Beaton Institute

A Brief Guide to the Manuscript Holdings at the Beaton Institute Copyright 2002 by the Beaton Institute Beaton Institute “A Brief Guide to the Manuscript Holdings at the Beaton Institute” All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without permission of the publisher. Although every effort to ensure the information was correct at time of printing, the publisher does not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for loss or damages by errors or omissions. Beaton Institute Cape Breton University 1250 Grand Lake Road P.O. Box 5300 Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6L2 Canada (902) 563-1329 [email protected] http://cbu.uccb.ns.ca WELCOME TO THE BEATON INSTITUTE Preserving Cape Breton’s Documentary Heritage he Beaton Institute welcomes you to discover the resources we have T to assist in your research. We are a research centre and archives mandated to collect and conserve the social, economic, political, and cultural history of Cape Breton Island. It is a centre for local, regional, national and international research and is the official repository for the historically significant records of Cape Breton University. The Beaton aims to promote inquiry through innovative public programming and community-based initiatives. This volume is aimed at people who are conducting research in the manuscript holdings. It contains brief annotations for each manuscript group that can be found at the Beaton Institute. The information compiled in this book should give researchers a clearer idea of what the Beaton holds, and should provide alternative avenues to further your research. The Beaton Institute welcomes visitors to use its facilities. There are staff on hand to help you when you visit as well as services such as photocopying and scanning. The more direct an inquiry, the more likely we are able to find the information you are looking for. We also welcome requests from those who are unable to visit the archives. Just give us a call or drop us an email message or letter. Contact Information Beaton Institute Cape Breton University P.O. Box 5300 Sydney NS B1P 6L2 Canada (902) 563-1329 [email protected] http://beaton.cbu.ca ii OVERVIEW OF THE BEATON INSTITUTE’S MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL he purpose of this book is to help the researcher better navigate his T or her way through the holdings of the Beaton Institute. It is a short description of the Beaton Institute’s material so that you will have a better and more complete view of what we have. Our manuscript groups are collections of papers that have been given to the Beaton Institute. These papers relate to every aspect of life in Cape Breton, and are divided into the following categories: MG 2 – Pre-Nineteenth Century MG 3 – Nineteenth Century MG 6 – Gaelic and Scottish MG 7 – Ethnic Groups MG 9 – Political Figures MG 10 – Social Workers and Reformers MG 11 – Education and Educators MG 12 – Personal Papers MG 13 – Religious Papers MG 14 – Business and Corporate Bodies MG 15 – Arts and Artists MG 16 – Government and Court Papers MG 17 – Wills, Land, Grants, and Petitions MG 19 – Labour and Labour Relations MG 20 – Military Papers Before you begin to search for information, here are some abbreviations and symbols you should know: MG – refers to an item in our manuscript groups; always appears with two numbers separated by a period (Example: MG 3.23) MB – refers to a reel of microfilm PAM – refers to a pamphlet, or short published work SB – refers to a scrapbook or newspaper clippings (not indexed) [ ] – anytime that square brackets appear, it signals a call number for a published item at the Beaton Institute iii MANUSCRIPT GROUP 2 PRE -NINETEENTH CENTURY Dates spanned: 1598-1976 26 Entries his manuscript group is comprised of the earliest records created in T Cape Breton or regarding Cape Breton. Included are early diaries, passenger lists, Loyalists’ papers and papers concerning the Louisbourg campaign in 1745. 2.1 Cossitt Family 1785-1976 Papers of Ranna Cossitt and family, one of Sydney’s earliest and most important families. 2.2 Hill Family 1782-1886 Papers of William Hill and family of Cape Breton County. 2.4 Early Manuscripts Concerning L’Acadie 1598-1719 Mostly in French, these papers concern early Acadian settlements in Nova Scotia and Sable Island. See MB 27. 2.5 Macarmick, William 1787-1810 Letters and accounts of William Macarmick as Cape Breton’s Lieutenant-Governor, presented to the Audit Board and the Treasury, 1787-1795, 1807 and 1810. 