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Extended Family
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Chester was initially settled in the 1760s by New England Planters. Later, United Empire Loyalists (from the same area) arrived after the American War Of Independence (1775-1783). Throughout Chester's early history coastal trade and contact with the eastern United States would continue, however it would not always be friendly.

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The Turncoat: Victory

The women of Chester once dressed like men. In 1783 three American ships of privateers were scared off by local women wearing their red-lined capes inside out and carrying broomsticks for muskets, parading as British militia - talk about a turncoat!

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The Turncoat Victory Reenactment
2009
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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The report comes that Mr. Umlah from East Chester is missing, his boat found floating in the bay.
2009
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Turncoat Victory - Village Women assemble at the Blockhouse
2009
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Turncoat Victory - Women arrive with brooms, guns and sticks ready to march
2009
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Turncoat Victory - Women turn coats to show red lining - looking like soldiers from a distance
2009
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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The Young Teazer from History of the County of Lunenburg (1895) by M.B. DesBrisay

One of the most interesting sights ever beheld in the waters of the county was the pursuit of the American privateer Young Teazer, in 1813. This was witnessed by John Heckman, Esq., who was then captain of the guard on duty at the block-house, near Lunenburg, and by many others. The vessel had been for some time chased by the privateer Sir John Sherbrooke, an eighteen gun brig, commanded by Captain Joseph Freeman, belonging to Liverpool, N.S., but was at last shut out from view by the fog. One of the men of the Sir John Sherbrooke, then resident at Lunenburg, informed the writer that the La Hoque (74), the frigate Orpheus, Captain Hugh Pigott, another frigate named the Castor, and the Manly, a brig of war, were in pursuit of the Teazer, which vessel had proved very destructive to trade arid commerce.
The captain of the Teazer ran in, and when off the Sculpin rock (lying in mid channel), seeing that he was closely followed by the Orpheus, tacked ship, and stood over for Spindler's Cove, when he again tacked, and went out with a fair wind between Cross Island and Eastern Points, and got into Chester Bay, inside of Big Tancook. The La Hogue and Orpheus continued the chase, and the wind having failed, five boats were sent off from the La Hog Ike, which followed the Teazer for some distance, when an officer of the latter, a deserter from the British service, fearing the punishment that awaited him if caught, set fire to the magazine, and blew up the vessel. This was stated by one of the Teazer's men in jail at Lunenburg, to one of the crew of the Sir John Sherbrooke, before referred to, and he added, "We saw you after us, and it would have been well had you taken us." The noise of the explosion was terrific. Geo. Duncan, then residing at East Chester, who was at the time returning from Lunenburg in his boat, said, that though ten or twelve miles distant, he felt the shock sensibly. The wreck was towed ashore on Nass's or Eastern Island, near Chester, when it was found that part of the hull had been blown away. The foremast and bowsprit were left standing, the first of which, made of Norway pine, was sold for twenty dollars. What remained of the hull, constructed of the best American oak, was sold to George Mitchell, Esq., for a few dollars. The posts on the eastern side of a store built by him, rested on the keelson. Some of the crew were carried to Lunenburg on Sunday, the day after the explosion, and were there cared for. One of them had a leg amputated by Dr. Bolman, and remained in Lunenburg for some time. Another had lost both feet above the ankles. It is said that" the Teazer's men were so angry at the curiosity displayed, that they indulged in much abusive language."
The day of the explosion was one of great excitement in Lunenburg. The report was current that the town was taken and that the Yankees were in the front and back harbor, and the people were actually employed in carting their belongings out of town. Mrs. Kaulbach, sen., was one of those occupied in preparing baskets of provisions for the women and children in case they were required to take flight.
Several persons residing in Chester went out to the wreck, Mr. Josiah Marvin, with David Evans and others, including John Pentz, who fainted at the sight presented on nearing it, took the remains of two of the crew to Chester and had them interred in the churchyard. One man had his head blown off, and both legs were gone below the knees. A basket was brought ashore containing an infant's clothes, a pair of scissors, a needle case, and a lot of books, among which was one entitled " The Care Killer."

