Opening Windows to Our Past - This Thursday 7:30pm - Come Explore the Diaries of the ACM

The Albert County Museum is excited to host our first of five "Opening Windows to Our Past" Diary Explorations, Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 pm. Taking place the last Thursday of every month, the "Opening Windows to Our Past" Series, is going to explore some of the many diaries in the museum's collection. It's going to be a walk through the past as told by the very people who lived it! 

The first diary to be explored belonged to Emeline Stevens and was recently discovered in the museums collection at last year's Mystery Box Talks. Emeline was the third child of James Stevens and Eleanor Steeves who lived in the small farming community of Memel, NB.

The diary begins on August 20, 1882 and is a fascinating look at daily life in rural Albert County. It records many of the daily routines and activities a young lady working on a farm in the 1880's did. One of the highlights of the diary is the recording of one of the major events to happen in September 1882, so come and hear what she has to say!

The Opening Windows to Our Past Series is:

Thursday, May 26 @ 7:30pm

Thursday, June 30 @ 7:30pm

Thursday, July 28 @ 7:30pm

Thursday, August 25 @ 7:30pm

Thursday, September 29 @ 7:30pm

Saturday is Opening Day at the Museum - Museum & Market Opening - Steeves Exhibit Grand Opening - HUGE STEEVES ANNOUNCEMENT

Saturday, May 21 is OPENING DAY at the Museum, with the start of the 2016 season. It's going be one fantastic day with the Grand Opening of the Steeves 250 years in Albert County exhibit, and its big announcement. This coupled with opening day of the Museum Market and the museum itself, it's going to be one exciting day to be in Hopewell Cape.

We're super excited about our Grand Opening of the Steeves: 250 Years in Albert County exhibit, and our huge Steeves Family announcement of a major component of the exhibit which has just been approved by Library and Archives Canada, and is to be ready in time for the Steeves Family Reunion in July. Come and hear the big news!

The “Steeves: 250 years in Albert County” exhibit is planned as a special exhibit at the Albert County Museum which coincides with the 2016 Steeves 250 Family Reunion and is scheduled for exhibit for two years. A full gallery of the museum has be dedicated to this theme and includes displays of ‘all things Steeves’. The exhibit has been carefully selected from over 700 Steeves related artefacts in the museum collection, with each artefact on the display having some special historic significance. The highlight of the exhibit is the original 18th century clock that Heinrich and Regina Stief brought from Germany. 

The Market at the Museum is having its fourth season in the most unique location for a farmer's market anywhere. The market is located in Exhibition Hall surrounded by the Museum's extensive collection of antique farm implements, pioneer tools, and early home furnishings and appliances. It brings the past and the present together so people can see the tools that were once used to make the products they're buying at the market today. The Farmers and Crafters Market is a joint venture between the Albert County Museum and Foods of the Fundy Valley, a local non-profit organization whose mandate is to encourage local food awareness through education and promotion.

One of the highlights of the market is the weekly breakfast prepared by the Museum. Each week it is a different breakfast sourced from the local economy.

The museum is open 9:30am -5:30pm and the Farmers and Crafters Market hosted by Foods of the Fundy Valley is open 9am-1pm. The weekly ‘Breakfast at the Museum’ is open 9am-noon.

We hope to see everyone at the Museum on Saturday! Remember Market and breakfast start at 9am, the Museum opens at 9:30am and Grand Opening of Steeves Exhibit with its' big announcement is at 11am!

Museum to Open “Steeves: 250 Years in Albert County” Exhibit and Make Major Steeves Family Announcement - May 21 @11 am

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The Albert County Museum is excited to announce the Grand Opening of their Steeves: 250 Years in Albert County exhibit, on Saturday, May 21 at 11am. At the opening, the museum will be announcing a major component of the exhibit which has just been approved by Library and Archives Canada, to be ready in time for the Steeves Family Reunion in July. The day also marks the opening day at the museum (9:30am -5:30pm) and is also the first Weekly Farmers and Crafters Market hosted by Foods of the Fundy Valley (9am-1pm) of the season.  The weekly ‘Breakfast at the Museum’ (9am-noon) starts on the 21st as well.

