PUBLICATIONS
EARLY HISTORY OF BELL ISLAND
by Addison Bown
From a talk he is said to have given in 1964 and that was published after his death
in The Newfoundland Ancestor, December 1993, V. 9, No. 3/4, pp. 131-136
by Addison Bown
From a talk he is said to have given in 1964 and that was published after his death
in The Newfoundland Ancestor, December 1993, V. 9, No. 3/4, pp. 131-136
NOTES:
Addison Bown likely gave this talk at a meeting of the Bell Island Kiwanis Club, of which he was a charter member. In the 1950s & 60s, the club held regular meetings with guest speakers.
The headers throughout the story were not part of the original; I placed them there to help delineate the topics being discussed.
In my bio of Gregory Normore, I present the half dozen pieces of documented evidence we have of Gregory and Catherine Normore's lives, and question if the following story presented by Addison Bown was based on fact or if it was his imagining of what Normore's life might have been like, and which he used merely as a way of illustrating his talk. You can read my bio of Gregory Normore on this website by clicking the button below left. To read my analysis of who the other candidates for "first settler" were, and my critique of this account of Gregory Normore's life, click on the button on the right.
Addison Bown likely gave this talk at a meeting of the Bell Island Kiwanis Club, of which he was a charter member. In the 1950s & 60s, the club held regular meetings with guest speakers.
The headers throughout the story were not part of the original; I placed them there to help delineate the topics being discussed.
In my bio of Gregory Normore, I present the half dozen pieces of documented evidence we have of Gregory and Catherine Normore's lives, and question if the following story presented by Addison Bown was based on fact or if it was his imagining of what Normore's life might have been like, and which he used merely as a way of illustrating his talk. You can read my bio of Gregory Normore on this website by clicking the button below left. To read my analysis of who the other candidates for "first settler" were, and my critique of this account of Gregory Normore's life, click on the button on the right.
EARLY HISTORY OF BELL ISLAND
by Addison Bown
by Addison Bown
Unlike some other places in Newfoundland, the date on which the first settler made his home on Bell Island has been established with reasonable accuracy. For more than 150 years before the discovery of iron ore in 1893, this rich island in Conception Bay supported a hard-working and prosperous people whose forefathers had hailed from England, Ireland and the Channel Islands, The riches of the island then were of a different kind from those derived from its once-famous mine. Its wealth lay in its fertile soil of which the best description has come down to us from Rev. Philip Toque, M.A. in his book Newfoundland, As It Was, And As It Is In 1877, in which the following passage occurs: "The soil of Belle Isle is said to be richer than any other part of Conception Bay." It was this richness of soil that was responsible for the original settlement of the island. And it continued to provide a comfortable living for its early residents until the key was found to unlock its great treasure store of mineral wealth for the benefit of later generations. Its possession of these two sources of natural riches, and the fact that both have been successfully developed, would tend to lend support to the suggestion that the story of Bell Island may be unique in the history of Newfoundland.
BOWN'S STORY OF GREGORY NORMORE
To trace the beginning of settlement on Bell Island one must go back to the year 1739. In the autumn of that year, when the harvest was over on his native island of Jersey, a young man named Gregory Normore stepped ashore at the port of Poole in the south of England. He was on his way to visit relatives in the county of Dorset. It was his first journey away from his native isle and from the prosperous farm on which he had been born years before.
The island of Jersey is the most southerly of the Channel group. Covering an area 12 miles long by 4 miles wide, it lies close to the shore of the continental peninsula in Normandy. In fact the Channel Islands originally belonged to the Dukes of Normandy and passed into the possession of the Crown when William the Conqueror defeated the Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. They are therefore the oldest English possession outside the boundaries of the British Isles. In common with the other islands of the group, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, Jersey has long been noted for its famous breed of cattle and its agricultural products.
The people have close ties with neighbouring France, and the dress of the young Jerseyman as he set foot in Poole on that Autumn day in 1739 openly proclaimed that fact. His clothes were cut more in the French than the English fashion. He wore a tricorn or three-cornered hat, a long silk coat trimmed at the throat and wrists with Mechlin lace, an embroidered waistcoat, knee-length breeches and hose, and shoes with buckles of silver. In his pocket he carried a supply of Louis-d'ors or gold Louis, the coins of France which were in circulation on the island.
Enquiring his way to the nearest inn, Normore engaged a room and exchanged his French coins for English sovereigns. Then he went out to see the sights of the thriving seaport which was then one of the busiest in England. And indeed there was much to attract his attention, for its quays were lined with hundred of vessels from all parts of the world and there was a continual bustle and commotion with the passage of goods and supplies to and from the busy wharves.
