Loder

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Loder
Current region Newfoundland and Labrador
Place of origin England
Foundedca 1845

The Loder Family of Random Island[a]

The first "Loader" (later shortened to "Loder") to live on greater Random Island[b] was Silas Loader ("Silas-b1819"[c]) who was born in Old Perlican in 1819[1]. He married Rachel Cooper of Ireland's Eye in August 1845 in the Old Perlican Methodist Church and then moved across the Bay to settle in her home community of Ireland's Eye[2] [see Cooper Family]. Two of Silas-b1819 and Rachel's children later moved to Random Island proper where they raised families - their oldest daughter (Ann) married and moved to Thoroughfare only a kilometer or so across the water from the island of Ireland's Eye, and their oldest son (John-b1850) moved to Snook's Harbour about 30 km to the west up Smith Sound[3]. Their youngest son James-b1860 raised his family in the community of Ireland's Eye, and passed away at his son's home in Thoroughfare[2].

Pre Random Island

The Random Island Loders' earliest (Loder) ancestor to live in Newfoundland was Celas Loader (or, "Silas-b1766") who, in the late 1700s, went from Sturminster Newton in Dorset England to Harbour Grace. Celas was baptized in Lydlinch Dorset in 1766, as an "illegitimate" son of Mary Loder[4]. He bought land in Bay de Verde in 1800[5], and married Mary Day of there in the Anglican Church in September 1810. It appears that they had at least 4 children[1][6][7]:

  • Elizabeth who was born in 1804 in Bay de Verde, baptized in the Anglican Church in 1805, and married Joseph Bursey in Old Perlican in 1822. They had 8 children there before Elizabeth died in 1842.
  • James ("James-b1807") who was born ca[d] 1807, first married Elizabeth Gregory in 1828 in the Methodist Church in Old Perlican, and then married Ann Bursey in 1842. James had at least 5 children - 3 with Elizabeth and at least 2 with Ann - while living in Hant's Harbour. He died there in 1869.
  • Jane who was born in 1811 in Bay de Verde, baptized in the Anglican Church in 1813, and married Thomas Mills in 1834 in Old Perlican. They had at least 2 children there before Jane died in 1842.
  • Silas-b1819 who was baptized in the Methodist Church in Old Perlican in 1819, and married Rachel Cooper of Ireland's Eye in 1845. They settled in Ireland's Eye where they had 8 children [also see Cooper Family].

It appears from the above marriage and baptismal locations that Silas-b1766 and Mary had at least 2 children before marrying in 1810, and that they moved from Bay de Verde (where they were associated with the Anglican Church) to Old Perlican (where they associated with the Methodist Church) sometime between 1813 and 1819. It seems most likely that their son Silas-b1819 lived in Old Perlican until he married and moved to Ireland's Eye. But there is some uncertainty about this since death and burial information for his parents has not been found.

It should also be noted that a baptismal record for James-b1807 has not been found (baptismal records from the area are spotty between 1798 and 1814). His birth year and lineage given above have been inferred from his death record, similar first names among his siblings and his children, and DNA connections[e] among his and Silas-b1819's descendants.

It may be that Silas-b1766 and Mary had two other children for whom there are no baptismal records:

  • William (Loader) of Carbonear (near Harbour Grace in Conception Bay) who married Eliza Burnell of there in the Harbour Grace Anglican Church in 1819, was a witness to over a dozen weddings in that church between 1827 and 1833, and was listed as living in Carbonear in 1835[1]; and
  • Grace (Loader) who married William Moores in the same church in Carbonear in 1829 with William Loader as a witness[1].

However. no information on the parents or descendants of William or Grace has been found, nor on any connections to the Loaders of Old Perlican, beyond Silas-b1766's first landing place in Newfoundland being Harbour Grace which is between Carbonear (where William and Grace lived) and Bay de Verde (where Silas-1766 bought land). It may alternatively be that William and Grace are no closer than cousins of Silas-1819 and his siblings who lived in Trinity Bay.

Random Island Families

First Generation

Silas & Rachel, & a son (probably James-b1860), taken ca 1870
Silas & Rachel, & a son (probably James-b1860), taken ca[d]1870[i]
Two framed photos of Silas-b1819 passed down to descendants (two different poses on the deck of a schooner)[i][ii]

Silas-b1819 was the first of the Loder Family to live in the Random Island area[b]. His wife Rachel was one of at least 8 children of Edward and Ann Cooper of Ireland's Eye [see Cooper Family]. Silas and Rachel continued to live in the community of Ireland's Eye until their deaths in 1904 and 1910, respectively. We refer to them as the "First Generation" of the Random Island Loder Family.

Naval records[8][9] indicate that Silas was the registered owner of the 17-ton schooner 'Four Brothers' from the time of its construction in Smith Sound in 1889 until 1906 (2 years after his death). This is consistent with family lore that his youngest son James-b1860 captained a schooner starting at an early age[2] (also see below). The 2 framed photos on the right showing Silas-b1819 in 2 different poses in 1895 were probably taken on the deck of the Four Brothers.

The abandoned community of IE in 1989
The abandoned community of Ireland's Eye in 1989[i]

Second and Third Generations

Two of Silas-b1819 and Rachel’s children (Ann, John-b1850) married and settled on Random Island proper, one son (James-b1860) settled in Ireland's Eye, one daughter (Elizabeth) married and settled on the other side of Smith Sound, two sons (Silas-b-1853 and William) died as young men, and one daughter (Rachel) died as a child[1][2][7].

