MacIntyre's family history

File: macintyrestewart-oh-origins.mp3

File

SM – Stewart MacIntyre

KP – Curator Ken Perlman

SM: The MacIntyres came to the Island, well around 1800. I haven't been able to find out exactly when – They came around 1800. My grandmother was a Stewart, she was indeed related to Prince Charlie. She come out as an infant in 1816 with her father to South Lake. And when she grew up, she married Captain John MacIntyre and that's how I come to have the Stewart attached to me. One interesting thing, my grand‑uncle James MacIntyre, Captain John's brother, he was ordained a priest in Rome in 1842. And he was the first islander to get a D.D. from the college there, [Doctor of] Divinity. He came back to the Island in 1843 and he brought a violin back with him from Italy, but he didn't play. There was an old gentleman down – He lived at Campbell's Cove. You've probably been there.

KP: Yes.

SM: He was a classical violinist as well as an old time player. He played by note. So the priest lent him the violin, and oh they say it was a beauty. And a violin made in Italy in those days would be handmade, that's for sure. And I heard my father saying, he was familiar with Mr. Campbell, and went to listen to him quite often when he was young – He said when he drew a bow across that violin, you would hear it a mile away.