Isabell married ——————— Fitzgerald of Tignish. Duncan’s 2nd wife was Ann Smith of Clinton. After Duncan’s death his widow married Robert Fitzsimmons. Quoting from the Islander:

“It is our melancholy duty to announce the decease of Duncan MacLean, Esq. Pleurisy, terminating in acute inflammatlon, was the immediate cause of his death.

Independent Journalism has suffered a severe loss; Science has to mourn for a devoted son, and Freedom an able champion. ‘

We have often heard even his political opponents testify, that the remarkable politeness and urbanity of his manner, as a private gentle- man, formed a striking and pleasing contrast with the pungency of

his public writings.

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