ANGUS MACDONNELL AND FAMILY
Angus Macdonnell of "Cullachy" in Glengarry, Scotland, came to Antigonish before the dawn of the 19th century. He was married to Ann Bigelow, a native of Cornwallis, Nova Scotia. She first belonged to the Protestant Church but became a convert to the Catholic faith, and lived to the age of 106 years. The issue of her marriage to Mr. Macdonnell was as follows: James, Angus, Charles, William, John and Ann. All the sons excepting James and Angus were, during the greater portion of their lives, Master Mariners, sailing their own vessels, as was their father before them.
The son James came to Port Hood in early life and remained there all the rest of his days. He was widely known, and everywhere respected in the County of Inverness. He was born in Antigonish on May 30th, 1821, and died at Port Hood, September 21st, 1880. He was appointed Prothonotary of the Supreme Court for the County of Inverness on November 30th, 1853; a Justice of the Peace on 13th August 1854; Inspector of Schools-the first for this County under the Public School law, in 1864; Commissioner for taking Affidavit’s in the Supreme Court in 1856; Captain of the 2nd Regiment of Militia, Inverness, in 1863; and Registrar of Deeds for this County in January 1871. In all these positions he did credit to himself, and justice to the public. He was an official of acknowledged accuracy and neatness, with a manner and memory that were quite uncommon.
Mr. James Macdonnell was married to Charlotte Fuller of Arichat. Her father was John Fuller, Esquire, who was successively High Sheriff and County Treasurer for the County of Richmond. She was born in Arichat on October 11th, 1824, and died at Port Hood on May 5th, 1894. The family of Mr. and Mrs. James Macdonnell were the following: William, who became a Master Mariner, sailed the seven seas for many years, and is now exploiting our absorbing Western heritage; John A., who succeeded his father as our respected Registrar of Deeds and Prothonotary; Thomas in Seattle, Washington; Mary Louise, who lives in Antigonish, and was married to the late Dougald MacDonald, formerly a prosperous merchant of Port Hood, and latterly one of the best respected commercial travellers of Nova Scotia; Annie Laurie, who is married to Samuel McAdam, a printer and publisher of long experience now in the United States; Ada, who died young and unmarried; and Maggie, who was married to the late Hon. Daniel MacNeil Judge of the County Court for District No. 6.
Angus Macdonnell, brother to James lived some years in Inverness County where he learned the trade of Saddler and Harness maker.. 3e removed from this, and ultimately settled down into a life, of mercantile business at Pugwash in the County of Cumberland.
John, son of Angus Senior, also spent some time in this, and was appointed Deputy Sheriff for the District of Juste-au-Corps n 1820. He afterwards moved away never to return.
Ann, daughter of Angus Senior, was married to Captain Artemus Cameron, a Nova Scotian, who was drowned on the Grand Banks. [n her early widowhood she came to Port Hood and started an hotel known at that time as the "Cameron House". She kept and conduce-;ed that house creditably all the rest of her life. After her death her mother took charge and held it till she was past the century mile stone. 4s a memorial of happy things that were, this aged and vacant house, till stands, silent, sad and gray.
Angus married Ann Chipman BIGELOW. Ann (daughter of Reuben BIGELOW and Lavinia SKINNER) was born on 30 Sep 1803 in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia; died in 1888 in Port Hood, Inverness, Nova Scotia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]