The port of Poole lies directly north of Jersey and about 100 miles distant. Its name is inseparably connected with the early commercial history of Newfoundland. Around the middle of the eighteenth century when Gregory Normore visited there, its trade with Newfoundland was at its height, the fishery giving employment to 200 vessels and 1500 men from Poole alone. The vessels that went out to Newfoundland each Spring returned loaded with cargoes of dried and/or salted codfish as well as cod liver oil and carried them to the countries of the Mediterranean from which they brought back cargoes of wine, fruit and olive oil. And when they left for Newfoundland in the following Spring, they were loaded with supplies of all kinds, food, clothing and fishing gear, for the various settlements along the coast.
Young Normore was fascinated by all he saw and heard as he made his way along the waterfront. There were ships there laden with the produce of the two Indies, East and West, consisting of cargoes of sugar and spices, tobacco, molasses and rum. The trade with Newfoundland was only a part of the maritime business of England. Her hardy seamen in their fast sailing ships had penetrated in search of trade to every part of the known world, even to far-away China for the beverage of which her people are so fond.
At last, his inspection finished, Gregory Normore, turned around to make his way back to the inn. Retracing his steps he found himself on the main street which was crowded with maritime adventurers from all parts of the world. The street was a famous one which had echoed to the sound of Drake's drum as he and his men marched to their ships to challenge the might of Spain in the great days of the first Elizabeth. The story is told that when Sir Francis came abreast of the main inn, the owner came running out with a tankard of foaming ale, the best in the house, and offered it to the admiral. The gay old sea dog shouted to his men to halt, summoned the drummer forward, and sitting down on the famous drum drank a toast to his enemies in his own picturesque words: "Death and damnation to all Spaniards!" It was a wish that was heartily echoed by his admiring audience.
As he walked along, Normore's attention was attracted by a group of deep sea sailors ahead of him. They wore long leather boots, stocking caps and guernseys or thick woolen sweaters, a name derived from the Channel Islands. Having just finished their summer voyage to the Newfoundland Banks and discharged their cargo, they had come ashore to enjoy an evening on the town. When they reached the inn they turned in and went to the taproom followed by young Normore who felt the need of some refreshment after his long walk. He found himself at the next table to the sailors. Several of them were of his own age and naturally they asked the stranger to join them. One drink led to another and friendship soon ripened in that mellow atmosphere. The young Channel Islander learned that his new friends were all relatives of one another who had been fishing for several years past in the waters off Newfoundland. His imagination was fired by the stories they told him of the fog-wreathed seas, huge icebergs and teeming fish around the rugged island in the Western Sea to which the men of England went to fish for cod. Next day they called for him at the inn and took him aboard their vessel. Normore left them a few days later to visit his relatives in another part of Dorset but saw them again before he returned home. And in between he did some serious thinking, for the spirit of adventure was calling and an ever-recurring thought had taken shape in his mind.
By the time he returned to Jersey his decision had been made. Back home on the farm he told his parents that he had decided to go out to Newfoundland in the following Spring. They made no objection once they saw that his mind was made up. And so in the month of February Gregory Normore was back in Poole with his new friends, the fishermen. He signed on as a member of the crew, putting away his dainty apparel with its buckles and lace, and replacing it for the rough but serviceable clothing and the long boots more suited to the sea.
They sailed for Newfoundland in the first week of March in company with hundreds of other fishing vessels from the West Country of England. The journey was a long one, a matter of six storm-tossed weeks, in which they were delayed by a succession of strong head winds. But at last, nearing Eastertide, the sun broke through the clouds to show them the high wooded cliffs guarding the entrance to the land-locked harbour of St. John's. They passed through the Narrows and cast anchor in the sheltered port. Later the vessel was moored at one of the wharves and part of its cargo discharged. Then it went around to Harbour Grace where the remainder was landed.
That summer Gregory Normore shipped out as a sharemen and fished along the Ledge off the east end of Bell Island where cod abounded. It seems a natural conclusion that the young Jerseyman was strongly attracted by the tree-clothed island with its high cliffs which must have reminded him of his native home. Its attraction was greatly strengthened for him when he went ashore there for the first time in that summer of 1740. The fishermen with whom he worked used the Beach on the southern side of the island to dry their fish. It was ideally situated for the purpose as it was sheltered from the cold northerly wind by high cliffs and received plenty of warm sun for drying the fish spread out along the sandy shore. A few shacks had been built there in the shadow of the cliff but were used only in the fishing season. After spreading out the fish, and while they were waiting for it to dry, what was more natural than that young Normore and his companions would wish to see more of the island on which they worked. The well wooded slope rising from the Beach, one of the few places by which the island can be climbed, struck Gregory as an ideal place to build a house. There was running water and plenty of shelter there. But what probably impressed him most of all was the soil. He could tell from his experience as a farmer that here was rich land which could provide him with a comfortable living, combined with the harvest of the sea nearby.
