w w w www TTHEHE PPARARTICIPTICIPAPERAPER AN INVERNESS COUNTY PERIODICAL w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w A Christmas Angel, by artist Bill Roach of Cheticamp, was just one of many beautiful works of art for sale at the w w Holiday Season Art Sale held at w the Inverness County Centre for the Arts in November. w Vol 28, No. 5w w Nov/Dec 2007 The Participaper - Vol 28, No 5 Page 1 w w w w w w w FROM THE INVERNESS COUNTY RECREATION, TOURISM, CULTURE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE JUMPSTART & KIDSPORT the Department wants to help raise literacy ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: awareness and the fact that it is true, Is lack of money holding you back from “everyone is a life long learner”. enrolling your children in sport or The Inverness County Literacy Network recreation programs? See page 21 of this issue for can help provide you with information on information on how the above programs may be able to free literacy programs available in your help. Note that the deadline to make an application for community. Inverness County Literacy the upcoming season is January 1, 2008. Council, under the direction of the Recreation/Tourism Department is available INVERNESS COUNTY ON THE MOVE... to help adults with upgrading classes or one- ENCOURAGING RESIDENTS TO BE WINTER-ACTIVE! on-one tutoring. For more information you The Inverness County Recreation/Tourism Department can contact us toll-free 1-877-258-5550. will once again assist communities in offering Winter Active/Take the Roof off Winter activities - giving REMINDER TO FESTIVAL & EVENT County residents a chance to participate in indoor and ORGANIZERS: outdoor recreational events. This 50/50 grant is The 2008 issue of The Sunset Side of Cape available to our communities to help offset costs Breton, Inverness County’s own visitor’s guide involved. The main idea is to encourage individuals and will be going to print in early 2008 and we entire families to participate, to be physically active and are updating our listings for our website most of all to have fun!! www. invernessco.com. These are free For more information on how to get involved and promotional opportunities - don’t miss out! examples of the types of activity supported, give the For more information please call Donna Recreation office a call. Donna or Anna Lee at 787- MacDonald at 787-3507 or email her at 3507 or 3508 will be happy to help. [email protected] as soon as possible. NORDIC WALKING POLES, CROSS COUNTRY SKIS & WINTER/SPRING BROCHURE – FREE SNOWSHOE RENTAL PROGRAM: PROMOTION! A reminder that the Recreation/Tourism Department Watch for our 2008 Winter/Spring events provides residents with a rental service for Nordic brochure which is due for distribution early Walking Poles, Cross-country ski equipment and in the new year to mailboxes throughout the Snowshoes. Various sizes are available. Rental is on a County. The brochure includes winter fun first-come/first-served basis. Cost for renting a set of activities along with arena contacts, outdoor skis, poles, & boots is $3/day or $5/weekend. Nordic events, hockey schedules, suppers, dances, Walking poles or snowshoes $5/two weeks. A damage ceilidhs, card games and bingo. Everyone is deposit is required at time of pick-up and will be encouraged to support the activities returned when equipment is returned in satisfactory sponsored by local volunteer organizations. condition. Equipment is stored at the Municipal If your non-profit organization would like Building in Port Hood. For more information call 787- to know more about how we can help you 3507, 3508 or 2274. promote your events and activities throughout the year, please give our office a FREE ADULT UPGRADING AND TUTORING AVAILABLE: call at 787-3506, 3507 or 3508. The Inverness County Recreation/Tourism Department has always promoted and contributed to the benefits of DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT ISSUE OF life long learning, by offering adult upgrading classes as THE PARTICIPAPER well as recreation and continuing education programs. IS JANUARY 7, 2008 Together with the Inverness County Literacy Network, Page 2 The Participaper - Vol 28, No 5 ANCESTORS UNLIMITED HELPING TO FIND YOUR INVERNESS COUNTY ROOTS I. INSIGHTS INTO ANCESTORS AND COMMUNITIES AS 19. Sofa - $15 GLEANED FROM ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS: 20. Carpets and mats (l2) and curtains and a) The estate of the merchant Peter MacDonald of blinds - $35 Whycocomagh: MacDonald was the father of 21. 4 looking glasses - $8 John K. MacDonald and the brother of R. J. 22. 