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King Name
King is one of the
most common surnames in Ireland, and is distributed throughout the
country. In Ulster, many, though not all of those of the name will be of
English stock, bearing the English surname which simply as a description
of someone of kingly bearing. The majority, however, are of native Irish
origin, since King was used as a (mis)translation of a number of Irish
names which contained sounds ri “king". Among them such names are Mac
Fhearadhaiqh (McAree/McGarrvy) in Co. Monaghan, O Maolconaire and O
Conraoi ("Conry/Conry") in Co. Roscommon, Mac Conraoi, (“Conroy") in
County Galway (where the change to King was almost total), O Conaire
(Connery”) in Munster. In Ulster, in counties Antrim, Tyrone and Down,
Mac Fhinn (Maginn) was also changed, by phonetic misrepresentation
rather than mistranslation, to King.
IRISH FAMILIES
HENEBRY. Philip de
Hynteberge was lord of the manor of Rath, Co. Dublin, in 1250. Thence
the family, later called Henebry, migrated to Counties Kilkenny and
Waterford. They are chiefly found in the latter county to-day, though
the name is not common. Father Richard Henebry (1863—1916) was a
foremost Gaelic scholar and collector of Irish music.
HYDE. The Hydes of
Castle Hyde, Co. Cork acquired many extensive estates in that county in
1588. Dr. Douglas Hyde (1859—1949), first President of Ireland and
probably the best known of all the leaders of the Gaelic revival, was of
this family his father, Canon Arthur Hyde, was a clergyman in Co.
Roscommon. The name Hyde appears in the Ormond Deeds relating to Co.
Kilkenny several times in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.
KENT. Though now
regarded as belonging to Co. Cork, the more so as Eamonn Kent (1881 -
1916), one of the leaders of the 1916 Rising, was from that county, the
name Kent, when first it came to Ireland soon after the Anglo-Norman
invasion, was to be found only in Meath and Dublin. There Kent of
Daneston and several others were among the leading gentry of the Pale in
1598, and their name is perpetuated in the modern parish of Kentstown,
Co. Meath.
KICKHAM. The Kickhams
are not an old family in Ireland. The name is included here because
Charles James Kickham (1826—1882), author of Knocknagow etc., has a well
earned place in the Anglo—Irish roll of honour, His father was a
substantial shopkeeper at Mullinahone of a family completely
Hibernicized though not many generations in the country. There was one
family of the name in Dublin city in 65g.
KING. Some of the most
famous Irishmen named King have been of Anglo-lrish stock, notably
Archbishop William King (165o—1729), a vigorous Protestant he was an
ornament to the nation by reason of his encouragement of the Irish
language in Dublin University, his collection of manuscripts, and his
support of Swift, e.g. iii his campaign against "Wood’s halfpence“.
Another Protestant, Rev. Robert King (1815—1900) was a distinguished
Irish language scholar. He was from Co. Cork as were the Kings (Earls of
Kingston) who were prominent members of the Anglo-Irish ascendancy. On
the other hand Rev. Paul King (d. 1665) was a noted Irish Franciscan.
For King as the anglicized form of several Gaelic patronymics, see sub
Conroy p. go supra.
APPENDIX 21
Fig. King Name
O’CONRY, CONRY, O’Mulconry, (King)
Thought the surnames Conry and Conroy are, properly
speaking, quite distinct, they are dealt with together here because in
modern times they have become almost interchangeable. To illustrate
this we may refer to the list of synonyms issued by the
Registrar-General of Births, Deaths, and Marriages in the year 1901. At
that comparatively recent date births in families usually called Conroy
were also registered as Conary, Conrahy, Conree, Cunree, Cory, King and
also Mulconry and Conry; the synonyms for Conry were Connery, Mulconry
and Conroy. All that can be done to elucidate he resultant confusion is
to give a brief account of the background of the several Gaelic surnames
which have assumed the various anglicized forms given above.
