Captain John Morrison visited Nova Scotia as a military officer, sent to destroy French fortifications at Louisburg in 1759. By this time he had a family with six young children living in Peterborough, New Hampshire. He was inspired by the lands of Nova Scotia, and the opportunity presented itself for him to remove there. He was amongst the first settlers of Truro. In an effort to explore the lives of the New England people who settled along the shores of Nova Scotia, one must look at the hardships they endured, and the promises of prosperity in this new land.

The emigration of the New England people to the shores of Nova Scotia happened at a time when the French and English were in constant struggle for dominance over the New World. Up until 1713, Nova Scotia was in the hands of the French. "On March 28, 1689, King Louis XIV gave a concession, or grant, to Mathieu Martin "of the land named Cocobeguy which comprehends all the head of the Basin of Minas with two leagues of depth from each coast in the land to begin at the mouth of the Shubenacadie River and traversing west-north-west." By 1720 there were about fifty French families at Cobequid, or the Truro-Onslow area."

The peninsula of Nova Scotia was named Acadia by the French, and the land was conquered by General Nicholson in 1710. It was formally transferred to the British Crown by the treaty of Utrecht, and it was "expressly provided" the French inhabitants willing to stay there be subject to the Kingdom of Great Britain, and were to enjoy free exercise of their religion according to the usage of the Church of Rome. Those who remained were required to take an oath of allegiance to King George, but the French authorities did their utmost to prevent them, and to keep them hostile to England. The French inhabitants of Acadia were taught by their priests that fidelity to King Louis was inseparable from fidelity to god, and that to swear allegiance to the British Crown was eternal perdition.

For the French, the Acadian peninsula was invaluable and its possession was necessary to connect Canada with the island of Cape Breton and the fortress of Louisbourg. In 1755, Brigadier Charles Lawrence, governor of Nova Scotia, was aware that the English were in no condition to stand an attack from the French, and as a measure of self defense, set out to capture the French fort of Beausejour. After its capture, all Acadia was in British hands, and Fort Beausejour became fort Cumberland. Governor Lawrence took the opportunity to exact an unqualified oath of allegiance from the Acadians, which was stubbornly refused. "They were then informed that the Council could no longer look on them as subjects to His Britannic Majesty, but as subjects to the King of France, and as such must hereafter be treated; and they were ordered to withdraw." Similarly, deputies from Grand Pre and the other settlements of the Basin of Mines; being called before the Council, refused to take the oath of allegiance. The council resolved to distribute them among the various English colonies, and to hire vessels for the purpose with all despatch. Many of the exiles eventually reached Louisiana, where their descendants now form a numerous and distinct population. [1] Charles Lawrence was a Major in Warberton's Regiment of infantry, and was engaged during 1749 and 1750 in the French wars at Cobequid.

The French were said to have prosperous settlements at Masstown, Chiganois, DeBert, Great Village and Little Dyke; also a small village of six or seven families up Folleigh River, three and a half miles from Glenholme. At the time of their expulsion it has been claimed that there were about two hundred and fifty French families residing in Cobequid. In 1755 the Acadians left this area to avoid deportation, and villages were burned. Shortly after the removal of the French from the province, Governor Lawrence issued proclamations to induce immigration to the places they had occupied. Bringing in loyal settlers would help to maintain the land under British rule. In July, 1759, a volunteer corps was raised to serve at Fort Cumberland, in which were a number of Irish from New Hampshire. Some of them, in consequence of the proclamation of Governor Lawrence, visited Truro.

On December 20, 1759, 57 people mostly of Boston, signed a document expressing a desire for rights in the township of Truerow. Towards the end of May, 1761, the transports carrying the people who came with the patronage of Colonel Alexander McNutt arrived in the basin of Minas, and the resettlement of Cobequid-Truro and Onslow began." Fifty-three families were brought to Truro with their stocks at the expense of government and supplied with 600 bushels of seed corn for planting. On the 19th of April 1761, Master Sylvanus Cobb, received the following sailing orders from government "To sail immediately to Boston and to receive such settlers for Truro and Onslow as Mr. Hancock shall direct on board the Sloop under your command (the "Montague"), and also on board the Transport Sloop; to inform Mr. Hancock that the Sloop "Cumberland", Captain Jonathan Maorecomd, now bound to the Bay of Fundy, will, on discharge of her cargo there, proceed to Boston to take on board settlers for Truro and Onslow. The settlers brought with them everything necessary to inhabit the new lands, household effects, stock, seed etc. The people who set out for Truro were practically all from New Hampshire, with the majority coming from Londonderry. They probably embarked at Haverhill or some other nearby place on the Merrimack River.

Captain John Morrison, a grantee of the Township of Truro, came with the first company that arrived in the Spring of 1760. His wife remained in New Hampshire until the Spring of 1761. The grantees were eighty-two in number, each of whom was required within three years from its date, to clear and work three acres for every fifty; drain three of marsh if any on his lot; put and keep on his land three neat [admirable/fine] cattle and size hogs; till three acres for every fifty was fully cleared and improved. Captain John Morrison built a house and resided in Truro for about seven years. The settlers arrived early in the year to start the planting of crops to raise enough grain for the winter. They set about building homes, and repairing the dykes which had been broken since the removal of the French. The summer was hot and dry, and the townships most effected were Truro and Onslow. There was not enough grain raised for their subsistence, and measures were taken to deliver provisions to the settlers.

For a few years after the settlement, settlers experienced many privations. They gladly received allowances of grain for their sustenance and seed that the legislature granted to the most destitute townships. By 1762 they were able to raise enough grain for their own support, and by 1766 they had an abundant and plentiful harvest. The settlers were unable to obtain a grant of their lands until five years after their settlement. They appear, in common with the inhabitants of other neighboring townships, to have had great difficulty in procuring their grant, in consequence of opposition at Halifax. The difficulties in the way of issuing the township grants under Lawrence's proclamations arose from the Board of Trade and Plantations disapproving of the course pursued by Governor Lawrence in Promising free grants of the cultivated lands and dyke marshes of the French. The board thought they should have been sold at a moderate price to the settlers from the "Old Colonies", who they supposed would be possessed of some means. Shortly after Captain John Morrison obtained his grant of land in Truro, he exchanged farms with Robert Archibald, and removed to Little Dyke, Londonderry in 1767-8. Robert Archibald was a grantee of the Township of Londonderry. Londonderry Township was first settled by families of protestants from Ireland in 1762. The majority of the passengers that arrived on the 'Hopewell' and 'Jupiter', vessels chartered by Alexander McNutt, came from the northwest of Ulster, in the vicinity of Londonderry, Ireland and settled in what was to be the Londonderry Township. The settlement was for the most part near where the communities of Masstown, Glenholme, Great Village, and Bass River are now located. The inhabitants of Truro would gather at town meetings. The town meetings were frequently held at Robert Archibald's home, which was the "lower house in the Upper Village" - situated on the southwest corner of what are now Robie and Elm Streets. It seems likely that this was the place were John Morrison had originally settled.

The newcomers to this region became the first Presbyterian settlers in Canada. "The congregation of Londonderry occupies a peculiar and unique position among the charges included within the bounds of the Maritime Synod." It was the first congregation over which a settled pastor was placed. Hence it occupies a somewhat prominent position in the annals of ecclesiastical history. The field was large, occupying a territory of about 20 miles long by 6 miles broad, extending from Chaganois River on the east to Economy on the West. Fording the streams on horseback was the usual mode of travelling. In those days, people went to church, and thought it no hardship if they had to walk five or six miles to the "Meeting-House", sometimes carrying their shoes and stopping by the roadside, when nearing the church, to put them on."

The new inhabitants of Londonderry "brought their religion with them and were not long here till they applied for and obtained a settled pastor in the person of Rev. David Smith. Mr. Smith received his appointment in 1769 but for some reason did not leave Scotland, for sometime after, and did not reach his field of labor till the year 1771. On his arrival in Nova Scotia he was immediately settled over Londonderry to whose people he preached the gospel till his death, which event took place on the 25th of March 1795."

"It is believed Mr. Smith was the first settled minister of the Pres. Church in Canada, although he was not the first missionary. For the first year or two he divided his time between Londonderry and Truro. At the settlement of the Rev. David Smith, 50 or more families were here to great him. Among these early settlers we find many of the familiar names of the present time. A list of families in 1771, all, with few exceptions, were members and adherents of Mr. Smith's congregation. [2]

The first mention of the Londonderry Township came from Alexander McNutt on May 29, 1765. He petitioned that the lands on the north side of the Basin of Minas would form "into two townships to be called Londonderry and Belfast", and the township of Londonderry was established on Oct. 30, 1765 [3], the boundaries of which assumed an area roughly 10 miles wide and 21 miles long stretching westerly from Chiganois river to a short distance west of Little Bass River. The township disappeared when the region became part of the district of the County of Colchester. An act was passed in 1835 which determined the boundaries of the district of Colchester. In 1903 the name of the town "Acadia Mines" was changed to Londonderry, and should not be confused with the Township of Londonderry.

Truro is the chief and principal town of Colchester, located at the head of the Cobequid Bay. The settlers worked hard to bring progress to this region. In the 1760's, the only means of transportation was by water. In 1763 the war drew to a close with the French after the signing of the treaty of Paris, and the end of fighting meant good news. The new peace and security eliminated the call to military service for the men, and brought new immigrants from Ireland and New England. In the 1770's, with the threat of the Revolutionary War, it became necessary to improve the roads in the province for the movement of troops in the event of an attack, as well as for trade and commerce. Up until 1776, the inhabitants depended upon travel by water to and from Boston and other New England Ports for supplies, rather than Halifax, as their friends and relatives were in New England. "About 1775 a school was opened . A post office was established in 1812, and a Post Office building was constructed before 1838. A court-house was erected in 1803, and a new jail was built by 1818. The Colchester agricultural society was formed in Oct. 1818. By 1828 two grist mills had been built."

"The first train came over the Intercolonial Railway line from Halifax on Dec. 1, 1858, and the railway was opened Dec. 15, 1858. The Mirror and Colchester Advertiser was issued in September 1867 by Isaac Baird. In June 1871 the Sun was begun by W.B. Alley, who took over the Mirror in 1872 and merged the two into the Sun and Colchester County General Intelligence and Advertiser. A Fire Brigade was organized on Oct. 24, 1868, and an engine house was built about 1869." [4]

Many of Captain John Morrison's children branched out to establish homesteads in growing communities along the Cobequid shore in the Township of Londonderry. Migration between the townships was a result of normal expansion and many descendants of John Morrison populated the communities of Economy and Five Islands. The major industries that were established in these areas were farming, lumbering, and ship building.

The Canadian branch of the family kept close ties with the family in the United States and there was much travel between the two countries. Many families later returned to the United States to live, following more favorable conditions of employment.

In preparing the genealogy and history of the Morrison's, there are many traditions which have been put forth. Traditions such as vital statistics on individuals, recollections of incidents or events about an individual, or information gathered from secondary sources, have been used as clues to evidence, and as a basis to work out a valid account of the family history. I have not reported information which cannot be substantiated by evidence, or information that would be objectionable to family members. I have been very diligent in consulting as many sources as possible to try and ensure the reporting of correct events. The strongest evidence being found in primary records such as birth certificates, death certificates, deeds, wills, etc.

