top of page

John and James Ross of the Gulf Shore

​

​

 

 

 

Among the founding families on the Gulf Shore were the Rosses.  One branch traces its roots to David Ross and wife Mary Smith, highlanders from the Island of Lewis, Ross, and Cromarty, Scotland who arrived in the early 1800's with their two sons, Donald and Alexander.  Alexander born in 1793 married Isabella McKenzie, and they had two sons and a daughter.  At some point the family moved to the Lower Gulf Shore to a property next door to what is now Paul Gray's land.  One of Alexander's sons, David Ross, born in 1824, married Johanna McLanders who had been born in Scotland.  Their son James P. Ross was born in 1861 and married Arabella MacKay. They had two children: James A. Ross in 1900 and two years later John R. Ross.

 

The Ross boys were apparently good students in school.  They were able to read and write and worked the land with their father.  James, the father, died when the boys were in their early 20's, leaving the mother and the two young men to carry on.

​

Neither of them married.  James was the more outgoing of the two and took over the role of looking after the affairs of the farm and of John.  He was renowned for his great strength.  He was known to walk to the Co Op store in Fox Harbour and carry a bag of flour home on his back.  John was the more reticent, rarely leaving the farm.  He preferred the woods to the company of others.  Arabella died of pneumonia when her boys were 40 and 38.

​

There was no electricity or running water on the property.  They had no car.  It was a life that many of our early founding families lived; John and James were a bit out of synch with modern day as most had managed to gain a few more luxuries by this time.  Gulf Shore was changing rapidly with farms disappearing and summer homes making way to expensive permanent ones.  Meanwhile, they were living much as David had, three generations before.

thumbnail_Ross%20Brothers%2C%20600x440%2

From time to time, neighbours would check in, lend a hand or offer a ride to the village.   Visitors would be offered an apple from their orchard.  As time went on, their house started to fall into disrepair, and eventually the brothers had to move into the barn.  They took on the status of "characters" on the Gulf Shore.  Around this time, Grace Mackenzie of the Gulf Shore snapped a photo of them which would be the source of the interest in them today.

​

James was hard of hearing; he didn't just speak to his brother, he yelled.  John would have to yell back, so the neighbours were well aware of the goings on in the house.  They had a Massey Harrison and a Ford tractor which neither of them learned to operate.  During one attempt, Jamie took off on the tractor.  When it refused to stop when he yelled whoa, he jumped off in disgust, and they continued to work the farm themselves. 

​

They seldom prepared a supply of wood ahead of time. When they needed wood, they would walk to the woods (rain, snow or shine) and carry out a dead tree.

 

For the children of the lower Gulf Shore, this house was a wonderful and fascinating place to visit.  Rather than stay at the school, they would troop in during winter noon breaks, while Jamie and John were eating their porridge and corn bread cake for lunch.  Jamie would go to the basement and bring up a bucket of apples for the children.  Jamie and John had a wonderful orchard with plums, pears, apples and a variety of delicious fruit.  The table barely fit in the kitchen and every surface was covered with papers and other stuff that would draw the kids.  The brothers insisted the kids call them Jamie and John and not Mr. Ross.  And again, Jamie was the one who would do most of the talking – John was shy even with the children.  But they are remembered fondly by those children today for their kindness.

​

There came a time when they could no longer look after themselves.  Jamie moved to Alice Keeble's home in Pugwash and then to Beaton's Nursing Home where he died at age 72.  John died a year later at 71 – he had gone on a path through the woods to visit Aubrey and Mrs. Stromberg of Fox Harbour.  On the way home, he must have felt unwell as he cut a number of branches and made himself a bed of brush beside the path.  There he died.  The house and barn gradually disappeared.  The brothers were buried with their parents and grandparents in the MacKenzie Cemetery on the Gulf Shore.

​

Years later, Louise Cloutier was a young artist living on the Gulf Shore in the old Robertson farmhouse.  She was painting an old house, and to give it an additional layer of meaning, she incorporated two gravestones from the MacKenzie Cemetery into it.  They just happened to be next to the Ross graves.  Roland Rafuse saw the painting and, knowing she liked old houses, showed her the photograph of James and John Ross.  She was immediately taken with it – American Gothic a la Gulf Shore.

