Showing 340 results

Authority record
Zatta, Antonio
Person · 1775-1797

Antonio Zatta was a prominent Italian map publisher of the late 18th and early 19th century. His firm, based in Venice, produced maps that mark an important transition from 18th to 19th century cartographic styles. He updates and redefines the traditional title cartouche by replacing the mythic elements common to the 17th and 18th century with more representative images. His most important work is the four volume Atlante novissim.

Wyld, James
Person · 1790-1836

James Wyld (1790-1836) and his son, James Wyld junior, were successful London map publishers. Both had also served as a royal geographer. Wyld senior served as geographer to George IV and William IV. He was a founding member of the Royal Geographical Society. In 1812, James Wyld senior introduced lithography into map printing.

Worgan, Philip H.
Person · 1843-1924

Philip H. Worgan was born at Cathrope, England in 1843. Worgan joined the Royal Navy, and eventually earned the rank of Commander. He participated in the Jamaican Revolution. Following his retirement from the Navy, he removed to Sydney, Nova Scotia where he took an avid interest in civic, social, industrial and religious activities, enjoyed photography, and was an active member of the Anglican Church. There he married Anna Blackadar in 1871. The couple had nine children: seven girls and two boys. In 1887 he was elected mayor of Sydney. He also served as Superintendent of Shipping at the International Pier in Sydney. Worgan and his family resided in their family home they called Ferndell. Worgan died in 1924.

Wood, Weldon Wood
Person · 1881-1966

Dr. Weldon Patton was born in Roslin, Nova Scotia, in 1881. After graduating from Dalhousie's School of Medicine in 1908, he practised in Newfoundland and numerous locations in Cape Breton, including Glace Bay, Broughton, Dominion, and Port Morien. Patton contributed to the war effort both by serving as a doctor during World War 1, and by tending to disabled soldiers after their return from war. He died in Port Morien in 1966.

Willmot, Percy
Person · 1887-1919

Lieut. Percy Charles Willmot was born in 1887 in Birmingham, England. He came to Canada as a young man and worked at Crowell's Ltd., Sydney until his enlistment in 1914. He served Overseas with the 25th Battalion until 1919 when he was invalided home. He died 27 December 1919.

Walker, J. H.
Person · 1870-1963

John Hugh walker was the son of Donald and Catherine MacNeil of Ottawa Brook. His father had come from West Lake Ainslie an worked as a teacher, justice of the peace and warden of the parish. John Hugh married Ottawa Brook resident Mary Ann MacLean, had a large family and later moved to Sydney where he owned and operated a grocery store. He was very active with the Scottish Catholic Society of Canada.

van Keulen, Johannes
Person · 1654-1715

He was a 17th-century Dutch cartographer. He published the influential nautical atlas the Zee-Atlas and the pilot guide Zee-Fakkel

van Keulen, Gerard
Person · 1678–1726

Gerard van Keulen was the son of Johannes van Keulen, a Dutch cartographer who started a publishing and book selling business in 1681. Gerard took over control of the firm in 1714 and continued to add to the company's vast body of cartographic work.

Stevens, Francis H.C.
Person · 1890-1974

Francis H. C. Stevens was born in Lawrence, Kansas in 1890. He had a distinguished career as a newspaper columnist with the Winnipeg Free Press in the 1930's and 1940's, including a stint as a war correspondent. In the late 1940's he moved to Cape Breton where he was employed with the Cape Breton Post until shortly before his death in 1974.

Stephenson, Leonard Fielding
Person · 1922-2017

Leonard (Len) Stephenson was born on November 6, 1921 in Dominion, Nova Scotia. After working briefly as a coal miner before the outbreak of World War 2, Leonard joined the Merchant Marines and served as a medic for the duration of the war. After returning to Dominion, he worked as local postmaster from 1952 until 1987 and also served for more than fifty years with the Dominion Volunteer Fire Department. Stephenson published a souvenir booklet titled The History of the Dominion Volunteer Fire Department as well as a history of Dominion to mark the town's 75th anniversary.

A dedicated volunteer and community historian, Mr. Stephenson spent many years developing and operating the Dominion Heritage SchoolHouse Museum as well as collecting and preserving many records related to the heritage of Dominion and its people. His commitment to volunteerism extended to participation as a board member for organizations such as the Cape Breton Miners' Museum, Children's Aid Society of Cape Breton, the Dominion Credit Union and Seaview Manor.