The Teazer was from sixty to seventy feet keel, coppered, painted black, with a carved alligator for her figure-head, had her bulwarks filled in with cork up to the rails, and "vas provided with a "long Tom" forward, mounted on a swivel, and another large gun on deck. She was a very fast sailer, could be rowed with her sixteen sweeps five knots an hour, and was a cause of much dread to coasters and others.
The following record is preserved of the deposition of one of the officers of the ill-fated vessel, made before Francis Rudolf and John Creighton, Esqs., Justices of the Peace at Lunenburg:
"Examination of Elisha Gunnison, carpenter of the late American privateer Young Teaser, taken June 28th, 1813. The said Elisha Gunnison deposes that on the 27th of June, being nearly off Lunenburg, saw a sail to windward. All hands were called to make sail and out sweeps. At 2 p.m., discovered another sail to leeward. At 4 p.m., both vessels took the wind, landlocked and compelled us to run into Mahone Bay. The sail which appeared to leeward of us proved to be His Majesty's ship La Hogue (74), which chased us into the mouth of the bay, and came to an anchor, and immediately manned and sent her boats after us, the La Hogue's boats being nearly three miles off. It is supposed that the Teaser was blown up intentionally by some of the crew. The explosion was great and destructive.
Out of thirty-six men who were then on board, eight only were saved, including this deponent, two of whom were much hurt. All were thrown into the water, and one of them with difficulty reached the boat astern, cut the painter and picked up the surviving seven, and immediately rowed the boat ashore, and surrendered themselves to one Martin Rafuse, residing on Anshutz's Island in Mahone Bay aforesaid, who brought and delivered them at Lunenburg. Their names are as follows, namely: John Michel, John Carlo, Richard Vanvost, Joen Pleo, Lewis D. Mott, Charles Wheatman, John Cahoon."
Resulting from these facts a superstition has arisen amongst the inhabitants of the islands in Chester Bay, that the Teazer, like the Flying Dutchman of old, supernaturally revisits the waters in which she met her fate, and the "Teaser light" has long been a matter of alarm to many while passing over Chester Bay.

Chester Municipality A History 1759 to 2000 by Lois MacLeod 2002

Once again Chester was in great danger. Privateers roamed the coasts of Nova Scotia. The United States, with its tiny navy, could not wage a naval war against the British navy but it could license privateers to harass coastal villages, capture merchant vessels and even British naval vessels. According to Alexander MacMechan, the Teazer, a privateer commanded by Lieutenant Frederick Johnson, was named for the two most aggressive lead hounds of a hunting pack. It lived up to its name. Within three weeks, it captured two ships, six schooners and six brigs. By December 1812 the British had captured and burned it, releasing its officers with the proviso that they never again bear arms against England under penalty of death by hanging. By May 1813 the Americans had licensed the Young Teazer with Johnson as one of its officers. Painted black with an alligator on its prow.!" it was a small fast ship, able to sail among the islands, reefs and shoal waters of Mahone Bay where larger ships could not. Pursued from its ideal location for attack off Sambro Light by the Sir John Sherbrooke, a Liverpool privateer, it escaped thanks to a dense fog, only to be chased by the La Hogue, the frigates Orpheus and Castor, and a brig o'war Manly. They caught up with Young Teazel" in Chester Bay just inside Big Tancook. At the sight of five boats from the La Hogue rowing towards him, Johnson became frightened, descended into the hold of the vessel, set fire to the powder magazine and blew the ship up. The explosion was heard as far away as Blandford and felt for ten or twelve miles distant. In fact, only eight badly injured men of the nearly forty man crew survived." The ship was towed to Meisner's (Nass) Island. Some of the wood from her salvaged hull was used in the construction of a Chester building, now the Rope Loft, a popular restaurant. In the Eiserhauer house in Middle River, there is a beautiful Bible table made from part of the oak hull .'' The most touching reminder of the �Young Teazel" is the Peace or Baptismal Cross crafted from the oak keelson for St Stephen's Anglican Church. On Sunday, 8 August 1915, at an International Service, a collection was taken to procure a Peace Cross to commemorate a century of peace between Great Britain and the United States of America following the implementation of the Treaty of Ghent effective 17 February 1815. It was also intended to provide a suitable memorial to two of the crew of the Young Teazer" who lie buried in the Churchyard.
Mary Talcott of Hartford, Connecticut, a new summer resident in Chester, attended the service. From 1976 to 1979 her grandson, Thomas Enders, was American Ambassador to Canada. He engaged the United States in greater political and economic relations with Canada and helped prepare the way for the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement of the 1980s. He frequently addressed diverse Canadian audiences on the importance of such relations." The Anthony Enders family still spends summers in the family home in Chester.
To this day on Mahone Bay, a certain light in the sky about a mile offshore resembles a burning ship. This recurring phenomenon which has long alarmed the inhabitants is called the "Teazel' Light".

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The Rope Loft
1950
Chester Nova Scotia

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Oak Island Treasure - The hunt for treasure still on-going- brought many to the area in search of wealth and riches.

This condensed History of Oak Island is presented in point form for easy reading. The full story of Oak Island is much more detailed and exciting and we encourage you to read a good book that contains so much more. Oak Island authors you may want to consider include D�Arcy O�Connor, Lee Restall Lamb, Graham Harris and Les MacPhie, Reginald Harris, Rupert Furneaux, William Crooker, Mark Finnan, Millie Evans and Eric Mullen to name a few. Some of their books are available at book stores, some are no longer in print but can be found in second hand shops and on line, all are worth reading.

