Old Bonaventure is located approximately 9 nautical miles (by boat) southwest of Trinity, NL.
On October 1, 1794, Henry Stone of the Parish of Pinhoe in the County of Devon, Great Britain married Mary Hogarth of Old Bonaventure, Trinity Bay, NL. Henry Stone was the son of Thomas Stone and Grace Ashford of Dorset in Great Britain. When their first child, Grace was christened on June 8, 1795, the record indicates that they are living in Bonaventure. With establishment of a “New” Bonaventure, this Bonaventure would become known as “Old Bonaventure”.
Bonaventure (Old and New)
The harbour at Old Bonaventure is small, but well protected and was used to service the surrounding communities. With the influx of settlers (planters) in the late1700s, the New Bonaventure location was deemed a better location for the cultivation of crops. New Bonaventure is located less than 1 mile from Old Bonaventure.
In the Fishing Rooms return of the number of houses, inhabitants, etc. for 1800-1801, New Bonaventure is listed as Bonaventure and had 9 families, while Old Bonaventure is listed with 6 families, which included the family of Henry Stone.
Little Catalina is located approximately 25 nautical miles (by boat) northeast of Old Bonaventure and 3 nautical miles northeast of the town of Catalina.
Little Catalina
Between 1811 and 1814, Robert Frampton, Jane Frampton’s father, moved his family from Trouty, NL to Old Bonaventure.
Most of the descendants of Henry Stone and Mary Hogarth lived in Old Bonaventure until around 1839, when Ambrose Stone and Jane Frampton and their 6 children relocated to Little Catalina. It is assumed that Ambrose, who was ~ 37 years old at the time, moved for economic reasons.
Jane Frampton’s brother, Thomas Frampton and his wife Charlotte was living at Old Bonaventure in 1852 when their son John Frampton was born. After Charlotte’s passing, Thomas Frampton married Louisa Butt of Catalina, NL on December 11, 1857. The records indicate that Thomas Frampton moved to Little Catalina.
Hutchinson’s 1864-1865 Directory for Little Catalina included: Ambrose Stone and Sons as planters” and Thomas Frampton as a builder.
Ambrose Stone and Thomas Frampton and their families lived in Little Catalina up until around 1866.
In 1871, we find Thomas Frampton living in White Rock, on the north side of Smith Sound.
White Rock
Lovell’s 1871 Provincial Business Directory
White Rock – A small fishing settlement in the district of Trinity. Population 48.
Surname Given Name Occupation
Brown William, fisherman
Dalton James, fisherman
Frampton Thomas, fisherman
Locus (sic) Lopez Anthony, fisherman
Stone Aaron & Robert, planters
Sinclair Charles, fisherman
Aaron Stone and Robert Stone are the sons of Ambrose Stone and Jane Frampton of Little Catalina. Where is Ambrose Stone and Jane Frampton? They are conspicuously missing from Lovell’s 1871 Directory for both Little Catalina and Catalina. In 1871, Ambrose Stone would have been ~ 69 years old and Jane Frampton ~ 62 years old. We can only assume that both or maybe one are/is living in the household of one of their sons, Aaron or Robert.
White Rock, Harcourt, Monroe and Upper Rocky Brook are place names identifying small communities is close proximity to each other on the north side of Smith Sound. It is believed that boat builders and fisherman were attracted to this area because the area had a more substantial stand of trees which provided timber for the building of boats and houses. Upper Rocky “Brook” provided the water power needed for a lumber mill.
Smith Sound
It is important to note that both Old Bonaventure and Little Catalina were exposed to the open North Atlantic Ocean. The significant fetch would produce very large waves in strong northeast winds. Smith Sound is a beautiful, peaceful body of water that lies inland on the north side of Random Island. The average width of the sound is approximately one nautical mile. White Rock is located on the North side of Smith Sound. Smith Sound is one of the longest protected inland bodies of salt water in Newfoundland. White Rock is located approximately 42 nautical miles (by boat) southwest of Little Catalina.
Sometime between 1866 and 1871, Thomas Frampton, James Dalton, Aaron Stone and Robert Stone relocated their families to White Rock in Smith Sound. Also included in the 1871 Directory for White Rock is Charles Sinclair and an Anthony Locus (sic) Lopez. What is significant here is that on “December 22, 1864, Antonio Lopus of Farrol, Spain married Mary Ann Sinclair of Little Catalina at Catalina in the presence of John Brown and Aaron Stone”. It is believed that James Dalton and William Brown are also from the Catalina area. I would suggest that all the residents of White Rock in 1871 collectively decided to relocate from Little Catalina to Smith Sound, likely to improve their lot. Somehow, one gets that sense that this relocation was a significant decision.
Upper Rocky Brook (Monroe)
McAlpine’s 1894-97 Directory for Upper Rocky Brook
Holloway William J fisherman
Lucas Charles fisherman
Stone John fisherman
Stone Emmanual fisherman
Stone Abraham fisherman
Stone William fisherman
Sinclair Joseph fisherman
When we compare the Residents of White Rock in 1871 with the residents of Upper Rocky Brook (Monroe) in 1894-97, some interesting observations can be made.
White Rock in 1871:
Antonio Lopus/Lukus/Lopez of Farrol, Spain who married Mary Ann Sinclair of Little Catalina at Catalina on December 22, 1864, relocated from Little Catalina to White Rock. The witnesses for the marriage were John Brown and Aaron Stone.
Note; Ferrol is a Spanish port on the south side of the Bay of Biscay.
