In 1927 Martin B. Huestis wrote a series of essays for the Halifax Herald, telling of conditions and stories from the Wallace of his youth, which would have been in the 1850's and 1860's. The columns were picked up and run by the Oxford Journal, the weekly paper that continues to serve eastern Cumberland County. Copies of six of these essays have been provided to me by David Dewar of the Wallace Area Museum. Edges of some of these columns were ragged and some words are missing, occasionally enough for me to be unable to determine what those words might have been. I will correct these lines when I can find other copies of the essays.
Martin Huestis' material took the form of a long and interesting essay, divided into a number of articles for the Halifax paper, and divided into yet smaller articles for the Oxford Journal. I have combined parts of these articles into stand-alone essays on various themes, including shipbuilding, early families, and village life. All of the Martin Huestis material available to me is being transcribed and presented on this website.
Transcribed by Alan Huestis February 2007

REMSHEG - WALLACE

As far as I can learn definitely the first builder of vessels in the vicinity of Wallace was Angus Livingstone. For this, and because he was an excellent workman with his hands, an enterprising and honest citizen, he deserves a place in these records.

I spent a pleasant day recently with his son, Joshua Huestis Livingstone, ex-M.P.P. for Cumberland. His home, where he has spent many strenuous and prosperous years as merchant and lumberman, is beautifully situated on the sidehills of the Wentworth Mountain. We were boys together years ago in Wallace. He calls me "Uncle" although I am but four years his senior. Sarah Jane Huestis Livingstone, his mother, was my half sister. We had a long talk over Wallace events back to the middle of the last century.

As we sat on his verandah during the hours of a perfect autumn forenoon, the same bright sun that lighted up the far North Scottish Isles of his forefathers gave us an unsurpassed view of the well known Wentworth Valley, its wooded mountain sides and the meandering stream of the head waters of Wallace River finding its way through the farms and cottages of the Valley. Since I left his home, I wrote him for some facts in his father's history and work during a long life.

EARLIEST SHIPBUILDER

As his reply, dated Sept. 20, '27, gives a definite account of first vessels built in Wallace, I copy from it here. He says: "About my father, he was born in Tobermory, Island of Mull, North Scotland, in 1810. Came to Wallace in the ship "Charlot Kerr", owned by Joseph Kerr of Wallace. Arrived on the 10th of June, 1830, with his young brothers Archie and Duncan, five and seven years of age. He made a plow for Mr Kerr to do his work with that . . . . . . (missing piece)

He was what was called well to do at that time. He bought a quantity of mahogany and had a cabinet maker employed making furniture for his house. He built two vessels at Fox Harbour between 1841 and 1847. In 1847 he left Wallace, moved up the river and rented a saw mill from Thomas B. Morris of Wallace. He was there two years. I was born there in a little log house on the bank of the river, Feb. 17th, 1847. My mother told me that at the time he commenced to build he had a large raft of lumber and your father told him if it caught fire and burned it would be the best thing that could happen to him. It would seem that your father had no faith in his enterprise and he was right. My father was very industrious and economical, a very canny Scot, but he had not much business ability. His younger brother, Archie, was brought up at Joseph Kerr's, consequently was a Presbyterian and a Tory. My grandfather, John Livingston, lived until he was 96 years of age, died in 1874, and was buried at Wentworth."

First things are always interesting to me and I have tried to find out who built the first vessel in Wallace. Campbell's history of Yarmouth says the first built there, a small vessel, was in 1764. In a small pamphlet I saw recently in Wallace there was mention made of one or more building in Tatamagouche in 1818.

There seems to have been more or less building in an era before the great shipyards of the middle of the 19th century came into operation. The work seemed to rise and fall, then rise again to fall almost completely. In Mr Livingstone's letter he mentions the ship "Charlot Kerr" owned by Joseph Kerr of Wallace having brought his father from Scotland in 1830. Mr Kent built one in 1866 and we may infer from this, and from the name of the vessel, that he built her also. We can at least say that Angus Livingstone was one of our first shipbuilders. He told me so himself when he was 80 years of age that one of the vessels he built turned bottom up when she was launched, "and my ambition", he added, "to be a shipbuilder, as I walked along her keel, went down with her and never came up again."

A SKILLFUL CARPENTER

Afterwards he worked for many years at house building and farming. His carpentry work was skillfully done. Houses he built are still standing. None of them, like his ship, "turned turtle". If ever a workman deserved the name of joiner, it was Angus Livingstone. His brother, Archie, became a merchant in Wallace. He was quite musical. For some time he led the choir at the Kirk and he used to play on a fife for the Wallace Greys as they marched to the air "The Girl I Left Behind Me." I recollect talking to the grandfather, John Livingstone, a sturdy Scot, when I was a small boy. He was working in a garden near my home and he recited or sang for me old Scotch ballads. I remember but two lines. The wonder is that I have kept those two lines nearly eighty years. He gave them to me in a sort of Scotch dialect. One was "Three goot poles make a goot fence". The other - "Patch upon patch is worse than a deep hole".

