Books on Local History, Etc.
I have come across a variety of interesting books that you may like. Disclaimer - I haven't read all of them but the topics sound interesting so you might like them. Some are books on local and Nova Scotia history. Others may be related more to genealogical topics. And some are actually historical fiction. These are alphabetical in each section.
Last update: April 15, 2024
Last update: April 15, 2024
HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL BOOKS
Acadia; A Month With the Blue Noses (1859) - Written by Frederic S. Cozzens (1818-1869). I haven't read it yet but a quick glance at some pages and it might be interesting. To read, click the link and then on "View Inside" button (below the picture). This will open page 1 in a viewer.
You have the choice to read online or to download a copy. To download, click the download arrow at upper right. A window opens showing the default to download in full as a PDF. Click the Download button there. To read online and flip pages, hover your mouse to the right or left edge of the screen and an arrow will appear.
You have the choice to read online or to download a copy. To download, click the download arrow at upper right. A window opens showing the default to download in full as a PDF. Click the Download button there. To read online and flip pages, hover your mouse to the right or left edge of the screen and an arrow will appear.
The Corkums, 1716-1975 - This was a book about the Corkum family written by Addie Williams of Riverview, New Brunswick and published in 1976. It is out of print and seems impossible to find a copy anywhere. I do not know anything about the book beyond it's title and am listing it here for information only.
The Diary of Adolphus Gaetz - Published in 1965 by the Public Archives of Nova Scotia. Adolphus Gaetz (1804-1873) was a merchant of Lunenburg and this is his diary covering the period of 1855 to 1873. According to the introduction by Charles Bruce Ferguson, Archivist, this diary sheds light on the political, economic, religious and social history of Lunenburg and the province in general. This book is available to read online on the website of the University of Calgary. (Just above the image on the right corner are some control icons. Click the one that looks like a page to go to full screen "Reading Mode" which will make it easy to read. Then use the sizing controls at the top center to adjust to your screen.)
The Diary of Joseph Dimock - Baptist Heritage in Atlantic Canada - "Joseph Dimock [1768-1846] was the first Baptist minister born (1768) and ordained (1793) in Canada. He was a direct descendant of Thomas Dimock, who emigrated from England to Barnstable, Massachusetts in 1637. Joseph was born at Falmouth, Nova Scotia, married Betsy Dimock (d.1839), and was survived by ten sons and daughters. He served his ministry chiefly in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but spent some time in New England as well. Included is a listing of the marriages performed (p. 109-137) at Chester, Nova Scotia." Click "View Inside". You can read online ... hover mouse at edge of screen for arrows to flip pages ... or download with the button upper right. (219 pages.)
The Diary of Simeon Perkins - For Queens County research and Liverpool in particular, you might probably find Simeon Perkins' diaries very useful. The Nova Scotia Museum says "Simeon Perkins provided a faithful record of his life and times ... his diary provides vivid detail about what life was like in Liverpool from 1766 to 1812." See here for more information. The diary was published in five volumes and three are available on InternetArchive. ** Free login required to read - see below.
Volume 1: 1766 to 1780 Volume 3: 1790 to 1796 Volume 5: 1804 to 1812
Volume 1: 1766 to 1780 Volume 3: 1790 to 1796 Volume 5: 1804 to 1812
Early Settlements and Settler Experiences in Nova Scotia, 1605-1763 (2017) - Published by the Halifax Military Heritage Preservation Society, 32 pages.
Fishermen of the Atlantic (1920) - Published by the Fishing Masters Association (160 pages), this is a directory of ship captains, ships, fishing losses and advertisements for Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. While it may not seem applicable to our area, this directory does contain a list of Nova Scotia vessels of that time starting on page 131.
