HARPER: What do you suppose is the derivation of the Harper family name? Yes, you have divined it. It derives, as the name implies, from the English word harper, meaning a harp player. That indeed has connotations throughout religious art of angels strumming harps and of St. Peter stationed at the pearly gates of Heaven. This was related to the writer of these words by Dr. Brendan OGrady who is presently doing research on the Irish of the province and proposed to publish a book about them. It seems rather ironic that although we are not certain whether the Harpers originated in England and then settled in Ireland, the national music symbol of Ireland should be a harp. Be that as it may, there does not seem to exist thus far any degree of certainty as to the country of origin of the Harper people. It would necessitate finding somewhere an official document of birth, marriage or death linking them to either England, Ireland, Scotland, or even Belgium as some would have us believe. We are delving here in the realm of speculation, supposition and perhaps a certain element of romanticized history. To write about the Harpers is to write about the historical links with Irish, English, Scots and Acadians covered within the scope of this history. The Harpers are not mentioned in Tignishs 1899 account of the Irish settlers of Tignish. This may further indicate that they were not Irish. All sources provided to date agree that the first known Harper to have had any connections with Tignish was named Louis. While one may speculate about his actual country of origin, we are more certain about the origin of his son William who came to Tignish in 1823. Let us for a moment write about Louis, since it makes for rather interesting reading. His life contains substances which often make up the fabric of history. People generally like reading tall tales like those surrounding King Arthur, Robin Hood, William Tell and so on. Louiss life would qualify for tall tale reading if indeed it should be one based on what has been reported about him. Researchers have stated that Louis was born in Belgium and that it is not known whether his name at birth was indeed Harper. His parents apparently died when he was quite young. He was subsequently adopted by a Scottish couple named Harper who brought him to Scotland where he was raised. Later it was said that he served four years as a member of the British Army in France. After, it states that he came to Quebec in 1796. Here the report mentions that he fought at Quebec City under General Wolfe at the Plains of Abraham. However, this must be incorrect, since the Battle of the Plains of Abraham which definitively decided Canadas fate, making it a British possession, took place in 1759. Based on what seems to be known about Louis, mention is made of his having married twice. While the name of his first wife is not known, apart from the fact that she was a young English girl who died young, his second wife was Souis Boudreault. It is possible that Louis and his second wife had five sons, but there are records of only four: Charles, Edward, Louis Jr., and William. The fifth son was believed to be named James. We also learn that two sons of Louis, named Edward and Charles, became missionary priests in Quebec and that both were martyred by the Indians east of Drummondville, Quebec. The report continues by stating that Louis Jr. died in 1880 after falling from a bridge in the province of Quebec, the location not being known. Louiss son William came to Tignish in 1823 and shortly after helped build Tignishs second Roman Catholic Church in 1826 which was located at The Green. When the church was completed William Harper returned to Gaspé, Quebec for his wife and children. When he had initially arrived in Tignish in 1823 his intentions were to start a grist mill. Local Harper genealogy relates that the family settled the Fred Hogan farm in Anglo district but the stream was too shallow to supply the water power needed. It was consequently decided to move the family to the farm which is presently owned by Esther (nee Handrahan) who was married to the late Fred Harper (rural mailman), one of Williams descendants at Christophers Cross. After settling near a stream there, it was discovered that it also was too shallow. Once again William moved his family, this time to a large stream two and a half miles southwest of Tignish. The road here was named Harper Road after William. It was here where he built his mill and operated it for a number of years. It is of interest to note that the Harper Road Mill was actually a combination of mills encompassing a grist mill for making flour, a saw mill for producing lumber, a shingle mill as well as an oat mill for producing feed for farmers. The mill was operated in time by Williams son John and subsequently by the latters two sons, Charles and Peter. Charles went to Souris, P.E.I. to open a mill there. It was here that he became blind. He is buried at Tignish. At one time the mill operated for a number of years by Charles Harper, and then by his son Edward (Eddy) who ran it for James H. Myrick. The latter owned a general store at Tignish and at Myrick Shore, sometimes called Tignish Shore. While Eddie operated the mill for Myricks, wool was taken there to be cleaned and then sent out to the people for spinning. The last Harper to operate the mill was Joseph Harper, son of Peter above. Joseph (Joe) Harper began working at the mill at the age of twelve