Part 7

Results of recent research into descendants of Charles Grant in the Sydney - Glace Bay area of Nova Scotia

Part VII

Douglass L. Grant

Note on a new source: Mildred Howard is an tireless and painstaking researcher on Cape Breton genealogy. In 1999, she published a five-volume series of extracts from early Cape Breton newspapers, from the 1830's up to 1900, under the title "Early Cape Breton Newspapers". Many of the extracts are in the form of vital statistics (births, marriages, deaths), but they also include legal notices, lawsuits, reports of accidents, jury lists, executive lists from organizations, lists of subscribers, and a host of other items, all of which contain references to people, people about whom their relatives in this era may well be seeking information. The work is made even more valuable by the presence of an index to surnames, and also to ships. Several items below are derived in whole or in part from Mildred's fascinating work. These sources will be flagged by naming the original newspaper, then "MH", followed by the volume and page number; for example, [MH, V, 86] would indicate page 86 of the fifth volume.

A few further details on Charles Grant

All of this material was obtained with the help of Janice Fralic-Brown of Halifax. In her transcription of colonial papers on the Beaton Institute website, we find the following references to Charles Grant: in a notation on 15 March 1786, it is noted that Charles Grant was victualled from 1 July 1785 to 24 March 1786 (267 days); he signed a letter of complaint about government operations on 23 April 1788; he was paid 7 shillings, 2.25 pence in "convict expenses" on 29 September 1789 (after the convict ship "Providence" unexpectedly dropped its "passengers" on the shores of Cape Breton in December, 1788); he was awarded a ticket of location for 758 acres of land at North West Arm between 27 May 1795 and 29 June 1798. In the last case, the list does not include dates of individual transactions but is not simply an alphabetical list; his name appears sixteenth in a list of 76, which probably implies his ticket was issued fairly early in this period.

The 42nd Regiment or "Black Watch" is known to have left Sydney in August of 1789. From a source at the Black Watch Museum, Janice obtained the further information that the regiment arrived at Spithead on the south coast of England on 1 September, and that Charles Grant was mustered out of the regiment there, on 22 October 1789. That he may have had to return to England for this purpose seems unusual, since many others were mustered out from different regiments in both Halifax and Shelburne. However, there is a gap in the births of his known children which corresponds to this period. Charles the younger was baptised in 1788, followed by Isabella in 1791. It is unlikely that the whole family, including one-year-old Charles (the younger) would have made this round trip. Since he secured his discharge fairly late in the season, Charles may have had difficulty securing civilian transportation back to Sydney, and so may have had to remain in Britain all winter. It is pure speculation, of course, but he may have taken the opportunity for a last visit to Scotland.

Further colonial documentation produced by Janice shows that, on 8 October 1792, Charles Grant was paid 2 pounds, 6 shillings, for "Masons work" on the Government House in Sydney, and a further 6 shillings, 3 pence on 14 February 1794. These were not approved until 26 January 1795, so Charles had to wait some considerable time to be paid for his work. The amounts are sufficiently small, even in the currency of the day, to suggest that this is not really the pay of a true mason, but, quite possibly, labour performed as an assistant to a mason. (Joseph Rudderham was paid 9 pounds, 3 shillings, 9 pence for mason's work on the same project.) In an undated memo, Robert W. Kay and Charles Grant are jointly paid 1 pound, 16 shillings for "building a chimney in the Guard House at the Barr". On 27 July 1795, a payment of 2 pounds is approved for "provisions furnished Charles Grant and his family being much distressed". On 26 February 1796, a further payment of 1 pound, 10 shillings was made under similar circumstances. These payments, which were presumably the equivalent of social assistance in the 1790's, cast into further doubt the suggestion that Charles Grant was a stonemason by profession. However, comparing these dates with the dates of the land grants above, it is also possible that the family simply had difficulty raising enough food to sustain them through the first winter on the land.

A large vote of thanks is due to Janice Fralic-Brown for this assistance, obtained in the course of researching her own family tree, which is not known to intersect with that of Charles Grant.

A very early Rudderham connection

For once, this happened through honest research, with a false start thrown in, and not serendipity. Kate Currie of the Beaton Institute had told me that a copy of a new
thesis, "History of the North West Arm" by Kenneth Ball had arrived. Initially, I was disappointed with it because the author seemed to uncritically follow Elva Jackson's every word, particularly about Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon. The most useful thing seemed to be a series of detailed maps of the location of hundreds of early land grants, as well as several early transfers. While I can't pretend to have read every line of it, I was skimming through it page by page when, at p. 122, I read that, among the marriages among the earliest families along the North West Arm was one between Alice Grant, daughter of Charles and Nancy, and Thomas Rudderham (b. about 1799, by the Mormon website), son of Joseph Rudderham and Sarah Grandy (1772-1857). Unfortunately, no source was stated. This came as a surprise, because I had never found any connection with the Rudderhams up to this point, and the space below Alice Grant's name on Blair's family tree was blank.

However, the paragraph went on to say that two of Alice's daughters, Sarah and Ann, had married David and John Lewis, respectively, two sons of Loyalist Henry Lewis. I consulted the list of Lewis births, marriages and burials from St. George's Church that Eva O'Neil Lewis, daughter of Rosie Grant O'Neil, had given me. The first marriage on the list was of John David Lewis to Sarah Rudderham, on 20 March 1822, and the second was of John Lewis to Anne Rudderham on 7 August 1823. But the timeline didn't ring true. Alice Grant was baptised in 1795. Unless her baptism was very belated, Alice Grant would have been only 27 when the first of those marriages took place, so the bride could hardly have been her daughter.

Checking Elva Jackson's card file on the Rudderhams, I found that Sarah and Anne Rudderham were sisters of Thomas Rudderham, and not his daughters. However, Elva had indicated, with a question mark beside the name, that Thomas had indeed married Alice Grant. She further indicated that the couple had had a daughter, Susan Alice, born 20 June 1819 (source not given). An extract from records of St. George's Anglican Church, Sydney, on the Rudderhams further lists a son, William Edward, born to Thomas and Alice Rudderham who was baptised on 31 August 1828. (I am uncertain who made the extract, although the fact that it also contained information on the Lewis and Boutilier families makes me suspect Joe Petrie, who has constructed a huge Gedcom file on the Boutiliers.) The census of 1838 lists no Thomas Rudderham, but does mention one Alice Rudderham, living in District 10 (now known as Westmount, on the west side of Sydney Harbour), whose family consisted of one male and one female under 14, and 2 males and one female over 14. Assuming the female over 14 is Alice herself, it appears that the couple had at least four children.

The "Cape Breton News" of 4 March 1854 records a marriage of William Rudderham to Margaret Tutty on 1 March by a Wesleyan minister at "North Bar" [MH, I, 121]. Records of Calvary Baptist Church, North Sydney, indicate that Mrs. Margaret Rudderham (nee Tutty) was baptised on 21 April 1844, the same day as Peter Grant and Maria Jefferson Grant, and that Mrs. Alice Rudderham was baptised on 23 September 1849.