The Foreign Protestants and the Settlement of Nova Scotia (1961) - Written by Winthrop Pickard Bell (1884-1965), the history of a piece of arrested British colonial policy in the 18th century. Bell is perhaps best known as a historian of Nova Scotia and his work on documenting the "Foreign Protestants" ... the mostly German, Swiss and some Montbeliard French settlers that arrived in Halifax in the early 1750's (including my Corkum ancestors). ** Free login required to read - see below.
Forgotten Settlers, Nova Scotia's Foreign Protestants (2009) - By Barbara Cooke Meredith. "Step on The Gale, survive in early Halifax, see Lunenburg in this enlightening story of the Foreign Protestants. This book is a non fiction narrative of brave and hardy settlers to Nova Scotia, showing how their perseverance helped build a nation. The settlers tell you the story; and you see their trials and their success through their eyes. Hardships were endured because of broken British promises; hungry, you read how they fed themselves; "Forgotten Settlers" shows life as one would live it in the early 1750's." (Synopsis by Abe Books)
"They were called the Foreign Protestants, and they began to arrive in 1750, ship by ship as the British signed them up to settle Nova Scotia. Georg Frolig was one of these emigrants, and he tells his story in Barbara Meredith's historical novel, Forgotten Settlers. You travel along with Georg as he leaves Rotterdam, crosses the Atlantic and bonds with the other emigrants on the ship. Trekking up the stump-laden road (now Duke Street), we see the settlement through the eyes of Georg and his companions. The settlers remained in Halifax, some for as long as three years, prior to leaving for Lunenburg."--Back cover. (Summary from Halifax Library)
I have listed this book here as it sounds like a very good read - 156 pages. I haven't read it yet and unfortunately it is out of print and impossible to find online BUT the Halifax Public Libraries have it available if you live here and have a library card. See here for Library availability status.
"They were called the Foreign Protestants, and they began to arrive in 1750, ship by ship as the British signed them up to settle Nova Scotia. Georg Frolig was one of these emigrants, and he tells his story in Barbara Meredith's historical novel, Forgotten Settlers. You travel along with Georg as he leaves Rotterdam, crosses the Atlantic and bonds with the other emigrants on the ship. Trekking up the stump-laden road (now Duke Street), we see the settlement through the eyes of Georg and his companions. The settlers remained in Halifax, some for as long as three years, prior to leaving for Lunenburg."--Back cover. (Summary from Halifax Library)
I have listed this book here as it sounds like a very good read - 156 pages. I haven't read it yet and unfortunately it is out of print and impossible to find online BUT the Halifax Public Libraries have it available if you live here and have a library card. See here for Library availability status.
A Genuine Narrative of the Transactions in Nova Scotia, Since the Settlement, June 1749, till August the 5th, 1751 - This is a very long title however it is a short publication, only 21 pages, and was written by a John Wilson of first hand knowledge in that time. It's a very interesting description of life of the colonists in those early days. WARNING ... there is a pretty graphic description of the troubles with the natives.
History of Halifax City (1895) - Written by Thomas Beamish Akins (1809-1891), "a Canadian lawyer, historian, archivist, and author who was appointed Nova Scotia's first Commissioner of Public Records from 1857 until his death in 1891." [Wikipedia] Scroll down to find a PDF download link. Here is an alternate site.
History of Nova Scotia (1829) - Written by Thomas Chandler Haliburton (1796-1865), a Nova Scotia politician, judge and author. This FamilySearch web site contains the books (2 volumes) in a series of microfilm images of each page. (Note - The file contains 1085 images however only the first 444 are for this book. The remainder are for an unrelated book on Connecticut.)
Here are some tips to make it easier to read.
Here are some tips to make it easier to read.
- Use a computer screen, preferably a larger desktop monitor. The images are way too small to read on a mobile device.
- Click on the Image Index tab (lower left) to move it to the bottom of the screen if not already there.
- Click the square icon with the four corner arrows (at right) to open up maximum screen space (click it again, or press Esc key to return to original screen.
- Start at image 1 and click the arrows next to it to move forward and backward page by page.
