The Book

I finished a book for family members on the Ancestors of Millie and am no longer adding to this blog.  I have left it here for other researchers to find.  Enjoy the information here and contact me if you are interested in a copy of the book you can purchase a PDF from Blurb 

 Millie

Mary Ann Giles

Mary Ann Giles Telfer died on 15 May 1879 at the age of 77 nine days going into a coma as the result of a stroke in West Hoboken, New Jersey.  Her death certificate states her parents are Joel Giles and Mary Giles, both born in New Jersey and that she had been born in New Jersey.

To date nothing has been unearthed about the early life of Mary Ann.  Family records state she married Matthew Telfer on 9 Jun 1822, but no place is given and no corroboration has been found.

The couple settled in New York City, where Matthew was a sailmaker.  In 1842, Matthew died of typhus fever leaving her with eight children, the oldest eighteen and one more on the way.

How Mary fed the family after Matthew's death is also unknown. By 1850 her sons Matthew a sailmaker and Frederick, a coach painter were contributing to the family economies. Mary continued to live in New York city for a number of years, returning to her native New Jersey about 1866.  In 1870 she was living in Jersey City with her granddaughter Sarah.

Mary Ann was buried on 18 May in New York Bay Cemetery in Jersey City.

Peter Grant and Precilla Glenn

Peter was born in Greenhill sometime between 1835 and 1840, the oldest son of Alpin Escourt Grant and Eleanor Brydon. Peter grew up on the family farm in Greenhill which he inherited with all it's responsibilities, on the death of his father in 1858.

On the 31 Dec 1872, Peter married Precilla Glenn in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia.  Precilla was born on on 29 Sep 1848 in Cheverie, Nova Scotia, the fifth of the seven children of  Thomas Glenn and Elizabeth Galbraith 

According to daughter Sadie, Peter and Precilla lived in the manse in Kempt with his brother Edward who was the Presbyterian pastor there.  To date no information has been found on why they left the farm in Greenhill for Kempt, which was over 250 km away.

Peter and Precilla  had two children, Sarah Eleanor and Edward Dickinson before Peter's untimely death of consumption on 27 Feb 1877 in Kempt. 

After Peter's death Precilla left Kempt and built a small home next  to the homestead in Pictou, Nova Scotia.  This house was just a few hundred feet from the Minas Basin of which Longfellow wrote:  "In the Acadian Land, on the shores of the Basin of Minas, Distant, secluded, still, the little village of Grand Pre lay in the  fruitful valley."

When Precilla was six her Uncle Edward introduced her mother to Gilbert Gourley.  On 28 Dec 1882, Edward married Gilbert and Priscilla in the Presbyterian church.  Gilbert, a widower, was a farmer in Upper Steweckie. 

Precilla and Gilbert had a son Harold in 1884. By 1891 when Gilbert, Precilla and Harold are found in the census in Upper Stewiacke West, her children with Peter had left.  Sadie, 15, had moved to Elizabeth, New Jersey to live with an Aunt.  The whereabouts of Edward is not currently known.  We know that he eventually ended up in California where he married the widow of his cousin Robert who died in 1911.  Edward and Bertha Lynch had no children together, but Edward helped raise Bertha and Roberts three Children: Lena, Alpin and Edward.

Precilla died on 29 Feb 1893 and is buried next to her mother 

Alpin Estcourt Grant

Alpin Estcourt Grant was born in 1804 in Scotch Hill.  Alpin married Eleanor Brydon (daughter of Edward and Eleanor) about 1833 in Pictou County.   The Grant Farm was on Green Hill which lay south of Northumberland Strait, across from PE.  The "Look-off" at Green Hill is 701 feet above sea level.

"After the close of the American War in 1783 and 84 came the largest band of immigrants thus far. Most of them were disbanded soldiers who had been given a large grant of land around the shore from Fishers Grant eastward. Among them was one Alpin Grant who had served in the 84th regiment and who settled just below the town. Later another Alpin Grant, probably a grandson, lived at Green Hill, near where the
drive-in theatre is now. Two of his sisters married McDonalds, brothers, Peter and Daniel." - Early History of Alma and Green Hill, Myra Crockett 2012

Outline Map of Pictou County, Nova Scotia, J H Meacham 1879

David Rumsey Collection

Alpin died on 18 May 1858 at the age of 54 in Greenhill.  We can surmise that he was a Presbyterian as he lived in a Presbyterian community and his death was reported in the "Presbyterian Witness".

