The Brae

The Brae Harbour empties into the Northumberland Strait on the south shore of western Prince Edward Island. The Highland Scots who settled the area beginning about 1826 scratched small farms out of the spruce forests on the west and east banks of the harbour and the Brae River that drains into it. They were Neil McKinnon, John McAllar, Alexander McDonald, John McDonald and his sons and Donald McIsaac. About ten miles west, along the south shore Angus Stewart had earlier established roots at West Point. John McDonald also lived at West Point prior to moving to the Brae.

                                           Where on P.E.I.                            Brae Harbour

Lower Brae, or Derby as it was called when it became a separate school district, is where Neil McKinnon settled. In this air photo of the Lower Brae the RC Church can be seen just west of the Brae bridge and, south of that on the west bank of Brae Harbour, is the McKinnon farm. The photo was taken in 1958 when the farm was operated by Leo McKinnon.

The Brae Roman Catholics started construction of their church building in 1848. This was St Mary's Church and cemetery until 1 July, 1886 when the second cemetery was consecrated by Bishop McIntyre as The Immaculate Conception. The current church building (pictured here) was constructed beginning on 30 August, 1903 and renovated in 1978. These air photos look south over the church and Brae Harbour. Three sections of cemetery can be seen as the oldest behind (north of) the Church, another to the right of the Church and, the most recent, near the road intersection. A great deal of the genealogical information presented here was obtained from the records of this parish.

See the Acknowledgements page for the source and copyright information of these images.

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latest update 11 August, 2007