Silver Fox Island
Encyclopedia
Located on the northwest side of Bonavista Bay
, Newfoundland
at the mouth of the Indian Bay inlet is a small island named Silver Fox Island that was once inhabited. It is about 3 km in length and about 3 km from Fair Island
. The first settling began at Warren's Harbour on the southern side of the island.
Silver Fox Island was not located near any major fishing grounds so they relied heavily on the Labrador fishery and woods work in Indian Bay
during the winter.
By the mid 1950s most families were relocating to nearby communities such as Indian Bay and Wareham. By 1969 the island was completely abandoned
Ships skippered by the Feltham family of Silver Fox Island:
- Mayflower
- Grace
- Self
- Foam, 1885
- Paddy
- Beatrice May
- Ada
- Sea Gull
- Ivanhoe
- Henerita Dawton
- Lady Bird
- Mabel
- Clara Hallett
Bonavista Bay
Bonavista Bay is a large bay located on the northeast coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It opens directly onto the Atlantic Ocean....
, Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
at the mouth of the Indian Bay inlet is a small island named Silver Fox Island that was once inhabited. It is about 3 km in length and about 3 km from Fair Island
Fair Island, Newfoundland and Labrador
Fair Island, also called Vere Island, is one of the communities that comprise an area on the northeast coast of the Island of Newfoundland, called Bonavista North...
. The first settling began at Warren's Harbour on the southern side of the island.
History
Warren's Harbour was the first settled, named after an early settler, John Warren, who was living at Salvage, Newfoundland, in 1675. Warren's Harbour appears in the 1836 Census with a population of eight, of the same family. By 1869 there were five families living there, the Buttons, Felthams, Hunts, Matthews', and Rogers' families. In 1884 the population was 49, there was a slow population growth, and in 1901 there were 82 people living there.Silver Fox Island was not located near any major fishing grounds so they relied heavily on the Labrador fishery and woods work in Indian Bay
Indian Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Indian Bay is located in Newfoundland, Canada.-Geography:Situated on the northwest arm of Bonavista Bay, Indian Bay was once the only mainland community located between Salvage and Greenspond until the late 19th century.-History:...
during the winter.
By the mid 1950s most families were relocating to nearby communities such as Indian Bay and Wareham. By 1969 the island was completely abandoned
Education History
The islands first school-chapel was built between 1895 and 1896. A new school was built in 1926. Some people who taught on the island were James Rogers, Jesse Oakley (of Greenspond), Stephen Hall (of Pinchard's Island), and Beatrice Feltham (of Silver Fox Island)Saul Maher 1956 - 1960(of Greenspond), Arthur Feltham (silver fox Island), .Fishery
Fishing boats and skippers in Silver Fox Island:- Silver Steamer
- Emma, built on the island by John Hann of WesleyvilleWesleyville, Newfoundland and LabradorWesleyville is a small coastal community in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It is located on the Straight Shore of the northeast coast of Newfoundland, near the communities of Greenspond and Newtown...
, 1883. - Freddy II, skippered by William Wicks of Silver Fox Island
- Polly B, first skippered by William Wicks, then Samuel Matthews, and Samuel Wicks.
- Mildred M. Bill and Margaret K skippered by William Wicks
- Freddy M skippered by Charles Feltham
- Stewart S skippered by David Button
- Green Leaf skippered by Samuel Hunt
- Merry Go built and owned by Joseph Matthews on Silver Fox Island.
Ships skippered by the Feltham family of Silver Fox Island:
- Mayflower
- Grace
- Self
- Foam, 1885
- Paddy
- Beatrice May
- Ada
- Sea Gull
- Ivanhoe
- Henerita Dawton
- Lady Bird
- Mabel
- Clara Hallett
Census Information
| 1836 | 1869 | 1874 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| population | 8 | 33 | 42 |
| inhabited houses | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| families | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Church of England | 8 | 33 | 42 |
| can read/write | - | 9 | 4 |
| total boats | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| vessels in seal fishery | - | 1 | 1 |
| men on board | - | 7 | 8 |
| tonnage | - | 25 | 30 |
| nets/seines | - | 8 | 8 |
| people catching/curing fish | - | 11 | 19 |
| seamen/fishermen | - | - | 6 |
| fishing rooms in use | - | 2 | 2 |
| cod fish cured (qtls) | - | - | 370 |
| salmon (tes) | - | - | 2 |
| stores/barns/outhouses | - | 2 | 3 |
| barrels of potatoes produced | - | 27 | 10 |
| oil produced (gals) | - | - | 187 |
Directory
- Lovell's Directory describes it asan island on the north side of Bonavista Bay, distant from Greenspond by 6 miles in boat, with a population of 45 in 1871. The list of names given are :- Thomas Button, Fisherman
- Samuel Feltham, Planter
- Jacob Hunt, Fisherman
- John Matthews, Fisherman
- William Rogers, Fisherman
External links
- Memories of Silver Fox Island
- Information on Silver Fox Island
- Search directories, census, births, marriages, government records, and much more
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~cannf/bbnor.htm