From this vantage point, she could see the community spreading out for miles around her.

“It gave me a definite sense of place. And that’s stayed with me all my life,” says McQuaid, who has written a community history, Naufrage and the Capes 1719-1900.

The 102-page book covers everything from the arrival of the first Scottish highlanders in 1772, their home and church life to the land reform issue, sparked by tenant farmers wanting to own their own land.

“I became interested in the life of the early settlers and wanted to tie their journey together,” says the Monticello native who studied at UPEI and the University of Ottawa before moving to Charlottetown with her husband, Leo McQuaid, in 1969.

In particular, McQuaid wanted to tell the story of John McIntosh, who took up the cause of the tenant farmers in such a public way that he came in conflict with the parish priest, a landowner.

“Division took place and a movement grew to take the priest out of the community,” she says.

For many years, McIntosh was considered a troublemaker in the community.

“His reputation had been tarnished by the incident. But I learned some positive things that he did and I wanted people to know about them,” says the P.E.I. writer, who also tells stories about shipwrecks and shipbuilding and the establishment of the lobster fishery.

McQuaid first got the idea for the book after giving folklore sessions with her popular comedic team, Bridget and Cecily.

“We would give out bits of history (in our show),” she says.

But McQuaid (who plays Bridget while Teresa Wilson plays Cecily) felt that information was lacking.

“Whenever I looked up anything in P.E.I. history books, Naufrage was never mentioned,” says the retired schoolteacher about the north side coastal community that is approximately 20 miles off the eastern tip of P.E.I.

Knowing the area well, McQuaid felt she had to do something.

“It had been in my craw for a long time. I knew all the stories but I was so busy organizing things that I just waiting for some time to do the research,” says McQuaid, who was already busy contributing to the community.

But after retiring from hosting the ceilidhs in the Monticello Log Hall two years ago, she found the time she needed.

“I started picking at it and ended up finishing the research last winter. My family encouraged me by leaving me alone while I finished the project.

“Now that I’m finished I’m happy, but there are more stories to tell,” she says.

Fast facts:

Getting to know Jenny (O’Hanley) McQuaid:

Five things to take to a desert island: book, radio, deck of cards, fishing rod and tools to build a house.

Last book read: A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright.

Favourite music: fiddle.

Favourite food: chicken.

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard