"This is to certify that Thomas Roberts of Brigus and Susan Ann
Gushue of Brigus were married at Brigus this 5th day of January in the
Year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and thirty by
me------Charles Blackman, clergyman in Holy Orders.

Signed: Thomas Roberts
Susan Ann Gushue

Sponsors: James Roberts
Thomas Spracklin

I hereby certify that the above is a true and literal copy of a
certificate taken by me on the day and in the year above mentioned, at
Brigus, in Newfoundland aforesaid, where there is no Episcopal Church,
and where there is no Parish Register.
Charles Blackman

NFGenWeb 1835 Voter's List
Conception Bay North - Brigus District
South Side of Port de Grave, Northern Gut, to the North Point of Turk's Gut
1835 September the First
"The List of Persons entitled to vote in the election of a member or members for the District of Conception Bay, in respect of dwelling houses, situate in the Brigus division of the said District, that is to say from the South Side of Port de Grave, Northern Gut, to the North Point of Turk's Gut, inclusive."
NAME OF VOTERPLACE OF ABODELOCAL DESCRIPTION
ROBERTS, Thomas Brigus

NFGenWeb 1864 Hutchinson's Directory
Conception Bay North Region - Brigus District
Brigus
NAMEOCCUPATION
Roberts, Thomasteacher

NFGenWeb 1871 Lovell's Directory
Conception Bay North Region - Brigus District
Burnt Head
BURNT HEAD - A small fishing village on the north side of Conception Bay, in the district of Brigus. Distant from Brigus 2 miles by road. Mail weekly. Population 77.
SURNAMEGIVENOCCUPATION
RobertsThomasfisherman

[ From the Newfoundland Diocesan Magazine ]

At Burnt Head on March 12 there entered into rest one who had faithfully served the Church of his forefathers, as Lay-reader and School-master for over thirty years. Thomas Roberts - or "Captain Tom", as he was familiarly known - was one of those who try to do their duty in that state of life into which it hath pleased God to call them.

Compelled in the prime of life - owing to an accident which befell him at the seal-fishery - to give up the sea, he thence devoted himself to teaching. He turned to
good account his knowledge of navigation, and not a few seamen of today received their first lessons in navigation from "Captain Tom".

For a year or two he taught school at Burnt Head, then on the invitation of Rev. W J Hoyles - who had known him at Brigus - he removed to Carbonear, where he
remained for fourteen years. From Carbonear he returned to Burnt Head, where for eighteen years more, he faithfully performed the double office of Lay-reader and School-teacher.

To quote the words of the Superintendent for 1879:

"It speaks well for his earnestness in his work, when at the advanced age
of seventy years, he applied himself to his studies and at an examination of teachers received the certificate of grade three."

Failing health forced him some ten years ago to resign, so that since that time he has lived in retirement, awaiting the summons hence of his Master, to whom he daily offered praise and thanksgiving. At length the summons came.

For some weeks a change had been noticed in the aged pilgrim, and it was evident to his friends that his course had well-nigh run. On Sunday, March 8, he was able to receive Holy Communion, and at times take part in the
service. After that he sank rapidly, and on the following Thursday his spirit returned to God who gave it. As one stood by his bedside and noticed the calmness of his closing hours most appropriate seemed the prayer of the prophet of old: "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like His."

"Captain Tom" was in his eighty-seventh year, his wife who survives him, is three years his junior. He was laid to rest on Saturday beneath the shadow of the church in which he had so often served and worshipped.

?Lady in waiting to Queen Victoria/Mary?The records for Brigus have been a bit difficult for me to work with; however, I have some information that might be of interest to you.

As I mentioned in my previous EMail, I believe that the parents of Susanna Gushue were James Gushue and Ann Spranklin (or Spracklin). The NOTES that I have on file for James Gushue are as follows:

!DEATH: Information from Gerry McRae of St. John's, Newfoundland; taken from the Newfoundland Gazette - December, 1839 - James Gushue - Estate Notice;

!Mildred Howard listing of articles in the Royal Gazette and Newfoundland Advertiser; 1839 - Claimants against the estate of James Gushue, late of Brigus in Conception Bay, Planter, deceased, apply to John Gushue (3 Dec);

!MARRIAGE: United (Methodist) Church Archives, St. John's, Newfoundland; James Gushue and Ann Spracklin, both natives of Brigus, were married in the Brigus Methodist Church on January 7, 1812;


The parents of this James Gushue appear to have been James Gushue and Mary ( ? ). I have the following NOTES in my file for James Gushue Senior.

