Setting the record as straight as possible on the history of Spaniard’s Bay

Dear Editor:

I state unequivocally and without reservation that the date for permanent settlement for the town of Spaniard’s Bay was not 1705.

This argument is not in any way a negative reflection on the present council. Not one of the present town councillors was a councillor when that decision was made. Maybe none of them were born at the time of the decision. The people responsible for that decision have long retired.

Please allow me space to show you where the past council went astray. They have misunderstood the difference between the Town of Spaniard’s Bay and the Bay of Spaniard’s Bay. The Bay of Spaniard’s Bay is that body of water extending from Mad Rock in Bay Roberts to Coopers Head in Bread and Cheese Cove, now known as Bishop’s Cove.

The first town in the Bay of Spaniard’s Bay was Bishop’s Cove. Bishop’s Cove, not the Town of Spaniard’s Bay, was settled in 1705.

The Smith family was the first family to settle in Bishop’s Cove. They are descended from William Smith, born about 1680. The Barrett family was the second family to settle in Bishop’s Cove. Abraham Barrett moved to Bishop’s Cove in 1711 when he was expelled from Torbay.  Those two families united when William’s daughter, Catherine born about 1725, married Abraham’s son, John 1720 – 1781.

At that time there was only one town in the Bay of Spaniard’s Bay.  That town was Bishop’s Cove.

Now let us look at some logic. Fishermen had no engines to get to the fishing grounds, they had to sail. Bishop’s Cove was closer to the fishing grounds than what eventually became Spaniard’s Bay. That means that Bishop’s Cove was settled first and Spaniard’s Bay was only settled when Bishop’s Cove became short of waterfront or flakes and stages. Now we have two towns in the Bay of Spaniard’s Bay.

When did this happen? No one knows for sure. What we do know is that it was gradual. My guess is that it was at least three decades after the settlement of Bishop’s Cove.

The town was not necessarily called Spaniard’s Bay when it was first settled. It was made up of four small towns – Northern Cove, Back Cove, Mint Cove and Green Head.

The first baptismal record I found for the Town of Spaniard’s Bay was for Mint Cove. That certificate was for Catherine Barrett born January 7, 1784. Catherine married Abraham Smith, born about 1779. They are my third great grandparents on the Smith side. Catherine was the daughter of Mary Gosse, 1760-1840, from Back Cove and David Barrett, 1747-1818, from Bishop’s Cove. Catherine’s baptismal certificate can be found at St. Paul’s Church in Harbour Grace. St. Paul’s was the mother Church. Spaniard’s Bay never got its first church, Holy Trinity, until 1841.

The Bay of Spaniard’s Bay had 38 plantations. The first was located at Green Head. The last was located at Coopers Head in Bishop’s Cove. The Town of Spaniard’s Bay started with #1 and finished with #22 at Bragg’s Hill on Shore Road. Those 22 plantations were registered between 1722 and 1805. There are no documents to support or refute what I believe. I would ask you that, if the Town of Spaniard’s Bay was settled in 1705, how did the Gosses get all of the level waterfront property in Northern Cove, Back Cove, Green Head and Mint Cove? The Gosses never came to Bishop’s Cove until 1726 or 1727. Thomas Gosse, 1681 –1761, was the first Gosse to settle in Bishop’s Cove. His son Richard, 1720 – 1760, moved to Back Cove and his son Robert, 1723 – 1794 moved to Northern Cove. These sons were born long after the town was supposedly born yet they got all of the best property. How could that be? It has absolutely no logic.

It’s a possibility that not one of the plantation owners was even born in 1705. Do I know with complete certainty when the town was first settled? No, but it was much later than 1705.

FIRST PLAQUE: The first plaque was about the forge in Northern Cove. The origin of that business was with Moses Gosse, born 1824. Moses “Y” did work in the forge in my day. It states that Moses “Y” started the forge. That is absolutely incorrect. Moses, born in 1824, sent his son Esau to Boston to study the blacksmith business.  Esau’s name is not even mentioned. Esau was the father of Moses “Y”. By the way, the “Y” is the initial of the maiden name of Esau’s wife. My information came from Nathan Gosse. Nathan is the son of Moses “Y” and the grandson of Esau.  When I checked for the plaque, it had been removed. It’s time to remove some others also. 

SECOND PLAQUE:  This plaque is located on the wall below Holy Redeemer Church on “Lassy” point. It says that the wall was built to hold back the soil and stabilize the church. That would be unbelievable foresight. That wall was built about 1861 or 1862. The workers were paid with molasses. That’s where the name Lassy Point came from. The church was consecrated on May 3, 1891. Please note that the wall was built about 30 years earlier to protect a church that was to be built 30 years later.  We don’t have many people with that kind of foresight anymore!

THIRD ISSUE: “1705 Heritage Book:” In 2005 Spaniard’s Bay Council published a heritage book. I have done a fair bit of reading in my day, but I have never seen anything written so badly. In the book I have found 160 typing errors or misinformation on historical facts. It is not something that makes us feel proud. I sent a letter to the council and I did get a very rude reply back saying how well the book was received. It made us look like we were illiterate.  Spaniard’s Bay is a fairly well-educated population. The ignorant are quick to speak, especially when they have little to offer. A little knowledge is dangerous in the hands of the wrong people.

SPANIARD’S BAY TOWN NAME: This is not a complaint. It is nothing more than a comment on oral history and something I read somewhere sometime in the past.  I have no documentation but there is evidence to support what I am about to say.

The town of Spaniard’s Bay was never settled by the Spaniards. Oral history tells me that they fished here in the summers before the English and Irish arrived. During one of their summer stays they had a major marine accident. Thirteen of their sailors/fishermen drowned. Those 13 graves are in Northern Cove across the road from the present wharf. These graves are in the garden belonging to Mr. Nathanial Barrett. When I was a child 75 years or more ago these graves were marked with 13 flat rocks standing on end. Mr. Ron Finn, who is long deceased, looked after them. Mr. Finn was a Roman Catholic like the Spanish fishermen. Those flat rocks are no longer standing.  Those facts may shed some light on the name of the town.

Azariah Smith, Spaniard’s Bay