​

The painting was exhibited at the Technical University of Nova Scotia (TUNS) in Halifax.  From here it was submitted to the Biennial Exhibition at the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dotham, Alabama.  It was the first Canadian painting to ever be exhibited there.  This brought it some publicity, but Louise had to turn down buyers as her mother had fallen in love with it and wanted to buy it.  Louise inherited the painting, and it came back to Cumberland County.  Today it is owned by relatives of the Ross brothers.

 

You cannot help but wonder what James and John would think if they passed the train station today and saw their image so lovingly displayed there. 

​

Thanks to Louise Cloutier, Nellie Van De Wiel, Bert van Vulpen, Mary Hartling and Alex and Janet Jamieson for their information about the Ross Brothers

PUGWASH

 

70 Water Street: The Clarke House

 

The Clarke House is on lot 103 of the original Black plan of Pugwash. A deed, signed by John and Sarah Black, shows that the land was purchased on Jan. 19, 1847 for 30 pounds by Dr. Joseph Clarke, a physician. The lot was on Water Street starting at Victoria Street and running east 85 feet and south 85 feet.

 

Joseph built a house which he named Napoleon’s Cottage. It also served as his office and his dispensary. In 1854, he also bought lot 106 for 80 pounds. That was on the corner of Water and Durham Street. He sold that land in 1873 to William Henry Brown for $364.00, and it eventually became the war memorial.

 

Dr. Joseph Clarke was born in Kilkenny, Ireland. He emigrated as a young physician and dentist to Nova Scotia. This was unusual as many Irish immigrants were coming to the area, but few were educated. He married Olivia King (Mar. 30, 1827 – Feb. 28, 1910), daughter of Lavina Pineo and Oliver King in about 1850. In 1853, their first child, Cyrilla Clarke (1853 – 1938) was born. She was followed three years later by brother William (1856 – 1882). Child 3, Joseph Holmes Clarke (1860 – 1938) followed soon after being born in 1860. Their newly built house was on Water Street, and Joseph was a successful physician with three children. He practiced out of his house, and it served also as his dispensary.

 

In the 1861 census, he was in a household of 8 in Pugwash, 5 males and 3 females. That same year, Dr. Joseph had a schooner built in Wallace, The Janet. Unfortunately, it sank in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1862. In the 1864 Hutchinson’s Directory, Joseph is listed as a physician and dentist. In the 1871 census, the family of 5 are in Pugwash and living with them are Hiram and Clara Huston. Hiram was an engineer at a steam mill. Servant Maggie Satoris is with them as was a sailor, Joseph Akerly.

 

Daughter Cyrilla married Edgar Augustus Elliott in 1874 in Amherst. Dr. Joseph Clarke was obviously a man of some influence and service to the village. On August 27, 1857, he was appointed coroner for Cumberland County. He held other offices for the village. In 1858, he was an assessor. In 1858 - 60, he served as commissioner of streets. In 1870 and 1875, he was one of three school trustees. In 1871, he was an overseer of the poor. In 1872, he and Dr. Creed participated in the examination of Mr. Macaulay’s 103 students. In 1877, he had a meeting with the premier to change the route of the Northern Light which went to PEI through Pictou. He successfully pressed for it to be changed to going from Pugwash to Victoria instead.

 

The Christian Messenger reported that on Jan. 25, 1880, Dr. Clarke, just before retiring, went into his surgery to get some medicine and made a mistake, taking carbolic acid instead of the preparation he intended to take. Before he had drank the whole dose he discovered his mistake and told his wife that he was poisoned and had only a few minutes to live. Dr. Dakin, who lived just across the street, was at once called and used all possible remedies, but Clarke died in half an hour. The Miramichi Advance added that he had not been well for some time. Dr. Creed and Dr. Mackintosh also arrived but Dr. Clarke was speechless and could only wave his hand to indicate that there was nothing to be done. Reports of his death showed that the deceased had been in practice for a great number of years and had been particularly successful in the treatment of diphtheria. He practiced out of his house, but he also was said to travel into the countryside regardless of weather. He was buried in Palmerston Cemetery.

