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HISTORICAL TIME LINE FOR THE HEAD OF ST. MARGARET’S BAY
(Prepared by Barb Peart, Author of As the Last Leaf Fell)
1500's
Tribes of Native peoples inhabited our communities before the coasts were
frequented by seasonal fishermen from various nations
1604
Samuel de Champlain and Sieur de Monts, along with 120 men, landed at the
mouth of the St. Croix River. The following year, they established Port
Royal, the first permanent white settlement in Acadia. The French became
friends with the original inhabitants.
1607
First called the Souriquois, “salt water men,” by the French, the
Miggaamacks, Micmacs, or Mi’kmaqs were obviously here when Champlain
explored our coast (Rivière Saincte Marguerite), maybe named after his
mother, Marguerite LeRoy. Evidence of their settlements are exemplified by
today’s names: Indian Point, Indian Harbour, Indian River, Indian Hill
(location of Sing Mason’s homestead which had the imprints of six tepees), as
well as Natives living in the field below Kennedy’s Law Office and up by the
Power Commission. The very Head of the Bay, between Sheep (Todd’s)
Island and Slaughenwhite’s Point (Allen Heights) was once called Bernard’s
Cove after the local chief.
1749
Founding of Halifax by Colonel Edward Cornwallis and peopled primarily
from Europe’s mainland and Scotland.
1751-52
French and German Foreign Protestants, suffering from high taxation,
unemployment, religious intolerance, overpopulation, land shortage, famine,
disease, etc., and equipped with false promises from the British Government,
arrived in Halifax on ships such as the Speedwell, Sally, Ann, Betty, many
from Montbéliard, (located near the northern tip of France not far from the
Swiss border); they and their kin became the original settlers of the Bay:
Boutellier, Schlagintweit, Masson, Langille, Burgoyne, Dorey, Hubley,
Fedher, Jeanperine, Dofiney, Mead, Westaver, Anderson, Coulan, etc.
1752
First recorded wedding in the oldest Protestant Church in Halifax, St. Paul’s,
August 31, between Jean George Bouteiller and Ane Catherine Mailler.
1753
Colonel Lawrence settled a township on the South Shore of N. S. called
Lunenburg–June 7, at Rous’s Brook.
1755
Expulsion of the Acadians: Colonel Charles Lawrence ordered the Acadians
expelled from their lands around Grand Pré for not taking the Oath of
Allegiance to the British Crown. Six thousand were scattered around the
New England Colonies, many families separated for life.
1763
Treaty of Paris concluded Seven Years’ War between France and England,
which returned to Britain all French lands in North America.
1780
Governor Parr encouraged descendants of the French and German Foreign
Protestants to take up land along deserted shores of St. Margaret’s Bay.
c. 1785
FIRST HOUSE (log cabin) at the HEAD of the Bay built by George Frédéric
Mason (1766-1827). He married Mary Barbara Catherine Knickel in 1792
and had 11 children. “Fisherman’s Cottage,” later renamed Willow Cottage,
was erected across from Todd’s Island on Fred Mason’s property (now
owned by Teddy Weldon). HRH Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, 4th son of
George III, overnighted at Fisherman’s Cottage prior to 1800, when he
returned to England. (He left behind his famous Prince’s Lodge and the Old
Town Clock). The Cottage became a prosperous spot and housed some of
the best salmon fishermen and hunters in the world.
1780's
Pioneer Cemetery in existence in French Village
1783
First Montbéliardians began to settle in
around Head of St. Margaret’s Bay and
“French Settlement”). Large grants of
modeled after the Seignorial System of
narrow strips bordering on the water).
1784
About 25 000 - 30 000 United Empire Loyalists started flocking to Nova
Scotia and Lower Canada, creating two new provinces, New Brunswick and
Ontario. They played a very meaningful role in economic, political, and
psychological development in our province. Cape Breton also took the big
plunge and separated from Nova Scotia.
1786
Chief Philip Bernard, Solomon, and Tawmaugh received 500 acres of land
from George III of Great Britain, France, and Ireland for services rendered.