In the order of their births, the children (the "Second Generation", probably all born in the tiny community of Ireland's Eye) were:

  • Ann who was born in 1848, married Nathaniel Mills of Thoroughfare in 1870 and settled in Thoroughfare (on the northeastern tip of Random Island). They had at least 7 children [see below].
  • John-b1850[f] who married Jane Tilley Smith of Elliott's Cove (but formerly of Hant's Harbour [see Smith Family]) in 1873, and eventually settled in Snook's Harbour. They had 8 children – 2 born in Ireland's Eye where they initially lived, and the others born in Snook's Harbour [see below].
Silas-b1852[i], and the initial portion of the article[2] on his drowning
  • Silas-b1852 who died in a tragic sealing accident off Ireland's Eye in March 1875[2]. He and his 3 brothers were hunting among the ice floes off Ireland's Eye when a captured seal caused their boat to overturn. His brothers were able to cling to the overturned boat but they were not able to rescue Silas. An article on the accident has been re-published[2].
  • Elizabeth who was born in 1856 and, in 1882, married Alexander Gardner of British Harbour (on the northern side of Smith Sound, across from Ireland's Eye) where they settled and had at least 7 children [see below].
  • William who was born in 1858 and died in 1877, from poor health after being in the cold water for a couple of hours during the 1875 sealing accident in which his brother Silas drowned.
  • James-b1860 who married Caroline Eveligh of Trinity in 1881, and settled in Ireland's Eye where they raised 4 children [see below].
  • Rachel who was born in 1867 and died as a child in 1877.

The following subsections provide further information on the families of Silas-b1819 and Rachel’s children who lived in the Random Island area. Information is drawn from the various indicated sources and research by the author[a].

Ann (nee Loder) Mills and Family

Ann Loder of Ireland's Eye and Nathaniel Mills of Thoroughfare were married in the Church of England in Trinity in November 1870, with Thomas Cooper and Susannah Mills as witnesses. They settled in Thoroughfare where they had the following children[6] (members of the "Third Generation") [see later for these children's spouses and children]:

Headstone of Nathaniel Mills & son James[iii]
  • George (1870-1906),
  • Jessie Elizabeth (1873-1918),
  • Silas William (1875-1955),
  • James (1878-1894),
  • Walter Clarence (1879-1932),
  • Eliza Jane (1883-1910), and
  • Annie Maud (1885-1926).

Nathaniel was born in Thoroughfare in 1846. His parents, George Thomas Mills (1809-1894) from England and Rachel Ivany (1817-1884) from English Harbour, were the first permanent settlers in Thoroughfare, in the 1840s[3][6]. Nathaniel passed away in 1901 and Ann in 1923, both in Thoroughfare[1].

John Loder and Family

John-b1850 and Jane Loder (ca 1900)[i]
John-b1850 & Jane Loder with son Thomas (in the 1880s)[i]

John-b1850 married Jane Tilley Smith, daughter of Thomas and Martha (nee Tilley) Smith, in 1873 in New Bonaventure[1]. They lived in Ireland's Eye, where their first two children were born, until 1876 or 1877 when they moved further inland in Smith Sound to become the first settlers in Snook’s Harbour proper.

Jane had moved to Elliot's Cove, about 3 km from Snook's Harbour on the opposite side of Random Island, with her family in the 1860s. Her brother William Smith moved to Apsey Brook, down the shore about 2 km from Snook's Harbour in the 1870s, such that the Random Island Smith Family by this time had established stake in two locations on the northern side of the island not far from the family base in Elliott's Cove. Some years later, Jane and William’s youngest brothers Aaron and Charles started a brick-making business on the island's northern side near Souley's Brook, about 2 km around the shore from Snook’s Harbour[3]. The Loder family in Snook's Harbour was thus part of the extended Smith Family settlement on the western half of Random Island in the late 1800s[10] [also see Smith Family].

It is noteworthy that, over a century later after the collapse of the offshore "Northern Cod" stock in the late 1990s, scientists established that a sub-stock of cod was actually overwintering and spawning in Smith Sound[11]. This was in contrast to the bulk of the stock migrating 100s of kilometers offshore in winter to spawn over the continental slope. Thus, cod abundance was probably a factor, in addition to forest resources and farmable land, in the movement of families like the Bakers, Coopers, Loders and Smiths from "headlands" (like Ireland's Eye and Heart's Ease Beach[12]) to communities along the protected shores of the western parts of Random and Smith Sounds. Of further note, Jane and William's maternal grandfather was "Scholar" John Tilley who in the 1840s moved across Trinity Bay from Hant's Harbour to become a noted entrepreneur in Shoal Harbour[13], on the mainland just across the water from the western end of Random Island.

John-b1850 and Jane’s children (members of the "Third Generation") were [see later (Third, Fourth and Fifth Generations) for more information on these children and their families]:

  • William James (1874-1943),
  • Silas Smith (1875-1892),
  • Elkanah (1877-1899),
  • Thomas Edwin (1879-1945),
  • Lily Joyce (1881-1944),
  • Martha Isabella (1884-1963) [see the story of her service as a nurse in World War I in Notable People],
  • Rachel (1886-1887), and
  • John Harold (1889-1890).

John, Jane and their children carried out a variety of activities on and from their 26-acre tract of land on the northwestern side of Snook's Harbour. These included farming, raising cattle and poultry, logging and sawmilling, fishing, seal hunting, buying and selling supplies and products (like fish and lumber), running a dry goods and grocery store (Jane), and building and operating schooners and other boats[14]. The latter included participating in the summer fishery on the Labrador coast and along the "French shore" (the eastern side of the Great Northern Peninsula). They were also community leaders through their involvement with the church and schools; the Congregationalist mission started a school in their house, and John then built a small schoolhouse in which services were also held. John also served as a postmaster and deputy sheriff of the District Court[15].

