the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第31章

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ship　ARETHUSA；　and　put　on　board　of　her　his　family　and　farm　tenants；　all　of　his　belongings；　household　goods；　and　farming　utensils；　and　after　his　safe　arrival　in　Nova　Scotia；　located　on　what　is　now　known　as　the　Torry　Bent　farm。

Capt。　Atkinson；　in　his　letter；　gives　some　interesting　information　relative　to　the　family　after　settling　in　this　country。　He　says：　〃My　grand…father's　name　was　Robert。　He　was　the　sailor　of　the　family。　He　served　his　apprenticeship　to　the　sea　out　of　England；　and　followed　his　father　to　America；　sailing　as　master　prior　to　1800。〃　His　wife　was　Sarah；　daughter　of　Obediah　Ayer；　generally　known　as　Commodore　Ayer；　noted　Yankee　rebel；　one　of　two　brothers　from　Massachusetts。

Mr。　Ayer　held　an　officer's　commission　in　Washington's　army　in　1776　and　was　also　Commodore　of　a　privateer　out　of　Boston　in　1812。　In　consideration　of　his　service　in　the　war　of　1776；　the　United　States　Government　gave　him　a　grant　of　land　in　Ohio；　at　that　time　one　of　the　territories。　Some　years　ago　his　heirs　undertook　to　look　up　the　records；　but　found　they　had　been　burned　in　the　Capitol　during　the　War　of　1812。　〃Only　for　that　little　incident；〃　Capt。　Atkinson　says；　〃I　might　have　owned　the　site　where　Cleveland　now　stands　or　otherwiseprobably　otherwise。〃

For　services　in　1812　Commodore　Ayer　was　granted　a　pension；　but　died　before　any　payments　were　made　to　him。　His　nearest　connections；　however；　received　two　hundred　dollars　a　year　as　long　they　lived　（sic）。

Capt。　Robert　Atkinson　sailed　his　last　voyage；　from　Kingston　to　Jamaica；　in　1804；　and　died　at　that　port　of　yellow　fever。　His　widow　returned　to　Sackville；　leaving　her　son　Edwin；　their　only　child；　with　his　grandfather　in　Fort　Lawrence；　where　he　remained　until　he　was　twenty…one　years　of　age。

Mr。　Atkinson　had　three　sons　besides　Robert；　who　lived　with　him　in　Fort　Lawrence。　Thomas　moved　to　Kent　County；　where　his　descendants　still　live。　William　and　John　remained　in　Fort　Lawrence；　and　the　Atkinsons　there　now　are　descended　from　these　brothers。　Capt。　Stephen　Atkinson；　from　whom　most　of　the　information　about　the　family　has　been　obtained；　is　a　master　mariner；　and　has　commanded　some　fine　ships　in　his　day。　He　has　now　given　up　the　sea　and　spends　a　part　of　his　time　in　Sackville。

The　Atkinson　family　from　Yorkshire　settled　first　at　River　Hebert；　Cumberland　County；　N。S。　Robert　was　the　founder　of　the　family。　He　did　not　remain　in　River　Hebert　for　any　length　of　time；　but　purchased　a　farm　in　Sackville；　and　moved　his　family　there。　This　farm　was　afterwards　sold　by　his　son　Christopher；　and　is　now　the　site　of　the　Mount　Allison　educational　institutions。

Robert　was　married　and　had　three　children　when　he　came　to　Nova　Scotia。　He　was　twice　married；　and　was　the　father　of　fourteen　children。　Thomas；　Christopher；　Elizabeth；　Sallie；　Joseph；　Robert；　William；　John　and　Stephen　were　the　names　of　the　first　family。　Several　of　the　sons　settled　in　Sackville。　Christopher；　after　selling　his　property　in　Sackville；　purchased　a　farm　in　Point　de　Bute；　and　moved　to　that　place。　He　had　a　large　family　of　boys。　Robert　（second）　moved　to　Shediac。　One　brother　went　to　the　United　States　and　joined　the　Latter…Day　Saints。　Joseph　married　Ann　Campbell；　the　daughter　of　Lieutenant　Campbell；　a　Waterloo　soldier；　and　settled　at　Wood　Point。　They　had　ten　children；　six　sons　and　four　daughters。　Isaac；　Nelson；　Hance；　William　and　Joseph　all　became　master　mariners；　and　were　fine　navigators。　Woe　be　to　the　sailor　who　fell　into　their　hands　and　did　not　know　his　duty　or　refused　to　perform　it！

The　family　still　have　in　their　possession　their　ancestor　Campbell's　sword　and　some　other　relics　belonging　to　the　old　soldier。

The　Atkinsons　have　always　been　a　strong；　vigorous　and　self…reliant　family；　and　have　made　a　good　record　in　this　new　country。

LOWERISON。

The　following　information　regarding　the　Lowerisons　was　secured　chiefly　from　Robert　Lowerison；　of　Sackville；　a　great…grandson　of　the　first　Richard　Lowerison。

