FAIR's Rising Generation

Archive for July 22nd, 2009

Seal Island Lighthouse Museum in Barrington, Nova Scotia

Today, I’m going to write about one of my ancestors, as I happen to come from a long line of humanitarians. I also have saltwater in my veins, in that I come from a long line of Bluenosers (a Bluenoser is someone from Nova Scotia, in case you didn’t know).

Nothing’s nicer than the crisp, salty, Atlantic ocean. Unless you’re drowning in it, which many sailors have done over the years. The southern tip of Nova Scotia had a cluster of small, rocky islands near the “Devil’s Current”, which trapped and sunk many ships. The largest of the islands was called Seal Island, and sailors visiting in the spring invariably found dead bodies washed ashore. It was often clear that the men were alive upon reaching the shore only to starve or freeze to death because the island was uninhabited.

Mary Hichens Crowell, my eigthth great grandmother, was greatly troubled by this. It took her a while, but she talked her husband into moving out to Seal Island for the winter to save shipwrecked sailors. He had tried to talk her out of it on numerous occassions, but she reminded him that he had once been shipwrecked himself, although luckily, it was on the mainland so he was rescued. So they braved the first winter in an old fishing shanty, and next year built permanent homes.

Some of Mary’s relatives also moved out to help, forming two small hamlets on the island. Eventually, a lighthouse and foghorn were built, and a flock of sheep kept to provide ample food should a crew of sailors need feeding. Seal Island was granted to the Hichens and Crowells by the King of England, and was passed down through the generations.

Fortunately, technology today prevents shipwrecks from occurring and enables easier rescue by crews on the mainland, although my great aunt still lives there much of the time.

The neat thing about learning one’s family history is that you find out about all the neat people you’re connected to. For me, I found a legacy of humanitarianism, and I hope I’m able to carry on the tradition in whatever way I can, although I haven’t saved any sailors to date.

If you know of anyone, personally or not, living or dead, from near or abroad, let me know about them! I’ll add them to my list of awesome people who I will be highlighting weekly.

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