2.6 Burns, Robert 1791 Letters and a poem entitled “Ae Fond Kiss.” 2.7 Smith, William 1795 Letter from Smith dated 26 March 1795, requesting that he be allowed to return to Cape Breton. William Smith first came to Sydney as a physician with the Colonial troops. He became a member of the Executive Council of Cape Breton and Co-Adjutant Chief Justice of this colony. He is the author of the booklet “A Caveat Against Emigration to America” (c.1804) in which he is highly critical of Cape Breton’s ruling elite. MANUSCRIPT GROUP 2 PRE -NINETEENTH CENTURY 2.8 Fortress of Louisbourg 1745 Instructions to New Englanders on first attack on Louisbourg, 1745. 2.9 Pichon, Thomas 1760 History of Cape Breton by Pichon contained in five letters. Pichon was Secretary to the Governor of Ile Royale from 1751 to 1753. It was he who informed British officers on the contents of confidential documents which he took from the French. He died in 1781 at the age of 81. 2.10 Cox, William 1800 Estimates submitted by the Royal Engineer’s Office to repair a boat and to build and repair military housing. 2.11 Amherst, Jeffrey 1758-1760 Letters and dispatches. Sir Jeffrey Amherst, first Baron (1717-1797) was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in North America in 1758. Lord Amherst’s great military services were all performed in the years 1758-1760 at Louisbourg, Fort Duquesne and Ticonderoga and in the conquest of New France. 2.12 Louisbourg 1745-1746 Pieces relatives aux navires NOTRE-DAME- DELIVERANCE, D’ANTIN et LOUIS-ERASME, pris devant Louisbourg en 1745. 2.13 Louisbourg: 1745 Campaign 1745-1748 Miscellaneous documents relating to the expenses incurred by the 1745 expedition against Louisbourg, 1745-1748, together with chronological list. 2.14 Haldimand, Frederick 1874 Return of Loyalists for the Cape Breton settlement; giving the number of families, names of leaders, number of families, and their location. Sir Frederick Haldimand (1718-1791), was Governor and Commander in Chief in Canada from 1778 to 1784. MANUSCRIPT GROUP 2 PRE -NINETEENTH CENTURY 2.15 Scottish Emigrants to Nova Scotia 1801 Passenger lists of emigrants from Scotland to Pictou, NS, giving names, age of those under 16 years, occupation and place of residence in Scotland, for ships “Sarah” and “Dove.” 2.16 Hurd, Thomas 1785 Appointment of Thomas Hurd as land Surveyor for the province of Cape Breton. Thomas Hurd (1757?-1823) was a naval officer and hydrographer. 2.17 Prince Edward Island Emigration 1769-1858 A list of vessels carrying Scottish emigrants to the Maritimes, with special reference to Prince Edward Island. The list gives the names of the captains, number of settlers and ports of departure and arrival. 2.18 Crawley, Thomas 1820 “Short Account of the Settlements in Cape Breton.” Captain Thomas Crawley (1757-1851) came to Cape Breton about 1789. He served as Surveyor-General in Cape Breton and Superintendent of Mines. 2.19 Scrantom, David 1792 Letter from Thomas Strong, Jr. to Captain Scrantom at Manchester, NS, giving news of the whereabouts of family members who have left the family home of Durham, Connecticut. 2.20 Peters, Ann Barnett c. 1800 Undated letter written by Ann Peters (1740-1827) from Sydney to her son John at Baddeck. Ann Peters was born in Windsor, Connecticut and married John Peters of Hebron, Connecticut. They migrated as Loyalists to Cape Breton in 1784. The letter describes problems of getting supplies in Cape Breton, health, and difficulties with livestock. Biographical material attached. 2.21 Louisbourg: Expedition of 1745 in 5 Volumes 1745 Papers deal with the attack on Cape Breton in 1745. MANUSCRIPT GROUP 2 PRE -NINETEENTH CENTURY 2.23 Nugent, Patrick Rooney 1797 Account of Possessions (real estate) and debts of Patrick Rooney Nugent, Surveyor of Cape Breton at the time of Lieutenant-Governors Desbarres and Macarmick. 2.24 MacDonald, John 1795 This document is a transcription of diary entries that were made by Captain MacDonald in or about 1795, after inspecting the estates of Colonel Joseph Frederick Wallet Desbarres at Menudie, Napan, Macan, and Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia. Capt. MacDonald’s report is a comprehensive overview of the entire situation and was written after he had personally visited all of the estates mentioned. Value is in the high amount of genealogical data in these entries. 2.25 Cuyler, Abraham 1784 Abraham Cuyler, former mayor of Albany, New York, in 1784 wrote a letter to Lord Sydney dated from King Street, Soho 21 June 1784. In that year, there was a great influx of American Loyalists into Cape Breton Island, causing its separation as a province distinct from Nova Scotia. In 1784, the Town of Sydney was founded, capital of the Province, named after Lord Sydney, Secretary of State for the colonies. In this letter, Cuyler wrote entreating the Lord to authorize and commence the settlement and give permission to superintend the people (from Quebec) until the Government of the Island (Cape Breton) could be organized. He was also looking to be reimbursed and an appointment of services rendered.

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