- The treasure hunt begins around 1795 or so when Donald Daniel McInnis is credited with starting it. He and two others, John Smith and Anthony Vaughan dug to a depth of 30 feet. They reportedly discovered oak log platforms at 19, 20 and 30 feet the pit became known as the Money Pit.
- Next attempt was the Onslow Company 1804. They dug to 90+ feet and found layers of charcoal, putty and coconut fiber. At 90- feet or so, they found a stone with strange markings on it. The pit flooded and they could not pump it out.
- 1849 the Truro Company starts to dig. Discovered the water in the Money Pit was salt water and seemed to rise and fall with the tide. They discovered the first flood tunnel at Smith�s Cove, and tons of coconut fiber under the beach. Drilled into what seemed to be a treasure chamber, witnessed the Money Put collapse.
- 1861, first death happens when a boiler exploded, several scalded, one dead.
- 1897 the Oak Island Treasure Company finds the �other end� of the flood tunnel ion the Money Pit. Describes as being 4 feet high, 2.5 feet wide, stuffed with beach stones, they tried to block it to no avail. Later while drilling deep in the Money Pit area, they discovered a small piece of parchment at 154 feet, then a metal barrier at 171 feet.
- 1897 second death occurs, Maynard Kaizer a local Native Mi�kmaq man dies when he falls to his death from a hoist.
- 1909 Henry Bowdoin arrives on scene with a young Franklin Roosevelt, future President of the United States in tow. Controversy ensues.
- 1936 Gilbert Heddon takes up the challenge, makes many discoveries. Re - discovers the south shore Triangle of Stones that points at the Money Pit 210 feet away. Digs a very deep shaft, discovers broken stones on beach with strange markings.
- 1959 Robert Restall, motorcycle daredevil and inventor arrives with family in tow. They live in a spartan shack with no electricity, no running water for 6 years. Explores older working, examines the old flood tunnel drains feels he is close to a discovery.
- August 17 1965 Robert Restall, his son Bobby, Karl Graeser and Cyril Hiltz over come by fumes, drown in a shallow shaft on the beach at Smith�s Cove.
- October 1965 Robert Dunfield from California tries his luck. He builds the 600 foot long causeway to Oak Island, digs major holes, finds some tantalizing clues.

- 1967 A new syndicate is formed, Triton Alliance. They do seismic work and deep drilling to discover possible man made voids in the bedrock, over 200 feet deep. Discover many artifacts that point toward a Spanish involvement. One deep shaft (235'), Borehole 10X gives up TV images of what appear to be tools, support beams, a treasure chest and human remains.
- 1971 Wooden structure under the beach in Smith�s Cove examined. No one knows what it is for or who put it there or.
- 1973 Borehole 10X collapses almost trapping Triton partner Dan Blankenship. 10X is eventually re-opened and enlarged from 27 inches to eight feet in diameter, re - excavated to 181 feet. Partnership sours and 10X goes into moth balls.
- 2001 Oak Island Tourism Society is founded by John Chattaway. Ideal is to re-invigorate the interest in Oak Island and have a major tourism attraction.
- 2003 Norwegian historical detective Petter Amundsen searches for clues to a new theory. Digs up unusual stones at the end of huge Christian style cross earlier discovered by treasure hunter Fred Nolan.
- 2005 Oak Island Tourism Society hosts first tours of Oak Island in ten years. A new festival, Explore Oak Island Days receives international attention and is becoming quite relevant in the tourism sector.
- 2006 Dan Blankenship and long time partner David Tobias part company, Dan finds four new partners from Traverse City Michigan.
- 2006 Fred Nolan does some drilling on his property, results unknown.
- March 2008, some drilling resumes on the island with the new consortium, Oak Island Tours Inc. Some holes drilled to as deep as 300 feet, results unknown.
- 2009 Oak Island Tourism Society folds. Mandate is not attainable.
- 2010 A new group made up of the treasure hunters, friends and family take over tours.
- 2011 Oak Island Tours Inc. conducts new seismic work, results unknown. Early Treasure Trove Act repealed, group now works under the Oak Island Treasure Act. Borehole 10X being worked on, new drilling around the Money Pit.
-2012 New treasure trove license issued and work resumes on the island

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Oak Island Treasure Hunt - Aerial view of Smith's Cove and the Money Pit area
1900-19114
Oak Island

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Digging for treasure at Oak Island
1900
Oak Island

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society

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Equipment set up for the treasure hunt
1890
Oak Island

Credits:
Chester Municipal Heritage Society