Approximately one year from now the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia border area will be playing host to people from all parts of North America and beyond. They will be attending a celebration marking the arrival, more than two centuries ago, of some seventy families from Yorkshire, England. The latter emigrated to the Isthmus of Chignecto during the years 1772–1775.

For over a year, a Yorkshire 2000 Local Arrangements Committee has been at work planning events to commemorate this historic milestone. Appropriately, it’s chair is Sackville’s Al Smith, a direct descendant of an early Yorkshire settler, Nathaniel Smith (17201791). Also included on the committee are representatives from a number of other first families. The key dates for the event, August 3–10, 2000, should be red circled on everyone’s calendar!

Another direct Yorkshire descendant was Amherst author Will R. Bird (1891–1984). Unfortunately, Bird’s award-winning novels and short stories are seldom read today. This is especially regretable, because they reveal, as no other medium, the life and times of these early settlers. Flashback readers are urged to seek out Bird’s books; for there is no better way to prepare for Yorkshire 2000. Although now out of print, copies may be found in local libraries. Also, check out used book stores and auctions. I have found several of his novels and collections of short stories in this way.

In one of Will R. Bird’s most important novels, Here Stays Good Yorkshire, a character, Asa Crabtree, participates in an act of great symbolism. The day before sailing from Scarborough for Nova Scotia in March of 1772, Crabtree found a sunny corner of his garden free of frost and there filled an old leather sack with soft earth. He would take some of Yorkshire with him so that he could always see and touch it.

Like all emigrants who leave their homeland knowing they will never return, the Yorkshire settlers were sad and disconsolate. But their sorrow was tempered by a sense of hope and determination. These prospective settlers were hardworking men and women; excellent farmers and skilled artisans. They were emigrating not by chance or forced circumstances, but by choice.

During the long trans-Atlantic voyage a printed handbill was passed around to be read and reread by the Yorkshire emigrants. It began: Desirable farmland to be had consisting of marshlands and upland of great fertility, mostly cleared, along with some excellent wooded land…

Gazing westward over the seemingly never ending Atlantic they pictured a new life. There would be an opportunity to own one’s own property instead of renting at unreasonable rates; to farm and ply an honest trade; to hold religious beliefs without fear of reprisal; to live and let live in peace and harmony. For once, the land agent’s hype was basically correct and in short order the Yorkshire settlers were involved in mastering their new environment.

The main group purchased farms on the Chignecto Isthmus, while others took up land beyond Amherst; especially along the fertile Nappan, Maccan and Philip Rivers. A few settled elsewhere, in Newport and Granville Townships in the Annapolis Valley. Still later, in the early 1800s, a second but smaller migration, found new homes at York on Prince Edward Island.

In the years between the 1755 Acadian expulsion and the newcomers arrival in the 1770s, much of the Chignecto territory was occupied by New England Planters. Those who were true planters or farmers succeeded; however, a number were uninterested in the land, and quickly became disenchanted. Many seized the opportunity and sold their farms, at bargain prices, to the canny newcomers. It is worth noting that in letters back home the Yorkshire settlers did not conceal their disdain of the New Englanders; calling them lazy and indolent.

More important, within months rather than years, the Yorkshire settlers became embroiled in serious conflict with some of their neighbors. The New England Planters were in regular communication with their families and friends in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. By the early 1770’s the storm clouds of revolution were gathering and the question on everyone’s lips was simply: Would Nova Scotia be the fourteenth colony to rebel? (The separate colony of New Brunswick would not be created until after the Revolution).

Certainly the two local MLA’s, New Englander Jonathan Eddy (1726–1804) and Scotsman John Allan (1746–1805) thought it should; and gave active leadership to the revolutionary cause. The Eddy Rebellion was a complex event and has already been mentioned in several Flashbacks. At this stage it will be sufficient to record that Eddy and his Sons of Liberty were unsuccessful in mounting an all out rebellion on the Tantramar.

At first, the New Englanders thought that the revolutionary cause would appeal to the non-conformist Yorkshire settlers. Not so. When they compared their former life in England with the many opportunities on the Chignecto, they were content. As another of Bird’s fictional Yorkshiremen, Adam Chipley, explained when urged to support the revolutionary cause: We’re from Yorkshire and have paid in a year more taxes than you do in ten, and no talk against it. You have a bluster over threepence on tea and nothing else You’re tempting Providence when you try to stir up trouble in a land the Lord has so richly blessed.

In 1927 The Historic Sites and Monument Board of Canada erected a monument on the grounds of Fort Beausjour marking the role of the Yorkshire settlers in the revolutionary conflict. Most historians are in agreement that their loyalty was an important contributing factor in the British retention of the fourteenth colony Nova Scotia.

But beyond their pivotal role in the events of 1774–75 the Yorkshire settlers were destined to leave a longer imprint on the Tantramar region. Tangible traces of Yorkshire influence may be seen in areas such as: agriculture; religion and education. Part II of Here Stays Good Yorkshire will explore these topics. Look for it on August 11th.

