There are numerous conflicting stories about Norman and his exploits. One had to deal with the sailing of Ark to Cape Breton. Some writers suggest that on rounding Cape Canso and moving out into the Atlantic he encountered terrific gales from the south west and, to avoid danger, he took shelter in St. Ann’s Bay in comparatively smooth water. It is more likely, however, that on this reconnoitering trip he anchored overnight in St. Ann’s Bay, Cape Breton. Norman and his followers were enchanted by the beauty of the place, reminding them so much of the highlands of Scotland from whence they originally came; the waters being alive with fish, sunlit beaches, and silent forests, that to these mariners recently exposed to the boom town of Pictou this was a most desirable spot. All thoughts of Ohio were quickly removed.

Eventually the rest of the settlers and their families arrived. They took up blocks of land near the entrance of the harbour where Englishtown is now, and then up to the mouth of the North River. They built a vessel in which they traded up and down the shore and secured supplies. Their Pictou experience of woodcraft and of making clothing from skins and in working the soil helped. They also fished and hunted. Norman’s spacious cabin, at the head of the harbour called South Gut, where he established himself on a block of land about two miles square, was not only used as a home for the family but also at first as a school and church. It was early agreed that Norman’s land should be worked by the community, and he himself left free to devote to teaching and preaching.

By the end of the year a separate and suitable church and school were erected at Black Cove, near Norman’s home. Gradually the forest was pushed back, and the land produced potatoes, oats, wheat and vegetables. Each family ground its own meal with a small hand mill, some cattle were secured, and the close knit community began to grow. By 1825 the entire people had abundance of food, clothing and shelter and educational and spiritual facilities. Greater numbers came to settle from Scotland to join with Norman and his pioneers.

Ordained by the Church

By now hundreds of fellow countrymen had arrived from Lewis and Harris, settling all along the North Shore to Cape Smokey, and south towards Baddeck. Seeing that the local presbytery was unable to supply the people with religious ordinances, Norman offered to preach to them. Although he was now ordained and acknowledged as a clergyman, he was not associated with the Presbyterian or any other organized church in the Province.

All violations of the civil and moral law were duly enquired into and punished. He denounced sin and sinners from the pulpit so that he truly became a terror to evil doers. He was a total abstainer. Under his patriachal rule the people of St. Ann’s became distinguished for their intelligence and rectitude. As early as 1840 he formed a branch of the British and Foreign Bible Society. The government of Nova Scotia appointed him a schoolmaster, postmaster and justice of the peace, thereby giving him official status and further greatly increasing his growning influence and prestige.

By 1846 so popular had he become, and so appealing was his preaching, that the original church built in 1821 would not accommodate his people and a new edifice was erected at the Cove, capable of seating 1,500 people. Hardly had the church been completed than trouble had arisen in the community and disintegration had set in. Many objected to the minister’s rigid control of their private life. A possible measure of jealousy on the part of other would be community and clerical leaders, seems to have played a part. The community became sharply divided into Normanites and anti–Normanites.

Hero–Tyrant

A sample of Norman’s sharp tongue survives in this letter to an old college friend: ‘You were never by nature but a mere simpleton, or two–thirds of an idiot, and your false conversion, scraps of philosophy, fragments of divinity, painted parlour, dainty table, sable surtout, curled cravat, ponderous purse, big belly, poised pulpit, soft and silly spouse, the acclamation of fanatics and formalists, the association of kindred plagiarists and imposters, your seated conscience and a silent God have all conspired, no wonder, poor man, to turn your mind to total forgetfulness and your head to eternal dizziness.’ Obviously, with words such as these in his everyday speech and preaching, his churchgoers would not be disappointed with the fire and eloquence of his sermons.

Norman had a poor opinion of a great number of his fellow men, and his narrowness of view was extreme. For example, he prohibited women from wearing ribbons and the like. He seldom baptised and there is no record of him having administered the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. For revival meeting he reserved great denunciations ‘some are screeching screaming — others are peeping and tooting — or snuffling and snorting — and that truly in a mood far beyond the utmost ordinary pitch of their pulmonary power, others falling down prostrate, monkey like spring from place to place with suprizing ability. Another sort sit still, statue like, in a wild and vacant gaze.’

