Boy, I didn't realize what a hiatus I had taken from this blog until I opened up today! Almost two months of no postings is not good! However, we have just returned from our Summer vacation and I am full of enthusiasm for doing the things I enjoy like this blog. For our vacation this year, we spent two weeks touring Nova Scotia. In part we went because we haven't been there and I was particularly interested since my family originally came to the Americas from there. With some superb hasty coordination from Dawn, we were able to get to Moncton NB in one day and be on the peninsula of Nova Scotia the next. We drove around about two thirds of the perimeter of the province, including Cape Breton Island, in a clockwise rotation. Most of the time we had good weather, with a few spectacular days, a few very rainy days and most days very good. We had considered camping, but decided at the last minute to leave early and Breanne and Evan had the equipment so we stayed in a combination of settings from a hotel one night, hostels, two college dormitories and the remainder of the stay in B&Bs.
As I said, I was interested in finding my family roots. I knew there was a Boutilier's Point northwest of Halifax, but was surprised when our drive took us past a location called Boutiliers Cove as well.
In the nearby graveyard attached to the Anglican church, we began our search for relatives. I do not know of any specific names to look for, but we found several Boutiliers in the graveyard, often the graves of infants or children. One of the oldest stones in the yard also gave us an important clue to look for.
This stone was interesting on two counts, the alternative spelling of LeBoutillier and the fact that Susan was married to the son of Loyalist parents. I knew from family tradition that Boutiliers were Huguenot, that is French Protestants, and that this spelling had been used in the past. There has also been a tradition of Loyalists in the family (those who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American War of Independence). If the family arrived in Nova Scotia in the 1750s or 1760's as tradition always had it, Susan would most likely have been a daughter or perhaps granddaughter of an original Boutilier settler, having been born in 1784.
Another interesting stone related a twin tragedy of a brother an sister, both of whom died at age 19. the young man in on the battlefields of France in 1918.
We got back on the road again toward Boutilier's Point, but before arriving, I noticed a monument in front of a Royal Canadian Legion Hall. It confirmed that Robert was not the only Boutilier to have died in World War I and II from the area.
Eventually, we reached Boutilier's Point, where a few surprises awaited us. I will relate them in my next post. Be sure to check out the Location marker for a street view of St. Peter's Anglican Church yard and Boutiliers Cove.