John and Jane’s extensive interactions with relatives (including some of the Smith, Cooper and Baker Families) and others in the area is reflected in 2 photos of their garden party celebrating the launch of the 35-ton family schooner Mistletoe from their property in 1900[8][9]. The photos, taken from the vicinity of the family house looking out over Smith Sound towards Apsey Brook, show a gala event with banners, flags, an archway, a food tent, top hats, and children playing "football" in front of a wooden goal frame. The Mistletoe remained in family possession until 1920. Family lore indicates that John-b1850 also had a connection to a schooner named Gladiola (perhaps one of the two with that name built in Smith Sound in 1879 and 1908), and it also seems likely that he had a connection to the 22-ton schooner Lilly Joyce that was launched in Snook's Harbour in 1885[8][9]. Involvement with these vessels would be consistent with the indication that "in the late 1880s [and] early 1890s … the Loders … operated fishing schooners out of Snook’s Harbour"[3].

Photos of the celebratory gathering on the Loders’ Snook’s Harbour property in 1900 for the launch of the schooner Mistletoe[i]
Mistletoe at anchor & under sail in Snook's Harbour[i]

Between 1909 and 1915, John-b1850 was a strong supporter of Sir William Coaker in the establishment of the Fishermen’s Protective Union (FPU) aimed at improving the lot of the fishermen of Newfoundland outports [16][17][see John Loder in Notable People]. John was referred to by Coaker as "friend John Loder, the esteemed Chairman of the Trinity District Council" and "the first to join the FPU in Trinity Bay". John was selected as a candidate for the FPU Party in the colonial election of 1913 but withdrew his candidacy in a strategy to form an alliance with another party in order to obtain stronger representation for outport Newfoundland[18].

Unfortunately, John’s health started to decline shortly thereafter, and he passed away in August 1916 at age 65 years. Jane lived for 2 more decades, including visits to her children in Massachusetts, before passing away in February 1837 at age 86. Their graves lie side-by-side in the United Church Cemetery in Snook's Harbour[19].

The two photos immediately below show, respectively, John's and Jane's house in Snook's Harbour (probably taken in the early 1900s), and their house together with the one built by son Thomas in the early 1940s.

The original house built by John-b1850 in Snook’s Harbour, with an extension added later.[i]
The original house (on the right) together with the house built by John’s son Thomas in the early 1940s.[i]

The next two photos (below), probably taken in the early 1920s, show most of the buildings on the Loder property at the time of John-b1850's death. With their wharf extending into deeper water than others in the community, there was a lot of activity there, involving both the extended family and others living nearby. As discussed below, the Loder presence in Snook's Harbour declined substantially starting in the early/mid 1920s, although others in the community continued to use their wharf and fishing facilities.

Views from the water of the Loder property in Snook's Harbour in the early 1900s. Proceeding from left to right, the structures are: the sawmill (or an associated building), Jane’s shop, the barn, the original house (behind a couple of trees) with a cellar to its right, the fishing store on the waterfront, and the wharf.[i]

Elizabeth (nee Loder) Gardner and Family

Archibald & Elizabeth Gardner[iv]

Elizabeth Loder of Ireland's Eye and Alexander Gardner of British Harbour were married in the Church of England in Trinity in November 1882, with Archibald and George Gardner as witnesses[1]. They initially lived in British Harbour where their first 4 children were born, and then in Snook's Brook (near Barton) further inland on the northern side of Smith Sound where their other 3 children were born.

Their children (members of the "Third Generation" of Random Island Loders) were[1][6]:

  • Albert James (1883-1938) who married Ellen Stone of White Rock. They had 7 children (members of the "Fourth Generation") born in various places in Newfoundland, after which the family moved to Pennsylvania where Albert and Ellen died.
  • Archibald ("Archie", 1886-1964) who first married Carrie Jane Lowe (1889-1924) of Barton and then Dorothy Oldford (1900-1971) of Musgravetown. Archibald had 2 children with Carrie born in Newfoundland, and then 2 children with Dorothy in Massachusetts where he died. All of their children settled in the USA.
  • Frederick who was born in 1888 and died in 1889.
Silas & Bessie Gardner[v]
Silas[vi]
The Silas Gardner Family & friends, Barton, ca 1942[vi]
  • Silas (1890-1974) who married Maria Elizabeth (Bessie) Barrett of Broad Cove. They initially lived in Barton, then settled in Clarenville, and were close friends of the Loders of Snook’s Harbour. They had 2 sons (Reginald, 1928-2012; Frederick (1931- ) and 6 daughters (May, 1918-1918; Kathleen Belle, 1920-2002; Mary Pearl, 1922-2007; Annetta Jean, 1924-2015; Alma, 1926-1928; Monica Beulah May, 1933-1982). Reginald married Evelyn Knee and they moved to Ontario after marrying, while Frederick married Margaret 'Lillian' Legge and they stayed in Newfoundland. Kathleen married Maxwell Johnson, and Mary married Alfred Carberry, with both families staying in Newfoundland. Jean married Jim Adams, and they initially lived in Clarenville but moved to Nova Scotia, while Monica married Chesley Efford, and they moved to Ontario.
  • Thomas (1892-1913) who died in Grand Falls of diphtheria.
  • Rachel Loder (1896-1961) who married William Morris. They adopted the 1-year-old son of Rachel's sister Ellen when she died after the birth of her 5th child. They lived in Montreal where Rachel died.
  • Ellen (1898-1935) who married William Pittman of the Brickyard (on the northern side of Smith Sound near Barton). They had 4 children while living in the Brickyard before Ellen died along with her 5th child during childbirth. Her other children married, and William had other children during a previous and later marriages.

