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History of Coal Mining and Other Related Industries in the Minto and Chipman Areas 1783-1978 by Douglas H Higgins
Douglas H Higgins was born in 1905
Private Printing 1979. Hard Cover with Maroon cloth. Title is in gilt print on front cover and on spine.
Book 5080 $110.00 plus $13.00 handling and shipping within North America.
Very good condition - for this thirty year old book that was privately published in 1979 no markings - almost as new.
Hard to find book
In addition to Coal mining and the names of companies that operated in the area, there is much written on local families, railways, and ownerships of land. The contents is not written as a history but rather a compilation of notes made by the author on various aspects pertaining to coal mining in the area. Much of the data comes form discussions with elders of the area. Some photos. 240 pages.
For example: John Yeamans served as a member of the Legislative Assembly for thirty-one years starting in 1785. Eight children accompanied him to New Brunswick in 1783 after the Revolutionary War.
The O’Learys and the Coakleys mined coal along a small stream which ran through their properties as early as 1870.
In 1834 and 1835 licenses to raise coal were issued to Andrew Fleming, David Sypher, Patrick McHugh, Michael Dilton (or should it be Dillon), T. Samuel Beauchant and William Robinson with Moses Perley and Peter Yeomans each receiving fifty year leases to raise coal.
Very good condition - for this thirty year old book that was privately published in 1979 no markings - almost as new.
Hard to find book
Book 5080 $110.00 plus $13.00 handling and shipping within North America.
Payment is accepted by credit card online through PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/ (My account rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca) or cheque, or Canadian or International money order.
More information on "History of Coal Mining and Other Industries in the Minto & Chipman Areas 1783-1978"
Coal mining a prosperous industry in Chipman and MintoGram was down with the grippe. While taking to her bed suffering from chills for about two weeks, Gramp seemed to be continuously carrying in scuttles of coal for the feeder stove in the front hall, to heat the upstairs bedroom.
On Saturday morning, Cliff and I went to visit Gram, as Aunt Ethel was staying with her while Gramp and Aunt Sadie went to town.
To be helpful, we carried in the heavy scuttle filled with lumps of coal.
This got me thinking as to why certain kinds of rocks would burn. I wondered where they came from so I asked Aunt Ethel. The school marm in her surfaced quickly as she explained about fossil fuels. She went on to tell us the coal they were using probably came from either Chipman or Minto.
If only Douglas H. Higgins had been at Gram's, I would have heard not only about the coal mining, the leases, the first coal mines, the companies who set up the businesses of coal mining and other industries in the Minto and Chipman area but lots of details on the families who were responsible for running and working the mines.
If he had walked us along the many roads, giving a brief biography of the residents, he probably would have told us:
* John Yeamans served as a member of the Legislative Assembly for 31 years, starting in 1785. Eight children accompanied him to New Brunswick in 1783 after the Revolutionary War.
* Charles Miller Sr. was born in Ireland in 1807 and married Eliza McClure.
* The O'Learys and the Coakleys mined coal along a small stream which ran through their properties as early as 1870.
* Eric Welton was bitten by a mad dog and died of hydrophobia. His wife, the former Elizabeth Tapley, then married Louis Sleep.
* Alexander McMichael Thurrott was born in Kent County and taught school at Salmon Creek, where he met his future wife Mary Jane Porter. He later opened a store. About 1900, he acquired a wood boat that he used to transport coal and lumber to Saint John. On the return trip, he brought back groceries to stock the shelves in the store.
* Harvey Whelton was one of the first full-time mine operators in the Minto District.
* In 1825, 66 chaldrons of coal were raised at Grand Lake. This increased to 3,537 in 1835.
* In 1834 and 1835, licences to raise coal were issued to Andrew Fleming, David Sypher, Patrick McHugh, Michael Dilton, T. Samuel Beauchant and William Robinson with Moses Perley and Peter Yeomans each receiving 50-year leases to raise coal.
* Thomas Cox, W. Robertson, John McAllister and 326 other freeholders and inhabitants of Grand Lake in Queens County as well as other parts of the county petitioned the government in 1853. They had opened about 100 mines or pits near the surface of the soil and worked them as their own for about 65 years without any disturbance from the Crown until the fall of 1848 when claims were set up and attempted to be enforced by certain supposed Licenses of the Crown. The petition goes on to explain the petitioners had been deprived of taking coal from the surface of their own soil to answer their needy wants and the licencees harass and restrain the petitioners, regulate the price and have sole monopoly in their own hands.
Some might refer to Douglas H. Higgins as a scuttlebutt, since he gained much of his information by listening to the older people of the community and his fellow workmen. Fortunately for the genealogical researcher, he penned their knowledge, his own memories as well as his years of research, into his book, "History of Coal Mining and Other Industries in the Minto & Chipman Areas 1783-1978", which was published in 1979.