Len Stephenson and his late wife Audrey have two daughters, Mary Anita McCormick and Joanne Gillis. Mr. Stephenson passed away at the age of 95 on August 27 2017.

Steele, John
Person · 1903-197-

John Steele was the son of John Steele and Flora MacNeil of Rear Boisdale. He married Jessie Campbell and they had one child, Flora Ann Steele who married Charlie MacIsaac of Boisdale.

Steele, John
Person · 1903-197-197-

John Steele was the son of John Steele and Flora MacNeil of Rear Boisdale. He married Jessie and Campbell and they had one child, Flora Ann who married Charlie MacIsaac of Boisdale.

St. Clair, Jim
Person · 1930 - 2021

Dr. James Otis St. Clair was born on November 21, 1930 in Lynn, Massachusetts to Byron St. Clair and Louisa May Marsh. His maternal grandmother, Susan MacFarlane, was from Mull River, Cape Breton. [In the late 1960s], Dr. St. Clair moved to Cape Breton and settled on the MacFarlane Farm in Mull River, where he would remain for the rest of his life.

Dr. St. Clair was educated at Harvard as a teacher and historian, first teaching high school in New Canaan, Connecticut before moving to Mabou Consolidated School in Mabou, Cape Breton. He also worked as an assistant for A.W.R. MacKenzie at Colaisde na Gàidhlig/The Gaelic College and taught in the Community Studies and Museum Studies program at Cape Breton University (CBU, then the University College of Cape Breton (UCCB)).

Dr. St. Clair was an enthusiastic genealogist and a mountain of knowledge for people wishing to know more about their Cape Breton roots and family histories. He researched many of the early families who settled in Cape Breton and was published in books such as Mabou Pioneer II and Histories of 50 Families in the Mabou Area. Jim wrote the column “Ancestors Unlimited” and served as the genealogy editor of the Inverness County Participator, a cultural and heritage publication produced by the County of Inverness for county residents.

Jim served as a board member of the Highland Village in Iona, Nova Scotia for over twenty years, as a member of the Board of Governors of the Nova Scotia Museum, and as a member of the Board of Governors for the Strait Area Regional Development Agency. He was a founding member of the Iona Connection in 1987 and the organization exists today as a heritage co-op with over 60 member institutions. He was also a highly involved and active member of the Inverness Guysborough Presbytery of the United Church of Canada.

On CBC Cape Breton Radio, Jim had a long-time history show called ‘Then and Now’ which ran during the Information Morning program. The Inverness Oran and Victoria Standard newspapers also ran his history column for over thirty years. On radio and in print, Jim brought Cape Breton history to the forefront, writing and speaking about early settlers, local characters, and important events. He often tied his stories to current affairs and holidays, adding extra depth to public understanding.

Jim St. Clair died on May 11, 2021 in Inverness County, Nova Scotia.

Spekkens, Hubert
Person · 1940 - 2005

For over 35 years, Hubert was a Professor of English at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. He was prominently involved in many volunteer activities in the community of Antigonish.

Smith, James Mariner
Person · 1859-1934

James Mariner Smith was born in 1859, the son of William and Susanne Smith. He married Isabel Jane Ross, the daughter of John M. and Armenia Ross, of North East Margaree. Smith founded a small business at Port Hood and later, presumably following his marriage, at North East Margaree, where he established a general store and perhaps a hotel, and acted as agent for the Glendyer Mills factory (est. 1848), which produced cloth. Smith and Isabel had seven children and he died in 1934.

Silver Donald Cameron
Person · 1968 - 1995

Silver Donald Cameron was born on June 21, 1937 in Toronto. Cameron was raised in Vancouver. He is one of Canada's most versatile authors, who in (1995) was Dean of the School of Community Studies at the University College of Cape Breton in Sydney, Nova Scotia. Dr. Cameron's work has appeared in countless magazine articles. A former contributing editor of Weekend, he has received four National Magazine Awards. He has also written more than 50 radio dramas, many scripts for film and television, and a stage play, many of which have won awards. Silver Donald Cameron holds a B.A. from the University of British Columbia, an M.A. from the University of California, and a Ph.D. from the University of London, England. He taught at Dalhousie University, University British Columbia, and the University of New Brunswick, and was Writer-in-Residence at the University College of Cape Breton (1978-80), the University of Prince Edward Island (1985-86) and the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (1987-88). He was Vice-Chairman of the Writers Union of Canada and founding Executive Director of Centre Bras d'Or in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. He is also President of Novara Software and of his own company, Paper Tiger Enterprise.

