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The North Shore Villages

“The North Shore Villages”

The North Shore Villages
1755-1815 (British Navy, Loyalists)

Price $30.00 + S&H

ISBN  978-1-7383926–1-2

547 pages

6”x9” perfect bound

By author Stephen G. Leahy

Early in the 16th century, sails were predominant in moving wooden naval vessels with their powerful and weighty cannons.

Sails in turn relied on masts which played a far greater role in world affairs than just supporting the canvas sails. Masts were vital to the success of nations which sought to rule the seas for trade, exploration, empire building, or war. In effect, masts were then to sea transportation what fuel is to fleets of today.

For its masts, the British Empire required strong, straight, and massive trees reaching up to one hundred and twenty feet in height and weighing as much as twenty tons. By the early 1600’s the Baltic forests had been depleted while threats of war by Sweden and the Dutch made the supply less secure.

Over the next 125 years the white pine forests of New England supplied the largest masts for the British Royal Navy. When these pines came under siege by colonists who wanted to keep them for themselves, Britain imposed the King’s Broad Arrow Policies which restricted their use to the Royal Navy. The colonists greatly resented this move, helping to further the American Revolution.

In 1721, the British Board of Trade set out to acquire a “Nursery of timber” of considerable size in Nova Scotia, in the process removing the French from the region in favour of English settlers. However, a stipulation forbade peopling the Colony of Nova Scotia until suitable “Nursery” was found.

This book records the outbreak of the American Revolution, the establishment of the Nova Scotia “Nursery” and the founding of the North Shore Villages, Pugwash, Wallace, Wentworth and Westchester.




A Coal Miner’s Son

“A Coal Miner’s Son””

A publication by Harold “Gary” Embree.

Price: $5.00 + (shipping and handling is extra)

5½” X 8½”, 20 pages.

This is a recollection of a coal miner’s son on the events of October 23, 1958 – the day the earth heaved and changed the lives of so many.

Trace the days events leading up to and including the aftermath of
one of Springhill’s disasters as told by Harold “Gary “Embree

Booklet includes his memories, pictures, historical facts and facts included in a school project of a then 11-year-old grade 5 student on the disaster that took the life of her great-grandfather and so many others.




Lorneville, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia

             Lorneville

Cumberland County, Nova Scotia

From wilderness to busy seaside community

Price $54.95 + S & H

ISBN 978-0-9811015-9-0

348 pages

8 1/2” x 11”, perfect bound

Once a wilderness, the community was divided into crown lots, and gifted or sold to the settlers. Known by various names over the years, but became officially named Lorneville after the Marquis of Lorne, Canada’s Governor General from 1878 to 1883, on the 1 st  day of February 1881.  This book is a history of Lorneville’s land and its people. It tracks land which
was sometimes owned by the same family for generations and even to this date. This book also
follows the history of the community exploring the post office, school, the church, the two
cemeteries, even the little stores and its airfield.  It tracks places that have vanished and includes
a gallery of photos.  And although the Church bell no longer rings, the membership is still strong,
and the voices still sing loud on Sunday mornings.




Two Soldiers


Two Soldiers – The John David Family of Fox Harbour Nova Scotia
Price $35.00 + (shipping and handling is extra)
ISBN 978-0-9863387-8-6
250 pages
7” x 10”, perfect bound

They called him John David. He was a soldier, born in 1790 somewhere in Europe – probably Germany. The David family Bible says he was granted land on the picturesque Nova Scotia coast by King George III for his military service to England. Yet family lore suggests that he had fought in the great army of Napoleon and that John David was not his real name.

There was a second soldier named Martin Creary. The lives of John David and Martin Creary became entwined in two distinct ways: a beautiful farm property in a tiny Nova Scotia hamlet called Fox Harbour, and a much beloved woman, Eleanor. She was a daughter to one, a wife to the other, and a mother to all of us who make up the David family.

This tale of Martin, John and Eleanor is more of a journey than a story, and sometimes the way is not easy. But you have a guide, and you have the coins. Two special coins passed down through the David family to the author – and shown on the front cover – were carried by John David safely in his pocket across battlefields of Spain, into dungeons of Scotland and all the way to the new world, just as he carried in his heart the dreams of a future family which would live on across the centuries. His dreams have come true. We are his David family.

This is our story.




Chignecto & Remsheg prior to 1755 (Mi’kmaq, Acadians, French)

Chignecto & Remsheg prior to 1755 (Mi’kmaq, Acadians, French)
Price $30.00 + S&H
ISBN 978-0-9692878-2-7
311 pages
6” x 9”, perfect bound

The story recorded here begins with the Mi’kmaq who populated the province for thousands of years before the coming of the fishermen from Europe and even those came perhaps a couple of hundred years before the French arrived at Port Royal in 1605. Despite periods of civil war and attacks by New Englanders and the British, the Acadians developed a comprehensive and strong culture on their close ties with the Mi’kmaq and their marshland agriculture.

With the fall of Port Royal in 1710, the leadership of the French forces moved to the Isthumus of Chignecto. With the exception of Grand Pre’, a family of nobles from Trois Rivieres gained control of the main Fundy marsh lands centering on their Beaubassin and Remsheg Seigneuries. On these they raised herds of livestock and bountiful grains and vegetables, which were then shipped through their ports on the Red Sea into French markets, among which one of the most important was the Fortress at Louisburg. The wealth generated by a ready market for the marshland products created a prosperity for the Acadians in what became known as their “Golden Age”.

