Miss Louisa Barker of Hantsport

Nova Scotia # 10 on November 6th, 1867, cover from Halifax to Hantsport, Nova Scotia. Addressed to Miss Louisa Barker, Hantsport. Cancellation on front Halifax N.S. NO 6, 67. No backstamps. A post-Confederation use of Nova Scotia franking.

Miss Louisa Barker was 24 years old and living in Hantsport with her widowed mother, Jane Cowen Barker, when she received this small envelope from Halifax. Her father, Michael Barker, had died when she was 13 years old.

1871 census for Falmouth, Hants, Nova Scotia, Louisa Barker, 28, birthplace Nova Scotia, Wesleyan Methodist, is living with Jane Barker, 70.

Louisa Barker, never married. She died 18 Aug 1909, age 67, in Hantsport, and is buried in Riverbank Cemetery, Hantsport.

Louisa's grandfather, Capt. Edward Barker was born on October 10, 1745 in Lowdham, Nottingham, England. He was the son of Robert Barker and Elizabeth (Dufty) Barker. In about 1765 he joined the British Army, 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot. His unit arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1769, and he mustered out in 1773 or 1774. From there, he settled in Falmouth Township, Hants, Nova Scotia. After having farmed with Abel Michener for several years, he bought 190 acres from him in Falmouth in 1788. In 1789 he purchased 2 lots of Col. Denson's estate at Halfway River, which later became Hantsport. Edward Barker is considered the founder of that town. He appears as head of a Falmouth household in 3 poll tax censuses between 1791 and 1795. He married Rebecca Chadwick in 1774, and they had six children, three sons (of which Louisa's father, Michael, was the third) and three daughters. He died January 27, 1825, in Hantsport.

Louisa's father Michael Barker was born in 1789. He married Mercy Michener 1 Feb 1810 and married, second, Jeanette Cowan, Louisa's mother, in 1840. He died in 1855. Harriet Woodman relates in "History of Hantsport", "In 1855, a fever spread over Hantsport; known as the “Black Fish Cholera”. A short time before this many black fish came up the river. The people thinking that these were good for oil, caught them. The refuse from the fish was not properly taken care of, thus giving this awful disease. About two hundred people died from this disease."

History of Hantsport by Harriet Woodman