Marshfield as I Remember from 1860

sister Mrs. John Scott MacLeod. The MacDonald farm is now owned and occupied by Mr. Ludlow Jenkins and son.

Edward C. and Robert P. Haythorne established the Marshfield farm by exchanging a tract of land they had on the Pisquid Road with Malcolm Forbes who owned the Eastern portion that composes the Marshfield farm and by purchasing the farm held by Mr. McIntosh on Forbes West Line fronting on the creek to make up the 257 acres.

The Haythomes belonged to a family of merchants and bankers, in Bristol England where they were born and owned land property in Gloucestershire. Edward C. was a bachelor and died at Marshfield.

They took a great interest in the settlement and when the school was built there the ratepayers named the school Marshfield in honour of the Haythorne farm and the Haythomes erected a splendid fence round the school property, painted it in first class style as their appreciation.

During the lifetime of Edward C. his brother was the farmer, they employed a number of farm hands and two maids and RP. always led the farm work in person but was most considerate in not over working them. The elector persuaded Robert P. to offer for the constituency and he defeated the Hon. John Goff as executive councillor in 1867 and formed a government in 1872 upon the election of Hon. J. Hensley to the Supreme bench. On appealing to the country on better terms in the Confederation Post his government was defeated and he resigned and upon the Province entering Confederation he was appointed a Senator in 1872. He was a strict Anglican but sufficiently broad to teach a bible class in the Presbyterian Church which endeared him to the community. This property was sold to Peter McNair Robertson who sold it to Franklin Mill where he and his sons still reside.

Alexander McDonald farmer for the Haythomes resided on a portion of their farm. I have no knowledge of his ancestry as he died before my time. His widow and family was among our best neighbours. The family comprised three sons and three daughters:

Donald, the prize ploughman of PEI.

-155-

Archibald, who lived in the USA.

Alexander who lived in the USA.

Grace Mrs. Coffin Head of Hillsborough. Maggie, Mrs. William Vickerson, Mt. Stewart. Catherine, Mrs. White, City.

Several parties occupied his cottage from time to time among them Joseph Bell (tailor) father of John H. Bell, shoemaker and Charles Bell, they had a large family. His wife was a Mrs. Hardy from York. Later a Mr. D. Cameron, a school master, occupied the house for a time. The land occupied by the McDonald cottage is now part of the Foster farm.

Alexander Robertson (Goose Pond) arrived in the Province from the city of Perth in Perthshire, Scotland in company with his father in 1818 whose sister had married John Fergusson “Elder” some years before and the father and son made their home at “Craggan” farm for a short time or while they completed purchase of the “Goose Pond” farm which they set about clearing. The following year Mrs. James Robertson (Jean Miller of Mathuen) arrived with sons James, Peter and daughters Margaret and Jessie and they set up the Robertson home at Marshfield where the two sons James and Peter settled.

Alexander (Jr.) acquired the homestead, he married Margaret Fergusson of Craggan and their family consisted of five daughters and eight sons. Jane Miller, Mrs. Roderick Munn.

Isabella, spinster died in 1858.

George, settled at Farmington Lot 55. James, bachelor died at Marshfield.

John T. Charlottetown.

Alexander, Marshfield.

Elois Elizabeth, Mrs. Alex McBeth, Marshfield. Margaret, Mrs. Neil Stewart, Charlottetown. Charles, Dunstaffnage.

Peter McNair, Marshfield.

Janet, Mrs. Charles Aitken, Bay Fortune. Robert Fergus, died in 1858.

Walter B., Charlottetown.

The farm named Goose Pond is where L.H.D. Foster resides. Mr. Forbes built the house there and it was one of the best properties in the district. Mr. Robertson did a flourishing boat and shoe business, largely supplying ship yards and. his superior quality is spoken of to this day. He bought the McCormack farm on East River where his son Alexander