the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第11章
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The first minister was Rev。 Willard Parker； and the deacons Rufus Fillimore and Henry Ward。 The ministers who have been in charge from that date down to the present time are：
William Parker。 Trueman Bishop。 John Roe。 Chas。 A。 Eaton。 David Lawson。 T。 D。 Skinner。 W。 A。 Coleman。 J。 D。 Wilson。 G。 F。 Miles。 H。 Lavers。 David McKeen。 D。 A。 Steele。
PRESBYTERIANS。
The Presbyterians were organized and had a church building in Amherst as early as 1788； but it was not until the Rev。 Alexander Clark arrived； in 1827； that they had a regular minister stationed with them。 Previous to this several ministers had been with them； but only a very short time。
In the grant of the Cumberland township of 1763 land was given to the Presbyterian Church on which to build a manse； but there is no existing record to show that it was ever taken possession of by that body。 The first church in the township was erected in Jolicure about the year 1830。 The land was given by Thos。 Copp； and the Brownells and Copps of that place were very active in the work of building。 Rev。 Alexander Clark； of Amherst； was the minister in charge of the congregation。 Dr。 Clark spent his life in preaching the Gospel to the same people and to their children； with whom he began his mission when he first came to the country in 1827 or 1828。 His circuit extended from Maccan to Pugwash； and from there along the Northumberland Straits to Shemogne； including Amherst； Jolicure； and Sackville。 He was a fine type of the Scotch…Irish minister； who spoke what he believed was the truth； whatever the consequence might be。
EPISCOPALIAN。
The first Episcopal Church in the Sackville Parish was built at Westcock in 1817。 The rectors have been as follows：
John Burnyeot； 1818…1820。 Christopher Milner； 1820…1836。 John Black； 1836…1847。 T。 DeWolfe； 1847…1860。 G。 G。 Roberts； 1860…1873。 David Nickerson； 1873…1875。 J。 D。 H。 Brown； 1875…1878。 R。 J。 Uniacke； 1878…1879。 C。 P。 Mulvaney； 1879…1880。 C。 F。 Wiggins； 1880…
St。 Paul's Church； Sackville； was commenced in 1856； and consecrated in 1858。 The late Joseph F。 Allison was largely instrumental in building this church。 As the two churches； St。 Paul's and St。 Ann's； Westcock； were in the same parish； they were under the charge of one rector。
CHAPTER VI
THE TRUEMANS。
WILLIAM TRUEMAN was born in Yorkshire； England； in the year 1720； and emigrated to America with his family in the year 1775。 They were probably passengers in the ship JENNIE； Captain Foster； which came to Halifax that spring with a number of emigrants from Yorkshire。 The family consisted of William Trueman； his wife Ann； and their son William； an only child； a young man in his twenty…fourth year。
Billsdale* was the name of the township they left in the Old Country。 They were Methodists in religion； but had been members of the Episcopal Church and brought with them the prayer…books and commentaries of that communion。
＇FOOTNOTE： *Billsdale； Westside Township； is a long moorland township of widely scattered houses on the west side of the Rye； extending from six to eight miles N。 N。 W。 from Helmsley； and is mainly the property of the Earl Haversham。 Its area is 4；014 acres； its land rises on lofty fells at Rydale Head。 Hawnby parish includes the five townships of Hawnby； Arden； Billsdale； Westside； Dale Town； and Snillsby； the area of the parish being 24；312 acres。 END OF FOOTNOTE＇
In addition to his business as a farmer； William Trueman； senior； had taken the legal steps necessary in England to enable him to work as a joiner if he were so inclined。 The son William had been engaged in the dry goods business a year or two before coming to Nova Scotia。
After landing at Halifax they came by schooner to Fort Cumberland； and very soon after settled about four miles from the fort at Point de Bute； then called Prospect。
There does not seem to have been many of the name left in Yorkshire at this time； and those who were in Billsdale and vicinity shortly moved to other parts of the country。 A nephew of the first William； named Harmon； moved to another township； married； and had a family of ten children。 Mary； Harmon's youngest daughter； married a man named Brown； and they called one of their sons Trueman Brown。 Charles； a son of Trueman； spent a year at Prospect in the eighties； and Harmon； a brother of Charles； visited the home in 1882…83。 I have not been able to trace the family in Yorkshire in any but this one branch。 There is a photograph at Prospect of John Trueman； a son of the Harmon here mentioned； which shows a strong likeness to some of the family in this country。
A family of Truemans living in Ontario came to Canada about the year 1850； but we have not been able to trace any relationship。
The first purchase of land by the Truemans in Nova Scotia was from Joshua Mauger。 This property was conveyed to William Trueman； sen。 The deed reads： 〃I； Joshua Mauger； Esq。； of London； in Great Britain； Esq。 member of Parliament； of the town of Poole； in the county of Dorsetshire； for and in consideration of the sum of ninety pounds lawful money of the Province of Nova Scotia；〃 etc。； etc。 This ninety pounds was paid for eighty acres of upland and fifty…four acres of marsh adjoining a wood lot on Bay Verte Road； and a right in the great division of woodland； so…called。 The deed was signed at Halifax by the Hon。 John Butler； as attorney for Joshua Mauger； on the 8th September； 1777； and the money paid the same day。 Thomas Scurr and J。 B。 Dight were the witnesses； it was proved at Fort Cumberland on the 31st of Sept。； 1777； by Thomas Scurr； and registered in New Brunswick by James Odell； May 3rd； 1785。