1801
Fifty pounds were allotted for a road from Nine Mile River to St. Margaret’s
Bay by Hammonds Plains and another from the head of North West Arm to
St. Margaret’s Bay.
present-day French Village (area
French Village Harbor known as
land were given to individuals
Land Granting in Quebec (long
1805
George Masson owned part of present-day Mason’s Point with Joseph
Duffeney.
1808
George Masson bought from Joseph Duffeney, his share for £75, of
Collectors Point (Mason’s Point) and also bought Clam Island from Joseph
and Mary Boutillier for £45 (part of James Buckeley’s 1785 holding). Some 9
years later, he, James Croucher, and James Boutilier bought the Indian
Grant when the Mi’kmaq moved to LaHave.
1816
St. Margaret’s Bay had its first school located at French Village with Thomas
Holland as schoolmaster.
1817
Census listed last names: Croucher, Covey, Boutillier, Slauenwight, Mason,
Dorey, Duffiney, Holland, Burgoyne, and Fader.
1819
Map of St. Margaret’s Bay indicated 500-A Indian Grant of 1786, 1500-A
Ingram holdings, George Mason lot on Mason’s Point, and John Jacob
Slaughenwhite holdings.
1820-60's
Great progress with roads and churches was made in the Bay.
1821
Methodist “Meeting House” existed in Glen Margaret (origin of William
Black Memorial United).
1824
St. Paul’s Church became the oldest Anglican church of Parish of French
Village (Rev. John Stannage–rector).
1827
First Margaret’s Bay Baptist Church was founded in Seabright area.
1830's
Stage coach line was established from Halifax to Chester with changes about
every 10 miles (Nine Mile River, Head of the Bay, Hubbards).
1838
Settlers at Head of Bay resolved to build a church-school, “Filleul’s School,”
named after Dr. P. J. Filleul, the first resident missionary in Lunenburg.
There was also a school on the crest of a hill on Island View Drive in 1840
(Miss Eliza Sellon–teacher). By 1873, a school house was on Mason’s Point
Road–later moved to present-day St. George’s Church property (burnt in
1890's). When Ina Romans was teaching at the Bay in Ted Dorey’s day, she
had 91 in a room, ranging in age from 5 to 18.
1840's on
First store by John George Dauphinee on Bill Christie’s property: others
were owned by Oswald Dauphinee, Wm. Rankin, John H. Fader Sr. and
Sons, Alfred Cook, Grace Dunlop (both store and post office), Augustus
Hartlen, (Cliff Fader, prior to 1919), Ollie Dauphinee, Pop and Josephine
Mason, Charlie Tupper, Mel Christie, Abel Boutilier, Milford Slauenwhite,
Elver Nash, Bruce Boutilier, Fred Mason, John Swallow, Betty Kedy, Aubrey
Pulsifer, Howard and Loran Wentzell, some out here, some in town, many
others, no particular order
1845
Roman Catholic family, headed by Thomas Mahar, established a church in
Glen Margaret, later known as St. Margaret’s of Scotland.
1845-47
Many children died from disease (typhoid fever, pneumonia, diphtheria).
Two families in Boutilier’s Point lost 18 children. Thirty died all at once.
1846
Frame of St. James Chapel in Boutilier’s Point was raised on July 23.
1847
Introduction of the Royal Western Mail Shore Line of Stage Coaches
between Halifax and Lunenburg (twice a week)
1849`
Great Sea Serpent spied in St. Margaret’s Bay
1853-56
Crimean War was caused over minor religious disputes in Turkishcontrolled Pakistan which led to over 12 000 deaths. Florence Nightingale,
the “little ministering angel” was its female heroine. Famous battles of Alma,
Sebastopol, Balaclava, and Inkerman: several men from the Bay took part in
“The Charge of the Light Brigade,” among them old Dave Pope and James
Henry Cook. From at least 1894-1911, the post office at the Head of the Bay
was referred to as “Inkerman” Street. Dave Pope had married a Mason girl
from the Prince of Wales Hotel, which housed the post office.