Richard　Lowerison；　the　first　to　come　to　America；　was　born　in　Yorkshire；　England；　in　the　year　1741；　and　married　Mary　Grey　in　1762。　Ten　years　later　Mr。　Lowerison　sailed　from　Liverpool；　Eng。；　bound　for　Halifax；　where　he　landed　on　the　1st　of　May。　He　settled　on　the　Petitcodiac　River；　in　Westmoreland　County；　N。B。；　but　the　frequent　raids　made　by　the　Eddy　rebels　in　that　district　caused　him　to　purchase　and　remove　to　a　farm　adjoining　the　western　bounds　of　the　Garrison　lands　of　Fort　Cumberland。　The　buildings　first　erected　by　him　have　long　since　disappeared。　The　farm　has　been　occupied　by　his　son　Thomas；　by　his　grandson　James；　and　at　present　by　William　Miner。

Six　children　survived　Richard　and　Mary　Grey　LowerisonElizabeth；　who　married　William　Doncaster；　and　settled　at　Amherst　Point；　Anne；　who　married　John　Carter；　and　settled　east　of　Fort　Cumberland；　Thomas；　who　married　Hannah　Carter；　and　occupied　the　homestead；　Richard；　who　married　Abigail　Merrill；　and　after　spending　twelve　years　between　the　old　home；　Amherst　Point；　and　Mapleton；　moved　to　Frosty　Hollow；　Sackville；　on　September　18th；　1817；　on　the　farm　now　occupied　by　his　son；　Thomas　Lowerison；　and　his　grandson；　Bradford　Carter；　Joseph；　the　third　son　of　Richard；　married　Mary　Siddall　and　settled　near　Mount　Whatley；　about　two　miles　from　the　homestead。　Mary　married　James　Carter；　who　for　a　time　kept　a　public　house　in　Dorchester；　but　afterwards　moved　to　Amherst；　Nova　Scotia。

Richard　Lowerison　and　his　wife　attended　the　Methodist　church　in　Point　de　Bute；　as　may　be　seen　in　the　deed　given　by　William　Chapman　to　John　Wesley。　He　acted　as　precentor　in　the　old　stone　〃Meeting　House。〃　He　died　February　24th；　1825；　and　was　buried　in　the　Point　de　Bute　Cemetery。　Mary　Grey　Lowerison；　born　in　the　East　Riding　of　Yorkshire；　England；　died　September　16th；　1834；　and　lies　beside　her　husband。

Mr。　Lowerison　must　have　had　some　means　when　he　came　to　the　country；　for　while　living　near　Fort　Cumberland　he　did　an　extensive　business　in　sending　beef　cattle　to　Halifax。　His　partner　for　a　time　was　a　man　named　Rice。　He　seems　first　to　have　deceived　Mr。　Lowerison；　and　then　robbed　him　by　running　away　with　the　proceeds　of　three　droves　of　cattle；　leaving　Mr。　Lowerison　accountable　for　the　cattle；　with　no　cash　on　hand　to　meet　the　bills。　The　worry　from　this　affected　his　mind　to　such　an　extent　that　he　never　fully　recovered。　The　Lowerison　name；　until　quite　recently；　was　pronounced　as　if　spelled　Lawrence。　The　family　has　not　increased　greatly　in　the　new　country。　Although　the　sons　had　large　families；　there　are　very　few　grandchildren。　Robert　Lowerison；　of　Sackville；　is　the　only　living　member　of　a　large　family。　Captain　Richard　Lowerison；　of　Amherst；　is　a　descendant。　Captain　Thomas；　Joseph；　and　Siddall；　grandsons　of　Richard；　represent　the　name　at　Westmoreland　Point。

The　Lowerisons　were　always　understood　to　be　men　of　their　word。

FILLIMORE。

John　Fillimore　came　from　New　England　to　Fort　Lawrence；　N。S。；　in　1763　and　soon　after　settled　in　Jolicure。　He　had　a　number　of　sons；　two　of　whom；　John　and　Spiller；　settled　at　homeJohn　on　the　homestead；　and　Spiller　on　an　adjoining　farm。

At　the　close　of　the　Revolutionary　War；　Spiller　sold　his　farm　and　returned　to　the　United　States。　John　married　Jemima　Tingley；　of　Sackville；　and　had　a　family　of　twelve　children。　W。　C。　Fillimore；　of　Westmoreland　Point；　and　Lewis　Fillimore；　of　Amherst；　are　grandsons　of　John。

The　Fillimores　came　originally　from　Manchester；　England；　to　Long　Island；　New　York。　Captain　John；　father　of　John；　who　came　to　Nova　Scotia；　was　once　commissioned　by　the　State　of　Connecticut　to　clear　the　coast　of　pirates；　who　were　causing　a　good　deal　of　trouble　at　the　time。　So　well　did　Captain　Fillimore　perform　the　duty　that　the　town　of　Norwich　presented　him　with　a　handsome　cane　as　a　mark　of　their　appreciation　of　his　services。　This　cane　is　still　in　possession　of　the　family。

