More Stories 1838-1899 10 cash was presented to the reverend gentleman on behalf of the committee by Mrs. Wilmot with a few kindly words and accepted in like strain. Mr. Williams and his amiable family are a welcome and agreeable addition to the residents of Georgetown ." (Contributed by "a citizen" to Daily Patriot, Sept 24, 1887) Pioneer Passes Died: "On Feb. 5th inst., at Georgetown , Jessie McDonald , relict of the late Archibald McKinnon in the 78th year of her age. She was a resident of Georgetown for 55 years having come in the year 1833. She and her husband may be regarded as pioneers of the town. There were only 14 persons then resident in Georgetown , they on their arrival with their child making the whole of the inhabitants 17 souls. She therefore with her husband passed through all the vicissitudes of the early settlement of the place. The deceased lived a quiet and unobtrusive life. She survived her late husband by five years and died as she lived trusting in the merits of her Redeemer. She leaves six children, four daughters and two sons, and their children to mourn their irreparable loss." (Island Guardian. Feb. 25, 1888) Rescue at Sea 'The barque Lady Nairn , Richards, of Georgetown , arrived at Buenos Ayres (sic) 9th of June, having on board the master and crew of 15 men, saved from the barque Staffa of Liverpool, G.B. , which foundered in a hurricane 28th May in mid-ocean. The crew were saved with great difficulty and Captain Richards deserves much credit for the noble deed." (Island Guardian Aug 7 1889) " ' Traveller Visits Post Office in Georgetown . "During the summer Georgetown is known to be a very quiet, not to say indolent, sort of place. But that is the time selected by our railway and post office people for sending mails and trains twice a day though the latter frequently leaves with less than one passenger. But when the December blasts strike terror into the traders of Summerside and Charlottetown , the wharves and streets of Georgetown assume the proud state of a busy mart. Yet just at this moment the trains and mails are reduced to one each day and the astonished traveller by the or Stanley finds himself is a town where he has no escape, but he is forced to remain overnight or two nights if he should come on Saturday. If he is of a reckless nature such as your unfortunate correspondent possesses it is likely he will drift to the post office where he will find the courier with the mail from the Stanley discharging his load into the little private rooms which the postmaster at Georgetown is compelled to use as a post office. The bags are here stowed away on one side of the room in much the same way as a farmer handles his sheaves of oats. Here are to be found mailbags from Great , United States and Canada , many of them possibly containing thousands of dollars without any guard whatever except the simple honesty of the crowd which besieges the obliging and good-natured post master after the arrival of the boat and train. Perhaps regard for their own comfort restrain the more enterprising of the loungers, for these bags are very convenient and comfortable resting places and can accommodate quite a number as the pile over-night is as large as a small load of hay. This state of affairs is much approved by Georgetown people both big and small, the boarding houses being especially partial to it. Had the people of Summerside and Charlottetown sufficient foresight to recognise their own interests they would demand that the winter boat make Georgetown its headquarters. The Stanley would then be expected to commence running [ regularly} the first of December and the railway and post-office be deprived of all excuse for swindling the Island out of proper [travel] accommodation." (Part of a longer and confusing letter in which an anonymous correspondent argues for better winter service through Georgetown by boat and train) (From Daily Patriot. Jan. 10, 1889) Horse Race at Georgetown " On the 18th inst., a crowd gathered together to witness a horse race in Georgetown in which a great number took a lively part. In the first race, four horses were started in which George Hibbett 's horse (Honest John) took first prize and distanced the race. In the last heat, Alexander Campbell 's horse, Royal Streak came in second and the mare of John Buchanan , Lower Montague , third. The next exciting race was the two-year old in which WW. Jenkins mare, Lollie C (Abdullah), distanced the first heat. For a two year old this mare showed great signs of speed. In the third race George Aitken 's mare, Piolette distanced the race with Edward McLaren 's mare, Pansy Blossom , second and A. Keeping 's Murray Harbour horse, Dan, third. This was one of the grandest races ever held in Georgetown . The ice was in elegant condition and the race was a great success." (Daily Patriot. Feb. 22 1890) Long-lived McCormacks " Peter McCormack of Boughton Island is 89 years of age. On Friday he put up forty stooks of oats without feeling the least fatigue. His sister, Mrs. Archie McCormack , of Grand River , Lot 56 , is perhaps the oldest woman in King's County, being 103 years old. She still possesses all her faculties." (Island Guardian. Sept. 12, 1890 copied from the Examiner) Train Excursion to Georgetown "At 9. a.m. Saturday, a train of five cars under Conductor McGowan started [from Charlottetown ] for Georgetown carrying about a hundred passengers. On arrival the rain had commenced in a gentle way and increased steadily until we left for home. However, we managed to see Georgetown and its sights — the new Court House , Drill Shed, and - were all duly inspected as also Acadia cruiser. We just missed theH. M.S. Partridge which sailed on Friday. The Eldon came over from Pictou on Friday. She plys between Georgetown and some outports. Hon Dan Gordon has a