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The parents of John Mockler immigrated to Pictou County
from Cashel, Ireland, in the early 1810's. John's father was a cooper by
trade, and possibly worked at shipbuilding also. Born in 1809 at Brule,
John settled in river John in the mid 1830's, opened a store, and in 1844
bought land on River John's west side, suitable for the setting up of a
shipyard. He launched only ten vessels from that location, before moving
his yard to Brule in 1855 and continuing to build a significant number
of vessels there. He had four sons, all of whom became sea captains, and
one a shipbuilder also. Patrick Mockler sailed for forty years in either
his father's ships, or in those he built himself either at Brule or at
Port Philip. He died unmarried in 1930, after becoming a substantial benefactor
to St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish.
(Compiled by Sarah Hockin) |
