Footprints of the Gaetz Family - Nova Scotia

By Annie L. Gaetz

 Dedicated to the memory of our ancestors.

Foreward

This history is written for the benefit of the younger generation, that they may know more of the prudent sagacity and fearless fortitude of their God-fearing ancestors.

These sturdy pioneers were able to place the meat and the wheat in the basket, year in and year out, through thick and thin, in spite of willow roots placed in a stony foundation draught, the shortage of help, tools and money. They seemed to be built of iron, with joints of brass and muscles of tempered steel, filled inside with "the gentleness that makes men great."

They will not pass this way again; but their descendants might well profit by the example they have set, and example of honesty, integrity, courage and right living.

The Gaetz Family of Nova Scotia - Beginnings

The date of the arrival of the first Gaetz on the shores of Nova Scotia is somewhat uncertain, though some do place the date as 1713. According to a copy of the records received from the Archives of Nova Scotia, Martin Gaetz was the first of the Clan to set foot on Canadian soil. In 1751 he crossed the Atlantic in the ship "Pearl," landing at "Halifax where he planned to make his home. He was listed as a farmer from the Palatinate, twenty-five years of age. His name on the passenger list was spelled "Keets." English clerks, who often misspelled German names, made up the lists on the Pearl. Before leaving the ship, Martin Gaetz had this mistake corrected.

In the early 1750s, 2,500 or more "Foreign Protestants" came from Germany to Halifax intending to settle on land in that Province. In the spring of 1753, many of these settlers including Martin Gaetz, were transported by ship to Lunenburg County, landing at LaHave, a French name given to the river and to the country, which it drained.

The colony was given a section of the Province in this district, where they proceeded to establish themselves. These were Lutheran Protestants, and it has been said that they left their native country to escape religious persecution. They were sent to this section of the Province to counteract the French influence there; only the staunchest Protestants were chosen for this Colony. They may have given the name Lunenburg to the home of their adoption, after their cold home across the seas: or it may have been given in honor of the Royal family, who had the title "Prince of Lunenburg."

A year after the arrival of these settlers in Lunenburg County, the Governor reported them as "almost incredibly industrious. They planted potatoes and flax from seed brought from Germany, and appeared," said the same report, "greatly attached to their farm plots."

We would like to know more of this Martin Gaetz, who braved the perils of the sea, to make a home for himself on the rocky shores of Nova Scotia. We would like to know of his wife and family: but the delay in writing this history has been overly long, and much that would have been of interest has gone beyond our ken. At any rate, Martin Gaetz was of a religious turn of mind, for among the few precious things that he was able to bring with him on the ship Pearl, was a Family Bible. In this Bible was recorded the family history, and an account of his sea voyage and of his early struggle to get a foothold in Nova Scotia.

How we would like to browse through this early history. However, that privilege has been denied us. The Bible became the property of one of the earliest of the Gaetz women of Nova Scotia, who, before her death, asked to have the Bible buried with her, and her wishes were carried out.

After Martin Gaetz, the next record we have is of Jacob Gaetz of LeHave, descendant of Martin Gaetz. There might have been another generation between Martin and Jacob Gaetz, of which we have no record. Jacob Gaetz had at least four sons, Fred, Martin, George and Leonard, who established homes in different parts of Nova Scotia.

Fred Gaetz settled at Volgers Cove on the LaHave. He had at least a family of two, Byatha and Wilfred. Wilfred studied for the ministry at Woolfville University, Hants County, and was later ordained as a Methodist minister. He was stationed at various points in Nova Scotia, and at one time was stationed at the McDougall Church, Edmonton. After he was superannuated, he retired to Woolfville, N.S., where he passed away around 1958.

Martin Gaetz married Hannah Romkey, and settled at Beach Meadows in 1833. The large house that he built for his bride still provides a home for the widower husband of one of Martin’s daughters. Hannah and Martin had fourteen children, and found names for them all – Martin, Elias, William, Jacob, Abram, Samuel, Isaac, Albert, Joseph, John, Hannah, Celia, and Eliza and another – a granddaughter, Mrs. George Durgan resides at Beach Meadows.

George and Leonard Gaetz married sisters; George married Elizabeth, and Leonard, Catherine Ritcey, daughters of Joe Ritcey of Ritcey's Cove, Riverport, Lunenburg Co. The name Ritcey was originally HenRitcey, as shown by old gravestones; but a younger generation had the wisdom to shorten it to the more dignified name, Ritcey. A learned University Professor stated that the name Gaetz was originally VonGaetz; but we find no record to bear out that assertion. If Martin Gaetz, when he boarded the ship Pearl, decided to leave part of the name behind, we take off our hats to Martin.

George Gaetz and his wife Elizabeth settled at Chezzetcook, which included all the villages from Prescot to Musquodoboit Hbr. They had eight children: Isaac, Jacob, Andrew, Henry, Alex, Eliza, Susan, and also John, who as a young man was drowned in the Musquodoboit river. Perhaps the oldest Gaetz now living in Nova Scotia (1960), and a descendant or George and Elizabeth, is Mrs. Marbel Grennough, who is now 90 years of age.

Musquodoboit extends the length of the river by that name, Musquodoboit Hbr., Middle and Upper Musquodoboit. Leonard and Catherine Ritcey Gaetz settled at Musquodoboit Hbr. He was a miller, a farmer, and carried on a small Coastal trade with Halifax. Standing side by side on a wind swept hilltop of Musquodoboit Hbr. near the site of the first church in the neighborhood, are two old and weathered stones, marking the last resting place of Catherine and Leonard Gaetz. The inscriptions on the stones read as follows:

"In memory of Leonard Gaetz, a native of LaHave, Co. Lunenburg, who died at Musquodoboit Hbr. June 8th, 1864, age 63 years."

