Drummer on Foot Drummer on Foot

A series of over 90 articles appeared in The Casket, a Catholic newspaper published in
Antigonish, Nova Scotia under the pen name Drummer on Foot.  The articles were published beginning April 4, 1912 and continued up into 1918.  Most deal with the pioneer families who settled in Antigonish County in the early decades of the 19th century.  They show the inter relatedness of these families.  A connection in one family is almost certain to lead to relationships with several others.  Drummer on Foot took these families from their pioneer ancestors through four and five generations up to the time of publication.

Now these articles will appear in book form for the first time.  Edited by Dr. Raymond MacLean and Donald MacFarlane they offer the family historian and anyone else interested in 19th Century Antigonish County an invaluable research tool.

Families described in detail include: Fraser, Boyd, Gillis (Oban), MacFarlane, MacGillivary (Bridge), Cameron, MacGillivary (South River), MacPherson, MacDonald (Glas), MacDonnell (Garaidhnich), MacGillivary (An Uillet), MacLean (Sliochad Dhonnachaidh), MacIsaac, MacDonald (Bard Na Ceapoch), Gillis (Silochd Aonghais Mhoir), MacLellan (South River), MacGillivary (Dunmore), MacDonald (Sliochd Dhoumnuill ‘ic Allein), MacDonald (Fraser’s Mills), MacDonnell (Fraser’s Mills), Gillis (Fraser’s Mills), MacIsaac (Fraser’s Mills) and many others.  Dozens of additional families who inter-married are also enumerated (almost 200 surnames).  Over 1100 marriages are chronicled.  Because of the intermarriage of many of these families some of these are duplicates.

Locations where settlers are described in detail include Fraser’s Mills, Boyd’s Settlement, South River and Dunmore, as well as many other locations in Antigonish County.  Some families are trace through to Cape Breton and even to the United States.

In many cases Drummer gives the Scottish origins of the pioneers.

Drummer on  Foot has been identified as William Cameron, a native of Antigonish and related to many of the people he describes.

The book is available in local Antigonish bookstores or by mail from:

Donald MacFarlane
79 Windsong Place
Meredith, NH 03253 USA

[email protected]t

Book            US$    17.95
S&H                         2.50
Total                       20.45

Book          CN$      22.95
S&H                          4.50
Total                        27.45