The next purchase of real estate was made from Thomas Scurr； the place now called Prospect Farm。 Six hundred and fifty pounds lawful money of the Province of New Brunswick was the amount paid。 Between the first and second purchase the Province had been divided； and that part of the township of Cumberland in which the Truemans settled had gone to New Brunswick。 The number of acres in this last purchase was estimated at eight hundred； including nearly five hundred acres of wilderness land。 The deed was witnessed by Thomas Chandler and Amos Botsford。 Mrs。 Scurr did not sign the deed； and the following is the copy of a document found very carefully laid away among the old papers at Prospect：
〃VIRGINIA； PRINCESS ANN COUNTY； 〃June 25th； 1789。 〃On this day personally appeared before me； Dennis Dooley； Justice of the Peace of the said county of the commonwealth of Virginia； Elizabeth Scurr； and voluntarily relinquished her right of a dower in a certain tract or piece of land in the town of Westmoreland and Province of New Brunswick； viz。： Three eighty…acre lots； Nos。 sixteen； eighteen and twenty； with the marsh and wilderness thereto belonging。 All in division letter B； and described fully in a deed from Thomas Scurr to William Trueman and on record in Westmoreland； No。 142。 〃Given under my hand and seal this day as above。 〃DENNIS DOOLEY。 〃The within Elizabeth Scurr doth hereby voluntarily subscribe her name to the within contents。 〃ELIZABETH SCURR。〃
Dennis Dooley； Justice of the Peace of the commonwealth of Virginia in the year 1789； was a good penman。
James Law owned Prospect Farm before Thomas Scurr。 The deed conveying the property from Law to Scurr is still among the documents at Prospect。 As Law was early in the country after the expulsion； it is probable he was the first to get possession after the removal of the Acadians。
Thomas Scurr； sen。； left the country soon after selling Prospect Farm。 The old chronicles say he was a man very much esteemed for his piety。 He represented Cumberland township； for one session at least； in the Legislature at Halifax。 In 1785； 〃in opposition to the advice of a friend against going from a place where was wanted to a place where he was not wanted；〃 he removed to the South； and purchased an estate near Norfolk； Virginia。 He repented too late； for nearly all the members of his large family fell victims to diseases peculiar to southern climates。
There was another Thomas Scurr in the country at this time； probably a son of Thomas Scurr； sen。； who married Elizabeth Cornforth； of Sackville； in August； 1787。 Mrs。 Scurr lived only a week after giving birth to a son。 The boy was called Benjamin； and was taken care of by his aunt； Mrs。 Jonathan Burnham。 Thomas Scurr； after the death of his wife； left Sackville with the intention of going to the West Indies； and was never heard from after。 It was supposed he was lost at sea。 The Scurrs in Sackville are descendants of the boy Benjamin。
William Trueman； sen。； was above the average height； and rather stout； with head； shoulders and face that indicated strong character。 In personal appearance his grandson Robert much resembled him。 He was fifty…five years of age when he came to Nova Scotia。 His wife was eight years his senior。 She； too； was tall； with a countenance showing a great deal of reserve power。
William； the son； was a small man； with round features and dark hair。 His son John was said to resemble him closely。 He must have retained his youthful appearance well into mature life； for after he had been in this country some years he went to Fort Lawrence to poll his vote and was challenged for age by the opposing candidate。 His youthful appearance had led to the belief that he had not arrived at the age to entitle him to exercise the franchise。 His left arm was partially withered； or had not grown to its full size； from an injury received in childhood through the carelessness of a nurse。 The family brought with them from England some furniture。 There is still the old arm…chair at Prospect； and the old clock keeps good time for the fifth generation。
There is no record of the impression the new country made upon the family； but judging from a letter received by William Trueman； sen。； the year after his arrival； and copied below； it must have been favorable：
〃SNILLSWORTH； February 9th； 1776。 〃DEAR BROTHER AND SISTER； 〃These are with our love to you and to let you know that we are in a tolerable state of health at present。 〃We have many of us been poorly； but are much better。 We received a letter from you last November； which gave a great deal of satisfaction of mind on your account； because we had been informed that you had nowhere to settle in； but as you have given us a particular account concerning your situation and how you were settled and that you liked Nova Scotia and was all in good health of body it was much to our satisfaction； and I hope you will let us hear more particularly from you how your chattle and corn answers thee； and how and what product your ground doth bring forth； and what sort of grains your ground answers best for； and what chattle you keep； and what you can make of your chattle and how much milk your cows give and what is the most profitable things you have。 〃Now； dear brother； let me know the truth and nothing but the truth when you write。 〃I desire that you would let me hear from you at any opportunity whenever it suits your convenience for I think we shall never have the opportunity to see each other's face any more here below； but I desire to hear from thee and I hope thee will do the same by me as long as our