BUSY SHIPYARDS

If the readers of these sketches will go with me on an imaginary walk along the shore of the harbour of Wallace, from the young peoples' camp at the east end to the bridge at the west, I will try to tell of what I can remember of the big shipyards and builders of the middle of the last century.

The first was a yard on the point near the northeast corner of the Stevenson farm. Allan MacDonald, a quite capable Scotsman built there several vessels of medium size, for sale, I think, in Newfoundland. His residence was by the side of the road above the yard. I do not know the names or tonnage of his or many other vessels built in Wallace but suppose that one desiring such can get it from the Registry Offices in Pugwash or Pictou.

ROBERT PURVIS

Robert Purvis, merchant and shipbuilder, was a fine looking man and capable in business affairs. He had a keen sense of humour and was fond of a good story. (2 sentences missing). He had a store on the main road above the mill. He built also in Tatamagouche, carrying on trade there as well as in Wallace and I think in Pugwash. This involved much traveling between these towns and made him a busy man. His home in the later part of his life was in Tatamagouche, where he built a unique house of deal 3 inches thick standing upright. It had a circular front and two long wings in the rear. It was a very comfortable home and furnished in excellent taste.

I drove to Tatamagouche one day with Rev. T. Watson Smith, stationed at Wallace. He delivered a lecture in the evening on "The Expulsion of the Acadians". Mr Purvis was in the chair. A number of Swiss French lived about Tatamagouche. Some were at the meeting. Some remark the lecturer made about the French seemed to offend one Frenchman down by the door and he made quite a disturbance. Mr Purvis leaped to his feet, stalked down the aisle, brandishing a stout cane. The trouble ceased immediately and he returned to the chair.

EARLY WALLACE SHIPS

There was a ship carpenter on Mr Purvis' employ whom we used to call by the nickname of Captain Tit. He was poor, lived in a small cottage with his large family of children. The small boys used to barefoot through snow in winter. He was a kindly parent and said he would always be happy if he could earn enough to keep his boys in tobacco, which they all used. Jimmy, one of the small boys, was tongue-tied and couldn't pronounce the letter "S". His mother sent him to Mr Purvis' store for a cake of hard soap. Jimmy, on account of his affliction and his fear of the great merchant, approached him and stammered out, "Mitter Purbit, have you got any hard hope to hell?" Mr Purvis, stooping to him and with his hand to his ear, said "What's that, Jimmy; what did you want?" Jimmy repeated, "Mr Purbit, have you any hard hope to hell? Again Mr Purvis with hand to ear asked the lad to repeat. Jimmy was mad and with a rush for the door shouted "Mr Purbit you're __ lut, can't leave none body alone." He was called back and got his soap gratis. I am sorry I had to tell on Jimmy for using what used to be called a bad word, but now it is said to be only a strong Anglo-Saxon expression, meaning condemn, so no one should take offence.

FULTON'S YARDS

The next shipyard, a quarter of a mile along the shore, was a busy spot for some years. Hon. Stephen Fulton built a number of ships and barques and loaded them with deal. Ship and deal were sold in the English market.

Richard B. Huestis built in the same yard a number of brigs and brigantines for Newfoundland people. After the shipbuilding days were over Mr Huestis moved to Amherst where for some years he was a leading merchant and Clerk of the Peace for Cumberland Co. This busy yard, like others, gave work to a large number of efficient workmen. Among others, I remember well

LEGGETT THE BLACKSMITH

I do not recollect his Christian name, but as boys we knew him as old Leggett. His shop stood under tall old trees on a sloping bank by the water and adjoining the Fulton-Huestis Ship Yards. His house built on the same lot fronting on the main street had a large basement with a door at the rear opening on a path leading across the yard to the shop. He was every inch a blacksmith, not tall, but stout in body, strong in arm and lung and large in heart. His swarthy face was bronzed like the smoked beams of his forge. He was a capable workman in small and heavy ironwork and played well his part in the great drama of the shipyards. The sun never found him in his bed in his active days. Once I heard him say with pardonable pride "Made 40 butt bolts this morning - smack 'em off before breakfas'."