In the last decade preceding the fall of their fort at Beausejour, the French used their Chignecto position to organize military and guerrilla attacks to harass and drive the British out of Acadia.




Once By Sea – Once By Land

“Once By Sea – Once By Land”

A private publication by author Bliss Brown, a direct descendant of Elijah Brown (1780-1855)

NEW Price: $50.00 + (shipping and handling is extra)

1100 pages 8 ½” X 11″, (3 Volume Set)

“Once By Sea, Once By Land” is a three volume 1100 page collection of genealogy and history based upon the ancestry and descendants of Elijah Brown (31 March 1780 – 30 September 1855). The story begins in England 1635, to Boston, then New Hampshire and Maine before his marriage 1802 in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. The families of Elijah and Henrietta (Cannon) Brown spread across Colchester and Cumberland counties of Nova Scotia, Westmorland County of New Brunswick and Elgin County, Ontario. The wide span of family names include Siddall, Piers, Carter, Welton, Hughes, Fife, Brundage, Jeffers, Skidmore, Kennedy, Tabor, Edwards, Pettigrew, Thompson, Allen, Canning, Harrison, Hoeg, Bird, Atkinson, Cochrane, Bowden, Dowe, Quinn and of course, Brown; and so many more. Pages also include over 300 photographs and numerous obituaries. Authored by Bliss Brown, after more than 40 years of research.

Five Score and More – Reflections of A Centenarian

Newest publication release from members of CCGS

The long awaited release of “Five Score and More – Reflections of a Centenarian” is here. This book captures life in Cumberland County as told by or about these wonderful people who lived here for 100 years and more. Read their stories of life before electric lights, of simpler times, war times, the Depression and much more. Printed in 8 ½ x 11 size and colour it sells for members price of $49.95 and non-members price of $54.95 ( shipping and handling is extra) If you would like to order a copy please send an email to “archives@ccgsns.com”

Please Note:
Due to costs incurred for publications the CCGS Board of Directors has voted to limit purchases of membership priced publication at one (1) copy per single membership or two (2) copies per family membership at listed pricing.

All non-membership pricing remains for unlimited number of copies at listed price.

New Book Released January 2017


WE RISE AGAIN

      “We Rise Again – a genealogy of the descendants of Richard and Dorothy (Patton) Thompson, Pioneer Settlers of Oxford, Nova Scotia”

      This series represents the life-long research of Cyril Oickle who started this project at the age of 10 years. In 2015, Cyril was very close to publishing his work when he passed away from a sudden illness. His work has been donated to CCGS by Cyril’s family with the request that we fulfill Cyril’s dream of having his work published.

     We Rise Again … is a five volume set containing 10 Chapters dedicated to Richard Thompson & Dorothy Patton and their 9 children.

Volume 1 – contains chapter 1 – Richard Thompson & Dorothy Patton & chapter 2 – Ralph Thompson (1st child) & Mary Sweeney

Volume 2 – contains chapter 3 – Ann Thompson (2nd child) & Joshua Brundage, chapter 4 – Mark Thompson (3rd child) & Mary Read & chapter 5 – Eleanor Thompson (4th child) & Charles Chappell

Volume 3 – contains chapter 6 – Dorothy Thompson (5th child) & James Chappell & chapter 7 – Richard Thompson (6th child) & Elizabeth Read

Volume 4 – contains chapter 8 – Letitia Thompson (7th child) & George Allen, chapter 9 – Abigail Thompson (8th child) & John Fillmore & chapter 10 – Mary Thompson (9th child) & John Oxley

Volume 5 – contains the Index to all chapters


Click to visit our publications page to order a volume of your choice or full set today!

1907 Vital Statistics Book

This book is a compilation of newspaper articles containing vital statistics for Cumberland County, Nova Scotia as recorded by the “Amherst Daily News,” Amherst, Nova Scotia, from January 1, 1907 to December 31, 1907.

All vital statistics were transcribed in full as recorded in these issues. Entries were copied from microfilms housed at Mount Allison University, Ralph Pickard Bell Library, Sackville, New Brunswick. All individuals named within these articles, with the exception of ministers, have been cross-referenced for an easy search for your ancestors. At the end of each article in italics you will find the source of the article. For example: ADN Tues., Apr. 10, 1907 p.1 consists of the abbreviated name of newspaper, the publication date of the newspaper and the page number.

Get your copy now at 1907 Vital Stats Book or go to Products drop down box above and/or select other publications.

“Routes to your Roots” feature on Live at 5

“Routes to your Roots” will be featured on CTV’s Live at 5 program tomorrow, Thursday, March 8 between 5 and 6 (Atlantic time).  This will cover the Council of Nova Scotia Archives welcome videos project.  A video crew visited heritage sites, including our Genealogy Centre, and interviewed staff or volunteers about their site and the information available there.

Marney Gilroy, volunteer and board member spoke on our behalf.  You can see the video here, or on our Facebook site.  Feel free to leave a comment and click the “Like” button if you have not already done so.

You will also be able to find the item on the CTV News website after it is aired.

More information about the project is available at www.novascotiaroots.com.