 

The appraisal of Joseph’s estate showed 3 pieces of real estate – 17 acres of land on Irishtown Road, 1 lot in Pugwash of 80 feet x 80 feet with a house and a barn, and a farm of 150 acres where Thomas Sarson was residing. The lot in Pugwash and the furniture was deeded to Augusta and Cyrilla including the portion owned by son Joseph Holmes. JH relinquished all right to his portion of that land and deeded it to his mother and sister. By the 1881 census, Olivia was a widow. She was living with her daughter Cyrilla Elliott, also a widow, sons William and Joseph Clarke and Cyrilla’s children Daisy and Pearl. In 1891, she was still in her house in Pugwash with Cyrilla, Daisy and Edmund as well as lodgers John Seaman and William Morgan.

 

Olivia was burned out twice. On July 25, 1898, a raging fire struck the Durham Street area. Winds fanned the flames and without a fire department, eighteen families were rendered homeless. Olivia’s house was completely lost along with 17 other properties, including the house and barn of her son, Joseph Holmes Clarke. In 1899, Olivia was rebuilding on the site of her former residence at 70 Water Street. In 1899, Joseph’s daughter Cyrilla married again to Clarence Edward Reed a sea captain in Pictou. Cyrilla’s son Edmund Pearl married Hattie M. Hay that same year in Truro. Her daughter Daisy Elliott married Stephen Percival Wilson also in 1899. Joseph’s brother William had died without having children. In the 1901 census, Olivia is living alone. On Sept. 10, 1901, the Clark house was again damaged by fire resulting from thieves blowing up the safe in Brown’s store which was adjacent. The house caught on fire several times, but was saved by the people. The town had no fire department. Finally, on Nov. 11, 1901, was a large fire that almost wiped out the town of Pugwash. Olivia’s damage was recorded as $1500 for loss of house and furniture. As the winter coal and vegetables had been laid in, the damage was even greater.

 

Olivia had to build again. By January of 1902, they had decided to also build a meat market on the property. This structure was right next door to the house she was also building, the house that is there now. Olivia died on Feb. 28, 1910, of softening of the brain and exhaustion. She is buried in Willow Grove Cemetery. She was C of E. This is interesting because son, Joseph Holmes Clarke and family were RC.

 

In 1911, according to the census, Cyrilla and Edward Reed were living alone in the house.

 

Cyrilla’s brother, Joseph Holmes Clarke (April 8, 1860 – Jan. 13, 1938) was initially employed as a bookkeeper and auctioneer. In 1879, Joseph was a surveyor of lumber. He married Agustia (Gussie) Adilea Walsh (Mar. 17, 1866 -   ) on July 16, 1886 in Pugwash. In 1898, when he was a general merchant, they lived in Pugwash. Their house was burned in 1898, with the loss being assessed at $800 and insurance at $300. In 1901 they were in Pugwash with children Adilea, Joseph and Alexander. They were Roman Catholic. He was a general merchant and also a surveyor of lumber. In 1915, a poem of his was published in Moncton called “Home is home where ere it be”. In 1920 he was a fence viewer. This was a municipal post. He became very active in municipal government, receiving appointment as stripendiary magistrate at Pugwash, acting periodically as returning officer for municipal elections and even running as an unsuccessful Liberal candidate for a seat on County Council in 1922. In 1927, he was a Customs Collector. He also worked for a time as a conductor for the railway out west and as the station agent and telegrapher in Pugwash Junction.

 

In 1911, Joseph, Gussie and the children are all in Pugwash. In 1916, Joseph Holmes is living in a hotel in Cochrane, Ontario working for the railway according to his son’s attestation papers. In 1921 Joseph and Gussie are in Pugwash with son Joseph V. In 1931, they are in Pugwash with Daisy Wilson who is listed as their boarder. She was Joseph’s niece. Joseph was a judge by then. Joseph Holmes and Gussie’s eldest daughter, Adilea Mary Clarke (May 6, 1888 - ) became a teacher. When she retired, she moved into the Clarke house. After Adelia died, the house was empty for some time.