Alexander died in 1928 and Elizabeth in 1944, both in Barton.

Alexander had been born in British Harbour in 1857 to parents Thomas Gardner who was born there in 1829 and Ellen Miller from Old Bonaventure. Thomas' father John Gardner had been born Somerset England in 1787, and had settled in British Harbour after marrying Grace Stone of Old Bonaventure.

James Loder and Family

James Loder[ii]
Caroline Loder[ii]
James and probably Silas-b1892[ii]

James-b1860 married Caroline Eveligh of Trinity in November 1881[1]. They had four children[1][6] ("Third Generation") [see later for more on these children and their families]:

  • Ananias (1884-1949),
  • William John (1885-1954),
  • Rachel Harriett (Hattie) Elizabeth (1890-1965), and
  • Silas (1892-1952).

Following James-b1860's parents Silas-b1819 and Rachel, James-b1860 and Caroline raised their family in Ireland's Eye. James first became captain of a schooner at age 18 years, and captained multiple schooners in his life as a fisherman and mariner[2]. These almost certainly included his father's schooner Four Brothers built in 1879, the 29-ton ’Hattie R’ built in Ireland's Eye in 1905 and the 34-ton ’A.W.S. Loder’ built in Gin Cove (on Smith Sound) in 1909[8][9]. James was the registered owner of the latter two, with the first of these named after his daughter and the initials of the last one probably referring to his three sons. James captained these schooners on expeditions to the summer fishery on the Labrador coast and elsewhere. In addition to the family sealing tragedy while a 15-year-old, James-b1860 survived other close calls with his schooners during storms while at sea[2]. Like his older brother John-b1850, he was involved in church, school and community activities while raising his family.

Caroline passed away in 1930 and James-b1860 in 1934, both in Thoroughfare where their son Silas-b1892 was living[2]. Caroline had been born in Trinity in 1861, a daughter of Ananias Evelly and Rachel George from there[6].

Third, Fourth and Fifth Generations

The following subsections provide more detail on the members of the Third Generation who lived on greater Random Island and on their children and spouses (members of the "Fourth Generation"), with an indication of the latter's number of children (members of the "Fifth Generation"; these children will not be named since many are still alive).

Children and Grandchildren of Ann and Nathaniel Mills

George Mills and Family

George was born in Thoroughfare in 1870 and married Fanny May Butler of Shoal Harbour in 1897. They had children[1][6]:

  • Nathaniel Zackariah (1900-1989), and
  • Caroline Blanche (Carrie, 1903-1985),

both of whom married and moved to Massachusetts where they raised families and died. George passed away in Hickman's Harbour in 1905 and Fanny May in Shoal Harbour in 1948.

Jessie Elizabeth (Mills) Maidment and Family

Jessie was born in Thoroughfare in 1873 and married Heber John Maidment of Hant's Harbour in 1898[6]. They settled in Thoroughfare where they had children[1][6]:

  • Weldon Whitfield (1900-1983) who married Rose Kelligrew, had a daughter and moved to Massachusetts;
  • Eliza Jane (1903-1980) who married Edward Clench, had 6 children and lived in various communities in central Newfoundland;
Pearl Ivany[vii]
Hunt Ivany[vii]
Annie Gladys Maidment [viii]
  • Elsie "Pearl" (1903-1973) who married William Huntley (“Hunt”) Ivany of Shoal Harbour, had 5 children and lived in various communities in the Trinity Bay area; two of these children remained in Clarenville, 2 moved to the USA and 1 joined the military and moved across Canada;
  • Annie Gladys (1906-1976) who moved to Maine and Massachusetts, married William Hugh Macpherson and had 5 children; and
  • Stewart (1913-1966) who married Emily Jane Pelley and lived in Harcourt and had 4 children.

Jessie passed away in Thoroughfare in 1918. Heber John re-married Lydia Pelley with whom he had 3 more children before passing away in 1936.

Silas William Mills and Family

Silas was born in Thoroughfare in 1875, and married Sarah Jane Bugden of English Harbour in 1895. They lived in Thoroughfare where they had 4 children[1][6]:

Headstone of Susie & William Ivany [viii]
  • Susie May (1896-1992) who married William Ivany (1894-1968) and passed away in Lower Lance Cove where they are buried;
  • James Chesley (1900-??);
  • Alpheus (1902-1979) who married Leah Brown (1904-1983) and lived in Lower Lance Cove where they had 1 daughter; and
  • Nathaniel Kimber (1904-1972) who married Sarah Ann George (1905-1984). They had 7 children, starting their family in Lower Lance Cove. They later moved to Ontario where they passed away in Ingersoll.

Sarah Jane passed away in 1949, and Silas passed away in Lower Lance Cove in 1955.

James Mills

James was born in Throughfare in 1878 and died there in 1894.

Walter Clarence Mills and Family

Walter Clarence was born in Thoroughfare in 1879 and married Ann (Annie) Windsor of Carbonear. They started their family living in Thoroughfare and had at least 4 (and possibly as many as 8) children[1][6]:

  • Sophie (1916-2007),
  • Una (1918-1918),
  • James (1918-2003), and
  • Ann Maud (1924-2007).

Walter passed away in St. John's in 1932 and Annie there in 1959.

Eliza Jane Mills

Eliza Jane was born in Thoroughfare in 1883 and died in Shoal Harbour in 1910.