The 1871 census for Ball's Creek contained six Rudderham families, including one headed by William Rudderham, 42, mason, Church of England. His wife was Margaret, 41, Baptist, and "Scotch". They had seven children: Thomas H., 15; Alice, 13; Selina, 11; Arabella, 9; Geo. Robt., 7; Hellen, 5; and William A., 2. Also in the household was Alice, 77, a widow born in Nova Scotia, also Baptist and "Scotch". While the age points to a birth in 1793 or 4, and Alice Grant's baptism was in 1795, the agreement is close enough to suggest strongly that this was indeed the youngest daughter of Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon.

Death records for Cape Breton County show that William Rudderham, 43, married, of the North West Arm, son of Thos. and Alice Rudderham, died of diabetes on 6 May 1872 at North Sydney.

The 1881 census for Ball's Creek has five Rudderham families, including one headed by Maggie Rudderham, 53, widowed, and now a Presbyterian (possibly a clerical error). With her is Alice, 87, Scotch, and also a widow. The children are Charles, 17; Helen, 15; William, 14, and Edward, 9. It would therefore appear that the oldest four children had moved out. None appear to reside in Ball's Creek.

Records of Calvary Baptist Church also indicate that Alice Rudderham died in May of 1883. Furthermore, an unusual card in Elva Jackson's file mentions a will drawn up in 1882 by the widow Alice Rudderham, leaving property to Charles Rudderham which was to be under the control of her daughter-in-law Margaret Rudderham until Charles reached 21. A grandson Edward Rudderham is also mentioned. The executors are John T. Moffatt and John H. Grant. The latter is a grandson of Charles Grant; two of Ann Grant Musgrave's daughters married men named Moffatt. It appears that the boy identified as Geo. Robert in 1871 has now become "Charles", and so may be one of the grandsons named in Alice's will.

In 1891, the family grouping headed by Margaret, age given as 50 (clearly a discrepancy), consisted of Charles, 26 and Edward, 18. In 1901, Margaret was living alone, and gave her birthdate as 16 October 1828, a date consistent with the ages given in 1871 and 1881.

The "Semi Weekly Sydney Express" of 17 October 1879 [MH, II, 54] reports a marriage of Selina Rudderham (daughter of William and Margaret) to Charles Logue, laborer, of Sydney at Sacred Heart (Roman Catholic) Church on 16 October. This is confirmed by marriage records of Cape Breton County, although the date is given as 18 October. Witnesses were Thomas Mullins and Kate Logue. The 1901 census for Sydney shows a family consisting of Charles J. Logue, age 51, birthdate 11 December, liveryman; Selina, age 40, born in January; Isabella, born 6 August 1880; Murry, born 6 January 1882; Mary, born 6 November 1887; Ellen, born 11 October 1890; Mabel, born 13 February 1893; and Richard, born 1 July 1895. (Also in the house were ten boarders!) Records of Holy Cross Cemetery, Sydney (adjacent to St. Anthony Daniel Church) mention Charles J. Logue, who died 8 December 1901 at age 52, and his wife Selina Margaret Rudderham, who died 8 November 1941 at age 85. An obituary from the Sydney Post of that day mentions that Selina was survived by one son, R. J. Logue, "prominent Sydney businessman", and three daughters: Mrs. Mary Shanahan and Mrs. H. Strople, both of Sydney, and Mrs. Harry Barrow, Trenton, New Jersey. In addition, two brothers and one sister survived: C. H. Rudderham, Park St., Sydney; F. E. Rudderham, Guysboro; Miss A. B. Rudderham, Edwardsville. A number of grandchildren and greatgrandchildren also survived. She was predeceased by her husband, a daughter (Mrs. John T. MacDonald), and a son, Murray. Records of the same cemetery list J. Murray Logue, 1882 - 1935.

Marriage records of Cape Breton County indicate that, on 2 March 1885 in a Church of England ceremony at Pt. Edward, Helen L. (?) Rudderham, 19, daughter of William and Margaret, married William Dickson, 44, farmer, of Point Edward, son of John and Libella Dickson. Witnesses were Maggie Lewis and Chas. Rudderham. The 1891 census for Ball's Creek shows William Dixon, 52, widower, C of E, farmer, living with Mary Bell, 4. (The location was between Margaret Rudderham and Catherine Dixon, 57, widow.) The 1901 census for Ball's Creek shows William Dixon, widower, born 1 October 1836, Baptist, farmer, living with daughter Mary, born 27 November 1886 at a location very close to Margaret Rudderham. So far, no record of death for either Helen or William Dickson (Dixon) has been found. Marriage records will be checked to see whether Mary was subsequently married and, if declared, the name of her mother.

An obituary in the Sydney Post records the death of Miss Arazella Rudderham, given age 87 (extrapolating from the age in the 1871 census would give 84), on 10 December 1946. She is identified as the aunt of R. J. Logue. Surviving brothers are Charles R. Rudderham, Park St., and F. C. Rudderham, Guysboro.

Marriage records of Cape Breton County indicate Charles R. Rudderham, 29, seaman, of Pt. Edward, married Georgina Andrews, 30, of Coxheath, daughter of William and Maria S. Andrews at the Church of England in Coxheath on 4 February 1894. Witnesses were Irving Lewis and Alfred Andrews. The 1901 Census for Sydney shows a family consisting of Charles Rudderham, age 37, birthdate in March, Baptist, liveryman; Georgina, age 37, birthdate 14 August; William, age 5, birthdate 20 March; Charles H., age 1, birthdate 26 March; niece Georgina Lewis, age 17, birthdate in March; and an apparently unrelated domestic, Percy MacKinnon (?), age 16, hotel boy. The Sydney Post records the death of Charles R. Rudderham at age 87 on 19 October 1947. He was survived by his widow; four sons: William C., Earle T., Alfred E. (all of Sydney) and Charles H. (Detroit); one daughter, Mrs. J. A. Guay (Belle) of Manville, Rhode Island; one brother, Edward, of Guysboro; and a number of grandchildren. Nephew R. J. Logue and niece Mrs. Mary Shanahan are also mentioned. Burial was in Hardwood Hill. Records of that cemetery also give 21 July 1950 as the burial date of Georgia Rudderham, in the same plot. Unfortunately, microfilm of the Sydney newspaper is not available for that month, and the Halifax paper did not carry her obituary. (This couple also probably lost a child in infancy. L. Murray Rudderham, age 2, was buried in the same plot on 18 July 1900.)

Earl Thomas Rudderham, 94, died 26 June 1995. He was survived by one daughter Marjorie (Mrs. James Lounders, Ottawa); one son, Kenneth, Ontario; one sister, Belle (Mrs. Art Guay, Rhode Island); eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by two wives, Marjorie Ingraham (at 63 on 1 May 1967) and Blanche (Boutilier) Moreshed; one son, William; one sister, Larkelle, at age 2; and brothers William, Charles and Alf. The obituary for Marjorie Ingraham Rudderham contains no different information, except that son William C. Rudderham then lived in Roxborough, Quebec. Both Earl and Marjorie Ingraham Rudderham are buried in the same plot as Charles R. and Georgina.

