Lumsden, Newfoundland and Labrador

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lumsden
other_name = Cat Harbour
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settlement_type = Town
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pushpin_label_position = left
pushpin_map_caption = Location of Lumsden in Newfoundland
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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = CAN
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name1 = NL
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established_title =
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established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1968
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leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Larry Parsons
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area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 = 20.43
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population_as_of = 2006
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population_footnotes = [cite web | url=http://www12.statcan.ca/english/census06/data/profiles/community/Details/Page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=1008004&Geo2=PR&Code2=10&Data=Count&SearchText=lumsden&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=10&B1=All&Custom= | publisher=Statistics Canada | title=Community highlights for Lumsden, NL | date=2006 Census | accessdate=2008-02-03]
population_total = 533
population_urban =
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population_density_sq_mi =
population_density_km2 = 26.1
timezone = Newfoundland Time
utc_offset = -3:30
timezone_DST = Newfoundland Daylight
utc_offset_DST = -2:30
latd = 49
latm = 16
lats = 58.8
latNS = N
longd = 53
longm = 37
longs = 1.2
longEW = W
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postal_code_type = Postal code span
postal_code = A0G 3E0
area_code = 709
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footnotes = The community of Lumsden, formerly known as Cat Harbour, is located on the Straight Shore of Newfoundland and Labrador near communities such as Musgrave Harbour and Newtown. Lumsden was formerly made up of two settlements, Lumsden North on the tip of a sandy peninsula and Lumsden South on the main road. Although the harbour in Lumsden is not ideal because it is not sheltered, Lumsden does have great fishing grounds. [ W.G Handcock and C.W. Sanger, "Outports on the Northeast Coast of Newfoundland", 1981.]

History

Lumsden, then called Cat Harbour, was visited as early as the 1700s by French fishermen because of its good inshore fishing grounds. It was a part of the French shore until 1783. In 1836 "census" the population was recorded as 97 for Lumsden and Cape Freels combined. The population of Lumsden increased as the migratory fishery declined because people began to setlle permanently. The name was changed from Cat Harbour to Lumsden in 1917 after the Rev. James Lumsden. The economy in Lumsden was based on the Labrador fishery, inshore fishery, seal fishery, and woods work. There was also a small boat fishery which trucked the fish to the community of Valleyfield. The people of Lumsden were avid supporters of the Fisherman's Protective Union, a local council was formed in 1901 and a Union Store was built in 1912 and was open until 1932. The first highroad in Lumsden was built in 1952, a regional highschool was built ten years later in 1962. Eventually Lumsden North and South merged when the North settlement was vacated, and the town of Lumsden was incorporated in 1968."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

Larry Parsons, the community's Mayor since May 2007, was killed in February 2008 following the sinking of a tugboat he was aboard. [cite news | title=Newfoundland mayor one of two dead in sinking | urk=http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=280428 | publisher="National Post" | date=1 February 2008 | accessdate=2008-02-03 ] [cite news | url=http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=104531&sc=79 | title=Communities in mourning print this article | date=2 February 2008 | accessdate=2008-02-03 | publisher="The Telegram" | first=Tara | last=Brautigam ]

Church History

The first people in Lumsden were Church of England and Roman Catholic. The nearest missionary was Rev. Coster in Greenspond. He first visited Lumsden in June 1832 and he baptized eleven children. The Rev. Gilchrist visited Lumsden twice a year during his mission in Greenspond, and the Rev. Julian Moreton also visited and recorded it in his journal and reports. [ Naboth Winsor, "Through Peril, Toil and Pain"] The Methodist population began to increase in the 1850s and by the 1900s Methodism was dominant in Lumsden. The first Methodist church was built by 1898 but it burned down in 1915. The first Jehovah's Witnesses in Newfoundland were in Lumsden North in 1917, started by a local merchant Wesley Howell. A school room was opened in 1859 with a Mr. Moses Davis as the teacher, a new school came in 1910."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

Census Information

Directory

* The earliest recorded people in Lumsden were the Gibbons, Goodyears, Grays, and Parsons who were from Harbour Grace and areas. Other names include Butt, Melindy, West, Whalen, and Wright."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

* Lovell's Directory for 1871 describes Lumsden (Cat Harbour) as a small fishing settlement in the district of Fogo and Twillingate, distant from Greenspond by 15 miles in boat, with a population of 200. [ J. Lovell, "Lovell's Newfoundland Directory," 1871.] The names that are listed in the directory are:
* Stephen Andrews, Planter
* George Butt, Fisherman
* Roger Butt, Planter
* William Butt, Fisherman
* William Cannan, Planter
* Thomas Cribb, Fisherman
* Thomas Gibbons, Fisherman
* Matthew Gibbons, Planter
* Charles Goodyear, Fisherman
* John Goodyear, Fisherman
* John C Goodyear, Planter
* John Goodyear, Jr., Planter
* Richard Goodyear, Fisherman
* John Gray, Fisherman
* John Leary, Fisherman
* George Parsons, Fisherman
* George Parsons, Planter
* Jonathan Parsons, Fisherman
* William Parsons, Fisherman
* Francis Pike, Fisherman
* Henry Pinsent, Planter
* Joseph West, Fisherman
* Charles Wright, Fisherman

Interesting Facts

* On an early French map Lumsden was named "Hav. Dechire", or Wrecking Harbour."Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador"]

* The Way Officer for Cat Harbour in the late 1800s was Henry Robbins. ["Newfoundland Almanac"]

* Members of the Outport Road Board for Cat Harbour in the 1800s include: Robbins, Gibbons, Smith, Butt, Parsons, Foley, and Norman. ["Newfoundland Almanac"]

References

ee also

* List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador

External links

* http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/g/i/b/Rex-V-Gibbons/index.html
* http://ngb.chebucto.org/
* http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~hrollman/index.html
* http://www.rootsweb.com/~cannf/bbnor.htm
* [http://www.centralnewfoundland.com/lumsden.php3 Travel Central Newfoundland: Lumsden]