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Contents:

Report on the 2016 AGM

Kudos to Capt. Greg Gallant,Curator, The Prince Edward IslandRegiment Museum

Winner of the 2016 Falmouth Trophy

Meeting of the 2016-1017 Executive

Stanhope TimesPast & Present

Published by the Stanhope Historical Society

November, 2016 Vol. 23, No. 11B

The Annual Meeting (AGM) is an important occasion for its members. Itis convened for the purpose of the election of the Executive for thefollowing year, presentation of reports and financial statements, and thetransaction of other business. Following the business meeting, themembers and visitors in attendance were treated to an outstandingpresentation by Capt. Greg Gallant, Curator of The Prince Edward IslandRegiment Museum.

Stanhope Historical Society Preserving the Past for the Sake of the Future

Capt. Greg Gallant

Annual GeneralMeeting

The AGM and Program were heldOctober 24, 2016. The AGM wasconvened by Vice President, AllenStoolmiller. Following the readingand acceptance of reports, theproposed slate of officers for 2016-2017 was moved and adopted withoutdissent.

2016-2017 Executive

Office Officers

Past President Louis Watts

President Allen Stoolmiller

Vice President John Baird

Secretary Rosemary Vigeant

Treasurer Donna Thompson

Directors

Dorothy Johnston John MacDougall Lorna Thompson Charlotte Vriends

The incoming President thanked LouisWatts for his service and for theopportunity to have worked with himduring the past year. Allen said that hewas pleased with the composition ofthe new Executive and that he waslooking forward to meeting with thegroup in the very near future.

The Prince EdwardIsland Regiment

Museum

The Stanhope Historical Society wasextremely fortunate in having been ableto schedule the presentation by Capt.Greg Gallant, Curator of The PrinceEdward Island Regiment (PEIR)Museum, so near Remembrance Day.

Once the date of Capt. Gallant’spresentation was confirmed, an SHSmember wrote the following comment:

It will be an interesting meeting as I know that Capt.Greg Gallant is passionate about the museum. Ihave been there, and it is a treasure trove ofinformation made very personal by the manydonations of uniforms, medals and other items fromveterans and their families.


The Queen Charlotte Armoury is home to thePrince Edward Island Regiment Museum

The member quoted could not havebeen more accurate! Capt. Gallantprovided a fascinating illustrated talkabout the PEIR Museum.

The Museum opened in June, 1990. Currently, the more than 5,000 artifactsare viewed by over 4,000 visitors peryear. The PEIR Museum is locatedwithin the Queen Charlotte Armoury at3 Haviland Street, Charlottetown. It isthe only officially recognized CanadianForces museum on Prince EdwardIsland.

Capt. Gallant referenced a number ofhistoric actions that occurred in theStanhope area. For example, the NO#4Company Queens County Regiment in1876 and later the F or NO#6Company, 82nd Regiment Covehead in1895 mustered on the John MacMillanFarm.

The photo of D Company from theneighbouring community of York, wastaken on the Hardy farm.

Other photos bore well-known localnames such as Allan and Watts. Morethan 7,000 persons enlisted from PEI,which had a population of only 85,000 atthe time of the Great War.

Capt. Gallant related the gripping tale ofMajor Wyle Allen, MC, of the 4th

Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps. During the attack on Drocourt, QueantLine 2 in Septem- ber 1918, he exhibitedconspicuous gallantry and initiative. Two hours after his Commander waswounded. Major Allen took commandand kept his Company in action untilthey were relieved on the night of4th/5th.


Lloyd & Mary Gates with Capt. Gallant

SHS Secretary, Rosemary Vigeant, viewssome of the exhibits

Cpl. Reuben N.Watts [shownon right], bornin GrandTracadie, was amember ofthe13thBattalion BlackWatch. He wona medal atPasschendaele

and suffered wounds in action at Canaldu Nord. Cpl. Reuben Watts is interredin the York Cemetery.

Capt. Gallant not only delivered afascinating illustrated talk in which hereferenced both sites and individualsfrom this area, but he brought anddisplayed an impressive array ofbanners depicting Canada’sinvolvement in different aspects of theFirst World War, the uniform of a localcitizen and trays of military artifacts. Pictured below are a few vintageOfficer Badges and a Helmet Plate.

Capt. Gallant remained at StanhopePlace for conversation with grateful andappreciative SHS members during thesocial period which followed his formalpresentation.