- If you want to see all the pages at once on the screen (you won't be able to read anything), click the "multiple image" icon above the square one.
- Use your mouse scroll wheel or the + or - buttons on the left to zoom in or out on the page.
History of Nova Scotia (1916) - Written by David Allison (1836-1924), published in three volumes. In the 3rd volume he has many biographies of noted people of the day (none of my relatives apparently were of any prominence!)
Volume 1 - 392 pages
Volume 2 - 570 pages
Volume 3 - 762 pages - Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of the Old Families
Volume 1 - 392 pages
Volume 2 - 570 pages
Volume 3 - 762 pages - Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of the Old Families
History of the County of Lunenburg (1870) - Written by Judge Mather Byles DesBrisay, second edition published 1895. This is a very comprehensive book about the county at that time. I have a copy that was reprinted in 1967. This link will take you to a PDF copy you can read on-line however if you scroll down to the middle of the page, there is a PDF link there where you can download a copy.
Lunenburg - An Illustrated History (1996) - A book by Brian Cuthbertson explaining the history of the town of Lunenburg including plenty of pictures (66 pages). ** Free login required to read - see below.
Lunenburg: An Inventory of Historic Buildings with Photographs and Historical and Architectural Notes (1984) - Compiled by Bill Plaskett for the Lunenburg County District Planning Commission on behalf of the Town of Lunenburg Heritage Advisory Committee, the long title pretty much tells it all. This book contains a bit of town history, some maps but the focus is on all of the old historic buildings. There is a picture of each building (residential and commercial) with the physical location, the year built, and some history of the building. Very interesting information but out of print although I've just found an online PDF - click the title above. About 120 large 10½" x 14½" pages.
Maps Associated With Lunenburg County Family History (2003) - By J. Christopher Young (1940-2018). Chris was a cousin, born in Charlottetown, grew up in Sackville NB, and lived and worked in Ontario. He did a lot of research on the early settlement of Lunenburg County and being fascinated with maps, he published this book which includes many maps showing the locations of early settlers' land grants as best as he could determine based on early records. This book is out of print and pretty much impossible to find unless you can find a used copy online somewhere (usually at an expensive price) or possibly in a library or local genealogical society. Chris' web site, "The Wizard's Cove", is gone but an archived version of it can be found here.
The Militia of Nova Scotia, 1749-1867 (1911) - By Joseph Plimsoll Edwards (1857-1930). A history of the militia in Nova Scotia from the time of the founding of Halifax to Canadian Confederation. ** Free login required to read or download - see below.
Nova Scotia in Grandfather's Day (1978) - Life in the 1800's - This book was written by Maud Newcomb and it tells about life mostly in the 1800's in the eastern Annapolis Valley. This is a very interesting short booklet (40 pages). ** Free login required to read - see below.
Place-Names and Places of Nova Scotia (1974) - This book was first printed in 1967 by the Public Archives of Nova Scotia and is a listing and some history on the various communities that make up this province. It appears to be 751 pages. Note - these are community names that existed at the time the book was printed. It does not list former names that were no longer in use. You can also see the pages on the Nova Scotia Archives web site starting at page 1 here, or use the search here.
Place Names of the Province of Nova Scotia (1922) - Written by Thomas J. Brown intended to explain how some places got their names. I'm sure there are some places not mentioned in the book - I know of a few - but it may be useful. To read, click the link and then on "View Inside" button (below the picture). This will open page 1 in a viewer.
You have the choice to read online or to download a copy. To download, click the download arrow at upper right. A window opens showing the default to download in full as a PDF. Click the Download button there. To read online and flip pages, hover your mouse to the right or left edge of the screen and an arrow will appear.
You have the choice to read online or to download a copy. To download, click the download arrow at upper right. A window opens showing the default to download in full as a PDF. Click the Download button there. To read online and flip pages, hover your mouse to the right or left edge of the screen and an arrow will appear.