Re Jane Grant McConnell Lewis:

The records of Calvary Baptist Church indicate that a Jane Grant was baptised there on 7 April 1844. They also indicate that she was married twice, the first time to a McConnell, second to a Lewis. Marriage records of Cape Breton County show a marriage of William Lewis, widower, to Jane McConnell, widow, both of the North West Arm, on 7 July 1866 in a Baptist ceremony in Sydney. No ages nor parents' names are given. The names of the witnesses are unusually difficult to read, but appear to be H. Clifford Crew and Wm. G. Onsley. (Records of St. George's Anglican Church show the marriage of a John William Lewis to Mary Sophia Chapman on 23 December 1825, and the death of Mary Sophia Lewis at age 55 on 15 September 1862.) The 1871 census records for Ball's Creek include a family consisting of William Lewis, 68, Church of England, farmer; Jane, 46, Baptist; James W. McConnell, 12, born NS, Baptist; Peter McConnell, 10, born NS, Baptist; Theodore J. McConnell, 14, born United States, Baptist; Buy'm (?) Wm. Lewis, 3, born NS, C of E; Laura Jane Lewis, 2, born NS, C of E (unsound mind). In 1881, William Lewis, 79, now Baptist, farmer; Jane, 56; Theodore McConnell, 24; James McConnell, 22(?) are living at Ball's Creek, near Joseph N. Lewis and Eliza Harriet Grant, and also near Ann and Jane Rudderham, mentioned below.

Marriage records of Cape Breton County include the marriage of James W. McConnell, 23, farmer, born at St. Mary's, resident at Pt. Edward, son of Peter and Jane, to Catherine S. Phillips, 19, born Cape North, resident at Scattarie Island, daughter of Timothy and Phoebe, in a Baptist ceremony at Cow Bay on 11 November 1882. (This record mentions the given name of Jane's first husband for the first time yet discovered.) Witnesses were Alex McLeod and Tho. C. Woods, and the ceremony was performed by Rev. John Spurr. The fact that a member of the Woods family witnessed the ceremony confirms that the relationship between the Grant and Woods families was still well known at the time. Furthermore, Catherine Phillips was the older sister of Phoebe Phillips who married Arthur Grant in 1890, and was widowed at his death in 1899. (See Part III.) In addition, James McConnell was a witness at the marriage of his future wife's brother John L. Phillips to Annie J. Spencer in the same church on 30 August 1882, so it is possible that he resided in Glace Bay or Cow Bay for some time in the early 1880's. However, he does not appear to have remained there after marriage, since Mr. and Mrs. James McConnell joined Calvary Baptist Church, North Sydney, on 23 May 1886. Furthermore, in the 1891 census, Jane Lewis, 66, widow, father born Scotland, Baptist was living at Ball's Creek with James Mcconnell, 31; Catherine, 27; William J., 7; Ira H., 5; Jennette, 3; Maggie E., 8 months. (The only death of a William Lewis between 1871 and 1891 in St. George's records was on 5 February 1886, with a recorded age of 86. Extrapolating the age of Jane Grant's second husband from the 1881 census gives 83.) The revelation that Jane's father was born in Scotland indicates that she was the daughter of Peter Grant and Sarah Musgrave; John H. Grant and Mary Ann Moore also had a daughter Jane, born in 1832, whom Elva Jackson indicates married William Lewis, but that now appears to be an error.

No family named McConnell has been found living in the area as of 1901. Further investigation is being attempted to determine where her sons had moved by that time, and where Jane's death took place. Elva Jackson also states that Jane died in 1916, and confirmation of that fact is being sought.

It is also of interest to note that there were two other marriages of members of this family tree to members of the Phillips family in the next generation. Sarah Matilda (Sadie) and Gertrude Phillips, both daughters of John Phillips and Anne Spencer, married, respectively, Louis Clifford Boutilier (in 1910) and Arthur Boutilier (in 1912), both of whom were sons of James Boutilier and Udvilla Grant. See Part IV for details of that family.

Two notes should also be added for purposes of exclusion. First, because of the similarity of names, it is important to note that Jane's son James McConnell is not the same person elected mayor of Sydney in the 1920's, after whom Sydney's public library is named. The former mayor was born in 1873, and so was fourteen years younger than Jane's son. Also, the former mayor's parents are known to have been Captain William McConnell and Elizabeth Kennedy. It may be more than coincidence that both were born in Guysborough County, and it is certainly strange that one appears to have left Sydney very close to the time that the other arrived, but no connection between the two men has yet been established. Second, in 1901, Jane Lewis, widow, born 20 October 1827, Baptist, ethnic origin French, was boarding with Percy Peters at South Fork (now Mira Road). With her was Mary Lewis, whose age is given as 12 and whose birthdate is given as 2 September 1898 (apparently 1888 was intended). However, this lady appears to be the widow of Nedd Lewis, with whom she resided in Sydney Forks in 1891, at the same time Jane Grant was living with her son in Ball's Creek.


Re Henry Walter Smith and Aubrey Smith:

Aubrey Smith was the son of Henry Walter Smith and Alice Mary Grant, the latter the daughter of Charles Grant and Eliza Ball. Henry and Alice were married 21 August 1878 in Ingonish, and Aubrey was born 14 November 1879 in Ingonish. In 1891, Henry W. Smith, a widower and a miner, was living in Ball's Creek (next door to Dan and Rosina MacKinnon) with son Aubrey, 12; Parl (sic), 9; James, 8; and Sarah J., 6. Mary Alice, whose age is the same as Sarah's, was then living with her widowed grandmother, Eliza Ball Grant, elsewhere in Ball's Creek. In 1901, Aubrey and Alice were both living with Eliza Ball Grant in Ball's Creek, and Aubrey's occupation is given as "steward". On 20 November 1907, Aubrey (then resident in Sydney and a "blower" at the steel plant) married Sarah Margaret Lewis, 21, of Point Edward, daughter of George Vinson Lewis and Alice Jemimah Rudderham. City directories for 1914 and 1918 show Aubrey employed at Dominion Iron & Steel Co. (Disco) and living at 166 Henry St. and 52 French St., respectively. Hardwood Hill Cemetery records show Aubrey Smith was interred there on 25 February 1920. A brief report of the death of Aubrey Smith appeared in the Post-Record of 23 February 1920. He died at his home in Whitney Pier on 22 February; no cause of death is suggested, and no reference to illness. Besides his wife, he was survived by his father Henry W. Smith of Sydney; one sister, Mrs. Fred T. Waugh of Somerville, Massachusetts; and two sons, Harry Garfield and Chester Ray, both at home.

In the 1923 directory, Sadie Smith (identified as the widow of Aubrey) boarded at 166 Henry St., the residence of James E. Smith, bricklayer at Disco. No burials of a Sarah or Sadie Smith, nor of a James E. Smith, are recorded in Hardwood Hill. Neither of them appears in the 1928 city directory. [It seems unlikely that this James E. Smith was the husband of Caroline Grant, daughter of Charles and Eliza, mentioned in Part VI. He may have been the younger brother of Aubrey, in which case the list of survivors is incorrect.] The name "Waugh" occurs locally only in Sydney Mines, and no Fred Waugh could be found in the 1901 census, marriage records for Cape Breton County nor in any of the directories published in the early 1900's. Alice Smith's husband may therefore be an American. No Fred Waugh with Massachuetts residency nor Alice Waugh with the target birthdate of 15 September 1884 is in the Social Security Death Index, which goes back only to 1962.

