The Polly of 1803

History of Selkirks Settlers

"… in the summer of 1803, eight hundred and three Highland souls, "fearing neither the rage of the ocean, nor the hardships of uncivilized life", bade farewell to friends and country and embarked on the ships Polly, Dykes and Oughton to cross the Western Main … the Polly, which sailed from Portree, arrived in Orwell Bay, Prince Edward Island, on Sunday, August 7^th. Her compliment, as Selkirk records in his dairy, was "250 full passengers and nearly 400 souls". All were members or adherents of the Presbyterian church, and all but a few, who bought land near Tyron, settled in Belfast.

The Dykes, with Selkirk on board, arrived in Charlottetown two days after the Polly, "the Skye ship", as Selkirk described her in his dairy.

The Oughton arrived on August 27 with forty or fifty families from the Island Uist. These were Roman Catholics. They settled on Selkirk’s land in the vicinity of Three Rivers, or, as the district is known today, Georgetown."

An Excerpt From "Hebridean Pioneers" by Malcolm A. Macqueen.

PARTIAL LIST OF IMMIGRANTS TO BELFAST ON "POLLY"

Compiled about 1903 by Malcolm A. Macqueen.

MT. BUCHANAN

• Donald Buchanan, wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters.
• John Buchanan, wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters.
• Murdock Buchanan, wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters.

BELFAST

• Malcolm Buchanan (poet), wife, 4 sons and 2 daughters.
• Alexander Fraser (died on Polly), wife’s 3 sons and 2 daughters.
• John Fraser > Portage.
• Donald Fraser > Portage.
• Alexander Lamont, wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters.
• William Martin.
• Donald Martin.
• Martin Martin, wife, 3 sons and 3 daughters.
• Donald Nicholson, first merchant and shipbuilder (of Stenschall, Orwell Cove) built first mill at Orwell River.
• Samuel Nicholson, father of James Nicholson (Eldon).
• John McSwain.
• Angus McSwain.
• Donald McSwain.
• Janet McSwain.

MISCELLANEOUS

• Alexander McLeod, "Sanachan".
• Alexander McRae and wife.
• John Fraser, Vernon River.
• John Nicholson, Newtown.
• Andrew Smith.
• John McLeod (Big).

WOOD ISLANDS ROAD

• Donald Gillis.
• Mrs. Mackenzie.

RED POINT

• John McDonald and wife and sons John and Ronald and daughters Euphemia, Christy and Catherine.
• Angus Fraser, wife and 2 daughters.
• David Ross, wife, 1 son and 1 daughter.

FLAT RIVER

• Angus Beaton, wife and 3 sons.
• John Beaton, wife and 3 sons.
• Donald Beaton, wife, 2 sons and 1 daughter.
• John Gillis, wife, 1 son and 1 daughter.
• Christy Kennedy - married Finlay McRae.
• Isabella Kennedy - married McTavish of Newtown.
• John Nicholson, wife, 4 sons and 3 daughters.
• Samuel Nicholson, 2 sons and 2 daughters (related to Donald N. who moved to Orwell & built mill there.)
• Mrs. Christy Ross, 3 sons and 2 daughters.
• Donald Ross.
• Alex McCarty (Macarthur), wife and 2 daughters.
• John McDonald.
• Duncan McDonald, wife, 1 son and 2 daughters.
• Kenneth Mackenzie, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• John McKenzie, wife and 3 sons.
• Alex. McKenzie, wife, 1 son and 4 daughters.
• Alex. McKenzie and 1 sister.
• Angus McMillan, wife, 1 son and 1 daughter (Mrs. McMillan was mother of Donald McDougall of Belle River.)
• John McPherson, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• Duncan McRae (single).
• Finlay McRae (single).
• Donald McRae, wife and family went to Cape Breton.
• Miss Kennedy - married William Nelson or North West River

NEWTOWN

• Duncan McTavish, wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters.
  • Tavish McTavish was one of their sons and John McTavish was 8 years old.
• David Smith.
• Finlay Smith, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• William Chisholm, wife, 1 son and 1 daughter.
  • This man lived on the Roberson farm and was a tinker. He returned to Scotland.
• Donald Martin, wife, 1 son and 3 daughters.
• Charles McKinnon, wife, 1 son and 3 daughters.
• Alexander McTavish, wife, 2 sons and 4 daughters.

POINT PRIM

• Roderick Campbell.
• Murdoch Gillies, wife and daughters Mary, Kate and Jessie and sons John, John Donald and Murdoch.
• Simon Murchison.
• Donald Murchison and wife.
• Alex. Murchison.
• Peter Murchison.
• Malcolm Murchison.
• Samuel Murchison.
• Alex Murchison.
• Neil Murchison.
• Dr. Angus Macaulay, wife, son Eben and daughters Mary, Alice and Charlotte.
  • Mary Macaulay was the first person buried in Mt. Buchanan.
• Malcolm Macaulay.
• John Macaulay.
• Aubrey Macaulay.
• Ronald McDonald.
• Donald McLeod, wife and son John.
• Mary McLeod.
• Donald McLeod.
• Donald McLeod, wife, sons Angus and John and daughter Mrs. Kate S. Mutch.
• John McLeod.
• William McLeod.
• Alex. McLeod, wife and son Alexander.
• Donald B. McRae.
• Evander McRae, wife and sons Roderick, Donald, Alexander and William.

PINETTE AND PONDS

• James Buchanan
• Alexander Campbell
• Norman Campbell
• John Campbell, wife and 2 sons.
• Peter Campbell, wife and 2 sons.
  • Mrs. Peter Campbell was drowned on Pinette River and was the first woman buried in Belfast Church cemetery.
• David Ross, wife and son William.
• John McLeod, wife and 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• Rod. McRae.
• John McRae.
• Donald McRae.
• Edward McRae and wife.
• Rod McKenzie, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
  • Went to Wallace, N.S.

ORWELL

• Donald Finlayson, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• John Gillis, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• Samuel McLeod, wife, 2 sons and 3 daughters.
• Alex. Martin.
• Donald Nicholson, wife, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• Charles Nicholson.
• John "Kinloch" McDonald, 2 sons and 2 daughters.
• Murdoch McLeod.
• Alexander McLeod.
• Donald McLeod, wife and 3 sons.
• Donald Mcpherson, wife, 3 sons and 1 daughter.

BELLE RIVER

• Angus Bell and wife.
• Alex. Martin.
• Charles Stewart and wife.
  • Father of late Malcolm Stewart.
• Donald Stewart.
• Alex. Stewart.
• Allan Stewart.
  • First man born in Belle River.
• Donald McDougall.
  • Father of Capt. Alex., Belle River and Capt. Malcolm, Charlottetown.)
• Mrs. McRae, Big Point.
  • Sister of John Gillis.

GALLOWS POINT

• John McInnis.

GEORGETOWN ROAD

• Alex. Stewart

GLASHVIN

• Donald Docherty, wife and sons Finlay, Donald and Angus and daughters Mary, Kate and Margaret.
• John McDonald, wife and 3 sons.
• Donald McLeod and wife.
• Malcolm McLeod.
• John McLeod and wife.
• Malcolm McLeod, wife, 4 sons and 5 daughters.

Goto PEI Research Data Index

This page may be freely linked to.
Please send comments or questions to mailto: buchananc@acm.org.