Atlantic Roots

Letter to Amelia from her Parents, May 14, 1889

This is a letter I have in my possession that was written May 14, 1889 from Samuel and Martha Tupper to their daughter Cynthia Amelia (Tupper) Tait. I found this among other letters written to Bertha Evelyn (Tupper) Conroy, Samuel's granddaughter. At the time the letter was written, Samuel and Martha were living with their son Robert, his wife Elizabeth Tupper, and their daughter Bertha. Amelia was living in Dartmouth. I don't know why it was back in Bertha's possession.

I'm not sure who Aunt Betsy is. Samuel had an aunt Elizabeth on his father's side, but she would have been really old (almost 100), so it probably wasn't her. Maybe Martha had an Elizabeth in the family. The Jane he refers to is Jane Bentley, Lizzie's older sister. Jane was living with Robert and Lizzie in 1901, and may have been as early as this letter (or she might have just been visiting, as both of her parents were still alive in 1889). Samuel apparently didn't think much of her.

I will scan the letter soon and put it up here, but in the meantime, here's the transcription I made for myself (I copied it as is, line breaks and spelling intact, but there could always be mistakes):

Middle Stewiacke May 14 /89

Dear Amelia
  We got your letter
all right were [sic] glad to hear from
you that you are all well and
that Mr Tait has got home all safe
  We are quite well Mother had one
of them turns Sabath [sic] day quite light
I noticed her when I came from
Church after dinner I got her to go
to bed, she was better Monday morning
and smarter by dinner time than she
has been this good while – we have
reason for to be thankfull [sic] that we
are so well. I was going to plant
potatoes to day but its raining I going
to have a larger garden this year and
that is all the farming I will do
We are very glad that you are coming
up so soon tell Tait to not forget to come
I want to see him very much
Sarah was here about a month ago
and little Martha I went after
her and took her home again it
was awfull [sic] roads. I will go to Brookfield
for you if possible but if it is dry I
fear Robert may want the horse he has
no one to help him and he has all the
manure to haul to near the river I dont
pretend to do much he works my place
on the Share’s he is very kind to us and
Lizie is very kind I think more of her ever day
I am afraid Robert will work to [sic] hard I wish
old Jane was out of this she is no help
I think Mother is just about as well as
she was when you was here last
Sarah cleaned the lower part of the house
and white washed the ceiling and Lizie and
her papered the kitchen & Lizie and Jane
cleaned up stairs so we are all cleaned up
but the porch and I mean to go at that some
of those days. I was to see Harriet and Aleck
they are very poorley [sic] she is the poorest &
oldest looking woman I ever seen she
cant stand on her feet nor him either
I dont think either of them will stand it
very long it was hard work for me to go but
I am very glad I went. John was here when
we got your letter he looks like another man
Christie is not very well Mother & I were
to see aunt Betsy a while ago she is not very
well. I am counting the days till you come
yours truly  Father & Mother

tell Tait to say what day he will come and if I cant go for you perhaps I can go for him

Letter to Amelia from her Father, April 16, 1891

This is a letter I have in my possession that was written April 16, 1891 from Samuel Tupper to his daughter Cynthia Amelia (Tupper) Tait. I found this among other letters written to Bertha Evelyn (Tupper) Conroy, Samuel's granddaughter. At the time the letter was written, Samuel and Martha were living with their son Robert, his wife Elizabeth Tupper, and their daughter Bertha. Amelia was living in Dartmouth. Perhaps the letter was not sent?

Aside from the long description of his health issues, this letter shows that Samuel seems quite proud of his family, doesn't it?

I will scan the letter soon and put it up here, but in the meantime, here's the transcription I made for myself (I copied it as is, line breaks and spelling intact, but there could always be mistakes):

