Hartford | genealogyhistory

HARTFORD

Excerpted from The Settlement and Development of our District by Class 58, Hartford School, Grades VII and VIII 1934 - 1935.

Hartford is a small rural community situated midway between Pugwash and Oxford, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia. It was first known as Crawford Settlement in honour of its first settler, William H. Crawford. Son of a loyalist, he arrived in 1816 from near Economy, Colchester County and farmed with his wife Charity Purdy and their eight children.

In 1822, the Colters came from Ireland to be followed by other Irish, Scots and descendants of Loyalists. Some of the surnames were McKim, Brown, Peers, Woodworth, Harrison, Higgins, Wilson, Vincent, Ralston, Nelson, Leask, Moore, Bernatik, Robinson, MacArthur, Carter, Lewis, Litwin and Henwood.

The early settlers cleared the land, built their homes, tilled their soil and planted their crops of buckwheat and potatoes as best they could among the stumps. The work was nearly all done by hand, and because horses and oxen were scarce, the men worked together in bees.

The houses had no stove but a fireplace which provided heating, cooking and lighting. The furniture was hand made with door hinges, locks and door fasteners made of wood. Cooking was done by means of a crane, and as there were no matches, the fire must be kept constantly burning. Extra light was from home-made tallow candles or a “dip” which was simply a string dipped into a bowl of fat.

Hand-made shingles were used to cover both the walls and the roofs of the houses, but when later, Crawford’s mill was built, lumber was manufactured and frame houses were built. One thousand feet of boards when hauled to Wallace by oxen could be exchanged for only one barrel of fish. Flour was ten dollars a barrel. They made spars which were used for vessels built at Pugwash. The surplus lumber was hauled to Pugwash or Wallace where it was shipped to Europe.

Sometimes drag sleds, hauled by oxen, went to Halifax by the Old Post Road with potatoes or pork and brought back flour, tea and salt. Those who were not so fortunate as to have oxen or horses portaged their goods from Wallace.

Gun powder was bought and lead bullets were made to shoot caribou, moose or bears. Several of these old muzzled loading shotguns may still be found in different homes of Hartford.

At Crawford’s brook was found a clay used in the manufacture of birches and when mixed with water formed a sort of paint. Near this brook is a spring which was considered to have medicinal properties and people used to come long distances to get a bottle of this medicine.

The children first attended school at North Middleboro, but later a schoolhouse was built quite near the present site. This building was also used for the church services which were first conducted by the Baptist minister from Pugwash. A Baptist church was built opposite the school.

In 1878, a meeting was called to change the name of the settlement. Hartford was elected after being suggested by one of the men, a native of Hartford, Connecticut.

Dwellings of Hartford

by Mona Jean Brown. Mona Jean Brown married a native of Hartford, Robie Wilson Brown. She taught school in Hartford for three consecutive years (1944-1947). They were the first years of her teaching, followed by one year at Wallace Bay South (1947-1948) and another at North Middleboro

The following is a brief description of what this community looked like sixty or so years ago (1880's - 65 years after the first settler).

We shall begin by looking at the site of the first house, which was a log one and was built near the old graveyard. It is believed to have belonged to a Crawford. (There are a couple of headstones still standing in this cemetery.) Just across the field from this first house was the James Crawford place. He also had a carriage shop across the road. In this building, he made carriages downstairs; while the upstairs was used as a Community Hall.

Wilfred Brown’s place, about 75 years old, was bought from Pat Lawlor, brother-in-law of Hiram Brown - and husband of Nellie Brown. Before this, it was owned by Bert Crawford who had built it. Across the road from Wilfred Brown’s house were two other houses - one owned by William Crawford and the other by Mary Jane, his sister. The latter was a small house. Mary Jane was married to a Sutherland, in Oxford. It seems that Mary Jane was mistreated by her husband, so that is the reason for her living here. Both of these houses were older than Wilfred Brown’s house.

The first schoolhouse was situated mid way between Wilfred Brown’s home and the Brook. It was built on the property belonging to Jimmy Crawford. Later, Wilfred Brown gave the school another one-half acre, on the south side, for a ball field.

There had been a house opposite the Mud Pond.

The next house belonged to Oswald Vincent. A Peers family lived in it before Oswald purchased it. Next is Frank Leask’s property, which was formerly owned by his parents. George Coulter lived on the next place. He was Ray Coulter’s father.

Across the Brook was Don Coulter’s place. The next placed belonged to James Coulter. The last residents in this place were Alan Langille and family.

Farther along was the Reid place, owned later by the families of Dagleish, Regan and Nazarre Descheta. Arch Lewis’ parents cleared the land and built a house here.

George McKim’s house was built by his uncle, a brother of Joe McKim, who was George’s father. The uncle and two sisters, all unmarried, lived in this house. George and Kate McKim lived here as well, after they were married. The two sisters lived about a year after this when they both died; their deaths were very close together. They were both buried at the same time.

The Baptist Church was built on the south side of the highway, not far west of McKim’s corner. Services were held monthly. They were later discontinued and the building was taken down about 1934.

Alex Harrison’s property was formerly owned by Andrew McKim. A Crawford home was at the end of the Victoria Road (Geordie Crawford’s home). The Bernatik place was formerly owned by a Crawford. Across the road from Bernatik’s was the James Brown - brother of Hiram Brown.

Towards Victoria is the Lockhart place. MacArthur’s place was formerly owned by a Crawford. Ashford Crawford’s place is next. It was owned previously by Ashford’s father.

The Hartford Hall was built by the Farmers Union. The farmers built it themselves. Socials and dances were held here.

Hugh Moore’s place formerly belonged to ??? Roy Mitchell’s place was owned earlier by ???

The Litwin place was earlier owned by Oswald Vincent’s parents. Later, Oswald and his wife made their home here.

The Nelson place belonged to Arthur and Nellie Nelson. They came from Colorado.

John Carter’s place. George Carter and his family lived here later. Next is the Woodworth place. It was bought by Alex Pushie. It was later owned by David Melroy.

The Ed Peer’s place is next. He was Ned Peer’s father.

A foundation can be found next where Ivan Crawford had started to build a house, but never built any more at it. He got “jilted in love”.

The Ralston place was across the road from Hibbert Crawford’s.

Hiram Brown’s property is next. It was a small house. It was built by Wilson Brown, father of Hiram. Hiram tore down this house, all but the kitchen, and attached another one to this part.