The first mention of Flehaven Young comes in 1816, when Flehaven petitions for land at Little Bras d’Or, near North Sydney on Cape Breton Island.
In a petition to Fitzherbert, Flavin Young, age 23, born in Bras d’Or asks for a lot at Bras d’Or.¹
In an 1818 census, Flehaven Young is living in the District of Little Bras d’Or. He is listed as 23 years old and married with no children. His country is stated as Newfoundland and the country of his parent’s is stated as France.
Found in the same census is John Young. John is 25 years old and is married with two children. Coincidentally, John states his country as Newfoundland and the country of his parents as France.
Also found in the same census is Joseph Young Senr. Joseph is 55 years old and is married with four children (under age). His country is stated as Newfoundland and the country of his parents is stated as Nova Scotia.
Charles “Joseph” Young was baptized 22 Dec 1766 on the Island of Miquelon, which, at the time, would have been considered part of Newfoundland. Charles “Joseph” Young’s parents, Joseph LeJeune and Martine Le Roy emigrated from France to the island of Miquelon circa. 1763. Interestingly, Joseph and Martine were deported from Acadia (Nova Scotia) in 1758. It would be reasonable for John and Flehaven to relate to themselves as natives of Newfoundland (actually the Island of Miquelon). They would very likely relate to their parents as being natives of France.
Flehaven was not a common given name in Cape Breton during this period. A series of Web searches came up with nothing. As a family name, Flehaven has Irish origins and spelling variations include: Flehaven, Flahavan, Flahavin, Flahaven, Flavin and more. It is no coincidence that, at this time, there lived in North Sydney, a John Flahaven. In fact, the novel, “The Midnight Murder” by William Charles McKinnon was inspired by the 1833 murder of John Flahaven.
For some reason, Flehaven Young disappears from the records of Cape Breton.
During this period, the seasonal fishery on the west coast of Newfoundland has been attracting residents from the Petit Bras d’Or area. Many were visiting the Bay St. George area during the summer and some were making permanent homes in the bay. On July 6, 1852, Andre LeJeune married Elizabeth Young at the St. George’s Mission in Bay St. George. Over the next fifty years, the names of Andre and Elizabeth would show up regularly in the registers of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Sandy Point in Bay St. George. According to the 1911 census of Middle Brook, Elizabeth Young immigrated from Sydney, Cape Breton in 1841. Her age is listed as 85 years old, being born in 1826. Elizabeth “Lizzy” Young is listed in the 1921 census for Middle Brook. She is living with her son Henry Young and is listed as 90 years old being born in March of 1831. Between 1849 and 1870, Andre and Elizabeth had at least nine children.
More often than not, the entries in the church register somehow included the name “Flehaven” or “Flavin” or “Flaven”. Andre would regularly be entered in the registers as Andre “Flavin” Young. It is important to note, that more often than not, the entries in the church register somehow included the name “Flehaven” or “Flavin” or “Flaven”. Andre would regularly be entered in the registers as Andre “Flavin” Young. It is also important to note that it was a common practice at the time to insert the name of the father as a means of identifying the family.
Andre and his extended family were living in a small valley near the mouth of a small brook. At the time the area was referred to as “Flavin’s Gulch”. Middle Brook enters the bay about a mile to the south. It seems likely that Flehaven Young and his family moved to this location in Bay St. George sometime during the 1820’s. Andre “Flavin” Young was born in the late 1820s.
A J. “Flaven” Young is included in the 1858 Forrester’s list of inhabitants for Bay St. George. It is assumed that J. “Flavin” is Andre’s brother, but it has not been documented.
Many of Andre’s children lived and had families at Flavin’s Gulch.
In the spring of 1886, an event that started a ocean away that would impact the small community of Flavin’s Gulch. On April 18, 1886, Louisa Journeaux disappeared from the Island of Jersey near England. After being adrift in a small boat for several days, she was picked up by a French fishing ship that was heading for Bay St. George, Newfoundland. She was subsequently dropped off at St. George’s and returned to the Island of Jersey by the Newfoundland Government. To commemorate the incident, the brook that flows into Bay St. George at Flavin’s Gulch was named Journeaux Brook and from then on, Flavin’s Gulch became known as Journeaux or Journois.
In my opinion, we can say with some certainty that Flahaven Young settled at Flavin’s Gulch. We can also say that Flavin’s Gulch got it’s name from Flahaven Young.
Andre and his extended family were living in a small valley near the mouth of a small brook. At the time the area was referred to as “Flavin’s Gulch”. Middle Brook enters the bay about a mile to the south. It seems likely that Flehaven Young and his family moved to this location in Bay St. George sometime during the 1820’s. Andre “Flavin” Young was born in the late 1820s.
A J. “Flaven” Young is included in the 1858 Forrester’s list of inhabitants for Bay St. George. It is assumed that J. “Flavin” is Andre’s brother, but it has not been documented.
Many of Andre’s children lived and had families at Flavin’s Gulch.
In the spring of 1886, an event that started a ocean away that would impact the small community of Flavin’s Gulch. On April 18, 1886, Louisa Journeaux disappeared from the Island of Jersey near England. After being adrift in a small boat for several days, she was picked up by a French fishing ship that was heading for Bay St. George, Newfoundland. She was subsequently dropped off at St. George’s and returned to the Island of Jersey by the Newfoundland Government. To commemorate the incident, the brook that flows into Bay St. George at Flavin’s Gulch was named Journeaux Brook and from then on, Flavin’s Gulch became known as Journeaux or Journois.
In my opinion, we can say with some certainty that Flahaven Young settled at Flavin’s Gulch. We can also say that Flavin’s Gulch got it’s name from Flahaven Young.