1864
Loftus Frederick Mason, son of Martin, built a large house on the banks of
Indian River as an outpost for the British Military. Later (c. 1895), it was
taken over by Loftus and became the Indian River Fishing and Hunting Club
(“Saraguay”), “House by the Side of Shining Waters”–my birthplace.
1867-68
Dispute about “seine” fishing–petition signed regarding “unfair net and
Sean” fishing–lean years: lack of fuel, food, people starving, living on clams
and a little bread, mending nets for 50 cents a month
1870's
Confederation in the past (July 1, 1867: Dominion of Canada formed):
Increase in fishing industry, livestock, trapping, linen being produced,
blacksmiths, wheelwrights, carpentry shops, grist mills, etc. Boom years!
1872
Prince of Wales Hotel, on “Fisherman’s Cottage” property, opened on July
29 by Martin Mason, son of George Frederick. Named after Albert Edward
(Edward VII), eldest son of Queen Victoria, who ruled the Commonwealth
from 1901-1910, it became a prominent landmark in the Bay. The Prince
had gone on one particular salmon-fishing trip up Indian River (one of the
best salmon rivers in Eastern Canada) with Loftus and Nathaniel Mason as
his guides. The hotel burned down on March 20, 1939.
In July, of the same year, the announcement was made in the Daily Acadian
Recorder, The N. L. Todd and Polleys Co. erected one of the finest lumber
mills in the province on Todd’s Island (Sheep Island). Ninian L. Todd and
John Polleys were two entrepreneurs from Calais, Maine. With them, came
many notable citizens–Christies, Rankins, etc. William Rankin built Cedar
Cottage at the entrance to Todd’s Island. It remains there today, as several of
the other original houses. Large barquentines with triple masts used to lay
anchor off Todd’s Island and transport the heavy timbers.
Besides this prosperous lumber mill, there were others at various times: John
George Dauphinee was also operating a saw/grist mill on present-day Bill
Christie property, and Collishaw’s Mill was on Oakland Point about 1870 ( on
the little island off Pearts’ in Allen Heights). John George also owned a
shipyard on the “S” turns, where the first vessel of the Head of the Bay was
built, the Swift Current. The St. Margaret’s Bay Lumber Company in French
Village was owned by David Gray and run by Ellison Collishaw (1895). In the
early 1900's, Lewis Miller, a Scotsman, brought Ingramport to prominence
through his mill at Ingram River; (on August 20, 1928, 4-5 000 000 feet of
lumber , plus 8 buildings, and a wharf burned), and James H. Slagenweit also
had a steam mill on Little East River about that time.
1875
John Henry Fader Jr. (King of Slaughenwhite’s Point) married Annie
Lapham. They had 16 children, their own schoolhouse, and private teacher.
Allen Heights Subdivision was originally named Slaughenwhite’s Point, but
was also called Oakland Point and Fader’s Point. The original Fader house
still stands.
1876
2nd Margaret’s Bay Baptist Church built on Mason’s Point; land sold for
$1.00 by John Henry Fader Sr. and Annie
1882
The light was first lit on Croucher’s Island (Cranberry Island) on New Year’s
night by George Croucher (not verified); in later years, it was run by Wentie
and Maggie Boutilier.
1888
Seventh Day Adventist Church erected on land donated by John Longard
(second oldest in Canada and oldest English-speaking SDA in our country)
1892
St. James School, a two-storied building, was erected on steep hill behind Reg
Tupper’s (Mr. John Gibbons, schoolmaster); it was replaced in 1950 by new
one. (1900–$250 a year for teacher’s salary)
1893
First phone call at the Bay from Halifax to Todd’s Mill on Sheep Island. Two
years later, a phone was installed at the Prince of Wales Hotel.
1896
Methodists were deeded a piece of land by Mr. and Mrs. Hurshman on Old
School Road (Peggy’s Cove Road), and church finished the following year
1899-1902
Boer War between British and Boers, “Dutch farmers” in South Africa. Dave
Pope, an English officer, fought in the war, along with Ted Dorey’s maternal
grandfather. Dave came out to the Bay to fish on Indian River, as did a lot of
military men, and he ended up marrying Mary Elizabeth Mason in 1839.