The most important of these is O’Maolconaire, i.e.
descendant of the follower of Conaire, from which O’Mulconry and its
abbreviation, Conry, naturally derive, though, as we have seen, Conroy
is also used by modern descendants of this sept. However, it should be
stated that in the homeland of the O Maolconaire sept, whose patrimony
was the parish of Clooncraff in the neighbourhood of Strokestown, Co.
Roscommon, they are usually called Conry not Conroy. The O’Mulconrys
were hereditary poets and chroniclers to the Kings of Connacht, and many
such are recorded in the “Annals of Connact,” the “Annals of the Four
Masers” etc. the most notable of whom were Fearsfasa O’Mulconry, who was
himself one of the four Masters (whose work was completed 1636), and
Maurice O’Mulconry whose copy of the “book of Fenagh”, made in 1517 is
an exceptionally beautiful manuscript. Most Rev. Florence Conry,
Archbishop of Tuam, was also of this sept. His name is so spelt in the
Franciscan records, but in some other contemporary documents he appears
as Conroy, and also as O’Maolcaonaire. This most distinguished
Franciscan was associated with the foundation at the Irish College at
Louvain, and wrote many important works including a theological treatise
in Irish. He was chaplain in the Spanish Armada and to Hugh O’Donnell
at his death. Charles O’Mulconry (son of John O’Mulconry, who fought in
the Cromwellian war and lost his estate in Co. Roscommon) was an ardent
Jacobite and was killed at the battle of the Boyne in 1690. Another
John O’Mulconry, the famous Gaelic poet and chronicler, whose family had
settled in Ardkyle in Co. Clare, was of this sept. He presided over a
school of poets at Ardkyle from about 1440 to 1470. Hardiman’s
inclusion of the Mulconrys among the Dalcassian septs is an error.
A further complication is the use of the surname
King as a synonym for MacConraoi, and even for O Conraoi and also for
Mad Fhearadhaig. This arose from the similarity in sound of these Mac
names and Mac an Righ: the latter means son of the king, and so became
King in English by a process of mistranslation very common in the late
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In fact nearly all MacConroys of
Moycullen use the name King, and in the nineteenth century they called
their ancestral seat of Ballymaconry Kingstown. King, of course, is a
common English name, and it is also the anglicized form of the Gaelic
surname o Cionga or O Cingeadh (First anglicized O’Kinga).
History of Sauk County – The Catholics (St. John
Congregation)
As to the religious privileges enjoyed by the
people of Spring Green, the wants of the Catholics appear to have been
first met. A number of Catholic families arrived in the spring of 1857,
the heads of whom had been employed on railroad work. Murtah Brennan,
section foreman, was one of these. Others who came at that time with
their wives and families, were John McKune, Thomas Norton, Henry Hammill,
Michael Dean, Michael Hurley, George Reeley, Patrick King and Patrick
McDonald, and Mrs. Alice Fagan and Mrs. Ellen Canty, with their
families. His first mass was said at Mr. Brennan’s house in 1860 by
Reverend Father Stroker, then resident priest at Mazomanie. Messrs.
Albert Daley, Garwood Green and A.G. Darwin had donated a block for
church and school purpose, and the three congregations each took a
quarter block, the first high school begin erected on the fourth
quarter. In the year 1866 a small frame church was erected by the
Catholics, then in charge of Rev. D. V. McGinnity, of Mazomanie. Father
McGinnity left that place in 1867, and he was succeeded by Rev. Theodore
Bean, who, for a number of years, had charge of the parishes in Richland
County and the western half of Sauk. In the early ‘60s Rev. L.
Spitzlberger of Honey Creek had charge of Plain and Spring Green. In
1875 a parsonage was built at Plain, and from that year until 1902 the
church at Spring Green (incorporated as St. John Evangelist’s Catholic
Congregation) was attended by the priests residing at Plain, with the
exception of a year or so when Rev. G. Sluyter came from Sauk City. In
1900 St. John Congregation erected the brick church now occupied at a
cost of $8,200, a great part of the work having been donated by the
people, and in 1902 its first resident pastor was sent, Rev. J. L.
