Grand Manan Genealogical Society

by F.E. McConvey

Published 06 April 1988

In January 1980 approximately 20 people gathered on Grand Mana for the purpose of forming a genealogical society. In addition to researching their own family histories, these residents were keen on learning more about the early settlers who had decided to stay on Grand Manan and the reasons why they had chosen such as isolated location. With in a short time this group, now known as the Grand Manan Genealogical Society, became affiliated with the New Brunswick Genealogical Society.

This active organization has tackled many projects since its beginning. Their works include family histories; recording of all the cemeteries on Grand Manan; copying the census, marriage and death records from microfilms and the copying of the Graham Funeral Records. This last taks is nearly completed and covers the dates 1864-1944.

As a team they have copies the births, baptism, marriage and death records of St. Paul's Anglican Parish. They have written histories of the Union Church of Castalia and the Advent Christian Church of Woodward's Cove; two churches which not longer have the support of congregations.

They have gathered data on the Loyalists of St. Andrews and environs, Grand Manan, the Quakers and other groups of interest. Old school records back to 1894 have been researched, which in turn, have generated lists of the pupils who attend these schools. There was also data on the teachers who taught on Wood Island from 1888 to 1957. Amoungst the collection are assessment lists, land grants plus copied items from The Island News, a weekly published by J.G. Larimer in the 1880's.

The many activities of this busy organization are covered in their quarterly newsletter entitled The Sands of Time. Individual issues of this publication may be purchased for $2.50 and all back issues are available. Articles pertaining to Grand Manan or its people are always gratefully received by the society for publication in The Sands.

For those seeking membership to the Grand Manan Genealogical Society the annual fee is $10.00 and this includes the newsletter.

Readers can contact this society by writing Mrs. Glenta Hettrick, President, Grand Manan Genealogical Society, Grand Harbour, NB EOG 1X0

Many thanks to Gleneta for graciously supplying the information for this column. Folks from this area may remember her as Gleneta Green, a teacher at the Bartletts Mills School around 1946.

* * *

While searching through old newspapers, correspondence and other documents you may find words and/pr abbreviations with which you are unfamiliar, e.g. A wedding ceremony may have been performed on the 15th inst; a funeral was conducted on the 13th Ult. or a payment of money might have been required by the 25th Prox

These are abbreviated forms for terms that have become obsolete.

inst.
 instant, of the same month
Ult.
 Ultimo, in the last month
Prox
 Proximo, of the next month
ad val or a/v
ad valorem, accourting to the value
afft
 affidavit
Atty
 Attorney
bbl
 barrel
bot
 bought
cf
 compare
cum div
with dividend
cwt
 hundredthweight
d.
 penny or pence
do
 the same, ditto
Dr.
 Doctor of Debtor
e.g.
 exempli gratis, for example
Esq
 Esquire
et seq
and the following
et al
and others
ex officio
(from the off or officially) by virtue
gr
 gross
hhd
 hogshead
ib. or ibid
(ibidem) in the same place
id.
(idem) the same
i.e.
 (id est) that is
K.D. (Q.C)
Kings Counsel (Queen's Counsel)
L.S
 (locum sigilli) place of the seal
Messrs
 (messiurs) Gentlemen
MS or ms.
manuscript
MSS or mss
manuscripts
Non Seq
(non sequitur) Its does not follow
N.B.
 (nota bene) take note, mark well
nil
 nothing
p., pp.
page; pages
pro
 for
Pro tem
(pro tempore) for the time being
P.S.
 (post scriptum) postscript, written after
Quasi
 as if
q.v
 (quod vide) which see
qr.
 quire
re
 in regard to, relating to
re.
 with references to
rm.
 ream
s.
 shilling
Sec., Sec'y
secretary
sic
 so, thus
Stet
 Let it stand
S.S.
 steamship
v., vs
(versus) against
via
 by way of
viz
 (videlicet) namely
v.v.
 vice versa
whf
 wharf
whse
 warehouse

 

Genealogy Meeting

Time: 1:30 pm

Date: Saturday April 9, 1988

Place: Ross Memorial Library, St. Andrews

There have been approximately 28 people who have expressed a definite interest in the formation of a Genealogical Society for Charlotte County. This will be an organizational meeting. It is hoped that representatives from the New Brunswick Genealogical Society will be in attendance, but at the time of writing, this has not been confirmed. Nonetheless, the local group will go into action. See you there.

 

QUERIES:

32a. ROBERT LANK b.c18104 m PENELOPE (CALDER?). In 1851 census lived in Campobello. Possible son of WILLIAM LANK. Seen any info.

32b. MARGARET PARKER b. c1795, d. 1858 m. ALEXANDER CALDER. In Census lived in Campobello. Seek any info on parents

Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.