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Heron Island (New Brunswick)
Encyclopedia
Heron Island is a previously inhabited 3.5 km long island in the Baie des Chaleurs, located approximately 4 km from New Mills
, New Brunswick
and across from Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec
. It is accessible only at high tide from a wharf on the south side of the island. Today the island has been declared a reserve and is under the care of the New Brunswick government . There is a traditional burial ground near the northwest end of the island.
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Abbé Joseph-Mathurin Bourg (practising in Carleton), first Acadian priest, was given the island and the land now called Charlo by Sir Sir Richard Hughes, 2nd Baronet, Governor (on file in Louisbourg), in the capital, Halifax in thanks for his mediation efforts between the Mi'gmaks and the white settlers. However, he was too busy with his congregation work and never took possession. The deed was withdrawn and the island made available to loyalist
settlers.
The Mi'gmak no longer resided on the island year long by the time the settlers arrived, except for a Mr. Bernard who spent summers there with his family, who made baskets from ash branches, in the 1930s. The first settlers arrived on the island around 1850 and they eventually built a school (last teacher was Miss Myrtle Cook). The school closed around 1920. The islanders were spared from the Great Depression
as they had completely self sufficient lifestyles
Food was always plentiful on the island. The soil is rich and the farms, 12 farm lots, did well. They had pigs, chickens, cows. The island also offered raspberries and gooseberries. The waters were bountiful; the south side has great mussel bars and the north side has clam beds. They could fish for cod, mackerel, salmon, lobster, and they hunted geese and ducks and even chicken hawks.
The last person to be born on the island was Georgette (LaPointe) Backs, on August 4, 1938, who wrote a historical account of her parents, George and Stella LaPointe's 19 years there as lightkeepers, and her family of 10 siblings.
In 1940, the family left the island and George went to WWII.
Families:
The families on Heron Island at the time were:
New Mills, New Brunswick
New Mills is an unincorporated community in Restigouche County, New Brunswick, Canada.-References:...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and across from Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec
Carleton-sur-Mer, Quebec
Carleton-sur-Mer is the fifth largest town of the Gaspésie's south shore, in southeastern Quebec, located on route 132, along Baie des Chaleurs.- Culture :* attracts over 20,000 spectators to see local and international artists...
. It is accessible only at high tide from a wharf on the south side of the island. Today the island has been declared a reserve and is under the care of the New Brunswick government . There is a traditional burial ground near the northwest end of the island.
History
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
settlers.
The Mi'gmak no longer resided on the island year long by the time the settlers arrived, except for a Mr. Bernard who spent summers there with his family, who made baskets from ash branches, in the 1930s. The first settlers arrived on the island around 1850 and they eventually built a school (last teacher was Miss Myrtle Cook). The school closed around 1920. The islanders were spared from the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
as they had completely self sufficient lifestyles
Food was always plentiful on the island. The soil is rich and the farms, 12 farm lots, did well. They had pigs, chickens, cows. The island also offered raspberries and gooseberries. The waters were bountiful; the south side has great mussel bars and the north side has clam beds. They could fish for cod, mackerel, salmon, lobster, and they hunted geese and ducks and even chicken hawks.
The last person to be born on the island was Georgette (LaPointe) Backs, on August 4, 1938, who wrote a historical account of her parents, George and Stella LaPointe's 19 years there as lightkeepers, and her family of 10 siblings.
In 1940, the family left the island and George went to WWII.
Families:
- George and Stella (born Mercier) Lapointe (George is the great-great-great-grandson of Victoire Bourg, sister of Abbé Joseph William BourgAbbé Joseph William BourgAbbé Joseph-Mathurin Bourg was a Roman Catholic priest, a missionary and became a vicar general.Bourg is often mentioned as the first Acadian priest. He was sent by his superiors to work in baie des Chaleurs in 1772. He learned the Mi'kmaq language and was greatly appreciated for his mediation...
, first Acadian priest, living in baie des Chaleurs). They were married in the US when George returned from WWI, and then lived in New Mills before he took the job of lighthouse keeper in 1921 and moved his family to the island.
The families on Heron Island at the time were:
- Harry MacMullan
- Pettigrews
- Simonsons
- MacMullans
- Cunninghams
- Creightons
- Dickies
- Mr. Maxwell, who was a minister, and his sister
- As well, on occasion, at which times he stayed with the LaPointes, visiting priest Father Trudell of Jacquet River.
Source
- http://cyberacadie.com/index.php?/enracinement_biographie/Mathurin-Bourg.html CyberAcadie, biographie, Mathurin Bourg