Henry Smith, Aubrey's father, died presumably about May 25, 1932 and was buried 28 May; no age is given for Henry at death. He is the only other person of surname Smith interred in the same plot as Aubrey. The brief report of his funeral in the Post mentions that the service was at Victoria United Church, but lists no survivors. The grave in Hardwood Hill Cemetery is unmarked.

Alexander Grant, a family skeleton, and some speculation about Edward J. Grant:

The North Sydney Herald of 24 May 1893 [MH, IV, 83] reports the death by his own hand of Wilfred Grant, 25, son of Alex. Grant, "formerly of the N.W. Arm and for some years of Springfield, Mass., where he carried on an extensive roofing business". The age can be consistent only with the son called Alvin in the 1871 census. This confirms the note in the records of Calvary Baptist Church that Alexander Grant was dismissed to join State Street Baptist Church in Springfield in 1873.

On another less than happy note, the "Cape Breton News" of 5 October 1850 [MH, I, 76] reports that Alexander Grant was convicted of raping "an unfortunate girl of about 17 years of age, of impaired intellect", and was sentenced to one year in penitentiary. This presumably accounts for the notation received from the Baptist archives (but absent from Elva Jackson's transcription of the Calvary records) that Alexander Grant Jr. was baptised September 1844, excluded 1850, and restored 1855 (after his marriage to Mary Ann MacLeod).

The victim of this offense was born about 1833, and so would have been about 38 at the time of the first detailed census in 1871. That census specifically identifies persons of "unsound mind", to use the phrase then employed to describe mental challenge. There was exactly one woman of that age (or any figure close to it) in Ball's Creek in 1871 who was so identified, and that was Jane Rudderham, the daughter of Joseph Samuel Rudderham, who died in 1857, and Ann Harriet Rowe, who died in 1893. In both 1881 and 1891, Jane is living with her widowed mother, is apparently the sole caregiver to the aging Ann, and is no longer identified as mentally challenged. Jane Rudderham would therefore have been a "first cousin of a first cousin" to Alexander Grant, and to the children of Peter Grant, including John and Peter the younger. No person of age about 21 was in their household in 1871.

The following paragraph consists entirely of speculation, based on purely circumstantial evidence. Several astute people to whom I have mentioned the above conviction immediately and independently suggested that no prosecution would have been undertaken in that era unless a child had been born of the union. This raises the distinct possibility that Edward J. Grant, later a Baptist minister, was in fact that child. While it would certainly be unusual for a child born of such a union to be adopted into the offender's family, the previous connection between the two families would make this option somewhat more acceptable.

In the 1901 census, William, then resident in Glace Bay, gave his date of birth as 5 October 1849. Thanks to the Baptist Archives in Wolfville, Edward was found to have been the clergyman in Arcadia, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia in 1901, a location not mentioned in the obituaries obtained earlier. By great good fortune, this portion of the census was available at the Beaton Institute, and the writer was able to confirm that he gave his birthdate as 10 May 1849. If both dates are correct, it would have been completely impossible for William and Edward to have been born of the same mother.

Had John and Maria Grant adopted the son of John's first cousin Alexander and (presumably) Jane Rudderham, that would certainly help explain Edward's early departure from John and Maria's home and his eventual exclusion (as reported implicitly by Elva Jackson) from John's will. Had Edward been aware of his birth mother's identity and believed that her disability might be inheritable, this might also explain why he and Nancy Woodworth had no known children other than an adopted daughter. If this construction of the sequence of events is indeed true, then it is the ultimate irony that, so far as we know, Edward achieved more education than any of the biological children of John and Maria. It is also possible, of course, that Alexander contributed to the cost of that education after his move to Massachusetts in 1873.

In 1901, Edward's wife Nancy F. gave her birthdate as 24 April 1846, making her fully three years older than Edward. There was no mention of any daughter in the household in 1901, so evidently Vivian was adopted later, while the couple was in their fifties or older. Finally, the Baptist Archives indicate that Edward was the minister in Summerside, PEI immediately before moving to Arcadia, another location omitted from the obituaries.

On 29 August 2001, the author, with the kind help of the people at the Colchester County Archives in Truro, located the grave of Edward and Nancy at Brookfield. It is a simple white stone with inscription "Rev. E. J. Grant 1850 - 1927 Nancy S. His wife 1846 - 1931". A footstone has the initials "C. D. R." whose meaning remains unknown. The year of birth is a year later than that given above, but a birth in May of 1850 would be nearer the time of the conviction of Alexander Grant and still make it virtually impossible for Edward to have been a son of Maria Jefferson Grant if William was indeed born the previous October. There is also a slight discrepancy in Nancy's middle initial. Details on the date of Nancy's death and on their adopted daughter Vivian are still being sought.

Further to Alexander Grant, and his brother George Grant

In September, 2001, a very gracious lady named Toby Hurley in Utah offered to do lookups of Grants in the 1880 US census. Almost all of what follows is the product of her generosity.

In 1880, Alexander Grant, 53, born Cape Breton, occupation roofer, was living in West Springfield, Massachusetts with wife Lydia F., 31, also born in CB; daughter Lavinia, 19; sons Ward B., 11 and Alvin F., 9. It would appear that his first wife Mary Ann Jane MacLeod had died, and Alexander had remarried. The records of Calvary Baptist Church show the death of a Mrs. Marion Grant in June 1872, and that is probably Alexander's first wife. I strongly suspect that his second wife was Lydia Moore, daughter of John A. and Harriet Moore of Ball's Creek, but can't prove it. This young lady was 23 at the time of the 1871 census, and had disappeared by the time of the 1881 census. No marriage record has been found locally for them, however; it is certainly not in the records for Cape Breton County.

At the same time, Milton H. Grant, 24, roofer, born Nova Scotia, was also living in West Springfield with wife Emma C., 21, born Illinois, and daughter Ada M., 1 month, born in Massachusetts. This is almost certainly Alexander's son by identification from the 1971 Canadian census. [Unfortunately, it would appear that Emma died not too many years later, since, as noted in an earlier segment, Milton H. Grant married Angie Almira Burlingame on 12 March 1887 at Three Rivers, Hampden County, Massachusetts, within the same county as Springfield.]

Also at the same time, there was a William Grant, 20, fisherman, living in Gloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts, who was also born in Nova Scotia. Alexander's son William would have been about 23 at this time, if the 1871 census reported his age correctly. William was living in a boarding house run by a Thomas Leary and occupied by fishermen, mainly from Newfoundland. This is probably Alexander's son, but one can't be certain of it, particularly since Gloucester and Springfield are quite far apart.

In Boston and also at the same time, George F. Grant, 16, born Cape Breton, is living with George D. Grant, 50, also born Cape Breton, and his wife Fatima C., 47, born Massachusetts. The first George is identified as a nephew of the second. The age makes it virtually certain that the younger George is the son of Alexander. This is further reinforced by a notation in Elva Jackson's card file, which lists "George Grant (lived USA)" as a brother of the Alexander Grant who moved to Springfield. This appears to be a significant breakthrough, the first concrete information about the older George Grant. There are no other residents in the household, however, and, in particular, no children of George and Fatima.

