“:fti‘séféri’6r"s'm"mh‘f" Souris

The earliest dwellers in Souris village arrived there from St. Peter in 1810. They were soon followed by some Acadians from Arichat, and by a family of McPhees who came to Souris in lSIH. Little Harbour. the eastern part of the parish was first settled by three Highland families who went there in 1806.

The inhabitants of this portion of what is now the mission of Souris attended mass at St. Columba's East Point, previous to the building of the parish

church. while the settlers of Souris village being nearer Rollo Bay, depended for spiritual care upon the paster of that mission.

Occasionally stations were held at the houses of Mr. Angus Campbell of Little Harbour, of Mr. Neil McLellan of Little Harbour, of Mr Angus McDonald (Rector) of Chepstow. end of Mr. Peter Chiverie of Souris.

In 1838 the people bestirred themselves and took steps toward building a church; ground was bought from Francis Chiverie and cleared by the parishowners, and upon this site the pioneer church was erected gy Messrs. Thomas Stone and Michael Bayley. The dimmensions of this church were sixty feet by thirty

five feet. The first elders were Donald Allan McDonald, Souris, Francaie Lavie, Souris, Angus McDonald (Hector). The priest in charge of the mission

at that time was the Reverend John MacDonald of Glenaladale. who offered the first mass in Souris church in January 1839.

In the month of June 18h9 a disastrous fire destroyed both the church and a fine parochial house, which was Just being completed by the Rev. Pius McPhee. Nothing daunted,the parishoners determined to proceed at once with the building of a new church: they turned out in a body, went to the woods, procured, and prepared the material for the frame.

This second church was Opened in November 1839; the builder was Ronald Ban MacDonald. It is eighty feet in length by forty five in width, and twenty two

feet in height: the spire is a hundred feet high. The vestry is twenty four