Vacation :Tourism :HIstory: Villages of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia : Carleton : GrassRoutes

-The First Settlers-

The first settler was Daniel Raymond. At one time it was known as "Nine Partners' Falls" owing to nine settlers having formed a partnership to run a mill there. It was also formerly a Temperance group to eschew all intoxicating liquors. Its present name is in honour of the first Baron of Dorchester, Sir Guy Carleton, who was Commander-in-Chief in America in 1782, afterwards Governor of Quebec, up to 1796.

-Mine-

Many years ago gold was discovered west of the present school. For some years much work was done with a large crew of men. Then, Miller-Gordon's "Girls Boarding House" was built as a boarding house for the miners. The work became intermittent, and little or no work was done for over 30 years. Then, years ago another discovery was made at the foot of Bad Falls - and several attempts were made to operate that mine - called "North Carleton Gold Mine'' - but without profit.

-Mill-

In 1920, Miller-Gordon Mfg. Co. comprising W. E. Miller, the son Roy D. Miller, and Winfield Gordon - (the first two from Bear River), built the large mill and woodworking factory that stood where the store, Carleton Co. Outfitters, stands now. They made clothes pins, dowels, washboards, berry boxes, etc., and their products went all over the world. They brought several families from Bear River - Wright, McSwaine, McLean, Frizzell, etc., and several families moved to Carleton from Kemptville and Forest Glen and Richfield.

-Monument-

Another part of the community worth mentioning is in the north eastern corner of the Junction of the Forest Glen road and the road to Kemptville, a tract of land which had been deeded to the Congregational Church in Yarmouth, to erect thereon a Congregational Church for Carleton. As there were already three churches at the corner it was not built, and the lot became a dumping corner, very unsightly. After World War I, when a Branch of the Women's Institutes was formed December, 1919, through the efforts of James D. Dennis (son of Leonard), a prominent business man in Yarmouth, the lot was deeded to trustees appointed by the W.I. to hold as a park for the people of Carleton.

The Institute cleared the front part, making it the beauty spot it is now. Especially note the stone wall - laid without cement or mortar after the fashion of the early walls built when fields were cleared - to last many generations. It is built 3 feet below the grounds and 3 feet above, and cost over $400.00. The people of Carleton bought and erected a monument to those who lost their lives in World War I. A complete History of the Park is in the Library - begun by Mrs. T. H. Flint. At the northern corner of the Park is the beautiful little log cabin Durkee Memorial Library. Two of the third generation of the early settlers - the Rev. Dr. J. Stanley Durkee and Capt. Alfred R. Durkee, sons of Mr. & Mrs.. James Durkee, and grandsons of Joseph Durkee and Leonard Dennis, wishing to show honor to their parents and leave a living memorial, built, furnished and endowed this library, "To the memory of those of this village whose lives have molded other lives in righteousness - to the youth of our village and to all the people who seek for larger knowledge truth and understanding - to all those who shall come after us, striving to build the Kingdom of God in this fair land." In those words it was dedicated in August 1938. In 1947 it was placed in the hands of the Women's Institute to hold and use for the people of Carleton.

-Mail Service-

The first mail service was between 1850-1860 - one mail a week for some years, then twice a week - then for many years there was a daily mail service between Brazil Lake and Carleton. The first Post Office was kept by James Killam, in the house now owned by S. H. Miller. Later postmasters were: Mrs. John Miller, Benjamin Annis,Edwin Crosby, Miss Jessie Miller, and Mrs. Lydia Durkee.

-Phone Service-

Carleton Telephone Co. was formed in February 1884, with Mr. Samuel Ryerson, President; Edwin Crosby, Secretary Treasurer, and Wm. Miller, Amial Durkee and Nathan Hilton as Directors. It is of interest to note that the first contract for poles, digging holes and setting was for $33 per pole. For many years, only one phone served Carleton, and one in Kemptville. Later the services were expanded to nearly 40 phones serviced by the company.

-Temperance Society-

It is not surprising that Carleton - Temperance - should have a Temperance Society or "Total Abstinence" as it was called then. A lodge of Independent Order Good Templars was organized. A list of members and officers, January 1870, (and had been active for years before), might be of interest. They are:

Marsden Coldwell
John Crawley
Emily Crawley
Susan Durkee
Nathan Durkee
Charles Durkee
Josoph Durkee
Amial R. Durkee
Richard Eldridge
Elizabeth Eldridge
Lois Flint

John Harding
Albert Hilton
Maria Hilton
Archibald Kelley
Susan Kelley
Charles King
John P. Miller
Hannah Miller
Elkanah Miller
Alice Miller
Jane Miller

Thirza Miller
William Miller
Sarah Perry
Thomas Perry
James Robbins
Maria Richardson
Mary D. Richardson
Lydia A. Richardson
Charles Richardson
Samuel West
Mary Willer

This society continued actively for nearly 60 years more, then it was allowed to drop.

Historic photos on this page are, respectively in order seen:

1) Mink Lake dam, circa 1930's
2) Carleton cenotaph
3) Perry Rd., circa 1970's
4) Mink Lake during an extremely dry summer, 1960's

Email Comments:

From: Ron Vallillee
At one time I believe R.D Miller ran a clothespin factory in Gardner's Mill.
My mother worked there!! Dorothy Vallillee

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