1851 EXILES BY ANGUS MACLEOD
M. MacLeod
Since the release of my CD, "The Silent Ones, A Legacy of the Highland
Clearances", I have been asked frequently to write a book on the Isle of
Lewis Settlement of Huron Township. I am pleased to announce that a limited
print run of such a book is now available.
Entitled "1851 Exiles", the paperback tells the story of Huron Township,
Ontario's Lewis Settlers.
Victims of Scotland's infamous Highland Clearances, the settlers were
evicted from their crofts on the Hebridean island of Lewis in 1851 by
landlord James Matheson and then transported overseas where they put down
roots together in a block of farms in the centre of Huron Township, Bruce
County, Canada. The group was successful in maintaining their Gaelic
language and culture well into the 20th century.
"1851 Exiles" includes a number of stories and anecdotes from the settlement
never before published plus a complete history of the Isle of Lewis from
pre-history to the Matheson Clearances. In addition, there is information on
the Lewis Community in the Eastern Townships of Quebec and 39 breathtaking
original colour photos by Leodhas Macleod taken in the three main locations
of the story - the Isle of Lewis, Eastern Townships of Quebec and Huron
Township, Ontario. "1851 Exiles" also contains Lewis Settler genealogical
information and some wonderful rare old photos recently restored especially
for the project.
A large portion of the book deals with the day to day lives of Huron
Township's Lewis folk and was drawn from a variety of sources including
personal correspondence, interviews, and family histories made available to
me by descendants.
The book also contains some interesting new information on the Matheson
Clearances obtained from recent interviews with sources on the Isle of
Lewis.
"1851 Exiles" is an excellent companion piece to my CD, "The Silent Ones, A
Legacy of the Highland Clearances."
Chapter Titles are as follows:
The Schoolmaster
Eilean Leodhas
Farewell to the Stones
The Woods of Huron
Pride, Poverty and the Presbyterian Church
A Faded Memorial
Scattered Seeds
"1851 Exiles" is available from my website located at http://www.torquil.net
where we have secure online credit card sales (all major credit cards
accepted) or by sending a cheque or money order to:
Torquil Productions
P.O. Box 303
Kincardine, Ontario
N2Z 2Y8
Email: in...@torquil.net
Webpage: http://www.torquil.net
Telephone: (519) 396-5368
"1851 Exiles" is $29.99 including taxes, shipping and handling.
All the best,
Angus Macleod
Excerpt from Angus Macleod's "1851 Exiles"
Here lies my dear wife and child
They to me, were dear and lovely
Their time with me was short but sweet
But now they are gone and I am lonely.
So reads one of the stones in the Huron Presbyterian Church Cemetery or "Old
Lewis Cemetery" as it is sometimes called - the inscription - a sad and
lonely tribute from a husband to his dearly departed wife and child. The
husband's obvious grief at the untimely death of his young family is
reflected in the simple but poignant verse engraved on the tombstone. The
words are faded now, weathered by age and the harsh Southwestern Ontario
environment.
The other stones in the cemetery are in a similar condition or worse. Wild
flowers and tall grass cloak the entire area leaving the site almost
invisible to the human eye. An old gate, once polished and ornate, rests
precariously against a solitary tombstone situated at one end of the
graveyard, at its feet remnants and pieces of tombstones litter the area.
Picking up a remnant, one can only identify the prefix Mac etched thinly
into its surface. The old Lewis cemetery, now long abandoned, has a truly
desolate and empty feeling to it. When within its confines, one has the
feeling of being totally isolated from the rest of the world. Looking at the
gravestone erected for the prematurely deceased wife and child, it is easy
to wonder when the husband's heartrending inscription was last read and if,
in fact, it will ever be viewed again.
"MACLEOD CAPTURES THE DAY TO DAY LIVES OF THE SETTLERS WITH AMAZING DETAIL
AND EMPATHY."
KINCARDINE NEWS
OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ANGUS MACLEOD: http://www.torquil.net
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