Yesterday I received some very interesting news. Marney Gilroy has been going through papers donated to the CCGS by the late Susan Hill and discovered a map of Amherst Township that shows the lots and lot numbers. This map will likely prove useful in determining where Robert Ripley and Isabella Beane lived. In 1767, 1000 acres in Amherst Township were granted to Henry Denny Denson Esquire. The grant included 5 lots of upland numbered 70-75 and bordered by the Nappan River, 5 lots of marshland numbered the same, and a piece called the Limestone Marsh. Denson's daughter Lucy married a fellow named Robert Fletcher and when Denson died, Lucy inherited the 1000 acres. In 1782, Robert Ripley, who was already living on the property, formally leased the 1000 acres from Robert Fletcher. Both sets of lots are marked on the 1761 map Marney discovered. Marney is having the map copied and we will be comparing it with other early maps to determine where those lots would be situated in today's Cumberland County. At first glance it appears they are at the eastern end of the township and possibly even east of Fenwick. As we learn more, I will make updates to the Fletcher Lease page on this website where you can read the details of the grant and lease. Imagine…Susan Hill still helping.
0 Comments
Heading south on Hwy 302 between Maccan and Maccan Station, you will pass a small cenotaph on the west side of the road. Hopefully you will stop to pay your respects to the 16 young men who gave their lives in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. Sixteen seems like a very large number for such a small community. Many of the surnames are familiar to me from conducting research in the area, and the two Ripleys are first cousins twice (two generations) removed. They were both sons of William Coates Ripley and Cynthia Pipes. Robert Cecil Ripley (16 July 1880-30 Oct 1917) married Mabel Emily Miles in 1905. They had 4 children and the youngest was only 3 when his father died in World War I. Robert was killed in action in Passchendaele and was buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. Robert's younger brother Raymond Jonathan Ripley (12 May 1896-3 May 1917) was living in Alberta when he signed up on April 30, 1916, just 4 days after his older brother had joined the forces. Raymond was just 20 when he was presumably killed at Vimy Ridge. An official document says only that he had previously been reported missing and was now presumed to have died since 3-5-17. His name does appear on a Vimy Ridge memorial but it is uncertain that he is actually buried there. The names of Robert Cecil Ripley and Raymond Jonathan Ripley are inscribed on the gravestone of their parents, William Coates Ripley and Cynthia Pipes, who are buried in the Michael Fortune Cemetery. William died 29 June 1917 and Cynthia followed in October of 1918. It certainly was a tragic time for their family. All we can offer is a moment of silence, our respect, and thankfulness for the freedom preserved by their great sacrifices. My cousin Tannis told me a story about our Grandma Alice (Ripley) Mallory going to the horse races in Calgary once that I first found hard to believe. However, many details have fallen into place since which confirm the story that Robert Salter Ripley, our great grandfather, raised trotting horses in Amherst. I decided to write this up as a Grandma Goes to the Races page on the website today after another piece of the story fell into place. One of my favourite distant cousins, Art Ripley, is currently in hospital recovering nicely from a broken hip. Art loves to talk about the old days and I love to listen so I've been chatting with him regularly. Today I told him the "grandma goes to the race story" to see whether he'd ever heard that Robert Salter Ripley raised trotting horses in the area. Art confirmed that before his time, there was a very good horse named Darno (he hadn't seen the name written) stabled at Carl Ripley's place. So I've added that to the story and will continue to look into early harness racing in Nova Scotia. Who knew? |
AuthorHi there! My name is Mallory Burton and I started researching the Ripley family in 2011. I'd describe myself as a careful amateur who's more interested in story than names and dates. I hope you enjoy my website and blog. I also have a public Mallory/Ripley tree on Ancestry with over 4,000 names. To contact me, please comment on any one of my blog posts. Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|