Looking back on the Yorkshire migration of the 1770s, two personal characteristics stand out: adaptability and resourcefulness. The new settlers recognized the economic potential of the fertile marshlands and immediately repaired damaged dykes and aboiteaux. Very quickly the marshes were restored to their former state of fertility. Not content with the status quo, they immediately began to reclaim additional land, and to improve existing farmland by crop rotation.

Beyond their stewardship of the land; an interest in animal husbandry was apparent, as they sought new breeds of livestock to improve their herds of cattle. Many were skilled carpenters and artisans; and soon the wooded uplands echoed to the sound of Yorkshire axes and saws as they went about obtaining lumber to build homes, barns, outbuildings and chapels.

Many families might be cited as examples of the Yorkshire heritage in agriculture; however for sheer longevity few can equal the Truemans of Point de Bute. For more than two centuries and eight successive generations, this family has farmed the same land. Recently, it was my privilege to interview Howard Trueman who told me with understandable pride: The farm has always been in the Trueman name, and the line of direct descent goes back to William Trueman, who came over from Yorkshire in 1775. At age 91, Howard is a true inheritor of the Yorkshireman’s kinship with the land.

Prospect Farm is considerably larger today than the parcel of land purchased on September 8, 1775 by his ancestor, William Trueman. It began with 80 acres of upland and 54 acres of Tantramar marshland. Today the Trueman farm, operated by Howard’s sons, George and Ronald, consists of more than 1,000 acres. He also drew my attention to some Yorkshire heirlooms including a clock brought out in 1775 by the founder of Prospect farm. It’s maker was Robert Henderson, of Scarborough. A more recent acquisition is a painting by Terence Moorehead, his son-in-law; depicting Helm House, ancestral home of the Trueman family in Helmsley, Bilsdale, Yorkshire.

The Yorkshire settlers brought with them more than an interest in the land. They were, for the most part, staunch Methodists and succeeded in establishing two early Methodist chapels; at Point de Bute (1788) and Middle Sackville (1790). The history of Chignecto Methodism has been well told by Dr. Peter Penner and Dr. Eldon Hay among others. Readers interested in more detail are encouraged to seek out their writings.

Some idea of the religious fervor displayed by the Yorkshire settlers is conveyed in a series of letters from Nathaniel Smith (1720–1791) to relatives back home. Writing in 1779 he compared Methodism to a spark of fire cast into the bushes, which for awhile smud’gd at the bottom, but at last broke into a flame.

Smith also reported: We have two or three meetings every week and three every Lord’s day. The settlers come ten, fifteen or more miles to meetings We now have seven or eight able exhorters [lay preachers] and one preacher, a son of Mr. Black from near Huddersfield, a sensible young man He preaches good old Methodist doctrine and the Lord owns his ministry. This was a reference to Rev. William Black (1760–1834) whose long career as an itinerant preacher earned him the title: founder of Methodism in the Maritime Provinces.

One of the most important Methodist/Yorkshire legacies was in the field of education. All religious denominations struggled to establish a native ministry; however, this could not happen without educational institutions. In 1839 a wealthy merchant, Charles Frederick Allison, proposed the founding of an academy under Methodist auspices in Sackville.

Later Allison confided: The Lord has put into my heart to give financial aid toward building a Methodist Academy. I know the impression is from the Lord as I am naturally fond of money. Over time the Academy was to evolve into Mount Allison University. It is worth noting that if the Yorkshire migration had not taken place; this institution would, in all probability, never have been founded. The University’s early link with Methodism is remembered in Centennial Hall, first opened in 1884, to mark the 100th anniversary of the beginning of Rev. William Black’s ministry.

During the course of my interview with Howard Trueman he mentioned that three members of the family had followed careers in university administration. Dr. John Trueman served as principal of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College; while his son Dr. Albert W. Trueman was president, of the University of New Brunswick, and later the University of Manitoba. Lastly, Dr. George J. Trueman was, for an incredible 22 years from 1923 to 1945, the president of Mount Allison University. During Trueman’s final convocation he laid the cornerstone of the university residence that honors his name.

It’s a long way back to Will R. Bird’s fictional Asa Crabtree and his desire to take something from home to forever remind him that Here Stays Good Yorkshire. Because of their adaptability and resourcefulness the 21st century descendants of these eighteenth century pioneers can be proud of their heritage. Most assuredly, Good Yorkshire will always remain on the Tantramar.

In this Flashback, I have used the Trueman family as one example of this living legacy. It is significant that I might well have selected almost any other of the original Yorkshire families to tell a similar story. There will be much to celebrate in August 2000!

In recent weeks people around the world have been gripped by the crash of Swissair Flight 111 into the Atlantic Ocean off Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. Sadly, in the late twentieth century tragedies involving aircraft have become all too common.

Although the Tantramar region has never experienced such a massive catastrophe, it has had, on a smaller scale, a number of travel related accidents. One of these occurred near Aulac, on Sept. 23, 1913.

A headline in the Moncton Daily Times on Sept. 24 summarized what happened: Four Enginemen Die At Their Posts — One Of The Worst Wrecks In The History Of The Intercolonial It then went on to record the shocking details, from the viewpoint of an on-the-spot reporter, who arrived at Aulac the morning following the wreck. The accident had taken place the previous afternoon, at about 16:30, when two freight trains were involved in a head-on collision.

