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House
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Researching the
Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site of Canada
Recherche sur la Forteresse-de-Louisbourg Lieu historique national du Canada
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LOUISBOURG
HERITAGE NOTES
IN THE LOUISBOURG SEAGULL
Extracted from © The Seagull
Louisbourg Heritage Notes
February 2001
The 1891 Census of Louisbourg
The 1891 census gives us a snapshot of Louisbourg 110 years ago. It was completed by James Dowd of Big Lorraine and records the population of half of Big Lorraine Harbour, Louisbourg, Old Town, the Louisbourg Road towards New Boston and the Garbarus Road towards Kennington Cove.
From the census we learn that enumerator James Dowd is 47 years old and was born in Nova Scotia. His mother was born in Nova Scotia and his father was born in Ireland. Dowd’s wife Mary is 49 and was born in Scotland. There are 5 children, Margaret 24, Christie 22, Michael 20, Mary Ann 18 and James Hart a nephew aged 8 years. James Dowd is a carpenter, he employed 4 people during the past year and he can read and write. Michael Dowd is a teamster and is an employee of someone in the community. All the Dowd children can read and write. Yong James Hart can read, but Mary Dowd can neither read or write. The family is Roman Catholic. This type of information is available for all of the families in the district.
On a district level there are interesting statistics. The population of the Louisbourg census area is 1,116 persons. There are 335 Roman Catholics, 332 Anglicans, 352 Presbyterians, 82 Methodists and 15 Baptists. There are 223 families, living in 220 dwellings of which 218 are houses. Of the 218 houses, all built of wood, 180 have 1 story, 36 have 2 stories, 2 have 3 stories and 4 are under construction. When I look at the data I get a slightly different number. I count 95 houses of 1 story, 90 of 1 ½ stories and 33 of 2 stories for the same total of 218 houses. I believe the statisticians in Ottawa combined 1 and 1 ½ story dwellings and called them all 1 story buildings. The 2 houses of 3 stories were probably McAlpine’s home ( later the Dundonald Inn ) and Kennelly’s house, "Havenside".
The names listed below are the heads of the various households along with their occupation and age at the census date of April 6, 1891. What’s missing are the names of spouses, children and anyone else living in the house. Still it gives an impression of a fishing/farming and seafaring community: 68 fishermen, 15 Ship Captains, 16 seamen, 60 farmers and a scattering of other jobs.
There was only one big employer in the area; Charles L. Mitchell, who operated a fish company that employed 45 people during the preceding year. H.C.V. Levatte, a merchant and warden of Cape Breton County, employed 10 people. Generally, a ship captain could employee 5 to 7 people and some of the fishermen employed 1 or 2 people.
Townsend stands out as the most common name appearing in the census. In 1891 there were 26 Townsend families, all descendants of Sergeant James Townsend who was in Louisbourg at the 1758 siege. There were also 13 McDonald and 13 McLean families, 11 Kelly families, 7 Tutty families, 6 families each of Baldwin, Cann, Dickson, Jewell and MacPherson, 5 families of Ferguson, Kenedy and Price, and 4 families each of Cameron, Fiander, McAulay, Power and Slattery. I’ve spelled the family names the way that James Dowd spelled them in 1891.
Name Occupation Age
Dowd, James - Carpenter 47
Dowd, Patrick - Fisherman 43
Dowd, Francis - Inspector 78
Kelly, Thomas - Fisherman 62
Kelly, Francis - Fisherman 26
McLean, Hector - Fisherman 64
McLean, John - Fisherman 36
McLean, Lauchlin - Farmer 75
Jewell, Albert - Grocer 25
McLean, Alexander - Farmer 55
Fiander, Samuel - Fisherman 44
Fiander, Robert - Fisherman 51
Fiander, William - Fisherman 60