Planters and Pioneers (1978) - By Esther Clark Wright (1895-1990), this book (300 pages) at first discusses a bit of history and has some information about the various townships in Nova Scotia (which included New Brunswick until 1785) for the first 27 pages and then the remainder of the book is a list of the various families who settled here. The interesting thing about this book is that Esther lists families that settled in the various townships. While Winthrop Bell has more information on some of the families, he concentrates only on the families that arrived in Halifax via the Foreign Protestant Immigration, most of which went to Lunenburg. A quote from her bio on Wikipedia ... "Planters and Pioneers is an index of New England and European settlers who came to Nova Scotia (and what later became New Brunswick) ten to fifteen years before the American Revolution.[5] It includes names of settlers who already lived in the area during the period of 1749-1775." So if you are researching families in other parts of the province, this may have some use to you. You cannot download them but you can view them. ** Free login required to read - see below.
Register of the Foreign Protestants of Nova Scotia (ca. 1749-1770) (2003) - By Winthrop Pickard Bell (1884-1965) and published after his death, this book in 2 volumes (863 pages) is his research on the "Foreign Protestants" who settled in Halifax and Lunenburg from 1749 to 1753 and is probably the "holy grail" of information for anyone researching ancestry in that time period and region. His books are almost impossible to find outside of maybe some libraries and archives. And information is scarce online. I have found both books online at Archive.org. You cannot download them but you can view them. ** Free login required to read - see below. If you see something of interest you could take a screen snip. This was published after his death, with additional information by some other noted genealogists. Bell's notes on the families are alphabetical and volume 1 contains A to M, volume 2 contains N to Z. Both volumes contain much other information also. Here are the links: Volume 1 Volume 2
Seniors Interviewing Seniors - Valuing and Sharing Rural Narratives (2015) - Life in the first half of the 20th century - This is something I stumbled upon and thought it a nice fit as history and genealogy complement each other. If you are interested in genealogy you are probably a little interested in history of what life was like for your ancestors. This document is an interview with various seniors from western Nova Scotia and depending on your age, this is what it may have been like living in your parents' or grand parents' or maybe even great-grand parents' times. It is so very different today - few youth know anything about this way of life. We have a lot that is better but we've probably also lost a lot along the way too. It is long (268 pages) and very in-depth - excellent reading.
THIS WAS A VERY GOOD BOOK BUT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WEBSITE ... link now not working. (Here is a link to an archived page that explained the project that created this book.)
THIS WAS A VERY GOOD BOOK BUT IT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN REMOVED FROM THE WEBSITE ... link now not working. (Here is a link to an archived page that explained the project that created this book.)
Up Parks Creek ... a walk back to yesterday (2007) - By Barry Alan Parks (1955-2015). Barry, a third cousin, had intended to write this book about his Parks family history but as his research progressed, he says that it became more a history of the community of Parks Creek (now East LaHave), Lunenburg County (from the forward to the book). His book contains many pictures of the homes and early residents of the community as well as a genealogy of the Parks family. This was another very valuable resource in my genealogy research as it turned out that many of the Parks people were related to the Corkum's. This was a self-published book (228 pages) and out of print and impossible to find.
FICTION
Call of a Distant Shore (2008) - This is a fictional story by Corrine Hoebers based on her Hirtle ancestors who left Germany in 1751 for Nova Scotia (as did my Gorkum ancestors on the same ship the next year), settling in Lunenburg in 1753. The novel is based on facts but the story is all fiction. I highly recommend it. This is a fascinating book - I read it in one day, all 400 pages! Once I started I couldn't put it down. I could easily see this being my family (minus all the drama and subplots) and the decisions they had to make to leave the old country and come to the unknown Nova Scotia. The first 150 pages are about the characters' lives in what is now Germany and then there is the trial of the voyage, living on the Dartmouth side of Halifax for a time and finally in Lunenburg. ** Free login required to read - see below.
