A HONEYMOON THAT LASTED A LIFETIME

Patrick (PAT) Whalen, an Irish catholic, immigrated to Canada from Ireland, and arrived in Nova Scotia, where he deserted the ship. , He continued his journey and landed in Charlottetown, where Pat found employment working for the Governor General of Britain.

Pat was a farmer’s son, so he was interested in obtaining a farm where he could settle down. Luckily enough, he obtained a grant of crown land. The property was a forest in East Baltic. Pat went to a forge where a blacksmith made him a stumping hoe. He used this implement to clear the land, so that he could start a farming operation. Pat was so proud of that stumping hoe. As he used it, he was often heard singing this song.

I bought for me a good stumping hoe. It cost a dollar, It was not dear. With it, half the Baltic, I did clear!

Pat then built a house and started to farm. He married Bridget Hacket, and they had seven children: Anne, Ellen, Winifred, Bridget, Michael, John James and Patrick Thomas.

Unfortunately, the profit from the farm was not sufficient to provide a living for them all, so, Thomas and Jack went to Boston to seek employment. While there, Thomas met Catherine (Kate) Hammill, a young Irish lass, who had just immigrated from Belfast, Ireland.

The potato famine devastated Ireland that year, and when the potato crop failed, many Irish descendants had to leave home to seek employment. Kate Hammill was one of them and was fortunate enough to come to Boston, where she obtained a housekeeping position.

While there, Kate met Thomas Whalen. Through time, they were engaged to be married. However, it wasn’t to be, for Thomas suddenly became ill, took a heart attack and died. Then as fate would have it, Kate fell in love with Thomas’ brother, Jack.

Jack and Kate were married in Boston, and decided to spend their honeymoon in East Baltic, Prince Edward Island, where Jack could see his

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