An important aspect of the Morrison family is the Latin motto, "Pretio Prudentia Praestat", which is translated by Nathaniel Homes Morrison in an expressive form "Longheadedness is above price". The quality of mind known as longheadedness is regarded as being thoroughly Scotch. While our origins in Scotland seem far removed after many generations of living in America, our origins are an important part of our current identity. The earliest census records of 1871 in Colchester Co., N.S. indicate the origins of the family as being of Scotch origin. The uprighteous character of the Morrison's is a family trait which has been carried down through the generations. According to tradition, John Morrison was born in Scotland, in the county of Aberdeen. The family moved from Scotland to Ireland, and then to America, in part to escape from the religious persecution of their Presbyterian faith. Many years later, the essential traditions and religious beliefs that our ancestors took pride in have survived and have been passed down through the generations.

It is said that the Morrison's are descended from the brieve's or judges of the Isle of Lewis. This may account for the strong character associated with many members of the family. The family members took pride in their professional aptitude. Some of the more common professions include that of wheelwright, blacksmith, carpenter, Sea Captain's, ship builder, millwright, sawyer and farmer. The Morrison's were well adept at surviving the many perils of life in a new land, and they had the wherewithal to establish good homes and succeed in making a good life for themselves.

Many of the family possessed good mechanical abilities, and many were witty and had good judgement. This helped to define their personality and respectability in the community.

Other interesting qualities worthy of note is the fortitude and longevity of the Morrison descendants. There are individuals living well into their eighties, nineties, and occasionally over 100 years old. John Morison was assigned by tradition the great age of 108 years at his death, from Hon. Thomas F. Morrison of Londonderry, N.S. He was an old man at the time of his last marriage, and there is at least 45 years difference between his eldest and his youngest sons. "The fact of his death being recorded in the Londonderry Records (vol. ii, p.5) is strong presumptive evidence that there was something remarkable in connection with him." Elsa Mary Brown, daughter of Mary Eudavilla Morrison and Edward Brown lived to be 104 years old.

Tracing the Morrison descendants was particularly difficult because of the amount of migration of inhabitants away from the communities along the Cobequid shore. The population of the communities in Nova Scotia continued to grow in the 1800's, as there was a need for the vital industries they provided, which in turn helped these communities prosper. These industries included shipbuilding, lumbering, fishing, agriculture, and mining. The marshes and dykes bordering the rivers produced splendid crops, the forests contained a great variety of timber, boats were used as the means of transporting goods. The numerous small streams that form part of the headwaters were a vital source of power used in the mills. In the later half of the 1800's there was a great change in the economic climate of this area.

The advent of the steamship put an end to the many ship building operations in the communities along the Cobequid shore. The opening up of western Canada with the railway had a great impact on the profitability of the industries in Nova Scotia. The vast tracts of land in the western prairies could produce large quantities of wheat, there was less need for the small local farms operating in rural Nova Scotia. The fishing was no longer as dependable and the shad no longer came into the bay in large numbers. The iron ore produced at the Londonderry Iron and Mining company was operating successfully for some time, and employed a great number of people, but the ore was of inferior quality and the mines were finally closed in 1908. The town of Truro continued to grow because of its location being the central hub of Nova Scotia but there was a decline in population in many small communities along the Cobequid Bay.

It is likely that the economic climate was the biggest factor influencing families to move away from these rural towns, in search of better economic opportunities. These communities were so drastically affected that it is difficult to believe that there are only a few descendants of the Morrison family still residing in the area. Most of the inhabitants have long since ventured to make their living elsewhere. From time to time, descendants venture back to the shores of Cobequid, exploring their ancestry, perhaps hoping to find a connection to their past. It is difficult to find evidence of the past, but we are all enriched when we learn of our cultural heritage.

1. "Montcalm and Wolfe" by Francis Parkman

2. "The First 200 Years, A History of the Urskine United Church Congregation of Glenholme, Nova Scotia"

3. "The Londonderry Heirs" by J.M. Murphy

4. "Place Names and Places of Nova Scotia", c1967 by Public Archives of Nova Scotia