That Fall he decided to remain behind when his fellow fishermen left for home. Before leaving they helped him to begin the construction of a house on the Beach Hill among the woods which had so impressed him that summer. From the thick groves of firs, spruce, birch and witch hazel he cut and sawed the wood he needed for the sills, and posts, the beams, rafters and walls of his new home. He spent a lonely winter there, separated from his nearest neighbours at Portugal Cove by three miles of stormy water. But he completed the inside of his house that winter, rowing or sailing his boat to Little Bell Isle between periods of fishing to procure the stones he needed for the wide fireplace. He cemented them in place with home-made mortar and with his own hands wrought the heavy dog irons and made the furniture.
When Spring came he sailed to Carbonear and there wooed and won a girl named White, the daughter of an English Planter. From that union came several daughters and five sturdy sons, whose names were Henry, Gregory, Edward, Robert and Oliver. Those names have been handed down through their descendants to this day. Gregory Normore, the pioneer, died in 1785 and his headstone, made of grey English sandstone imported from the Old Country, is still to be seen in the old Church of England cemetery at a high point of land on the Beach Hill overlooking the ground he was the first to own. The inscription on the stone, still legible after the wear and stress of 179 years, reads as follows: In memory of Gregory Normore of Great Bell Isle who died the 14th day of July 1785, aged 66 years. He lived respected and died lamented.
In due course others came to settle on the island in the wake of the Normores. Another family name from the Channel Islands was that of the Bennetts who intermarried with the Normores. But in the main those who came afterwards were from England and Ireland, especially the latter. This is understandable in view of the fact that the fishing vessels from Poole and the other ports of the West Country often put into Waterford in southern Ireland and shipped on "youngsters" to help out in the fishery. Many of the Irish made their home in the vicinity of St. John's and along the Southern Shore while others populated the head of Conception Bay or settled on Bell Island. The attractive combination of rich soil and good fishing grounds was an irresistible feature that commended the island to all its subsequent settlers. Nature was lavish with her bounty and they found there all the means of livelihood supplemented by the work of their strong and willing hands. The land provided abundant crops. The woods on the island teemed with rabbits and its marshes with snipe and wild ducks. Every year in early summer the caplin rolled in on the beaches, supplying them with fertilizer in plenty for their land.
The names of the early families denote their origin. Among those of English descent are to be found such names as the Skanes, Searles, and Dicks of the Beach Hill area and the Pitts, Kents, Rees, Stoyles, Hiscocks, Hammonds, and Kings of Lance Cove. The Irish families were the Powers, Jackmans, Murphys, Kellys and Bowdrings of the Front, and Connors, Cummings, Fitzpatricks, and Laheys of Lance Cove Road, the Dwyers of the Beach Hill, and the Fitzgeralds, Delahuntys, Kavanaghs and Kehoes of the East End.
The island of Jersey is the most southerly of the Channel group. Covering an area 12 miles long by 4 miles wide, it lies close to the shore of the continental peninsula in Normandy. In fact the Channel Islands originally belonged to the Dukes of Normandy and passed into the possession of the Crown when William the Conqueror defeated the Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. They are therefore the oldest English possession outside the boundaries of the British Isles. In common with the other islands of the group, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, Jersey has long been noted for its famous breed of cattle and its agricultural products.
The people have close ties with neighbouring France, and the dress of the young Jerseyman as he set foot in Poole on that Autumn day in 1739 openly proclaimed that fact. His clothes were cut more in the French than the English fashion. He wore a tricorn or three-cornered hat, a long silk coat trimmed at the throat and wrists with Mechlin lace, an embroidered waistcoat, knee-length breeches and hose, and shoes with buckles of silver. In his pocket he carried a supply of Louis-d'ors or gold Louis, the coins of France which were in circulation on the island.
Enquiring his way to the nearest inn, Normore engaged a room and exchanged his French coins for English sovereigns. Then he went out to see the sights of the thriving seaport which was then one of the busiest in England. And indeed there was much to attract his attention, for its quays were lined with hundred of vessels from all parts of the world and there was a continual bustle and commotion with the passage of goods and supplies to and from the busy wharves.
The port of Poole lies directly north of Jersey and about 100 miles distant. Its name is inseparably connected with the early commercial history of Newfoundland. Around the middle of the eighteenth century when Gregory Normore visited there, its trade with Newfoundland was at its height, the fishery giving employment to 200 vessels and 1500 men from Poole alone. The vessels that went out to Newfoundland each Spring returned loaded with cargoes of dried and/or salted codfish as well as cod liver oil and carried them to the countries of the Mediterranean from which they brought back cargoes of wine, fruit and olive oil. And when they left for Newfoundland in the following Spring, they were loaded with supplies of all kinds, food, clothing and fishing gear, for the various settlements along the coast.
Young Normore was fascinated by all he saw and heard as he made his way along the waterfront. There were ships there laden with the produce of the two Indies, East and West, consisting of cargoes of sugar and spices, tobacco, molasses and rum. The trade with Newfoundland was only a part of the maritime business of England. Her hardy seamen in their fast sailing ships had penetrated in search of trade to every part of the known world, even to far-away China for the beverage of which her people are so fond.
