Posts - Page 4 of 15 - The History of Little Bay

Curtis

The Curtis family sawmill is an important piece in the history of Springdale. The family play an important role in Little Bay’s history as well. The histories of the two communities are intertwined as I’ll consider here.The Curtis family is primarily represented in Little Bay by Francis Edward. He was the son of an Englishman named William Curtis. The family had immigrated to the Twillingate region from Dorset, England in the mid 19th century. Francis was born in Durrell, Notre Dame Bay on Novem ...

Foran

Spelling variants found: Foran and PhoranI was in Little Bay this weekend. I took a little walk up the hill to visit the old Catholic cemetery in the Bight. I’ve been pondering over what stories to tell for a guided tour of the new hiking trail when it opens to the public this summer. I stopped at the headstone of a man named William Foran. He turned out to have a tale to tell. My research has resulted in an odd talent. I’ve found an ability to speak to the dead or, perhaps more accurately, thro ...

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McVicar

Spelling variants found: McVicar, McVicars, MacVicar, McVickarPhilip McVicar was born on May 9th 1848 in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to Scottish parents. He moved to Newfoundland in the 1870s and had close ties with the early German mining operations in Northern Newfoundland under Baron Franz von Ellershausen and Adolf Guzman. He likely started mining on the island under their leadership at the site of their first operations in Betts Cove. He was one of Little Bay’s pioneering mine captains so I pl ...

The districts of Little Bay Mines

There are several communities in Newfoundland called Little Bay. The one I research is located in Green Bay in Notre Dame Bay. It is prominent in media from its beginning in 1878 until the turn of that century. It was the site of a copper boom and was expected to rise. Little Bay was founded by the German Baron Franz von Ellershausen. It is the sister town to another he founded in Nova Scotia called Ellershouse. During the years of its prominence most references to a Little Bay in Newfoundland r ...

Gillard

According to information found at the Springdale Heritage Centre the Gillard family moved from Germany to England in the 18th century and from there emigrated to Newfoundland in the early years of the following. They worked as fishermen and operated out of an area near Twillingate called Gillard’s Harbour. Several members of the family moved to Little Bay at the start of mining operations there. My first record of the Gillards in Little Bay comes from 1881. Only one of the brothers worked there ...

Rideout

Spelling variants found: Rideout / RidoutI lucked out with the Rideout family as there has been genealogical work done on them and I had a number of references in my Little Bay database already. The patriarch of 19th century Little Bay’s Rideout clan is Alfred (1840-1897). There is some disagreement among the family’s researchers as to his birthplace. The more detailed tree is found on ancestry.com and traces his lineage back to Nova Scotia. It should be noted that the Nova Scotia birthdate is o ...

The British connection (and a project update)

Hey all,This is just a little note outlining Little Bay’s British connection and an update on what’s going on with the project as a whole.Newfoundland was a British colony when Little Bay was founded in 1878 by the German Baron Franz Von Ellershausen. Much of the town’s early population were German. The town was not assigned a Magistrate until 1880 when the mining company started changing hands.The town was an international port with both international media attention and globetrotting residents ...

Warford

Spelling variants: Warford, Wharford, Wauford, WarlordLittle Bay was once again covered by international media after the tragic drowning deaths of the Warford family in December of 1883. They were traveling to visit Little Bay from their home on the south west arm of Notre Dame Bay when a sudden wind capsized their boat. All five members of the family traveling in the craft died. They were Henry Warford, his wife Sarah, their infant daughter Amelia, and their two nephews named Mathias and George ...

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Cahial

I don’t have much yet to go on for the name Cahial. The two I can place in Little Bay are named Michael and Richard and my earliest record is from 1882. I think it likely that Richard is Michael’s son. Almost all of my references come from the text “All Quiet” by Doyle Wells. I’d welcome any help.Spelling variants found: Cahial / Cahal / Cahill / Cahail / CahanSources:1878, April 12 - Michael Cahill is a clothier in St. John’s (Will of Michael Cahill)1881 - Michael Cahan at Little Bay Bight (Vot ...

Mansfield

The Mansfield family is first found in my Little Bay records in 1885. They are members of the Church of England but unlikely to be tied to the Temperance Movement. The family is absent from the 1882 Voter’s list for Little Bay so I’m placing their arrival as likely in 1883 or 1884. They are represented by John and Anthony. I think it likely that Patrick Mansfield was also present. Anthony and Patrick are brothers but I suspect the trio are all brothers as Anthony would later name a son John. The ...

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