1902
December, St. Margaret’s Anglican Church opened its doors on the Peggy’s
Cove Road. Land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Dauphinee
1903-04
Bed for the Halifax and South Western Railway was being built in 1903 by a
crew of Italians from Italy under the direction of Vincent James Cavicchi.
The steel rails were laid the next year, and the first train ran through here.
Also Dew Drop Inn came into existence (Ikamar Boutilier and Bill Fader built
it).
1904
Halifax and South Western Railway Railway daily mail delivery
1908
Epidemic of “Black Diphtheria” rushed through the Bay; many children
died.
1913-14
Ingram River School built at corner of Island View and Boutilier’s Point
Road
1914-18
First World War–Many of our boys went Overseas. Cecil Boutilier, Raymond
Burgoyne, and John Tupper, among others, lost their lives.
1914
May 9, Clarence Eugene Snow, “Hank Snow,” was born. He played at Fred
Mason’s Dance Hall and upstairs in St. James School to assist the Scouts from
the mid-to late 30's. He gave guitar lessons to Eleanor Mason and Reg
Tupper.
1917
December 6–Halifax Explosion–Imo and Mont Blanc collided, killing
approximately 2000 and wounding another 9000. Young men in the Bay were
killed, among them: Owen and Carl Conrad, Carrol Boutilier, Harrison
Boutilier, Francis Boutilier. My parents had people from Halifax sleeping
everywhere in the house, on the floors, and a dear friend had two of her
children killed in front of her, while she was mangled with flying, broken
glass.
1918
January 28, famous soldier and surgeon, Lieut.-Colonel John McCrae, died.
He is most remembered for his poem “In Flanders Fields,” recited by our
school children. In 1997, his medals were discovered in Winnipeg, and
Arthur Lee purchased them for $506 000 and donated them to the McCrae
House.
1920
Mr. Knockwood, a Mi’kmaq, located down by the Mill Shore (mouth of
North East River), probably relocated, seeing the end of the local Mi’kmaqs
at the Head of the Bay. St. Margaret’s Bay Development became the first
undertaking of Nova Scotia Power Commission. Wright’s Lake Dam was
finished June 10. The next day, they started excavating the Power House site
and pipe line. By September, Mill Lake Dam and Tidewater Generating
Station were well underway.
Mid 20's
Cliff Fader had an early store. On June 6, 1922, power was received by Nova
Scotia Tramways and Power Co. Ltd.
1922-23
St. George’s Anglican Church at Head of Bay was built on land donated by
Squire John George Dauphinee (on “S”
turns). This is one of the most beautiful
cemeteries in the region.
1923
First 12 consecutive months of operation of N. S. P. C. – 19 080 800 kilowatt
hours
1926
Fred Mason’s first store at the Head of the Bay, roughly where Kennedy
Center is today, one of three owned by him until 1961. Dance Hall was
started in 1929.
1927
The construction of Sandy Lake Dam was begun in February. “A dollar a
day, a million days; that makes a million dollars.” Power from Tidewater
went westward for 2 miles on June 23, 1928.
1929
St. Margaret’s Bay Telephone Central Office was built in the residence of
Loftus and Emma Mason right across the road from Kennedy Center (Fred
Mason’s first and second store). Emma was the first operator here, making
$10 a month. Simeon Boutilier ran the first one in Tantallon at $7 a month.
1930
The first light poles were installed in 1929, and electricity began to flow in the
Bay just as far as St. George’s Church, about 2 miles. Jim Mason had one of
the first garages at the Head of the Bay, next to the old Bay Country Store.
1936
July 4, Haligonians got a view of the German Zeppelin “Hindenburg,” King
George V died, succeeded by Edward VIII, who abdicated for the woman he
loved, Wallis Simpson (Dec. 11, 1937). Lou Dorey, Charlie Tupper, and Sing
Mason organized the First Scout Troop at the Head of the Bay with Bufton
Butler as 1st Scout Master.