At last, his inspection finished, Gregory Normore, turned around to make his way back to the inn. Retracing his steps he found himself on the main street which was crowded with maritime adventurers from all parts of the world. The street was a famous one which had echoed to the sound of Drake's drum as he and his men marched to their ships to challenge the might of Spain in the great days of the first Elizabeth. The story is told that when Sir Francis came abreast of the main inn, the owner came running out with a tankard of foaming ale, the best in the house, and offered it to the admiral. The gay old sea dog shouted to his men to halt, summoned the drummer forward, and sitting down on the famous drum drank a toast to his enemies in his own picturesque words: "Death and damnation to all Spaniards!" It was a wish that was heartily echoed by his admiring audience.
As he walked along, Normore's attention was attracted by a group of deep sea sailors ahead of him. They wore long leather boots, stocking caps and guernseys or thick woolen sweaters, a name derived from the Channel Islands. Having just finished their summer voyage to the Newfoundland Banks and discharged their cargo, they had come ashore to enjoy an evening on the town. When they reached the inn they turned in and went to the taproom followed by young Normore who felt the need of some refreshment after his long walk. He found himself at the next table to the sailors. Several of them were of his own age and naturally they asked the stranger to join them. One drink led to another and friendship soon ripened in that mellow atmosphere. The young Channel Islander learned that his new friends were all relatives of one another who had been fishing for several years past in the waters off Newfoundland. His imagination was fired by the stories they told him of the fog-wreathed seas, huge icebergs and teeming fish around the rugged island in the Western Sea to which the men of England went to fish for cod. Next day they called for him at the inn and took him aboard their vessel. Normore left them a few days later to visit his relatives in another part of Dorset but saw them again before he returned home. And in between he did some serious thinking, for the spirit of adventure was calling and an ever-recurring thought had taken shape in his mind.
By the time he returned to Jersey his decision had been made. Back home on the farm he told his parents that he had decided to go out to Newfoundland in the following Spring. They made no objection once they saw that his mind was made up. And so in the month of February Gregory Normore was back in Poole with his new friends, the fishermen. He signed on as a member of the crew, putting away his dainty apparel with its buckles and lace, and replacing it for the rough but serviceable clothing and the long boots more suited to the sea.
They sailed for Newfoundland in the first week of March in company with hundreds of other fishing vessels from the West Country of England. The journey was a long one, a matter of six storm-tossed weeks, in which they were delayed by a succession of strong head winds. But at last, nearing Eastertide, the sun broke through the clouds to show them the high wooded cliffs guarding the entrance to the land-locked harbour of St. John's. They passed through the Narrows and cast anchor in the sheltered port. Later the vessel was moored at one of the wharves and part of its cargo discharged. Then it went around to Harbour Grace where the remainder was landed.
That summer Gregory Normore shipped out as a sharemen and fished along the Ledge off the east end of Bell Island where cod abounded. It seems a natural conclusion that the young Jerseyman was strongly attracted by the tree-clothed island with its high cliffs which must have reminded him of his native home. Its attraction was greatly strengthened for him when he went ashore there for the first time in that summer of 1740. The fishermen with whom he worked used the Beach on the southern side of the island to dry their fish. It was ideally situated for the purpose as it was sheltered from the cold northerly wind by high cliffs and received plenty of warm sun for drying the fish spread out along the sandy shore. A few shacks had been built there in the shadow of the cliff but were used only in the fishing season. After spreading out the fish, and while they were waiting for it to dry, what was more natural than that young Normore and his companions would wish to see more of the island on which they worked. The well wooded slope rising from the Beach, one of the few places by which the island can be climbed, struck Gregory as an ideal place to build a house. There was running water and plenty of shelter there. But what probably impressed him most of all was the soil. He could tell from his experience as a farmer that here was rich land which could provide him with a comfortable living, combined with the harvest of the sea nearby.
That Fall he decided to remain behind when his fellow fishermen left for home. Before leaving they helped him to begin the construction of a house on the Beach Hill among the woods which had so impressed him that summer. From the thick groves of firs, spruce, birch and witch hazel he cut and sawed the wood he needed for the sills, and posts, the beams, rafters and walls of his new home. He spent a lonely winter there, separated from his nearest neighbours at Portugal Cove by three miles of stormy water. But he completed the inside of his house that winter, rowing or sailing his boat to Little Bell Isle between periods of fishing to procure the stones he needed for the wide fireplace. He cemented them in place with home-made mortar and with his own hands wrought the heavy dog irons and made the furniture.
When Spring came he sailed to Carbonear and there wooed and won a girl named White, the daughter of an English Planter. From that union came several daughters and five sturdy sons, whose names were Henry, Gregory, Edward, Robert and Oliver. Those names have been handed down through their descendants to this day. Gregory Normore, the pioneer, died in 1785 and his headstone, made of grey English sandstone imported from the Old Country, is still to be seen in the old Church of England cemetery at a high point of land on the Beach Hill overlooking the ground he was the first to own. The inscription on the stone, still legible after the wear and stress of 179 years, reads as follows: In memory of Gregory Normore of Great Bell Isle who died the 14th day of July 1785, aged 66 years. He lived respected and died lamented.
