December 26, 2024
“A New Book, White and Clean”
“These
were their settlements. And they kept good family records.”
Don’t
forget to look for the title which is embedded in the chronicle.
GRATITUDE
Thanks everybody, to your response to my last chronicle and
to my request for looking at the genealogy. Too many to name. I have a list of
those who want the genealogy. It is not a long list, so I added our four living
people back in and will send it out shortly – before the new year. It will go
out to all of our genealogists, and those of you previewed it for me, and those
who mentioned it. Please ask again, though, if you want it but don’t get it. I
may have missed someone.
.
FAMILY ALBUM
Hill
Grove in winter. Photo by Brian.
1924 to 1928
Those
are the years that our great or great-great grandparents spent renewing
relationships that had somehow fallen by the wayside but with organization,
letter writing, and challenging travel – by hook or by crook – they managed to
come together again. They reacquainted and rediscovered their family ties. And
then, one by one, they died, and many of those ties died with them.
2024 to 2028
I made a discovery shortly before
Christmas. Actually, thanks to the New Brunswick Genealogy Society’s Facebook
group, I learned of it several months ago. It’s a new feature to FamilySearch,
and is still in the experimental stage - it is called a Lab. The first time I
tried it, I didn’t find too much, but whatever voodoo someone is doing in the
vaults of Salt Lake City, it is growing by leaps and bounds. Enough clichés. I
am now in the state of overwhelm – so much information. It will take me a long
time to process it. Only Annmarie and I know who Kim is, but thanks to her
Holmes question, I decided to give FamilySearch’s AI Experimental Lab a try. I
have found a new son for Zorobabel Holmes, and you can read about him in the
history lesson at the end. Zorobabel is the son of Samuel Sr and Elizabeth
(Fountain) Holmes, alias Seaman after she became a widow. I had every intention
of starting my Samuel Jr Holmes review in 2025, and Samuel Sr Holmes in 2026,
but for now, I’m just looking up words and names and places to see what I can
find. The next thing I dug up was the probate for the will of Samuel Holmes Sr.
I had the will already, but the probate is an incredible find. It also seems to
appear in several places. I have only skimmed it.
I encourage all of our genealogists and
wannabees to seek out this treasure. Beware the transcriptions, they are
fraught with errors – if AI only had a brain. Also be aware that our early
Holmes family lived mostly in Cumberland County. Some moved to other places
afterwards, but as far as I know, Parrsboro and Yarmouth were not one of those
places. AI could prove me wrong.
For now, here is a wee treasure I found
for my grandparents, Floyd and Minnie (Colpitts) Holmes, and my
great-grandparents, Charles R and Phoebe (McMonagle) Holmes. I’m sure that
Charles and Phoebe loved their son dearly. However, this is typical legalese.
I’m not sure when people started selling their property to those they cared
about for $1, but hey, that sounds like a windfall to me. I’m not quite
picturing it yet, but the property was forty acres. The initial grant was one
hundred acres. A rod measures about sixteen and a half feet. The strip was,
therefore, about 165 yards wide. I found a calculator on line, and I think that
means it was about 1173 yards long. Maybe? Byron may tell.
“ . . . the Grantors, as well for and
in consideration of the natural love and affection which they have and beareth
unto the Grantee, who is their son, as well as the sum of one dollar, to them
paid by the Grantee, his heirs and assigns, all that lot and piece of lands and
premises situate in Hill Grove . . . 40 acres more or less and comprising a
strip 30 yards wide of and from the westerly side of the farm now owned and
occupied by said Grantors as their homestead.”
I have a hunch that is in the field in
back of the little house, where we used to run and play, right up until about
2012 or so. Pretty sure Charles owned that property for a time, as that’s where
Floyd buried his farm critters, but that’s a fuzzy memory.
This transfer of deed was dated
September 11, 1917. Floyd married Minnie Colpitts in Hill Grove on May 9, 1918.
He registered for the draft on May 10, 1918, in Saint John, NB. Could we say that Floyd and Min honeymooned
in Saint John? I like to think so. Floyd’s regimental number was 3257694,
should you wish to look up his records at LAC.
I have only just begun. So much
information.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-958D-STZV?view=fullText&keywords=Phoebe%20Jane%20Holmes%2CNew%20Brunswick%2CNEW%20BRUNSWICK%2CWESTMORLAND%2CWestmorland%2CCanada&groupId=TH-1942-21942-72170-66
MUM’S MEMOIRS
Grandmother & Father lived in the little house, after she died he
came over for his meals. He didn’t eat too well & and his usual saying as
he came to the table was “Eat eat eat, Stuff stuff stuff.” There was no problem
getting him to eat if Mum had made macaroni and cheese.
News From Holmes
Congratulations to
Ian and Annie (Clifford) Gray, on the arrival of their son, Thomas Ignatius, on
October 19th. Proud grandparents are Brent and Margie (Holmes) Clifford, and
excited siblings are Jimmie, Molly, Sandy, and Charlie.
Thomas – Ian Gray and Annie Clifford – Brent Clifford and Margaret Rose
Holmes – Bryce Holmes and Inez McVicar – Floyd Holmes and Minnie Colpitts –
Charles R Holmes and Phoebe McMonagle – Daniel Holmes and Charlotte Hoyt.
