Newsletter - September 2001

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September 17, 2001
South Shore Genealogical Society PO Box 901 68 Bluenose Drive Lunenburg NS B0J 2C0 Phone : 1-902-634-4794 Ext. 26 ssgsoc@hotmail.com www.rootsweb.com/~nslssgs September & October Office Hours: Monday to Friday 1:00 - 4:00 PM and Wednesday & Thursday 6:30 to 9:00 PM Zellers - Club Z#: 840345301

Meeting Notice

September 17, 2001 in the Society Room of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic at 7:30 pm.

Thank you to our summer student, Ryan Joudrey, who had a lot to learn in order to assist our members. Best wishes as you return to University.

A New Microfilm Reader

The SSGS purchased a new microfilm reader. It is a Gideon 1000, fully motorized, 3 speed film, motorized scan control, push-button speed control (no cranking required), easy to operate. Donations to assist in the purchase will be gratefully accepted..

Office Sitters

Once again another plea for Office Sitters to keep the SSGS open from 1-4 PM for the months of September and October, while the museum is open. Please call 634-4794 Ext. 26.

Fall Workshop

September 15, 2001 - 2:00 - 4:00 PM at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in the Education Centre.
"Eighteenth Century German Jurisdictions: How They Affected your Genealogical Research" with Terrence M. Punch, DLitt., CG(c) - author, historian and genealogist. The workshop is open to members as well as the public. Free (donation accepted).

2003 Indexing of Vital Statistics Project

Anne Brown joined Heather Stoddard in working on the project to index vital statistics from newspapers in Lunenburg Co. There are currently 7,500 plus entries completed which include all newspapers prior to 1900. This worked out to 250 pages in the given format. Proof reading is in progress. Volunteers required

Post 1901 Canadian Census
...Committee Hearings on Bill S-12
Gordon Watts received a message from the Office of Senator Lorna Milne. The purpose of the message was to advise that the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has tentatively scheduled hearings on Senator Milne's Bill S-12 for either 19 or 20 September 2001. "Senator Milne has asked that I appear before the committee to testify in support of Bill S-12. Bill S-12 is identical to MP Murray Calder's Bill C-312 [which died on the order paper when a federal election was called] and, if passed by the Senate and the House of Commons without significant change, would satisfy our concerns for public access to Post 1901 Census Records.
It expressly authorizes the transfer of all census records from Statistics Canada to the National Archives of Canada for permanent safekeeping. It gives access to the records to genealogists and other researchers 92 years after the census, subject to a privacy right it creates that allows individuals to object to the disclosure of personal information in the census records.

In a Reminiscent Mood
...Bridgewater Bulletin, Dec. 16, 1970
As a followup of the speech of Robert Dawson of 1909, I am going to give a review of a school story I wrote (Bridgewater Bulletin January 10, 1962). Mr. Dawson ended his speech with a building of the school house on Pleasant Street.
I can in no way, from memory, or do not intend to investigate the records of this school from 1866 to 1892 but I can give you a description of that building as I found it in 1892, teachers etc. 1892 to 1904.
Again referring to Mr. Dawson's speech regarding teachers of the old school of King Street, he mentioned that five of the teachers came from Queens County. To this we may add four more, namely Augustus Freeman (mentioned by Mr. Dawson), Rupert Morton (in my memory - approx. 1893 to 1904), another Mr. Freeman during my sojourn in Europe and Mr. Mack for a few years before World War I, who enlisted in the 219th and came to us in France. Mr. Mack was also from Queens County. Here, I might also mention that on leaving Bridgewater, Mr. Morton became Inspector for Queens and Lunenburg Counties, a position he held until his retirement.
I would like to review the old schools, some of which Mr. Dawson had not mentioned. On the east side of the river, the first building used as a school was a small building between LaHave Street and River, well north, later used for many years as a shoe repair shop.
Second school house was the first house across the track going north on LaHave Street - later the William Walsh home, and the third was a real school house on Aberdeen Street - now a residence, I believe 114 Aberdeen Street.
At the South end of town, known as the 'Ship Yard' in my school days, there was a two-room school, although Allison Zwicker told me only one room was ever used. The teachers, during his school days, were Miss Beatrice Keddy, Miss Myra Manning and Miss Mary Logan.
Also in my school days, there were schools at Riverview and St. Phillips. I do not know if they are used now or not. After reaching a certain grade all came to the central schools.
There was a finished room over what is now Sweeny's Undertaking Parlors where a school used to be held and, as Mr. Dawson stated, school was at one time held in the old Baptist Church - "The Lord's Barn" - when it was owned by a combination of churches. Also school was held in a certain small building on main King Street. These were iun the very, very old days.