In due course others came to settle on the island in the wake of the Normores. Another family name from the Channel Islands was that of the Bennetts who intermarried with the Normores. But in the main those who came afterwards were from England and Ireland, especially the latter. This is understandable in view of the fact that the fishing vessels from Poole and the other ports of the West Country often put into Waterford in southern Ireland and shipped on "youngsters" to help out in the fishery. Many of the Irish made their home in the vicinity of St. John's and along the Southern Shore while others populated the head of Conception Bay or settled on Bell Island. The attractive combination of rich soil and good fishing grounds was an irresistible feature that commended the island to all its subsequent settlers. Nature was lavish with her bounty and they found there all the means of livelihood supplemented by the work of their strong and willing hands. The land provided abundant crops. The woods on the island teemed with rabbits and its marshes with snipe and wild ducks. Every year in early summer the caplin rolled in on the beaches, supplying them with fertilizer in plenty for their land.
The names of the early families denote their origin. Among those of English descent are to be found such names as the Skanes, Searles, and Dicks of the Beach Hill area and the Pitts, Kents, Rees, Stoyles, Hiscocks, Hammonds, and Kings of Lance Cove. The Irish families were the Powers, Jackmans, Murphys, Kellys and Bowdrings of the Front, and Connors, Cummings, Fitzpatricks, and Laheys of Lance Cove Road, the Dwyers of the Beach Hill, and the Fitzgeralds, Delahuntys, Kavanaghs and Kehoes of the East End.
LANCE COVE
The pretty settlement of Lance Cove at the island's western end contains the only other beach along the Front or southern side, forming a natural landing place similar to the Beach where the ferries dock. The first settler at Lance Cove is believed to have been an Englishman named Greeley, a name no longer found among present-day residents, although there are a number of Greeley families at Portugal Cove. He owned a mile square and sold out to the Pitts, Rees, Stoyles, Kents and Hammonds. The Pitts brothers were seafaring men from Devon. They owned their own vessels and also carried on extensive farming on the sunny slopes of Lance Cove, engaging as well in the raising of horses. They prospered and kept open house for all visitors, entertaining the officers of visiting warships on a lavish scale. Lance Cove in those early days was a hive of industry for in addition to agricultural activities there was a shipyard on the beach where schooners and small boats were built. Bricks were also manufactured, using local clay.
LANCE COVE'S FIRST CEMETERY
Written records of the pioneer days are nonexistent but the old cemeteries tell something of the early story in the names recorded on the stones. Lance Cove's first cemetery is now overgrown with grass and trees. Catholics and Protestants alike were buried there. The oldest headstone was that of James Pitts, who died on April 30, 1805 at the age of 70 years. Nearby is one to the memory of two Kent brothers who died in 1815, George on January 12 and James on May 27. Both were young men. One was drowned by the upsetting of a boat off the settlement. Another stone records the passing of Edward Cooper in 1822. That name is no longer found on the island. Mary Hiscock, wife of George Hiscock, is also buried there. She died in 1825. Other names are those of John Pitts, April 1825, aged 42; Frances, his daughter, August 1826, aged 14; Elizabeth, his wife, October 1826, aged 40. The old cemetery also contains the name of William Kennedy, who was a skillful wharf builder. The wife of William Stoyles is also buried there. The last to be laid to rest in the old cemetery was Fanny Pitts. William Stoyles was buried in the newer (Roman Catholic) cemetery.
COMING TO NEWFOUNDLAND
It is interesting to speculate on the reasons that induced people of the Old Country to settle in Newfoundland. In the case of the English, it is known that many were deserters from the Royal Navy. With most of the Irish, it was a case of finding freedom in a new land from oppression at home. In between there could be a variety of causes, including hiding from justice, evading debt or marital troubles, and in general escaping from various difficulties at home. In many instances though it was simply a case of responding to the call of adventure which brought many young men from the Old World to the newer lands across the sea.
A story is told of an Englishman in the last century who was walking along a lonely country road in Devon from one village to another when he was overtaken by darkness. Seeing a horse and wagon standing outside a gate in a high wall he crawled into the wagon, which was covered with canvas, and made himself comfortable for the night. Presently the gate opened and two men appeared carrying a long box which they placed in the rear of the wagon without noticing that they had a passenger. Our friend soon realized, after the team got underway, that he was lying beside a corpse, and that the two men were grave robbers (or "burkers" as they were known, after the notorious "resurrectionist," William Burke, who was hanged at Edinburgh in 1829). By and by they came to a tavern and the driver said, "This is dry work, Joe. Let's go in and have a drink." A deep voice answered him from inside the wagon, "I don't mind if I do." The two robbers, thinking it was the dead man who spoke, jumped down off the seat and took to their heels. Whereupon their passenger drove to the nearest doctor, sold the corpse and the rig for a handsome profit and so obtained sufficient money to buy a passage out to Newfoundland.
