A Brief Introduction

The earliest dwellers in Souris Village arrived there from St Peter’s in 1810. They were soon followed by some Acadians from Arichat, Cape Breton and by a family of McPhee’s who came to Souris in 1810. Little Harbour was first settled by three Highland families who went there in 1806. The inhabitants of this portion of what is now the mission of Souris, attended mass at St Columba’s, East Point previous to the building of the parish church, while the settlers of Souris village being nearer Rollo Bay, depended for spiritual care upon the pastor of that mission. Occasionally, stations were held at the houses of Angus Campbell of Little Harbour, Neil McLellan of Little Harbour, Angus (Hector) MacDonald of Chepstow, and of Peter Cheverie of Souris.

In 1838 the people came together and took steps toward building a church; ground was bought from Francis Cheverie and cleared by the parishioners, and upon this site Messrs. Thomas Stone and Michael Bayley erected the pioneer church. The dimensions of this church were sixty feet by thirty-five feet. The first elders were Donald Allan MacDonald, Souris; Francis LaVie, Souris; Angus (Hector) MacDonald. The priest in charge of the mission at that time was Rev. John McDonald of Glenaladale, who offered the first Mass in Souris

Church in January 1839.

Note: We were unable to locate any picture of this first church.

In the month of June 1849, a disastrous fire destroyed both the church and a fine parochial house, which was just being completed by Rev. Pius McPhee. Nothing daunted the parishioners determined to proceed at once with the building of a new church; they turned out in a body, went to the woods, procured and prepared

the material for the frame. This second church was opened in November 1849. The builder was Ronald Ban MacDonald. It was

eighty feet in length by forty-five in width and twenty feet high. The spire was a hundred feet high. The second

parochial house was build by Rev. James Phelan in 1862. The second church has the distinction of being named in honour of Saint Mary of the Immaculate

Conception and possessed a majestic oil painting of Murillo’s Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin, hanging high over the main altar. Other artistic treasures included the Statibns of the Cross, which were crafted

oleographs in black walnut frames. The parish Registers of St. Mary’s begin in 1864. The first entry is signed by Rev. Donald Francis

MacDonald, PP and records the baptism on October 21, 1864 of Anne Amelia, born on the 4‘h inst. Of the lawful marriage of Harold Paquet and Mathilda Cheverie; sponsors: Alex Paquet and Mary Anne Cheverie.

the parochial house.The lower section of the house to the right as seen in the picture was later removed from the main house and hauled to the next property. This became home to Billy MacGillivary and his family.

To this day they still occupy

the house. '