Cottlesville Book Chapter 7


    CHAPTER 7
BELIEVE IT OR NOT


    Who Went Where?

The Kings came from Change Islands. The Rideouts, Jennings, Whites and  Cannings came from Whales Gulch.  The Flights and Peddles came from the Carbonear area, then Whales Gulch.  The Watkins came from Comfort Cove.  The Philpotts, Ansteys and Coopers came from Twillingate. 

It should be pointed out that the population of Twillingate in 1738 was 150, in 1800 it was 400 and in 1900 it was 3500.  While the population of Newfoundland was 20,000 in 1800 and 200,000 in 1900.  Notice that a great percent of Newfoundland people lived in Twillingate.

Between 1900 and 1960, many people from Cottlesville moved farther inland to Comfort Cove, Botwood, Buchans and other places.  After 1970 some of the people moved to Summerford, but most moved to Toronto, St. John's, Grand Falls, Gander and other places inland.


    Thomas Pryor

Thomas Pryor was a stowaway on a ship from England to Twillingate.  There he married Mary Janes and moved to Cottles Island.  He worked in the lumber woods for most of his life.


    Sawing Lumber in a Saw Pit

Have breakfast by the light of the lamp.  Go out when dawn would be breaking.  It wouldn't be light enough to see.  Skipper George Philpott and his buddy John Pryor would go sawing lumber together.

Robert Pryor used to keep on saying "Pa, I want to go in the woods with you one morning".  His father told him "some morning if it's a good morning I'll call you".

John Pryor called his son Robert one morning.  When he came out in the kitchen he nearly fainted with the heat.  When they went in the woods, it was not light enough to see how to saw.  They made a little fire in the pit.  They put on the kettle and had a cup of tea.   They were likely to have something roasted like caplin or a piece of cold meat.  By and by George said "John, I can see the line".  They would have a stick up with all the lines on.  They would saw away.  A little while after, his father said "Robert boil the kettle".  It would be about half past ten or eleven o'clock.  Their last lunch would be around two o'clock because it would be nearly dark by four o'clock.  They sawed until his father said "George I can't see the line".  Then they headed for home.


    Indian Graves

The land on which we are claiming to have settled was first inhabited by an extinct tribe of Indians called the Beothucks.  They were most popular here at the head of the Exploits River, and have been sited in the area, although when Cottlesville was permanently settled the Beothuks were already extinct.  The graves have been found in Spirit Cove, west of Little Harbour.  The sites have been reported to be up the gulch in the cove.  There was a pile of beach rocks in the fashion of a Beothuck grave or a burial ground.  Since then they have found tomahawks and other personal artifacts belonging to the natives.

    April Seventh Batch

On April 7, in the early 1900's there was a large snow storm known as the "April Batch".  The snow reached heights up to 15 feet.  The houses and buildings were buried, people had to shovel their way out of their homes and walk on snowshoes.  At that time Samuel Rideout was in the process of building a schooner.  The schooner became buried in snow.  They decided to christen the boat "The Snowbird" after the April Batch.


    Gold Pieces

When the railway was put through, a few men from here worked on the project.  Among them were Eli Anstey, Samuel King, Elihu  Moores and Charlie King.  They were paid in gold pieces. Some of the men saved theirs, actually Samuel King just sold his when he was well up in age and the money received for it was enough to pay for his burial.


    Spanish Coin

A long time ago Gus Flight had a small potato garden in Forwards Cove on Cottles Island.  He was digging in the fall of the year and found a Spanish Coin (bullion).  It was gold in the middle and silver on the outside a lot like the toonies today The outside was the size of a quarter with the inside being the size of a dime.

    Submarine

During the second world war some people claimed that there was a submarine in the area.  Planes, supposedly from Gander, came and dropped 2 or 3 depth charges off from Tinker Island.  When the charges were dropped the water would shoot upward and could be seen from shore.  There was a net put across under water between Farmer's Head and Samson's Island to prevent the submarines from entering Lewisporte harbour.  We have found no actual proof of this incident. It's just here say.