The location was at a point on the ICR timetable known as Siddall’s Cut, about a mile east of Aulac or about six miles east of Sackville. The collision took place on a curve, and it is estimated that about 20 cars containing freight of every description telescoped some of them piling on top of one another, while others were smashed into splinters.

The reporter continued: On viewing the wreck one would think that the boxcars were made of tissue or other weak material. The strongly built cars, some fortified with steel, were broken into fragments, which gives some idea of the force of the collision.

One train #231, a way freight, was on its way to Moncton and running about two hours late. The other train in the wreck, known as #234, a special from Moncton was bound for Truro. It was also running behind time.

The four immediate fatalities were: engineers Enoch Rushton, Moncton; Frank Lynds, Truro and firemen Byron Colpitts, Moncton and Oscar Hingley of Truro. Two days later the forward brakeman on the Truro bound train, Whitman Banks, died in hospital at Amherst. The other brakeman, Monctonian Robert Sharpe, although badly injured, miraculously survived the ordeal, as did the two conductors, George Armstrong of Moncton and John D. MacDonald from Truro.

A subsequent investigation chaired by coroner Dr J. O. Calkin of Sackville, pinpointed the cause of the accident. The head-on collision was caused by the fact that the crew of Train #231 left Amherst when they should have remained until Train #234 arrived or until they received orders to proceed. In our opinion the accident could have been avoided had the operator at Amherst answered the calls made by the Moncton dispatcher between 15:25 and 16:15 o’clock; or had he reported the departure of Train #231 as he should have done.

One positive note in the tragedy was the speed with which medical assistance arrived from both Sackville and Amherst. In addition, two wrecking trains, were immediately on their way from Moncton and Truro. Their early arrival was especially fortunate as one of the overturned cars contained explosives, raising the danger of fire and an even greater conflagration. In less than two days, traffic on the main Intercolonial line resumed.

Not surprisingly, in the days that followed, all local newspapers, including the Sackville Tribune, gave front page coverage to the accident. In a strongly worded editorial the Amherst Daily News called for doubletracking the Intercolonial Railway.

While it was clear that human error was a factor in the calamity unusually heavy rail traffic also played a part. The editorial concluded: The money that is lost by such disasters as occurred at Aulac, would go a long way toward paying the interest on the investment of doubletracking.

Unfortunately, the tragedy at Aulac was not the only such incident on the Intercolonial or its successor rail lines. I would be pleased to hear from anyone who may be able to provide information concerning other railway related stories that may be of interest to Flashback readers.

In recent weeks CFB Gagetown has become a temporary home for hundreds of Kosovars escaping from the war-torn Balkans. Over the years, Hungarians fleeing Communist oppression, displaced Vietnamese Boat People, and victims of religious and political conflict in Latin America have all found sanctuary in this province. But by far the largest number of displaced people seeking refuge here, came in the late 18th century, as a result of the American Revolution.

Unlike the Yorkshire emigrants, profiled in the last two Tantrama Flashbacks, the Loyalists, as they became known, were literally forced to leave home and country. Because of their unwillingness to support independence for the colonies, they were subjected to intimidation, and in some cases torture. Many had their properties confiscated and homes burned. The prevailing mood toward the Loyalists was conveyed in a contemporary cartoon which depicted them as persons with their heads in England, their feet in America and whose necks ought to be stretched.

Because of a close proximity to Boston and New York, Saint John and the St. John River valley became a natural haven for many Loyalists. In settling here in numbers, they were directly responsible for the creation, in 1784, of a separate province, New Brunswick. A small number of Loyalists found homes on the Tantramar. Among them was the Etter family who came by way of Halifax.

On Aug. 1, 1999 an Etter Reunion was held at Fort Beausjour and St. Mark’s Church Hall in Mount Whatley. The Etter connection with this area may be traced as far back as 1776 when Peter Etter II (1751–93) served in the Royal Fencible American Regiment during the quelling of the Eddy Rebellion.

Loyalist Peter Etter left the army about 1781 and for the next six years was a silversmith and watchmaker in Halifax. During this period he married Letitia Patton (1758–92), a native of Westmorland Parish, and together with their young son Peter Etter III (1787–1873), the family moved to open a similar business in the shadow of Fort Cumberland. Peter Etter’s Halifax store was taken over by his younger brother, Benjamin (1763–1827), who went on to achieve considerable fame as a silversmith.

Those acquainted with local geography will know that a section of land east of Fort Beausjour is known as Etter Ridge. Several members of the Etter family settled there, giving rise to the name. As recently as the early 20th century there were at least six farms along the Etter Ridge Road occupied by descendants of Peter Etter II. A stone house, built by Peter Etter III in 1832, is clearly visible from the Trans-Canada Highway. It was opened to members of the family during the course of their 1999 reunion by its present owner, Nancy Baughan.

Back to the Loyalist credentials of Peter Etter II. His father, Peter Etter I (1715–1794) a native of Switzerland, had settled along with other members of the family, first in Pennsylvania and later in Massachusetts. One of their earliest acts, upon arrival in America, was to take an oath of allegiance to the crown, thus qualifying them for British citizenship.