TWO WAGABONDS

Two boys of his neighbours, John Treen and Tom McKinley, used to tease the old man occasionally by throwing a stone on his roof as he worked at night by his forge fires. He did not resent this, no doubt remembering that he was once a boy, also knowing who they were and that they were more mischievous than wicked. But he said of them "That John Cream and Tom Kinley are two of the gemplist wagabonds in Wallace." Any reader who finds the meaning of "gemplist" kindly let me know. The last time I saw the old man he was lying on his broad back on a bed in the basement room of his house. His butt bolt making days were over. I was a boy of 12 and had never before seen a man meeting his last enemy. Perhaps under the weariness of extreme old age and hard labour, if he had been conscious, he would like "Will of the Mill: have met Death as a friend and have gone quietly with him. His great bony fleshless breast stood up sharp like the roof of his house. His intermittent breath came with great labour. He seemed "and unconscionably long time a-dying", but at last, after many days, as he slept, perhaps dreamed, he passed away to the bourne from which even strong blacksmiths never return.

OTHER SHIP YARDS

A stone's throw west of the Fulton yard, the fine large well-known schooner "The Rover" was built by Capt. Joseph O'Brien. He was a native of Pictou, a fine sailor man; he was called, in Pictou, the Commodore. He sailed the schooner for some years with success as a packet freight carrier, between the ports of Northumberland Straits and Halifax. This was before the days of the Intercolonial freight trains, when the Halifax wholesale houses of that day shipped most of the goods they sold to country merchants by water.

Another well-known schooner of the same class was "the Lucknow", built in Wallace by MacFarlane and Mitchell and sailed in the same carrying trade as The Rover. Nearer the centre of the town, large vessels were built by Daniel F. Cameron, a very energetic, but not very learned, man. He was a house carpenter, familiarly called "the flying joiner" - also by John Shaw Forshner and others. One barque, I forget who built her, after she was launched was what is called crank, having a serious list to starboard. No shifting of cargo or ballast could keep her on an even keel. Ordinary captains and other officers refused to sail her across the Atlantic timber laden. Two extraordinary and experienced Wallace sailors, Capt. Jacob Huestis and Capt. MacKay, the one as captain and the other as first officer, volunteered to sail her across. Some called them dare-devils, but with a willing crew they made a safe passage in good time. Expert workmen after her arrival put her in correct shipshape. She brought a good price and proved a fast sailer.

THE BIGGEST PLANT

Now we come to the greatest of all the Wallace Yards. It was located on what was known as Bett's Point. It was an ideal spot for the work. The channel had deep water and was nearer the shore than at other places. Large ships were built there for some years by an English firm named Wilson. Christopher Jordeson, also I think a native of England, was associated with him as manager. Jordeson built himself a very artistic house in a field nearby. They had a store well-stocked with goods of all kinds. A long bridge was built from the store across a creek to the yard. They also built workshops and a row of comfortable log houses for their workmen.

LAUNCHING THE SHIPS

A launching in Wallace was always a very pretty sight. The impetus given by the decline of the launchways carried a vessel smoothly over the flats at high tide to the deep water channel where, if all went well, she was brought to anchor and sat proudly in her element.

One fine summer's day I had the pleasure of seeing a real spectacular launch in the Wilson yards. Two large square-rigged ships were made ready to launch, as nearly as possible, at the same moment. The launch-ways were well laid, braced and greased. The rallying up was an interesting performance. Rows of workmen on each side of the ships with heavy iron hammers, at the command "Rally her up!" drove in wooden wedges with a very noisy rat-tat-tat to raise the great vessels an inch or so, in order to knock away the blocks or supports on which the keel was first laid. Then the shores were knocked away and off she went, gliding down the well-greased ways as if she were delighted to slip away from her long imprisonment into the freedom of the wailing and welcoming waters. Everything worked as planned. I saw the active manager, Jordeson, standing keen-eyed on the top of the gangway near the bow of one ship. As she at first moved slowly he jumped forward, caught the ship's rail, and leaping over it, landed safely on the deck. The numerous spectators gave three hearty cheers and in a thrice the two great ships were quietly lying in stately style in the deep water of the channel.

Not long since I wrote to my good friend, L.H. Betts, postmaster of Wallace, to whom I am indebted for some items of the shipbuilding. He and his father were in close touch with some builders; his memory is good but as he is younger than I he cannot go back as far as I can. I asked him about the final building on the point which bears his name and about Mr Jordeson.

L.H. BETTS GIVES HISTORY

He replied, "Abner Betts built a large schooner on the point, the last one built there. The Jordeson-Wilsons were closed. Ships were going down fast in price, as steam was coming in. I cannot remember Jordeson when he built vessels, but recollect him well when he was here to see old friends in 1872. His second wife was my Aunt Mary and he stayed at our old home at the Bridge when here for his visit. He had invented a patent windlass (screw power) and several other things. He had model of them in brass with him here. His windlass and steering gear were great inventions. They were used on the Seven Seas and are today as far as I know."