Shedden, Leslie
Person · 1913-1987

Leslie Shedden was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia in 1913 to Scottish immigrant parents. His father, David T. Shedden founded Shedden Studios in 1916. In 1939 he enrolled in the Winona Lake School of Photography in Winona, Indiana. Later the same year, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Photography section. He was stationed in Sydney, N.S. for most of his military career, before being stationed in Lunenburg, Germany in September, 1945. Shedden returned to Glace Bay after being honourably discharged from the military and resumed working with his father. He became the owner of Shedden Studio after his father’s death in 1948.

Shedden’s photography consisted primarily of portraits, as well as weddings, storefronts, and school yearbook photos. He also produced several hand-coloured landscape photos of Cape Breton Island. In 1948, he was contracted by the Dominion Steel and Coal Company (DOSCO) as company photographer. This would be the most significant contract of his career that would last over two decades. Shedden retired in 1977 and sold Shedden Studios to local Glace Bay photographer, Cyril J. McDonald. He died a decade later in 1987.

Shedden, David Thompson
Person · 18??-1948

David Thompson Shedden was born in Glasgow, Scotland during the late 19th century and immigrated to Canada in 1908. He first worked as a meat cutter in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia but by 1912 Shedden and his wife, Matilda Gracie, moved to the nearby community of Glace Bay. David re-trained as a photographer and opened Shedden Studio in 1916. The studio was successful and Shedden became a popular photographer for weddings and portraiture. Together he and Matilda had four children: Annie, Stanley, Leslie and Muriel. Both Stanley and Leslie would work for their father, with Leslie eventually becoming owner of Shedden Studio. David Shedden died on July 8, 1948 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Glace Bay.

Shaw, John (Seogan)
Person

John Shaw (Seogan) was a Gaelic singer and tradition bearer from Indian Brook (N.S). He was a member of The North Shore Gaelic Singers.

Sartine, Antoine de
Person · 1729-1801

Antoine de Sartine (1729 – 1801) was born in Barcelona Spain, the son of French financier Antoine Sartine. He studied law in Paris. After graduation he purchased the commission of Criminal Lieutenant of Police and was subsequently ennobled. He was appointed Lieutenant General of Police in 1759. He proved to be a competent and effective city administrator. He earned the 1775 commission of Secretary of State for the Navy and the honorific rank of Minister of State. His influence put the French in a position to aid the American Revolutionaries against the British at the close of the Revolutionary War. It was during his tenure as head of the French Navy that Sartine ordered the creation of numerous updated nautical charts.

Sanson, Nicolas
Person · 1600-1667

Nicolas Sanson was a French historian and cartographer. Sanson issued the "Postes de France" in 1632 and after publishing several general atlases himself he became the associate of Pierre Mariette, a publisher of prints. In 1692 Hubert Jaillot collected Sanson's maps in an Atlas nouveau.

Rutherford, Trevor
Person · February 25, 1988 - November 26, 2022

Trevor Rutherford was born on February 25, 1988 to Walter Rutherford and Cathy Rutherford. Trevor graduated from Cape Breton University with a Bachelor of Arts Community Studies (BACS) degree. Trevor was a huge sports fan and was known around Sydney, Nova Scotia and surrounding areas for his enthusiasm for hockey and was an original season ticket holder for the Cape Breton Eagles. Trevor also served as general manager for the Sydney Academy hockey team and in 2013 he was the honorary chair of the Blue and White Tournament. He died on November 26, 2022 in Sydney.

Rosemary McCormack
Person

Rosemary was born in Daliburgh on the island of South Uist. Her father was a doctor from Perth, Scotland, and her mother was a Currie from South Uist. A native speaker of Gaelic, she traveled to Cape Breton in the early 70s and began the island's Gaelic speakers. For years, she hosted a program on CBC radio entitled MacTalla nan Eilein (Island Echoes). Hutchinson married Brian McCormack and settled in Iona where they established the Gaelic consulting and information business, B & R Heritage Enterprises. Through this, Brian and Rosemary were able to host many language learning sessions and release tapes which feature Nova Scotia Gaelic singers. They relocated to Alberta in the late 1990s.

