Becky's Yarnin'
It's All 'cause Judi wanted the "Locke's Island Lobster Wool"
Posted: 23 September 2022
Many Moons ago, a Gentleman by The Name of Michael Kehoe owned The Home where We Currently live, and where My Business is located on 4ONorth Street, in Lockeport, Nova Scotia. Quite a few miles away in Vermont, USA, is where His Great Grandson James Kehoe has his Family Roots. Michael was buried here in Lockeport in The Kirk Cemetery on Brighton Road. Some of his Family had moved on, hence the reason James (Jim) ended up in Vermont. Thru a "Story of Coincidences", that Judi wrote, James (Jim's wife), explains how finally the pieces of the puzzle connected together to help add some of the vital information missing from The Kehoe Genealogy... and so here the story goes...
Back in The Summer of 2018, Jim (James) & Judi Kehoe decided to take a Trip to Lockeport and Surrounding areas, since he had started tracing his Family Genealogy. After scouring the area, they unfortunately came up with little info. They knew that Jim's Great Grandfather had resided here in Lockeport, but just not exactly where. Or if the Home that he lived in to was still erect. In the Fall of 2018, I was Hosting the 3rd Annual "Lockie The Lobster Knitting Festival", in which "Shirl The Purl" had Designed a Pattern for The Festival. It was called The "Lockeport Loves Lace Shawl" Knit from one of My Local Custom ColorWays, "Locke's Island Lobster", Produced by Briggs & Little Woolen Mills in Harvey Station, New Brunswick. While Jim & Judi had been here on Vacation, Jim had a mishap with one of his teeth and ended up into a local Dentists chair to have it repaired. While sitting and waiting, they met a lady by the name of Kelly, who resides in West Green Harbour, in which they discovered was a distant relative. They then became friends on Face Book. After My Festival, this lady had shared a post from one of the Gurls who attended the October Event and reposted her picture of a HandKnit "Lockeport Loves Lace Shawl". Judi saw this and immediately knew she wanted the Pattern & Wool as when Jim's Great GrandFather lived here, it was known as "Locke's Island". I received an email in Early December from Judi, wanting to place an order, and she had explained to me that they had been in the area that summer researching The Kehoe Genealogy. She had seen my Shop, just up the street from The Town Hall where they had been inquiring about The Kehoe's. At this point I had no idea who Jim and Judi Kehoe were. I sent her a quick email back, as I was still cutting hair in my salon, and told her she needed to call me after I got off work. When she did, I started reciting off a few things I had read about Michael Kehoe in Letters that were found by my carpenters during the 2004 Renovations of Our Attic. Bear in mind that these letters were written in the 1800's and were remarkably still in decent shape. Because My Father was always Researching Our Families History, I looked thru them, mainly out of curiosity as to who had previously lived in Our Home. I decided I needed to save them for someone, someday, who may be looking for more information on The Kehoe Family. Had Judi came to "The Yarn Shop" that Jim had pointed out to her, their 1st Visit to Lockeport, they would have been standing into The Kehoe HomeStead they were looking for! So needless to say after our conversation, a trip was rebooked to come back to Lockeport the very next Summer. It's amazing how The Kehoe Letters were left in the Attic, that no other normal human being would have gutted that area out, the way we did, and discovered these Priceless Artifacts. Or even worse, thrown them in the trash with the rest of the debris from the Attic. Do you suppose that they were left there purposely? Fate has a way of connecting the dots sometimes. Jim was able to then put lots of pieces together to do with his Families Genealogy, because of a "Story of Coincidences", that is almost hard to believe it worked out the way it did. Jim continues his Research in hopes to find every last detail. Since then they have Visited Me every year (except for the Covid Summers). I think he just might get to the point of where he is satisfied with all the research. And believe me, Jim leaves no stones unturned. I currently have 2 binders with the Letters that have since been reproduced, and a lot of info on The Kehoe Genealogy. I will keep them up in the loft where the original letters were found. It's like they need to be there, so when the next Family inhabits this home, they will know a bit of the Original History from The 1860's.
It's been an Overwhelming and Huge Honour to Actually meet One of the Descendants from 4ONorth...
ThankYou to Jim & Judi Kehoe for being so adamant in their Research of One of The Families who Made History in Lockeport.
If anyone should wish to see their "Story of Coincedences" and "The Kehoe Family Genealogy", there is a Copy of Both, here, and at The Lockeport Beach Centre.
It's Just another Day in The Shop ~ Becky...
#familyhistories #kehoe #lockeport #clothestailor #kirkcemetary #catholic #homesteads #yearof1860