A story is told of an Englishman in the last century who was walking along a lonely country road in Devon from one village to another when he was overtaken by darkness. Seeing a horse and wagon standing outside a gate in a high wall he crawled into the wagon, which was covered with canvas, and made himself comfortable for the night. Presently the gate opened and two men appeared carrying a long box which they placed in the rear of the wagon without noticing that they had a passenger. Our friend soon realized, after the team got underway, that he was lying beside a corpse, and that the two men were grave robbers (or "burkers" as they were known, after the notorious "resurrectionist," William Burke, who was hanged at Edinburgh in 1829). By and by they came to a tavern and the driver said, "This is dry work, Joe. Let's go in and have a drink." A deep voice answered him from inside the wagon, "I don't mind if I do." The two robbers, thinking it was the dead man who spoke, jumped down off the seat and took to their heels. Whereupon their passenger drove to the nearest doctor, sold the corpse and the rig for a handsome profit and so obtained sufficient money to buy a passage out to Newfoundland.
OLD TOMBSTONES
But to return to the subject of old tombstones. In the Church of England cemetery on the Beach Hill there is a monument to Thomas Searle who died January 14 1819, aged 71 years. He was an Englishman from Kent. He too grew fine crops and was also a breeder of horses. There is also a stone to the memory of Henry Normore, a grandson of the first settler, who died March 18, 1860, aged 88 years. He was a successful farmer and kept 12 milk cows and other cattle.
Up to fairly recent times there were two old headstones near the road over the Beach Hill, standing in unfenced ground. These have since disappeared with the widening of the road. One was dedicated to the memory of John Jackman of County Kilkenny, Ireland, who died December 10, 1810. He was a successful fisherman. The other stone was erected to the memory of William Dwyer of Waterford who died December 18, 1814.
The oldest tombstone in the Roman Catholic cemetery is one to John Power who died May 18 1873. He raised oats on his farm in addition to other crops. The Power farm at the Front was a famous one. The earliest of that family was Thomas Power, born in Waterford, who died on Bell Island at the age of 88 years. One of his descendants, of the same name, had a big farm near St. Michael's Church and kept 30 head of cattle as well as many sheep and pigs. He employed a number of young men who afterwards became farmers themselves. Thomas Power is said to have been the first to build a silo in Newfoundland. In one season he sold 300 barrels of turnips in Harbour Grace which he had grown on his farm.
Up to fairly recent times there were two old headstones near the road over the Beach Hill, standing in unfenced ground. These have since disappeared with the widening of the road. One was dedicated to the memory of John Jackman of County Kilkenny, Ireland, who died December 10, 1810. He was a successful fisherman. The other stone was erected to the memory of William Dwyer of Waterford who died December 18, 1814.
The oldest tombstone in the Roman Catholic cemetery is one to John Power who died May 18 1873. He raised oats on his farm in addition to other crops. The Power farm at the Front was a famous one. The earliest of that family was Thomas Power, born in Waterford, who died on Bell Island at the age of 88 years. One of his descendants, of the same name, had a big farm near St. Michael's Church and kept 30 head of cattle as well as many sheep and pigs. He employed a number of young men who afterwards became farmers themselves. Thomas Power is said to have been the first to build a silo in Newfoundland. In one season he sold 300 barrels of turnips in Harbour Grace which he had grown on his farm.
The origins of some of the purely local place names on the island are interesting in themselves. A servant of James Pitts was driving a horse along the cliff path on his way to the brickyard at Lance Cove when it slipped and rolled over the cliff to its death on the jagged rocks below. The horse was named Rattler and was especially prized by its master. The place of its fall has been known ever since at Rattler's Droke. There is also another such recess or opening in the cliff near the Dominion Pier which is known as Harrigan's Droke, a family name which has now disappeared from the island.
At the extreme western end of Bell Island, facing the head of the bay, lies the sheltered settlement of Freshwater. It was settled by the Parsons of Freshwater, Bay de Verde, at a later date than the other settlements. In the course of fishing off that part of the island, they used to come ashore on the beach there and following the valley came to higher ground, which was well watered and wooded. They too took notice of the rich soil and eventually made their homes there. This settlement is now officially known as Parsonsville.
A man named English made his home at Lance Cove around 1750 and is said to have been driven out by the French in 1762 after they captured St. John's. He then moved to Bay de Verde. He was an ancestor of Mr. Arthur English. He was, at one time, curator of the Newfoundland Museum.
At the extreme western end of Bell Island, facing the head of the bay, lies the sheltered settlement of Freshwater. It was settled by the Parsons of Freshwater, Bay de Verde, at a later date than the other settlements. In the course of fishing off that part of the island, they used to come ashore on the beach there and following the valley came to higher ground, which was well watered and wooded. They too took notice of the rich soil and eventually made their homes there. This settlement is now officially known as Parsonsville.