The senior Peter Etter was a stocking weaver by trade and eventually established a successful business in Braintree, Massachusetts. In January 1775, because of his unwillingness to support the revolutionary cause, the family was forced to flee to Boston. The following March the British evacuated the city and the Etters sailed for Halifax, arriving on March 17, 1776.

Some idea of the financial losses incurred by Loyalist families can be found in submissions presented to a commission established by the British government to deal with this problem. The question to be decided was complex. Were the losses the result of war, which affected both sides equally; or were they directly related to the fact that an individual had chosen to assert his or her loyalty to the crown?

When the Commission held hearings in Halifax presentations were made jointly by Peter Etter I and II. The senior Etter forcefully argued that When the troubles broke out he took the King’s part and advised his neighbors to do the same. Thereupon he and his family were forced to flee for their lives. His factory and all assets were confiscated by one of his journeymen a supporter of the revolutionary cause. Overall, he estimated his losses to be just over 1,000 sterling.

Peter Etter II testified that he was personally mobbed and was obliged to go to Boston on account of his loyalty. He also explained that just prior to their leaving Boston at the time of evacuation, when things were in disorder the family had four trunks stolen from the wharf. These containing their clothing, linen and various articles worth 100. Thus the Etter family arrived in Halifax with the clothes on their backs and little else.

Because of the hundreds of such financial claims, the British government was unable to cover all losses sustained by the Loyalists. In the end, the Etter family had to be satisfied with a settlement of 75. sterling. In fairness it must be pointed out that the Loyalists received other forms of aid. They were supplied with full rations for the first year, two-thirds for the second and one-third for the following year. In the case of the Etter family lands in Westmorland Parish and elsewhere were allocated to them.

Looking back, difficult though their financial plight might have been, the psychological wounds were even greater. The revolution divided, as no other event, families, friends and associates. While many Loyalists eventually made peace with those they left behind, the scars were slow to heal. To their credit, most Loyalists did not wallow in self pity, but rather looked to the future, determined to etch out new lives under the British flag. They were true survivors and destiny was to give them a key role in the growth and development of the remaining British North American colonies.

A final postscript on the Etter family. Peter Etter senior remained in Halifax for the rest of his life. For several years he was employed as a messenger in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. His son Benjamin, was soon well established in business in Halifax. Another son, Franklin, received a grant of land in the Chester area. He settled there following the Revolution, establishing a separate branch of the Etter dynasty. Meanwhile, Peter Etter II, his wife and family remained in Westmorland Parish. Unfortunately, on December 26, 1793 while returning from a trip to Boston, his ship sank off Brier Island in the Bay of Fundy. All on board were lost.

Special thanks are extended to Marion Wells for her assistance with this Flashback. Acknowledgement is also made to David Etter of Bedford, NS. His comprehensive genealogy of the Etter family is a model for all family historians.

Each summer the Tantramar region welcomes tourists from far and near. They come for a variety of reasons and sometimes their visits are unscheduled. Numbered among the latter are tourists who become lost.

Recently, while walking down York Street, I was startled by an oversized black sedan travelling at breakneck speed. Bearing New Jersey number plates, it came to an abrupt halt just beyond the Mount Allison Gym. As I approached, the tinted automatic window rolled down and the driver called out: Say Buddy, can you direct us to 90 Jubilee Lane?

Me: Sorry, I’m certain there is no such street in Sackville.

She: Oh yes! there is, chirped his companion. We’ve been in touch by mail with Cousin Arthur, so we know it’s the correct address.

Me: (Trying to be helpful, while sensing danger) A few years ago, I encountered folks in your situation. It turned out that they were in the wrong Sackville. This is Sackville, New Brunswick and they were looking for a street in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. Do you have a highway map?

He: NO! We took the exit from ‘Monk’s Town’ marked ’Sackville, Nova Scotia,’ and that’s where we are!

She: We know we’re in the right place, because we stayed on the same highway until we reached the exit for Sackville. It’s such a pretty town just as Cousin Arthur described it.

Me: Unfortunately, there are two Sackvilles. I can assure you that you’re in Sackville New Brunswick. It’s not very far from the New Brunswick/Nova Scotia border. If you return to the main highway and drive a few kilometres along you’ll see the ’Welcome Nova Scotia’ sign and the provincial tourist bureau. They should have maps of the province and they’ll help you find 90 Jubilee Lane. My guess is that it’s in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia.

He: Look here, Bud I don’t need a map to tell me where I am. I can read signs. Since we’re already in Sackville, Nova Scotia, we’ll just have to find someone who knows this town better than you do. The window closed abruptly and the car roared on, leaving New Jersey tire marks on New Brunswick pavement. My last glimpse was seeing the car run a red light at the intersection of York and Main. Fortunately, there was no cross traffic.

When I reached the post office, I decided to check my hunch. There it was in the Canadian Postal Code Directory: 90 Jubilee Lane, B4E 1H9, in Lower Sackville, NS! I wonder if Cousin Arthur was ever found, or are Mr. and Mrs. New Jersey still lost somewhere on the Tantramar? Any sightings?

Encounters of this sort are rare, since most tourists appreciate travel tips. However, their questions can sometimes lead to the unexpected. In the interest of balance here’s a very different tourist enquiry.

