"Moved to Margaree with his parents in 1926. When quite young he was awarded the contract of carrying the mails, weekly on foot, from Mabou to Margaree Harbor, a distance of forty miles. He was a good walker and even when over seventy years of age he would prefer going long distances on foot to troubling himself with a horse and wagon. How often we saw him passing by with a light step, a broad scotch bonnet on his head and a tartan plaid carefully folded around his graceful person! Though never a hard worker, he made his way through life honestly and decently and his cheerful, guileless ways, his amusing, harmless jokes, even his hearty laugh, secured for him hosts of friends where ever he moved."
The 1871 Census lists John as a farmer. He was living with his son Alexander at the time of the 1881 Census and son John at the time of the 1891 Census.
1,6,7,8 John MacFarlane was Roman Catholic. His common name was John the Post.
9 John was born in 1812 at South River, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada.
2,3,6,4,10,8 He was the son of
John MacFarlane and
Catherine MacInnis.
1,2,3,4,5 John MacFarlane received a bequest from the will of
John MacFarlane on 13 April 1834 at Margaree, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada;
Last Will & Testament in the
Estate of John McFarlane (Margaree)
I John McFarlane of Margaree in the County of Cape Breton and Province of Nova Scotia same being through the blessing of God in a sound state of mind and memory but calling to mind the frail nature of this life and that it is appointed to all men once to die: do make and ordain this last will and testament. That is, today, I give, bequeath and dispense of it in the manner and proportions here following.
First, I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Catherine McInnis one hundred acres of the south side of my land on which the improvements, and with the marsh or north meadow under her command during her life time with the dwelling house and other buildings together with all that stock, household furnishings. She paying all my legal debts out of the present property and maintaining together with their own labor all my beloved family as follows: Viz.
I desire that my beloved son Angus shall reside with his mother while she is alive and beyond to him at her death the above stated 100 acres of land with the dam privileges as described above.
I bequeath and bequest that they give and bequeath to my beloved son John all the aid they possibly can as they and my executors may think proper. I bequeath and bequest that they pay to my beloved sons Dougald, Patrick and Alexander the sum of twenty pounds cash out of the products of the aforesaid property after they attain their twenty-first year of age in order to better themselves as they deem fit and also that they settle my beloved daughters Isabella, Margaret and Nancy, if blessed with marriage, as it is the custom of others of equal property in this vicinity.
I give and bequeath to my daughters Mary and Catherine the sum of one shilling each. I bequeath and give to much beloved James one acre of the north side of my lot or adjoining Peter O’Quinn’s lot with the privilege to plough, plant and mow a small portion of the other half while his mother is alive. And at her death to have one half of the marsh or meadow, Angus to have the other half.
Finally I make and appoint Archd. McFarlane and John McFarlane of the S. W. Branch my sole executors of this my last will and testament.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal subscribed (XXXX) at Margaree this thirteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four.
Signed, sealed, published and disclosed by the said John McFarlane as & for his last will before us who have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto in the presence of the said John McFarlane
Donald Boyd His
Archie McFarlane signed John McFarlane
John McFarlane Mark
John Lewis Tremain Psg. Judge of his Majesty’s court for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration throughout the County of Inverness in the Province of Nova Scotia
DOTH by these presents make known unto all now
That on the sixteenth day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four before me the last will and testament of John McFarlane late of Margaree in the County of Inverness hereunto deceased was proved, affirmed and perfected. The said deceased having while living and at the time of his death goods, chattels and credits within the said County by reason whereof the proving and perfecting the said will and granting administration of all and singular the said goods, chattels and credits and also the auditing, allowing and final discharging the accounts thereof are well known to appertain only and wholly to us and not to any others and that administration of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased any way concerning his will was granted to Archibald McFarlane and John McFarlane of Margaree, Executors named in the said will being first well and faithfully to administer the same and to make a true and perfect inventory of all and singular the said goods, chattels and credits and to exhibit the same unto the Registry of our said Court on or before the ninth day of July next ensuing and also to render a just and true account thereof and to do and perform all such other acts, matters and things as to the true and faithful administration thereof may or shall lawfully appertain when thereunto required.
Given the sixth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-one under the seal of the said Court.
Hiram Blanchard Registrar of the said Court.
11 He witnessed
John MacFarlane's death on 25 April 1834 at Margaree, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
2,12,13,14 As of 20 September 1835, John MacFarlane was also known as John McFarline.
5 He married
Catherine MacNeil on 20 September 1835 at St. Michael's Church, East Margaree, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
2,3,7,10,6,8,5 As of 1871, John MacFarlane was also known as John McFarlane.
8 He appeared on the census of 1871 at Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
8 He appeared on the census of 1881 in the household of
Alexander MacFarlane and
Flora MacNeil at Margaree Harbour, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
7 John MacFarlane appeared on the census of 16 April 1891 in the household of
Captain John MacFarlane at West Margaree, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
6 John died on 20 October 1892 at Margaree Harbour, Inverness, Nova Scotia, Canada.
2,12,10,15 His obituary reads:
John McFarlane 41-1892-45-2
Margaree Harbor, formerly South River.
There died at Margaree Harbor on the 20th of Oct. 1892, John McFarlane, commonly known as John the Post. He was born at the South River of Antigonish in the year 1812, whence he moved with his parents to Margaree in 1826. When quite young, he was awarded the contract of carrying the mails, weekly on foot, from Mabou to Margaree Harbor, a distance of forty miles. He was a good walker and even when over seventy years of age, he would prefer going long distances on foot to troubling himself with a horse and wagon. How often we saw him passing by with a light step, a broad scotch bonnet on his head and a tartan plaid carefully folded around his graceful person!
Though never a hard worker, he made his way through life honestly and decently and his cheerful, guileless ways, his amusing, harmless jokes even his hearty laugh, secured for him hosts of friends where ever he moved. He reared a family of six sons and daughters, all of whom survive him. His widow, a daughter of the late Alex McNeil, Broad Cove is still quite hearty, and to her as well as to the rest of the family, we extend our sympathy in their bereavement.
10