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Biography
Private Alexander Joseph MacDonald was born March 16, 1898 in Frasers Mills, Antigonish county. He was the son of John Lachie MacDonald and Mary MacDonald. His brothers, Angus and Peter also served in the First World War.
Prior to enlistment MacDonald was a dental student at Saint Francis Xavier University. MacDonald enlisted April 24, 1918 with the Canadian Army Dental corps of the Nova Scotia 1st Depot Battalion. MacDonald was discharged December 4, 1918 by the reason of being a student.
After the war, MacDonald studied dentistry at Dalhousie University and when this did not suite him he taught school in the Antigonish area. MacDonald then moved to Toronto in 1925 and studied theology at St. Augustine’s Seminary, Toronto where he was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest of the Diocese of Antigonish in 1929. Over his career, Father MacDonald worked as a priest at St. Columba parish, Iona; St. Joseph’s parish, Port Hawkesbury; St. Francis-de-Sales parish, Lower River Inhabitants; St. James parish, Gardiner Mines and St. Lawrence parish, Mulgrave. Parishioners and communities would refer to him as Father Alex “the devil” MacDonald. It is said that Alexander Joseph MacDonald first received this nickname while working as a type setter at the Antigonish Casket printing shop as a youth. MacDonald retired May 1967 and died November 22, 1971 in Lower South River, Antigonish county.
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