Annie Maud (Mills) Duffett and Family
Annie & James Duffett [iii]

Annie Maud was born in Thoroughfare in 1885, married James Allan Duffett of Britannia in 1903, and had 5 children while living in Britannia[1][6]:

  • William James (1903-1914);
Chesley & Maxwell Duffett[viii]
Eva May Duffett[viii]
Headstone of Blanche & George Janes[viii]
  • Walter Chesley (1904-1983) who married Matilda Ivany and lived in Britannia, where they raised 8 children;
  • Alexander (1905-1965);
  • James Maxwell (1906-1998) who married Nellie Ivany and had at least 2 children;
  • Holingsworth Leroy (1912-1914);
  • Eliza Jane (1911-1929) who died in Britannia;
  • Eva May (1916-2008) who lived in Grand Falls, Fort William Ontario, and St. John’s where she died; and
  • Ann (“Annie”) Blanche (1922-2008) who married George Janes and lived in Britannia where they had 4 children. George passed away in 2005 and Annie in 2008, both in Bonavista.

Annie Maud passed away in Lower Lance Cove in 1926 and James passed away in 1956.

Children and Grandchildren of John and Jane Loder

William James Loder and Family
Will and Ellie Loder[i]

William (commonly called "Will") was born in October 1874 in Ireland's Eye. He obtained a grant for land adjacent to his father John-b1850’s (on its south side) in Snook's Harbour, built a house, and married Ella ("Ellie") Reid of Foster's Point in 1897. They had 5 children, all born in Snook's Harbour, but moved with their surviving family to Boston in 1922 after the collapse of cod fish prices on the world market following World War I (and after the sale of the family schooner Mistletoe in 1920).

Will and Ellie's children were[1][6]:

  • Silas-b1898 ("Si") Chesley who was born in September 1898 and the first family member to go to Boston. He settled there marrying Maude Tatten, and they had 1 daughter. Silas died and was buried in Lynn Massachusetts in 1971.
  • Elizabeth ("Bessie") Gertrude ("Gertie") who was born in December 1900, and went to Boston with her family in 1922. She married Thomas Cryan later in life and they lived in Florida. Gertie died in Massachusetts in 1997.
  • Eliol George who was born in 1902. He went to Boston in 1922 and married Eleanor Grace Weeks. They did not have any children. Eliol died and was buried in Lynn Massachusetts in 1978.
  • John who died as a baby on 22 December 1903 at age 22 days[1].
  • Hugh who died as a baby ca 1906.

Will and Ellie sold their house and property in Snook's Harbour to William Henry Ryan in the late 1920s. Will died and was buried in Lynn Massachusetts in 1943 and Ellie died there in 1959.

Silas Smith Loder

Silas-b1875 was born in Ireland's Eye and died in Snook's Harbour of diptheria in 1892. He is buried in a family cemetery on the waterfront of the Loder property in Snook's Harbour (alongside 2 younger siblings; see below).

Elkanah Loder
Elkanah Loder[i]

Elkanah was born in August 1877, probably in Snook's Harbour (but possibly in Ireland's Eye). He tragically drowned on the Bar (a shallow area) between Random Island and Shoal Harbour in April 1899. He is buried in the United Church Cemetery in Snook’s Harbour[19]. It appears from the engravings on the headstones there that he was one of the first buried in that cemetery.

Thomas Edwin Loder and Family

Thomas (often called "Tom") was born in September 1879 in Snook's Harbour. He met his wife Leah French Efford while summer fishing on the French Shore with his father (probably on the Mistletoe) and while she was ashore there cooking for her father Samuel Efford of Port de Grave and the crew of his fishing schooner. They married in February 1913 in Port de Grave, and had 3 children:

  • John Samuel ("Jack") who was born in Port de Grave (at his mother's family home) in July 1914. In 1930 Jack went to work in Boston where his uncles, aunts and cousins had moved. He later joined the US Army, and then settled and worked in Arlington Massachusetts[20]. He married Winifred Bursey (1912-1997) of Bay Roberts, but did not have children. He died in January 1975 and is buried in Arlington.
  • Harold Batten who was born in Bareneed (at the home of his mother’s "Auntie Batten") in August 1918. He became a teacher after attending Memorial College, and later obtained degrees from Mount Allison and Acadia Universities . Harold sold insurance in various Trinity Bay communities and was lent money by his Aunt Mon (Martha) to fund his education. He taught school in several Newfoundland and Maritime province communities, including Buchans where he met his wife Lily Ivimey (1921-1973) of Cupids, Gander where their 2 children were born, and Glovertown where he was a school administrator until his retirement in 1974. He passed away in St. John's in October 1990 and is buried in Glovertown.
  • Farleigh Isabel who was born in Bareneed in June 1920. She became a teacher after attending Memorial College, and taught in several Newfoundland communities (including Snook's Harbour, Apsey Brook and Hickman's Harbour) before settling in Gander[21]. Farleigh married Eric Smith[10] of Elliott’s Cove later in life, and did not have any children. She passed away in Gander in 1990 where she is buried.

Following on after his father John, Tom carried out various land and sea activities (farming, fishing, lumbering, carpentry, ferrying) from the Snook's Harbour family property, and also worked in the Nova Scotia coal mines, in order to make a living. After his surviving siblings moved to Boston in the 1920s, he and his family and mother Jane were the only Loders left in Snook's Harbour. In the early 1940s, Tom constructed a new family home (see photos above), near his father’s original house on the family property. Tragically, he died in a train accident in Clarenville in March 1945, just after leaving on horse-and-sled from Dr. Cross' medical clinic. This was the start of a somewhat abrupt decline of the year-round presence of the Loder family in Snook's Harbour. With son Jack in Boston, children Harold and Farleigh returned to teach in Hickman's Harbour for different periods, while wife Leah spent most winters living with Tom's relatives in Elliott's Cove not far away, before moving on to live with Harold and then Farleigh elsewhere starting in 1949. Leah, Farleigh and Harold and family returned in summer to their Snook's Harbour home for many years, until Harold's his wife Lily passed away (1973) and his health started to decline in the 1970s. Leah died in Gander in 1981 at age 89 years (36 years after Tom’s passing).