In his will, which wasn't filed until 1862, Alpin left the farm to his son Peter who was to care for his mother.  He also specified that his sons Edward and George were to receive a "rather superior common school education."   He left each seven pounds for that purpose.  Eleanor lived another nine years until 1867.  They are buried together in Durham Cemetery.


Alpin and Eleanor had seven children

Edward Grant

1. Margaret was born in 1835 and died in 1864 at the age of 29.  
2. Eleanor  was born in 1839. She married Mangus Arthur (1834 NS -  ) before 1864. In 1881 they were living in Gainloch, Pictou, NS. Eleanor died in 1894 at the age of 55 and was buried in 1894 in Durham Cemetery. Eleanor and Mangus had five children.
3. Peter (see next post)
4. Rev. Edward  was born on 4 Jun 1842 in Greenhill. Edward attended school in Durham, Truro and at Pine Hill in Halifax.  He then taught school from 1864 to 1869. From 1869 until his death he served as a Presbyterian Minister in Stewiacke, Colchester County, NS. Edward married Sarah Pollock (17 Mar 1846 Stewiacke – 9 Jan 1903 NS) on 7 Jul 1870.  Edward died on 30 Aug 1894 at the age of 52 in Middle Musquodoboit, Halifax, NS. He and Sarah are buried in Riverside Cemetery.   "EDWARD GRANT, Green Hill; Died 1894. In 1869 he was inducted at Kempt and Walton, and in 1872 was called to Upper Stewiacke to succeed the late Rev. Prof. Smith, D. D., and from that, in 1891, to Middle Musquodoboit, to succeed the late Rev. Dr. Sedgwick.  Mr. Grant was 52 years of age, and for nearly 25 years he was a most faithful minister in the Church. "  Edward and Sarah had seven children.
5. Mary Jane  was born in 1847 in Greenhill.  She was living in Gainloch, Pictou, NS in 1881.  Mary Jane died on 10 Feb 1897 at the age of 50 in Stellarton, Pictou, NS.  
6. Libbie C  was born about 1858 in Greenhill. Libbie married Robert Alexander McLellan (1832 Economy, Colchester, NS – 1901 CA), a carpenter, on 1 Dec 1881 in Upper Stewicke. Libbie died on 11 May 1882 at the age of 24 in Central Economy, Colchester, NS.
7. George William  was born on 18 May 1858. George moved to BC by 1881, where he helped in the building of Victoria and Vancouver including Vancouver General Hospital and Carnegie Library. His slogan was "Utility and Beauty" He died in 1891 at the age of 33 in Vancouver, BC, CAN.

Alpin Estcourt Grant Dropbox Folder

Nova Story - Digital Collections Greenhill

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day - 1944 Rome

The Children of Peter Grant and Eleanor

Peter and Eleanor had eleven children 

• Margaret Grant was born in 1798 in Pictou. Margaret married John Henry Myers.  In 1881 she was living on Lot 52, Kings County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. She died in 1890 at the age of 92 and is buried in 1890 in Durham Cemetery.

• George Grant was born on 31 Dec 1799 in Scotch Hill. "My father, George Grant, farmer, whose long life was spent principally on Scotch Hill, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, was a son of Peter Grant who went originally from Scotland to Boston, coming from that city to Halifax, where he completed his education and taught school.  He eventually settled in Pictou town in the same capacity, and has been generally regarded as the first schoolmaster in the town, though not in the county.  My father the eldest of his sons, was born Dec 31, 1799, and when he died on November 24, 1892, had almost completed his ninety-third year.  He was for over sixty years a member and for nearly forty years an elder of Prince Street Church." (Kenneth James Grant, My Missionary Memories). George married Catherine Matheson on 22 Jun 1830.  In 1871 and 1881 George was living in  Hardwood Hill. He died on 24 Nov 1893 at the age of 93 in Scotch Hill and is buried in Halburton Cemetery.   In his will, George left his estate and the land and possession of the estate of his son William F. Grant to his daughters Jane wife of James Mitchell; Maggie B. wife of Alex Thomas Grant); granddaughter Maud dau of Alex Thomas Grant; son John Grant; son Thomas Grant; son Peter Grant; son Isaac Grant; and Kenneth J. Grant.

