Cape Breton's Magazine

My grandfather, when he came--there were three brothers came. There were two got on the vessel. The other fellow was in jail, but he broke out. He was in jail for mak? ing moonshine. He broke out. And he took the key of the jail with him. And it's up in Pictou. now. They have that in the ar? chives at Pictou. that key that was at that prison! Alfred laughs. I guess they were toughers. There's a family of them over at West Bay there. They settled at Oban over there across the bay from here. And this fellow (Alexander, Alfred's grandfather) came across here. His father was here too, but his father was a catech- ist--he was a kind of a minister. And he was a jack-of-all-trades--he could even deliver babies. Donald. (Did you know Donald MacKay?) I never saw him. But I saw my grandfather. He lived here, in a log house. Where that woodhouse is. It was a log house he had first. And I took it apart, and burnt it. I should have left it. Because it was great carpenter work made of it. I realized that when I started to knock it. You could hardly take it apart. APPLE Auto Glass SERVICE DIRECTORY • Windshields - Mobile service at no extra charge • Windshield Repairs - Stone bruises etc. • Auto Upholstery • Convertible Tops • Vinyl Tops • Sun Roofs • Van Accessories • Rear Sliders • Running Boards • Mirrors • Plate Glass • Thermo Units 564-6141 14 Maple Street, Sydney His house was old. I had a sister--if she had lived two months more, she'd have been a hundred. And I think it's two years since she died. And she could walk, into this house, when he built it. (She was the) only one of the family that was born in (the log house). And she could walk in TOURS OF: LOUISBOURG, CABOT TRAIL, MINERS MUSEUM AIR CONDITIONED UNITS 564-6200 Limousine Service Taxi Fleet 24 KINGS ROAD SYDNEY THE it The baby in his mother's arms is Alfred Palmer MacKay. His mother is Catherine MacLean MacKay. "She was from up the road here apiece. (The MacLeans) came from Scotland too. They were all carpenters, her people. And there were five men. They could build boats. And they worked with that minister that built the big ship down in (St. Ann's • Rev. Norman McLeod). And they went on her to New Zealand, and never came back. Three of them. Or four of them. There's only one fellow that stayed here • he lived to be 102." Alfred's father Murdock is standing in the picture. Three of Alfred's sis? ters are there: Alice Margaret, Christy Ann, and Sadie Belle. The oldest sister Annie was away working in the States. She lived to be 100. The older man is Alfred's grandfather Alexander MacKay. "I think he was six-foot-six. They called him 'Big Sandy.'" here herself, from the log house. (And you were born in this new house.) Yes. (So your grandparents and your parents 564-4444 yJ'S' RESTAURANT*': "Enjoy superb dining in a re[aing & [uTQirious atmospftere SPECIALIZING IN CHINESE CUISINE Canadian Dishes also available FULLY LICENSED TAKE OUT & DELIVERY ORDERS Major Credit Cards Accepted -iMMIIIIIiyTTTTffm 355 Charlotte Street Downtown Sydney Tel: 539-7775 Open daily 11:00 am VS