!WILL: I have a copy of the last will and testament of James Gushue, and a transcription of the original of this will is in the Land Titles Office in the Confederation Building in St. John's, Newfoundland. This will states that James Gushue had a wife named Mary, and four sons in order of age, named John, James, George and Thomas, and a daughter named Mary (no idea as to where she fit in the family). The will was written on March 4, 1807, and the oldest son, John, was already 21 years old (or older) at that time; however, the second son, James, was under 21 years old at that time. [copy of this will is in my files]

!WILL: Index of Wills at the Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador; James Gushue - Vol. 1, Fol. 299, Probated in 1839; [NOTE: This is the same document referred to above];

!DEATH: Based on the Probate Court of Newfoundland document, it appears that James Gushue died before 1813, as the date that the will was probated was June 29, 1813. [copy of this probate document is in my files]

!DEATH: Information provided by Gerry McRae of St. John's, Newfoundland; taken from the Newfoundland Gazette in December, 1811 - James Gushue Sr. died;

!BIRTH: Based on the assumption that his oldest son, John, was about 22 years old in 1807 when the will was written, that would make John's birth date about 1785; assuming that the age of James, the father, was about 25 when John was born, makes the birth date of James about 1760.

!PLANTATION RECORDS FOR BRIGUS (1807) - James Goushon (owned since 1785); 202 yards from East to West, bounded on East by Charles Mercer and on West by William Sparks. 200 yards from High Water Mark to Southward bounded on the South by the woods - 1 stage, 3 flakes, 3 houses, 6 gardens, 2 meadows;

!A Souvenir of the Brigus Methodist Jubilee of the Opening of the Church (1875 - 1925) by Charles Lench, Pastor: He refers to the Plantation Inventory of 1807 and lists James Goushoe who owned 202 yards from East to West for twenty three years; on page 26 he mentions that "the Gushues are said to have come from Jersey."

!The Atlantic Canadians (1600 - 1900) - "John Gushue Sr., planter, died in 1811 in Brigus"; reference NF3-8; [NOTE: I believe that this reference is likely to James Gushue rather than John Gushue]

!Mildred Howard listing of newspaper clippings from Royal Gazette and Newfoundland Advertiser; 1811 - Gushue - Claimants against the estate of John Gushue Sr. of Brigus, Conception Bay, Planter, deceased, apply to Mary Gushue or John Bradley (21 Nov);

!Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland - E. R. Seary; [NOTE: The source cards for the surname "Gushue" were not found on October 4, 1996 when I visited the Folklore and Language Archive at Memorial University];


And I have the following NOTES for his wife, Mary:

!WILL: The last will and testament of James Gushue gives the name of his wife as Mary, and assuming that she was slightly younger than her husband, she would have been born about 1762/1764;

!DEATH: Based on the Probate records for her husband's will, Mary was still alive in 1813.

!The Atlantic Canadians (1600 - 1900) - "Mary Gushue, living in 1811 in Brigus"; reference NF3-8;

!DEATH: United Church Archives, St. John's, Newfoundland; Brigus Methodist Church records; Mary Gushue, age 75 years, was buried on November 10, 1839 in Brigus;


(9/21/2004) Good luck in your research, and I hope that you enjoy your trip to Newfoundland. I have visited there on three different occasions, and each one was very enjoyable. If you have time during your visit, make sure that you go to the Land Titles Office in the Confederation Building. I was amazed at the information that I was able to get at that source - particularly copies of old wills dating as far back as the early 1800's. These are wonderful documents, because they usually will list all of the children in the family, and quite often there will be a number of grandchildren named as well; and the will gives specifics as to what each is to inherit.

If you find anything that you think might be of interest to me, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Ron Neuman, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada