South Shore Nova Scotia Genealogy
110 Parade St Yarmouth, NS, Canada

While World War II was the backdrop for many valiant acts, one perhaps little known to Nova Scotians is that of the Goreham brothers of Woods Harbour. In November of 1941 the newspaper Shelburne Coast Guard noted that the town had a population of only 914 and of those, 74 men were serving tbeir country and more were awaiting their acceptance into the military. In fact, virtually every eligible man from the town signed up, including nine groups of brothers. The largest of thos...e groups was the Goreham boys, Osborne, Harold, Sylvester, Vincent, Wordlow, Leslie, and Ernest, all sons of Everett Clement and Winnifred (Nickerson) Goreham. An eighth son, Everett Jr., tried to join the Royal Canadian Navy shortly after the article was published, but on learning about Everett's brothers, the recruiter sent him home, telling him to help his father. Leslie was killed in action in 1943 when HMCS St Croix sank, but the others were lucky enough to return to their home town after so ably representing their country in all branches of the military. Ernest was in the air force, Harold and Osborne in the army, and the others in the navy. See more

Why was Michael Fancy (b. 23 Jan 1797 in Lunenburg, Lunenburg Co, NS, d. 16 Dec 1874 in Marie Joseph, Guysborough Co, NS) known as "Schoolhouse Fancy"? Michael moved from Lunenburg to Bridgewater, where he built a schooner near the location of the old highway bridge. In 1855 he moved again, this time to Lawrencetown, Halifax Co, NS, and it was there that he acquired his nickname because his house was near the schoolhouse. He later moved again, this time to Moser's River, NS. Sometime around 1854 to 1855 he moved to Marie Joseph, NS, where he remained until his death.

JM Goodell asks for some assistance connecting with Nova Scotia roots, writing: "My great grandfather was born in Nova Scotia, his name was Henry G Porter, he was born around 1869, on a series of census records it says he spoke "scotch" and that he was a fisherman. He married Margaret Bright and together they had several children including Thomas Henry (born in 1896 in Watertown, Massachusetts)." ..... shouldn't be too hard ... have at it, friends and relations!

Are you familiar with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean movies? How about its lead character, Captain Jack Sparrow? Well, you may have an ancestor by that name! Jerusha Knowles, born 1730 in Harwich, MA but moved with her husband John Nickerson (1730-1794) to Barrington, NS. Jerusha's mother was Sarah Sparrow (1708-1784), who lived in Eastham, MA and married Enos Knowles. Sarah's father was Richard Sparrow (1675-1707), who married Mercy Cobb and lived in Eastham, MA. Richard...'s father was Captain Jonathon Sparrow (1633-1707). Jonathon lived in Eastham and in 1675 became a Lieutenant in the 2nd Company of the Plymouth Regiment. He mustered to fight in King Philip's War and organized for the Narraganset campaign. He held numerous public offices including scoolmaster and acted as attorney for townsmen. He was a deputy at 19 sessions of the Colonial Court and commanded a troop of horse. He left a will and a lot of land. In 1876 his descendants erected a stone with an inscription in his memory in the old yard at Eastham. Although Jonathon never held the title of pirate, since Jack is a common nickname for John, I say those of us who descend from him can lay claim (albeit tongue in cheek) to ancestor Captain Jack Sparrow.

Between 1750 and 1752, about 2700 "Foreign Protestants" emigrated from Germany to Niva Scotia. They came mostly from the Palatinate, Wurttemberg, Baden, Hesse-Darmstadt, Switzerland, and Montbeliard. Montbeluard was a small principality near the French border with Switzerland. Amongst this group of emigrants was John Jacob Selig (born 1716 in the Palatinate, died 1783 in Lunenburg, NS). His name was variously spelled Johann Jacob Seelig, Jacob Selig, Johan Jacob Selig, and J...ohann Jacib Selig. Selig's grear-great-great-great grandson was Roger Almond Cunningham (1926-2015), my father. He often wondered about the Selig surname , positing that since so many persons of that name today are Jewish, that despite coming over to Nova Scotia as a protestant, John Jacob, and therefore his descendants, probably came from a Jewish bloodline. In 2014 the mystery was solved. Using the services of FTDNA, we tested Roger's DNA. To his delight, his theory was apparently correct. His DNA showed him to be 8% Sephalic Jew. This suggests that John Jacob (or his wife Elizabeth Margaret) were indeed Jewish, not Protestant.