Re: Alexander and Milford Grant, sons of John Grant and Maria Jefferson

Toby Hurley also kindly searched for the above missing brothers of the author's great-grandfather William Grant. Alexander was born about 1859, and so would have been about 21 in 1880. Several men of this name in their early 20's were found, but all could be eliminated except one, a man whose declared age was 24, born in Canada, parents born in Canada, working as a carpenter and living in an institution in Stillwater, Minnesota which appears to be a prison, since other residents are described as "warden" and "guard". The location makes this an improbable identification. There were no findings of men named Milford Grant. It remains possible that these two were still in Cape Breton. It must be borne in mind that persons resident at the copper mine in Beechmont were apparently missed completely in the 1881 census. It is known that Alonzo Grant was working there around this time, and this error may account for the absence of his siblings Alexander, Milford, and possibly even Caroline.


Further to the Woods Connection:

It was pointed out to me that the marriage of John Woods and Alice Grant, daughter of Peter Grant the elder, took place at Sacred Heart (Roman Catholic) Church in Sydney on 9 July 1837. Furthermore, this couple had twins, Paul and Peter, baptised at the same church on 21 February 1847. (Thanks are due to Bill Doyle for his help in this matter.) These children do not appear in any subsequent census, so they probably died in infancy.

The 1861 census for Sydney shows Alice Woods as the head of a household consisting of 3 males (all single, one between 5 and 10 years of age, 2 between 10 and 15) and two females (1 widowed between 40 and 50, 1 single between 20 and 30). There were no deaths in the family between 30 March 1860 and 30 March 1861. This is consistent with her husband John Woods having died before 1860, leaving Alice with sons John, Charles and Thomas, and daughter Sarah.

It should be noted that, by 1871, the widowed Alice had moved to Cow Bay, and taken the Baptist faith, as had her daughter and two of her sons, while one son, John, remained a Roman Catholic. No information is available on Sarah Woods, born about 1840, after 1871.

Records of Mira area cemeteries found at the Beaton Institute show that Margarett Alice Woods, 22 September 1871 to 1882, was interred in St. Mary's Cemetery, Port Morien. She was the daughter of John Woods and Elizabeth Keating.

On 1 January 1901, Alice M. Woods, 22, born Port Morien, resident in Bridgeport, daughter of Charles and Mary, married James Allen, 27, teamster, of North Sydney, son of James and Charlotte in a Baptist ceremony at Bridgeport. Witnesses were James Woods and Harry McNeil. The couple resided on the Northside. James Allen appears as a resident of Musgrave Road (now Lane) in North Sydney in every directory from 1903-4 to 1948 except 1923. His occupation varies from farmer to City employee, teamster at Hennigar's livery, laborer, and farmer again. Records of Lakeside Cemetery on the Northside include a stone for "Allen James P. 1876 - 1953" and "His wife Alice Mae Woods 1878 - 1969". The obituary for Alice Mae Allen which appeared 22 July 1969 indicates she was survived by one sister, Mrs. Jenny MacCuish, Glace Bay; sons Russell, Richard and Cecil in North Sydney, and Bart in Taunton, Massachusetts; daughters Gertrude (Mrs. Fraser MacKay) and Helen (Mrs. Harry Hawkins), both of North Sydney.

The 1901 census for Bridgeport includes the following family: Charles Woods, b. 8 May 1850, Irish, Baptist, miner; Mary E., b. 21 October 1854, wife; James B., b. 3 August 1880, miner; Thomas J., b. 12 February 1881, mine labour; Harriet A., b. 26 June 1890; William C., b. 12 May 1891; Jennie E., b. 16 March 1892; Maud C., b. 12 October 1893; and Mildred, b. 6 January 1898.

The 1901 census for Port Morien includes, in addition to the family of Thomas Woods mentioned in Part III, the following: John Wood, born 10 April 1843, C of E, blacksmith; Elizabeth, born 15 June 1841; Charles, born 6 (?) April 1876, blacksmith; Agnes, born 4 February 1880; John Kennedy, son-in-law, widower, born 28 August 1866, fisherman; Michael Kennedy, grandson, born 12 September 1897. I am advised by Ron MacDougall of Virginia and by Bob Lahey that John Kennedy's wife was Elizabeth Ann Woods, daughter of John and Elizabeth Woods. However, no record of a marriage of a Kennedy to a Woods has been found in Cape Breton County at any time in the 1890's. (Note also that John's religious affiliation had changed from Roman Catholic to Anglican since 1891.)

Bob Lahey provides the following further information on Michael Kennedy. He married Clara Phalen, who died 5 October 1960 in Port Morien. Their children were Leo John Kennedy, b. 13 May 1921, and Elizabeth Kennedy, b. 25 December 1925, both at Port Morien. The 1901 census for Port Morien lists Clara Phalen, born 19 June 1895, as the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Phalen. Clara Phalen Kennedy's obituary from the Cape Breton Post indicates that Michael Kennedy survived her, as did both children. No marriage for Elizabeth is indicated.

On 16 August 1902, Thomas Woods, 20, miner, born Port Morien, residing in International Mines, son of Charles and Mary, married Olive Currie, 20, born Louisbourg, also resident in International Mines, daughter of Archibald (deceased) and Kate, in a Presbyterian ceremony in Sydney. Witnesses were Mark Currie and Grace Gray. [The name "International Mines" does not refer to a census area. At this time, the International Coal Company held leases on a large, irregularly shaped territory on the "landward" side of Glace Bay, and operated three mines. They were No. 8 in the Bridgeport area, No. 3 on Dominion St. (hence, "No. 3 Hill") and No. 11, which still gives its name to the district of Glace Bay where this author spent most of his childhood.] The only reference to a Thomas Woods in the directories is in 1948, when a person of that name, employed as a miner, lived on McLeod's Rd., Glace Bay, which would have been within the area once controlled by the International Coal Company.

On 17 September 1908, James B. Woods, 28, miner, born Port Morien, resident of Bridgeport, son of Charles and Mrs. Woods, married Annie K. McCuish, 25, born Mira, resident of Bridgeport, daughter of Donald and Mrs. McCuish, in a Presbyterian ceremony at Bridgeport. Witnesses were Jean McGlashen (same surname as the minister) and Sussie Chislett. Records of Black Brook Cemetery show a headstone for James Woods, 1880-1952, and Annie Kate, 1881-1971. In the directories of 1914, 1918-9, 1923 and 1928, James Woods is a miner, resident on Bridgeport Road, Glace Bay. In 1948, he is still resident at 315 Bridgeport Road, but the occupation no longer appears. Records of Patten's Funeral Home, Glace Bay, and of Chalmers United Church, Dominion, record the deaths of James B. Woods on 31 July 1952, and of Annie Kate Woods on 11 July 1971. The obituary for James Woods mentions as survivors his wife, son Layton, Bridgeport; daughter Greta, at home; brother William, New Aberdeen; and three sisters (Mrs. James Allen, North Sydney; Mrs. Jennie McCuish and Mrs. Rod Andrews, both of New Aberdeen). The obituary for Annie Woods mentions only Greta surviving. Records of Chalmers United Church, Dominion, indicate Layton Charles Woods died at the age of 59, and was buried on 27 August 1969. [Layton's wife Catherine MacDonald died 7 October 2001, with no surviving children; see obituary below.]

