Selma is a small community in the

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

province of

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

, located in The Municipality of the District of East Hants in

Hants County Hants County is an historical county and census division of Nova Scotia, Canada. Local government is provided by the West Hants Regional Municipality, and the Municipality of the District of East Hants. History Formation The county of Hants ...

Acadians

The LeJeune Family lived in Selma prior to the

Acadian Exodus The Acadian Exodus (also known as the Acadian migration) happened during Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755) and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories. The thr ...

from the area in 1750 during

Father Le Loutre's War Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755), also known as the Indian War, the Mi'kmaq War and the Anglo-Mi'kmaq War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the Briti ...

. According to Captain Matthew Floyer, Selma had four dwellings and a mill. The field beside the Selma Brook was named "La Pree a Breard". Selma may have been named Village Robere as referenced by Charles Morris, which would mean that the Robert Henry Family also lived in the village. The Ile St. Jean census date of 1752 suggest that the Henry family married many of those in the Pitre family. The Pitre Family were in the neighbouring community of

Maitland, Nova Scotia Maitland, East Hants, Nova Scotia (originally known as Jean Peter's Village) is a village in East Hants, Nova Scotia. It is home to the historic Lawrence House Museum, which is part of the Nova Scotia Museum. The community was part of the Douglas ...

. Alternatively, however, there is evidence to suggest that Vil Robere may have been East Noel (present day Densmore Mills, Nova Scotia).

Major Small and the 84th Highland Regiment

After the American Revolution Selma was settled by loyalists soldiers who fought for the British. Major-General John Small received the land at Selma from

Malachy Salter Malachy Salter (February 28, 1715 – January 13, 1781), a Nova Scotian merchant and office-holder, who was convicted of sedition for betraying the Loyalists during the American Revolution. Business career He operated a successful Boston di ...

. Oral history stated that Small built a manor house in the area which he named Selma Hall, after which the community is named.Duncanson, John (1989). Rawdon and Douglas: Two Loyalists Townships in Nova Scotia. Ontario: Mika Publishing Company.

Ship Building (1860–1885)

During the second half of the nineteenth century, shipbuilding and supporting sub-trades were the mainstay of the economy on this small and bustling hamlet. At the mouth of Selmah Creek lay the site of three shipyards. The largest of these was owned by Alexander A. McDougall. From this shipyard 19 barques were built and launched. A. A. McDougall set up the first steam timber mill replacing the man-powered saw pit at his yard. Next to the McDougall yard was that of (David) Pratt & Cox. Beyond the Pratt shipyard was that of George Oxley Smith and his son, McCully Smith. George Oxley Smith was also a Justice of the Peace sitting in judgement on various disturbances, timber contracts and other legal matters.

Ships built in Selmah (1862-1885)

*Lily 1862 *Craigdownie 1863 *Jessie 1863 *D.B.R. 1864 *Wanderer 1864 *Mary 1865 *June Ure 1866 *Scotia Queen 1867 *Bina 1868 *Maggie Brown 1869 *Minnie Graham 1870 *Maitland 1871 *Eliza Campbell 1871 *Jane Campbell 1872 *Cupid 1872 *Tranmere 1872 *Lotus 1872 *Lady Vere de Vere 1873 *Disco 1873 *Isabelle Ure 1874 *Francois Herbert 1874 *Silas Curtis 1874 *Margaret Mitchell 1875 *Norman 1876 *Margaret Craig 1878 *Ada Brown 1879 *Delhana 1880 *Minnie Brown 1881 *Chistina 1882 *Craigie Burn 1885

References

External links

Elizabeth Frame. History of Selma, Nova Scotia (1853)Selma on Destination Nova Scotia
{{coord, 45, 19, 5.44, N, 63, 32, 29.82, W, name=Selma, Nova Scotia, display=title, region:CA-NS_scale:100000 Communities in Hants County, Nova Scotia General Service Areas in Nova Scotia