The “Steeves: 250 years in Albert County” exhibitis planned as a special exhibit at the Albert County Museum which coincides with the 2016 Steeves 250 Family Reunion and is scheduled for exhibit for two years. A full gallery of the museum has be dedicated to this theme and includes displays of ‘all things Steeves’. The exhibit has been carefully selected from over 700 Steeves related artefacts in the museum collection, with each artefact on the display having some special historic significance. The highlight of the exhibit is the original 18th century clock that Heinrich and Regina Stief brought from Germany. [photo enclosed]

The exhibit is arranged chronologically, leading the visitor through the story of the Steeves family and their significance in, not only, Albert County’s history, but Canada’s history. A few of the members of the Steeves family that will be included are: William Henry Steeves, Father of Confederation; Simon Newcomb, Astronomer and Mathematician; Percy Hamilton Seymour, 18th Duke of Somerset; Dr. Esther Clark Wright, Author, Historian and Scholar; Jack Layton, former Leader of the Opposition.

2016 marks the Sestercentennial of the arrival of the Stief (Steeves) family and in celebration of this, the Steeves Family will be holding a reunion on a substantial scale.

The major announcement at the Grand Opening will relate the Steeves 250 Years in Albert County exhibit with the Museum's Victory Cannon Campaign, which is restoring the two First World War Trophy Cannons that sit in the square in Hopewell Cape.

The exhibit was made possible by partial funding from the province of New Brunswick, Heritage Branch.

Special Events 2016 - Full Slate of Exciting Events Planned for Upcoming Season

The upcoming season at the Albert County Museum and RB Bennett Commemorative Centre is going to be an exciting one! With a full calendar of events planned, we couldn't be more excited! We think we have planned something for everyone! All our events are listed here, and you can click the gCal or iCal button and it will add it to your calendar automatically! Technology is amazing sometimes. 

2016 SPECIAL EVENTS

1. Mother’s Day Supper May 8, 2016 (Sunday) at 6:00pm Treat your Mom to a delicious dinner. Advance Tickets $15 (no tickets at door)

2. Anglophone East School District Regional Heritage Fair May 11, 2016 (Wednesday) 2:00pm to 3:30pm Public viewing of student projects followed by Awards Ceremony at 3:30pm.

3. Museum Breakfast May 21 to October 8, 2016 (Every Saturday) 9:00am to 12:00 noon Each week features a diff erent breakfast sourced from the local economy.

4. Official Museum & Market Opening May 21, 2016 (Saturday) 11:00am Come out to celebrate the start of another season. Join us for the opening of a new exhibit “Steeves: 250 Years in Albert County”

5. Opening Windows to Our Past Last Thursday of Each Month (May to September) at 7:30pm Looking through Diaries from Albert County.

6. Farmers and Craft ers Market May 21 to October 8, 2016 (Every Saturday) 9:00am to 1:00pm Local foods and craft s ... grown, harvested and made right here in Albert County.

7. Father’s Day Supper June 19, 2016 (Sunday) at 6:00pm Treat your Dad to a delicious dinner. Advance tickets $15.00 (no tickets at door)

8. New Brunswick Battalions of Th e Great War June 11, 2016 (Saturday) 10:00am to 4:00pm Come share Memories and Memorabilia of the Great War. Admission by Donation to Victory Cannon Campaign.

9. Sixth Annual R.B. Bennett Day July 2, 2016 (Saturday) 9:00am to 4:00pm Come celebrate the birthday of Canada’s 11th Prime Minister. Free Birthday Cake! Museum Admission by Donation

10. 40th Anniversary Quilt Show & Sale July 12 to 16, 2016 (Tuesday to Saturday) 9:30am to 5:30pm (Admission $3.00) Display & sale of hand craft ed quilts and goods. Watch for details about special history displays, demonstrations and workshops.