Robson, Wanda Eloise
Person · 1926-2022

Wanda Eloise Robson (née Wanda Davis) was born December 16, 1926, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as one of fifteen children born to James Albert Davis and Gwendolyn Irene Davis. She attended Sir Charles Tupper School, Alexandra School, Bloomfield Junior High School, and graduated from Queen Elizabeth High School. Upon graduating high school, she began working as a lab assistant for the Federal Fisheries department in Halifax. She had three children, Stephen Neal, Jeff Neal, and Gordon Neal, and raised them as a single mother until she married Joe Robson in 1971. The couple moved to North Sydney, Nova Scotia in 1975. In 2004, Wanda completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA) at the University College of Cape Breton (UCCB, now Cape Breton University(CBU)). Wanda experienced racial discrimination throughout her life and after graduating with her BA, became an activist, speaking about being a Black Nova Scotian and telling her sister, Viola Desmond's, story. Robson's work led to Viola Desmond’s posthumous pardon in 2010 and she created a lasting legacy for herself and her sister. In 2010, Robson published Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond, Canada's Rosa Parks, which recounted the courage and ambition of Viola Desmond and the Davis family. Due to her work, Wanda received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from CBU in 2012. She died in Sydney, Nova Scotia on February 6, 2022.

Ridgway, Frances (Dodd)
Person · 1884 - 1973

Frances Ridgway (née Frances Dodd) was born February 6, 1884 to Dr. Marcus Dodd and Sarah Rigby in Bridgeport, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. She was baptized at St. Anne’s Church in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on February 8, 1884. She had two older siblings, Harry Dodd and Catherine Dodd. During World War I she served as a nurse in Queen Alexandra’s Nursing Reserve in England. She married Allan Ridgway, a native of Manchester, England, and the two settled in North Sydney, Nova Scotia. She died at the age of 88 in 1973.

Ridgway, Allan
Person

Allan Ridgway was born in Manchester, England, and moved to North Sydney, Cape Breton, in 1920. A veteran of World War 1, Ridgway married Frances Dodd of Bridgeport and worked as the Manager of the North Sydney Branch of Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. for more than 40 years.

Rice, Nelson
Person · 1906-1994

Arthur Nelson Rice, known as Nelson Rice, was born in North Sydney, Cape Breton on September 5, 1906. Son of Walter Nelson Rice and Minnie Hurst, he married Evelyn MacDonald in 1930 and they had three children: Walter, Arthur Nelson, and Paul. Nelson was a druggist in North Sydney and an amateur photographer on the weekends. He purchased his first camera in 1924, when he was 18 years old. He submitted photos to The Halifax Herald, The North Sydney Herald, and Cape Breton Post. His photos made the covers magazines, such as Montreal Standard and National Home Monthly. He also participated in photography contest, winning prizes in The National Home Monthly in 1940 in Winnipeg, The O’keefe’s Photography contest in 1956 in Toronto, Mechanix Illustrated in 1956 in New York, and The Toronto Star major prize of $500 in 1957. Nelson developed all his own photos and shot mostly in B&W. He belonged to a photography club during the war with local photographers including, M.Theuerkauf, E.L. Martheleur, Frank Nolan, Frank Upper, Gordon Naish, Dave Burchell, and many others. He died on May 18, 1994.

Rice, Moses P.
Person · 1839-1925

Moses Parker Rice, born in May 1839 in North Sydney, Cape Breton, was the son of Robert Muckford Rice and Sarah Maria Ingraham. He married Mary Ellen Graham on February 16, 1865 and they had eleven children: Mary, Robert, Cora, Alphonso, Gertrude, Alice, Edward, Annis, Ruby, Eola, and Roma. He was a professional photographer and started his career in Washington, DC as an assistant for Alexander Gardner, a famous civil war photographer. While working for Gardner, Moses took his most famous photo, the “Gettysburg Portrait”. While the photo is usually attributed to Gardner because it was taken in his studio, the copyright on the negative appears M. P. Rice. Moses opened his own studio in 1865, with his brother Amos, on Pennsylvania Avenue, between 2nd and 3rd street. He and Amos also opened Rice Studios Limited in Montreal. He died in 1925.

