Dartmouth Patriot, 11 May 1901 Edition
HISTORY OF McNAB'S ISLAND
It Was Granted to the Cornwallis Brothers
in 1752 and Named After Them
(Series of Articles by H.W. HEWITT)
No. 2
The island had now left the hands of the Cornwallis brothers. About 1773 Joseph Peters advertises for sale in the "Gazette" for ú1000 stg. Cornwallis Island.
A wreck must have occurred at Thrum Cap about 1789, for in that year the following advertisement appeared in the "Royal Gazette." "Information for masters of vessels. The Blockhouse on Citadel Hill, which was a conspicuous object, is removed, having been in a ruinous condition. The flag and signal staffs remain. "The hulk of the large ship, sometime since stranded at the back of Thrum Cap, was beaten to pieces in the last gale."
We find mention of a house of entertainment on the island in 1798, kept by Mary Roubalet. It was used for tea parties in the summer. It bore the high sounding name "The Mansion House."
Perhaps I cannot do better than insert here a few facts concerning the settlers on the island after its sale by Joseph Peters.
A very interesting character is Jacob Horn, Sr., whose life will be more fully described in connection with the early settlers of Eastern Passage. He was a German who had fought under Wolfe at Quebec. After the conclusion of the war he came to Halifax. On applying for a grant of land he was given a choice between McNab's Island and a large grant on the eastern mainland. He chose the island and built on it a log house. Peter McNab later on remodelled the house and made a frame house of it. While tenanted by one Wamboldt it was accidently burned to the ground on Xmas day over 30 years ago. It stood near the willow tree by the master gunner's quarters. Its beams of black spruce were 16 inches square. But to return to Jacob Horn. He found the island inconvenient, on account of the difficulty experienced in getting cattle and produce off the island. He therefore gave up his possessions at McNab's Island and received a grant on the mainland, where many of his descendants now live.
The island now passed into the hands of Peter McNab. He owned the whole island and was locally known as "Governor" McNab. I have heard it stated that his father was coxswain to Governor Cornwallis. This would account for his receiving the island. A man named Murphy at that time operated a brickyard on Green Hill. Murphy's decendants, I believe, still manufacture brick at Chezzetcook.
From the assessment list of 1793 I have compiled the following list of contemporaries of "Governor" McNab. He is included in the list.
Peter McNab, Jr., farmer, was the owner of 2 horses, 12 cows, 200 sheep. Thomas Fraser, farmer, kept 3 cows. James Peters, farmer, kept 1 cow. James McNab, farmer, had 1 horse and 4 cows. ____________ Hawthorne, Jr., farmer owned 4 cows. Henry Kuhn, farmer, had 1 horse and 4 cows. This makes 6 farmers, who owned among them 4 horses, 28 cows and 200 sheep. Beside the farmers the island was the home of the following labourers:- David McGarth, Beriah Rice, George Ray, William Cooper, John McNab, John Watts (not the hymn writer), Henry Kuhn, Jr.With their families the population of the island at that time was probably about 50.
I will refer briefly to but one or two of these men.
I find Peter McNab's name on the list of Grand Jurors at the session which dealt with the impressment of several Lunenburg coasters by naval officers. This was in 1781.
Again, I find his name as one of the cattle judges at the Exhibition of September, 1820, on Camp Hill, Halifax.
His two sons were named James and Peter. James McNab was appointed to the council in September, 1840. He was Receiver General for Nova Scotia in 1862.
Of the other settlers Thomas Fraser deserves mention as the first tenant under "Governor" McNab. He had been a soldier and had fought at Culloden in 1746. When the discharge of soldiers took place Fraser came out to Halifax. He died at the age of 103 years. Mr. John Cooney of Eastern Passage has a pair of fire tongs which once belonged to him. The age of the tongs is about that of the City of Halifax.
______________ Hawthorne; if I mistake not, was father-in-law to the grandfather of Mr. John Bissett of Cole Harbour. He first lived on Green Hill but moved to the point at one time called from him Hawthorne's Point but now bearing the name Harrigan's Point.
(To be Continued.)