1852: An Acadia Tragedy Unfolds (Part 15 Jun 13/25)

Perez Coldwell’s body was never recovered

“The remaining four still clung to the boat. They were washed off two or three times, but gained it again. At length, Phalen and Coldwell were washed off together, and rose no more.” (Distressing Calamity, Christian Messenger extra, 11 June 1852, 1) The story told by Charles Benjamin and recounted in the newspaper by Dr. Cramp helps us know that Mr. Coldwell fought the swells but could not keep a hold onto the boat and was washed away. Archivist Wendy Robicheau discovered that Perez Coldwell is well-remembered by his family and his community.

He was born in 1808, at Horton, Kings County, Nova Scotia. Although his body was not found, a memorial was placed in the Old Gaspereau Cemetery in 2000. The memorial reads:

“…A MAN FROM GASPEREAU”

Perez Coldwell, with Professor Chipman and others from Acadia College, was drowned in the Minas Basin, 7 June 1852. The geological group was returning from a rock-study at Cape Blomidon when weather conditions sank the sailboat. Only the other crew-member, George Benjamin, survived.

In the Memorial Address, Acadia President, Dr. Cramp, expressed grief over the loss of “the six precious souls and a man from Gaspereau.” Bachelor Perez and his twin sister Sarah (Colwell) Duncanson were born 29 February 1808.

This monument erected by relatives and friends. Dedicated on 7 June 2000.

Mr. Coldwell was one of two boatmen. We know now the other boatman’s name was Charles Benjamin, not George. Together, they took the Acadia party to Cape Blomidon, a task Coldwell had likely done before. Professor Chipman may have known Perez from childhood when Isaac and his father visited families of Coldwells in the Gaspereau Valley. Isaac Chipman wrote about it in his journal, now located in the Acadia Archives and available digitally here: https://digital-archives.acadiau.ca/node/3961

Perez was predeceased by his parents, John and Eliphal (Bishop) and some of his ten siblings. Surprisingly, an image of Perez Coldwell was published in The Advertiser issue dated 21 June 2002. Wendy continues to look for the original image.