A man named English made his home at Lance Cove around 1750 and is said to have been driven out by the French in 1762 after they captured St. John's. He then moved to Bay de Verde. He was an ancestor of Mr. Arthur English. He was, at one time, curator of the Newfoundland Museum.
DWYER BROTHERS CAPTURED BY THE FRENCH
The French were prowling around the coast again in 1796 when they made their last invasion of Newfoundland. A fleet under Admiral Richey appeared off St. John's but was deterred from attacking the capital by the strong defence of the Narrows. The French ships then sailed to Bay Bulls and burned the houses and boats of the fishermen.
One foggy morning that summer, two residents of Bell Island were fishing from their small boat off Bauline. They were two brothers named Thomas and Daniel Dwyer, sons of William Dwyer of Stradbally County, Waterford, already mentioned. The thick fog lying over the water lifted after a time revealing a French frigate with double rows of guns and the tricolour flying from her peak. They tried to row ashore but a gunshot from the French ship brought them to a stop. The frigate came alongside and they were taken aboard. Its crew had a fine meal of fresh fish that day. The Bell Island men were taken prisoners to Toulon and from there to Paris. They were uncles of Michael Dwyer. Thomas returned home many years afterwards and the residents did not know what to make of his foreign manners and dress, with his hair tied behind in a queue with a black ribbon, his tricorn hat and high tasselled boots.
One foggy morning that summer, two residents of Bell Island were fishing from their small boat off Bauline. They were two brothers named Thomas and Daniel Dwyer, sons of William Dwyer of Stradbally County, Waterford, already mentioned. The thick fog lying over the water lifted after a time revealing a French frigate with double rows of guns and the tricolour flying from her peak. They tried to row ashore but a gunshot from the French ship brought them to a stop. The frigate came alongside and they were taken aboard. Its crew had a fine meal of fresh fish that day. The Bell Island men were taken prisoners to Toulon and from there to Paris. They were uncles of Michael Dwyer. Thomas returned home many years afterwards and the residents did not know what to make of his foreign manners and dress, with his hair tied behind in a queue with a black ribbon, his tricorn hat and high tasselled boots.
FISHING & FARMING
It used to be a common sight at Portugal Cove to see small boats, numbering as many as fifteen at a time, coming to the wharf there from Bell Island loaded to the gunwales with potatoes, turnips, eggs, wool and small vegetables. At one time as many as ten sail of bankers were moored off the Beach waiting for their fish to be made on shore and were supplied with vegetables from gardens on the Beach Hill. A man who could not raise 50 barrels of potatoes was not counted much of a farmer. The Bell Island potatoes were noted for their dryness and cleanness. In 1872 three farmers alone shipped to Harbour Grace 300 barrels of potatoes. All the land from Granny Fisher's Hill in Lance Cove to Long Harry at the East End was under cultivation, and fine crops were being raised as well at Lance Cove and Freshwater.
Only ten years before ore was discovered, one resident was making 40 pounds of fresh butter a week for customers in St. John's. At Lance Cove one resident, who was also a school teacher, grew 150 barrels of potatoes a year. The farmers at the Front and East End were famous for the turnips and potatoes they grew and the butter their wives made. They always had a plentiful supply of wool from the sheep they raised. Large quantities of oats were grown by them as well as hay.
Even in 1934, forty years after mining began, 12,000 barrels of potatoes were raised on Bell Island when the people were forced to go back to the land during the depression. In that year 66,000 gallons of milk were also produced. There were at that time 303 horses, 227 cows, 2236 pigs, 586 sheep and 7746 hens. By 1961 the number had dwindled to 5 horses, 6 cows, no pigs or sheep and 55 hens. The agricultural figures tell the same story of decline. In 1934, 771 acres were set out in hay, 338 in potatoes, 13 in grain, 47 in turnips and 60 in cabbage. By the early sixties only 24 acres were producing hay, and only two were set out in potatoes.
Only ten years before ore was discovered, one resident was making 40 pounds of fresh butter a week for customers in St. John's. At Lance Cove one resident, who was also a school teacher, grew 150 barrels of potatoes a year. The farmers at the Front and East End were famous for the turnips and potatoes they grew and the butter their wives made. They always had a plentiful supply of wool from the sheep they raised. Large quantities of oats were grown by them as well as hay.
Even in 1934, forty years after mining began, 12,000 barrels of potatoes were raised on Bell Island when the people were forced to go back to the land during the depression. In that year 66,000 gallons of milk were also produced. There were at that time 303 horses, 227 cows, 2236 pigs, 586 sheep and 7746 hens. By 1961 the number had dwindled to 5 horses, 6 cows, no pigs or sheep and 55 hens. The agricultural figures tell the same story of decline. In 1934, 771 acres were set out in hay, 338 in potatoes, 13 in grain, 47 in turnips and 60 in cabbage. By the early sixties only 24 acres were producing hay, and only two were set out in potatoes.
