BLACK DUCK BROOK - WINTER HOUSES - LONG POINT (A BRIEF HISTORY)

The mid 1800’s saw the earliest settlers come to Black Duck Brook (L’Anse à Canards), Winter Houses
(Maison d’Hiver) and Long Point (La Barre). They were a mixture of French from France and Acadian French
from Nova Scotia and came here to make a living from fishing and farming. Some came for the Summer and
returned to France or St. Pierre in the Fall but many remained here.
Some of the family names ( with variations thereof) of these earliest settlers were:

BOZEC                       LECOURE                       DUFFENAIS (DUFFNEY)
GASTIA                      LETACONNOUX           LE BOLLOCH (RIOUX)
HUON                        LE ROY                           LAINEY
BUISSON                  FORMANGER                 BOURGEOIS
FELIX                         BENOIT                          SÉCARDIN (SCARDIN)
YOUNG                     REBLOT

According to some of the elders of the Community, there was a small school built in Black Duck
Brook on the marsh, near Joe Bozec’s house, before 1899. Children were also taught in private
homes in the early 1900’s. For example, a Miss Morrison was known to have taught school in Joe
(Peter) and Roseanne Duffney’s house. Another school was later built in what is known as “the
bonus” near the brook in Winter Houses, on the left-hand side going towards the cemetery. Some of
the teachers who taught there were Sarah Duffy, Miss Morrison, Dora Cashin, Isabelle Dubordieu,
Joe Hartery, John McCarthy and Clementine Rioux. Some of these same teachers possibly taught at
the school on the marsh and also at the chapel/school at the crossroads.

According to the Catholic Directory of 1894, the Church of St. Francis Xavier was the main church in
the area and was situated at Black Duck Brook, near the crossroads. Rev. M. O’Rourke was the
pastor at the time. This church also later served as a school. Mass was also celebrated at the home
of Henry and Domitille Duffenais (nee Benoit). A Mission Cross was erected near the church and
was made from the mast of the schooner “Le Barge de Mage” which had come ashore in Winter
Houses around 1904. According to an article in the Western Star of July 23rd, 1913, the Cross was
erected on a Sunday morning in July in the presence of Rev. Holland. This Cross, said to be around
55 feet in height, was constructed by the people of the community and it took 10 men to raise it. Rev.
Holland is purported to have said that anyone who took a piece of the Cross and kept it in their home
would be protected against destruction by fire. Even to this day some families still have a small piece
of the Cross in their homes for this very reason. Because of the height of the Cross fishermen used it
as a marker, whether fishing from the Gulf or the bay. It has been said that this same cross was later
cut down and made smaller, and placed in the cemetery by the school in Winter Houses.

When the church/school was torn down, the wood from it was used to build the one-room school in
Winter Houses around 1941. This one-room school, which has been restored to its original state,
was opened in April of 1942 and was named Our lady of Perpetual Help by the first teacher, Kathleen
Duffenais (nee MacDonald). There was also a school built in Black Duck Brook in 1945 and the first
teacher to teach there was Marianne Maher. Another school was also built at Long Point during this
same time frame. Many of the children who went to these schools, especially in the earlier years,
could only speak and understand French but were taught in English only and were punished for
speaking in their native tongue in school. These one-room schools closed in 1966 and children were
then bussed to the school in Lourdes.

Father Adolphe Pineault was the first Parish Priest of the new Parish which also encompassed the
communities of Black Duck Brook, Winter Houses and Long Point. This new Parish was named Our
Lady of Lourdes Parish by Rev. Pineault and during his tenure between 1912 – 1928, he referred to
Winter Houses as St. Denis To date, Father Pineault is the only French priest to have served in this
Parish.

THE STATUE – OUR LADY OF FATIMA

In the Spring of 1951, Father Ronald Jones (Our lady of Lourdes Parish Priest) had the statue of Our
Lady of Fatima brought from house to house on a hand-barrow (a stretcher type carrier with two
handles on each end), carried by two men of the community. A procession followed them and people
would throw flowers in its path to show their respect and their Faith in the Blessed Mother. The
statue stayed in each house for 24 hours and while there, the occupants and neighbours said the
Rosary hourly, beginning at 6:00 PM. From one community to the next the statue would be brought
by horse and wagon or by boat. It is told that when it was time to bring the statue to Fox Island River,
it was placed in one of the fishing boats and several other fishing boats followed in a procession.
After this event, many people of the communities made a pledge to say the Rosary at least once a
day for the rest of their lives and there are people still keeping that promise to this day.

Submitted by: Diane White