Thomas Charles Keillor, Sr.

https://skeltonhistorygroup.wordpress.com/family-history-resources/parish-registers/

http://www.skeltonincleveland.com/SkeltonE54.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apparently part of a wave of immigrants who were settled in Westmoreland County, then part of Nova Scotia, just prior to the American Revolution. From the Wikipedia page on Sackville:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sackville,_New_Brunswick

Hoping for more settlers, Lieutenant Governor Michael Franklin made a visit to Yorkshire in 1769-'70. Over a thousand settlers emigrated from Yorkshire to settle in Nova Scotia throughout the 1770s. Largely tenant farmers, the "Yorkshiremen" bought much of their land from departing New England Planters. Although immigrants of the "Yorkshire Immigration" settled across Nova Scotia, they had the largest impact on the Tantramar area.

Both the Planters and the Yorkshire settlers brought the non-conformist denominations to the Tantramar. A group of Planters from Swansea, Massachusetts formed the first Baptist congregation in the colonies that later joined Canada in what is now Middle Sackville when they arrived in 1763. The first Methodist congregation in the colonies that later joined Canada was formed in the Tantramar from Yorkshire immigrants in 1772. They constructed the earliest Methodist church in the colonies that later joined Canada at Point de Bute on the Aulac Ridge, a few kilometers from Sackville, in 1788.

With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775, some in the Tantramar desired to join forces with the patriots and make Nova Scotia the fourteenth state of a new republic. Led by Jonathan Eddy, a group of rebels laid siege to Fort Cumberland. Despite attempts to raise assistance from the Continental Army, the rebels went unassisted. Their siege was somewhat disorganized, and British soldiers were able to slip through the lines and send word of the attack to Halifax. The rebels hung on until British reinforcements finally arrived from Halifax following a harrowing journey. The loyalty of the Yorkshire settlers was of tremendous aid in defeating the Eddy Rebellion. The rebels were punished and many of their homes and possessions seized.

Cemetery notes and/or description:

Fowler Cemetery is East of Sackville along the Aulac Ridge near the Historic town of Aulac. The cemetery is located on Fowler Hill near the old Fowler Homestead behind Fort Beauséjour. Their are only four cemetery stones left as shown in the picture.

You will need to ask the fort attendants for assistance!

The cemetery became part of Fort Beausejour National Historic Site in 1964 when it was acquired as part of a farm property adjacent to the site. It's historical orgin remains obscure as does its specific relationship with the fort which was occupied between 1751 and 1835. Typically, the first burial grounds were located near a fortification, a church, or centrally located in a settlement. There was also a practice whereby family burials were were occasionally conducted on private property.

This cemetery contains approximately forty burials. It was first surveyed in 1990 and again in 1998 utilizing ground penetrating radar units. Early grave markers were made of wood which explains why none have survived for many burials. The surviving sandstone markers were introduced as circumstances permitted, such as the availability of a carver and family resources required for labor and material. Some markers were taken for building supports or modified for chimney caps.

Added by: Richard Weston

Taken from "A Glimpse into the Past", Fort Beausejour. (Ask for complete document from museum attendents.) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From the Chignecto Isthmus and it's first settlers by Howard Trueman

Thomas Keillor came to Nova Scotia from Skelton, Yorkshire, in 1774. His wife's maiden name was Mary Thompson. He settled near Fort Cumberland, on the farm now known as the " Fowler homestead."

Mr. Keillor had five children three sons, John, Thomas and Thompson, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Ann. . John married a Miss Weldon and settled in Dorchester, where he and his descendants occupied a prominent place for many years. The name became extinct in that parish in 1899 at the death of Mrs. Thomas Keillor.

Thomas married a Miss Trenholm and settled at Amherst Point. He had a number of sons. Several of the family moved to Ontario. Robert married a Miss Dobson and remained on the homestead. His descendants still own the farm at Amherst Point. Coates married a Miss Jones and settled at Upper Point de Bute. His second wife was a widow from Miramichi. One of Coates's sons moved to Upper Canada, and the name is still found there. Some of the descendants, but none of the name, now live in Point de Bute.

THE FIRST SETTLERS OF CUMBERLAND. 233

Thompson died when a young man from a severe cold caught while hauling wood from the lakes. Ann married Amos Fowler, and Elizabeth married William Truernan, as stated in another place.

The Keillors were men of integrity, with a good deal of combativeness in their make up, and not noted for polished address. The following story is told of one of the Keillor boys : One morning when taking a load of pork to the fort, at the time the Eddy rebels were at Camp Hill, he was met by a young man on horseback. The young man, after eliciting from Mr. Keillor where he was taking the pork, ordered him to turn about and take it to the rebel camp. This Mr. Keillor refused to do point blank. In the parley and skirmish that followed Mr. Keillor managed to dehorse his man, bind him on the sled, and forthwith delivered him safely at the fort with his carcasses of pork. The young man proved to be Richard John Uniacke, who afterwards became one of the most celebrated of Nova Scotia's public men. In after years, when Mr. Uniacke had become Attorney- General of Nova Scotia, an able lawyer, and a good loyal subject, he was conducting a case in the Am- herst Court-house. This same Mr. Keillor was called forwai-d as a witness, and during the cross-examina- tion, when things were probably getting a little un- comfortable for the witness, he ventured to say to Mr. Uniacke :

" I think we have met before, sir."

Mr. Uniacke replied rather haughtily, " You have the advantage of me, I believe."

234 THE CHIGNECTO ISTHMUS.

" And it is not the first time I have had the advan- tage of you," replied Mr. Keillor.

" When was this ? " asked Mr. Uniacke. in a tone that showed how fully he considered himself the master of the situation.

Mr. Keillor replied, " At the time of the rebellion, when I delivered you, a rebel and a prisoner, to the fort along with my pork."

It is said that the Attorney- General left the further conduct of the case to his subordinates.

Thomas, the brother who settled in Amherst, was once warned as a juryman to attend court, to be held in a building little better than a barn. When Mr. Keillor was chosen on a cause, and came forward to the desk to be sworn, he refused absolutely to take the oath. When remonstrated with, he said, " I will never consent to hold the King's Court in a barn." And this juryman, who was so zealous of the King's honor, was allowed to have his own way. The out- come of this was that soon after the county erected at Amherst a suitable building for a court-house.