On 11 February 1911, Agnes Woods, 31, of Port Morien, daughter of John and Elizabeth Woods, married Robert T. Kennedy, 20, fisherman, of Main-a-Dieu, son of Alex and Mary Kennedy, in a Roman Catholic ceremony at Port Morien. [Given the disparity in ages, one would have liked to be a fly on the wall when Robert announced this engagement to his family! Robert Kennedy was the nephew of John Kennedy, husband of Agnes' older sister Elizabeth Ann.] The directories for Cape Breton County for 1907, 1914, 1918-9 and 1923 show no Robert Kennedy in Main-a-Dieu, but there was a miner of that name in Dominion No. 6, as Donkin was then known. A similar reference in the 1928 directory gives the address of Robert Kennedy as "Dominion", which might signify he had moved or could simply be a misprint for "Dominion No. 6". The next available directory is for 1948, by which time the name has disappeared. (A man of the same name resided in Glace Bay through the entire period 1914 through 1948. His address in 1914 is given as "Sneak St.", an old name for Brodie Avenue.)

Bob Lahey also provided the following information on Robert Kennedy and Elizabeth Ann Woods. Robert was born 25 March 1891 at Main-a-Dieu. Bob lists the following children for the couple: Mary Kennedy, b. 24 November 1913 (m. James Warren, b. 7 August 1905, Glace Bay); Harold Roy Kennedy, b. 22 January 1918 (m. Agnes Theresa Keylor, b. 9 March 1919, New Waterford); and Mary Elizabeth Kennedy, baptised 14 November 1911 at St. Mary's Church, Port Morien (m. Charles Alex Nolan, baptised 28 December 1906, Glace Bay). Records of that church also mention Agatha, born 23 February 1912; Francis Alex., born 7 January 1920; and Rita, born 6 February 1923, but do not mention either Mary or Mary Elizabeth.

In addition to the above, the directories make mention of several other individuals named Woods in Glace Bay. Charles Woods and William E. Woods are both miners living in Bridgeport in 1914. Charles' name appears again in 1918-9 (possibly William was in the military), since both appear in New Aberdeen in 1923. In 1928, there are two Charles Woods, one an engineer living at 257 Sixth St., and a shopman at 373 Fourth St. There are also Greta Woods on Bridgeport Rd.; Herbert Woods, miner, at 12 Bay St.; and Layton Woods, miner, on Bridgeport Rd. In 1948, Catherine Woods, nurse at the General Hospital (hence from a Protestant family), resides at 5 Currie St.; Charles, Mary and Veronica Woods at 257 Sixth St.; Charles and William, both miners, at 373 Fourth St. Charles Woods, son of John and Alice Grant, did indeed marry a woman named Mary, but he was born in 1850 and it is most unlikely that he was still living in 1948. Possibly the elder Charles Woods was the son of John H. Woods, who is 15 in the 1891 census in Port Morien, and who would then have been 72 in 1948.

Further efforts to trace the descendants of Alice Grant Woods continue, including closer investigation of church records from that town.

[Note: In the 1901 census of Ward V, Sydney (Whitney Pier), the name John Wood, age 58, appears; his occupation is blacksmith, his religion Roman Catholic. In all particulars, this agrees with those of the son of John and Alice Woods, despite the missing "s" in the last name. However, this man is living in a boarding house without other family. Since John Woods was residing in Port Morien at the time, it would appear this is a coincidence only.]

The MacKay (McKay) Connection:

Recall that Anna Grant, daughter of Charles Grant and Eliza Ball, married William James McKay on 12 December 1867. Hardwood Hill Cemetery records include a William McKay of Ball's Creek who died at 68 on 19 November 1909. Buried with him is Ann McKay of Sydney, who died at 74 on 7 June 1893. This is most probably his mother, whom marriage records indicate was also named Ann. His wife appears not to be buried with him.

So far, the following information about their children and grandchildren has come to light:

Wilmot McKay, 23, laborer, married Margaret McLeod, 35, daughter of John and Mary McLeod at the Church of England in Sydney on 16 May 1891.

Lawrence McKay, 25, miner, of Old Bridgeport (Dominion), married Sarah Boutelier, 21, daughter of William and Charlotte Boutilier at the Presbyterian church in Bridgeport on 22 December 1897. Witnesses were Josie Grant and Howard C. Grant (a couple who later divorced). This marriage is also mentioned in Joe Petrie's huge file on the Boutiliers. In addition, that file lists the following children of the couple: Anne Susan McKay, b. December 04, 1900; Mabel Jane McKay, b. November 25, 1914; Lawrence Samuel McKay, b. September 02, 1915 (see below). He attributes this information to John Howie. Records of Trinity Anglican Church, Sydney Mines, confirm that Sarah later married Robert Benjamin Boutilier on 14 October 1919, at which time she declared herself a widow, so we may presume that the elder Lawrence died between 1915 and 1919. In the 1914 directory of Cape Breton, Lawrence McKay is a miner, residing on Union St., Dominion. The next directory, in 1918-9, does not include Dominion; his name has disappeared by 1923, consistent with the remarriage of his wife. The name Lawrence McKay does not appear in the list of those killed in Nova Scotia coal mines compiled by the Miners' Museum, Glace Bay, nor on the website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which one might expect had he died in action during World War I. Neither of the Presbyterian, later United, churches in the area, Chalmers or Warden, has a record of a death of a Lawrence MacKay during this period. Investigation is ongoing concerning the time and manner of his death, and the later lives of his children.

Annie McKay, 26, of Ball's Creek, married widower John Thomas Boutilier, coal miner, of Gardiner Mines, son of Frederick Boutilier and Hester Mackie, on 17 February 1896 at the Church of England in Sydney. Josie Grant and Lawrence McKay were the witnesses. According to Joe Petrie's file, John Thomas was born 17 April 1852 at Gardiner Mines (although he declared his age at marriage to be 37), was previously married to Mary MacVarish, and died in 1921. Eight children are attributed to the first marriage, none to the second. Ann died in June, 1906.

Charles McKay, 21, miner, of Old Bridgeport, married Susan Boutilier, 22, of Port Morien, daughter of William Boutilier and Charlotte Miles, at the Presbyterian Church in Bridgeport on 2 December 1897. (Another instance of brothers marrying sisters, creating "double first cousins".)

Price McKay, 26, miner, of Ball's Creek, married Sarah Wadden, 20, born Port Morien, resident of Sydney, daughter of Thomas and Matilda Wadden, on 23 July 1903 at the Church of England in Sydney.

Records of St. George's Anglican Church, Sydney, give a marriage on 12 April 1909 of Joseph Wellington Lewis of Pt. Edward to Caroline Cecelia Alice McKay, Ball's Creek. Unlike the other records in this section, no ages or parents are given. The 1901 census lists a daughter Carrie, b. 30 September 1889 of William McKay and Anna J. (Grant), and one of the witnesses is Earl McKay, so it seems highly likely that this is another member of that family. Birth records of St. George's list the following births to this couple: Lloyd Wellington Lewis, b. 19 March 1910, d. 31 July 1910; Ralph Melvin, b. 17 May 1911; and Daisy Beatrice, b. 1 October 1912. Records of St. John's Cemetery, Point Edward, include a headstone with the following inscription: LEWIS Joseph W. 1879 - 1939; his wife Alice C. 1888 - 1972. Joseph W. Lewis died July 4, 1939. His obituary mentions three daughters, Mrs. Murray Boutilier, Wadden's Cove; Cordella and Maude, at home; and two sons, Ralph and Phillip. [One of his sisters was the wife of James Grant, Point Edward, who was a native of Colchester County and is believed not to be a descendant of Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon.] Alice C. McKay Lewis died 22 May 1972. Her obituary indicates she was predeceased by a son Ralph in 1957; survivors included a sister, Mrs. Daisy Snow, Dominion; son Philip, Sydney; and three daughters, Cardella (Mrs. Douglas Lawson, Ball's Creek); Mrs. Daisy Boutilier, Port Morien; and Maudie (Mrs. Willard Hill, Campbell's Hill). The couple had 22 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, as of 1972.

