SMALL'S ISLAND

    I must move on to Small's Island, formerly known as Slade's Island. How it got its original name I have never been able to ascertain.

    John Furneaux, an Englishman, came to this country with Newman & Company. He was a clerk for them first, I think, at Harbour Breton or Gaultois, then here. How or why he came to leave them I never knew. He built, on this island, a dwelling house, a large store and a shop, early in the fifties. He took a grant for most of this island from the North end to East of the South end, on a line running back of those already living on the Island. He also took up the two small islands known as. Fish Island and Vat Island. On the latter he built a herring house called a "Vat", hence the name. He opened a business and carried on until 1860. It was not a success. His wife was a Miss Winter from St. John's, a most estimable woman. They moved to Cape Breton in 1861 and finally came back to Channel, where Mr. Furneaux was an agent for Ridley and Sons. After some years he was appointed Customs Officer. He died in or about 1878, at Rose Blanche. His son, Richard, took over his post, which he only resigned in 1921. Other members of this family were: Jessie, who married Dr. Wicks of R. B.; Emily, who married John Rolls; and Bessie, who married Dr. _________ of Twillingate. She is now a widow, living in the States. John [Furrieaux junior], the second eldest, drowned at Channel. George went north and is engaged there at this date. My late father and the Furneaux family were always on very friendly terms. Bowley and Small took over his [Furneaux's] property a year before Mr. Furneaux took his family to Cape Breton.

    The next family was that of John Northcotte. Mr. Northcotte came here from Hermitage Bay and married Elizabeth, daughter of William and Annie Guy. The Northcotte's had a large family of boys and girls. Three of them died early, of the fatal disease, consumption. A son, William, also died but only after he married Susan Ingraham of Hunt's. William Northcotte and Mrs. John Remo were children of this marriage of William senior. The widow, Mrs. Susan (Ingraham) Northcotte, later married Christopher Dicks, himself a widower. There are three sons of John Northcotte: Henry, Thomas, and Nathan, now living at Deer Island. John lost his wife in 1870 and married the widow of Thomas Parsons, of Hunt's. John and his new wife went to reside at Deer Island. He died there in 1906; his wife at a later date. One son, John, died gunning in 1869. The last son was Benjamin, who married Charlotte Guy. They had no family and both died some years ago. Their house and gardens were left to John Davidge.

    Also living on Small's Island was the widow Annie Guy, whose husband, William Guy, an Englishman, died in 1859. Mrs. Guy was a daughter [Annie] of old Mr. Matthews, the first settler on this Island in, say 1796. The sons and daughters of the above family were as follows: John; Elizabeth; William, who was killed gunning in 1855; Charlotte; Annie; Sarah; Ambrose; Alex; Jane; and Thomas. All have long since died and, except for two or three, of consumption. John married Sarah Kendall, of Long Island, Hermitage Bay. in or about 1855. John died in December 1898; Mrs. [Sarah (Kendall)] Guy in the year 1912. Elizabeth married John Northcotte, as above mentioned. Charlotte married R. Northcotte. Sarah married John Davidge, an Englishman, who came to Burgeo as a servant to Uncle John Matthews. They [the Davidges] were married by Mr. Cunningham on September 15th, 1848. Mr. Davidge and a son, George, were drowned in April 1867 coming from Connoire Bay to Wreck Island, where they resided at that time. The Davidges had quite a large family and one, William, still lives here. The other are dead or have moved away to Canada. Jane [Guy] married Christopher Dicks before 1860 and died as early as 1867. Annie [Guy] married Samuel Buffett in 1865; both have been dead since 1912. Ambrose married Dinah Stewart. Mrs. Dinah Guy is living at Halifax. Ambrose died in 1912, of heart failure. Alex married Martha Rose in 1869. Mrs. Alex Guy is still living, at Port Aux Basques, with a son-in-law, Harris. She is 78 years old. Thomas married Jane Bowdridge. He died in the eighties of consumption. Widow, Jane (Bowdridge) Guy lived here up to about 1900, then went to the States, and is still living there with a daughter.

    John Windsor, an Englishman, no doubt came out to old Mr. Matthews. He married the daughter Susan. They had as family four daughters: Rhoda, Susan, Maria, and Jane. Rhoda married Joseph Gunnery, who built on this Island. Both died long ago. Maria married [ca. 1860] Thomas Knott; she died ten years ago; Thomas of cancer, in 1900 or thereabouts. Two of their sons [Robert b. 1869 and John b. 1864 - 1921 census] are still living on the Island. Susan was a cripple. She never married and neither did Jane. Both are long dead.

    William Taylor was a Jerseyman or Englishman. He married widow Gunnery, who brought him a large family from her first marriage. Of these "adopted" children, Mary has been long dead, Joseph died in the seventies, James is also dead, Thomas drowned at Rose Blanche in the sixties, George died many years ago, as did Caroline. By this marriage there were four children: Robert; Richard, still living here; Dinah, who married Joseph Vatcher, also still living here; and Elizabeth, who married James Vatcher. This latter family moved to the Labrador many years ago and, then, about twenty years ago, moved to Quebec. James died of cancer three years ago, leaving his widow and three sons. All the sons served in the late war.