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William H. Hobbs
William Hobbs

Home Presently Located at 6860 Highway 101 (Highway 1) in Gilbert’s Cove, Digby County, Nova Scotia

“ I believe this home was built by Charles Melanson approx. 1865. Charles Melanson is shown as living here in the c 1865 A. F. Church map. Charles was married in 1865. The home is believed to be standing on the site of William Hobbs’ homestead. It may be argued that this was the Hobbs home. Vincent Robichaud remembers his grandfather saying a Hobbs lived here. He is not certain if he meant the home or just the land. The name of the hill that the house is on is known as Hobbs Hill. The high price of the property (because of the mills across the street) through the years make it impossible to determine exactly when the home was built. The style and construction of the home does not appear to be much older than 1865. We know William Hobbs moved to this land in 1833. It is likely that he moved into the Jeddrie home as he married Augustin Jeddrie’s widow. Mr. Hobbs was only 20 years old when he married Augustin Jeddries 57-year-old widow.

The 200 acre lot was a part of 1000 acres that was granted to James Boutineau Franklin in consideration of his services to the county in establishing earliest settlements in Digby and vicinity. James was clerk of the House of Assembly for a long period and he had generously surrendered to the Crown all his rights in the Township of Digby. James was the son of Hon. Michael Franklin, Lieutenant Governor of the Province.

Although James Franklin held title to the land until 1802 he probably never lived on the land. From I. W. Wilson’s History of Digby County we see the following: “...These French exiles, while roaming through the forests, reached the south-east shore of St. Mary’s Bay. Finding fish abundant, the soil fertile, the forests plentiful and of great value, some resolved to settle in the vicinity. Among these was Augustine Guiddery, pronounced Jedry, the pioneer occupant, who located in 1764 on the farm now owned by M. Charles Mande Melancon, near Hobb’s Hill, west of St. Croix chapel, Gilbert’s Cove”.

It doesn’t appear that Mr. Jedry or Guiddery (various spellings of his name) ever held legal title to the land but his son Augustin Guiddery Jr., acquired the 200 acres in 1802. Augustin Guiddery Sr. left the Gilbert’s Cove area about 1790 and became the founder of Cheticamp.

Augustin Guiddery died March 9th, 1833, aged 64. The same year Augustin’s 57-year-old widow married 20-year-old William Hobbs, of Argyle. A transaction was made before the marriage from Mary Rebecca Jedrie to William Hobbs for the high sum of 500 pounds.

In 1838 William Hobbs petitioned the assembly for aid to construct his oat mill which was erected on Hobb’s or Melancon’s brook, west end of Plympton Station; northern side of Post Road. William Hobbs was a miller.

The same year (1838) William Hobbs and his wife Rebecca sold the eastern half of this lot (Lot 62) to Mark Melanson for 200 pounds (exclusive of all mills on the farm). +The home in question appears to be on the western half on Lot 62 and M. Melanson is on the opposite side of the road, east of the home in question, near the brook and Mathias Melanson is on the other side of the road in the c1865 aforementioned map.

In 1859 William Hobbs sold the western half of the lot to Mark Melanson for 350 pounds. Now Mark owned the entire 200 acres. In 1868 Mark obtained a $1600 mortgage and could not pay for it. Mark was born in 1812 at Church Point. He married Jeanne Rosalie Comeau about 1840. Mark was the son of Henry Benoni Melanson and Rosalie Doucet. They had 2 children: Charles Marc Benoni Melanson and Marguerite Melanson.

Charles Marc Benoni Melanson (believe builder/first resident known for certain) 1841-???? married Jeanne Chantal Deveau in 1865 at St. Croix Catholic Church. They had 9 children.

(1898) “Mrs. C. M. Melanson will open her house to summer travel under the very appropriate name of “The Willows”. It is well situated, good shade, air, scenery, bathing and drainage”.

1n 1921 Roy Melanson moved in here to look after Charles (who would have been 80). Roy owned the home until 1945 when he sold the home to a retired couple, George and Margaret Ambrose. Margaret, widowed, sold the home to Leo James Thibault in 1958. Leo was a stoker on the H. M. C. S. Cornwallis. He owned the home for 20 years, selling it in 1978 to H. M. Colwell and sons. Harold Colwell owned the home from 1980 to 2001 and Gayle and Roneta Gammie purchased the home this year and enjoy it very much and have great intentions for the preservation of “The Willows”.

+Charles Melanson’s son, William, and William’s daughter, lived in, and operated the Gilbert’s Cove lighthouse for over 65 years.

-This is an old gothic style home with dental work along the eaves and heavy returns. The owners plan to maintain this home and keep it in its original condition. It is a beautiful historic home which stands out upon a hill.

