The Reverend Sylvain Ephrem Poirier was born about 1802 at a location known to the Acadians as "
The Green". A group of Acadians had been living on rented land at Malpeque and, when the landowner threatened to raise their rents this "
prompted the Acadian founders of Tignish to move from Malpeque by boat in October 1799, some 60 miles along the shore to found a new settlement". The location of their new settlement, known as "
The Green", isn't specified in any texts we've found. It appears to be on the northeast coast of PEI, not far north of Tignish. The only indication of a settlement left at "
The Green" is the Pioneer Acadian Cemetery, its location still unknown to the writer. The nearest likely cemetery we know of is St. Jude's Point Cemetery, on the bay north of Tignish Harbour, inland from the coast at 46.958036, -64.007249, about two kilometres east-northeast of Tignish.
Two other brother-founders, Basile and Pierre Poirier, were married to Tharsile Bernard and Marie Chiasson respectively. Pierre and Marie were the parents of the
first Acadian priest of Prince Edward Island, born at the old settlement at "The Green" in 1802. He was the Reverend Sylvain-Ephrem Poirier (Perrey). Pierre was nicknamed "Grand Couette". The sobriquet somces from the French word 'cou' meaning 'neck'. Pierre had a long bushy tuft of hair which he tied together like a braid at the back of his neck.
From the Island Register
In the early 1800s another Acadian group from Lot 17 (St. Eleanor's) migrated to Egmont Bay, establishing St. Philippe & St. Jacques Parish and erecting several churches over the years, the last of which still stands along Highway 11 about 350 metres east of the cemetery.
After becoming a Catholic priest, Father Poirier administered to the spiritual needs of the faithful at Cascumpec, Egmont Bay, Mont-Carmel and Miscouche. Though a text indicates that he was the spiritual leader at "
The Green" from 1828 until 1843, the Latin text on his headstone appears to indicate that he administered his faith for 55 years. The fact that he is buried at St. Philippe & St. Jacques Cemetery indicates to us that he continued as a priest after leaving "
The Green" and that this parish was his final charge.
Following is the Latin text from the Reverend's headstone, accompanied by the (very rough) English translation.
Memoriao
Rev. Syl. E. Poirier
Patri
In hac diocesi
Cantus Gregoriani
Qui omnibus canus
zeloque plenus
Pie in Domino obiit
DIE III AUG.
A.D.MDLXXXVII
Vitae sacerdotalis LV
Et aetatis LXXXVII
Hoc positum
Virtuti vixil
Memoria vivil
Gloria vivet
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Memorial
Rev. Syl. E. Poirier
Father
In this diocese
Gregorian chant
They all aging
full of zeal
Pie in the Lord died
DAY 3 AUG.
A.D.MDLXXXVII
Priestly life 55
And at age 87
this set
virtue vixil
memory vivil
glory live
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