Rice, Lewis
Person · 1863-1913

Lewis Rice, born in Baddeck, Cape Breton in 1863, was the son of Joseph Frederick Rice and Mary Ann Munn. He married Jessie Black in 1890. He was a professional photographer and held studios in Truro, Springhill, Parrsboro, Windsor, Wolfville, Amherst, Moosejaw, and had a railroad photo car. He moved to Moosejaw with his wife in 1906 and became a well known photographer, producing promotional pamphlets held at the Moose Jaw Public Library, Archives Department. He died on October 14, 1913.

Rice, James
Person · 1886-1958

James Bedford Rice was born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He moved to Montreal with his father Amos Rice. James took over the photographic studio that was opened by his father and uncle Moses Rice, Rice Studios Limited. He became well known for taking photos of hockey players. He has taken photos of the Stanley Cup a number of times and the trophy had even gone missing from his studio in 1906 when the Montreal Maroons left it behind after a shoot and James's house keeper took it home with her. He photographed weddings and babies. He even had a press pass to the 1937 English royal visit. He was the main photographer of the Montreal Canadiens until the 1940s when it passed to David Bier. James died in 1958.

Rice, George Walter
Person · 1855-1884

George Walter Rice was born June 29, 1855 in Baddeck, Cape Breton. He attended primary and secondary school in North Sydney and then attended Columbia University earning a law degree. He spent some time as a correspondent to the New York Herald. He took up the family trade and became a photographer in Washington, DC with his uncles, Moses and Amos. He became an arctic photographer after an expedition to Greenland in 1880. He was also selected to go on an expedition to the Arctic ocean in 1881 and became the first person to photograph the arctic region. The Lady Franklin Bay expedition left Newfoundland In 1881 and was sponsored by the United States Signal Corp, so George was given the title of sergeant. The expedition became stranded as relief boats failed to make the journey. Two of his brothers, Robert and Roswell, went to look for him in 1884. George died on April 9, 1884 while hunting seal and polar bear for the crew. He named Moses as the Executor of his estate.

Rice, Brenton R.
Person · 1875-1934

Breton Robert Rice, born in North Sydney on June 10, 1875, was the son of Abner Trenholme Rice and Augusta Moffett. He married Josephine Eva MacKinnon in 1898 and they had three children: Hugh, Lorne, and Augusta. Brenton was a professional photographer in North Sydney. He was also the Fire Chief from 1906 to 1914 and postmaster in his later years. He died on August 17, 1934.

Rice, Amos I.
Person · 1850-1912

Amos Ingraham Rice, born in 1850 in North Sydney, Cape Breton, was the son of Robert Muckford Rice and Sarah Maria Ingraham. He married Eliza G. and they had five children: Charles, Robert, Ingraham, James, and Frances. He became a photographer in 1865 when he opened a studio in Washington, DC. with his brother Moses Rice. He opened his own Portrait studios in North Sydney and New Glasgow. The North Sydney studio labelled their photos with Amos I. Rice, while the New Glasgow studio labelled their photos as A. I. Rice. He also opened Rice Studios Limited in Montreal with Moses and later moved to Montreal, where he died on November 23, 1912.

Reynolds, Graham
Person

Dr. Graham Reynolds is a Professor Emeritus and the Viola Desmond Chair of Social Justice. He received his BA from the University of Minnesota, and his MA, BEd, and PhD from Queen’s University. Professor Reynolds’ research interests focus on cross-cultural studies and on developing new approaches to the teaching and learning of Canadian history and social studies.

Dr. Reynolds is author of the publication: Viola Desmond’s Canada A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land.

Rev. Ronald MacGillivray
Antigonish · Person · 1947

Father MacGillivray (1835-1892) had been a parish priest at St. Joseph’s and Principal of the Grammar School at St. Andrew’s (both in Antigonish County) before he was appointed Parish Priest at Arisaig in 1885. In 1890, Rev. Dr. Neil MacNeil, Editor of the Casket, asked Father MacGillivray to write a history of Antigonish County. Printed as a series of articles under the pen name “S.A.” [Sargart Arisaig], it ran from 1890 until Father MacGillivray drowned in 1892.

Rev. Malcolm Campbell
Person · 1845-19-

Middle River native Rev. Malcolm Campbell was a Presbyterian minister of Strathlorne, Strathalbyne in PEI and later Montreal. He frequently submitted articles and songs to MacTalla under the pen name "C.C." and contributed financially to the publication of several works by Rev. Alexander MacLean Sinclair. His last post was in Montreal.

Reid, William
Person

Dr. William Reid joined the staff of Xavier Junior College in 1953 as Professor of Physics. He served as President of the University College of Cape Breton during 1983-1989.