Earl McKay, 23, engineer, of Dominion married Katie McDonald, 21, born Halifax, daughter of John and Mrs. McDonald at the Presbyterian church in Dominion (presumably now Chalmers United) on 18 March 1910. Witnesses were Daisy McKay and John Miles. The Reserve Mines Cemetery on Centreville Road contains a stone with the following inscriptions: Earl Edward McKay, 1889 - 1944; Wife Katie Ann 1891 - 1992; Horace K 1913 - 1924; Judith P, 1927 - 1927. [There is a slight oddity here; the cemetery is Anglican, but the couple was married in the Presbyterian church.] Earl McKay does not appear in the 1903-4 or 1905 directories, but is a farmer in Ball's Creek in 1914. He is absent from the 1918-9 and 1923 directories, but by 1928 is listed as a miner living in Dominion. He is absent from the 1948 directory. This would be consistent with his taking over his father's farm after his death in 1909, and with his death in 1944. However, no record of his death can be found at Chalmers United.

[Blind alley: A headstone has been found in Brookside Cemetery, Sydney Mines, with the following inscription: MacKay Husband Lawrence S. 1908 - 1993; Wife Urenia P. 1920 - 1983. Despite the similarity in name, the obituary obtained for this Lawrence S. MacKay contains information inconsistent with his being a member of this family.]

Re Doleman Family:

The Commercial Herald of 5 January 1850 [MH, III, 14] reports a marriage of Mr. David Doleman to Miss Mary Wilhousand, both of Sydney. This is the only reference in MH to either surname. David would probably have been a brother to Mary Ann Doleman, wife of Peter Grant (the younger).

A death and a marriage in Illinois:

The North Sydney Herald of 1 March 1882 [MH, III, 44] reports the death of Miss Janie Grant, "a school mistress at Pt. Edward and Loraine". She died at the residence of her sister at Elgin, Illinois, a town near Chicago, on 9 February 1882. In 1881, Jane Grant, 22, lived at Ball's Creek with her parents, Charles Grant and Eliza Ball, but no occupation is given. She is also present, aged 12, in the 1871 census. No marriage has been found for this woman, and she does not appear in the 1891 census, at least with the surname Grant. If this Jane Grant is the same woman who died in Illinois the following year, the natural question arises as to which sister was then living there, and to whom she was married, if anyone. Since this Jane's younger sisters were still in their teens in 1882, we consider only her older sisters. Henrietta had married Adam Lloyd Bayley, and was living in North Sydney in 1881. Alice had married Henry Walter Smith (see above), was living in Ingonish in 1881 and had a daughter in 1885. This leaves Melissa, aged 18 in 1871 and apparently not appearing in the local census of 1881 or 1891. However, in the 1901 census for North Sydney, there is a Melissa Grant, spinster, born 11 July 1846, Baptist, living with a sister Susan, born 20 March 1827. The Mormon website mentions a marriage of a Mellissa Grant to William H. Hines at Douglas, Illinois, on 29 November 1877. (Presumably that is the county name, as there is no town or city named Douglas in Illinois.) Clearly, this is considerable room for further investigation here.

Further descendants of Peter Musgrave and Ann Grant:

The following was obtained from obituaries in the Cape Breton Post. This supplements information in Part V on the individuals concerned.

Re John W. Munn, d. 10 March 1980: John operated Munn's Greenhouse at Leitches' Creek. He was survived by his wife, son Glen (res. Leitches' Creek), and daughter Ann "Ginger", Mrs. David Brown of North Sydney.

Re Ella Munn Matheson, d. 23 April 1981: Ella died at 91, the last survivor of her immediate family. She was predeceased by her husband, and was buried at Lakeview.

Re Nina Munn MacKay, d. 25 August 1979: She died at 93 in Windsor, N.S. She was prececeased by her husband John, and was survived by daughters Mrs. Katherine Cox of Maryland and Mrs. Jean Windeler of Halifax, together with 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. She was buried in Hardwood Hill Cemetery, Sydney.

Re James and Roy Munn: These two brothers did die one day apart, on July 1 and 2, 1961, in Michigan. James, a tool maker, had no children. Roy, a cabinet maker, was survived by his wife, daughter Betty Lee, and son John.

Re Madge Moffatt MacDonald, d. 26 April 1975: She was born in Dingwall, the daughter of William Moffatt, and resided at 23 Windsor Ave., Sydney Mines, until her death at age 79. Her husband Frank predeceased her in 1962, and a daughter Marjorie in 1938. She was survived by daughter Ella (Mrs. Douglas Martin, Brantford, Ontario); sons Robert and Andrew (Sydney Mines), Walter and Stan (Toronto), and Donald (Preston, Ontario).
A sister, Mrs. Georgina Robertson of Sydney Mines also survived. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery.

Re Annie Wilson Moore (Mrs. Peter Jackson), d. 20 December 1947: She died at age 92 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. G. Carmichael of North Sydney. She was survived by her daughters, Mrs. Carmichael and Mrs. Ethel Ziegenmeyer of St. Louis, Missouri; sons Robie (Upper North Sydney), Frank (retired collector of customs, North Sydney), and Stan (United States).

Re Mrs. Adelaide (Addie) Munn Jackson, d. 21 December 1947: She died at 86 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, predeceased by her husband Robert N., former CN station agent. She was survived by daughters Mrs. Maurice Ashe and Mrs. Rita Ashe of Massachusetts, and Mrs. Worth Grafton of Vancouver; sons George and Harold of Massachusetts. Burial was at Lakeside. (The headstone gives her birthdate as 12 December 1861, and her husband's dates as July 14 1854 to May 28 1908.)

Re James Munn, husband of Mary Ann Moffatt: According to the family headstone in Lakeview Cemetery, several brothers of James died in California and the West Indies. Also, another brother, Lieut. John Munn was killed at the Battle of Channellorville (sic) [presumably Chancellorsville, Virginia] on May 4 1863 at 29 yrs. [While this was undoubtedly a death in war, Lieut. Munn was not a descendant of Charles Grant, but the brother-in-law of one.] [A John B. Munn, rank given as "Orderly Sergeant", of Company E of the 13th Infantry Regiment from New Jersey was killed on that day at Chancellorsville.]

Discovery of burial site:

Sarah Musgrave was the daughter of Andrew Ross Musgrave and Sarah MacKenzie (see Part V). Elva Jackson's information indicates she never married. Her grave is in the MacKenzie Cemetery at Beechmont, where her headstone gives the dates 1871 to 1955. (See the website www.rootsweb.com/~nscpbret/cem33.html)

Deaths of descendants of Alonzo Grant and Udvilla Grant Boutilier, and widow of Layton Woods:

The following obituary apparently refers to a daughter of Sarah Grant and James Murrant. Referring back to Part IV, Sarah must then have been the unnamed sister of Stanley Grant who had predeceased him at the time of his death in 1966. The deceased Mae Turner is therefore a granddaughter of Alonzo Grant.

