My quest for family information came as a direct result of our `MacPhee Family Reunion` in 1991 for the descendants of my grandparents, Angus & Drucilla (Rogerson) MacPhee.  In preparation for the reunion, my sister and I attempted to find further information on our family.  At the time we knew our g.grandfather`s name (Duncan MacPhee), but did not know his siblings or parents.

Thus began a labour of love, and an instant addiction to genealogy.  

We learned that Duncan`s parents Malcolm MacPhee and Ann MacEachern, immigrated to Prince Edward Island, Canada ca. 1820 from the Isle of Mull, Scotland, along with 1 child, Mary. They had 3 sons born in Scotland (John, Angus, and Duncan). After coming to PEI, they had 3 more sons with the same names, ie John-1821, Angus-1823, and Duncan (my great-grandfather) born 1829.  In light of that information we are assuming that the first 3 sons born in Scotland must had died before the family left.

Malcolm and Ann eventually settled at Starthgartney, Lot 30, PEI where Duncan was born on February 20, 1829.  During the 1850`s our MacPhee family was `banished` to neighbouring Riverdale, PEI because the `Proprietor` of Lot 30, i.e. Robert Bruce Stewart, had selected Strathgartney for the site of his estate.  The land issue in PEI was a rather unique one at the time, with PEI divided into `Lots`, and ownership or proprietorship of the `Lots` granted to friends of the Crown in Britain, with certain conditions, e.g. they were to establish residence, bring settlers to their lots etc.  Eventually the land issue was repealed, and in 1875 (too late for our family), the proprietors had to grant ownership to their tenants`, and were only allowed to keep 500 acres for themselves.