It is reasonable to assume that Mary Ann Sinclair is related to Charles Sinclair.
It is reasonable to assume that William Brown is related to the John Brown, who witnessed the marriage of Antonio Lopus and Mary Ann Sinclair.
Thomas Frampton is the brother of Jane Frampton, who is the wife of Ambrose Stone.
Thomas Frampton is the husband of Louisa Butt of Little Catalina.
It is very likely that all the 1871 residents White Rock moved from Little Catalina.
Aaron and Robert Stone are the sons of Ambrose Stone and Jane Frampton.
Conspicuously missing from the 1871Directory for both Little Catalina and Catalina was Ambrose Stone and Jane Frampton. It is therefore likely that they living in the household of one of their sons, Aaron or Robert, or the household of Jane’s brother Thomas Frampton.
Upper Rocky Brook (Monroe) in 1894-97
The community of Upper Rocky Brook/Monroe is ~2.5 miles west of Upper Rocky Brook.
Alban’s Anglican Cemetery in Gin Cove was the Anglican cemetery for Upper Rocky Brook/Monroe and is located ~0.5 miles west of the mouth of Upper Rocky Brook.
Charles Lucas is most likely the son of the Antonio Lopus/Lukus/Lopez of Farrol, Spain who married Mary Ann Sinclair of Little Catalina at Catalina on December 22, 1864. Charles Lopez married Joanna Stone, the daughter of Abraham Stone and Caroline Reid of Upper rocky Brook/Monroe. Charlie Lukus died June 3, 1927 and is buried in St. Alban’s Anglican Cemetery in Gin Cove, near Monroe. Joanna Stone died September 4, 1943 and is buried in St. Alban’s Anglican Cemetery in Gin Cove, near Monroe.
Joseph Sinclair is most likely related to the Charles Sinclair, who migrated from Little Catalina with the Stones and the Framptons.
Emmanual Stone is the son of Henry Stone and Patience Maher, who relocated from Old Bonaventure, with his parents to Upper rocky Brook/Monroe sometime before 1871. Emmanual Stone died November 11, 1929 at Monroe.
This John Stone is Alfred John Stone, the son of Henry Stone and Patience Maher, who also relocated from Old Bonaventure to Upper rocky Brook/Monroe sometime after 1866, but before 1871. This John Stone married Emily Susannah Frampton, the daughter of Thomas Frampton and Louisa Butt. John Stone died at Monroe on September 25, 1940 and is buried in St. Alban’s Anglican Cemetery in Gin Cove, near Monroe. Emily Susannah (Frampton) died at Monroe on June 13, 1933 and is buried in St. Alban’s Anglican Cemetery in Gin Cove, near Monroe.
Abraham Stone Jr. is the Son of Abraham Stone Sr. and Caroline Reid, who relocated from Old Bonaventure sometime before 1871. Abraham Stone Jr. married Christina Stone, the daughter of Aaron Stone and Patience Butt.
William Stone is William Thomas Stone, son of Abraham Stone Sr. and Caroline Reid, who relocated from Old Bonaventure sometime before 1871. This William Stone married Elizabeth Jane Stone, the daughter of Aaron Stone and Patience Butt. In 1904, William Stone and his family relocated to Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia.
According to the Vital Statistics for the Trinity North District, a Rebecca Stone passed an White Rock, on November 1, 1907 at the age of 73 years. The only other record of a Rebecca Stone in the Vital Statistics for the Trinity North District is a Rebecca Stone, daughter of Henry Stone and Mary Spurrell, who was baptized at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Trinity on September 23, 1838. At age 73 years in 1907, Rebecca would been born about 1834.
Skimmer’s Cove (Lower Lance Cove)
“Martin born to Abraham Stoen and and Caroline Reed, fisherman on November 8th 1854 recorded at Old Bonaventure on April 7th 1855.”
by B Smith, a layman
Source: St Paul’s Anglican Baptisms 1854
About 1870, Martin Stone‘s Father, Abraham Stone relocated his family from Old Bonaventure to Upper Rocky Brook/Monroe on the north side of Smith Sound. It is likely that they were attracted to the area because of the availability of lumber for boat building.
Martin Stone married Hannah Hart Long on November 14, 1878 at Christchurch, Trinity Bay, NL.
About 1890, Martin Stone, the son of Abraham Stone, relocated his family from Upper Rocky Brook/Monroe to Skimmer’s Cove. Skimmer’s Cove, later renamed Lower Lance Cove is located across Smith Sound on the North side of Random Island.
At the time, Martin’s family included his wife Hannah and their 7 children;
Caroline (11),
Obed John (10),
William George (8),
Ella (8),
Walter (5),
Mark (3)
Adosha (1)
Francis (born at Lower Lance Cove)
Gilbert (born at Lower Lance Cove)
William George Stone (1882-1954) and Susannah Bailey (1886-1976) were married at Old Bonaventure on 18 May 1907.
William George Stone and Susannah Bailey settled at Lower Lance Cove and had the following Children;
Clement – (1907-1995)
Harvey Cecil – (1909-1922)
Olive Leona May – (1921-1982)
Bertha Mary – (1923 – 1924)
Gilbert Garfield – (1925 – 2010)
Eldride George – (1926 – 1926)
In 1944, Olive Leona May Stone of Lower Lance Cove, Random Island, Trinity Bay, NL and Hayward Young of Stephenville Crossing, NL were married in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Both were serving in the armed forces during World War II and stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