• James Grant was born in 1801 in Scotch Hill. James married Margaret Jane Graham before 1836. He died on 20 Feb 1861 at the age of 60 in Hardwood Hill.

• Alpin Estcourt Grant - see next post

• John A Grant was born in 1805 in Scotch Hill. John married Annie McConnell and bought a farm adjoining his fathers homestead. In addition to farming he was in construction.  In 1881 he was living in Caribou. He died on 12 Feb 1893 at the age of 88 in Scotch Hill and is buried in Scotch Hill Cemetery.

• Elizabeth Grant was born in 1807 in Scotch Hill. She married Alexander Grant.  In 1881 they were living in Caribou.  Elizabeth died on 25 Sep 1887 at the age of 80 in Roger's Hill and is buried in Durham Cemetery.

• Martha Grant was born in 1810.  She married Alexander Black.  

• William Grant was born in May 1811 in Scotch Hill.  He married Annie McLaren on 6 Apr 1846. William died on 12 Dec 1899 at the age of 88 in Scotch Hill and is buried in Scotch Hill Cemetery.

• Mary Polly Grant was born on 21 Feb 1815. Polly married Peter McDonald.  She died on 25 Dec 1887 at the age of 72 and is buried in  Durham Cemetery.

• Jane Grant was born in 1819. She married George MacConnell on 23 Dec 1841. Jane died in 1886 at the age of 67. She was buried in Bethel Cemetery in Scotsburn.

• Catherine Grant was born in 1821. Catherine married Daniel McDonald on 10 Oct 1845. She died on 18 Jan 1896 at the age of 75 in Green Hill and was buried in Durham Cemetery. 

Peter Grant

Peter Grant was born in 1767 in Glen Urquhart, Inverness, Scotland.

The History of Nova Scotia VIII: Halifax fills in some details of his life : “………Peter Grant, the grandfather, was born in Scotland, from which country he came as a young man to Nova Scotia, locating in the city of Halifax, later coming to Pictou where he taught school, having received a good education in his native land.  He was subsequently bookkeeper with John Russell, who conducted an extensive ship and ship building blacksmithing plant.  He took up a homestead on Scotch Hill and developed a good farm.  He lived to the age of eighty-five years.  His family consisted of five sons and six daughters.  All the sons and four of the daughters located on farms within ten miles of the old homestead.” 

Peter married Eleanor before 1798 in Pictou.  Eleanor was born in 1777 in Stewiacke, Colchester County, NS and died on 26 Feb 1865 at the age of 88 in Scotch Hill.  She was buried in Scotch Hill Cemetery.   At this point no further information is known about the ancestry of Eleanor.

Peter received a grant of land in 1823.  He had a large family which is recorded in the many land grants in which he, conveniently for genealogists, recorded their ages.

Peter died on 30 Oct 1852 at the age of 85 in Scotch Hill. He was buried in Scotch Hill Cemetery.  Eleanor lived another thirteen years. There is a possibility that Peter had more than one wife, but to date the only information is from the tombstone

“At Scotch Hill, on Saturday, the 30^th ult. Mr. Peter Grant, aged 85 years.  A native of Scotland, he emigrated in early life and nearly fulfilled his fourscore years in this province.  He was surrounded by a large and respectable family, all of whom survive to revere his memory and imitate his Christian virtues.  Like one of the Patriarchs of old, he died in the presence of his children and when gathered to the congregation of the dead, it was as a shook of corn that cometh in his season.” Eastern Chronicle 2 Nov 1852 p3

“At Scotch Hill, Pictou, on Saturday, 30^th ult., Mr. Peter Grant, aged 85 years, a native of Scotland.  He emigrated in early life, and nearly fulfilled his fourscore years in this province.” Presbyterian Witness 13 Nov 1852 p363

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