One Sunday morning following church service, David and Diane Fullerton were getting into their car when they were were approached by two visitors seeking information. The Fullertons were asked if they knew of a cemetery in Sackville containing the grave of one Nathan Merrill. If this question was asked of 99.9% of the residents of Sackville, the answer would probably be a polite no. Fortunately, luck was with these tourists.

First, it’s necessary to flashback to 1976. As David tells the story, in that year, the Fullertons were visited by two Mormon missionaries. During the course of the conversation the latter told them that Sackville was of historical importance to their Church, for it was the home of Mariner Wood Merrill, a disciple of Brigham Young (180177). Young was successor to Joseph Smith (180466) founder of the Mormon Church. Subsequently, David was able to substantiate this information through a visit to his great grandmother, Mrs. Seth Campbell (Minnie Richardson) of Westcock. He also discovered that the Merrill family plot was in the Westcock cemetery.

With this earlier contact in mind David, acting on impulse, asked the visitors: Are you folks Mormon? Completely taken aback, they replied yes. David then asked: What is your connection to Mariner Wood Merrill? The visitor replied that he was a great grandson and that the grave site that they were looking for was that of his great great grandfather, M. W. Merrill’s father, Nathan Merrill.

Introductions were now in order. The visitors turned out to be Dr. and Mrs Richard Carlson, of Saratoga, California. Dr. Carlson, an aeronautical consultant, had flown from California to Boston, where he and his wife rented a car to travel to Montreal to attend an aeronautical convention. While in Montreal, the Carlsons decided to vacation in New Brunswick and look for the burial site of his ancestor.

The Fullertons then led the Carlsons to the Westcock cemetery. They, like so many others, were impressed with the location of the cemetery and its panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. Walking about twenty feet into the older section, David turned to the Carlsons and said: I think that this is what you are looking for. The grave of Dr. Carlson’s great great grandfather Nathan Allen Merrill, who died in 1852, had been located!

Once the discovery was made and pictures taken, Dr. Carlson informed the Fullertons that Nathan Merrill had been killed in 1852 when the brace of oxen he was guiding on the dykes became spooked. The cart, together with its driver fell off the edge of the dyke. The story of Mariner, his son, was then recounted. Like so many New Brunswickers, before and since, he emigrated to the United States. Following his conversion to the Mormon faith, he made the trek to Salt Lake City, Utah. There, he became a successful businessman and assisted in the establishment of the Mormon Church. The grave of a progenitor of a founding member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had been found in Westcock cemetery.

Thanks are expressed to David Fullerton for his willingness to share this interesting story. I would be pleased to hear from other Flashback readers who may have tourist encounters to recall. If desired, your identity will not be revealed.

Over the years, southeastern New Brunswick has witnessed a number of royal visits. In the spring of 1939 huge crowds gathered at the Sackville train station to greet the late King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as they neared the end of a memorable rail journey across Canada. The present Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, along with the Duke of Edinburgh stopped in Sackville during their first trip to this country in 1951. More recently, in 1985 as Queen Elizabeth II, she again came to Sackville during New Brunswick’s bicentennial. The setting was MacAulay Field where hundreds gathered to welcome Her Majesty. The Queen greeted dignitaries, signed the guest book, watched local performers and took a brief walkabout. One noteworthy moment occured before she left the Field. A small girl slipped from the crowd to present a yellow rose. It was accepted with the famous regal smile, just as the motorcade left for the Marshlands Inn, and afternoon tea. Once there, according to local legend, a stiff gin and tonic had to be quickly substituted for high tea; however, that is a story for another time.

Later this month, on 25-26 June, the spotlight will be on a visit by the Queen’s daughter, Anne, the Princess Royal. While in Moncton the Princess will attend les Jeux de l’Acadie the Acadian Games and help the 8th Canadian Hussars celebrate their 150th anniversary. She serves as honorary colonel-in-chief of the Hussars, Canada’s oldest armoured regiment. There will be a parade in Centennial Park, the presentation of a new battle standard or guidon to this famous unit and a regimental dinner. To round out the visit, the Princess will attend a church service on 26 June at St. Martin’s-in-the-Woods, Shediac Cape.

This church was built in 1822-23, largely through the effort of one of Shediac’s first English settlers, William Hanington. A native of London, and a member of the famous Fishmonger’s Guild, Hanington acquired a tract of 5,000 acres at Shediac. in 1785. When he left England he was under the impression that his land was only a day’s march from Halifax. Upon his arrival, he was dismayed to find that it was more than 400 kilometres distant. Not one to be discouraged, he immediately made the long journey to inspect his new property. Liking what he saw, he set about clearing land and establishing a new business. Over time Hanington became involved in a wide variety of enterprises ranging from fishing to lumbering and shipbuilding.

However, one thing was missing. A devout Anglican, he was determined to use some of his new prosperity to erect a church. At first, it was the custom to hold services in his home. His dream came true in 1823, when the new church was completed. Hanington was also responsible for suggesting its attractive name. Although the church was located in a grove of stately trees; the true inspiration came from Hanington’s old London church St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields. This beautiful structure with its famous portico, dates from the 18th century, and remains today, a familiar landmark in London’s Trafalgar Square.