April 16 /91

Middle Stewiacke
Dear Amelia
  it is some time
since I wrote to you I been
wanting to write for some
time but never got it done
We have been unwell this
some time but thanks be to
the giver of all good we have
got quite as well as ordinary
again, three weeks ago I took
an unusual soreness in my
breast for 2 or 3 days then it worked
down into my bowels and I was
pretty bad I had two very bad
nights I could not lay still and
it hurt me dreadfull [sic] to turn so
I had a pretty hard time
then my bowels got easier but
I could not sit up on end for
2 or 3 days it was just like running
a stake up through me but it
all got better then one mourning [sic]
when I awoke my face felt stiff
and my nose was sore just felt as
if it was smashed right into my
face my face and nose were swelled
and was red as blood and I
felt pretty bad. It was [unintelligible]
but has got quite well now.
I think it was La grippe first and
then [unintelligible] and all round
I had a pretty hard time
but I never felt sick I ate three
meals every day I was not
out of bed only to get it made
for a week or more and
Mother was not well either
only for Robert I dont know
what would have come of us
he is the best nurse ever I seen.
he knows every thing you want
and just knows how to fix it
they are both as kind as can be
I feel as if I could not be thank
full enough we are so comfortable
I had a paper from Tait this week
he said he was coming home that
I suppose he is home now I
hope he is and that you are all
well he said he would soon see
me I hope he will we would
all be very glad to see him.
how is little Milly Hannah told
us she was not well I was
down to Brocks 3 or 4 weeks ago
Hannah is very proud of her
house and her girls. I had a letter
from Maggie this week
Flora was home when I
was there I seen the great
grandson never was such a
Baby before. He is a fine boy
they were just about starting for
the station when I got there to
go home
  Mother is hearty to her
victuals and sleeps well but
she is loosing her mind every
day she asks me every day where
Sammy is tells me what Sammy
said had a great spell with her
Brocke was here after he went
away she wanted to know who he
was I told her he was her son and Rob
[unintelligible] too what is the good of telling me
such stuff as that she never suckled
that man I am afraid she will go
wild altogether. write soon you dont
know how glad we are to hear from you
  Father

Letter to Amelia from her Father, May 17, 1891

This is another letter I have in my possession that was written May 17, 1891 from Samuel Tupper to his daughter Cynthia Amelia (Tupper) Tait. I found this among other letters written to Bertha Evelyn (Tupper) Conroy, Samuel's granddaughter. At the time the letter was written, Samuel and Martha were living with their son Robert, his wife Elizabeth Tupper, and their daughter Bertha. Amelia was living in Dartmouth. I'm not sure why Bertha had the letter and not Amelia's children; perhaps the letter was never sent?

At this point, Martha was quite far into her dementia, and poor Samuel sounds so sad and lonely. He died only four months after this letter was written.

I will scan the letter soon and put it up here, but in the meantime, here's the transcription I made for myself (I copied it as is, line breaks and spelling intact, but there could always be mistakes):

Middle Stewiacke May 17 /91

Dear Amelia
  We have been look-
ing for you or Tait up here this
good while We are as well as
usual hope you are all well
Hannah told us that little Milly
was not well when she was
down and we have not heard
from her since I feel uneasy
about her - we have a very
cold day to day and a freshet
besides We have had two freshets
in six days we have not sowed
any yet got the most of our
manure down to the intrevale [sic]
one day more last week and they would
had enough for potatoes down.
no telling when we will get
any more down Robert is pretty
well this spring. I suppose it is
some time since Tait got home
the last paper I got from him
he wrote on it he was going to
start home that day
I miss his papers I get one from
Sarah every week. I had a letter
from her last week they had got
into there new house and all
finished they have $14 per month
to pay for 2 years after that $10
for I don’t know how long she
says they have paid 28 every month
for rent since they went there
and this will be like puting [sic]
$14 in the bank every month
but I guess they will not do that
Horace pays $2.50 per week for
board
I had 2 letters from Sarah they two
last week I was looking for one
for some time and I thought I
would spur her up a little and
I wrote to that effect took it
to the office and got one there
from her 2 or 3 times her letters
and mine have passed each
other on the road it takes 9
days after it is written to get here
we are nearly out of hay and
there is not much grass yet here
our Cattle are all smart and thin
Horses are fat but I am afraid they
will come down before they get
done – if you get one of the Halifax
Heralds I would be glad if you
would send it to me Roberts family
are all well Bertha goes to school now
I would be very glad if you
could come up Mother is
loosing her mind every day I
cant hardly made her understand
any thing about any body now
only them that we speak about
every day, she could not tell
me any thing now about the
names of your family now
she don’t know any body that
comes in now and yet she is
quite smart and as hearty to her
victuals as every she was
sometimes she seems quite well
and sometimes [unintelligible] is taking
every thing she has said to me
this mourning [sic] she expected they would
take the feathers out of her bed next
   Father

try and come up as soon as
you can conveniently
send a letter
if you come
and I will meet
you at Brookfield
I feel very
lonesome some
times