Islanders of all ages would benefit froma visit to the PEIR Museum for onecannot help but be impressed by themilitary contributions of Island residentsaround the world through the years . Anappreciation of the hardships endured,including the sacrifice of time, physicaland mental fitness and life itself, givescause for thoughtful reflection.


Site of the Falmouth Trophy

The PEIR Museum is open year-round,Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pmand Thursday evenings 7 pm to 9 pm. Phone 902-368-0108

Capt Gallant’s email address is

[email protected]

Winner of theFalmouth Trophy

for 2016

On the Falmouth Trophy is an image ofthe stone cairn located at the Clubentrance. The cairn was erected in1970 to commenerate the 200th

Anniversary of the arrival of the ship,Falmouth, from Greenock, Scotland, onJune 8, 1770 and to acknowledge thefamilies who first settled Stanhope,Covehead and Brackley.

The story of the building anddedication of the cairn was the topic of

an article which appeared in the October2015 issue of the Stanhope Times[pages 3-7]. A hyperlink to that issue ofthe newsletter is given below:

http://communityofnorthshore.weebly.com/uploads/2/4/4/9/24496888/february_2016.pdf

The SHS had a Falmouth Trophydesigned in 1993, incorporating thecairn likeness, and presented it to theStanhope Golf and Country Club thatsame year.


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Presentation of the Falmouth Trophyto Craig Yeo by Allen Stoolmiller on

October 23rd

The Falmouth Trophy is presented

annually most improved golfer atStanhope Golf and Country Club by theSHS. Club members vie for thishonour each year, and Craig Yeo wasthat individual in 2016.

In a conversation with Craig’s father,we learned that Craig is a directdescendent of James Yeo (1789-1868),a man possessed of enormous physicaland mental energy and businessacumen. Craig’s genetic heritageprobably explains a comment overheard in the clubhouse before theawarding the trophy, “I don’t knowYeo well, but he can hit the ball acountry mile!”

In that this is an historical society, wedecided to take a look at the life of thefirst Yeo to have immigrated to theIsland.

Following some professionaldisappointments and the death of hisfirst wife in 1818, James Yeo remarriedin 1819 and immigrated to Port Hill,PEI. Yeo began working assuperintendent of local lumbering gangsand helped with the management of thestores in the lumbering, shipbuilding,and mercantile business established byThomas Burnard. In 1826, afterBurnard’s death, his Port Hill businesswas turned over to William Ellis, amaster shipbuilder, who had migrated toPEI from the same English district asthat of James Yeo.

By the 1830's James wieldedconsiderable influence in Prince Countyand he acquired the Port Hill businessfrom Ellis. In 1840 Yeo beganshipbuilding on a large scale and soonbecame the greatest of the Island’sshipbuilders. As such he played a vitalpart in the colony’s economicdevelopment in the middle years of thecentury, when new ships built for sale inBritain were by far the most importantPrince Edward Island export. He wasresponsible for the construction of atleast 155 ships, from the Marina (1833)to the Magdala (completed just threedays before his death in 1868).

Yeo’s unflagging energy and abilitiessaw him succeed in many businessinterests. He became a large-scale


exporter of agricultural products,including oats, potatoes, and livestock. In the 1830s and 1840s relatively littlemoney was in circulation in the colony;and it was said that in this period Yeowas the only man in Prince Countyfrom whom settlers could obtain cash. He built up a role as financier until bythe 1860s he was making large loans tothe government.

James Yeo could total figures quickly,and was able to make rapid assessmentsof the value of timber stands, crops,ships and their cargoes, and businessenterprises. He personally supervisedhis operations, riding on horseback allover the Island -- often sleeping in thesaddle.

Yeo was first elected to the Islandassembly in 1839, and he had a longpolitical career through which he

exerted great influence in Islandpolitics because of his wealth and thepower this brought him with hisnumerous debtors. Contemporariesconsequently nicknamed him the“Ledger Baron of Port Hill” and the“Driver of the Government.”

James Yeo’s part in the development ofshipbuilding, shipping, and the exportbusiness in Prince Edward Island in themid-19th century was unique both in

scale and in the breadth and complexityof his operations. If these snippets piqueyour curiosity here is a hyperlink toJames Yeo’s biograhy in the Dictionaryof Canadian Biography. It’s indeed afascinating read.

http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/yeo_james_9E.html

Craig didn’t have benefit of knowing hisPort Hill ancestors as he grew up here onCovehead Road. He was introduced togolf by his father at about the age of 8 or9, and he was an avid junior golfer. Inhis teen years other sports andextracurricular activities atCharlottetown Rural High Schoolbecame competing interests.

