Maitland, Hants County, Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Maitland, East Hants, Nova Scotia (originally known as Jean Peter's Village) is a village in the East Hants, Nova Scotia
municipal district, and home to the historic Lawrence House Museum, part of the Nova Scotia Museum
. The community was part of the Douglas Township until it was named Maitland after Governor General of Nova Scotia Peregrine Maitland
(1828–34), when building the Shubenacadie Canal
was first attempted (1826–1831). The Canal was supposed to start at Maitland, Nova Scotia and run through the province to Maitland Street, Dartmouth, the canal being "bookended" by two "Maitland" landmarks.
. Oral tradition states that the Oak Island Graveyard was an Acadian burial ground, which was consecrated by Abbe Jean-Louis Le Loutre
. Oral tradition also states that a path which connects the “French Field” in Selma to the cemetery in Maitland is the old Acadian roadway.
Several of Jean Denis Pitre’s children married the children of Noel Doiron
and Robert Henry from the neighbouring communities of Vil Noel (Noel, Nova Scotia
) and Vil Robere respectively. In 1750 the Acadians at Maitland joined the Acadian Exodus
during Father Le Loutre's War
and moved to Riviere Nord-Est, Ile St. Jean (present day Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
). The former of inhabitants of Maitland died in 1758 during the Expulsion of the Acadians in the sinking of the Duke William
.
. Decades after the village was vacanted by the Acadians, the village was settled by Ulster Scots people such as the Putnams (c.1771).
was Maitland's most famous shipbuilder. His ship, the William D. Lawrence
, was the largest wooden ship ever built in Canada and third largest in the world, was launched at Maitland in 1874 to one of the largest crowds assembled in Nova Scotia to that date.
Every September Maitland celebrates the launch of William D. Lawrence at a weekend festival called "Launch Days".
Maitland was Nova Scotia's first Heritage Conservation District. The centre of the village is a Heritage Conservation District because of its many fine and well-preserved examples of Victorian architecture. The styles of architecture include Gothic, Federal, Colonial, Cape Cod (house)
, Greek Revival architecture
, Second Empire (architecture) and Italianate, of which style the Lawrence House shows many fine details.
was one of the most successful ship builders in the Maritimes, most famous for building Canada's largest wooden ship, the William D. Lawrence
. In an unpublished manuscript written in 1880 toward the end of his life, he wrote of the maiden voyage of the William D. Lawrence. He described returning to the place of his birth, Lawrencetown, County Down
, Ireland (close to Gilford
, Ireland). He also recollects being mortified by a bull fight that he saw in Peru
and enjoying the masked ball he attended while in Paris. During one of his stays in London, Lawrence also attended a sermon of the famous preacher and writer Charles Spurgeon
.
Lawrence was also a politician and wrote passionately for Nova Scotia's independence in the anti-Confederation Campaign. He ran successfully as a MLA with Joseph Howe
running as an MP, both as anti-Confederates in the Hants County elections of 1867. Two years later, much to Lawrence's dismay, Joseph Howe conceded to Confederation and ran in a by-election on a platform for making "better terms" for Nova Scotia within Canada. Howe won which later led to Lawrence's defeat in the following election (1871).
East Hants, Nova Scotia
East Hants is a municipal district in Hants County, Nova Scotia.With its administrative seat in Milford Station, the district occupies the eastern half of Hants County from the Minas Basin to the boundary with Halifax County, sharing this boundary with the West Hants municipal district...
municipal district, and home to the historic Lawrence House Museum, part of the Nova Scotia Museum
Nova Scotia Museum
Nova Scotia Museum is the corporate name for the most decentralized museum in Canada - 27 museums across Nova Scotia, including over 200 historic buildings, living history sites, vessels, specialized museums and close to a million artifacts and specimens...
. The community was part of the Douglas Township until it was named Maitland after Governor General of Nova Scotia Peregrine Maitland
Peregrine Maitland
Sir Peregrine Maitland, KCB, GCB was a British soldier and colonial administrator who played first-class cricket from 1798 to 1808....
(1828–34), when building the Shubenacadie Canal
Shubenacadie Canal
The Shubenacadie Canal is a Canadian canal in central Nova Scotia, linking Halifax Harbour with Shubenacadie Grand Lake which drains into the Bay of Fundy by way of the Shubenacadie River. Currently small craft use the river and lakes, but no locks are fully operational...
was first attempted (1826–1831). The Canal was supposed to start at Maitland, Nova Scotia and run through the province to Maitland Street, Dartmouth, the canal being "bookended" by two "Maitland" landmarks.
History
Maitland was first settled by the Acadians. After the Acadian exodus from the region (1750), the village was eventually settled by Ulster Scots whose descendants became shipbuilders.Acadians
Maitland was settled by Jean Pitre (i.e., Peters), son of Jean Denis Pitre, prior to the Acadian ExodusAcadian Exodus
The Acadian Exodus happened during Father Le Loutre’s War and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories...
. Oral tradition states that the Oak Island Graveyard was an Acadian burial ground, which was consecrated by Abbe Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Abbé Jean-Louis Le Loutre was a Catholic priest and missionary for the Paris Foreign Missions Society...
. Oral tradition also states that a path which connects the “French Field” in Selma to the cemetery in Maitland is the old Acadian roadway.
