CHARLES SAYRE
Great grandson of the first Anglican rector on New Brunswick (John Sayre).
He became a lawyer and a member of parliament. One of his relatives
became the only doctor to ever fight a duel in this province. Other
relatives became prominent in Ontario - A Chief Justice; another a Lieutenant-Governor
and yet another was the founder of Peterborough. A distant relative,
Colonel Beverly Robison, gained fame in the old Delancey Regiment.
A.M. REIDPATH
Mr. Reidpath arrived in our
community during the great depression of 1929. Always
the entrepreneur, he started out selling raspberries. He later expanded
into blueberries and fish of all types. In 1934, he opened his first
freezer were Dr. Rheal Comeau today practices optometry.
In 1943, he opened a more modern freezer
the same building is still in use today and is known as the U.M.F. building.
Mr. Reidpath is responsible for the scallop
fishing industry, which has brought so much to this community. At that
height of his industry, he employed over 140 people in the various segments
of his business. Even today, he is still active in the eel industry.
CAPT. CHARLES WILLIAM McDERMOTT
On completion of his education at Richibucto Grammar School, he
sailed in a Basque commanded by his uncle. In 1870 McDermott was second
officer on board the American steamer Wisconsin.
On the 5th of October, 1870 the ship
John DeWolf on a voyage between Liverpool and Philadelphia encountered
a terrific gale. Her mainmast was carried away, her deck staved in and
all lifeboats destroyed. Battered for hours by one of the worst storms
in years , and with the ship rapidly being torn apart, the sailors thought
every wave that struck would be the last. The vessel carried a crew
of 19 all told. They had given up all hope when a steamer hove in sight.
It was the S.S. Wisconsin. A boat was launched from the steamer (manned
by Mr. McDermott) with a volunteer crew of six. It was at great risk
that they succeeded in rescuing all of the crew. For this heroic deed,
the Canadian Government presented a costly sextant to Officer McDermott
and a sum of money to be divided among the brave crew.
T.E. Shellcross, in presenting the award
noted, " I have great pleasure in handing you this gift from the Canadian
Government, as it is the first reward presented for gallantry at sea.
From the information we have, it was impossible to take the men off
the ship by bearing alongside. To get under the Dewolf's stern, throw
a line on board in such a sea and save 19 men, is a wonderful feat of
seamanship."
Later, in New York, Officer McDermott
was presented with a gold medal by the life-saving Benevolent Association
of New York.
His son James McDermott, a Doctor sailed
on the Titanic as a medical doctor. As the White Star liner left Southampton
on her maiden voyage on April 10, 1912. Ten minutes before midnight
on the 14th she hit an iceberg off the Newfoundland and sank with a
loss of over 1500 lives. It is said doctor James McDermott, stood on
deck with his fellow officers and went down with her while the band
played " Nearer my God to thee " and passengers sang the words.