Digging Down East: Burnside

Showing posts with label Burnside. Show all posts

Sunday, September 6, 2015

My Canadian Branches ~ Bella MacKay Hamilton and the Moose Chair

Peter Suther "PS" Hamilton and Isabella "Bella" MacKay Hamilton, my 2nd great grandparents, lived in Burnside, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, their whole married lives. They raised nine children, one of whom was my great grandmother, Melvina Jane "Vina" Hamilton Bustin, from whom I inherited a wonderful treasure trove of photographs.

I came across two pictures that piqued my interest. The first shows my great grandmother's mother, Bella, in front of the "old home" in Burnside, posing beside what appears to be a wooden sculpture of some kind. It looks like antlers to me.

The second, more yellowing, photo provides another clue. It was a chair, made out of, presumedly, moose antlers. The handwriting on the front is my great grandmother's, and the back states the same, The Moose Chair, in Bella's handwriting.

Was this some kind of trophy chair made from antlers of hunted moose, or was it a household curio, with no particular connection to family lore?

I have learned that my great grand uncle and aunt, unmarried brother and sister Bert and Stella Hamilton, were the last two family members to live at the old place, so I have to wonder whatever became of the "Moose Chair."

Monday, December 15, 2014

52 Ancestors: #49 Peter Suther Hamilton (1852-1929)

Peter Suther Hamilton, my second great grandfather, was born on this date in 1852 in Burnside, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, the sixth of eight children born to Hants Hamilton and first cousin Mary Hamilton, and their fifth son.

His grandfather, John Hamilton, had traveled with his family, as a two-year-old, from Armagh, in what is now Northern Ireland, to Nova Scotia, in 1771.

The Hamiltons were farming folks, and it can be assumed that the young Peter was raised with his share of chores.

The Hamilton Farm
"The Old Home"

At the age of 25, Peter married 18-year-old Isabella Fulton MacKay, from Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Her father had emigrated from Scotland.

Together, Peter (or PS, as he was most often called) and Bella (as she was known) raised nine children:

George Bradford, b. 1878

Mary Ellen, b. 1880

Alexander Archibald, b. 1883

Melvina Jane, b. 1886 (my great grandmother)

Agnes Rachel, b. 1889

Catherine Margaret, b. 1892

Albert Thorburn, b. 1895

Stella Rowan, b. 1899

Daniel Gordon, b. 1901

Of their nine children, only George Bradford, known as Brad, and Albert Thorburn, known as Bert, remained "down east." The rest of their children eventually immigrated to the States. Bert was the last of his generation to reside in the old farmhouse.

Here are two pictures of PS and Bella, from my great grandmother's collection:

Peter Suther Hamilton passed away on October 9, 1929, in the same farmhouse he was born in 76 years before. He and Bella were married for just over 50 years, the occasion having been marked by this family photograph:

He is buried in Pembroke Cemetery, in Upper Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.

Photo Credit:

Peter Suther Hamilton Grave Stone. The Sprague Project, Albert Arnold Sprague, IV, webmaster (http://www.sprague-database.org/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=1498&medialinkID=2687)

Sources:

1864-1914 MARRIAGE RECORDS; on-line records at Colchester Historical Society Museum Archives, Colchester Historical Society Museum Archives, (http://colchesterhistoreum.ca/).

"Canada Census, 1871," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M4D3-F66 : accessed 24 Jun 2014), Hans Hamilton, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; citing p. 40, line 10; Library and Archives Canada film number C-10559, Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2229147.

"Canada Census, 1881," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MVX9-QVD : accessed 24 Jun 2014), Hans Hamilton, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; citing p. 7; Library and Archives Canada film number C-13175, Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 1375811.

"Canada Census, 1891," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MWKR-TLG : accessed 13 December 2014), Peter S Hamilton, Upper Stewiacke East, Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; Public Archives, Ottawa, Ontario; Library and Archives Canada film number 30953_148113.

"Canada Census, 1901," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KHK2-TGC : accessed 13 December 2014), Peter S Hamilton, U, Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; citing p. 12, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.

"Canada, Marriages, 1661-1949," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F229-TSN : accessed 13 December 2014), Peter Luther Hamilton and Isabella Fulton Mckay, 16 Nov 1878; citing Up. Stewiacke, Colchester, Nova Scotia, reference p 147 cn 127; FHL microfilm 1,298,865.

