A history of the county of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Although not an deeply interested, or as directly concerned in all the details of the County of Yarmouth, as if ho had been born in this County, and had listened from childhood to tho story of its settlement and subsequent progress; tho Author has always considered it a duty us well as a pleasure, to gather up particulars illustrative, of the Character and Institutions of the people amongst whom his lot, for some years, has been cast.

This more systematic effort to preserve the floating traditions and to collect the scattered records of the past, by which, when connected with our present condition, tho progress which has been made, may be appreciated, was the result of an invitation issued by tho Governors of Kings College, Windsor, for Essays on County Histories, under tho thoughtful and liberal intelligence of the Akins Foundation. I sent them an Essay on tho history of this County in 1872; and, from the expressions of satisfaction with which they wore pleased to accompany the reception of my paper, — together with the then general interest in the undertaking and the subsequent continued solicitations of those whose opinions I respect, I have thought it my duty to publish the work.
The volume from the nature of the case cannot be expected to be very interesting to many person unconnected with the County. Compared with the important transaction appear trivial. There in here no account of great men, or great measures; but simply the common-place records of a young, but growing community, in which there is necessarily much of personal detail, and even that confined to a few whose ability to he publicly useful in one thing usually identified them with many, and to whom, therefore, by consequence, frequent reference had to he made. But I venture to think that, as all things are threat or small only by comparison, the details of the affairs of this County however insignificant in themselves, are more interesting and more important to its people than are the details of any other limited part of the world. And as every intelligent people loves to know something of its past history, I shall have boon amply repaid to think that some things have boon herein preserved, which were fast floating away.

As much accuracy in statement, and moderation in style, is required in such a work, as in a greater. In order to attain these desirable objects, tho manuscript was voluntarily submitted to a number of well informed, independent-minded citizens, representing wide Political and Religious divergences of opinion; and their criticism freely invited. They were pleased to testify to the general accuracy and impartiality of the whole; but I wist it to be understood that I alone, am responsible for details.

 

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER vii
CHAPTER I.
Limits of the County. Physical Character. Climate. Natural History 1

CHAPTER II.
Introductory Historical Facts. Earliest References 9

CHAPTER III.
Aboriginal Inhabitants. Indian Relics. French Settlers and Settlements 16

CHAPTER IV.
Early English Settlers. The County known to American fishermen before settled. Government offers to intending Settlers. Grants 25

CHAPTER V.
The first arrivals. Their locations, condition and first experiences 32

CHAPTER VI.
Progress of the work of Settlement. Committee appointed by Council. Rules for their guidance 89

CHAPTER VII.
Continued influx till 1764. First notice of Argyle and Pubnioo. Mr. Crawley's Return. Personal references 45

CHAPTER VIII.
Increase between 1764-7. Township Grant. Marks of progress. Great and Saw Mills 54

CHAPTER IX.
Opening up of the County by-roads. Public Worship. First Ministers. Chebogue Church raised 69

CHAPTER X.
Township of Argyle. When set apart. Successive settlement of Argyle, Tusket, Eel Brook and Pubnioo. The D'Entremonts 66

CHAPTER XI.
Fresh Arrivals. Memorial for a Re-adjustment of County limits. Colonial troubles of 1775. Politics of the period 77

CHAPTER XII.
Third Decade 1780-90. Loyalist Element in the County. Cape Forchue meeting house/ Escheated property. Partition of the Township of Yarmouth. Original Settlers of Tusket. Church Covenant of 1784 85

CHAPTER XIII.
Commercial progress. Fishing. Early local merchants. Yarmouth made a Port of Shelburne. J. N. Bond. Religious Revolution. Henry Alline. Jonathan Scott. Harris Harding. Religious Census. Original homes and first locations of the early settlers 97

CHAPTER XIV.
Opening of the Nineteenth Century. Condition of Roads and Bridges. Institution of the Post Office. H. G. Farish. Progress in Public Buildings. Episcopal Church. Abbe Sigogne. Social Conveniences 161

CHAPTER XV.
Supremacy of Yarmouth gradually asserted. War of 1812-14. Loyal Memorial. Defenses 126

CHAPTER XVI.
The Story of Yarmouth Shipping Enterprise. Anthony Landers. Rise of the Methodist body. The Free Baptists. Rise and Progress of Sunday Schools 132

CHAPTER XVII.
Social Progress from 1800. Negro Slaves. New Settlements. Salmon River. Kemptville. Beaver River. Ohio. Hebron. Carleton. Temperence and Total Abstinence Societies. Great Fire of 1820 144

CHAPTER XVIII.
Political and Educational Progress. Confederation. Incorporation. Judicial History of the County. Courts. Common Pleas. Our Schools and School-Masters 153

CHAPTER XIX.
Literature. Literary remains. The Press 168

CHAPTER XX.
Celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of the Settlement of Yarmouth 178

CHAPTER XXI.
The Town of Yarmouth. Churches. Schools. Private Residences. Banks. Insurance offices. Manufacturers. Agricultural Societies. Synopsis. Steam of Land and Water. Fisheries, General Trade. Recapitulation. Conclusion 182

 

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The present County of Yarmouth, consisting of the Township of Yarmouth and the District of Argyle, has seen several changes as regards its limits. In, the year 1761 by order of Council, Yarmouth, Barrington and Liverpool Townships were erected into the County of Yarmouth. In 1784, by the same authority, Yarmouth, Barrington and Shelburne Townships were erected into that of Shelburne; and lastly, in 1836, the present Township of Yarmouth and district of Argyle were erected into into the County of Yarmouth. All that is here said, refers to the County as it is now limited. And, in the prosecution of this purpose, our first duty is to observe the position, boundaries, and physical character of the Country whose history are tracing.