    Hurricane of 1907

On September 17, 1907 a storm of intense magnitude passed through our peaceful town.  It was known by many different names along its pathway but at Cottlesville it was called "The Liner Breeze".  At that time our town had a population of 85 people.  Extensive damage resulted to boats, stages and wharves.  Trees were uprooted due to extremely high winds and high tides.

    Tremors and Tidal Waves

In 1929, around 5:00 pm, a tremor was felt in the town of Cottlesville.  Dishes shook in the cupboards and pictures fell from the walls.  Later in the evening, around 8:00 pm, a tidal wave occurred as a result of the tremor.  This peculiar event reoccurred in 1962 and the water level rose a foot or a foot and a half above average.  Many people were alarmed at this incident since it seldom occurs, and is  unexplainable in this area.


    Mysterious Burning

Kenneth Rideout's House caught on fire one winter.  His son, Bruce, was caught upstairs with no apparent  way  of escape.  Bruce was only a very young boy.  Two men desperately wrestled with a ladder in a final ditch attempt to reach Bruce before the fire did.  The ladder seemed to be alive and the men couldn't reach the window with it.   Then one man just for curiosity sake tried to lift the ladder and had no problems in doing so.  People later said that this death must have been meant to be.

    George Bulgin

On November 5, Bonfire Night, George Bulgin was knocked over the side of a boat by a boom, and drowned between Weasel Head and Big Rocks.  His cry for help was heard by the people on the shore but was thought to be yells from the men on the boat.  After his tragic death his wife and family moved away.  After that night a light had been seen in the harbour where he was drowned.  No one had been able to identify the source of this light, but it was thought to be the spirit of George Bulgin.  It was said that the light disappeared in later years.  Some say that this was the time he was really meant to die.


    Fairies? Ghosts? Witches? Pirates?

The Irish believed in fairies, but  the English believed in ghosts and witches.  This was because witches use to burn people at the stake in England at one time. There were stories about women who were headless and walking around wearing a big white apron.  Pirate ships would come into the harbour, they would put down the anchor and would bury the money that they had.  They would ask "who is going to stay with the money?"  Sometimes one of the sailors would say "I will sir".  If this were to happen they would chop off his head with a sword, and he was to be buried with the money.


Gardens
Every possible patch of soil on all the islands and along the shoreline from Farmer’s Head to Tracey’s Cove and from Puzzles Harbour up to and around Lukes Arm was cleared to set potatoes or grow grass for sheep and cows.
 


    Bread or Porridge

In the early 1900's families couldn't afford to waste food.  Mr. Lloyd Watkins recalled times when his mother would cook porridge about twice a week.  The children would come downstairs to ask what was for breakfast.  Their mother gave the option of molasses bread or porridge.  The children would settle for molasses bread.  Dinner time they'd want to know what this meal would consist of.  At this time Mrs. Watkins again gave the meal choice of bread or porridge.  Again the children chose  bread.  In the evening, they would inquire about what supper included.  She would reply "You know what's for supper.  Porridge was cooked and until it's eaten there will be nothing else".  The children ate the porridge and she happily washed up the pot.


    Tragedies
1.
In 1924 Mr. Fred Poole was drowned while fishing off the coast of Labrador.  Two days later they found his body and hooked it up with a gaff.  They salted his body (to preserve it, for the trip home for burial.

2.
On July 12, 1931, 21 year old Hedley Canning drowned.  there were many people out in punt looking for caplin.  Now they had left the main skiff to row up the shore, there were high winds which caught them in big waves that overturned the punt.  Lloyd Watkins (one of the three) saw Hedley's hand just before he sank, but couldn't reach him in time.  Shortly after, the captain of a small boat pulled Mr. Canning's body out of an arms length of water.  They tried their best to revive him but it was too late.

3.
Joe Flight and Stan Froude wanted to work in the woods. They rowed to Lewisporte in punt, tied it on and left to catch the train to Badger.  They were there only a couple of days when Stan took sick.  He died before they could get him to a doctor.  The woodsmen built a casket for his body and Joe proceeded to bring him home.  They brought him to Lewisporte by train, and a group of men helped Joe get the body to his punt.  He left to row, but met up with a storm by Sceviour’s Island (people lived there at that time).  He then landed on the island and another group of men helped put the casket in a fisherman’s stage.  Joe stayed all night.  The next morning the men helped place the casket back in the punt.  Joe left for home and arrived the next afternoon.  Stan’s father, Charlie Froude, did not know about the death until Joe landed in punt.