McAlpine's Maritime Provinces Directory for 1870-71

Living far from my roots, I have become the queen of armchair genealogy. I was very happy to find a copy of McAlpine's 1870-71 online, with each original page scanned so we can see them. The project was a group effort that resulted in the Our Roots: Canada's Local Histories Online website. The site is slow, but it has entire books online that you might be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

Man in Ohio

I'm afraid I don't know who this man is either. The picture was found in Ruth Elizabeth (Bentley) Tupper's album, so he must have had some sort of connection to her and Nova Scotia. The only Tupper I know to head to the midwestern US was Samuel Tupper, Lizzie's brother-in-law, but Samuel only lived to his mid-fifties.

The photographer's information is as follows: "Geo. R. Elliott & Co., S.W. Corner High and Town Sts., Columbus, OH."

Rev. J. Noble

I'm afraid I don't know anything about this man, other than he is labelled by some unknown person: Rev. J. Noble. This picture was part of Ruth Elizabeth (Bentley) Tupper's album, so he would have had a connection to Halifax or to Colchester County, Nova Scotia. Or he could have been known to the Tuppers while they lived on McNab's Island I suppose.

This picture is blank on the back, and there is no photographer's information.

William Daniel and Bertha Evelyn (Tupper) Conroy

Bertha Evelyn Tupper was born on 19 Feb 1882 in Middle Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia, Canada. Unlike both of her parents, Bertha could hear, and she and her brother Erlon must have done a lot of translating as they grew up. She grew up in Middle Stewiacke, and was attending school there by 17 May 1891. She was still living there at the time of her marriage. In later years, Bertha wrote that William Conroy "boarded at the house which he afterwards owned...where he met Bertha Tupper, and was married to her the following year."

 

Bertha Evelyn Tupper and William Daniel Conroy were married on 28 Apr 1899 in Truro, Hants County,Nova Scotia. An announcement was printed the next day in the Truro Daily News: “MARRIED - CONROY - TUPPER - At Truro, on April 28th by Pastor H. F. Adams William Conroy, to Bertha Tupper both of Middle Stewiacke.” They lived with Bertha’s parents for a little while until they could afford a house of their own. The two went on to have thirteen children of their own, plus they adopted Joseph Lyons, who was a relative of William’s. In later years, Bertha writes, "The Conroys had 13 children. Three of them died when quite young…Andrew, May, and Vivian." Bertha went on to list their other ten children: Winnifred, Pearl, Frank, Ella, Evelyn, John, Alyce, Dorothy, Gerald, and Donald. I think she listed them in birth order (other than the three that died young).

 

Throughout her adult life, Bertha was very active in her community. She was a member of the United Church Women and a life member of the Womans Institute of Nova Scotia. She was also very active in her church and was a member of the choir. She is remembered as being very kind and very smart; she was sharp as a tack until the end. I also remember her as being very deaf, but I was pretty young when she died. I also think she must have been very sentimental; it is thanks to Bertha that I have so many family photos and letters (thank you great-grandma).

 

Bertha spent her last few years at the Birches Rest Home in Musquodoboit Harbour, Halifax County, where she died on 21 Dec 1980. The funeral was held two days later, but she wasn’t buried for a while. According to her obituary, Bertha had a "spring burial." Instead, Bertha went to the Mattatall Funeral Home in Truro. She was buried Spring of 1981 in the new Middle Stewiacke Cemetery.

 

 

William Daniel Conroy (son of Michael Conroy and Bridget Lyons) was born on 20 Jun 1876 in Lower Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia (see picture). He was Canadian, but his maternal grandparents were born in Ireland. William’s mother died when he was only six months old. Leaving William with Bridget’s parents, William’s father went to the States and remarried, settling in Rumford Falls, Maine, although in his later years he did come back for visits quite often. William eventually had four step-siblings by his father: Michael, Thomas, Eva, and Alice.