Townsend, Peter - Fisherman 57
Cameron, Donald - Fisherman 60
Cameron, William - Seaman 39
Fiander, Abraham - Carpenter 46
Wilcox, William - Fisherman 34
Jewell, George - Fisherman 52
Jewell, Edward - Fisherman 48
Jewell, Daniel - Fisherman 36
McPhee, Ronald - Carpenter 48
Gillis, John - Carpenter 52
Townsend, David - Fisherman 48
Tutty, Jane - Labourer 33
Townsend, James N. - 49
Townsend, Samuel - 52
Dickson, Francis - Fisherman 52
Townsend, Carolin e- Hotel 58
Ranson, Robert -R. Miner ( ?? ) 59
Peach, James - Fisherman 47
Williams, John - Fisherman 60
Townsend, Benjamin - Fisherman 47
Townsend, Philip - Seaman 37
Townsend, Charles A - Fisherman. 41
Townsend, Anthony – Fisherman 44
Gillis, John - Carpenter 30
Ferguson, Donald- Seaman 38
Spears, James - Fisherman 44
Townsend, Zack - Merchant 51
Mann, Enos - Carpenter 65
Townsend, Charles - Farmer 72
Cann, R. Esq.- Ship Captain. 31
Kennedy, William – Ship Captain 40
Levatte, H.C.V. - Merchant 32
McLean, Ronald - Machinist 40
McLean, Maggie - Farmer 35
Levatte, Fred W. - Clerk 21
McAlpine, E.S. - Book Keeper 46
Townsend, Blucher - Ship Captain 40
Townsend, Neil -Ship Captain 45
Townsend, Isabella – Fisherman 72
Townsend, Daniel - Ship Captain 30
Levatte, Martin - Blacksmith 39
McPhee, James - Merchant 36
Orr, Alice - Labourer 55
McKinnon, Donald - Shoe Maker 53
McDonald, John - Ship Captain 44
Murphy, Stephen - Hotel Keeper 64
Cameron, Murdock - Merchant 35
Spears, John - Fisherman 43
O’Toole, Patrick - Collector of Customs 52
Pope, Michael - Seaman 66
Power, John - Seaman 26
Townsend, Philip- Ship Captain 62
O’Handley,Eveline - Hotel Keeper 61
McCuish, Alexander - Merchant 57
Draper, T. F - Clergyman. 32
McAlpine, William - Merchant 51
Slattery, Johanna- Merchant 45
Farquer, Donald - Clergyman 40
Dickson, Lewis - Fisherman 43
Tanner, Samuel - Fisherman 33
Mann, James - Seaman 38
McVicar, Mary - Weaver 55
Kehoe, George - Pilot 48
Baldwin, Louis - Fisherman 50
Power, Richard - Fisherman 29
Kenedy, Patrick- Farmer 51
Kenedy, Hennrietta - Farmer 38
Power, Matthew- Fisherman 20
Kelly, Mary- 64
Kelly, James - Fisherman 30
Price, Lawrence - Fisherman 31
Price, Philip - Fisherman 42
Cryer, John - Fisherman 50
Buckley, Thomas- Ship Captain 49
Baldwin, Charles - Fisherman 38
Price, William -Ship Captain 40
Baldwin, David - Fisherman 42
Baldwin, Thomas- Farmer 81
Cryer, Matthew - Seaman 43
Phealan, Thomas - Hunter 55
Tutty, George A. - Fisherman 36
Tanner, Alfred Sr. - Fisherman 61
Tanner, Alfred - Fisherman 36
Dickson, John - Fisherman 34
Dickson, David - Fisherman 29
Dickson, George - Fisherman 29
Dillon, John - Carpenter 52
Slattery, Margaret - Merchant 33
Slattery, Mary – Hotel Keeper 53
Lorway, John - Fisherman 55
Gillis, John - Mason 55
Jewell, James - Deacon 41
Slattery, Judy - 72
Jewell, Elijah - Fisherman 46
Bisset, James - School Teacher 29
Townsend, William - Merchant 52
Bagnell, Robert -Fisherman 47
Stacey, Charles - Fisherman 48
Dickson, William- Ship Captain 58
Cann, Henry- Fisherman 62
Cann, Isaac - Fisherman 38
Cann, Elizabeth - Housekeeper 67
Reid, Charles - Fisherman 32
Townsend, Solomon - Fisherman 84
Townsend, Joseph - Fisherman 50
Townsend, Elias - Fisherman 38
Cann, William - Ship Captain 32
Tutty, Solomon - Carpenter 62
Tutty, John - Ship Captain 32
Spencer, John N. - Carpenter 48
McRury, Malcolm - Post Master 64
McDonald, Alexander - Seaman 43
Burke, James P. - Light Keeper 38
Townsend, William - Ship Owner 76
Townsend, William Jr.- Ship Captain 35
Townsend, Thomas -Ship Captain 39
Tutty, Wallace - Fisherman 39
Tutty, George - Fisherman 28
Tutty, Rachel - Housekeeper 69
Townsend, Daniel - Fisherman 40
Townsend, John - Fisherman 50
Kenedy, William - Seaman 28
Cunnington, Thomas - Fisherman 37
Baldwin, William - Seaman 39
Baldwin, John - Fisherman 50
Kelly, Richard - Fisherman 63
Kelly, Joseph - Fisherman 40
Kelly, Martin - Fisherman 50
Kelly, William - Steward 55
Kelly, James - Seaman 33