Tom & Leah (Efford) Loder[i]
Leah (Efford) Loder[i]
Jack Loder[i]
Harold Loder[i]
Farleigh (Loder) Smith[i]
Tom, Harold & Leah Loder[i]

Tom and Leah are buried in the Snook’s Harbour United Church Cemetery[19].

Lily Joyce (Loder) Randell and Family
Lily Joyce (Loder) & Robert Randell[i]

Lily Joyce (sometimes referred to as "Lilly") was born in December 1881 in Snook's Harbour. She married Robert ("Bob") Randell of Port Rexton in 1903, and they initially settled in Snook's Harbour where they had seven children. They lived between the two brooks in the bottom of the harbour while Bob fished with his father-in-law John-b1850. Bob and some of his sons first went to Boston to work as carpenters in the early 1920s (around the same time as nephew Silas and brother-in-law Will), and the entire family moved to Somerville Massachusetts in 1925.

Lily Joyce and Bob's children were:

Lily, Harold, Farleigh, Jean & Pete during the latters' 1969 Newfoundland visit[i]
  • Elkanah John (Jack) who was born in June 1905, went to Boston in 1923, and married Laverne Dillman (formerly of Nova Scotia) in 1936. They settled in Wilmington Massachusetts where they had 3 daughters. One of the daughters visited Snook's Harbour with her Aunt Mon for the summer of 1945, after the passing of Tom, and all 3 daughters visited in June 2022. Jack passed away in 1960 and is buried in Wilmington.
  • Herbert Maxwell (Herb) who was born in 1907 and married Agnes Tavernor (formerly of Newfoundland) in 1929. They lived in the Boston suburbs and had 3 sons. Herb passed away in Everett Massachusetts in 1937.
  • Victor (Vic) who was born in 1909, served in the US Army and married Helen Bowes. They lived in the Boston area and had 3 children – 2 sons and a daughter. Vic passed away in 1991 in Boston.
  • Miriam Isabella (Minnie) who was born in 1911 and married Woodbury (Bill) Carroll of Winchester Massachusetts. They lived in Somerville Massachusetts where they had 6 sons. Bill was a carpenter, owning the firm Carroll and Randell with his brothers-in-law. Bill passed away in 1962 and Minnie in 1989 in Cambridge Massachusetts. After Bill's passing, Minnie and younger sister Jean and her husband Pete visited their Newfoundland relatives on a couple of occasions.
  • Nina Doris (Dot) who was born in 1912, married Walter Reed, had 2 children and passed away ca 1957.
  • Ralph who was born in 1914, married Isabelle Kincald, and had 3 children – 2 daughters and a son. Isabelle passed away in 1965, and Ralph passed away in 1978 in Concord Massachusetts.
  • Jean Elaine who was born in 1924 and moved to the USA as a baby with her parents. She married Norman Theodore ("Pete") Robichaud of Winchendon Massachusetts in 1946, and they had 2 daughters and a son. They enjoyed visiting Newfoundland. Pete passed away in 1989 and Jean passed away in 2001 in Greenfield Massachusetts.

Lily Joyce passed away in 1944 and Bob in 1962, both in Somerville. They had more than 20 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren. In contrast, Lily Joyce's only siblings to have grandchildren were William James who had 1 (a granddaughter) and Thomas who had 2 (a grandson and a granddaughter); and, they had a total of 9 grandchildren.

Martha Isabella Loder
Martha ("Mona") Loder[i]

Martha Isabella (also known as Mona and "Aunt Mon") was born in January 1884 in Snook's Harbour. She initially stayed near home teaching school in Snook's Harbour and nearby communities between 1906 and 1910, but then went overseas to a nursing school in London, England. After World War I broke out, she was the first Newfoundlander to volunteer for battlefield duty, signing a service contract in November 1914 and remaining in service until March 1919[20]. Her bravery is quite remarkable[22] [also, see Notable People]. After the war, Martha worked in London, Manitoba, Boston and St. John's, before settling to work as a nurse in Boston where her siblings Will and Lily Joyce and their families had moved. She was especially supportive of, and highly regarded by, her nieces and nephews, both in Massachusetts and back home in Newfoundland. She passed away and was buried in Somerville Massachusetts in June 1963.

Rachel Loder
Family Cemetery in Snook's Harbour[i]

Rachel was born in Snook's Harbour in June 1886 and died there as a baby in August 1887. She is buried in a waterfront family cemetery on the Loder property in Snook's Harbour, alongside her siblings Silas Smith and John Harold.

John Harold Loder

John Harold was born in Snook's Harbour in June 1889 and died there as a baby in September 1890. He is buried in the same waterfront family cemetery on the Loder property in Snook's Harbour, alongside his siblings Silas Smith and Rachel.


Children and Grandchildren of James and Caroline Loder

Ananias Loder
Ananias Loder[ix][23]

Ananias was born in June 1884 and married Maria Butler of Port Rexton in 1922[2][7]. They lived in Thoroughfare and did not have any children.

Ananias died in April 1949 in St. John’s and Maria died in 1948 in Port Rexton.

