JOSEPH AND MARY BELL

Joseph Alexander Maclsaac was born to Ronald and Sarah Maclsaac on December 9, 1884. Joseph farmed with his father, Ronald, and later assumed the duties of the farming operation. Joseph remained as a bachelor for some years, and Rose Ann Wilson was his housekeeper.

One summer the local priest, Father Sinnott, distributed children from the orphanage to stay with families within the parish for the summer months. Hughie

and Agnes Sheehan accepted a little boy

by the name of Ambrose MacGregor.

When the summer was over, Hughie was

taking Ambrose to Rollo Bay to meet the priest for the return trip to Charlottetown.

Hughie stopped at Joseph’s house so that Ambrose could say goodbye. It was then that Ambrose stated that he did not want to go back to the orphanage. Joseph really liked this little six year old blue-eyed boy, and without hesitation, decided to keep him.

Ambrose remained in Bear River, living at the Maclsaac residence and became a member of the family. Ambrose attended Bear River South School and later enlisted in the Navy.

In 1952, Ambrose married Margaret McCarron from St. Mary’s Road. They made their home in this community and remained there. Ambrose and Margaret were blessed with four children, Doris, Kenneth, Carolyn and Donelda.

Joseph Alexander remained a bachelor until he was forty-four years old, when he married a school mate, Mary Isabel McGaugh, known to all as Mary Bell. She was thirty—nine at that time. This happy couple had two children, Joseph (Joe) and Patricia (Pat).

Joseph was a good farmer, and was interested in trying something new. Once he bought a variety of potatoes from Maine, know as Katadins. He

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