Nova Scotia. Historical Vital Statistics. Registration Year 1878, Book 1806, Page 147, Number 147. Peter Suther Hamilton and Isabella Fulton MacKay. (https://novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=1806-147&Event=marriage&ID=17924 : accessed and downloaded 6/30/20113.

Nova Scotia. Historical Vital Statistics. Registration Year 1929, Book 119, Page 941. Peter Suther Hamilton. https://novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=119-941&Event=death&ID=202865 : accessed and downloaded 6/30/2013.

"Nova Scotia Vital Records, 1763-1957," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KMLX-GCR : accessed 13 December 2014), Peter S. Hamilton and Isabella F. Mckay, 1878, Marriage; citing p. 147, volume 1806, , Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax.

"Nova Scotia Vital Records, 1763-1957," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KML6-XRG : accessed 13 December 2014), Peter Suther Hamilton, 1929, Death; citing p. 941, volume 119, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester, Nova Scotia, Canada; Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax.

***

This is the 49th in a series, “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks,” coordinated by Amy Johnson Crow at

No Story Too Small.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Wednesday's Child ~ 10 Year Old Freeman MacKay

Freeman Orrin MacKay was born in December of 1906, the fourth of six children born to John William MacKay and Emma Jane Deyarmond. He is my first cousin, 3 times removed.

His death record says that he was 10 days old.

However, the 1911 Census of Nova Scotia clearly shows that he was 4 years old that year, being born in December of 1906, and therefore agrees with the headstone.

Freeman was 10 years old, and died of gastroenteritis (stomach flu). He is buried in the Burnt Hill Cemetery, Upper Burnside, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, with his parents.

Sources:

1911 Census of Nova Scotia, Upper Stewiacke East poll district, Colchester County, population returns, Upper Stewiacke East, schedule 1, p.11 (penned), Freeman O. McKay; digital image, Automated Genealogy (http://automatedgenealogy.com/censusnb51/View.jsp?id=1614&highlight=1&desc=1851+Census+of+New+Brunswick+page+containing+James+McCain : accessed 3 February 2014)

Nova Scotia. Historical Vital Statistics. Registration Year 1917, Book 331, Page 1111. Freeman Orrin McKay. (https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/ItemView.aspx?ImageFile=31-331&Event=death&ID=112523 : accessed 3 February 2014)

Photo credit:

The Sprague Project

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Sunday's Obituary ~ Roy MacKay of Burnside

This is another newspaper obituary that my great grandmother clipped and saved in a scrapbook. This one is for my first cousin, 3 times removed, Marcus Roy MacKay.

Roy was only 49 years old when he died of a heart attack. During the last three years of his life, he drove a school bus for Brookfield Rural High School, and had his usual trip the day before.

He is buried in Burnt Hill Cemetery.

Photo Credit:

The Sprague Project:
http://www.sprague-database.org/genealogy/showmedia.php?mediaID=1488&cemeteryID=186

Friday, October 18, 2013

Friday's Faces From the Past ~ Everett Deyarmond Family in Burnside 1953

The handwriting above this picture is my great grandmother's, Melvina Jane Hamilton Bustin (1886-1974). Everett Deyamond (1876-1942) was her cousin, she being the daughter of Peter Suther Hamilton (1852-1929), and Everett being the son of Margaret Rebecca Hamilton (1857-1937). Burnside is a small community in the Stewiacke Valley of Nova Scotia.

Having come across this wonderful "family gathering" photograph, I sent it to Judy from the Stewiacke Valley Museum Facebook page. She kindly passed it on to one of the people in the photograph, a young girl in the photo, Mrs. Freda MacKay Rogers. Mrs. Rogers identified everyone in the picture, and also was able to date the photograph at 1953 or 1954.