William John Loder and Family
William John & Bertha (front) & their 4 daughters (back)[x][21]
Albert & Meta Stoyles, & Bertha Loder visiting Lily & Harold Loder in Snook’s Harbour[i]

William John was born in September 1885 and married Bertha Beatrice Loder (1888-1972) of Northern Bight (now Hillview) in November 1908. They had 4 daughters and also raised their nephew Nelson while living in Ireland's Eye[2][7]:

  • Mildred who was born in February 1911 and married Chesley Mills, also of Ireland's Eye, in December 1935. They did not have any children. Mildred died in Clarenville in 1965 and Chesley died in 1998.
  • Meta who was born in December 1912, first married Cyril Vokey of Little Harbour, and then married Albert Stoyles of Hillview where they lived. Meta did not have any children. She passed away in 1997 in Hillview. Cyril passed away in 1950 and Albert in 1993.
  • Lovetta ("Lovey") who was born in February 1916 and married Harold Suley of Whitbourne. They had a son and a daughter, and lived in St. John's and Whitbourne. Harold passed away in St. John's in 1988 and Lovey also passed away there in 2008.
  • Nelson who was the son of Bertha's brother Eli Loder (1888-1925) and Annie Gladys Jackson (1891-1919). Nelson was born in October 1917 in Hillview and died in 1993. He married Margaret Burry (1928-2021) and they did not have any children.
  • Emma Ivy ("Joyce") was born in May 1921 and married Eldred Loder (1924-2015) of Hant's Harbour. They did not have any children. Joyce died in 2007 in Carbonear and Eldred in 2015 in Grand Falls.

William John passed away in 1954 and Bertha passed away in 1972, both in St. John’s.

Rachel Harriett (Hattie) Elizabeth (Loder) Mills and Family
Hattie & Philip Mills[ix]
Hattie (on right) with Rosalie, Bessie & Signe[ix]

Hattie was born in December 1890 and first married Philip Henry Mills (1887-1934) of Thoroughfare in 1914. They lived in Thoroughfare and had 5 children[2][7]:

  • Signe who was born in August 1915 and married (Rev) Robert Bertram (Bert) Green (1911-2000). They lived in various communities in Newfoundland and Ontario, and had 3 daughters[23]. Signe passed away in Kingston Ontario in 2003.
  • Daphne who was born in September 1917 and passed away in Thoroughfare in 1932.
  • Bessie who was born in October 1919 and studied at Mount Allison University before moving to the USA in 1944. She first married Thad Bowker with whom she had 2 children, and later married Carl Laforge. She died in Gilford New Hampshire in 2012.
  • Oliver Lauriston was born in November 1921 and emigrated to Scotland and England to be a member of the Royal Air Force ground crew. He married Sandra Idle, and they had a son and a daughter while living in Yorkshire England. He died in 2005.
  • Rosalie who was born in 1924 and first married George H Janes (1922-2009) with whom she had 2 children while living in the Clarenville area. She later married Gerald Duffitt before passing away in February 2021.

After her first husband Philip's early death, Hattie married George Pierce (1883-1965) of Clarenville in 1939. Hattie passed away in Clarenville in 1965. She had 7 grandchildren and at least 12 great grandchildren, one of whom has purchased and converted the Anglican Church in his paternal grandmother’s hometown of Winterton (formerly Scilly Cove) into a community cultural and music center named Trinity Hall[24]. This same great grandson (of Hattie and Philip) produced a CD in 1995 entitled ‘Silas Loder’ with 12 original sound tracks and one of the 1895 photos of Silas-b1819 (see above) on the inside cover[25].

Silas Loder and Family
Silas Loder[x]
Silas’ headstone[xi]

Silas-b1892 was born in Ireland's Eye, married Elizabeth (Lizzie) King (1886-1964) of Deer Harbour in December 1914, and was a teacher from 1913 to 1942 as well as a church lay reader, Sunday school superintendent and organist[21]. Silas and Lizzie initially lived in Deer Harbour, then moved to Thoroughfare where Silas spent most of his career, then to St. John's, and finally to Deer Lake where he passed away in 1952 and is buried. Lizzie passed away in 1964. They had 6 children[3][7]:

  • James (Jim) was born ca 1915 and passed away in 1935. He was a teacher.
Sergeant Sybil Loder (Lewis)[xii][20]
  • Ursula Sybil was born in 1918. She was a school teacher for 6 years, before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force (Women’s Division) in 1942[20][21]. Sybil trained in Ottawa, studied meteorology at the University of Toronto, and was then posted in St. John's and Nova Scotia during World War II. She was well-known for her singing before and during her war service. After the war ended, Sergeant Loder received multiple medals and an honourable discharge from the RCAF. She then emigrated to Wales to marry Petty Officer Idris Lewis (1912-1999) of the Royal Navy. They had 2 sons there. Sybil died in Wales in 2006.
  • Freddie died as a baby in Thoroughfare in 1918.
  • Marion Vera was born in 1921 and married Raymond Davis (1913-2000). They lived in Port aux Basques where they had 2 daughters. Marion died in St. John’s in 2015.
  • Karl Maclean (“Mac”) was born in 1925 and married Ruby Manuel (1922-2007) of Deer Lake. They lived in St. John’s and Deer Lake, and they had 2 daughters. Mac died in 1989 and is buried with Ruby in Deer Lake.
  • Hazel Doris died as a baby in Thoroughfare in 1927.
Marion Davis[xiii]
Headstone of Marion & Raymond Davis[xi]

