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From: "Alan & Sue O'Neill" <>
Subject: [NFLD-LAB] R.A.G. HOLLETT (1927)
Date: Tue, 16 Apr 2002 19:57:23 -0400


Forwarded to the NFLD-LAB list on Chris Shelley's behalf

The Year of Events for 1927 were transcribed with the help of John Baird.

Reprinted courtesy of Robinson-Blackmore Printing and Publishing

From the St. John's Daily News

Thursday September 15 1927

THE HOLLETTS OF GREAT BURIN

A Story of 1811-12

(By Miss Morris, Colonial Librarian)

Letter from two prisoners of war.

Arrias, France, April 1th, 1812,
Mr. Joseph and Philip HOLLETT,

Having an opportunity to forward letter from France to England, we have
embraced it by writing a few lines to you, not hearing from you since
writing of the date of April 20th, 1811, which caused a suspicion in us
that you never received it, which serves to inform that your brother
departed this life April 10th , 1811, after about six weeks illness. In
the first place he was seized with fever, and a breaking out in his body
which after a few days proved to be the small pox, but being sensible to
the last he requested in his sickness that he would wish a Will to be made
out so to avoid disputed after his decease-and leaving the affair to us we
acted according to his request which shall again forward to you a Copy of it.

(Sgd.) SAMUEL NEWMAN,
JOHN FOOTE.

A TRUE COPY OF MR. JAMES HOLLETT WILL
In the Name of God, Amen

I, James HOLLETT, a native of Great Burin, Placentia bay, Newfoundland, now
detained a Prisoner of War in the Hospital of Arras, being in a weak state
of health but sound mind and memory thanks be given to god- but calling
into mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for
all men once to die, therefore I do, for avoiding controversies after my
decease, make and ordain this my last Will and Treatment- That is to say
principally and first of all, I recommend my soul into the Hands of
Almighty God, that gave it, and my body to the dust, nothing doubting but
at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the Power of
God, and as touching such wordly Estate, wherewith it has pleased God to
bless me in this life, I give demize and bequeath in the following manner,
viz. To my Honored Father and Mother, John and Dinah HOLLETT, brothers and
sisters, that money that belongeth to me equally to be divided amongst
them, furthermore I give demise and bequeath to my brother Philip and
Joseph HOLLETT, all and every message, lands, and tenements and herediments
whatsoever, which I also charge with the payment of my said Legacies. In
witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the Hospital of
Arras(Empire of France) this fifth day of April in the year of our Lord,
one thousand, eight hundred and eleven, and in the fiftieth and first year
of the reign of H. M. King George the third over the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland Etc .Etc.

Signed, sealed and published and declared by the said James HOLLETT as his
last will and testament, in the present of us, hereunto subscribed and at
his request annex our names in trhe presence of each other as witnesses.

(Sgd.) SAMUEL NEWMAN,
JOHN FOOTE.

Sundries remaining, which will be remitted you as so soon as soon as the
Lord please to make a way for our escape, and if Death should deprive us we
shall remit by some trusty friend the name- Cash in hand after expenses of
the funeral LcL3,5,11 Watch , 2 rings and 1 to be brased, and for what few
clothes he had, he desired to be given to his friends.


LETTER TO Mr. NEWMAN

Mr. Robert NEWMAN, Sir.- Being given to understand that you formerly
supplied the late James HOLLETT with sundry goods &c. he being gone the way
of all flesh, we thought proper you should forward a copy of his will to
you and should thank you to forward the same to his friends at Newfoundland
the first opportunity, so doing you will oblige your humble servants.

(Sgd.) JAMES NEWMAN
JOHN FOOTE.
[There seems to be some confusion in the name. Probably Samuel and James
refer to the same correspondent.-Ed]

Let us for a moment consider the story told in these few lines. They are
written on two sides of a one sheet of letter paper, the writing very
beautiful, the ink is still black .

Notice the date 1812, just a year after the death of James HOLLETT who died
in 1811. He sailed from Newfoundland, to complete his education in
England, as we see. There sailed at the same time. Samuel NEWMAN and John
FOOTE, the former doubtless a member of the great NEWMAN family so long and
well known in the Newfoundland trade. In those far off days they had a
branch at St. Lawrence. Probably John FOOTE was a native of Burin where
the name was, and is, well known.

We find that James HOLLETT was in the Hospital in Arras, and that he died
of smallpox. Greatly as we dread this disease, long ago it was looked upon
like the black plague, but remarks that his two friends stood by him, and
made and witnessed his will.

He describes himself as a native of Great Burin. How far off and dear must
his home have seemed to his dying eyes, but there is no word of
repining. He says "in Hospital at Arras detained a prisoner, being in a
weak state of health, but of sound mind and memory, thanks be given to
God." Remark that he finds amid his great trials something for which to
give thanks. He piously recommends his soul into the hands of his Creator,
and his body to the dust, he makes his profession of faith in the general
resurrection. Next his thoughts turn to his dear ones; he gives thanks for
the measure of worldly goods with which the Almighty had blessed him, and
then to his honored father and mother, brothers and sisters bequeaths his
all. Nothing is forgotten, watch, rings, etc.

I feel very grateful to Hon. G. A BARTLETT, of Burin, who obtained the loan
of this valuable paper, from Mr. G. HOLLETT the present owner to whom I
wish to offer my thanks. Many in St. John's have seen and been greatly
interested in this relic, among them Mrs. HATCHER, (widow of Rev.Mr.
HATCHER) and a member of the Sound Island branch of the HOLLETT
family. This venerable lady is 81 years of age, and she remembers that
when a girl she was allowed to wear for a day , one of the rings
mentioned. Her memory is wonderful, and an hour passed in her company is
most interesting, Mr. HATCHER of the staff of the memorial college is her
son, and he is greatly interested in the story of his ancestor.

E. MORRIS.
[The magistrate of Burin, a Rhodes Scholar, is, we believe , a direct
descendant of James HOLLETT and like him fought in the vicinity of Arras, a
century later.-Ed]
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