Schumacher. In 1907 Rev. Joseph Collins was assigned to St. John’s
Parish, and in January, 1909, the pastor now in service, Rev. J. B.
Brudermanns. In the following year the large parsonage was erected.
St. John’s Congregation now numbers about 520 members.
Mission of St.
Mary -- Indian River
Towards the close of the last century the tide of
emigration flowed steadily from the “misty isles of the north” to the
“sandbank’ in the gulf of St. Lawrence”. The years 1790, 1792 and 1796,
saw the arrival of many hardy clansmen. Of these several families,
chiefly McLellans, Gilllises, MacMillans, and Morrisons, settled in
Malpeque in Prince County. Malpeque, or as it was more usually spelt,
Malpec, was the name then given to all the district surrounding the
large sheet of water now know as Richmond Bay, from Darnley on the North
east to Bow Point on the North West. Before the conquest by England
this large district was supplied by a chief or parish church at Low
Point, and possibly a smaller one at French River, New London, where the
remains of the old cemeteries are still plainly discernable, that at Low
Point being on Mr. H. Newcombe’s farm, that at New London on the
property of Mr. McLeod. Upon the return of the Acadians to Prince
Edward Island, they did not settle in their former names, but clustered
upon the southern shores of the Bay near St. Eleanors and River Platte.
A few years later when the immigrants from the
Western Highlands arrived in the district, they established themselves
in localities which had been evacuated by the French. Many of them took
up land upon the North eastern side of Malpec Bay on the shores of a
small but beautiful stream called by the French “Rivere des Savages” or
Indian River, from which the settlement derives its name. In early days
of this settlement the people had mass but twice a year, that being as
often as the Rev. Ameas McEachern could visit that part of his vast
field of labour. The station was held, and confessions heard usually at
the house of Mr. John McLellan, Indian River, or that of Mr. Roderick
Morrison of Darnley. It was the missionary’s custom to drop in when
passing the house of members of his flock, he also visited the
Protestant settlers with whom he lived on the most amicable terms,
indeed many of those people would bring their children to him for
baptism, there being at that time but one Protestant clergyman on the
Island, the Rev. Theophilus DeaBrisay from Thurles, Ireland, whose
visits like those of his close friend Father McEachern, were necessarily
rare. Sometimes in case of urgent need a French priest from Riviere
Platte for from Rustico would be sent for by the Scotch Catholics, of
Indian River, for from 1800 to 1804 the Abbe de Calonne ministered to
his countrymen on the seigneur of Colonel Compton, and after his
departure, there was a French priest at Rustico until the year 1823.
When the first church at Indian River was built in 1814, there were
about twenty seven Catholic families in this mission. The size of the
church was forty feet by thirty, it was framed by Isaac Newton of
Charlottetown, and finished chiefly by the parishioners themselves. It
first stood down near the bay, on land given by John and Angus McLellan,
where an old burying ground still marks its site. This church was
afterwards hauled to the spot occupied by the present one, and later was
moved in to Summerside to become the first church of that mission. The
present church was built by Alexander McLellan in 1843 is ninety feet in
length by fifty in width; from its tower may be had a magnificent view
of the surrounding country. The interior of the church is very
delicately painted, the prevailing tint being a pale peach colour. The
ceiling is frescoed fairly well. The former pastor, the Rev. Doctor
O’Brien erected a handsome altar, to the Blessed Virgin; it is carved in
black walnut, and above it stands her statue richly crowned. At the
gospel side of the altar is a bracket holding a statue of the Sacred
Heart. This church of St. Mary at Indian River is well appointed and is
one of the finest wooden sanctuaries of the diocese. Until 1824 Indian
River was served only by the occasional visits of Bishop McEachern, from
1824 to 1838 the Rev. B. D. MacDonald, afterwards the Second Bishop of
Charlottetwon attended the mission from 1838 to 1842 it was attended by
various priests, then the Rev. James MacDonald took charge until 1869;
he was followed by the Rev. James McKenna who in 1874 was succeeded by
the Rev. C. O’Brien. When D. O’Brien was called in 1882 to the
Archiepiscopal See of Halifax, a place at Indian River was taken by the
present pastor, the Rev. D. Chaisson who entered upon his duties on the
18th January 1883.