Silas passed away in 1952 and Lizzie in 1964.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Prepared by John W Loder (JohnWLoder@gmail.com) who is a son of Harold Loder and a great-great grandson of Silas-b1819 Loader of Ireland's Eye, with input from his sister Verna (Loder) Wroblewski and other relatives. John has done extensive research on the Loder family, including communications with his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cousins descended from Silas-b1819 and Rachel of Ireland's Eye.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The term "greater Random Island" here refers to Random Island with Ireland's Eye and nearby small islands included, while the term "Random Island area" refers to greater Random Island and communities on the mainland sides of Smith and Random Sounds such as British Harbour. This is in contrast to some works (e.g., the books by W.B.W. Martin (see References)) which do not include Ireland's Eye as a part of Random Island.
  3. The notation "FirstName-bnnnn", such as "Silas-b1819", where "b" refers to born or baptized, and "nnnn" to a specific (or approximate) year, will be used to help keep track of some different members of the Loder Family, especially those with the first name of Silas. "(bbbb-dddd)" refers to the year "bbbb" of birth or baptism and the year "dddd" of death.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "ca" is a short form of "circa", meaning "around" a particular year but not necessarily that year exactly.
  5. DNA (short for "Deoxyribonucleic Acid") is an organic chemical which contains genetic information on an individual. The DNA connections noted here are based on analyses of the author’s DNA and that of others who are members of the genealogical association www.Ancestry.ca which indicate that they are related.
  6. John Loder's headstone indicates that he died on 20 August 1916 at age 65 yrs, 8 mos, suggesting that he was born in December 1850 (consistent with a passed-down family list indicating 13 Dec 1850). On the other hand, baptism records from the Trinity Anglican Church1 indicate that he was born on 18 September 1851. It seems likely that he was baptized on this later date.

Photo Credits

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 Passed down to John W Loder via John-b1850 & descendants
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Passed down to Edwina Suley (& others) via James-b1860 & descendants
  3. 3.0 3.1 Ancestry.ca via shelleygosse
  4. Ancestry.ca via Carole Ann Jordan Binder
  5. Provided by Nita (Gardner) Acker
  6. 6.0 6.1 Ancestry.ca via AckerN, or provided by Nita Acker
  7. 7.0 7.1 Ancestry.ca via Karen Ivany
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Ancestry.ca via Shelley Gosse
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "The Memoirs of Signe (Mills) Green"
  10. 10.0 10.1 Martin (1991) via Marion Davis
  11. 11.0 11.1 Provided by the late Elaine (Davis) Moores
  12. Martin (1994)
  13. Ancestry.ca via Paula Sheridan

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 "Newfoundland's Grand Banks – Genealogical and historical data for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador".
  2. 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 Toope, Eugene (1992). Eye Your Roots’ (and more), The Chronicles, Ireland’s Eye and Rise’s Harbour. Grand Falls – Windsor: E and Eye Enterprises. pp. xi + 221.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Martin, Wilfred B.W. (1990). Random Island Pioneers. St. John's: Creative Publishers. pp. xi + 268.
  4. "Dorset England, Church of England Baptisms, … , 1538-1812".
  5. "Matthews Name Files" (MNF) in the Maritime History Archive (MHA)".
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 "Ancestry Genealogical, Family Trees & Family History Records". Ancestry.ca is a genealogical website with Family Trees based on records and input from its members. It includes some Family Trees with inaccurate information and relations, such that they are not fully reliable. The author’s Family Tree can be accessed at this link.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 "Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL)". Where John W. Loder has examined paper copies of historical records that are not available on the internet.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Mercantile Navy List".
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Naval Marine Archive".
  10. 10.0 10.1 Corbett, Gloria; Dalton, Arthur (2005). The Smith-Bramleigh Family from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Beyond. pp. 400+.
  11. "Isolation or metapopulation: whence and whither the Smith Sound cod?". (2011) by G.A. Rose, R.J. Nelson and L.G.S. Mello. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 68, pp 152-169. doi:10.1139/F10-135.
  12. "Heart's Ease Beach". Southwest Arm Historical Society.
  13. "Newfoundland: as it was, and as it is in 1877". (1878) by Philip Tocque.
  14. Evans, Calvin D. (2013). Master Shipbuilders of Newfoundland and Labrador. Vol 1: Cape Spear to Boyd’s Cove. p. 306.
  15. Duley, Margot (2015). Nurse Martha Isabel Loder (1884-1963) and the Great War: From Snook’s Harbour to the Somme. Part One. Newfoundland Quarterly, Vol 108, No 3. pp. 46–53.
  16. Coaker, W.F. (1930). Twenty years of the Fishermen’s Protective Union of Newfoundland. St. John’s, NL: First published by Advocate Publishing Company Ltd. Re-published by Creative Printers & Publishers Ltd. p. 357.
  17. The Fishermen’s Advocate (June 11, 1910, 01, No. 20 & July 27, 1912, 03, No. 03). St. John’s, NL: Union Publishing Co, Ltd. 1910–1912. pp. 46–53.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
  18. "John Loder". Encyclopedia of Newfoundland, p 357.
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 "Find a Grave".
  20. 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Martin, Wilfred B.W. (1994). Random Islanders on Guard. St. John's: Creative Publishers. pp. iv + 237.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Martin, Wilfred B.W. (1991). Random Island and Beyond. St. John's: Creative Publishers. pp. xii + 268.
  22. Duley, Margot (2016). Nurse Martha Isabel Loder (1884-1963) and the Great War: From Snook’s Harbour to the Somme. Part Two. Newfoundland Quarterly, Vol 108, No 4. pp. 42–51.
  23. 23.0 23.1 Green, Signe (Mills). The Memoirs of Signe (Mills) Green. Unpublished Autobiography. p. 121.
  24. Trinity Hall, founded in 2022 by Greg Woodford-Wells, is a privately-owned community cultural center being made ”available for the people of Winterton and Trinity Bay to be used for worship, music concerts, theatre performances, art gallery showings, community meetings and weddings”. It was formerly the Anglican Church in Winterton, constructed in 1901. https://www.facebook.com/trinityhallwinterton/
  25. ‘Silas Loder’ (1995), a compact disc (CD) with 12 original sound tracks produced and written by Greg Wells (a grandson of Signe and Bert Green). Primal Records.