1939-40
A Scout Camp was built at Rafter Lake. Just go back there on a sunny day,
and take it all in. The location is absolutely idyllic: peace, serenity, nature. It
has it all!
1944
Douglas Fillmore Sr.’s garage opened at the Head of the Bay.
1939-45
Second Great World War–James Russell Boutilier, Dawson Dunlop, and
Theodore Fredericks died, among others. Elmo and Jock Tupper, Carl and
Duncan McEachern, Murray, Leslie, and Earl Christie, Sheridon, Gordon,
and George Boutilier, Ronnie Dillman, Arthur Mason, Henry and Alfie Cook,
Bruce Boutilier, 3 other Boutiliers, Darrell and Eric Mason were some of the
Bay boys who signed up.
1942
New system of water for Prospect Road to Halifax; big flood on Indian River
(Sept. 22– worst rainfall in 25 years); forest fire; Dec. 18–ferry Governor
Cornwallis made its maiden voyage across Halifax Harbor; Mersey Paper
Company had camps back in the woods.
1947
Isle View Hotel opened in Boutilier’s Point.
1950
Korean War, “The Forgotten War,” broke out June 25 and lasted until July
27, 1953.
New St. James School, which was started in ’49, opened on Dec. 11, 1950
(Alice Blinn and Rhoda Tupper–teachers); later renamed St. Margaret’s
School. It cost $26 500. A new room was added four years later, and another
two-room school was built by Gerald Ash in 1960, basically near the site of the
original old St. James. Both buildings are now closed as schools and serve as
community centers.
1953
August 24, District 7 Black Point Fire Department existed with 1 truck, a
1949 GMC pumper (first incorporated in June, 1956, with Wilfred Snooks as
first chief)
1955-56
James and Frank Marriott’s Garage opened. (Now operated by Billy Joe
Mason)
1958
Cutting of ribbon for Allen Heights Subdivision by Reuben S. Allen.
1960
March 15, Murray MacDonald was the first Canada Post mail contractor for
Boutilier’s Point and Ingramport.
1962
September 13, D & A Garage, now closed, was opened by Donnie Hills and
Albie Doubleday (located at entrance to St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary
School).
1965
St. Luke’s United Church, Upper Tantallon, was officially opened.
1966-67
Construction began on Highway 103.
1968
Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Five Island Lake was opened in
September.
1970
Hubley Center and Haliburton Hills Development were conceived by Lester
Hubley.
1972
Tantallon Junior High was opened, serving grades 7-9.
1980
Tantallon Elementary School opened its doors in September to 324 pupils
from Primary to 6. Black Point School was closed in 1981.
1989
David Sobey and Lester Hubley made a million-dollar deal. And the rest is
economic progress full-steam ahead!
1998
September 2: Swissair Flight 111 crashed into waters to the south-west of
Peggy’s Cove; 229 passengers and crew were killed.
1999
St. Margaret’s Bay Elementary was opened October 19, but the official
opening was April 10, 2000.
2007
The new Sir John A. Macdonald High School serves the Western suburbs of
Halifax Regional Municipality, namely Beechville, Lakeside, Timberlea, and
Tantallon. The junior high students now attend the old high school, renamed
Five Bridges Junior High.
2008
Look around you! There seems to be no more stopping progress. If some of
the old folks could come back, they wouldn’t believe their eyes. Just ask
George Nash and Lottie Lenaghan, who are still very much alive and
extremely able at nearly a hundred.
If you are a newcomer to St. Margaret’s Bay and would like to explore its history in greater
detail and enjoy the stories of our
elderly citizens, please contact
Barbara Peart at 902-826-2827 or
email
her
at
rmpeart@hfx.eastlink.ca. She has
only about 60 copies of her 550page, illustrated book left; no more
will be published after these are
sold. Now she is in the midst of
pursuing painting, and you may
view the book or her art work at 77
Glenwood Drive, Allen Heights, by
contacting
her
for
an
appointment.
visitors to this site since Feb.15th, 2008