A Lady of Lunenburg: Nova Scotia 1752 (2010) - A novel by Laurel Pardy. I have not yet read this but it looks very interesting if you can find it. An online synopsis reads "Anna Elisabeth is one of the Protestant Settlers who founded the town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, in 1753. Her story is a weaving of hope and hardship, death and survival played out against a backdrop of political intrigue for the domination of North America among the kings of England and France, the Protestant and Catholic churches and their pawns, the Acadians, the Micmac, and the settlers. Lunenburg is a rocky hillside of forest, not the prepared homesteads they had been expecting. Elisabeth and her husband have five children, no shelter, no crops planted, no experience at frontier life. She is pregnant and about to go into labour. The settlers' strength comes from the resources they find within themselves-and their faith. With rough lumber and a handful of nails they build shelter, survive on military rations and scant crops, erect a church, bear children, live and die. Elisabeth is strong willed and independent, trained to prepare and use home remedies, an experienced midwife-a healer where there are no doctors. Her skills provide an entrée into all segments of Lunenburg life and quickly lead her along unpredictable paths. Her story is one of resourcefulness, courage, love and duty." The book is available to purchase online through the publisher, Trafford Publishing, at $25 softcover or $10 eBook.
BIOGRAPHICAL, ETC. - RELATED TO MY CORKUM FAMILY
The Flying Carpetbagger, and The Flying Carpetbagger II - Captain "Ike" or A. L. Eisenhauer on his books, was a commercial pilot. Alwyn (1928-2013) was a fifth cousin originally from Boston, later living in Florida. He wrote these two books, the second co-authored with his wife and son. He seems to have led quite the life including some involvement as pilot for a notorious US criminal financier, Robert Vesco. Click to enlarge the book picture and read the short synopsis on the covers. Used copies of Ike's books were available from various on-line bookstores.
Amazon describes the second book as "Fly with Captain Ike through his Navy career. Roll the beautiful 707 over the ocean and then hijack her back to the United States for our government. You will live these adventures with Captain Ike as he wrote about them or in many cases as told by his crew members or family. This unique individual believed in sharing what he had learned (often the hard way) in order to save lives, perhaps yours and mine. Ike was most at home in the air. He was welcomed throughout the world, sometimes with a weapon pointed in his direction. He took it all in stride and lived to tell about it. Flights to Nigeria, Libya, Malta, South America and Switzerland each involved an unforgettable story. He was possibly the last swashbuckler to fly the world and though he denied it often Ike loved to be in the catbird seat on a journey."
Amazon describes the second book as "Fly with Captain Ike through his Navy career. Roll the beautiful 707 over the ocean and then hijack her back to the United States for our government. You will live these adventures with Captain Ike as he wrote about them or in many cases as told by his crew members or family. This unique individual believed in sharing what he had learned (often the hard way) in order to save lives, perhaps yours and mine. Ike was most at home in the air. He was welcomed throughout the world, sometimes with a weapon pointed in his direction. He took it all in stride and lived to tell about it. Flights to Nigeria, Libya, Malta, South America and Switzerland each involved an unforgettable story. He was possibly the last swashbuckler to fly the world and though he denied it often Ike loved to be in the catbird seat on a journey."
Musing of a Mariner (1921) - Capt. Alexander C. Corkum (1861-1946) born in Nova Scotia, was an American third cousin three times removed. He wrote this book of poetry titled "Musings of a Mariner" and published in 1921. It is very good poetry. It has been republished in paperback by various publishers and was available on Chapters/Indigo or Amazon or you can view or download a free copy of the original. Click on the PDF link under the picture of the book on the web site.
