h» “Havana”,

The Macdonalds of Panmure Island 5

The Macdonalds of Panmure Island

Andrew Macdonald

Andrew MacDonald was involved in trading and shipbuilding. He is probably buried in Georgetown cemetery, except that Joe French and Edwin MacDonald claim he was buried on Panmure Island. He died in 1833 at the age of 88, according to R.G. MacDonald. He came to the Island in I 800 and died in I 83 7 or ’38.

Hugh MacDonald, son of Andrew, stayed on the Island. He was the only one of twelve children to do so. He died on February, 14, I 82 7.

His son, Andrew Archie MacDonald was a senator from Georgetown. He died February I 4, 1912 in Ottawa.

Excerpt from Past and Present of Prince Edward Island (I 906)

One of the pioneer settlers of this Province was Andrew MacDonald, of the ancient sect of the Clan Donald known as McIans of Ardnamurchan. In 1772 his relative, John MacDonald, the eighth chief of Glanadale, purchased a large property in Prince Edward Island, and, with his family and many relatives, came and settled here. Such favorable accounts were received from them of the productiveness of the soil that Andrew determined to close his mercantile business in Arisaig and follow them. He sent his brother John, known as “Major Ian Mor”, to see the land, and he was so satisfied with it that he bought a place at West River and settled upon it.

It was not until 1805 that Andrew succeeded in closing his business in Scotland. He purchased ten thousand acres of land, then brought his family and a number of other persons who settled on that part of the property about Three Rivers, Lot 22. Shortly afterwards Mr. Macdonald bought the Island of Panmure, comprising upwards of seven hundred acres of beautifully wooded land at the entrance to Georgetown Harbour, and there he located and embarked in business, exporting timber and building ships to be sold in Britain.

He also established a branch house at Mirimachi, N.B., where he did a large and profitable business until the great fire there in 1824, when it is said, five hundred lives were lost, every building being destroyed, along with numerous vessels in the harbour and the forest for hundreds of miles around. After that date he confined his business to Prince Edward Island.