We tend to think of our ancestors as living in one place for their entire lives, but often it is untrue. Traffic between NS and Massachusetts was partcularly common, and many an American chose Canada over their native home. One such person was Eliphas * Elisha* Nickerson, born 1706 in Chatham, Massachusetts, died 1786 in Argyle, NS. He lived in Harwich, Massachusetts, but moved back to Chatham, Massachusetts before 20 January 1758, and it is there where his sons Elisha and D...aniel were born. By 1764, maybe around 1761, he had moved to Liverpool, Nova Scotia as an original proprietor. In 1769 Elisha moved to Argyle, Nova Scotia, which was then known as Abutuck. Simeon Perkins wrote to him asking to buy his 12 acres in Liverpool. On the 28th of August 1786 Elisha died and his children deeded to their brother Hugh all their father's real estate in Argyle. Had Elisha earlier in life moved back to Massachusetts with his sons, he would have inherited land from his father; but he chose to remain in Nova Scotia, so the land went to his sisters Mary and Elizabeth.

Christiana Jane Wylie (1781/4 - 1866) was said to have been the daughter of a wealthy man in the tin business. She lived and taught in Forbes Point until her husband, Archibald Wilson (1781 - 1836), died. With some children still not grown, she placed them with different families and apparently went to Edinburgh, Scotland (not far from her home town of Leith) and graduated as a midwife. She returned to NS, collected her children, and began serving as the doctor in Woods Harbour and the surrounding area, often travelling on horseback. She later moved to Cape Sable Island to teach school at NE Point, then Stoney Island, then Newellton, then Barrington Passage. She was the first woman to teach in the area ... and a wonderful example of the fortitude, talent, and independent nature of the women from whom we descend.

Way back in 1794, John Nickerson III (1772-1820) married in Barrington (Shelburne Co) a woman often referred to today as Dorothy James Burke. But was that her real name? One story, in part promulgated by Dorothy’s great grandson Converse Nickerson in History of Cape Sable Island, holds that she was an orphan forced to enter domestic service, thereby arriving in Shelburne in the time of the Loyalists as servant to a young couple. The couple is supposed to have mistreated her..., often fastening her to a large log in the yard with a ball and chain. One day while they were away she persuaded a blacksmith to remove the chain, and she headed towards Barrington. She got as far as Lyon’s Beach (opposite John’s Island), where she met John Nickerson, whom she quickly married. They lived in Woods Harbour for a time, then moved to Newellton, probably after 1815. Another story holds that her father was Colonel James, and that she and her father where United Empire Loyalists. Yet another suggests she was a Burke who just happened to arrive in Lunenburg about the same time as the Loyalists, and was hired as a maid for Colonel James, thus not being his daughter at all. In fact, one story describes her as a Protestant from northern Ireland who became a Baptist after settling in Nova Scotia. Some sources give Dorothy’s parents as Thomas Burke and Nora James. Dorothy’s real identity and real name may never be known; but I put it out there as a challenge to everyone. Can you find proof of who she is?

Captain Thomas Benjamin Selig was born in 1859 in Vogler's Cove, Lunenburg Co. He grew up, married Martha Elizabeth Fancy in 1886, and took up residence in Port Medway, Queen's Co. He made his living at sea for a good part of his life, but as you can see from the news clipping included here, led a rather salty life on the land, too. Enjoy ...

Made this page a long time ago ... thought people might use it as a forum to compare research ... doesn't seem to have caught on. So ..... I am adding to its purpose, and will now post (whenever I remember to do it) interesting stories about South Shore families that I've come across while doing research. Please feel free to post your own stories, but NOT personal stories about people who are living !!!

Looking for a link between the Cunninghams of Milton and the Cunninghams of Cape Sable Island. Anyone???

Cunninghams of SW Nova Scotia

Looking for anyone who might remember Ronald Raymond Selig from Port Medway. Does anyone recall him ever saying he was originally named Charles R. Selig??? Trying to solve a census mystery !