St. Martin’s-in-the-Woods, also a building of considerable beauty and architectural merit, will mark its 175th anniversary this year, making the visit of the Princess Royal an even more significant event. Are there any readers who have memories of previous royal visits to the area? If so, I would be pleased to hear from you.

On the surface very little remains of the Mi’kmaq presence on the Tantramar. This is unfortunate, because they recognized, as did all those who followed them, the strategic importance of what is today the Isthmus of Chignecto.

For purposes of government, the Mi’kmaq divided the Maritime Provinces into seven districts, each with its own chief and council. One of these, Siknikt (to which the place name Chignecto may be traced), included roughly Cumberland, Westmorland and part of Albert counties. Unlike their close relatives the Maliseet, the Mi’kmaq weren’t primarily interested in agriculture; rather their emphasis was on hunting and fishing.

Two of their main settlements were on ridges that bisect the Tantramar; while a third was located, farther away, on the Petitcodiac River. The Mi’kmaq settlement, Goesomaligeg, was established on Fort Beausejour Ridge and Tatamalg or Tantama, on the Sackville Ridge.

It has been suggested by Dr. John Clarence Webster that the latter place name may have inspired the French to apply their word Tintamarre as a designation for the marsh now called Tantramar. Today, the only evidence of these settlements occurs when arrowheads and stone implements are occasionally unearthed.

One of the most important contributions of the Mi’kmaq was their role as guides and aides to the first French explorers. They were good geographers with a respect for both land and environment. The Mi’kmaq ranged widely during the spring, summer and autumn months, retreating to the forested inland during the winter.

Their major means of transportation was the birch bark canoe. It was common for them to travel vast distances using navigable rivers and well worn portage routes. Each summer many would cross the Northumberland Strait to sample the abundance of lobster and other shellfish, and to revel in the warm waters that surrounded Abegweit — their name for contemporary PEI.

A major Mi’kmaq legacy is found in surviving place names; many of which have out lasted not only time, but a variety of translations. In addition to those already mentioned other regional place names of Mi’kmaq origin are: Tidnish, Minudie, Missaguash River, Aboushagan Road, Midgic, Memramcook and Shemogue.

The Mi’kmaq were also generous in sharing their knowledge of native plants and medicinal lore including the therapeutic use of the sweat lodge. Some further examples: The bark and leaves of the witch hazel produced a lotion for cooling and soothing the skin, fir balsam was used as a poultice for sores, a syrup of the wild onion healed sore throats, broken bones were carefully reset in large pads of moss, while the cure for scurvy (boiling spruce bark and needles) saved many European lives.

Thirty years ago, in 1968, Dr. George Frederick Clarke published a study of the first people of New Brunswick entitled Someone Before Us. Although a dentist by profession, Dr. Clarke earned a reputation as an archaeologist and local historian. Readers wishing further detail concerning the Mi’kmaq /Maliseet contribution to New Brunswick culture are advised to dip into this book. A more recent work is by Daniel N. Paul — We Were Not The Savages. Published in 1993, it provides a historical overview of the region from the Mi’kmaq viewpoint.

As Paul concludes: [They]… were and are a great people. To be a descendant of this noble race, who displayed an indomitable will to survive in spite of the incredible odds against them, fills me with pride. I am in awe whenever I think of their tremendous courage in overcoming the dauntless obstacles placed in their path.

Countless types of bells may be found in all parts of the world. There are church and temple bells, doorbells, fire engine bells, clock bells, ships bells and carillon bells. History records that bells were among the first metallic items to be fashioned by our early ancestors.

It is believed that bells have been used by Christians as a call to worship since about 400 AD. Down the centuries church bells have summoned us, warned us of danger, and struck notes of jubilation in our lives. Famous bells have rung, pealed, and tolled events of significance from royal weddings to state funerals to armistice announcements.

Readers whose memories go back to the 1920s, 30s and 40s will recall that no rural schoolteacher’s desk was complete without a large hand bell. Many will also remember the sound of sleigh or harness bells on a crisp winter evening. So distinctive was the resonance of these bells that passersby could easily be identified by their sound.

Nostalgia aside, it is at this season of the year that the sound of bells takes on added meaning. Their ringing also prompts the question: When did Christmas bells first peal over the Tantramar marshlands?

In all probability it was on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1722 when the solitary bell of the little Church of Sainte-Anne at Beaubassin rang out across snow covered dykelands. Erected through the initiative of the Abbé René-Charles de Breslay (1658–1755) this church was used until 1750 when it was destroyed by a British expeditionary force. It was to be replaced by the larger Church of St. Louis located on the west side of Beausejour Ridge and built under the direction of Abbé Jean-Louis LeLoutre (1709–72).

Its bronze bell, now on exhibit at the Fort Beausejour Museum was cast at La Fonderie de la Marine, Fonderie Royale, Rochefort, France. An inscription on the side bears the name of the maker and date:

AD HONOREM DEI
FECIT F M GROS
A ROCHEFORT
1734

According to historian Dr John Clarence Webster (1863–1950) this bell has had a long and checkered history. No records are available to tell us of its use from the date of casting until it arrived at Fort Beausejour to grace the new church. The building took eighteen months to construct and Abbé LeLoutre was able to gather the best carpenters and artisans in the colony to finish the project.