Following high school, Craig completeda program of study at the Atlantic PoliceAcademy. In the years since hisgraduation, he has held both provincial(three years) and now federalgovernment positions in Nova Scotia.

This summer Craig travelled to and fromthe Island ostensibly to spend time withhis girl friend. Both enjoyed golfmemberships at the Stanhope Golf andCountry Club this summer, and Craigtook his return to the sport prettyseriously. He became the uncontestedwinner of the Falmouth Trophy for 2016.




Craig Yeo winner of the 2016 Falmouth Trophy

It is our understanding that Craig andhis partner may soon be leaving theIsland for Nova Scotia. If true, theExecutive extends congratulations andbest wishes to Craig and his partner. You will always be welcome at the

Stanhope Golf and Country Club.

Meeting of the2016-1017Executive

The first meeting of the new Executivewas on November 14, 2016.

A warm welcome was extended to thenew members and copies of the originalconstitution were provided to them.

While there is no urgency, Allensuggested that the Executive may wish topropose some revisions to the document. Any changes could only be effected atthe time of an annual meeting and afterproper notice.

The present Executive sees merit incontinuing to meet at Stanhope Place although it appears that Wednesdayevenings are favored over Monday. Unless ther is a pressing need to meet,the Executive has tentatively scheduledthree additional meetings in 2017.

Last year program meetings had beenroutinely publicized in the StanhopeTimes, The Buzz, The Guardian, and onthe CBC Community Call-In. Uponseeking other suggestions Members haveprovided a number of other valuablesuggestions.

The Executive urges everyone to keepand eye on the NSCC Cenotaph nextspring. May showers may bring Juneflowers (and lots of them) if the work ofa couple of Executive gardeners can berewarded. Also, the cords on the flagpoles will be replaced next May.

There was recognition that the Societyshould make a greater effort to publicizeour community presence andprogramming during Canada Dayfestivities at the NSCC or elsewhere inthe community.


The LM Montgomery RemembranceDay Literary Contest was a success. The students whose work was deemedmost meritorious were featured in theNovember #11A issue of the StanhopeTimes although complications insecuring photos of all the sudents diddelay distribution of that issue of ournewsletter.

Perhaps the most gratifying aspect ofthe initial Executive meeting was thefact that members have tentativelyidentified the subject areas andpotential presenters for programs forthe entire year.

Members of the Executive arecurrently working on a few projects,and progress regarding these will bereported periodically.

2016-2017 Executive

Office Nominee(s)

Past President Louis Watts

President Allen Stoolmiller

Vice President John Baird

Secretary Rosemary Vigeant

Treasurer Donna Thompson

Directors

Dorothy Johnston John MacDougall Lorna Thompson Charlotte Vriends

The next meeting of the Executive isscheduled for February 8, 2016.

We Welcome YourIdeas and Seek Your

Help

Your Executive continues to welcome your feedback and actively solicits yourideas and suggestions for futureprograms.

The Executive perceives thatdistribution of our newsletter helpspublicize our programs. Thus, if youknow of organizations or individualswho might benefit or enjoy receiving ournewsletters, please forward their emailaddresses to the Executive so that theymight be identified as a “Friend of theStanhope Historical Society” and beginreceiving our publications.

At this time we would ask that suchrequests be forwarded to -

[email protected]

We know that this address may seemunfamiliar; however, it is a reflectionthat the Executive is looking intoalternatives for our presence on theInternet, including a dedicated websiteon which we could promote ourorganization more effectively, publicize


our projects by word and photographs,and archive our newsletters and otherpertainent documents for easier publicaccess. We will be revealing ourthoughts in this regard in futurenewsletters. Meanwhile, we would liketo know your opinion on this subject.

Should you wish to direct comments or

suggestions to the President, you mayemail or phone Allen directly:

[email protected]

902) 672-1462

Deep ThoughtsHere are a couple Christmas-relatedquotes -

“Then the Grinch thought of something hehadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought,doesn't come from a store. What ifChristmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”

¯ Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

“Christmas is a day of meaning and traditions,a special day spent in the warm circle offamily and friends.” ¯ Margaret Thatcher


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