11. Steeves 250 July 22 to 29, 2016 (Friday to Friday) See our special exhibit “Steeves: 250 Years in Albert County” Visit www.steeves250.com for reunion details.

12. Black Forest Supper July 27, 2016 (Wednesday) at 6:00pm A Baden-Württemberg inspired evening. Advance Tickets $25 (no tickets at door)

13. NB Day Annual Lobster Supper August 1, 2016 (Monday) 5:00pm to 8:00pm Market Price (tickets available at door) Chicken option available.

14. Royalty Tea August 10, 2016 (Wednesday) at 2:00pm Celebrating the Queen’s 90th Birthday Advance Tickets $15 (no tickets at door)

15. Antique Road Show September 18, 2016 (Sunday) 2:00pm to 4:00pm Have your antiques appraised ($5.00 per item or 3 for $10.00)

16. “Christmas Memories” Concert November 20, 2016 (Sunday) at 2:00pm Festive music, singing, dancing, drama & refreshments. Advance tickets $12.50

17. Albert County Historical Society Annual General Meeting October 20, 2016 (Thursday) at 7:30pm 2017 Memberships will be available.   

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Top 10 Historical Events in Albert County in Review - #3 The Arrival of the Steeves

The third event in the Top Ten Historical Events in Albert County History in review. 

1. First European Settlers in 1699. 

2. The Acadian Expulsion in 1755. Ending 57 years of Acadian colonies in Albert County, this includes the Battle of Petitcodiac, September 4, 1755. 

3. Arrival of the Steeves family in 1766. 

   The first German settlers to Albert County are thought by some to have lived here alongside the Acadians prior to the Expulsion of the Acadian in 1755. Others believe that the first German settlers were the group that arrived in 1765. This group came from Pennsylvania after emigrating to that area from Germany. The main reason they left Pennsylvania was because land there was scarce, but there were also political, economic, and social reasons why the Germans decided to move once again. They settled along the Shepody River, near the old Acadian settlement of Chipody, and named the area Germantown.

   The settlers had come to this land, owned by a group headed by Adam Hoops, and managed by Thomas Calhoun, because there was a need for settlers in the area. Rather than handle the land grants themselves, Britain had given control of the land to companies who would share in the profits if the settlement was successful. As the winter weather was quite harsh, the settlers had difficulty during the first winter. The settlers had problems growing crops and they complained to Calhoun about the small amount of provisions that he had given them. 
   
   Over the next two years the difficulties of growing crops and adequate provisions continued for the group and eventually all but 59 of the Germans left the area. It is believed that some returned to Pennsylvania, others to Halifax, while others moved up the Petitcodiac River to the new German settlement that was being established in Hillsborough.

   The grant for the Monckton Township was awarded in 1765 to four Philadelphia land companies. The lead company was headed by John Hughes and Benjamin Franklin who appointed Anthony Wayne as chief negotiator. On January 27th, 1766, nine prospective settlers signed an agreement to be tenants for a period of five years. They were Mathias Somner, Valentin Muller, Charles Jones, Heinrich Stief, Andres Greiner, Michael Lutz, Jacob Klein, Mathias Lenz, and Jacob Treitz. The agreement promised the settlers "one Lott of Forty feet in Breadth and Two Hundred and Twenty five feet or thereabouts in Depth or Length." In exchange the settlers promised to fence their land and build a house with a stone or brick chimney. After this, the settlers were expected to "clear, fence and improve or Till Two Acres of Corn Land, and also clear, Fence and Mow one Acre of Meadow Ground and plant fifty Apple Trees." In return for this, they were given "Two Hundred Acres of Good Land for every Family of Five protestant persons."
   