Completed just prior to the siege of Fort Beausejour in 1755 it was burned on LeLoutre’s personal orders. Confirmation is provided in his autobiographical account written in the third person: As soon as he saw the English (who were besieging the fort) near his church which was so fine and had cost so much, he gave the order to his people to set it on fire. (5 June 1755)

Further verification may be found in the journal entry of the same date by New Englander Captain Abijah Willard (1724–89), encamped nearby at what is today Mount Whatley. This night about ten o’clock we saw a great light in the west which was the French setting fire to their buildings around the Fort.

For the next forty years the precise location of the bell is not known. Tradition has it that the bell was taken from the flaming church; and then buried, only to be unearthed in the 1790s. It next appears, about 1796, in the belfry of the first St Mark’s Anglican Church, Mount Whatley. Later, the historic bell was transferred to a new building.

Here it remained until 1936 when Dr John Clarence Webster, the region’s greatest historian (slated to be the subject of a future Flashback), enters the story. By this time, he had succeeded in rescuing the area around the ruins of historic Fort Beausejour. Largely through Webster’s efforts, the grounds were designated as a national historic park in 1926.

Now a building to house artifacts was underway and Webster decided to donate his own impressive historical collection to the new museum. As a centerpiece the congregation of St Mark’s was convinced to donate the bell on condition that it never be removed from the fort.

Historical significance aside, are you ready to listen to the Bells of Christmas? If you are, then you will hear them ring out a proclamation that life should not be obsessed with material wealth. For some sixteen hundred years the Bells of Christmas have struck this universal chord; reminding us that true happiness lies more in giving than in receiving.

May we heed their message, as in centuries past the Christmas bells peal, once again, across the marshlands.

This is the time of year when Atlantic Canada undergoes its annual hurricane watch. Typically these tropical storms gather force in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea. Sometimes they veer inland, while in other instances their track is along the Atlantic seaboard; eventually funnelling up the Bay of Fundy.

In recent years, weather forecasting has become a more exact science and meteorologists are now able to warn, with a degree of accuracy, areas to be hit by such storms. So far as this region is concerned, the final path of 1999’s Hurricane Floyd proved to be an exception.

One of the worst storms to affect the Tantramar was the Saxby Gale of Oct. 4–5, 1869. Although formal weather forecasts weren’t available 130 years ago, the infamous Saxby Gale was predicted well in advance.

Almost a year earlier, in December 1868, an amateur astronomer serving in the Royal Navy, Lieutenant S.M. Saxby, wrote a letter to all major London newspapers. He suggested that there would be a storm of immense and devastating force on Oct. 4–5th 1869. At the time, Saxby’s prediction was widely publicized; however, most people dismissed his warning. It was widely believed that no one could predict such an event nearly a year in advance!

Oct. 4, 1869 began as a typical autumn day on the Tantramar. Along the Fundy coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay to the Isthmus of Chignecto, there was early morning fog, but this soon gave way to warm sunny weather. By mid-day it was oppressively hot and a southwest wind was gathering strength. Storm clouds were noted on the horizon and in late afternoon they reached the Isthmus. Immediately, hurricane force winds followed, accompanied by abnormally heavy rainfall. By 9 PM the Saxby Gale was in full force.

The storm lasted all night. Its scope and devastation are best revealed in the words of those who survived the ordeal. Setting the stage the Amherst Gazette reported: A tremendous tide swept over the whole of the marshes of Westmorland and Cumberland… At half past ten o’clock the dykes overflowed. The waters having gradually accumulated on the marsh… a wave similar to the tidal bore, swept up with a roaring noise and great velocity, carrying almost everything before it; stacks of hay, fences, and in many cases well filled barns.

The account continued: Four men who went to Fort Lawrence Creek to secure a schooner, sought shelter from the wind in a barn. The tide rising, they abandoned the barn and took to a fence which extended from it to the upland, and by passing along, they hoped to be safe. Two managed to save themselves, the others were drowned.

A clipping (undated) in a family scrap book was shown to me by Lee Lowerison. It revealed the terrifying story of a young child alone, and marooned by the storm. Fortunately he survived. In the morning his home was totally surrounded by water. There had been dry land the night before but during the night the predicted Saxby Gale had blown the waters of the Bay of Fundy across the marshlands.

An eyewitness account is taken from a letter, quoted in Edith Gillcash’s History of Taylor Village. Joseph R. Taylor wrote: Oct. 5, 1869 — on getting up this morning and looking around, we see quite a change in the appearance of things. We had a fearful gale of wind and tide last night… there’s not one hay stack to be seen on the marsh. (He then went on to list the damage to vessels and wharves along the Memramcook River from Dorchester Island to Taylor Village and beyond). The schooners Rosebud, Ida May and Independence were lying at the island wharf; the wharf, vessels and all went adrift… the Rosebud (a ferry linking Dorchester Island and Saint John) was caught up on the top of the dyke on Will Lamb’s marsh… The tide has damaged the railroad very much. The cars will not be able to run again for some time… Other places as far as we can hear have fared worse than we have.