Several of Jean Denis Pitre’s children married the children of Noel Doiron
Noel Doiron
Noel Doiron was a leader of the Acadians, renown for the decisions he made during the Deportation of the Acadians. Doiron was deported on a vessel named the Duke William . The sinking of the Duke William was one of the worst marine disasters in Canadian history...
and Robert Henry from the neighbouring communities of Vil Noel (Noel, Nova Scotia
Noel, Nova Scotia
Noel is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants, which is in Hants County, Nova Scotia . The community is most well known for being named after its most prominent resident Noel Doiron and for ship building in the nineteenth century...
) and Vil Robere respectively. In 1750 the Acadians at Maitland joined the Acadian Exodus
Acadian Exodus
The Acadian Exodus happened during Father Le Loutre’s War and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories...
during Father Le Loutre's War
Father Le Loutre's War
Father Le Loutre’s War , also known as the Indian War, the Micmac War and the Anglo-Micmac War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the British and New England colonists were led by British Officer Charles...
and moved to Riviere Nord-Est, Ile St. Jean (present day Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
Hillsborough River (Prince Edward Island)
The Hillsborough River, also known as the East River, is a Canadian river in northeastern Queens County, Prince Edward Island.-Battle at Port-la-Joye :...
). The former of inhabitants of Maitland died in 1758 during the Expulsion of the Acadians in the sinking of the Duke William
Duke William (ship)
The Duke William, was a ship, a transport vessel from England, which was part of the Ile Saint-Jean Campaign during the French and Indian War. While the Duke William was transporting Acadians from Ile St Jean to France, the ship sank in the North Atlantic on December 13, 1758 with the loss of...
.
Ulster Scots (Irish)
After the exodus of the Acadians from Maitland (1750), the land was owned but never settled by Malachy SalterMalachy Salter
Malachy Salter , a Nova Scotia merchant and office-holder, was born at Boston, second son of Malachy Salter and Sarah Holmes. He married Susanna Mulberry, on 26 July 1744 in Boston, and they had at least 11 children...
. Decades after the village was vacanted by the Acadians, the village was settled by Ulster Scots people such as the Putnams (c.1771).
Shipbuilding
William Dawson LawrenceWilliam Dawson Lawrence
William Dawson Lawrence was a successful shipbuilder, businessman and politician. He built the William D. Lawrence, which is reported to be the largest wooden ship ever built in Canada....
was Maitland's most famous shipbuilder. His ship, the William D. Lawrence
William D. Lawrence (ship)
William D. Lawrence was a full-rigged sailing ship built in Maitland, Nova Scotia along the Minas Basin and named after her builder, the merchant and politician William Dawson Lawrence ....
, was the largest wooden ship ever built in Canada and third largest in the world, was launched at Maitland in 1874 to one of the largest crowds assembled in Nova Scotia to that date.
Every September Maitland celebrates the launch of William D. Lawrence at a weekend festival called "Launch Days".
Architecture
Cape Cod (house)
A Cape Cod cottage is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, pitched roof with end gables, a large central chimney and very little ornamentation...
, Greek Revival architecture
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
, Second Empire (architecture) and Italianate, of which style the Lawrence House shows many fine details.
William D. Lawrence
William Dawson LawrenceWilliam Dawson Lawrence
William Dawson Lawrence was a successful shipbuilder, businessman and politician. He built the William D. Lawrence, which is reported to be the largest wooden ship ever built in Canada....
was one of the most successful ship builders in the Maritimes, most famous for building Canada's largest wooden ship, the William D. Lawrence
William D. Lawrence (ship)
William D. Lawrence was a full-rigged sailing ship built in Maitland, Nova Scotia along the Minas Basin and named after her builder, the merchant and politician William Dawson Lawrence ....
. In an unpublished manuscript written in 1880 toward the end of his life, he wrote of the maiden voyage of the William D. Lawrence. He described returning to the place of his birth, Lawrencetown, County Down
Lawrencetown, County Down
Lawrencetown or Laurencetown is a small village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It sits on the River Bann, along the main road between the towns of Banbridge and Portadown. It is within the parish of Tullylish and covers the townlands of Knocknagore and Drumnascamph. In the 2001 Census it had a...
, Ireland (close to Gilford
Gilford
Gilford is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. The village sits on the River Bann between the towns of Banbridge, Tandragee and Portadown. It covers the townlands of Loughans, Ballymacanallen and Drumaran. It had a population of 1,573 people in the 2001 Census...
, Ireland). He also recollects being mortified by a bull fight that he saw in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and enjoying the masked ball he attended while in Paris. During one of his stays in London, Lawrence also attended a sermon of the famous preacher and writer Charles Spurgeon
Charles Spurgeon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a large British Particular Baptist preacher who remains highly influential among Christians of different denominations, among whom he is still known as the "Prince of Preachers"...
.
Lawrence was also a politician and wrote passionately for Nova Scotia's independence in the anti-Confederation Campaign. He ran successfully as a MLA with Joseph Howe
Joseph Howe
Joseph Howe, PC was a Nova Scotian journalist, politician, and public servant. He is one of Nova Scotia's greatest and best-loved politicians...
running as an MP, both as anti-Confederates in the Hants County elections of 1867. Two years later, much to Lawrence's dismay, Joseph Howe conceded to Confederation and ran in a by-election on a platform for making "better terms" for Nova Scotia within Canada. Howe won which later led to Lawrence's defeat in the following election (1871).
Other Notable Residents
- Birthplace of Willard MillerWillard MillerWillard Dwight Miller was a United States Navy sailor and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Spanish-American War.-Biography:...
, Spanish American war hero, one of the famous "Miller Brothers". - Kate McArthur who was made famous through surviving for many days at sea in a lifeboat and then giving birth upon being rescued.