Pugwash Junction

One of the first settlers to the area that became known as Pugwash Junction was James Doherty (1758 - 1815), a man of Loyalist descent, his wife and ten children. He arrived early in 1800 after emigrating with a group of settlers from Dumfries Scotland to PEI in 1774. He settled on the road leading to Pugwash along a waterway into the Pugwash estuary, now called Dougherty or Doherty Creek. The place was subsequently owned by Barney Piers, then Nelson Piers and finally James Williams. The next settlers Piers, Gillis, McLeod and Wilkinson were in some way relatives of Dougherty. Later Eatons, Thompsons, Paiges and Stevens’s moved in.

In the early days, the inhabitants made their living by lumbering, dairy and mixed farming. Old millstones used in grinding grain may be seen on the Canfield Creek which runs through the old Philip Tuttle farm, subsequently owned by Russell Noiles. The first saw mill was set on the brook which runs below the Thomas Wilkinson homestead.

George Gillis (1857 - 1925) was a stone cutter by trade. His handiwork may be seen in various monuments in cemeteries in surrounding districts. There are three cemeteries in Pugwash Junction. The first is on the old Dougherty farm where Dougherty, his family and the other first settlers are buried. The second is on the farm settled by Michael Berry (1791 - 1841). McLeods and Lattas are also buried in this plot. The cemetery now in use is called the Eaton Cemetery and is on property adjoining the original Eaton homestead.

In 1888, the railroad was completed. Previous to this, the district along the road leading to Pugwash from the vicinity of the station was called Dougherty Creek or Brook, and that area leading into Conns Mills and Oxford was called Lakeville. Now the two were given the name of Pugwash Junction, the station being the junction of the branch line from Pugwash and that of the main line from Pictou to Oxford Junction.

At one time iron ore was mined on the Philip Tuttle (1847 - 1927) property. Mica, copper and natural paint deposits may also be found in the same area.

A school was built which was succeeded by the Margaret King School, opened in 1930. With multiple classrooms, an extensive library, a gymnasium, home economics room, industrial arts room, and a science lab for students in both elementary and secondary grades. The first principal was Seymour Gordon Walfrille followed by Dr. Herman Fayvour. He was succeeded by Mel Sarty, Harry Nelson, and Margaret MacLeod. It closed in 1960 when the district was amalgamated with Pugwash.

In April of 1948, power was extended into the community from the Wallace Bay line, although the school had had it since 1940. The first post office was opened in 1880, and Nelson Piers was the Post Master. At this time Philander Stevens kept a small store and later Joseph Eaton built on the site of another store which was operated by H. E. Wood.

The house on the Thompson farm became a community hall which was eventually destroyed by fire. The telephone service was privately owned, the three original shareholders being George Gillis, William McLeod and Thomas Wilkinson.

In 1948, it was reported that most of the farms at Pugwash Junction were settled by descendents of the early settlers.

Excerpted by an article by Beatrice McKim in the Oxford Journal of June 24, 1948

Civilian Marriage in Pugwash Junction or by citizens of Pugwash Junction 1872 - 1904

06-11-1872   Wallace     Kirk   Rev James Anderson
TEED       Charles W 27 B   shoemaker   Wallace    Wallace    Moses & Jane
GILLIS   Sophia   24 S       Dohertys Brook        George &

06-05-1873   Pugwash    Church of England   Rev Frederick J H Axford
THOMPSON   George   28 B   farmer   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Miles & Tamar
TEED       Ruth 31 S       Dohertys Brook        Moses & Jane

01-01-1880   Amherst Cum Co   Methodist Rev William Alcorn
CHASE   Reuben 67 W merchant   Upper Lakeville Cum Co   Sackville NB   Jethro & Isabel
KEN       Danica B 35 S   Parrsboro Cum Co   Parrsboro Cum Co   Ebenezer & Caroline

06-07-1881   Dohertys Brook    Baptist   Rev Henry Bool
SKIDMORE   Frederick E 25   B farmer   New Canaan    New Canaan    William & Maria
TEED       Mary   24 S       Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Moses & Jane

15-11-1882   Dohertys Brook    Baptist   Rev Henry Bool
COLBORN   Benjamin 26 B   shoemaker   Pugwash    Pugwash    Alexander & Elizabeth
PEERS       Maggie 28   S       Dohertys Brook    Wallace Bay    Caleb & Mary

23-12-1882   Pugwash    Baptist   Rev Henry Bool
MONTROSE   James E 37 W   carpenter   Hartford    Hartford    Jesse D & Jane A
WILLIAMS   Caroline 48 S   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Benjamin & Mary