Ferguson, Angus - 42
Kelly, John - Seaman 26
Kelly, Edward - Seaman 28
Price, Nicholas - Fisherman 42
Murphy, Phillip - Fisherman 38
McGrath, Thomas - Fisherman 37
Price, Dennis - Seaman 27
Kehoe, Margaret - Farmer 40
Buckley, Paul - Fisherman 45
Link, Andrew - Seaman 40
Kenedy, Thomas - Fisherman 36
McDonald, Hector - Seaman 36
Spencer, William - 70
McIntyre, Peter - Farmer 36
McMullin, Patrick - Farmer 42
Holland, Frances- Farmer 48
Forbes, Mary - Farmer 59
Holland, Michael- Farmer 52
Cameron, John - Farmer 50
McPherson, Neil - Servant 28
McDonald, Alexander - Farmer 35
McPherson, Christie - Farmer 51
McPherson, John - Farmer 50
McPherson, Ronald - Farmer 62
McPherson, Donald - Farmer 46
McDonald, Elizabeth - Farmer 49
Ferguson, Margaret - Farmer 68
McLean, Neil - Farmer 45
McLean, Flora - Farmer 60
McLean, John - Farmer 45
McLean, Archie - Farmer 78
Morison, Effy - Farmer 70
McCormack, Angus - Farmer 40
McAskill, Roderick - Farmer 62
Stewert, Christie - Farmer 75
Townsend, Samuel - Farmer 45
McLean, Murdock - Farmer 70
McLean, Dan - Farmer 34
McKenzie, Charles - Farmer 68
McLean Alexander - Farmer 50
Lemonte, Duncan - Machinist 35
Cann, Susan - House Keeper 45
Ferguson, Kenneth - Farmer 44
McIsaac, Margaret - Farmer 54
McAulay, Angus - Farmer 84
McAulay, John - Farmer 32
McAulay, Neil - Farmer 75
McDonald, Alexander - Wheel Wright 76
McDonald, Margaret - Farmer 63
Matheson, Alexander - Farmer 40
McDonald, Roderick - Farmer 35
McLeod, William - Farmer 40
Ferguson, Archibald - Farmer 73
McAulay, John - Farmer 90
McPherson, Hector - Farmer 47
McPherson, Angus - Farmer 71
McLellan, Jessie - Farmer 60
Morison, Morrel - Farmer 60
McDonald, Angus - Farmer 70
Mateson, James - Farmer 30
McIntyre, Margaret - Farmer 67
McIntyre, Duncan - Tailor 54
McDonald, John - Farmer 28
McDonald, Sarah - Farmer 50
McDonald, John - Farmer 78
McLellan, James - Carpenter 38
McKinnon, Lauchlin - Labourer 28
Munroe, Alexander - Farmer 60
McInnis, Angus - Farmer 50
McInnis, James - Fisherman 40
Munroe, Malcolm – Fisherman 63
Wilson, Hugh - Fisherman 32
Canton, Margaret - Farmer 50
McDonald, John - Farmer 70
Power, William - Farmer 65
Kendall, Arthur - Physician 30
Kehoe, John - Fisherman 44
Mateson, William - Farmer 42
Mitchell, Charles L.- Fish (Company) 44
McOdrum, Donald - School Teacher 24
In the list above there is the name Malcolm McRury who is recorded as Post Master. He was responsible for the South Louisbourg ( Havenside ) office from 1881 until it closed in 1893. The Post Mistress of Louisbourg was Winnifred Kennedy, who lived with her brother William Kennedy. This raises the point that with just heads of household we do not see all of the occupations in the census area. In addition to more fishermen, seaman and farmers here are a few other occupations.
Dowd, Michael - Teamster 20
MacPhee, Christier - Merchant 35
Townsend, Howard - Student 22
Townsend, Theresa- School Teacher 19
Mann, Emily - Book Keeper 49
Mann, Mary K. - Deaconess 23
Mann, Mercy - Book Keeper 19
Murphy, Sarah- Knitter 42
O’Toole, Ellen - Dress Maker 52
O’Toole, Joseph - Book Keeper 22
O’Toole, Vincent - Clerk 18
O’Handley, Honora - School Teacher 24
O’Handley, Elizabeth - School Teacher 22
O’Handley, Agnes - School Teacher 18
Tanner, Stanley – Merchant 24
Slattery, Rachel - Dress Maker 22
Kehoe, Anne - Dress Maker 22
Cryer, Ellen - Hotel Keeper 33
Baldwin, Mary - Weaver 35
Slattery, Theresa - School Teacher 19
Slattery, Rosie - School Teacher 17
Slattery, Michael - Teamster 15
Baldwin, Willie - Carpenter 20
Riley, William - Shoe Maker 58
McRury, Norman - Black Smith 33
McRury, James - Engineer 24
Spencer, Joseph - School Teacher 23
MacMullin, Kate - Tailor 39
McAulay, Sarah – Weaver 35
Dillon, Joseph – Harness Maker 25
Louisbourg Heritage Society
Presents
Pearl Magee
The Art of Quilting
With the Louisbourg Piecemakers
Who, What & Why
Wednesday, 21 February
7 PM
Zion Church Hall
Come out and bring a friend