Extract from Cape Breton Post, 18 July 2001:

Mae Isabel Turner, 76, of 55 Minto St., Glace Bay, and formerly of 3 Anderson St., Glace Bay, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 17, 2001, at the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney. Born in Donkin, she the daughter of the late James and Sarah (Grant) Murrant. Mae was a member of St. Mary's Anglican Church, Glace Bay. She is survived by her son, Jim (Gina) Turner, Birch Grove; daughter, Sally (Bernie) Lambert, Glace Bay. She loved her grandchildren, Jamie and Brett Turner and Jimmy, Michael, Matthew and Meaghan Lambert. Also surviving is a sister, Katherine Hooper, Port Caledonia. Mae was predeceased by her husband, Ralph, sister, Edie Turner, brother, William and an infant granddaughter, Bernice Lambert. Funeral service will be held Thursday at 2 p.m. in St. Mary's Anglican Church with Canon Rev. Fev Arnold officiating. Interment will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Glace Bay.

A search of the Cape Breton Post's limited on-line archive turned up the following obituary for the sister of the above:

Sarah Edith Turner
70, Glace Bay
Edith Turner, 70, formerly of 34 Morrison St., Glace Bay, died at the Seaview Manor, 275 South St., Glace Bay, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 1998.
Born in Port Caledonia, she was the daughter of the late James and Sarah (Grant) Murrant. Mrs. Turner was a graduate of the Glace Bay General Hospital School of Nursing, Class of 1951. She worked at the General Hospital in the pediatric ward until her retirement in 1976. She was a member of St. Mary's Anglican Church.
She is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Hooper, Port Caledonia, Mrs. Mae Turner, Glace Bay.
She was predeceased by her husband, Frank, a brother, William, in infancy.
Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery, Glace Bay.

In addition, the following appeared in the Cape Breton Post for 3 October 2001. The late Judson Boutilier was the son of Arthur Boutilier, who died in a mine accident in 1925, a grandson of James Boutilier and Udvilla Grant, and a great-great-great-grandson of Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon.

Judson Gilford Boutilier, 84, of 3438 Pellett Ave., New Waterford, passed away quietly and peacefully at his home Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2001. Born in New Waterford, he was a son of the late Arthur Boutilier, Donkin, and the late Gertrude (Phillips) Boutilier, Port Morien. He was a member of Calvin United Church, New Waterford. Juddy worked 38 years as a miner until his retirement from No. 12 colliery. He was a veteran of the Second World War, serving with the 16th LAA Battery. He was a 50-year member of the Army and Navy Unit 217, New Waterford, as well as a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 15. Juddy belonged to the New Waterford Seniors and Pensioners Club, he was an avid dart fan and loved music. He is survived by four children, Jimmy, at home, Judson Jr. (Susie), New Waterford, Ruthie (Jerome) Pottie, L'Ardoise, Debbie LaFalcia (husband Don Brooks), Oshawa, Ont.; one brother, Harold, B.C.; seven grandsons, Hughie, Darryl, Kelly, Chad, Lee, Stephen and Landry; two granddaughters, Doris Lynn and Megan; two great-grandchildren, Kyle and Krista Lee. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Thelma MacPhee, four brothers and one sister. Visitation to take place this evening (Wednesday) 7-9 p.m. and Thursday, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. in the V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 380 Smith St., New Waterford, 862-6439. Funeral service will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at Calvin United Church with Rev. Duncan Roach officiating. Interment in Union Grove Cemetery, Scotchtown. Mr. Boutilier will be taken to the church Friday at noon time. As an expression of sympathy for Judson, donations may be made to the N.S. Diabetes Association or Palliative Care. A reception to follow at the Army and Navy Hall, New Waterford.

Finally, we note the death of Catherine MacDonald, widow of Layton Woods, son of Thomas Woods, grandson of Charles Woods, great-grandson of John Woods and Alice Grant Woods. This appeared in the Cape Breton Post of 9 October 2001:

Catherine Woods, 92, a resident of Charlotte's Guest Home, Dominion Street, Glace Bay, and a former resident of 41 Commercial St., Dominion, died Sunday, October 7, 2001, at the guest home. Born in Glace Bay, she was the daughter of the late William J. and Jessie (Munro) MacDonald. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Catherine was a member of Chalmers United Church. She operated a small confectionery store in Bridgeport for many years. Catherine is survived by nephews, George MacDonald, Glace Bay, John MacDonald, Oklahoma; niece, Sylvia Matheson, Mira. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her husband, Layton Woods; a son in infancy; and a brother, John W. MacDonald. There will be no visitation for the late Catherine Woods. Funeral service will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home Chapel, 16 Reserve St., Glace Bay. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 16 Reserve St., Glace Bay.

Another death in World War II

The website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission indicates that Corporal Gordon Boutilier, son of Louis and Sadie Boutilier and husband of Doris Boutilier of New Waterford died at age 24 on 11 October 1944 in action outside Antwerp, Belgium. He is buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Maldegem, Oost-Vlaanderen (East Flanders), Belgium. He was a grandson of James Boutilier and Udvilla Grant. (See Part IV.) His is the second death of a descendant of Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon in World War II discovered so far. (See Part VI regarding Edward O'Neil, son of Rosie Grant.)

Service records from World War I

An increasing number of enlistment forms for soldiers from World War I are available on line. They can be viewed at the site http://www.archives.ca/02/02010602_e.html
by entering the first and last names of the soldier in the spaces on the form which comes up.

Among those available is the attestation form filled out by Seward (Seaward, as he spelled it) Grant, son of James Grant and his first wife Mary Ann Andrews, on 7 December 1915 for service in World War I is now available on-line. It gives his date of birth as 7 May 1879, and confirms he served in the 106th Battalion, a fact mentioned on his headstone. It also reveals such details as his middle name (Thomas), height (5 ft., 7.5 in.) and the fact that he had a long scar on his chin (not apparent from the surviving photo).

Attestation forms have also been found for Elmer and Clyde Grant, sons of Arthur Grant and Phoebe Phillips. Elmer was resident in Fredericton in December, 1914 and Clyde in Trenton, Nova Scotia, in October, 1917 at the time of their respective enlistments. Both were single at the time.

The form filled out by the author's grandfather, a copy of which is already on file, can also be viewed by entering the first name "Alex Malcolm" and last name "Grant".

Obituary for a non-descendant

It is with regret that we mention that Ina Muriel (Fraser) Grant, 85, of Edwardsville passed away on 30 August 2001. She was the widow of David Grant, who passed away in 1982, and was survived by sons Colin of Sackville, N.B. and Allister of Edwardsville, and grandsons Scott of Moncton, Neil of St. Stephen, Ryan and Michael of Sydney, and Brandon of Point Edward. However, the late David Grant was the son of James Grant, a native of Colchester County who died in Sydney in 1966, and his wife Margaret, so this family does not appear to be among the descendants of Charles Grant and Nancy Gordon.