P-27 Sample Page and Intro

Family historians, like myself, try to collect as much information from our immediate family by reviewing letters, deeds, photographs, bibles and other documents. Once we have exhausted this source of data, we often turn to oral discussions with our elderly relatives. In many instances, these discussions are in turn recorded and published for future reference in our family tree. However, these discussions can also confirm or open new areas for further research of one's roots. We then turn to our public resources: libraries, archives, church registers, cemetery inscriptions and newspapers, to only name a few, in the collection of relevant data. At times, professional genealogist are hired to assist the family historian in the collection of more detailed information. As we all know, researching family history is a very time consuming process.

Publications, like the one contained in the following pages, offers the professional researcher and the family historian quick access to records that would otherwise take up a considerable amount of time to review. Lee Embree, Evelyn MacLeod and Phyllis Wagg are to be thanked on behalf of the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia for the newest in the series of vital statistics entitled: Vital Statistics from Halifax Newspapers, 1855 - 1856. It is recognized that this team has spent endless hours indexing and abstracting information from the following newspapers: The Acadian Recorder (AR), The Nova Scotian (NS), The Morning Chronicle (MC), and The British Colonist (BC).

We hope that you enjoy this new publication and welcome any comments and/or suggestions for future editions. Persons having knowledge of any errors or omissions may direct their comments to the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia, P.O. Box 641 Station Central, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 2T3.

Phyllis C. Wagg, CG(C)

This publication is the first attempt at creating a new look for our series of vital statistics from newspapers. First of all we have given the series a new name to better reflect the content of the publication. It is now Vital Statistics from Halifax Newspapers. Transcribing and cross-referencing newspapers is an enormous task and with the growth of provincial newspapers the task of including all of those available was not practical. As well, other individuals and organizations have been providing indexes to local or religious newspapers. The current publication includes four Halifax newspapers: The Acadian Recorder (AR), The Nova Scotian (NS), The Morning Chronicle (MC), and The British Colonist (BC).

Most vital statistics appear in columns headed births, marriages, or deaths. However, there were events included in other parts of the newspaper as news items or parts of columns. We have attempted to locate these as well and provided in many cases clues of where they can be found. Page numbers have not been included because most newspapers of the period did not include page numbers. However, most newspapers only have two or three pages of actual text.

Although an attempt has been made to print the items as they appeared changes had to be made to accommodate a format suitable for alphabetical sorting. Generally marriages provided the place, date, and officiating clergyman, before the name of the parties. These have been reorganized to place the names of the parties in the first part of the entry. In previous publications there had been a great deal of interpretation made as to dates. For those unable to gain access to the original this interpretation could lead them to believe that these actual dates appeared in the entry which was not the case in most instances. Entries were more likely to read “On Tuesday,” “On the 25^th inst.” and these forms have been retained in this publication. These forms can cause problems in interpretation because newspapers often copied vital statistics from other newspapers but did not change the form of the date to conform to their date of publication. One example is when a newspaper published on Saturday copied exactly an item published by another newspaper on Tuesday that read “died yesterday.” By providing the original wording researchers can make their own interpretations of the source.

We have included the reference to the primary source used, but have also added the references to the other newspapers that carried the same or a similar record of the event. If different information appeared in one of the other sources the information was included in brackets with the abbreviation of the newspaper from which it was taken. Information in square brackets is editorial comment, in most cases to help clarify the text when the order of data has been changed to accommodate the format or when there appears to have been a spelling or typographical error. The term [sic] indicates where there is an apparent error in the original.

This volume of vital statistics also contains more information than has been included in other volumes. Information such as “colored” or the place from which the funeral took place was omitted from earlier volumes. Since these are important identifying elements for researchers we have included them along with the reported cause of death when it is given.

In many cases abbreviations have been used. At times these abbreviations occur in the original but in other cases abbreviations, such as s/o to mean son of, have been used by the transcribers to conserve space. A list of these abbreviations is provided. While we have tried to make the information as accurate as possible you are encouraged to consult the original.

Common Abbreviations

MORTIMER, John, of Woodhouse Farm, m. Mary, only d/o Nicholas MOALIE, of Horridge Farm, 12 June, at Islington Church, by Rev. J. Mason, Vicar of Widdecombe. (AR, Sat., 14 July 1855).

MORTON, Annie, 4 yrs. 3 mos., only d/o George E. Morton, d. 20^th (29^th - AR & BC) inst., of scarlet fever. (MC, Tues, 3 Apr. 1855. See also, AR, 31 Mar.; BC, 31 Mar.; 9 Apr.).

MORTON, J., Hon., see Lydia LYDIARD.

MORTON, Margaret Sophia, in her 19^th yr., eldest d/o Edward and Mary Jane Morton, d. Sat.; funeral this day from her late residence 109 Grafton St. (MC, Tues., 18 Mar. 1856. See also, AR, 22 Mar.; BC, 20 Mar.; NS, 24 Mar.).