PAST OWNERS OCCUPATION DATE D/W PRICE LOT SIZE BOOK/PAGE
Gayle Gammie-(Roneta) 2001 D 3.90 acres 591/467
Harold Clark-(Barbara) 1980-2001 D 3.90 acres 346/496
Reginald Walker-(Dorothy) 1979-1980 D 3.90 acres 330/888
H. M. Colwell and Sons Ltd. 1978-1979 D 98 acres 323/967
Leo James Thibault-(Mary Louise) 1958-1978 D 98 acres 196/63
George Ambrose-(Margaret) 1945-1958 D 98 acres 163/342
Roy E. Melanson-(Hattie) Farmer 1921-1945 D $1=Maint 98 acres 127/98
Charles M. Melanson ????-1921
Mark Melanson 1859-???? D 350 pds 100 acres 29/61
. w-half
William H. Hobbs 1833-1859 D 500 pds 200 acres 12/36
Mary Rebecca Jedrie Jr. (Widow of Augustin) 1833-
Augustin Jedrie Jr. 1802-1833 D 50 pds 200 acres 3A/76
James Boutineau Franklin Esq.-(Sarah) Crown-1802 D 200 acres
Crown Land “5373

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“ Abjuration de Marie Eagle
nee probablement vers 1776
femme d’Augustin Giddery

L’an mil sept cent quatre vingt dix neuf le onzieme aout, a ete par moi, pretre missionaire soussigne, baptisee sous condition Marie, fille de Edward Eagle et de Catherine Eagle, de la Georgie, aujourd’hui epouse legitime d’Augustin Giddery,* de cette paroisse, agee d’environ vingt trois ans, n’ayant pas de certitude suffisante de la validite du bapteme qu’elle avait recu etant petite dans une des communions protestantes qu’elle a abandonee le dit jour en faisant abjuration de l’erreur des protestants et faisant profession de la foi de la religion catholique, apostolique et romaine. Le parrain a ete Simon Saulnier, laboureur, la marraine Marie-Suzanne Amirault de cette paroisse, qui ont declare ne savoir signer ainsi que la baptisee et son mari present. Ont ensuite signe comme temoins:

Joseph Mieuce Marque
John McCullough Marie X Eagle
Frederic Belliveau
Amable Doucet Sigogne, pretre
Dennis Doucet

*Note, probablement par Placide Gaudet: nee 20 juin 1771, fils d’Augustin Guedry et de Marie Jeanson. “



“ Abjuration of Marie Eagle
born probably about 1776
wife of Augustin Giddery

The 11th of August 1799, was conditionally baptised by me, the undersigned missionary priest, Marie, daughter of Edward Eagle and Catherine Eagle, of Georgia, now the legitimate wife of Augustin Giddery,* of this parish, aged about 23 years, not having sufficient certainty of the validity of the baptism she received as a child in one of the Protestant communions which she has abandoned this day in abjuring the error of the Protestants and professing the Catholic, apostolic, and Roman religion. The godfather was Simon Saulnier, laborer, the godmother, Marie Suzanne Amirault of this parish, who declared they did not know how to sign, as did the person baptized and her husband, present. The following signed as witnesses:

Joseph Mieuce Her
John McCullough Marie X Eagle
Frederic Belliveau Mark
Amable Doucet
Dennis Doucet Sigogne, Priest

*Note, probably by Placide Gaudet: born 20 June 1771, son of Augustin Guedry and of Marie Jeanson. “5426,5427

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“ The year 1799, the eleventh of August, was done by me the undersigned missionary priest the conditional baptism of Marie, daughter of Edward EAGLE and of Catherine EAGLE of the (illegible), today the legitimate spouse of Augustin GIDDERY of this parish, age about twentythree years, not having sufficient proof of the validity of baptism that she had received as a small child in one of the protestant communions, which she abandons this said day, making abjuration of the error of the protestants, and making profession of her faith in the Catholic, Apostolic and Roman religion. The godfather was Simon SAULNIER, laborer, the godmother Marie Suzanna AMIREAULT of this parish, who stated they did not know how to sign, as well as the baptised and her husband, present. The following witnesses signed: Joseph MIEUCE, Frederic BELLIVEAU, Amable DOUCET, Dennis DOUCET, and the mark of Marie EAGLE. /s/ Sigogne, priest. “5427,7190

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“ The eleventh of August 1799 I the undersigned priest have supplied the ceremonies of baptism to Augustin, born the 18th of October 1798 of the legitimate marriage between Jean Baptiste SAULNIER and Theotiste GIDDERY of this parish, he having been previously baptised by Jean McCULLOUGH for lack of a priest; thus has the father, present at the ceremony assured me. The godfather was Augustin GIDDERY, uncle of the child, and the godmother was Marie EAGLE, wife of the said Augustin GIDDERY, also of this parish. /s/ Sigogne, priest. “7186,7187

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Marie Rebecca Eagle
Marie Eagle
Mary Rebecca Jedrie
Rebecca Hobbs
Mrs. A. Gedrie
Mary Rebecca Jeddrie
Mrs. Guiddery
Mrs. A. Guiddery