The W. K. Bowser diary in the Mount Allison Archives gives us an overview of the damage. There was fearful destruction of property all through the New England states… doing great damage to the Sackville Marshes, and also all of the Bay of Fundy coast; destroying hundreds of tons of hay, washing away cattle of all descriptions, horses, oxen, sheep and pigs. Barns full of hay were taken on the water for miles. Sunken Island was literally covered with haystacks, cattle, sleepers, fences, telegraph poles, gates, boards, and numberless other articles, used by farmers on the marsh… In the morning all was quiet but rather foggy; the farmers looked towards their marshes in silent amazement.

One question remains. How was Lieutenant Saxby able to predict the ‘gale’ that still bears his name? The answer is provided in his letter to The Times of London, later reprinted in newspapers around the world.

With regard to 1869 at 7 AM on Oct. 5th, the moon will be at the part of her orbit which is nearest to the earth. Her attraction will, therefore, be at its maximum force. At noon on the same day, the moon will be at the earth’s equator, a circumstance which never occurs without marked atmospheric disturbance. At 2 PM on the same day, lines drawn from the earth’s centre would cut the sun and moon in the same arc of Ascension. The moon’s attraction and the sun’s attraction will therefore be acting in the same direction. In other words, the new moon will be at the earth’s equator when in perigee, (the point nearest to the earth) and nothing more threatening, can, I say, occur without miracle.

The date of the Saxby Gale was based on this positioning of the earth, sun, and moon, a situation that takes place roughly every 18 years. Had Saxby’s advice to repair and strengthen all sea walls been followed, less damage might have occured. In fairness, it must be reported that he didn’t give indication of the precise location where the storm might strike. However, Hurricane Alley along the North American eastern seaboard was undoubtedly one likely possibility. To place these matters in historical perspective, ancient Chaldean astronomers were aware of the same configuration of the planets as mentioned by Saxby. They called it the Saros Cycle.

I am indebted to Barbara Fisher for suggesting a Flashback on the anniversary of the Saxby Gale. It is worth noting that scientists and weather historians are still, 130 years later, analyzing this storm. Examples are papers written by Jim Abraham (Maritime Weather Centre) and Alan Ruffman (Geomarine Associates, Halifax).

It’s an established tradition of English newspapers to publish, at each year’s end, a reader’s quiz. Usually these are based on stories carried in their columns; although occasionally, they may be more wide ranging.

A few years ago, the Globe & Mail followed suit with a similar quiz to test reader’s mettle over the New Year’s holiday. Annually CBC Radio assembles a panel of experts to be examined on the major events of the preceding year.

With all these precedents in mind, why not a A New Year’s Day Quiz in the Sackville Tribune Post? What follows will be a test with a difference. It’s designed to challenge reader’s knowledge of local history and is drawn largely from the Tantramar Flashbacks of 1998.

It’s also easy to score. There are twenty questions, each worth five points. Answers (no peeking allowed) will be found hidden somewhere in the following pages of this issue of the Trib.

1. A local community bears the name of a British politician who won a duel in London’s Hyde Park. Who was he?
2. List a local feature that originated with the Mi’kmaq name for this region Siknikt . Hint — try pronouncing the word.
3. Which member of the Royal Family visited southeastern New Brunswick in 1998?
4. Whose Table of Memories was featured to mark her 103rd birthday?
5. Name Dorchester’s Father of Confederation.
6. In 1849 the Westmorland and Botsford Agricultural Society sponsored the region’s first exhibition. Where was it held?
7. Whose murder on June 19, 1832 remains unsolved?
8. The Missaguash River and Tonge’s Island share something in common. What is it?
9. What was Jonathan Eddy’s claim to fame?
10. An important archival/historical resource moved from Halifax to 32 York Street, Sackville in 1998. What is it?
11. Aside from the millennium celebrations, why is the year 2000 of historical importance to this region?
12. Who was the balladeer from Point de Bute?
13. For whom is the Mount Allison University football field named?
14. Which local river was once called the Marguerite?
15. Whose ghost reputedly haunts Hart Hall?
16. Identify the region’s World War One Flying ace.
17. List one of his military honors.
18. What tragedy took place at Aulac on September 23, 1913?
19. Where was the Church of Saint-Louis located?
20. The town of Sackville was named for Lord Sackville. What was his position in the British cabinet of Lord North?

Answers:

1. Lord Sackville
2. Isthmus of Chignecto or Chignecto Bay
3. Princess Anne
4. Mrs Clementina Godfrey’s
5. Edward Chandler
6. Port Elgin
7. William Fawcett
8. The ghost of Marguerite LeNeuf de la Valliére
9. Leading the unsuccessful Eddy Rebellion
10. Archives of the Maritime Conference, United Church
11. 225th anniversary of the arrival of the Yorkdshire settlers
12. Wilf Carter
13. Dave MacAulay
14. Missaguash
15. Ethel Peake
16. Albert Desbrisay Carter
17. Distinguished Service Order (DSO) or the Croix de Guerre
18. Head-on collision between two trains
19. Fort Beausejour
20. Colonial Secretary.