   Five of the families who signed the agreement sailed aboard a sloop with Capt. John Hall, for whom Hall's Creek in Moncton is named, in April of 1766 and arrived in Moncton on June 3. The families who arrived in June of 1766 were the Sumner, Jones, Steif, Lutes, and Trites families. The families settled on the lands in and around Moncton, at first they chose to live close together so they could help each other build houses and establish farms before the winter came. After arriving, the families planted 200 pounds of potatoes and were able to get some supplies from Mr. Wethered, a man who lived near Fort Cumberland. In addition they also managed to get supplies from the "King's Stores" at Fort Cumberland, and from Anthony Wayne in Halifax. From these sources, they were able to receive livestock, flour, buckwheat seed, fish hooks and lines. Two years after the group arrived in the area, however, financial help ceased as the land company went bankrupt. A second ship carrying supplies did not arrive and local supplies were no longer available, so the Steif family left the area and moved to Hillsborough.
   
   The Hillsborough Township was granted in 1765 to five Nova Scotia Council members led by Robert Cummings, nephew of Adam Hoops. The township was named after Lord Hillsborough. There was better help for the settlers in Hillsborough from the land owners so the Germans settlers who came there began building their houses and farming the land. The forests were full of rabbits, partridge, and other game and there were plenty of fish in the streams, but the Pennsylvania settlers did not possess the skills necessary to take advantage of their environment. In order to learn how to use the resources around them, the Germans soon became friends with the Micmac Indians in the area. The Indians were able to teach the Germans about fishing, trapping, picking the marsh greens, and making maple syrup. In return, the Indians were able to trade with the Germans for the supplies that they needed. The settlers from Germany also lived in peace with the Acadian inhabitants of the area who remained after the Expulsion of the Acadians in 1755. By the late 1700's the settlers still did not own the land that they lived on so following the example of Thomas Calhoun the settlers in Moncton sued the landowners for breach of contract. The settlers argued that due to the American Revolutionary War, which began in 1775, the settlers could not communicate with or receive financial support from the land owners in the American Colonies. The settlers won and the land was ordered sold. The settlers were given the tracts of land that they lived on as payment for work done on the land and for damages caused by American Rebels. With the arrival of the Loyalists in the years to come, the communities started by the German settlers would continue to grow, as stores were opened and industries such as shipbuilding would begin to prosper.

4. The founding of the county 1845.

5. Development of Commercially Viable Kerosene from Albertite by geologist Abraham Gesner in 1846 which led directly to the petroleum age and the modern world and indirectly to saving all the whales. Thanks Albert County!

6. The Saxby Gale of 1869, which brought untold destruction of property and the loss of a number of lives. 

7. The Birthplace and Hometown of Canada's 11th Prime Minister RB Bennett (b1870), who founded the Bank of Canada, the CBC and numerous other important Canadian Institutions.

8. The Tom Collins Axe Murder Triple Trial which directly lead to Canada's Double Jeopardy laws. Double Jeopardy is a procedural defence that forbids a defendant from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following a legitimate acquittal or conviction.

9. Winning the Victory Loans Competition of 1919 by raising a greater percentage over their set goal than anywhere else in the Province. The county raised $347600.00 with a goal of $110000.00. That's triple the amount! (in today's dollars that is $6.2 million!).

10. Founding of Fundy National Park in 1948.

Did you hear the News? 250th Anniversary Steeves Family Reunion Record Breaking Attempt

The history of Albert County would not be the same without the Steeves Family and in 2016 there is a HUGE reunion planned for the 250th Anniversary of the family arriving in New Brunswick. With an estimated 300000 descendants of the original family scattered around the world the organizers are hoping to attract over 10000 of them to the reunion to set a Guiness Book of World Records for the most people with the same last name in one place at one time record. And in case you missed it, it's all over the news!

Global News Maritimes just did a nice report on it here. Click here to view. 

The official  website with all the action can be found here. 

If you want to learn more about the Steeves there are some excellent articles on our site already. You can search Steeves or click on the following links. 

http://www.albertcountymuseum.com/heinrich-regine-steif

http://www.albertcountymuseum.com/william-henry-steeves

http://www.albertcountymuseum.com/news/2015/11/17/lest-we-forget-on-this-day-100-years-ago-albert-harry-steeves-was-killed-in-action-11171915