Last weekend, author Denise Rice and I shared a table at the Round Hill Community Hall annual sale. She was selling her many books on genealogy and I was selling my book A Wholesome Horror: Poor Houses in Nova Scotia. Denise is often at sales for anything regarding genealogy and had picked up several boxes from a local person whose parent, a genealogist, had died recently. When going through the boxes, she came across some things that would be of interest to me.
Denise handed me a rough photocopy of an undated article from the Weekly Monitor, a newspaper from Bridgetown Nova Scotia and a photocopy of a page of the Register of Inmates 1949. The list contained names of women who were in the Annapolis County Asylum and Poor Farm in 1949.
The names are Community Age Religion Civil State
Sabean, Martha Port Lorne 67 Baptist Single
Sabean, Catherine Port Lorne 82 Baptist Single
Minard, Bertha New Grafton 71 Anglican Single
Minard, Helen New Grafton 33 Anglican Single
Spurr, Maria Lequille 81 Anglican Single
Mosher, Beatrice Bridgetown 40 Baptist Single
Sabeans, Florence Bridgetown 34 Baptist Single
Clayton, Phyllis Parkers Cove 30 Baptist Single
Orde, Maud Clementsport 50 Anglican Married
Palfrey, Elsie Bridgetown 39 Baptist Single
Baker, Etta Margaretsville 76 Baptist Single
Sears, Addie Kempt 70 Baptist Married
Smith, Edith Inglisville 76 Baptist Single
Cress, Charlotte Bridgetown 77 Baptist Single
Banks, Annie Port George 43 Baptist Single
Caufield, Lavinia Lunenburg 67 Baptist Widowed
Forrester, Margaret Bear River 34 Baptist single
Jeremy, Rebecca Annapolis Co., 91 R.C.* single
Young, Bertha Granville 71 single
Whynott, Ellen Springfield 72 widowed
Orde, Caroline Lake LaRose 77 widowed
McCormick, Ruth Bear River 54 single
*R.C. = Roman Catholic
The religion of the last four women are not noted or else, through multiple photocopying, the Ditto sign has faded out.
The first two women, the Sabeans could possibly be sisters as there are 15 years between them and they are both listed as ‘single’.
The Minard women from New Grafton are possibly Mother and Daughter as there are 38 years between them but they are also both listed as single.
And then again, perhaps the elder women in these two groups of women were unmarried when they became mothers.
Rebecca Jeremy from Annapolis County could possibly be First Nations as Jeremy was often a First Nations surname.
The married women, Maude Orde and Addie Sears might have been separated from their husbands who were in the male quarters of the poor farm.
So much information and so little information at the same time. I’m grateful but frustrated. I want to know more!
Next post will be about the ‘new’ asylum and it’s size and dimensions as well as a Letter to the Editor protesting the cost of this new place. 