Norman spoke both English and Gaelic, although he conducted all classes in the latter language. As a teacher he is reported to have done excellent work. Most of the successful early teachers of the area had received their education from him. As Flora MacPherson's book records ‘his teaching in Gaelic was an important factor in the maintenance of a continuing Gaelic culture in the St. Ann’s district for many years. The language had not only persisted but continued in a much purer form than if it had been passed on orally and picked up only from home use.’

It was as a law giver and interpreter of the scriptures that he became noted for conderable harshness. It was in Cape Breton that he wrote and published a volume of some size titled The Present Church of Scotland and a Tint of Normanism. It was written in response to requests from some of the regularly ordained ministers resident in Cape Breton asking by what authority he called himself a clergyman.

A born leader, with great courage, characterized by the harshness of his rule, loved by many, resented by some, his discipline was no doubt suited to a time in which he lived. Only those who were tough, strong and well disciplined could survive the pioneer enviornment.

Norman’s wife Mary had borne ten children. Mary was in poor health most of the time, worn out by living in a succession of pioneer places, and emotionally exhausted by the strain of living with such a man. None of the sons apparently turned out well. It was whispered in the community that he turned a blind eye to conduct in his own children which he would strongly denouce in others.

As the community had grown, a desire for trade, and the prospect of money and wealth had taken root especially in the minds of many of the young who had grown up in the 30 years of the community’s life. A trading scheme was eventually resolved upon, which proved a failure and a means of further disintegration. A ship was built, loaded with suplus produce of the land and the forest and sent off to Glasgow, Scotland, with the expectation that the vessel would return with substantial sums in payment. One of Norman’s sons, Captain Donald, was put in charge of the ship and of the enterprise, but it proved a failure. Neither ship nor captain ever returned, and no monies ever reached St. Ann’s.

New Zealand

Norman was now almost 70, and one would suppose his appetite for adventure had been satisfied. But local conditions had not been developing satisfactorily lately. With the severe potato blight some of the young had become restless and were leaving, so the old patriarch called his friends together to seek divine guidance. He himself believed that the call had been from God, and many of the people considering the circumstances looked upon the matter as a plain and direct imposition of divine providence.

The pictureque migration from one side of the world to the other was made in six ships, namely Margaret, which was the first, and took Norman and 130 others; Highland Lass, with 188; Gertrude, with 176; Spray, having 66; Breadalbane, 129; and finally Ellen Lewis, with 188. There were 877 and the last in December, 1859. In size the vessels ranged from Spray of 99 tons to Ellen Lewis of 336 tons. They were all sailing vessels, the sailing time being from five to seven months for more than twelve thousand miles. There was no Panama Canal, so the Cape of Good Hope had to be rounded. It is a tribute to their navigating ability and their seamanship that not a ship nor passenger was lost.

With their usual spirit and courage they built, provisioned, and sailed their ships and themselves first to Adelaide, where Donald MacLeod could not be found, then to Melbourne where he was unknown, and finally on to New Zealand where they settled under their beloved and trusted leader.

On the hillside above Black Cove, Norman MacLeod preached his final sermon on that autumn day well over a century ago. On the hillside was assembled every one who could make the journey. For most of them who were staying behind, it was to be a final parting. Norman stood facing his enornous congregation, with Margaret swinging impatiently at her moorings on the sunlit waters below. This was Norman’s greatest sermon, those who were sailing to the new land were dedicated to the pilgrimage, and those who stayed behind were comforted and challenged too. His voice was breaking with emotion at times, he presided in his usual black gown, in the service which was his leave taking from the people of St. Ann’s.

Sources: Rev. Frank Baird, DD, Sermon Preached to the Cape Breton Island Gaelic College Foundation at St. Ann’s, August 25, 1940; James B. Lamb, The Hidden Heritage Buried Romance at St. Ann’s, 1975; Flora MacPherson, Watchman Against the World, 1962; G.G. Patterson, History of Victoria County, 1885; Neil Robinson, Lion of Scotland, 1952.

This article appeared in the Clan MacLeod Magazine Vol. 8, No. 52, Spring 1981 on pages 249-252.

Go to Rev. Norman MacLeod page
Go to Rev. Norman MacLeod in Scotland
Go to Rev. Norman MacLeod in New Zealand

	Email Me	Home Page
Saturday, 08-Sep-2018 11:41:51 MDT © Copyright 2000-2003 Stephen Daniel McLeod