Rankin, Fr. John Angus
Person · 1918-1995

Fr. John Angus Rankin has become synonymous with the revival and preservation of the Cape Breton culture and is spoken of with the utmost respect whenever his name is mentioned. He was born in Inverness, Cape Breton to Danny and Sarah (Beaton) Rankin. His life has revolved around Cape Breton and Nova Scotia as he attended St. Francis Xavier University (Antigonish, NS) for his Arts degree and was later an employee there as Dean of Men from 1953 – 1959. He later moved to Glendale parish, where he was also in charge of the Waycobah parish. This move began his 35 years spent there and forever shaped one of the most crucial eras in the history of Cape Breton fiddle.

Fr. John Angus was a very educated man, and was known to perform mass in any of the following languages: English, Latin, Gaelic and Mi’kmaq. It was he, who had a fire lit under him when the Vanishing Cape Breton Fiddler documentary (1971) was first released, claiming only two fiddlers of the young generation were following the culture of the original pioneers. Fr. John Angus coordinated the creation of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association and was instrumental in creating a core group of members that coordinated the first of many Glendale Festivals, where in 1973, its first concert, over 100 fiddlers played in unison on stage in response to the documentary. His presence was a visual one for the many years to follow that first initial Glendale concert. He was always seen directing the Cape Breton Fiddlers wherever they played, and would MC many concerts with his good friend and supporter, Archie Neil Chisholm, at all the key concerts and festivals Cape Breton had to offer. To commemorate all that Fr. John Angus did for Glendale and the Cape Breton culture, the former glebe house in Glendale was named the Fr. John Angus Cultural Centre and on October 2, 1983, Father Rankin was one of four people to receive his Doctorate of Laws Degree from St. Francis Xavier University.

Rankin, Father Duncan Joseph
Person · 1874-1954

Father Duncan J. Rankin was born to John and Mary Beaton of Cape Mabou. He taught school in Inverness County before entering St. Francis Xavier University to begin seminary studies. He was ordained in 1904 and served in many parishes in Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. He was pastor of Iona 27 years and is fondly remembered to this day. The consolidated school in Iona, Rankin School of the Narrows (Sgoil Mhic Raing a'Chaolais) is named for him. The author of The History of Antigonish County, he was a life-long advocate for education and the Gaelic language. He was a brother to Fr Ronald Rankin who was pastor to the Clandonald settlement of South Uist immigrants in Saskatchewan.

Prosper, Wilfred
Person · 1927-2005

Wilfred Prosper, son of Peter Prosper and Clara Young, was born in 1927 in Potlotek. Wilfred lived in Potlotek until 1947, at which time he and his parents were relocated to Eskasoni as a part of the Centralization initiative of the Department of Indian Affairs. There he met and married his wife Bessie Stevens and together they had 9 daughters and 6 sons. Within the community he served several roles throughout his life including Chief of Eskasoni. He also served as Spiritual Leader of the Mi’kmaq Grand Council, and worked as a carpenter. He started out on the guitar and eventually switched to the fiddle at the age of sixteen. He was influenced by Simon Cremo who was a Mi’kmaw fiddler and would often perform with Lee Cremo. He was well known as a fiddler to the Mi’kmaq and non-Mi’kmaq communities and won many awards. In the 1960s he was awarded the title of former Maritime Fiddling Champion and was a long standing member of the Cape Breton Fiddlers Association. In 1998, he was recognized for his accomplishments and was awarded the Grand Chief Donald Marshall Sr. Elders Award. Wilfred was also a well respected Mi'kmaw elder and translator and spent his lifetime preserving and teaching Mi'kmaw Hymns and Mi'kmaw Traditions. He passed away on March 25, 2005 at the age of 77.

Pringle, Rev. John
Person · 1852-1935

Born in 1852 in Prince Edward Island, John MacDonald Pringle was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1878. He served in Ontario, Manitoba, the Yukon and Minnesota before coming to the pulpit of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Sydney, 1908. In 1914, at 62 years of age, he was commissioned as a chaplain with the 9th Western Battalion and served overseas until 1918. Upon his return, Pringle was elected as moderator of the General Assembly, a role that he filled for a one year term. After St. Andrew's Church became a part of the United Church of Canada in 1925, Pringle served at other locations across Canada until 1933, when he returned to Sydney as Pastor Emeritus. He died on April 20, 1935 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Pringle, James
Person · 1804-

James Pringle was born in Scotland [1804] and came to Cape Breton in 1826. He settled at St. George's Channel, West Bay, Richmond County, where he operated a mill for many years.