The　Fillimores　are　a　long…lived　race　of　men；　and　have　shown　themselves　well　able　to　hold　their　own　in　the　competition　of　life。　The　name　has　given　a　president　to　the　United　States。

MINER。

Sylvanus　Miner；　the　first　of　the　name　on　the　Isthmus；　was　of　New　England　stock。　He　and　Robert　King；　〃Schoolmaster　King；〃　as　he　was　generally　called；　came　from　Windsor　on　foot　to　Mount　Whatley；　N。B。；　about　1810。　Mr。　Miner's　father　died　when　he　was　a　boy；　and　his　mother　apprenticed　her　son　to　a　blacksmith。　His　mother　was　a　Miss　Brownell；　of　Jolicure。

When　young　Miner　had　completed　his　apprenticeship　he　came　to　Jolicure　by　invitation　to　see　his　uncle；　and　afterwards　settled　at　Mount　Whatley。　He　was　twice　married。　His　first　wife　was　a　Miss　Church；　of　Fort　Lawrence；　his　second；　Miss　Styles；　from　Truro；　N。S。　The　sons；　James；　William　and　Nathan；　now　represent　the　name　at　Mount　Whatley。　Mr。　Miner　was　an　upright　man；　and　successful　in　his　business　of　blacksmith　and　farmer。

DOBSON。

The　Dobsons　were　among　the　first　of　Yorkshire　emigrants　to　arrive　in　Nova　Scotia。　There　were　two　brothers；　George　and　Richard。　George　brought　with　him　a　wife　and　grown…up　family。　His　daughter　Margaret　was　married　to　William　Wells　before　the　family　left　England。　Richard　was　a　bachelor；　and　tradition　says　he　had　been　a　soldier。　George　purchased　a　farm　in　Upper　Point　de　Bute。　Neither　of　the　brothers　lived　long　in　their　new　home。　Richard　died　in　February；　1773；　and　George　in　July　of　the　same　year。　George's　will　is　dated　the　24th　July；　1773；　and　is　recorded　the　24th　November　by　John　Huston。　It　is　witnessed　by　Mark　Patten　and　J。　Allen。

George　had　four　sons；　George；　David；　Richard　and　John；　and　two　unmarried　daughters；　Elizabeth　and　Mary。　George　and　John　settled　at　Point　de　Bute。　Richard　sold　his　share　of　the　homestead　to　John　in　1795；　and　moved　to　Cape　Tormentine；　where　he　secured　a　large　tract　of　land　and　became　one　of　the　substantial　men　of　the　place。　A　large　number　of　his　descendants　are　in　that　locality　at　the　present　time。　The　Dobsons；　of　Cape　Breton；　N。S。；　are　descendants　of　Richard。　John　sold　his　farm　and　moved　to　Sussex；　King's　Co。；　N。B。　George　Dobson；　of　Sussex；　is　a　grandson　of　John。　David　went　to　Halifax。　George　remained　on　the　homestead　at　Point　de　Bute；　and　the　Dobsons　of　Jolicure　are　descendants　of　George　by　his　son　Abraham。

Mrs。　Dobson；　the　widow　of　George　（first）　married　a　Mr。　Falkinther。　He　did　not　live　long；　and　Mrs。　Falkinther；　who　was　said　to　be　a　very　fine　looking　woman；　had　one　of　her　grand…daughters　to　live　with　her　during　the　last　years　of　her　life。　Her　grandchildren　called　her　〃Grandmother　Forkey。〃

〃Old　Abe；〃　as　Abraham　was　familiarly　called；　was　a　character　in　his　day。　He　used　to　make　annual　and　sometimes　semi…annual　trips　to　St。　John　to　dispose　of　his　butter　and　farm　products；　and　was　the　kind　of　man　to　get　all　the　enjoyment　out　of　these　journeys　that　was　in　them。　It　was　said　that　he　had　large　feet；　and　that　early　in　life　one　of　them　was　run　over　by　a　cart　wheel；　making　it　larger　than　the　other。　One　day；　while　sitting　in　a　St。　John　hotel；　with　the　smaller　foot　forward；　a　man；　noticing　the　size　of　it；　said；　〃I　will　make　a　bet　that　that　is　the　largest　foot　in　the　city。〃　〃Done；〃　said　Old　Abe。　The　bet　was　made；　when　Mr。　Dobson　brought　forward　the　other　foot　and　won　the　wager。

Abraham　was　one　of　the　best　farmers　in　the　township。　He　named　his　eldest　son　Isaac；　and　had　Isaac　name　his　eldest　son　Jacob。　Perhaps　the　likeness　to　the　old　patriarch　ended　here。　He　had　a　large　family　of　boys；