THE QUARTETTE

Half a mile westward was the well equipped yard of James B. Davison. Here from year to year barquentines and large schooners were built. In 1865 a fine large schooner was finished. I think that she was the last built by Davison. The night before she was to be launched. Arthur, son of the builder, an intimate friend of mine, was spending the evening with two young ladies and myself. We four met often and called ourselves, privately, the Quartette. Arthur told us that everything but a name for the schooner was ready for the high tide of next morning. I said "How would it do to call her the Quartette?" He said that he would suggest it at home without telling them where he got the name. The next morning at the breakfast table his father said, "Well, Arthur, we have no name yet for the new schooner; can you suggest a good one?" With apparent innocence Arthur said, "How would the word 'Quartette' do, father?" The old gentleman replied, "Why, I think that would be a capital name. Let her be the Quartette." The next morning three of the club rowed up past the Betts Point, saw the schooner start on her way and Miss Mary Davison christened her the Quartette.

Mr Betts in his letter to me said, "Your account of the naming of the Quartette was quite interesting to me, as I was on board when she was launched, that is, so far as she went that day. You will recollect the launch-ways spread and she stopped just at the water. I was only a small kid, but I remember it well. The Davison schooner before that was the Joe Gordon and Mrs Anderson, wife of Rev James Anderson, christened her."

About 40 years later I was standing at the end of Pickford and Black's wharf, Halifax when I saw a large schooner pulling in slowly under sail toward me. As she came near I saw on her bow the name "Quartette". I asked the captain where is vessel was built. He said he thought it was in some port on the Northumberland Strait. It was my old Quartette, still stout and seaworthy. Mr Bett's letter continued, "Tam Battye, the big quarryman, built a brigantine called the Mary Ann in 1866. Arch and Richard Scott, two schooners, Lark and Swallow. Joseph Kerr and the Harpells one in 1866. Rufus Rhinedress and Isaac Slack built a fine schooner called Mystery in 1864. David Henderson and Robert Foote built one called Fearnot."

JAMES ROBERTSON, RIGGER

The rigging of a full-rigged ship is a very intricate job, requiring great skill and experience. Mr Robertson had the reputation of being a most expert and thorough man for his work. The safety of a ship and its climbing sailors must often depend on the work of the rigger. I never heard of any slack work done under his supervision. When his men were busy at the tackle, putting a spar in place, singing as they worked together, their famous chanty. "O Ho, Cheerily Man," he was down in the hold to look after the stepping of the mast. When it was high enough and fairly over the socket prepared for it he would shout , "lower away handsomely, boys." We used to call him sometimes in sport Jimmy Riggerson the Robber, I suppose because it had a humorous sound but he was as honest as his work and anything but a robber. He was also when at work a sober man but in that time of much drinking he might when a job was finished take a "wee droppie" with the crowd. Once upon a time when he had taken so much that his lads feared he could not navigate safely to his home they carried him on a shutter. Every little while he would call out, "Where are we noo, boys?" After they had arrived in the living room of his house and stood for a moment , he said, "Where am I noo, boy?" "You're in your own house, Mr Robertson." Then, he said, "Lower away handsomely, boys."

Here I must drop the curtain on my drama of the Shipyards. I have tried to enliven a somewhat dull subject with an occasional anecdote. And now taking liberties with St. Paul's wonderful 11th chapter of Hebrews, "What shall I say more?" for time and space fail me to tell of other excellent workmen, known to me, who made possible the fleets of the shipping of Wallace. For instance, there were other great blacksmiths than Old Leggett. Two rare men, John Stevenson, Philosopher, thinker, father of children of high intelligence; John Chambers, physically perfect, of high character, and unexcelled at the anvil; David Betts, a useful, worthy citizen, who lived a respected old age; William MacLennan, nicknamed Lord Raglan - I do not know why - he had not like the general lost an arm, but could with his strong arm; like the great soldier, strike when the iron was hot. One of his sons went to the United States and was never heard from.

WRITES TO GENERAL

During the American Civil War when General MacLennan was commander-in-chief of the Northern Army, Blacksmith Maclellan was possessed of the idea that the man was his long lost son. He got his brother to write to the General, and through his secretary he replied that he was never in Nova Scotia, but was a native of the United States.

Just one more shipyard workman and I leave the subject for good. Bob Lawson, a good ship carpenter, had a mania for making models of ships. I do not think that they were ever used by a builder, but he took great pleasure in the making of them. Under other circumstances with education and training, he might have won a reputation as a designer. As it was I include him in my paper as a tribute to the industry of a worthy citizen.