11-06-1883   Parrsboro Cum Co   Methodist Rev William Alcorn
RECTOR   George F 40 B   farmer   Lakeville Cum Co   Lakeville Cum Co   James & Mary
JEFFERS   Margaret E 36 S Lakeville Cum Co   Lakeville Cum Co   Henry & Margaret

13-09-1883   River Philip    Methodist   Rev John Craig
GILBERT   Joseph A 24 B   farmer   New Canaan    New Canaan    David & Elizabeth
WILKINSON   Sophia J 18 S       Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Charles & Ruth

09-09-1884   West Brook Cum Co   Baptist Rev John A McLean
BLIGH   Enos C   37 B farmer Lakeville Cum Co   Lakeville Cum Co   Abraham & Eliza
ARCHIBALD   Emily M 36 S West Brook Cum Co Upr Musquodoboit Hfx Co   Wallace & Anna

07-05-1888   Parrsboro Cum Co   Baptist Rev J M Porter
BROWN   Charles A 21 B brakeman Parrsboro Cum Co Lakeville Cum Co   George P & Charity
WASSON   Rose E   18 S       Parrsboro Cum Co   Parrsboro Cum Co   James & Ellen

16-11-1885   Pugwash    Methodist   Rev Arthur D Morton
GUNN       Angus 35 W   contractor   Halifax Hfx Co   Pictou Pic Co   George & Cassie
PIERS       Ellen R 23 S       Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    George & Sarah

09-02-1887   Pugwash    Methodist   Rev George F Johnson
BRITTON   John G   30 B   farmer   Pugwash River Pugwash River    Henry & Matilda
MCLEOD   Charlotte E 21 S    Dohertys Brook    Lakeville    Stewart & Margaret

06-10-1887   Pugwash    Baptist   Rev C C Burgess   [of Pugwash]
MCLEOD   Rufus 23 B   farmer   Dohertys Brook Dohertys Brook    Stewart & Margaret
JONES       Bertha A 18 S       Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Lewis & Ellen

20-06-1888   Pugwash    Baptist   Rev C C Burgess
ANGEVINE   Lothrop 29 B   farmer   Middleboro    Middleboro    James & Sarah
MCLEOD   Millicent 26 S   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Chris & Isabella

01-01-1890   Pugwash    Methodist   Rev Jesse B Giles
WILKINSON   Thomas 30 B   farmer   Doherty Green    Doherty Green    Doherty & Mary
MONTROSE   Melissa 21 S       Hartford    Hartford    Jesse & Jane

03-10-1891   Pugwash River    Methodist   Rev Jesse B Giles
SIMPSON   George (Rev) 49 B clergy Dohertys Brook    Branchton   George & Isabella
MCPHERSON   Ada 22   S    Pugwash River    Pugwash River    John W & Phoebe

18-01-1893   Middleboro    Methodist   Rev Benjamin Hills
MONTROSE   Allison C 33 B   farmer   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Jesse D & Jane
WOODBURY   Ida M 19 S       Middleboro    Middleboro    William & Mary

17-05-1893   Dohertys Brook    Methodist   Rev Benjamin Hills
MONTROSE   Rufus A 35 W   farmer   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    Jesse D & Jane
WOODBURY   Emma J 22 S        Middleboro    Middleboro    William & Mary

02-06-1894   Conns Mills    Methodist   Rev Benjamin Hills
JONES       Lewis   50 B   farmer   Dohertys Brook Wallace Bay    Benjamin & Ann
DEWAR   Elizabeth 47 W   Conn Mills    River Philip    Stephen & Mary

06-03-1895   Head Wallace Bay    Pb   Rev James A McKenzie
MCMILLAN   John A   28 B section foreman   Dohertys Brook    Wood Island   Hector & Mary
FORSHNER   Eva 29   S   Head Wallace Bay    Head Wallace Bay    Samuel & Maria

15-01-1896   Pugwash    Methodist   Rev Benjamin Hills
TEED       Herbert R 28 B   farmer   Dohertys Brook    Dohertys Brook    & Ruth
PEERS       Luella R 16 S       Wallace Bay    Wallace Bay    Harris & Laura

26-10-1904   Amherst Cum Co   Baptist Rev J T Dimock
FREEMAN   Samuel H 45 W farmer   East Amherst Cum Co   Amherst Cum Co William & Fannie
TRITES   Bertheme J 5   S       Lakeville NB   Shediac NB   John S & Sarah Ann

15-11-1904   Pugwash Junction   Methodist   Rev Donald Farquhar
MCLEOD   Clifford 44 W   engineer   Pugwash Jct    Pugwash Jct    Daniel & Nancy
WILKINSON   Minnie   36   S       Pugwash Jct    Pugwash Jct    Doherty & Mary