On Both Sides of the Law (2000) - "As a boy in the 1920s, Hugh H. Corkum (1911-1989) (who was a cousin) anticipated every summer when he could sail from Lunenburg and work with his father on cargo ships. When he quit school at 15, his got his ideal job at sea. The cargo wasn’t what he expected, however, and Hugh found himself initiated into the world of rum-running. In this memoir, Hugh recounts the volatile captains, honourable crewmen, and gangsters whom he dealt with while fleeing police and enjoying New York nightlife. Although he trained in railway telegraphy, the money and excitement of smuggling drew him back in. After his third arrest, Hugh became a police officer in Lunenburg. Drawing upon specific events, he explains how his past gave him a keen understanding of people and morals that enabled him to become Chief of Police. With 25 photos, including rare pictures of rum-running ships." ** Free login required to read - see below.
von Gorkum of Johannes of Holland (2003) - By Vivian R. Corkum (1920-2009). Vivian is related via marriage. Vivian's husband was a fourth cousin twice removed. Vivian was a school teacher who lived in New Cumberland, Lunenburg County and when she retired, she became very interested in genealogy and researched the Corkum family. She made three trips to Germany resulting in this book which provides much information about our Gorkum family in Germany prior to the emigration to Nova Scotia in 1752, as well as the New Cumberland branch of the Corkum tree. This was a self-published book (about 150 pages) and out of print and impossible to find.
Von Westhofener Häusern und Leuten (1984) - by Christoph Julius Johannes Grünewald (508 pages). Julius Grünewald is a Westhofen local history researcher. The title translates "Of Westhofen Houses and People". I have not seen the book however I was given a photocopy of a few pages which was the history of the Schabenmühle, the grain mill in Westhofen (the building still exists) that my Gorkum family owned for 96 years before they left Germany and came to Nova Scotia in 1752. The book would likely be of interest only for anyone who's family may have come from that town. It is available from various web sites online, mostly in Europe, and is written in German (no English version.) Julius assisted Vivian Corkum with some of her research on her book "von Gorkum of Johannes of Holland". (I have translated the pages related to my Gorkum family and links to those items are on the Germany page.)
Where Eagles Fly, Uncensored ... (2012) - John Acy (Red) Campbell III (1921-2012) was an American sixth cousin who had joined the RAF before the US entered WW2. He was a Spitfire pilot. According to the story, he found that the British weather was constantly giving him colds and he also was looking for more action, so he requested transfer to North Africa but soon ended up transferred to the South Pacific. Unfortunately it was not a good move and he was there only a short time when he was shot down over Java and ended up spending 3½ years in a Japanese POW camp. He survived and in 2012, his son-in-law, R. S. Hunter, wrote his biography". The book is out of print now - some used copies may be available online. I bought a copy at a good price ("cheap") on Barnes and Noble marketplace. It's a fantastic story - an excellent read if you can find a copy. [As of September 2019, Richard Hunter has posted an "audio book" version to his YouTube channel so you can listen to the book here.]
OTHER
North West United Baptist Church - A history of the congregation (1809-1994) published for their 185th anniversary (PDF, 84 pages)
The problem with this publication is that someone scanned it upside down an posted it that way so you may find it extremely difficult to use.
The problem with this publication is that someone scanned it upside down an posted it that way so you may find it extremely difficult to use.
Pamela Pollock's Perilous Adventure (2015) - THIS IS FOR THE CHILDREN! Written by Elizabet Stevens and illustrated by Robert Lyon. OK, this has nothing to do with genealogy or history but there is a reference to the Bluenose and it's locally published but seems to be out of print now. I'm sure your children will like this one about Pamela Pollock who lives in "Pork and Cheese Cove" (which is a play on words for Portuguese Cove, just outside of Halifax.) ** Free login required to read - see below. There is an interesting CBC interview (6:35) with the author about how she came to write this book.
** Archive.org: You will need to create a free login to this site otherwise you can just see a couple sample pages. Once logged in, click on the "Borrow for 1 hour" button (renewable) to unlock the pages. You can read those above but you cannot download. (Although there are other books on the site that are downloadable.)