 

JH’s second child, Joseph Valentine Clarke (Feb. 14, 1890 [1901 Census] - ) joined up for WWI in March 1916 from Winnipeg where he was a switchman. He was hit by a bullet on Vimy Ridge, and his right arm was amputated. After his return to Canada, he married Jean Elizabeth Thompson on Sept. 14, 1921. She died, and he married Christina Williams in May of 1928. Chrissy renovated the family house and she and Joseph moved in.

 

He was an insurance agent for 40 years and sold his business in 1969. Jophie and Chrissie’s second child was Joseph. Another child was Marion Clarke who won a beauty contest and from that was offered a contract by the CBC in 1953 to work in television. She gave up her career as host of The Saturday Show in 1957 to marry Darroch MacGillivray. Their third child, Alexander Bernard Clarke (Jan. 31, 1892 – June 13, 1953) also enlisted in 1914. At Ypres, he was wounded and taken prisoner. His leg was amputated. He was returned to Canada in 1917. He married Marie Clarisse Cantin in Calgary and moved to BC. Joseph and Chrissy’s fourth child was James David Clarke. They had grandson Darren Clarke who wrote an article about spending his summers in Pugwash in the Clarke house. According to him, Joseph V. smoked and loved pipes and had a room in his house dedicated to pipes. When Joseph and Chrissie became older, they moved to a smaller house down Water Street. 

​

Darren Clarke was a grandson of Joseph and Gussy and son of James David Clarke..  He wrote excerpts from reminiscences for “The Left Field Lark” June 18, 2018 Travel section.

 

Sitting on my grandparents’ sun porch in a rain storm – Pugwash is a tiny little town of 784 that sits on the Northumberland Strait at the mouth of the Pugwash River. My grandparents’ house sat on the corner of the town’s main streets, Water Street and Victoria Street. The sunporch overlooked Water Street and wrapped around half of the length of the house that ran parallel to Victoria. The windows were weathered, vaguely distorting the outside world. If you were sitting in the front of the house, you could look across Water Street and see Pugwash bay, its clay-coloured beach just steps away.

 

Memories of visiting my Grandfather - . . . lounging in lawn chairs beneath the tree in my grandparents’ back yard listening to my grandfather regale me, indeed educate me, with war stories and tales of his time as a magistrate – good decisions, bad decisions, funny decisions, in his endeavour to provide justice, the people he met, the ones that surprised him, the ones he respected, the ones that let him down and beyond that his stories of long lost World War I battlefields, former boxing champions (Tommy Burns) and so much more.

 

My grandfather’s pipes – My dad’s dad had tons of smoking pipes varying from simple corn cob pipes to straightforward wood pipes with plastic ends to crazy cool wood ones, some with improbably intricate metal ends. We loved them. He had an entire room dedicated to his pipes.

 

On the porch -The guns I remember really, rifles which appeared to be circa World War One. There was tons of random stuff there: almanacs, nicnacks, magazines, pins, old metal lighters that didn’t work.

 

The village – memories of collecting bottle caps out front of the same corner store in Pugwash where you bought the little packages of seaweed to eat.

 

70 Water Street was bought by John Caraberis and Bonnie Wood in 1996. They rented it to Dale O’Hara and Erin Horton who turned it into a restaurant known as Walden Pond, named after the book which Dale had been reading. It was a successful business. The current kitchen was the kitchen of the restaurant; there were two rooms which are now the dining room and living room and an outdoor deck on the Victoria Street side. Reception was from Water Street and Dale and Erin lived upstairs. It was next sold to Peter Sietel who used it as a storehouse for antiques.

 

In 2025, it was again bought by John Caraberis and Bonnie Wood. They renovated: municipal water was connected, the foundation was fixed, there was some new wiring and plastering, new heat pumps and a new roof were installed, the sun porch was repaired and a new entrance from Victoria Street was built. , and it is currently being occupied by a family who are new to the area.

 

E

bottom of page