and at sixteen he operated the entire mill alone, which was now exclusively a grist and saw mill. In 1926 Joes father Peter cut the wooden wedges at the mill which supported the railway tracks above the Ascension Road. They were placed there near midnight just in time for the train to pass over the tracks. These wedges are still standing there today. Since the dam repeatedly burst, it was abandoned by the Harpers and sold to Chester McCarthy, a prominent Tignish-born lawyer. Mr. McCarthy repaired the dam but eventually sold the mill because the dam continued to burst. In 1880 the 100-acre Harper farm on which the mill was located is listed in Mrs. William Harpers name. William must have passed away before then. Today the William Harper farm at Harper Road has been divided up within the hands of several owners, among whom is Frederick Doucette who owns four and one half acres where the mill once stood. The pond at Harpers Mill was at one time one of the most important trout fishing areas in West Prince. Today many avid trout fishing enthusiasts are interested in having it restored. Joseph (Joe) Harper resides today with his wife Alice on Dufferin Street in Alberton, P.E.I. By 1880 there were two Harper families established at Christophers Cross. They were those of Louis Harper who had taken over his father Williams farm there consisting of 50 acres, and Charles Harper, also one of Williams sons, who owned an 80-acre farm south and adjacent to Louis. William had had two sons named Charles. One died young as a baby. It was not uncommon to have two members of a family having the same name. One was called the elder and the other was called the younger. The practice was especially prevalent among the Acadians and both could be living at the same time or if one died young, as was the case with Charles mentioned above, the name was given to a later member of the family. William Harper (1790 - July 23, 1868), son of Louis Harper and Souis Boudreault married (1819) Mary Alexander (1795 - Nov 25, 1892). Their children were: Jane (1827 - Feb 14, 1914) who married (Feb. 26, 1846) Cyprian Handrahan (1821 - July 13, 1909), son of William Handrahan and Mary Wood; George (b. March 13, 1847 - ) who married (April 20, 1875) Rebecca OBrien, daughter of Martin OBrien (b.- , d. Feb. 9, 1924); Charles (April 7, 1834 - died as a baby); Louis (March 17, 1823 - March 15, 1894) who married (Feb. 15, 1847) Ann FitzGerald (no dates); John (Jack) (Sept 1831 - Nov. 1920) who married (Feb. 15, 186-)Margaret FitzGerald (d. March 3, 1915); Joseph (May 7, 1841 - March 27, 1911) who married (April 6, 1869) Zepina Richard (Sept 1848 - Feb 7, 1924). They operated Harpers Hotel and Grocery Store next to the former C.N.R. tracks now Perrys Apartments at the end of Sunset Drive; Charlotte (no dates) married (Jan 19, 1858) Isidore Gaudet (no dates); Christian (b. at Harper Road - no dates) married (Feb 7, 1853) Cyriac Poirier (Perry) - they moved to the U.S.; Susan (b. Jan 27, 1838 - d - )(single); Charles (b. Dec.8, 1836 - d. March 6, 1909) married Susan Gillis (d. young) Williams eldest son George, together with his wife Rebecca OBrien, raised a family of five children who were Mary Eliza (b. June 21, 1875); Christie Ann (b. Oct 23, 1877), Rebecca (b. Sept 14, 1878), William Martin (b. Feb 7, 1882) and Francis (b. Sept 2, 1883). It is presumed that the first three children listed died young since no one has any knowledge of them having lived in the Tignish area. Their baptisms are included in the Tignish Roman Catholic Baptismal Records and their names may also be found in the 1881 Census of the province. It is known that their father George removed to the United States and doubtlessly the three children mentioned accompanied him there. Williams son Louis who had wedded Ann FitzGerald fathered twelve children as far as is known. They were Mary (b. Feb 1, 1848) who married (Oct 8, 1867) Patsy Christopher; Suzahhan (b. Oct 27, 1849) who married (Jan 15, 1878) Augustine Hackett, son of Thomas and Ellen Condon; William (b. Aug 20, 1851) who married (Feb 12, 1915) Mary Ann Doyle (1857 0 Aug 30, 1925) widow of Patrick Morrison; James (b. June 22, 1853 - 1942) (single); Charlotte (b. June 19, 1855) who married a Riley in Moncton, N. B. She died young; Edward (b. April 13, 1857 - d. Jan 6, 1934) who married Clara Gillis, daughter of Donald Gillis and - MacDonald; Margaret Ann (b. April 25, 1859) who married Edmund P. Gallant, son of Peter Gallant and Adele Deagle (sic). They lived in Clarence Morrisseys house on Church Street (now destroyed); Helen (Ellen)(b. April 27, 1862) moved to the U.S.; Ann (b. Sept 17, 1865); George (b. July 9, 1867). He never married and moved to the U.S.; Charles Peter (b. June 16, 1869 - died young) and Melinda (b. Sept 4, 1871). It is possible that there existed a child named John in this family, but there exists no information about him. The original Harper homestead, which was built by William, son of Louis Harper and Souis Boudreault, still stands today at Christophers Cross and is about 180 years old. One may still see in it original hand hewn beams and casings. When William relocated, as we have seen, to the Harper Road, it was left to his son Louis who married Ann FitzGerald and then to the latters son Edward (Ned Louis) who had married Clara Gillis. In turn, Ned Louis passed the property on to his son Fred Harper (1914-1994), a rural route mailman and farmer. The late Fred Harpers wife is Esther