Miss Grace Dodd, soon to be Mrs. Roy
- Jan 4
- 3 min read
Grace Anderson Dodds was 17-years old and living on her family farm in Gore, Nova Scotia when she received this letter form Maitland, Nova Scotia. On December 13 of that year, in Gore Presbyterian Church, Grace A. Dodds, 18, of Gore, Hants, daughter of William Dodds, farmer, would marry John Brown Roy, 33, farmer of Maitland, the fourth son of Adam Roy, Postmaster, the Rev. Allen Simpson presiding.
Was Grace's future husband the sender of this letter? Did it, perhaps, contain a proposal of marriage? We don't know.
Grace Anderson Dodds, was born on November 17, 1848 in Maitland, Hants Co, Nova Scotia, the daughter of William Dodds, who had been born about 1814 in Whithorn, Wigtownshire, Scotland, and his wife Agnes Anderson, born 1812 in Scotland. They were married January 25, 1834 in Whithorn and emigrated to Nova Scotia in 1847 with their son George, the year before Grace's birth.
1861 census for Hants, lists William Dodds head of a household of 8, 5 males 3 females.
Gore is located in East Hants Municipality in Hants County. The community was named after Charles Stephen Gore, the Aide-de-camp of Major General James Kempt. The community was settled primarily by the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants).
Hutchinson’s Nova Scotia Directory, 1864-1865, Maitland, lists Roy, Adam, Collector of Customs and Postmaster. Roy, John, shipbuilder, Roy, Alexander, shipbuilder, Roy, Thomas, master mariner.
In the 1871 census, John Roy, 36, and his wife, Grace, 23, are living with his widowed uncle, Alexander Roy, 76, in Maitland along with their two children, George Allen, 3, and Jane, 1. Also in the household is John's elderly aunt, 70-year old Helen Roy, born in Scotland.
John Brown Roy was one of several people who held shares in the barque Snow Queen built at Maitland and registered in 1872: Thomas Kenny, Halifax merchant (24 shares); George Frieze, Maitland merchant (8 shares); Thomas Roy, Maitland merchant (12 shares); Alexander Roy, Maitland shipbuilder (12 shares); John Roy, Maitland farmer/planter (4 shares); and Hiram Grant, Maitland shipbuilder (4 shares).
Frieze and Roy were merchants and ship owners from Maitland, Nova Scotia. David Frieze started the company in 1839, when he ran a general store, as well as owning and operating sailing vessels. During this time he also acted as justice of the peace. John Brown's father, Adam Roy joined Frieze in business in the 1860s and they became Frieze and Roy in 1868. During his career Adam Roy also acted as justice of the peace and was associated with the Maitland School. Frieze and Roy were also associated with the Presbyterian church and the Sons of Temperance.
Alexander Roy, John Brown Roy's uncle and Adam Roy's brother, was a ship builder and built many vessels for them during this time. Thomas Roy, brother to Adam Roy, and members of the MacDougall and Douglas families were captains for their ships. The Barque Snow Queen (1876-88) was one of their most famous vessels. Other vessels that belonged to Frieze and Roy were the Esther Roy, the Linwood and the Brig Trust. With the decline in the shipping industry in the 1880's, Frieze and Roy focused on the general store which sold a wide range of goods such as hardware, lumber, candy, groceries, kitchenware, fabric, shoes and toys. David Frieze's son, George was also involved with the business. John Brown Roy's brother, Adam Frederic (Fred) Roy, took over the business at the age of 19, and his daughter Margaret Sanford, took over the business from him.
John Brown Roy died in 1880 and is buried in Oak Island Cemetery in Maitland.
The 1881 census for Maitland lists the widowed Grace Roy, 32, "female farmer" with children: George Roy, 13, Bessie Roy, 9, Maggie A. Roy, 6, Allice Roy, 5, and Mary Roy, 2
Grace died 1932, and is buried Oak Island Cemetery, Maitland, with her husband and two of their children Jane 1870 - 1873, and George Allen 1869 - 1905.
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