4.
In October of 1966 Jim Butler, a diabetic, was cutting fire wood in Little Harbour.  While in the woods he must have felt a need for his "sugar water" aboard the boat.  He left to walk to the shore but collapsed on the beach, where he died from drowning as the water rose.  He was found by his wife Ena, Malcolm Butler, and Harry Hill.

5.
Arthur White's daughter Stella was lighting a bonfire on bonfire night.  She had a little boy.  He was about three or four years old.  Stella threw oil into the fire that she made for him, and it caught her clothes on fire.  She was rushed to the hospital in Twillingate.  That night turned into a tragedy because not too long after that she died. She was Raymond Canning's first wife.

6.
Philip King's body was missing for about two years. He had drowned in Ontario.  Luckily for his family, one day there was a scuba diver who found his body.  He was sent home just a short while after.

7.
In Luke's Arm a few years back, someone sawed off a  gun, a two gauge with a shell left in it.  Aunt May Rideout was looking after two boys from Corner Brook, who played with the gun for over a year.  Someone knew that there was a shell still left in it, but didn't think anything of it since it was there for so long.  The boys were playing out in the workhouse with it one day. One of them was looking into the barrel and the other pulled the trigger and "bang", the boy died instantly.  The boy was eleven or twelve years old at that time of his tragic death.  The gun was cocked many times before.  It was also dropped in the water.  Mounties from Twillingate came and investigated the accident.

8.
Job Anstey was a family man who drowned in 1902, leaving a wife and four children.  He went down one night to check his boat while a storm was on.  He didn't come back that night.  In the morning the men found him in a kneeling position by the side of his wharf on the bottom of the ocean.  This occurred at the harbour end of the former sawmill owned by the Anstey’s.  A boy, Augustus Pryor is reported to have relayed this news to Kenneth Rideout’s residence  in Lukes Arm by a walking trail.

9.
Calvin Philpott was scuba diving with Floyd Hann on the beaches in Carter’s Cove on Oct 2, 1993.  He drowned.  Floyd tried to save him but was unsuccessful.


    Taylor Sisters

Elizabeth Taylor and Selena Taylor were sisters living in Morten’s Harbour.  Selena married Alfred Flight from Carbonear.  Alfred left a sealing ship with George Peddle to work in Morten’s Harbour following a failed sealing season.  (George was from the local area and if he disembarked at St. Johns he would have had to fund his fare home).  Alfred later died and Selena married William Cooper, son of Stephen Cooper, founder of Cottlesville.  Selena is the grandmother of the Flights and Coopers.  Elizabeth Taylor married Henry Jennings of Whales Gulch and three of her daughters came to Cottle’s Island and reared their children in Lukes Arm.  Effie married  Alphaeus Rideout.  Jane married  Kenneth Rideout and Jesse married Jack Peddle son of George Peddle who got off the sealing ship with Alfred Flight. 


    Sophie Rideout

Sophie Rideout (daughter of Kenneth Rideout) taught school at Comfort Cove and was a Salvation Army Officer at Green's Pond.  Two of the boys who were converted under her ministry became Brigadier Oakley and Brigadier Wheeler.  She contracted tuberculosis and died.  Both men were thankful for her.


    Rideouts and Mugford

Ford Rideout (son of Samuel Rideout),  Sidney Rideout (son of Ambrose Rideout) and Bennett Mugford (son of Mark Mugford) was killed in World War one.  Cadiz Rideout, another son of Ambrose Rideout, was injured in the war.


    Mary Elizabeth Minty

Stephen Cooper's wife and Cottlesville’s founder Mary Elizabeth Minty, died before there was any cemetery in Cottle's Island.  The Minty family carried her back to Twillingate  for burial.