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
THE HILL GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH
In my skimming of the new FamilySearch experimental lab site, I came
across this deed from Charles R Holmes to the Free Baptist Church Conference. I
pondered it, and I have concluded that it the church that sat across the
driveway from our farm. When and why it ended up in the Holmes back yard, I am
not sure, although I can imagine. Since I found one document, perhaps more will
eventually show up. We knew that our grandfather, Floyd Holmes, went to one of
the two churches in the wee community, and our grandmother, Minnie Colpitts,
went to the other. Given the location, I would say that Charles and Phoebe and
their family probably attended this one, the Free Baptist Church, and the
Colpitts family, the Hardshell Baptist Church that is still located down the
road, albeit in a different building. The two Baptist churches, one defunct and
one still active, are part of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.
LiDAR indicates to me, in my limited knowledge, that the church and
cemetery sat right across from the driveway. Who was buried in that little
cemetery? There are people whose death and resting place I cannot locate –
Phoebe McMonagle Holmes’ parents are the ones I’d most like to find. In 1906,
the different sects of the Baptist Church in New Brunswick united. At some
point, these two congregations merged, and there must be more legal
documentation that the property reverted to the Holmes family. They moved the
church building across the road and behind the house, where the building became
our wood shed, and its little front porch sat beside the horse barn. The
bodies, according to Mum, were reinterred in the Holmes front yard and then
reinterred in the burial ground down the road. (For me - see my history of Hill
Grove of 2010.)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9X3-KC6C?view=fullText&keywords=Holmes%2CNew%20Brunswick%2CWestmorland&groupId=TH-1951-39709-8403-8
Deed 76838 Charles Holmes et ux (and wife) to Free Baptist Church
Conference, Registered July 18th 1903 at 10 AM
A D Richard,
Registrar
This indenture, made this Twenty second day of July in the year of our
Lord one thousand Nine hundred and two between Charles Holmes of the Parish of
Salisbury in the county of Westmorland, Farmer, and Phoebe Holmes, his wife,
hereinafter called the Grantors of the first part, and the free Baptist General
Conference of New Brunswick of the second part; Witnesseth that the Said
Grantors for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar lawful money of
Canada – to them paid by the said Free Baptist General Conference of New
Brunswick the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have and by these
presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, convey and confirm unto the
said Free Baptist General Conference of New Brunswick, their successors and
assigns. All that certain lot piece or parcel of land situate in Graves
Settlement in the said Parish of Salisbury and described as follows. Beginning
at the south West corner of lands owned by Sherman Blakney on the north side of
the highway road leading from Petitcodiac to Corn Hill thence westerly along
the northerly side of said road eighty eight feet, thence northerly and at
right angles to said Road on hundred and forty six feet, thence easterly and
parallel to said road eighty eight feet, thence Southerly one hundred and forty
six feet or to the place of beginning. Also all that certain other lot, piece
or parcel of land situate in the said Graves Settlement in the said Parish of
Salisbury and bounded as follows, namely, Beginning at a certain cedar post
(Marked FB) on the South side to Petitcodiac on the farm of said Phoebe Holmes,
thence Westerly along said South side of said road seventy four feet or to
another certain cedar post (Marked FB. C) thence southerly at right angles with
said road forty four feet to another cedar post (Marked FB. 3) and thence
easterly and parallel with said road Seventy four feet to another cedar post
(Marked FB.4) and thence northerly forty four feet or to the place of
beginning. Together with all the buildings and improvements thereon and the
privileges and appurtenances to the same belonging, and the reversion and
reversions, Remainder and Remainders Rents Issues and profits thereof and also
all the estate right title right and title homestead dower right and title to
dower interest use possession property claim and demand either at law or in
equity of them the said Grantors of in to or out of the same and every part and
parcel thereof with the appurtenances. To Have and To Hold the said lot piece
or parcel of land and premises hereby granted bargained and sold or meant,
mentioned or intended so to be and every part and parcel thereof with the
appurtenances unto and to the only proper use benefit and behoof of the said
Free Baptist General Conference of New Brunswick their successors and assigns
Forever. In Witness Whereof the said Grantors have hereunto set their hand s
and seals the day and year first above written.
Signed Sealed and Delivered in the Charles
Holmes (L. S.)
Presence of W. Z. King Phebe
Holmes (L. S.)
County of Westmorland, S. S.
Be it remembered that on this twenty eighth day of November in the year
of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and two at the Parish of Salisbury in the
county of Westmorland before me W. Z. King one of his Majesty’s Justices of the
peace in and for the said County of Westmorland personally came and appeared
Charles Holmes and Phoebe Holmes his wife the Grantors on the foregoing
Indenture of deed named who severally acknowledged that they each signed sealed
and delivered the same for the purposes and uses therein expressed and the said
Phoebe Holmes wife of the said Charles Holmes being by me examined separate and
apart from the Said Charles Holmes her husband acknowledged that she executed
the same freely and voluntarily and without any fear threat or compulsion of
from and by her said husband.
W. Z. King J. P. In and for the County of Westmorland
I wish you all a Happy New Year 2025.
On January 1, 1909, H A Cody of Codys, New Brunswick,
wrote in his journal:
“A new book, white and clean.
A new year, unsoiled.
May there be fewer blots than the last one,
higher aspirations, and greater victories over self.”
My grandchildren, Winston and Eleanor. Photo is available with the email, as are the documents.
This ends week fifty-two of our
centennial virtual celebration, and my last chronicle of 2024.
No comments:
Post a Comment