SCRAPBOOK

SCRAPBOOK

I would like to share some of the articles that I have found in two old scrapbooks that have been unearthed and given to me for the Tancook Island Museum.


TANCOOK "SKIPPER" LEADS ACTIVE LIFE

Quits Sea But Keeps On Job

Above are shown five generations of well-known residents of Tancook Island. They are, from left to right: Standing: Mrs. David Baker, her daughter, Mrs. Ernest Young; Mrs. Young's daughter; Mrs. Francis Young; seated: Captain Alvin Cross, father of Mrs. David Baker; and little two-year-old Patricia, daughter of Mrs. Francis Young, making the fifth generation. This week Captain Cross celebrated his 82nd birthday.

Still hale and hearty after well over half a century of tilling the soil and fishing off the Nova Scotia coast Captain Alvin Cross, Tancook Island, this week celebrated his 82nd birthday. He is one of the oldest residents on the island.

Captain Cross is the first of five living generations. He has 27 grand-children, 16 great grand-children, and one great great grand-child.

For the past two or three years he has not gone to sea but still looks after his own farm and lives in his own home with his grand-daughter, Miss Bernice Mason, keeping house for him. Mrs. Cross passed away six months ago.

Last Fall this highly respected Tancook resident prepared for market over 100 half-barrels of sauerkraut and made arrangements himself for the sale of it. He does not wear glasses and keeps in touch daily with current events. He insists on looking after his own four head of cattle.

Six of his eight children are still living and Captain Cross is looking forward to spending some time this Summer with his daughter in Halifax, Mrs. George S. Young, 122 1/2 North Street.

Mrs. Amos Stevens
Nova Scotia's Greatest Grandmother, Now 96, Has 302 Living Descendants
Nova Scotia's greatest grandmother--who at the last count had 302 living descentants--celebrated her 96th birthday this week.

Five Generations

On Tuesday Mrs. Amos Stevens, formerly of Halifax, now residing at Boutilier's Point with one of her daughters, was 96 years old and representatives of five generations were present to felicitate her. The eldest of her 33 descendants who attended the birthday get-together was her 77-year-old son Wesley.

Mrs. Stevens, who is a native of Tancook Island, Lunenburg County, gave birth to 20 children. Nine of them are still living. The living descendants of Mrs. Stevens, as calculated by her family, include nine children, 78 grand children, 182 great grandchildren, and 22 great great grandchildren. Her husband Amos died in 1935.

Greatest Grandmother

A number of years ago Mrs. Stevens won two contests to acquire the title of Nova Scotia's greatest grandmother. The title went to the women who could claim the greatest number of living descendants. Mrs. Stevens won with 157. Since that time the number has almost doubled.

At 96 Mrs. Stevens retains the use of all her faculties. She knits and sews regularly and is still able to be active about the house.

Its been over 70 years since Mrs. Stevens lived in Halifax but she visits relatives here from time to time.

Among the proudest of the living descendants of Mrs. Stevens is her 11-year-old grandchild -- Elizabeth Smith of 195 Russell Street, Halifax. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Smith, Elizabeth is the youngest of 78 grandchildren.

The eldest of the great great grandchildren is 21 years old Miss Virginia Wilson of Halifax.

The nine children of Mrs. Stevens who are still living are: Emma, Mrs. William Wilson, Chester; Mrs. R. Heisler, Chester; Randolph Stevens, Second Peninsula, Lunenburg County; Ernest, Port Midway; Irene, Flossie, Mrs. Arden Stevens, Boutilier's Point; Mrs. George A. Smith of Halifax and Wesley of Tancook Island.

A Snow Storm In 1923

Are winters really milder than they were forty years ago? What do you think of this one? One Thursday morning on Feb. 8, 1923, Meno Hatt and Melvin Stevens, both residing on Big Tancook Island walked to Chester. It was a very fine day and warm as well.

Their jaunt was so successful that they concocted the idea of venturing farther afield. Up until this time, no one had ever walked from Big Tancook Island to Indian Point. Plans were made to make this place their future goal and port of call. Three days later, February 11 was the day marked for the journey. The weather constituted no problem for it was a perfect day for an outing. That morning, the sun shone brightly in the sky. After preparing a heavy stick, a piece of rope, and assuring themselves that the ice was strong enough, they began their ice excursion.

They made the trip safely to Indian Point. Mr. Hatt had dinner with Mrs. Albert Wentzell and Mr. Stevens dined with the Elim Langilles. Shortly after the noon hour, the sky became overcast so the two men lost no time in setting out for home. In the meantime, however, a long fissure in the ice had widened considerably. The men were thankful for the rope they had taken with them. It came in very useful for they tied it to each other before jumping across the opening in the ice.

It was a common occurrence for the men of Big Tancook Island to haul the mail on handsleighs home from Blandford. While we are on the subject of Big Tancook Island, do you readers know that the first church bell was rung there on Wednesday evening, July 25, 1928 by Harry Hill, a Baptist minister?