Handrahan (b. 1918). They raised the following children: David (m. Lois Aylward), owners of Grampys Ice Cream Parlour on Church Street, Tignish; Ruth (m. John Kenny); Wendall (m. Josie Ioka) St. Catherines, Ontario; Alice (m. Richard Ellsworth); Phillip (m. Murial Hogan); Freda (m. Doug Hardy); Robert (m. Penny - ), St. Catherines, Ontario; Nancy (m. Shane Rochford); Molly (m. Derryl Buote); Edward (Ned Louis) (m. Darlene Buote); They reside in Clyde River, P.E.I.; Joseph (m. Patsy Buote) and Rosemary (m. George Terry), Ontario. Two brothers and a sister married three children of Melvin Buote and Bertha Arsenault. Another of William Harpers and Mary Alexanders son, prominent in local history lore, was John (Jack) Harper (Sept 1831- Nov 1920). His wife was Margaret FitzGerald who died March 3, 1915. Here were their children, all born in the mill homestead at Harper Road: William (b. 1860), Charles (1861), Mary (1863), Edward (Ned, 1866), Patrick (1867), Margaret (1869), Louis (1873), Joseph Henry (1875), Rebecca (1877), Peter John (1880), James (1883). William married Sophie Arsenault. Charles married Virginia Arsenault. Mary married Peter U. Gaudet. His second wife was Marie Doucette (1870 - 1972). Edward married Eliza Profit. Patrick was thrice married [ 1. Winnifred Profit. 2. Madeleine DesRoches. 3. Margaret (Riley)(Fitzpatrick)(Harper)]. Margaret married John Nelligan. Louis never married. Joseph Henry never married. Rebecca married Edmund Gillis. Peter John (1880 - 1927) married Margaret Ryan (1886 - 1946). They were the parents of Joseph who, with his father, operated the Harper Road Mill. James married Laura Handrahan. One of Edwards sons listed above was Howard Harper who married Bernetta McIntyre. Fifteen children were born to them, the first three at the Harper Road Mill homestead where their father worked for a time before moving to Tignish. The family consisted of Mary, Annie, Helen, Frankie, Rita, Kevin, Ray, John, Charlie, Catherine, Irene, Clifton, Frances Ann, and two died at a young age. Howards wife Bernetta, and after her her daughter Rita (married to Phil Callaghan) operated a lunch counter in the former Larry S. Perry home which became Callaghans Grocery and is now Grampys Ice Cream Parlour on Church Street, Tignish, P.E.I. Louis Harper (July 8, 1897 - 1984) was one of Howards brothers. He was a noted bricklayer who worked on various occasions repairing the brick work on the Catholic Church tower at Tignish. Some of his sons have taken on that trade with much success today. Louis was married to Rose Handrahan (Feb 25, 1896 - Jan 23, 1981). They raised the following children: Reginald (b. 1917), Janie (b. 1919), Rosetta and Melitha, twins (died 1920, the day of their birth), Rachel (1922), Donald (1924), Louis Jr. (1925), Romey (1927), Venie (1930), Noreen (1933), Irma (1936), and a chosen son Leonard (b. 1947). Their home (now destroyed) was located on the right hand side of the turn at Tignish Corner heading south on the main highway. John (Jack) Harpers son named Peter John raised quite a large family at the Harper Road mill site. The family consisted of Peter (b. 1907 - d. 1910) - he was killed by a horse; Ella (1908) Joseph (1909) married Alice DesVries. They live on Dufferin Street in Alberton; Ethel (1910), Melvina (1911), Vinnie (1911- died young), Harold (1912), Bernice (1914), Albert (1916), Roland (1917), Arthur (1918), Edna (1919), Gerald (1921 - died young), Emmett (1922), and Gilbert (1925). At one time Peter John Harper went working as a lumberjack in the Bangor area of Maine. Upon his return, wishing to work at the Harper Road Mill, he proffered his brother Charles $1,400.00 to take ownership of the mill. It was at this time that Charles became persuaded to go to Souris to open a mill there. While attempting to sharpen mill blades he was struck in the eye and blinded. There is a rather interesting anecdote (a little amusing story) which tells of an incident which took place on the pond at Harpers Mill. Peters son Joseph served as a fishing guide for the local Catholic vicar, Father Mac who, along with his two nieces, were on board a boat being steered by Joseph. The water level on the pond suddenly lowered because the mill was in full operation at the time. Joseph as a result found himself tightly wedged between two stumps under water and Father Mac, surmising this to be a trick on Josephs part, was heard to utter a few choice words to the consternation of all those in hearing distance. Thinking the good priest was going to hit him with an oar, Joseph called for his father to extricate them from the mishap. While it is well nigh impossible to include all the Harpers within the scope of this history, suffice it to refer briefly to two other families. One was Bernard (Bernie) Harpers and the other James Harpers. Bernard, the son of Patrick (John Jacks son) and Winnifred Profit, married Delilah Arsenault. They raised three children, namely Everett, Doreen and Eileen. James Harper, son of John Jack, married Laura Handrahan. They raised the following children: Mary, Claude, Amy, Grace, Dorothy, Freda, Florence, Laura, Daniel, Dora and Albert. The author of these words trusts that the genealogical appetite of future researchers has been whetted. As has been alluded to at the beginning of this Harper treatise, such researchers may some day discover a Harper harpist.
Posted on: Sun, 14 Sep 2014 12:34:55 +0000
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