IRON ORE
Earlier residents of the island, which is now known as the Iron Isle, had no idea of the mineral wealth below the ground. Even the sight of the red rocks outcropping on the surface along the northern part of the island had no significance for them for they did now know their meaning. There was no settlement on that side of the island for the farms all lay along the southern and eastern sides which are better protected from wind and weather. The marshes and wild meadows on the "Back of the island," as it was called, were used as grazing grounds for cattle and sheep. The cliffs are lower there and the animals had a special preference for the grass in that area because of the salt content carried over the cliff by spray when the north-east gales were blowing.
Actually, iron ore should have been discovered 50 years before it really was, and would have been but for a combination of circumstances which form a story in themselves. In the year 1839, the government of Newfoundland engaged its first geologist to make a survey of its coastal regions for possible minerals. He was an Englishman names J.B. Jukes, M.A., F.G.S., F.C.P.S. In a report to Governor Prescott, Jukes, stated that on May 29 1839 he left Portugal Cove in a punt with four men "to visit Bell Isle". They first landed at the Beach where Jukes climbed to the top of the cliff overlooking the Tickle. Then they started westward to make a circuit of the island. Passing between it and the Bell at the north west corner, a perpendicular rock standing 100 feet above the water at a distance of 60 feet from the main island (which derives its name from it), they were rowing down the north side when a thick fog set in. Their journey had to be completed against a strong north-east wind and swell. Visibility was reduced to nil, preventing the experienced eyes of the geologist from noticing the unmistakable red outcrops in the cliffs which proclaim the presence of iron ore. In June Jukes hired a small ketch of 37 tons in St. John's for a cruise in Conception Bay. They rounded Cape St. Francis on the 17th but were unable to reach Portugal Cove because of a strong south west breeze. Approaching Bell Island they saw a "fleet of fishing vessels" rounding it and anchoring under its lee. They tried to get near enough to the island to anchor but were unable to do so and had to run for shelter at Harbour Grace. From there Jukes made a tour around the Head of the Bay, going ashore at various places to examine the country. He climbed several vantage points including the Butterpot at Holyrood, an outstanding landmark 750 feet high from which an excellent view of Conception Bay is obtained. He also visited Kelly's Island where he found a number of workmen engaged in quarrying stone for the proposed Roman Catholic Cathedral (the present Basilica) in St. John's.
The discovery of iron ore finally came in 1893. It brought a complete change in the economic and social life of the people of Bell Island, as well as a huge influx of new residents.
In this article an attempt has been made to trace the early history of the island and to describe the pastoral existence of its earlier settlers. The changes and developments that came with mining form another story which lies outside the scope of this submission.
Actually, iron ore should have been discovered 50 years before it really was, and would have been but for a combination of circumstances which form a story in themselves. In the year 1839, the government of Newfoundland engaged its first geologist to make a survey of its coastal regions for possible minerals. He was an Englishman names J.B. Jukes, M.A., F.G.S., F.C.P.S. In a report to Governor Prescott, Jukes, stated that on May 29 1839 he left Portugal Cove in a punt with four men "to visit Bell Isle". They first landed at the Beach where Jukes climbed to the top of the cliff overlooking the Tickle. Then they started westward to make a circuit of the island. Passing between it and the Bell at the north west corner, a perpendicular rock standing 100 feet above the water at a distance of 60 feet from the main island (which derives its name from it), they were rowing down the north side when a thick fog set in. Their journey had to be completed against a strong north-east wind and swell. Visibility was reduced to nil, preventing the experienced eyes of the geologist from noticing the unmistakable red outcrops in the cliffs which proclaim the presence of iron ore. In June Jukes hired a small ketch of 37 tons in St. John's for a cruise in Conception Bay. They rounded Cape St. Francis on the 17th but were unable to reach Portugal Cove because of a strong south west breeze. Approaching Bell Island they saw a "fleet of fishing vessels" rounding it and anchoring under its lee. They tried to get near enough to the island to anchor but were unable to do so and had to run for shelter at Harbour Grace. From there Jukes made a tour around the Head of the Bay, going ashore at various places to examine the country. He climbed several vantage points including the Butterpot at Holyrood, an outstanding landmark 750 feet high from which an excellent view of Conception Bay is obtained. He also visited Kelly's Island where he found a number of workmen engaged in quarrying stone for the proposed Roman Catholic Cathedral (the present Basilica) in St. John's.
The discovery of iron ore finally came in 1893. It brought a complete change in the economic and social life of the people of Bell Island, as well as a huge influx of new residents.
In this article an attempt has been made to trace the early history of the island and to describe the pastoral existence of its earlier settlers. The changes and developments that came with mining form another story which lies outside the scope of this submission.