Dr. Alexander Henry Boswall and Family

the Marshfleld Pioneer Cemetery for a period of forty years with the exception that Alexander and Harriet who both died in 1873 and are buried in Marshfield Community Cemetery at St. Columba Presbyterian Church.

Alexander and Harriet’s children married and had the following families:

Ann: Ann Burston Boswall married William S. MacGowan on September 9, 1847 the son of the Attorney General of PEI. William and his brother George operated a saw mill on the Souris River. Ann was living there with her husband when her father was on his way to New Zealand. Ann and William named their house Gowan Brae. Eventually, Ann and William moved to British Columbia where Ann died in 1900. Their children were: Boswall, Lettie, Amelia, and George.

Robert: Was about fifteen years of age when he came to Prince Edward Island and about thirty when his father was in New Zealand. Robert married a widow, Laura Eliza Clark Irving, in 1859. Laura Clark’s story is poignant and is given here in a condensed form.

Laura was an attractive eighteen year old girl from Cape Traverse. She and Campbell Irving, captain of the Brig. Fanny were in love and wished to marry. His ship was soon leaving for the 1849 California gold rush and he hoped to take Laura with him. Parental consent was lacking so an elopement was planned and successfully carried out with the marriage taking place in Charlottetown.

However, when Irving took his new bride to meet the crew of the Fanny he found to his great dismay that they believed in the old superstition that a woman aboard brings bad luck. Their disapproval was so great that a vote was taken with the objectors holding the majority.

Captain Irving was forced to bid a sad farewell to his bride of three days. After months of waiting for word of him, a letter came...alas baring news of his death.

Time heals all wounds and it was two years later that Laura and Robert were married.

Their children were Edward and Annie.

William: William James, was born in 1833 and married Mary Harvie White on January 4"‘, 1859 while his father was somewhere on the South Atlantic. William was a merchant in Charlottetown

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Courtesy of Elizabeth MacLeod Albert and Mary Ann Maria (nee Lane) Boswall. 1904.

at 17 Queen Street and his residence was at 11 Rochford Square. He and Mary had six children: Emily, William, Ellen, Harry, Wallace and Robert.

Harriet: Was born in 1835 and married John MacDonald and had two children: Helen and Amelia. John MacDonald was killed in the American Civil war and Harriet remarried Robert Galbraith and they had one child: Almira.

Albert: Albert was born March 14‘“, 1840 and is supposed to have met his future bride Mary Ann Maria Lane of Mount Mellick at a large tea party held when Dunstaffnage was named. The Lanes of Mount Mellick had travelled over for the party and to visit their relatives who were also farming in Dunstaffnage.

On his return from New Zealand in 1859 Alexander Henry purchased a farm along side Samuel Lane in Mount Mellick. Two years later in 1861 Albert married Mary Ann Maria Lane. Albert operated the farm and together he and Mary had eleven children that survived childhood.