Prince Edward Island
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Jean Chiasson built the first recorded ship in the Souris area, a 44-ton shallop called The Peggy. Lower Canadians Fidele and his brother Cyprien Paquet settled in Souris in 1820. The P.E.I Colonial Government recognized Souris Harbour for the first time, in 1832. It appointed a Sub-Collector of Customs with the annual salary of £61.00.  John Knight ca. 1814-1875 Founder of Souris Neil MacDonald started a wharf on the east side of the Souris River, in 1834. It was later acquired by John Knight under dubious circumstances. John Knight, eventual "founder of Souris" arrived in Souris West to manage the business of Shattuck and McKay in 1835 The Acteon, bound from Bathurst with a cargo of lumber, runs ashore and broke up on the coast near Souris on November 1, 1835. The Colville Bay Customs House was established in 1837. The first mass was said in January in the new St. Mary's Church, in 1839. Alexander Leslie J.P. was chair of the first Souris Fair on July 29, 1840, the first agricultural exhibition held in Kings County. The event was held on the Souris Beach and hosted of upwards to 100 horses and a cartload of homespun. Five Fortune men were unable to attend. They were in jail for assaulting the Sheriff after disagreeing on the low bidding prices on their livestock which was auctioned off to pay for back rents to the proprietor. The Colonial Government laid the first buoys in Souris Harbour as navigational aids, in 1841. In 1844, the sum of £6.00 was paid by the Colony to Charles Burke of Souris to enable him to provide a horse scow at the Souris ferry.  The building that replaced the first church A storm on October 15, 1852 drove 21 American fishing vessels onto the shore at Souris. Losses were estimated at $50,000. A witness wrote, "Two hundred destitute Seamen can be seen . . . strolling about in distress and want, many of whom escaped without shoes, hats or jackets." It was only a year since the deadly Yankee Gale took over 150 lives. Local candidates for the 1st. District of Kings used the balcony of Moynagh's Inn on Main Street to speak to the voters and debate the issues during the 1863 General Election. Door to door campaigning was nearly impossible in the rural districts. Local merchant Donald Beaton noted in a letter that on February 5, 1864, the port of Souris was free from ice. John Shannon delivered mail in 1864 from Charlottetown to Souris overland in a covered carriage four days a week. He was paid $3.50 a week for his efforts. Dr. E. B. Muttart of Souris was appointed Superintendent of Vaccination for Souris and Lots 43, 44, 45, 46, 55 and 56 on March 6, 1866.Buoyed by an era of prosperity, local merchants in Souris and Alberton in 1866 succeeded in having acts of incorporation passed for banks in their respective towns. In the end, neither materializes.  The schooner Kelso was built at Souris in 1867. She was built and owned by Charlottetown businessman, John Douse. On March 17, 1868, she was sold at Bridgewater in the United Kingdom. The November 6, 1868 Islander reported on crime in the Souris area. A cask of brandy and wine was stolen from John MacLean's store in Souris, a person entered John MacKinnon's stable and shaved off his mare's mane and someone stole from the schooner Jane, the bedding and clothing of the crew. Arrests were made. John McLean and Uriah Matthew open a store in Souris, Matthew & McLean Co. Ltd. in 1869, with Benjamin Heartz as senior partner and financial backer. Today a component is a Museum.  Souris merchant C. C. Carlton Sr. was called before the bar of the house in March 1871 to answer charges that he offered a bribe to 2nd. Kings M.L.A. William Hooper. An unrepentant Carlton admited to the offence and offered $1,000 to other members who will vote to have the new P.E.I. Railway extended from St. Peter's Bay to Souris. In 1871, Marshall Paquet of Souris is appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council to be Assayer of Weights and Measures for Souris. Dr. E. B. Muttart, John Knight, Michael McCormack, James MacLauchlan and P.W. Robertson, all Justices of the Peace published in the local newspapers on October 12, 1872 a letter of thanks to Commander Lorraine of the H.M.S. Niobe for the protection of Souris Village against the rowdyism of American fishing vessels. Officials in Souris report a smallpox epidemic in 1873. Of the 20 cases at least six died. George B. MacEachern was appointed the first railway station agent for Souris in 1875. Owen Connolly, a highly successful Charlottetown merchant, purchased a block of land in Souris in 1876 from the widow of Donald Beaton. Construction commenced on the new Souris Convent under founder, Rev. Donald Francis MacDonald and builder John Whelan of Souris River in 1876. It officially opened on Sept. 7, 1881 to an enrollment of 80 pupils, as well as borders. The Congregation of Notre Dame continued to serve the community for over a century. The building stood as a Souris landmark until the fall of 1971, when it was torn down. The Grand Lodge of Prince Edward Island granted a dispensation for the establishment of a Masonic Lodge in Souris on February 21, 1877. The Lodge's biggest difficulty over the years was fire. At least three destroyed their quarters, records and regalia over the years. American entrepreneur C. J. Haley built his large lobster factory at the northeast corner of the Breakwater, just below the present day lighthouse, in 1877. His foreman, Frank H. White of Barrington, Nova Scotia, was an expert tinsmith and cannery specialist. The Rt. Hon. Alexander MacKenzie was the first Prime Minister of Canada, to visit the village of Souris, in 1877. He was given a tour of the new breakwater, built with a grant of $30,000 from the Dominion. The sea rose to an unusual height in a storm on September 22, 1877. Part of the railway tracks leading to the freight house was carried off near the station which was situated on the Souris Beach. In 1879, the Souris Baptist Church was organized.
The Souris Lighthouse began operation in the fall of 1880. In 1881 a range light was erected on the end of the Souris breakwater. The P.E.I. Railway winter schedule was released in 1882. A train left Charlottetown every day at 3 pm and arrived in Souris at 7:30. The train left Souris at 7 am and arrived in Charlottetown at 11:30. On November 12, 1883 the Souris vessel Sultana went down with all hands off the western banks of Newfoundland. Captain Fabian MacDonald and his 14 crew from the Souris area were lost. July 14, 1886 saw over 1,000 people attend tea party on the grounds next to the Convent in Souris. On November 2, 1886, the estate of the late John Knight was dispersed with over 35,000 acres sold in Souris, Chepstow, Souris River, Souris Line Road and Fairfield. It was entitled "The Great Land Sale".
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