 

As a young man, William worked at a pottery operated by a man named Joyce in Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. He then headed to the United States to look for work, spending a few years around Boston. By about 1897 he was an employee at a rubber factory down there. But by 1898 he was back in Colchester County, living in Middle Stewiacke. He found a job at a saw mill in Middle Stewiacke, Colchester County. In later years, his wife wrote that William "worked for Joe Taylor of Wittenberg who operated a portable saw mill. Taylor brought his mill to Middle Stewiacke to saw logs that the farmers had joined in piling together in one place, which was beside the road in front of where Alden Kennedy now lives." Although he had a brief stint at farming around 1901, soon William began what was to be a 32-year career in the lumber industry, working for the Canadian Lumber Co. in Stewiacke. He was what was called a “scaler.” His grandson explained that William's job at the lumber mill was estimating how much logs were worth so that the farmers could be paid. It was a difficult job, because you had to be able to see how many boards could be made from a particular log and sometimes people would try to cheat. William got quite good at it, and could look at logs very quickly and give a fair price.

 

According to my Dad, William had red hair. He wasn't tall, but he was powerfully built with broad shoulders. Since both of my father's grandfathers had jobs in Boston, when the two men met, they liked to reminisce about the places they knew there. William bought a car once (before a person needed a driver's licence) and kept it parked in the barn. One time when he went out to drive the car, he got confused and drove right through the back wall of the barn. He never drove again (after that he stuck with his horse, Billy).

 

He died in Feb 1963 or Mar 1963. My father remembers that his grandfather Conroy died in late winter. He was buried in the new Middle Stewiacke Cemetery. 

 

Bertha Evelyn Tupper and William Daniel Conroy had the following children:

 

1. Joseph Lyons (born on 10 Sep 1892).
2. Winnifred Conroy (born on 14 Sep 1899).
3. Andrew Bentley Conroy (born on 30 Dec 1900).
4. Pearle Conroy (born about 1902).
5. Ruth May Conroy (born in 1904).
6. Frank Conroy (born about 1906).
7. Ella Conroy (born on 16 Feb 1908).
8. Evelyn Lillian Conroy (born in 1909/10).
9. John L. Conroy (born about 1912).
10. Alyce Greta Conroy (born on 2 Apr 1914).
11. Vivian Bertha Conroy (born in 1916).
12. Living Conroy
13. Robert Fitzgerald "Gerald" Conroy (born on 14 Apr 1921).
14. Living Conroy

Old Middle Stewiacke Cemetery

The Old Middle Stewiacke Cemetery is located directly in Middle Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia. It is right off of highway 289 and you can see it from the road. The area is quite pretty. It isn't a very large cemetery; you can see most of it in this picture:

I searched the whole cemetery for Tuppers and their relations and only came up with these stones (all three of which are visible just behind the tree in the above picture):

Tupper Monument

Robert G. Tupper and Ruth Elizabeth Bentley

The Conroy Children

Conroy Children Grave Stone

William and Bertha (Tupper) Conroy lived to see the deaths of four of their children (Bertha ultimately saw the death of seven - can you imagine?), and they erected stones to remember each of them. This one, to the three children lost in childhood, is in the Old Middle Stewiacke Cemetery. In case you can't make it out, here is a transcription:

CONROY
1900 ANDREW BENTLEY 1915
1904 RUTH MAY 1906
1916 VIVIAN BERTHA 1918
CHILDREN OF BERTHA AND WILLIAM CONROY

Family lore says that something was "different" about Andrew. He lived for a while with his grandparents and the story goes that he wasted away in an institution. So sad.

Robert and Lizzie Tupper Grave Stone

Next to the Tupper Monument in Old Middle Stewiacke Cemetery, is a small, flat stone dedicated to Robert G. Tupper and Ruth Elizabeth Bentley. Because it is flat, it is quite worn and difficult to read. I took some close-up pictures, but see for yourself if they help at all.

It was really only by very close examination that I was able to come up with this transcript:

TUPPER
1837 ROBERT G TUPPER1908
HIS WIFE
1850 RUTH ELIZABETH BENTLEY 1950

This marker is identical in style to a marker next to it that documents the lives of three Conory children (Bertha Evelyn Tupper Conroy was the daughter of Robert and Lizzie).