    Schooner Builders

Some of the schooners at Cottle’s Island were built by  the Locke's in Lockes Cove,  Johnny Manuel on Levi's Island, Kenneth and Alpheous Rideout (Reaper, Stella Belle) in Luke's Arm, Arthur Anstey (Tenth Province, Margaret Josephine) near Factory Island,  Fred Burt (Audrey and Vera) on Levi's Island, Samuel Rideout (Snowbird, Comet, EML, Maple Leaf) near the bar, Jim Philpott (Confederate, Stanley Smith repairs) below the pig's shoot.

James Philpott sailed schooners to Labrador fishery all of his life.  He made many successful voyages.  His sons Ralph, Frank and Woodrow skippered many schooners and boats in the fishery and coastal trade.  Kenneth, Hedley and Alpheous Rideout  and Arthur Anstey sailed schooners to Labrador.  Wallace Cooper  was also involved in the coastal trade.


Houses Hauled

In times past houses were often hauled by boat from other communities  especially since the mainstay of former transportation was  water.  Before machinery, the buildings were moved only by manpower over the land leg of the journey.  Crowds of men would use ropes to move complete residences.  Some houses which were moved to Cottlesville, the earliest known location from which they came, and the former owner are listed below.  Some buildings were moved more than once.  These buildings came by water or road and most are renovated.

Willis Canning - Black Island - Herbert Hill, Lewis Hill - Samson’s Island - John Twine, Ernest Barnes - Exploit’s Island - Andy Lacey, Douglas Snow - Cottles Island - John Watkins, Kevin Rideout - Samson’s Island - Herbert Potter, Margaret Maye - Samson’s Island - Wesley Potter, Ronald Philpott - Exploit’s Island - Cyril Sceviour, Everett Peddle - Exploit’s Island - Cyril Purchase, Larry Philpott - Black Island - Samuel Potter, Gilbert Canning - Samson’s Island - Robert Baker, Peter Watkins - Black Island - Augustus Henifent, Samuel Rideout - Samson’s Island - Titus Whiteway, Tony Philpott - Summerford - George Watkins, Junior Philpott - Summerford - Harvey Bulgin, Chesley Perry - Samson’s Island - Salvation Army School, David Perry - Black Island - Herbert Hill(back kitchen), Eric Hawkins - Swan Island - United Church School


    Lloyd Watkins

He is a man with a tremendous memory.  Many of the items in this book were contributed by him.


    Sayings

By sixty
Roarin' Halifax
Dear Lazarus
Fartunes-fartunes
See what I mean
Sirr
Me son
Der you are
Man alife
See and dat
Jumpin' dyin' roarin' screechin'
Luksee
By the livin' Harry
Instantly
Dear or dear.
Goin hout
fine nuff now wear ise at
no ciddy boy me
good ferda feesh dough
awls um eem I do fases time
puntlood no truble
win da widders good
strawing harms
sumtimes cums awn ard dough
on truble
stazeen eefes tu bad
young feller liksit tu
wansa go hout awla time
ard to keepin een
nuttin wrang wid feeshen e sed
if yu knowswat yer up tu
e goze scool sumtimes
doan likit dough
tu ard awnin een
wansa be hout
hawlrite I spose
guan burn down scool e sed
I tol en prawper ting
lit taycher go da work tu
wana deze daze
we'll be awl doyed awf
no time fer feeshin den




    Blubber Soap

When fish was caught the liver was kept.  If it was not sold within a year, it would be used to make soap.  They would boil out the blubber, and seep out  ashes to make lye.  This lye would be added to the blubber to make the soap separate from the so called "drugs."  They would check the mixture to see if the soap was separating.  If it was, the mixture would be chilled and the soap would be cut into bars.