MORTON, Thomas, m. Lucy Jane, 2^nd d/o Cameron MCDONALD, Thurs., (18^th inst.- AR), at Gay's River by Rev. J. McLean. (MC, Tues., 23 Dec. 1856. See also, AR, 27 Dec.; BC, 23 Dec.).

MORTON, Walter Curry, 5 mos., 5^th s/o Edward and Mary Jane Morton, d. 4^th inst. (MC, Thurs., 5 June 1856. See also, AR, 7 June; BC, 5 June; NS, 9 June).

MOSELY, Mary, 14, d/o Henry Mosely, late of this city, d. 13 Feb., at Lahave, Bridgewater. (MC, Tues., 26 Feb. 1856. See also, AR, 23 Feb.; BC, 26 Feb.; NS, 3 Mar.).

MOSER, Eunice Maria, see Lewis Henry JEWER.

MOSER, Margaret, in her 57^th yr., wd/o Capt. John Moser of Lunenburg, d. 27^th inst.; funeral Sun. from the residence of her son-in-law, John MCDONNEL (MCDONALD), Gottingen St. (MC, Sat., 29 Mar. 1856. See also, BC, 29 Mar.).

MOSER, Michael, 69, d. 7^th inst., at Musquodoboit. (MC, Tues., 16 & Sat., 20 Dec. 1856. See also, AR, 20 Dec.; BC, 18 Dec.; NS, 22 Dec.).

MOSHER, Arabella, see George N. KNOWLES.

MOSHER, Emily, see William POWER.

MOSHER, George, of Newport, m. Mary Oxley, d/o Benjamin SMITH, M.P.P., 20 Dec., by Rev. Wm. Taylor, at Douglas. (MC, Thurs., 11 Jan. 1855. See also, AR, 13 Jan.; NS, 15 Jan.).

MOSHER, John, of Newport, m. Miss Mary, 2^nd d/o James WARD, 20^th inst, at Ten Mile House, Sackville, by the Rev. Mr. Maynard. (AC, Sat., 27 Jan. 1855).

MOSHER, John, of Newport, m. Miss Mary, 2^nd d/o James WARD, Sat. inst., at Sackville, Ten Mile House, by Rev. Mr. Maynard. (MC, Sat., 27 Jan. 1855. See also, BC, 1 Feb.; NS, 29 Jan.).

MOSHER, Priscilla, see Priscilla WIER.

MOSSE, James R., (Esq. - MC) s/o the late Major Mosse, Royal Artillery, m. Harriet, 2^nd d/o Capt. N. T. (E. T. - MC & BC) HILL, late Royal Staff Corps, 20^th inst., at St. Paul's Church, by Rev. George W. Hill, A.M. (AR, Sat., 23 June 1855. See also, MC, 23 June; BC, 23 June; NS, 25 June).

MOTT, Harry, 70, seaman, from flagship “Boscowen” who fell from the bowsprit of said vessel. A coroner's inquest was held on his body Tues. last. The verdict was “accidental death.” (MC, Thurs., 2 Oct. 1856. See also, BC, 2 Oct., news item; NS, 6 Oct.).

MOTTON, Robert, Jr., Esq., Barrister-at-Law, m. Rachael, 2^nd d/o the late James FLEMMING, Esq., of Stewiacke, N.S., (22^nd inst. - AR), at Weslayan Chapel (at the Weslayan Brunwick St. Chapel - BC), by Rev. James England. (MC, Thurs., 24 July 1856. See also, AR, 26 July; BC, 24 July; NS, 28 July).

MOUNTAIN, Armine W., Rev., M. A., Chaplain to the Bishop, m. Catherine Sophia, youngest d/o the late, Hon. A. W. COCHRAN, of Quebec, 10^th (19^th - BC) May, at St. George's Church, Lennoxville, Canada East [Que.], by the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of Quebec. (NS, Mon., 4 June 1855; BC, 26 May, name given as MOURNTAIN; AR, 26 May; MC, 31 May).

MOUNTAIN, Edwin S., only s/o (the late - MC) Edwin Spence Mountain of London, m. Jane L., 4^th d/o John WATSON of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 2^nd inst., by Rev. John Miller. (BC, Tues., 10 July 1855. See also, MC, 10 July; AR, 14 July; NS, 16 July).

MOWLS, Joseph, of the “Plantagenet,” found dead in his bed, in a house, Upper Water St. Coroner's jury verdict “died by the visitation of God,” 4 June. (MC, Tues., 5 June 1855. See also, AR, 9 June).

MUHLIG, Mary Eliza, see Benjamin JAMES.

MUHLIG, William, in his 79^th yr., d. Fri. Funeral from his residence north of Harris; Garden, Upper Water St. (MC, Sat., 10 Mar. 1855. See also, NS, 12 Mar.).