If one credit the words of the old folk at Indian
River, the worst enemies they had to contend with during the early days
of the their immigration were grass hoppers; these insects in clouds
ravaged the fields but were finally driven away by Bishop McEachern.
Here, as in other Highland settlements legends are plentiful. One tells
how a Mr. M. of Darnley who was concerned in building the first church
in 1814, had an adventure with his Satanic Majesty. On a very dark
night, preceding the day on which the frame of the church was to be
raised, M. worked until very late. At length laying down his tools he
prepared to go home to Darnley, the way was long and as he would have to
be back the next day, the people of Indian River tried to dissuade him
from going, telling him he would be sure to meet with ghosts or gobliers.
The brave M. replied that he “was not afraid of all the devils in hell”,
and went his way.
Next morning he arrived on the scene somewhat lame
and bearing a black mark on his leg which he carried to his grave. His
story was that when on the previous night, he had reached a small stream
on the shore of Darnley Basin, he saw a dark figure standing on the
bank. In answer to M’s friendly greeting the figure turned, disclosing
itself to be a malicious fiend.
It sprang on poor M. who bravely resisted; the
battle was fierce and the mortal only escaped after being severely
wounded. So goes the story. An explanation offers itself in the fact
that between Indian River and Darnley in those days stood a distillery.
In any case the spirit story had better be taken Cum grano salis.
The chief feature of the scenery around Indian
River church is the number of grand old pine trees; in some parts the
forest is really dense and the wind sobs through the cone laden branches
with a cadence not easily forgotten. Under the frowning pines,
beautiful wild flowers bloom and here and there on the banks of the
stream is still seen one of the traditional wigwams of the Mic-mac.
This quiet home at Indian River was very dear to
the Rev. Dr. O’Brien, who when leaving it to assume the dignity and
responsibility of the Archbishop of Halifax, expressed his sentiments in
a sonnet which by his grace’s kind permission we affix to this paper:
“St Mary of the Pines:
Sweet restful spot, embosomed in thy pines. Earth
holds no fairer in its boundless range. All hearts beneath its subtile
magic change. Like rays through tinted glass o’er holy shrines, Or as
a cloud when suns last beam declines, so gently come transitions new and
strange, till weary souls their somber hues exchange, and gird them with
the light that round thee shines. Sweet, restful spot, by Mary’s shrine
endeared, I love they lichens, mosses, sweet wild fern; Thy leaves by
Autumn’s loving touch now seared, and voiceful pines whose words I try
to learn, My thought, when severed as I long have feared, Shall rest ney
should mid duties high and stern.
First Catholic Settlers of the Mission of St.
Mary -- Indian River
John McLellan from Uist
1790
Angus McLellan from Uist
1790
Roderick McIsaac from Uist
1792
M. McIsaac Tailor from Uist
1792
Roderick Morrison
John McMillan from Barra
1796
Roderick McMillan from Barra
1796
Angus Gillis from Barra
1796
James Gillis from Barra
1796
Delaney
Duggan
McPhee
Breanor
Prince Edward
Island
Indian River
Settlement
Long before the coming
of the white man, Prince Edward Island was the favourite warm weather
camping ground of the Micmac Indians and was called by hem ‘Abegweit’
meaning “The Home Cradled on the Waves. According to MicMac legend,
Prince Edward Island was given its bright red soil by Glooscap, the
great Indian demigod, worshipped by the MicMacs. Clooscap wanted a cozy
home where he could retire from the cares of life, so he took his fairy
paintbrush and colored the rocks and earth of Abegweit red — the gayest
and most cheerful of all colors.