    Herring Barrels

After World War II the Canadian government sent food aid to countries whose economy was destroyed by the war.  Wooden barrels had been made locally to some extent for storage of salted fish prior to this time.  However the income provided by the government after the war for locally barrelled herring created an industry.  This provided for the circulation of local currency, largely unknown before.  Three-quarter inch lumber was sawn for both the heads and the staves.  Fir was the common wood used although birch or spruce may have been used also.  Different widths were used for the heads.  Enough pieces were dowelled together and a locksaw used to cut a circle.  The larger spokeshave or drawknife was used to taper both sides at the edge of the head.  Then stave pieces were sawn to uniform width (three or four inches) and length (around 36 inches).  The larger jointer plane was used to taper the edges of the pieces.  Correct edge bevel was also made using the jointer plane.  This wooden plane, locally made as were all tools used in barrel making, was hollow (concave from end to end) on the top or cutting surface.  The plane would be made fast and the edge of the stave piece run over it.  Next another hollow (convex from end to end) plane utilizing a convex blade was used to cup the inside surface of the stave piece.  The stave piece was stationary during this time.  Then the outside of the stave was planed utilizing a concave plane having a slightly concave blade.  Once enough staves were made they were “set up”.  A set of five or six thrust hoops were used in this process; two end hoops, two quarter hoops and one or two half(center) hoops.  These hoops were usually made of birch wood and had marlin rope wound around.  The staves were placed in a circle standing in an end thrust hoop.  A rope twister was used when necessary to allow a second end thrust hoop to be placed over the opposite (top) end of the sprawled staves.  Using a wooden mallet and a wooden rod having a curved wooden piece attached to fit the hoop, the thrust hoops were tightened as they were placed.  A half thrust hoop was placed next.  This hoop would be thrust to the center of the staves.  The barrel would be turned over and the quarter thrust hoop  placed on the other end.  The barrel would be turned back and the second quarter thrust hoop placed on.  If necessary a second half thrust hoop  would be placed on.  Then with the setup completed a circular wooden plane was used to cut the v around the inside ends of the staves to accept the heads.  The end thrust hoops would be slackened, the heads placed in the v-groove and the hoops tightened.  Metal bands then replaced the end thrust hoops.  Metal rods having curved metal attachments to fit the bands were used for tightening purposes.  New permanent wooden quarter hoops(bands) then replaced the quarter thrust hoops.  The  half thrust hoop(s) were then removed.  During the process of banding any remaining trimming of the outside was done.  In later years metal bands replaced the wooden quarter hoops (bands).  Many barrels of herring went to needy countries from Cottlesville, providing income for its residents.

    The Wake

The burial of people in earlier times was much different than  it is today.  At that time, when a person died the family would wear dark clothing and keep their curtains closed to show their grief.  The body of the deceased would be kept in the home until burial time.  This was referred to as the “Wake”.  The members of the deceased person's family would stay up all night, each one taking a turn watching the corpse.  This would go on until the body was buried.  Some wore dark clothing for up to a year.


    Weddings

The weddings of yesteryear were somewhat different than present marriages.  The marriage itself was usually held in a church.  The reception was held in a school or in the home.  The guest list included 100-200 friends and relatives. The parents usually organized and arranged the wedding.   Many young couples having different religious backgrounds could not inter-marry because of opposition from other family members.


    Mummering was Popular

Christmas wasn't the same without a visit from the mummers.  Each year during Christmas, people young and old would dress up to visit everyone's house.  The mummers would talk in a disguised voice so that they would not be recognized, and their costumes would be kept on until their identities were guessed.  Once their identities were known a lunch was served consisting of syrup, cake, and sometimes cheese.  If the mummers were drinkers, "homebrew" would be offered.  This well known tradition is still practiced among Newfoundlanders today.

     Christmas Concert

The Christmas Concert was held at the Salvation Army barracks or school.  There would be one tree for all the families.  It would be erected and decorated in the barracks where the gifts would be put under it.  The festivities involved singing, reciting, and dialogue.  A lunch would be served which consisted of syrup (sold at 5 cents per glass), cake, and homemade ice cream.  The highlight of the evening was when Santa Claus would pass out gifts from under the tree to all the children.

    Santa Claus Parade

December was the time of year to celebrate Christmas, and the best way to celebrate it was to have a parade starring Santa Claus.  Since the Seventies, usually a week before Christmas, Santa would dress up in his bright red suit and give away packages of goodies for the children.  Everyone would be excited and join in the parade and help make it more fun.  The well known Santa's were Lloyd Watkins and Tony Philpott.