Restoration of the Bayview Cemetery
The Bayview Cemetery is on a hillside overlooking the innermost reaches of Mahone Bay.
During the latter part of the 18th century it was a Mi'kmaq burial ground. Centuries of wear has taken its toll on many headstones and recently work has begun on the restoration of several of the older grave markers.
Heather Lawson, stone mason, is trying to level some of the old ones that are in danger of falling, re-affixing stones that are broken in two and applying some preventative measures on some of the older stones. Ms. Lawson, who is from Bass River NS, has been doing restoration and masonry work for over 15 years. She has done work at Fort Ann, Camp Hill, Fort Beauséjour, Province House and more.
Ivey Ernst, president of the cemetery corporation, attended a workshop in Lunenburg held in November 1999 as a project of the SSGS, Town of Lunenburg and the NS Dept. of Tourism & Culture. Ms. Lawson did an on-site demonstration at that workshop and Ms. Ernst contacted her.
Thanks to a generous donation by one of the corporation's members and a grant received from the Heritage & Tourism Department, they were able to commission Ms. Lawson to repair a number of stones.
Phase one of the project will see about 60 stones given a new lease on life. While the project has initially gone well, the future preservation of the cemetery is anything but carved in stone.
It is hoped that donations will be forthcoming from the numerous descendants of those buried in the Bayview Cemetery. Anyone wishing to contribute to the preservation of the burial grounds may make donations through the St. James Anglican Church, Mahone Bay NS B0J 2E0 - in c/o the Bayview Cemetery.

Bell's Register
...from Chris Young
While writing his book "The Foreign Protestants and the Settlement of Nova Scotia", and for several years after, Winthrop Bell amassed a great deal of information on the nearly 2,700 individuals who sailed from Rotterdam, Holland, for Halifax. These he organized into about 700 family records covering roughly 1749-1770. This is a most valuable source of genealogical information. Dr. Bell passed away in 1965 before he was able to finish the work and perhaps have them published.
This work has come to be called "Bell's Notes". However he referred to them as Registers and we will henceforth refer to them as "Bell's Registers".
In a letter written 5 days before he died, he indicated that the unfinished research notes were to go to the Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management (NSARM) - formerly known as the Public Archives of Nova Scotia (PANS) in Halifax. They indeed were transferred to NSARM, where they remain today. The only access to these Registers is via a few microfilm versions held at NSARM, the South Shore Genealogical Society in Lunenburg, the Family History Centre in Bridgewater and perhaps elsewhere.
Many months ago, Tom Giammo explained how he had been trying for years to get these notes published. One major road block was determining who held copyright. Although NSARM was the custodian, they didn't hold copyright and was unsure who did.
A little over a year ago, Tom enlisted my assistance and together we eventually determined that Mount Allison University held the copyright. Tom promptly made a proposal to Mount Allison that he be given permission to publish Bell's Register.
Because of delays in getting a definitive response, Tom eventually withdrew his offer. I then contacted Mount Allison (my alma mater) with the same offer.
I am pleased to report that this past week, I signed an agreement with Mount Allison that allows me the sole and exclusive right to be the publisher of "Bell's Register".
Under the terms:
1. The book must be out by early August 2002;
2. It will be a facsimile version, i.e. in his own handwriting (quite readable);
3. It is to be priced on a cost recovery basis;
4. There is an option to have a CD-ROM version available in time for Lunenburg's 250th anniversary in 2003;
5. A web-based version is not permitted.
Representatives of the Bell family have been consulted and they are in enthusiastic agreement with having the fruit of their great uncle's research published in this way. (Bell had no children of his own.)
About a year ago, some 100 of you expressed an interest in purchasing a copy of Bell's Register, should it become available. Since a limited press run is planned, I need to know potential sales. This may also influence how his copy is technically converted to your copy.
If you are interested, please let me know privately by email thewiz@sentex.net with the subject line "BELL'S REGISTER INTEREST"

Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management
A New Look! - The public areas are sporting a new look. In the main lobby, the PANS CAP Site is in place and operational - three Dell workstations, scanner, printer and some specialized software, including Family TreeMaker 8.0. Another feature of the CAP site is three online resource guides, leading to authoritative web sites for genealogical and historical research, and for vacation planning in Nova Scotia. A new reception-registration desk is also in place, in a new location facing the main entrance.
Upstairs, there are now 3 OPAC terminals in place, to encourage use of our on-line finding aids and resources; plus two microfilm readers on order, bringing the total count to 32 readers and four reader-printers. And, finally, there are 96 new chairs in the two Public Reading Rooms, to replace those wonderful old orange ones, also 20 years old, which have caused more than one backache over the last two decades.

Rafuse Genealogy
Presently correcting Rafuse Book with help of computer (am a novice). Hopefully will be available mid-2002. Will keep list for copies. Audrie Mahon, 1350 Oxford Street #202, Halifax NS B3H 3Y8. Email: amahon@auracom.com.

Events
September 15, 2001 - 2:00-4:00 PM. "Eighteenth Century German Jurisdictions" with Terrence M. Punch, DLitt, CG(c). See above for details.
November 19, 2001 - 7:30-9:30 PM at the SSGS regular meeting in the society room, Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. "How to Identify and Care for Family Heirlooms" with Don Wilson, Antique Consultant/Owner of Chiselworks, Lunenburg. Don Wilson will offer advice on dates, manafacturers, identifying features and care of your antique treasures. SSGS' very own Antique Road Show © ! Only one item per person and no large pieces of furniture. Restricted to SSGS members only, this time.

Websites
http://www.alts.net/ns1625/nshist11.html
History of Nova Scotia with special attention given to Communications and Transportation January 1, 1920 to December 31, 1939. Links to other chapters.
When I was travelling on a coach tour in England with my mother, in the 80's, we were talking to people from Australia who questioned when Canada changed to drive on the left side. Without a blink, my mother said it was changed around 1922/23. I had never thought about it! It brought back happy memories when I read the following at this site: "The rule of the road changed, in Nova Scotia. After this day, 1923 April 15, all drivers keep to the right-hand side of the road."

Queries
McCormick, Joseph - Any information on Joseph McCormick, master cabinetmaker of Halifax, whose daughter Elizabeth Eleanor McCormick married John George Frederick Dares, Jr. February 20, 1816 at Halifax - birthdate, parents, first wife, death date?? He married Anna Maria Earle October 29, 1821 at Halifax NS. Cherene Naugler, RR#2, Lunenburg NS B0J 2C0. (902)634-4185 or email: cnaugler@tallships.ca

Letters from Mahone Bay
A new book "Letters from Mahone Bay", documents letters, illustrations and photographs of Canon Ned Harris. Ned Harris came to Mahone Bay in 1884 as minister of St. James Church. His grandson, Robert Tuck of Charlottetown, has produced this interesting 220 page book. Mr. Tuck is now taking orders for the publication and will bill at a later date.
The cost will be $15.00 plus postage. Mr. Tuck will be speaking at St. James Church on Sunday, September 23, 2001, when the book will be launched. For more information, contact Maplewood Books, 90 Maplewood Crescent, Charlottetown PE C1A 2X6, or email: rtuck@isn.net.

Smile
Bridgewater Bulletin August 26, 1913
A man named Weazel or Wessell, whilst intoxicated, ran up and down on King Street, Bridgewater, one day last week, at a great speed. He should have been arrested. Even now it is not too late to get after him. (We wonder what was the name of the brand of liquor he consumed to give him the speed).
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