Here is an alphabetical list, by surname, of everyone in the picture:

Berkelow, Maria Deyarmond

Deyarmond, Adela Roode

Deyarmond, Art

Deyarmond, Dick

Deyarmond, Eldridge

Deyarmond, Frank

Deyarmond, Jean Cox

Deyarmond, Lance

Deyarmond, Lester

Deyarmond, Mary Graham

Deyarmond, Terry

Deyarmond, Wayne

Fisher, Curtis

Fisher, Velva Deyarmond

Goff, Doris Whidden

Graham, Betty Deyarmond

Graham, Gordon

Hamilton, Albert

Hamilton, Stella

Johnson, Ella Deyarmond

Johnson, Herman

Johnson, Von

MacKay, Alice Deyarmond

MacKay, Ian

MacKay, Freda

MacKay, Norman

MacKay, Robert

Stevenson, Deanna

Stevenson, Laura Deyarmond

Stevenson, Linda

Stevenson, Lloyd

Whidden, Foster

Whidden, Frances

Whidden, Gary

Whidden, Harry

Whidden, Nettie Deyarmond

Whidden Philip

Whidden, Roy

Albert Hamilton and Stella Hamilton are my great great uncle and aunt, respectively, siblings of my great grandmother, although, in one way or another, I am related to all 38 people in this picture.

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Sunday's Obituary ~ They Cleared the Land on Which He Wed

This obituary is from my great grandmother's scrapbook of newspaper clippings, which is quite tattered and crumbly. Undoubtedly, it appeared in a newspaper from Down East, perhaps from Truro. It would not surprise me if she had these clippings, if not the entire newspaper, mailed to her in the States, so that she could keep up with family "down home."

As the obituary so eloquently states, John W. MacKay was the eldest son of my third great grandparents, Alexander and Eleanor Mackay. making him my 2d great great uncle. He was the brother of my great great grandmother, Isabella "Bella" Fulton MacKay, of whom I have written earlier.

I love the floral language of this obituary, like "passed away very peacefully,"

"he leaves to mourn the loss," and "he spoke a word of comfort to the bereaved ones," and, lastly, "a profusion of flowers showed to what esteem our neighbor was held."

John William Mackay (1866-1945) is buried in the Burnt Hill Cemetery, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, along with his wife of 50 years, the former Emma Jane Deyarmond.

J. William MacKay tombstone, Burnt Hill Cemetery, Burnside, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada (http://canadianheadstones.com/ns/view.php?id=15669 : accessed 27 May 2013.)

*****

Below is a portrait of the Alexander MacKay family. This eldest son is standing in the middle back, to the right of my great great grandmother Isabella.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Sunday's Obituary - An Eastern Star Memory Service

Stella Rowena Hamilton (1899-1966) was my great great aunt. She lived many years in the States, working at the Eastern Star Home in Orange, Massachusetts, near her brother Arch and his wife Margie, and at Smith College's Infirmary.

After she returned to Nova Scotia, following retirement, she lived with her brother Albert "Bert". The two siblings were the last of the Hamilton family to occupy the the "old home place." in Burnside, Upper Stewiacke. Great Uncle Bert lived there until his death in 1975.

Sister and brother are buried together in Pembroke Cemetery

in Upper Stewiacke.

Elm Chapter No. 48 Order of the Eastern Star is still very active. An "honour night" was recently held at the end of April, according to the Truro Daily News.*

*This obituary undoubtedly is from the Truro Daily News, and came from my great grandmother's scrapbook of newspaper clippings which I am fortunate to have inherited.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Nana's Bible from Scotland ~ Treasure Chest Thursday

I will always be grateful to my great grandmother, Melvina Jane Hamilton Bustin (1886-1974) for her notations on so many photographs that have come into my possession over the years.

So you can imagine how thrilled I am to have discovered her personal New Testament.

It measures roughly 4 by 2 1/2 inches and is leather-bound.

The front cover is embossed with a seal of the National Bible Society of Scotland. My great grandmother was born and raised in Nova Scotia, and her mother was born a Mackay, so this makes perfect sense.,

The frontispiece is the most treasured page, since it is inscribed:

Melvina J. Hamilton

Burnside

This is not my grandmother's handwriting, which I have become quite familiar with, so this makes me think that this miniature volume was a gift.

[The pencil notation of "October 1901" under "Burnside" appears to have been added later by her(?)]

Burnside is her birthplace, a small farming village, part of Upper Stewiacke, in Colchester County, Nova Scotia.

The title page states that the New Testament was printed to be read in churches, and was published by authority of His Majesty in Glasgow in 1891.

It contains all the books of the New Testament,
as well as the Psalms of David,
"In metre:
According to
THE VERSION
approved by
THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND"

On the last fragile pages are "Translations and Paraphrases, in Verse, and the lyrics of three hymns.