By:

B.R. Hurlbert



Contents

Preface

Perhaps the most interesting history to teach a child is that of our own home. The story of his forefathers may createan interest which is often lacking in the hisory of his country.

In this little book, the writer has endeavored to give the hostory of Kemptville.


The Indians



Before our forefathers came to Nova Scotia, it was inhabited by Indians. Unlike the Indians first found in North America, they were a quiet, peaceful tribe. Both the Mic-Macs and the Miliceties were living in N.S, and probablyboth tribes were found in the Western counties.

In 1863, Dr. Joseph B. Bond found relics of their handwork in Kemptville, Yarmouth County. These were buried in a mound about ten feet long and ten feet across, raised about four feet above the surrounding surface. They showed skill and neatness in the making. Later on, other relics were found in Milton, Yarmouth County. Some of these can now be found in the Yarmouth County Museum, founded by L.E. Baker, Esq, in 1872 at Yarmouth.

Many of our lakes and rivers bear names given to them by the gentle race who first depended partly on them for food and no doubt enjoyed their beauty as we do now.

Poem

The memory of the Red Man,
How can it pass away,
While their names of music linger.
On each mount, and stream, and bay?
While Musquodobit waters
Roll sparkling, to the main;
While falls the laughing sunbeam
And Chegoggin's fields of grain.


It dwells around Catalone's blue lake,
Mid leafy forests hid
Round fair Discouse, and the rushing tides
Of the turbid Pisiquid.
And it lends Chebogue, a touching grace
To the soft flowing river,
As we sadly think of the gentle race
That has passed away for ever.


Sir. Richard Huntingdon.


-History-



After the Indians, the next settlers were the French who were expelled from Nova Scotia. The pleasant homes they had made were destroyed, and hundreds of acres of land were uninhabited.

Governer Lawrence, therefore, sent out invitations to new settlers to come and make homes for themselves in Nova Scotia. Among the new settlements was Yarmouth, founded in the year. For a number of years, colonists came and built up the place until it became a little town; then people began to go to other parts of the county.

At this time there were no roads outside of Yarmouth, only paths through the woods so most of the travelling was done by means of small boats and canoes, over the rivers and lakes. In eighteen hundred and twenty, a few settlers went up the Tusket river, in Yarmouth County, about twenty-five miles from its mouth and began to make homes.

Mr. Abner Andrews and Mr. John Van Emburg were the first to go. They made a clearing in the dense woods and built log cabins. Their supplies were taken from Yarmouth by boats and as they could only take a small amount at once, they were obliged to make frequent trips, which meant several days of hard labor.

Soon other settlers came. cleared land, and built more log cabins. Now they began to think about a name for their new home. They agreed to call it Kemptville in honor of Sir James Kempt, who was then governor of Nova Scotia.

We who enjoy all the priviliges of today can hardly imagine the hardships these people endured so bravely. They worked hard cleaning up the land and as new settlers came, building up the place. Alll the houses were built near the shore, as ours are now built near the street, and even now we see in some places the remains of old farm houses near the river. These people settled near where the Kemptville bridge now stands.

About this time Mr. Herman Gardner made his home across Pearl Lake, from the bridge, on the point near what is called the Eelware. But his career was short, he was drowned trying to cross the lake on his way home. His wife witnessed the scene without being able to render him any assistance. She afterward moved to Yarmouth. His was the first funeral to take place in the settlement; he was buried near his home. This point of land has since been called "Gardner's Point."

The second funeral was that of Mr. Mood. He was buried near by what is known as "School- house Cove", where the first little school house was built in eighteen hundred and thirty-three. The first school was taught by Mr. James P. Pennington.

In eighteen hundred and twenty-eight, Mr. Nathaniel Churchill moved from Yarmouth and settled near where the Gang Mill now stands on the Little River branch of the Tusket. Here the first saw mill was built. In the same year, Mr. Jerry Healey built it for Messrs. N. Churchill and John Roberts, who paid him 106 pounds (not dollars).

You will bear in mind that at this time there was neither roads or bridges. In winter they passed on ice, and in summer boats were used to get from place to place. From the time that the first mill was erected, the men made steady progress in the lumbering industry, until at one time there was eleven mills in the place.

The first religious meeting was held in the old house of John Roberts, conducted by James Lent, son-in-law of the late Mr. Harding. Mr Harding was a pioneer of the Baptist denominations in Nova Scotia. The early part of the following winter the meetings were conducted by David Flint at Mr. Handley Roberts' home. After this they were held from place to place until the school house which I have spoken of was built; here they were conducted until 1842, when the first meeting house was built on the site which the present one now occupies. The first church was organized by the late Rev. Charles Knowles in eighteen hundred and thirty-one. Messrs. Josiah Harding and Nathaniel Churchill were chosen deacons. Rev. Knowles was pastor of this little church for twenty-five or thirty years.

The first Sunday School was started in eighteen hundred and thirty-three. The meetings were held at the school house. For the first lesson the eighteenth chapter of Luke was committed to memory, as was the custom then.

On the cleared lands, grain was raised; this had to be taken to what was then called Chebogue, now Arcadia, to a mill owned by Gabriel Van Norden, to be ground for use. Later Mr. John Roberts built a grist mill, on a back brook, and did all the grinding for everyone here.

The second mill built was owned by Mr. James Hurlburt. The men rafted the lumber down the river to Tusket, where it was shipped out. There is now a board and shingle mill, where this old one stood, about one mile from the church.

In eighteen hundred and fifty, mail was brought to Kemtville for the first time. This was driven by Mr. William Prosser from Yarmouth. He drove a stage coach from Kemptille to Yarmouth, once a week for several years. Later Mr. Harvey Hamilton was in charge of the mail, and it came twice a week. We have had daily mail now for a number of years. Mr. A.M. Gates is the postmaster, and Messrs. James Crosby, of Brazil Lake, and O.P. Ryerson, of Pleasant Valley, are mail drivers. The mail comes from Yarmouth to Brazil Lake by car instead of being driven directly from Yarmouth as before.

In 1881 the old church was taken down and a new one was erected in its place. The present one is built of oak, ash, and birch. It will seat about three hundred people and is a pretty little church. A few years ago the walls and ceiling were metallic which greatly improved its appearance.

In the same year gold was discovered by Mr. James Reeves. In 1885 the Cowan Gold Co. mine of Yarmouth was organized. Share holders were Messers, L.E. Baker, David Cowan, A.C. Robbins, E.K. Spinney, William Cowan, E.M. Veits, and J.D. Dennis.

This company began work at Kemptville and although the mines have not been steadily worked, a large amount of gold has been obtained.

In 1882, the Carleton Telephone Company ran a line into Kemptville which was a great benifit to the people.

At the present time Kemptville is an enterprising little village of about six hundred inhabitants. There are two churches, both Baptist; two stores and five schools. In the summer many people, espeacially from Yarmouth and the United States, come to spend their vacation in this pretty place. There they have excellent privilages for boating, bathing, and fishing on the grand old Tusket; as well as tenting and picnicing in the beautiful forests near by.
Cowfer 
In reference to the map, the following letters correspond :
A: East Kempt,         B: Blacksmith Shop,      C: Ridge School,                          
D: Gang Mill,          E: Hawthorne School,     F: Peppermint Brook,  
G: Riverside School,   H: Church,               I: Steam Mill,  
J: Tate's Store,       K: Parsonage             L: Bolumbia Hall,  
M: Mayflower Cottage,  N: Beach Lodge,          O: Center School,  
P: Store               Q: Imperial Hotel,       R: Blacksmiths,

Credits

 Map drawn by Rayman Chan
Layout by Glen Robicheau
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