Photographs courtesy of Conrad Poirier
KEPPOCH, Antigonish County
A district S.W. of Antigonish, located on a mountain
between the Ohio in the County of Antigonish and the Garden of Eden in
Pictou County.
Named for Keppoch in North Britain either the one near
Strath Arisaig or the one in Lochaber. It was settled about 1820 by James
and Donald McDougall and Alexander and Charles MacDonald, and were joined
a decade later by Big Allan MacDonald and Donald McGillivray. Alexander
McDonald known as "The Keppoch Bard" was the son of Big Allan
MacDonald and lived here most of his life.
Keppoch became a flourishing district with church and
school and a large population in spite of the marginal soil on the high
lands. Sarah Miller was teaching twenty-eight children there in 1848 and a
new school-house was built about 1865.
Later on there seems to have been an attempt to get
away from the name and post offices were called "Mayfield" and
"Morven." In 1892 Lower Keppoch became Glenwood. During World
War II people continued to move away form the district and the few who
remained obtained their mail at the James River Station. The farms have
returned to the wilderness.
KNOYDART, Antigonish County
Shortly after 1787 Martin, Malcolm and Dugald McDonald
settled in the district to which from their native place they gave the
name of Knoydart, in Inverness-shire Scotland. Three pioneer settlers of
Knoydart had been veterans of the battle of Culloden - Hugh McDonald,
Donald MacPherson and Angus MacDonald.
William J. Thomas was teaching twenty-six children
there in 1830 of the surnames Grant, McDonald, McEachern, McKinnon, McLeod
and McPherson.