"Them also who sleep with Jesus, will God bring with Him. Corruption, earth and worms shall but refine this flesh, ’til my triumphant spirit comes to put it on afresh."

"In memory of Catherine HenRitcey, relict of Leonard Gaetz, died Jan. 11th, 1885, age 83 years.

"Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord from henceforth, Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors and their works do follow them."

Well might Catherine and Leonard rest from their labors, for they had raised three daughters and nine sons. Three of the latter became ordained ministers of the Methodist Church, and one a lay-minister. Of the three daughters, Susannah, Elizabeth and Sara Ann; Susannah married Leonard Hamilton. She must have been happily married, for she lived to the ripe old age of 101 years. Elizabeth married Mr. Martin, who died leaving her with one son Martin. Later she married Robt. McDuffy and they had one daughter Florence. They came to the Red Deer district in the early ’80s, and later moved to the west coast. Sara Ann married Morris Smith, and they had twelve children.

Sons born to Leonard and Catherine were Leonard, Joseph, Thomas, Isaac, William, Henry, John, James, and Simeon.

No doubt it entailed some hardships for Catherine and Leonard to provide for and educate twelve children. Though material comforts may have been lacking, they had the far greater advantage of a good Christian home. When the two sons Leonard and Joseph, as young lads around thirteen and fourteen, left home to seek a higher education at Acadia University, Woolfville, each lad carried all his belongings wrapped in a red bandana handkerchief, attached to a stick slung over his shoulder. They made their way alone and on foot, through a wild and rugged country, following along the coast line of Nova Scotia. However, they came of sturdy stock, and were undaunted by hardships. Both Leonard and Joseph started their ministerial career very young;Leonard at the age of nineteen years. Due to their limited educational opportunities in early life, they were obliged later to spend much midnight oil preparing their sermons for their large congregations.

Of Leonard Gaetz we shall hear later.

After Joseph Gaetz was ordained, he married Sarah Saint, and he took his young bride to the mission field of Newfoundland. After a number of years, he returned to Nova Scotia, where during the remainder of his ministerial career he served the church worthily and well. Joseph and Sarah had three sons, HaroId who, in the first Great War rose to the rank of Major and was killed in action; Beaumont (Beau) and Thomas A. Gaetz: two daughters Mrs. McLelan and Mrs. Oxley.

Thomas Gaetz, son of Leonard and Catherine, also studied at Acadia University Woolfville, and was ordained as a Methodist minister. He married Catherine Jost of Guysborough, N.S., and he too took his young bride to the Mission Field at Newfoundland. Their son John Jost Getz was born there, and when he was only a few weeks old, Rev. Thomas left for the mainland to attend a church conference. While there, he was taken ill with typhoid. He managed to reach his home, but died shortly after, on Oct. 24th, 1860. His young widow was left with a six-week old baby, with only three days to bury her husband, pack, and make all arrangements so as to catch the last boat for the mainland before freeze-up. She went back to her people in Nova Scotia.

Hanging on the wall of one of the Gaetz homes in Nova Scotia, is the picture of an early Methodist Church Conference held in that province. Three Gaetz ministers are shown in this picture. How gratifying that must have been to Catherine and Leonard Gaetz.

Isaac served his church as a lay-minister. He had a hesitancy or small impediment in his speech; otherwise, he may have had a desire to join the ranks of ministers of the family. After his mother was left a widow, he and his wife Bell lived with her on the old homestead until her death in 1885. Isaac and Belle came west in 1836, and we shall hear more of them later.

William Gaetz took up a farm at Selma, Hants Co. Simeon settled at Musquodoboit Hbr. His first wife died young, and he married Ann Smith. They had one son Byron, who resides at Musquodoboit Hbr.

Henry Gaetz married Louisa Ellen Conrad and they had a fair sized family: Etta (Mrs. John Farr) Theresa (Mrs. E. Tucker) Hec who came West in 1886, Henry, Naomi, Wilbert and Abner. Abner had three daughters: Naomi, who married Wilbert Hubley, died Feb. 1960; Sadie married Nelson Gaetz, a descendent of George Gaetz; Gertrude who married Guy Richardson, has contributed much of the information for this early history. The street in Dartmouth where Gertrude and Guy reside was at one time called Gaetz Ave. Abner and Louise rest side by side in the newer part of Musquodoboit cemetery, close to others of their kin.

John Gaetz married Florence Welliver and settled at Musquodoboit Hbr. In his later years he was greatly interested in Sunday School work, and served as Superintendent of the Sunday School. When his daughter Bessie, married Ben Power, they made their home on the original Leonard Gaetz homestead, where all of the children of Leonard and Catherine were born. Houses in Nova Scotia in pioneer days were almost altogether of hardwood, and they were built to endure. Though the house has been greatly renovated part of the old house where Leonard brought his bride Catherine about the year 1830, is still in use.

James Gaetz settled at Dartmouth. His daughter Ida was at one time employed in the Red Deer Hospital. She married Capt. Keast of the district, and after his death, she returned east.

The Gaetz families of Nova Scotia were large in numbers, boys predominating. For that reason, the Gaetz population increased rapidly. Their descendents have scattered to the four winds, some to establish homes in different parts of Nova Scotia, some to Western Canada and others to the Eastern United States.

The foregoing is but a brief sketch of the Gaetz family beginnings. So many years have elapsed since our first known ancestor Martin Gaetz arrived in Nova Scotia, that it has been difficult to piece together the early history. Before passing on to the more detailed history of the Gaetz Family of Western Canada, the writer expresses the hope that some family member, closer to the home base in Nova Scotia, may find this brief sketch a help in preparing a fuller and more interesting history.