Poulette, Ma'git
Person · March 31, 1943 - September 10, 2022

Ma’git Poulette (Margaret Poulette) was born on March 31, 1943 to Nancy Denny and William B. Sylliboy. She was a residential school survivor who lost her language, Mi’kmaq, while at the Shubenacadie School from 1947 to 1951; however, she relearned her language and became known as a “language warrior”. She was also one of the first to speak out against residential schools and was an active member of the We’koqma’q Residential School Survivors group. In 2016 the film “Ma’kit’s Doll” was released, the product of Ma’git’s collaboration with filmmaker Ann Verrall, and the film is now shown in schools and students make dolls like the ones children at residential schools made when they were not allowed any other toys.

Ma’git was an active member of her community, founding the Mawitamk Society with her brother Ben Sylliboy and Tom Gunn; We’koqma’qewiskwa drum group for the women of We’koqma’q, and at the Friends of St. Anne. She worked for the We’koqma’q First Nation as a receptionist, membership clerk, and welfare clerk before going to university and graduating with her Bachelor of Social Work in 1989. She retired in 2003.

She died on September 10, 2022 at the age of 79.

Politte, Peter
Person · May 31, 1931 - February 25, 2023

Peter Politte was born on May 31, 1931 to Paul Politte and Minnie Politte in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Peter married June Babstock and had a daughter, Tara Politte. Peter spent his career at Markadonis Shoe Repair in Glace Bay and he also operated a shop in his backyard where he would fix harnesses and bridles, hockey equipment, and canvas tents. Peter was best known for his skate sharpening skills, with his reputation extending across the Maritimes. He died on February 25, 2023 at the age of 91.

Plant, Samuel
Person

Samuel Plant was a United Empire Loyalist who came from New York after the close of the American Revolution. He started a business which became one of the most prosperous mercantile ventures on the island. The Plant family's stone house in North Sydney remained in the family until 1937.

Pichon, Thomas
Person · 1700-1781

Pichon was Secretary to the Governor of Ile-Royale from 1751 to 1753. He informed British officers on the contents of confidential documents which he took from the French. He died in 1781 at the age of 81.

Paul, Michael
Person · 1900-1984

Michael Paul, the son of Thomas Paul of Potlotek and Mary Susie Paul of Eskasoni, was born in 1900. He was a prayer leader and was well versed in Mi’kmaq prayers, hymns, traditional Mi’kmaq songs and dances. He was known for singing the traditional Mi’kmaq songs, I’ko and Ko’jua. Paul died on July 4, 1984.

Patterson, Samuel
Person · 1890-1918

Samuel Patterson was born in Striling, Cape Breton to parents Annie and Duncan Patterson. His father was a native of the Isle of Harris in Scotland. A composer of Gaelic songs, Patterson is best remembered for his song "Air a'Cheud Là do'n t-Samhradh" in which he describes his brother's homesickness while working in the lumber camps of New Brunswick and Quebec. Samuel Patterson joined the C.E.F. 185th Cape Breton Highlanders in 1916 and was killed in action on October 14th, 1918.

Pastuck, Stephen
Person · 1953 - 2022

George Stephen Pastuck (Stephen Pastuck) was born on December 23, 1953 to George Pastuck and Mary MacDonald in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Stephen married Brenda Durdle and had two children, Jeffery Pastuck and Ashley Pastuck (Ashley Gouthro). He spent his career at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) in New Waterford and retired after 34 years with the company. Fixing cars and drag racing were his most important hobbies, both of which he shared with his son, Jeff, and he began racing his Plymouth Roadrunner in the 1990s. Stephen died on January 25, 2022 at home in New Waterford.

Paruch, Ray
Person · 1948 - 2020

Francis Raymond Paruch (Ray Paruch) was born on October 6, 1948 to Edward Paruch and Margaret Macdonald. He married Wanda Mackenzie and had two children, Nadine Paruch and Glenn Paruch. After the death of his wife, Wanda, he found a partner in Margie Bruno. In 1995, Ray was successful in becoming the District 6 councilor for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM), a position he was elected to 7 times in total, equaling 25 years of municipal service. He died on April 19, 2020 at the age of 71.