Our community of
Indian River received its name from the numbers of those MicMac Indians
who made its tidal flats and adjoining low hills their homes from the
earliest days. Their settlements were all about Richmond Bay, but the
tidal inlet, that hears their name, was home to hundreds when our
forefathers came to the New World. Indian River, a small but beautiful
stream, is on the northeastern side of Richmond Bay. Richmond Bay, now
known as Matpeque Bay, is a large sheet of water stretching from Darnley
on the North East to Low East of the North West. The stream, Indian
River, flows down past Tuplin’s Mill. Under the mill bridge on the
Malpeque Road, through the woods, under Indian River bridge below Mann’s
through fields into Chinchester Cove, and on to Richmond (Malpeque Bay).
It was along this river that the Indians camped.
The cover for our
history Is made of birch bark. On it we have painted a picture of the
river flowing through the woods. Also eight Indian camps which were
located near the headwater.
The early MicMac
Indians lived in wigwams along the river harks and near the woods where
they could hunt and fish, History tells us that the woods and waters of
Abegweit teemed with game and fish. The Indians hunted with bows, arrows
and spears made of wood tipped with bone or stone. For fighting they
used stone tomahawks, bows and arrows, spears and bone knives. Stories
are told in our community of how the MicMacs fought the Malecites and
Mohawks on the banks of Indian River. The MicMacs traveled by birch bark
canoe in spring, summer and fall. They used snowshoes in winter. Evil
spirits and magic was the cause of their illnesses.
The first homes of the
MicMacs that camped in the woods along Indian River wore called wigwams
or “camps”. These camps were conical in shape and the framework was made
of poles stuck in the ground in a circle. They were covered with birch
bark and later bags or tar paper were used. In winter a layer of spruce
boughs was laid over the outer covering to keep out the cold winds and
snow. A hole, just large enough for the Indians to crawl in and out, was
left for the doorway. Usually a piece of loose bark was put over the
entrance and had to be lifted up when one wanted in. This kept the wind
and insects out. The floor of these camps was just the clay ground
covered with spruce boughs. These spruce boughs took the place of
carpets, cushions, chairs, and beds. The Indians always sat or squatted
on the floor of their camp. A pole went up the center and a pot hung
from it. Whatever they ate was put in the pot and when mealtime came the
Indians would all sit around it in a circle and wait his turn for food.
Sometimes the baby would be put in a sort of hammock suspended from the
ceiling.
The last year-round
homes were on the south side of the brook from the head of the tide to
the bridge on the Malpeque Road known as Tuplins Bridge. Up to 1915 six
to families made this area their home. During the winter months they
were joined by many other family groups from Lennox Island who returned
to Lennox Island each April 19 when the ice left Richmond Say.
In 1873 when, the
Reservations were set up for these “First Settlers”, they were supposed
to move their permanent homes unto the Reservation and remain there. In
cases like our community where they were kindly treated and made
welcome, they remained because the newer settlers looked upon them as
good neighbours and helpful citizens.
The last permanent
homes were moved from the area about thirty-five years ago, but part
time residents were here twenty two years ago. They lived in warmly
built shacks in the shelter of thick pine and spruce trees. The floor,
frame, and roof of these shacks were wood. The walls were usually of
layers of black tar paper. In the spring when the family moved to
permanent homes on Lennox Island the materials were carefully taken
apart and moved with them.
There was an unwritten
law that an Indian could hunt whatever game was available at any season,
he could cut wood for his fire, and trees for his crafts on any person’s
land. The farmer would often come upon an Indian in the woodlets cutting
hickory, ash, yellow or white birch trees. These would be carried
carefully back to the camp on his back, and there slowly cured until it
was ready for a basket, a sled, or an axe handle. None of these articles
made by other people was ever so smooth to the hand, so comfortable to
carry, or smelled so sweet, as those fashioned by the loving care of the
Indian craftsmen or women.
