William Drummond, a Presbyterian Church Minister who sailed from Greenock, Scotland on the ship Falmouth with approximately 60 Scottish families bound for the Island of St. John. He wrote: June 3, Sunday. Being still at anchor (at Richmond Bay) at I pm, the Captain and the rest of us went ashore, and being convened at a home, we performed Divine Service in Princetown. A few days later on June 7TH, the Falmouth sailed for Stanhope where the settlers landed with their provisions and effects.

In 1771, a number of settlers from Argyleshire in Scotland, settled in the Richmond Bay area after first landing at Princetown. These people had no contact with the church until 1791 when a Presbyterian missionary from Pictou County, Nova Scotia, The Rev. Dr. James D. MacGregor came to the Princetown/Richmond Bay area. He stayed for three weeks —preaching, baptizing and visiting the homes. The occasional visits by Rev. MacGregor during the next several years were the only services to Presbyterians until 1800, when Rev. John Urquhart was inducted into the Princetown/Richmond Bay Charge as their first settled minister. Rev. Urquhart, however. left to go to Miramichi in 1802. During his brief stay, a congregation was organized in Lot 13. Rev. MacGregor was very con— cerned about the lack of leadership for Island Presbyterians. In 1808, Rev. John Keir came from Scotland to the Princetown/Richmond Bay Charge as a missionary. In June, 1810, he was ordained and inducted at Princetown, the first ordination 0n the Island. He continued to minister to the people of Richmond Bay for nine years.

In 1819 Richmond Bay (Lot 14 and Lot 16) became a separate charge with Rev. Andrew Nicholl as its own settled minister. Rev. Nicholl died in 1820 and Rev. William MacGregor succeeded to the Charge in 1821. It was on October I 1, 1821 that the first Presbytery of Prince Edward Island was held at the home of Archibald Campbell in Lot 16. Ministers present were: Rev. Keir, Moderator; Rev. Robert Douglas, Clerk; Rev. William MacGregor and Ruling Elder, Edward Ramsay. Rev. MacGregor’s charge covered the territory from Lot 11 to Bedeque until 1825 when Bedeque became a separate charge with its own minister. There were preaching stations at St. Eleanors, Green’s Shore (SUMMERSIDE), and Travellers Rest on the east centering around the Lot 16 church. On the west, centering around the Lot 14 church were Lot 11 (FREELAND), Tyne Valley and Egmont Bay (VICTORIA WEST). Many people walked from Victoria West, Freeland and Tyne Valley to attend worship service in Lot 14. It is told that they carried their good shoes, putting them on when they got to the church. Rev. MacGregor remained minister for 26 years, retiring in 1847-

68 Roors & BRANCHES