1 old sewing machine - $15 MacDonald of Port Hastings and James 23. Crockery and knives, forks and spoons - $22 MacDonald of West Bay, merchants all. 24. Lamps and candlesticks - $3 The inventory of his estate was prepared by 25. 2 old stoves and pipes in shop - $10 Lauchlin McKinnon, merchant of 26. 2 show cases - $5 Whycocomagh and the Hon. John McKinnon, 27. 2 scales and weights - $12 school inspector. Their inventory was 28. 1 safe - $90 submitted to Probate Court in Port Hood total: $26, 930.75 in December 1876 and includes the (It is interesting to note that his furniture in his house, a building clothing was not included nor was which is still standing, as well as his the food in barrels stored for the other assets. The outstanding bills winter.) owed to him seem very high. The value b) In his will dated in 1828 - as of his property is an insight into the lives recorded in the Probate Office in of members of the merchant class. Happy Holidays Sydney - Angus Grant of Grant’s (These MacDonalds were originally Pond, Port Hawkesbury, lists the from North Uist, Scotland.) names of his children (to whom he leaves two- Inventory: thirds of his estate to be equally divided) and his 1. Lot of land with shop (i.e. store) and wife’s name, Catherine (to whom he leaves one- warehouse - $500 third.) They are all to administer his estate (an 2. Vacant lot in Whycocomagh - $150 unusual provision in early or later wills - how 3. Wharf and warehouse and barn - $800 could so many people agree?) The names of the 4. Lot and dwelling house and barn - $3,000 children of Angus Grant as listed in his will are: 5. Lot of land at Salt Mountain - $150 Christy, John, Duncan, James, Isabella and Allan. 6. Goods in shop (store) - $2758 c) In his will dated 11 February 1826 (and 7. Debits in books - $19,000 probated in July of 1828 - thus establishing his 8. 1 horse - $40 death date as between the signing of the will and 9. 2 cows - $30 recording of it in the Probate Office in Sydney - 10. 1 waggon(sic) - $50 where it is on file and the original may be seen), 11. 1 sleigh and harness - $45 John Graham of Judique reveals much about the 12. 2 buffalo robes - $10 things which were important in his life: 13. 1 cart - $20 i. He left 100 acres of land for her use to his wife 14. 1 cooking stove and 2 parlour stoves - $20 Euphemia who is also named as executrix. As well, 15. 9 bedsteads and feather beds and she is to receive two milk cows and six sheep; pillows -$88 ii. To his son, John Graham, 300 acres of land 16. Blankets and quilts - $60 adjoining that of Ewen Gillis; 17. Dining room table and chairs - $13 iii. To Donald McMaster, son of Ewen McMaster 18. 10 small tables and stands - $8.75 who is “married to my lawful daughter Margaret”, Continued next page...ANCESTORS The Participaper - Vol 28, No 5 Page 3 Continued from previous page...ANCESTORS 100 acres of land. The land is located “in the published by Pottersfield Press. Insights into the centre of my property and adjoining the lot left to life, the gifts and the contributions of the noted John Graham.” Should Donald McMaster die, musician of Judique. Margaret is to have the property “solely and 2. North of Smokey, a novel by David Doucette, forever.” published by Cape Breton University Press. The iv. The remaining 100 acres of his author has Inverness County roots land, adjoining Alex McDonald, through his great, great Retland, to be sold. grandparents, Francis and Mary v. John Graham is to receive a site (Hawley) Doucet (Dusset), who for the location of a mill at any place lived in Brook Village. This book he may choose - one and one half provides a vibrant insight into life in acre. a remote coastal village. vi. Son John Graham is to pay to 3. Endgame 1758, The Promise, the Christiana Graham, “daughter of my Glory and the Despair of Louisbourg’s late son Alex Graham,” the sum of Last Decade, by A.J.B. Johnson, 30 pounds of British Currency when Historian at Fortress Louisbourg. A she comes to be twenty years of age. remarkably readable, and well- vii. Ewen McMaster is to pay Mary researched history, of the significance Graham, daughter of said late son of the final 1758 siege of the Fortress Alex Graham the sum of 30 pounds and the importance of that decade in when she is twenty years of age out determining the future of Canada of the proceeds of land deeded to and the events which were behind him. the American Revolution. A serious book, viii. To Ewen McMaster, married to daughter scholarly in its format, it is readable by all Margaret, a lot of land in Guysborough, 60 acres, interested in the history of Cape Breton Island. land block number 9, near Salmon River, in as Published by Cape Breton University Press.