For their pillows and
lining of the baby’s basket, they used a ‘sweet hay’ that grew on the
tidal flats at the upper parts of the river. This same grass was woven
into the ornamental baskets that they bartered from door to door. They
would ask for flour, vegetables, bread or meat, but not for money. No
Indian was turned away hungry from a home in Indian River. They wore
also given Clothes and blankets.
Some of the Indians
were good workers. They helped the farmers cut wood and lumber, make the
hay, and harvest the grain and potatoes. They were usually present when
a steer or hog was slaughtered and expected to have a piece to take home
with them.
Quiet, gentle,
courteous, and humble made them universally loved. All of the fine
qualities attributed to Canada’s Redman in literature was true of these
‘First Settlers” of Indian River, We could well copy their honesty,
integrity, and innate abilities. Their homes were tidy, their children
loved and well cared for, and their needs were simple. One former
resident of the district told us that some of the finest men and women
she knew as a child were these ‘‘First Settlers’’. The last year-round
homes wore taken down and moved to Lennox Island about 1935. The last
Indian resident of the community was a very well-known Islander. He was
the famed long-distance runner Barney Francis, who with his wile and
child lived near the old sites while he was a famous athlete. From 1930
on he won every race he entered including some five-mile tests. He died
at an early age soon after leaving Indian River.
Many are the personal
experiences told by older residents regarding, these ‘‘First
Settlers’’.
One former resident
remembers taking a white dress to an Indian camp near her home for a
little girl that had died. The Indian mother had already laid the child
out in a pink dress, but rather than disappoint her kind neighbor, she
put the white dress on the dead girl over the pink one.
Another told us that
the Indians would be visited by an Indian Doctor from time to time. One
day she visited this certain Indian family and saw a pot of stones
heating on the little round stove. She was told that the old Indian
lying on the floor had a sore chest and the heated stones were being
used as a plaster.
Another resident
remembers an Indian family who did not like their surname and went
through the legal action of having it changed. Honorable Mr. Peters who
was premier at this time, told them to take his name. So this Indian
family was known afterwards as ‘Peters’.
Another resident told
us that when he was young, be could remember seeing an Indian carve his
initials in the bark of a certain tree. To this day these initials can
be seen but not very clearly.
Many of our people
tell of the enjoyable times crouched on the floor of an Indian camp
listening to the Indians making music on such instruments as the jews-harp,
violin, comb and paper and mouth organ. Someone might bring along a
cylindrical gramophone. These enjoyable times often lasted until the
small hours of the morning.
Space does not allow
us to write any more of these personal experiences, but one can see how
the Indians and our grandparents and parents lived side by side,
attending the same school and church, and having the same joys and
sorrows.
We were able to obtain
a picture of a well-known Indian who lived in our district. He carries a
gun and a pair of boots over his shoulder, He was never known to leave a
question unanswered. The story is told that some-one tried to stump him
by asking this question: Why are there so many fiddlers in hell?’’ The
Indian thought a moment and scratched his head and said, ‘Because the
Lord doesn’t like music’.
‘The Indian and his
birch bark camp
That stood in days
gone by,
Along the winding
river’s bank
No more does greet be
eye.”
Our Island proved to
be the goal of many pioneers who crossed the stormy Atlantic and made it
their new home. In the next pages we have written an account of these
hardy pioneers who came to our community.
Jacques Cartier, a
French explorer, visited the Island In 1534 and from then on until The
British Conquest, missionaries, fishermen, and colonists came to the
Island. About the year 1632 the Island was known as the Isle of St.
Jean. We do not have any written records of French settlers in our
community. However, we believe that many of them lived here and later
moved to French settlements such as Miscouche.
Captain Holland made a
study of the Island for the British Government from 1764 to 1766. In
1767 it was divided into sixty-seven lots or townships of about 20,000
acres each. Our district is included in Lot Number 18.
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