"Robert Gillis has written an extraordinary tribute to his uniquely lovable grandmother, Anne Gillis. The story follows her from her birth in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, through her years as a dutiful nurse to the elderly as the soul proprietor of Uphams Corner Rest Home, to the humorous and bittersweet final years of her life. With great pride and honesty, the author does a remarkable job of remembering and relating the part of the story that occurs during his childhood as if he were still using the eyes of a child. It is also with great skill that he captures the poignant moments near the end of a life well lived, as well as the grief of those who have been deeply affected by it. "

Visit the "Nana" web site by clicking here.

This section is for additions and new information I have learned about Nana and her life since the book went to press. If there is ever a second edition of Nana, it will include these additions and corrections.

Nana's statement that her brother Neil C. was struck or tripped as a child may have actually been referring to Neil's son David, who fell as a child, hit his head on a rock, and developed epileptic seizures as a result. Since some of Nana's stories of Neil's fall involved him hitting his head on a rock, it's possible Nana was confusing father and son, or both Neil and his son suffered a similar childhood injury.

Neil was indeed a "moonshiner" and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police came to arrest him one night and Neil jumped into his son's bedroom to hide! The RCMP caught him and he served eight months in jail for moonshining.

Source: Florence Gillis Gerus, Neil's granddaughter (Duncan's daughter)
(fgerus@bangzoom.com)

Nana strongly disliked her brother Neil. He wasn't a nice man.
Source: Mom

"Alex Hugh knows where the house remains is located. He told me he would send you an e-mail on this and he probably has by now. He originally lived in that area called Maple Brook. There is nobody living there any more and the forest has been cut for pulpwood. Many, many house ruins are located throughout the area, just like the rest of rural Cape Breton."

[Source: Dorothy Pottie]
dkpottie@ns.sympatico.ca

"I was born about two miles from your grandmothers home but it is all covered with forest now but the rock basement would still be there it is about three miles from Saint Mary's church there is a dirt road close by the farm and should be no problem finding the site where the house was."

[Source: Alex MacInnis]

"No one has lived there for a long time and the forest is claiming the land that was once fields. Cannot say if any of the buildings are still visible or not. It is situated not far from St. Mary of the Angels"

[Source: Eleanor MacLeod]

"Yes, Robert, you are in the right vicinity. You would take the Maple Brook Road gravel) that leads through from Kingsville to Glendale- near MacColl's. Close to the Community Pasture on this road, you would take a right that leads to Big Brook, and it would be close to that intersection. The Church is near the place name, Glendale on your map, on the right fork of the Y you will notice - R C Chapell."

("I'm not related to you but do quite a bit of genealogy along with Alex Hughie, who is the historian and knows the people and area, their home locations and a great memory to boot. We voluntarily help people with enquiries of relatives and have been trying to gathered records for the achieve room at the Cultural Centre. Allan Gillis is not from here but is related to folks and interested in the area. He is a historian and has loads of data on families, which he generously shares with us.")

[Source: Marina MacIntyre]
marinamaci@yahoo.ca

"I'm assuming you now know where the farm is however if you don't my father Sandy (Alexander ) Gillis could show exactly I've been there many times. Just look him up in Glendale.

I have to say thank you; for so long I've wondered about my family history my grandfather was Neil C. I've only ever seen one photo of him before. My father Sandy (Alexander Hugh) Gillis was the youngest when my grandmother died. He was raised by Peter R MacEacheren. I moved to Glendale when I was about 12 from Edmonton Alberta.

Dad was an oilfield supervisor prior to that. At first it was a shock moving from the city to Glendale.

However the people the place and the roots become a part of you.

Today I live in Ontario but Cape Breton is still home. I had always been interested in the family history, during my days at ST.F.X. University I met a fellow who said that we had a famous relative. I wasn't so sure. A couple years later I learned more of Duncan Gillis, I'm forgetting but I'm pretty sure he was David's first cousin. Duncan won a silver medal at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics in the Hammer throw. He was considered the strongest man in the world in his day. He was also Canada's first ever flag bearer at the Olympics. He had been a police man in Vancouver B.C. after leaving Mabou C.B.. He was inducted into the B.C. sports hall of fame. I later had him inducted into the N.S. sports hall of fame. I've got some really great old photos of him carrying the flag in the stadium as well as other sports photos. He was defeated the great James Thorpe in the Hammer. He later wrestled. Once Wrestling the World Champion for a prize of 200000 in 1920. Well I must go , so again thank you for your book and the photos on your web.

Could you say hello to Aunt Jeanette, Andrea and Robert if you see them."

Regarding the farm: "The last time I was at the property was maybe 20 years ago the shell of the house stood then.

Dad and I cut pulpwood there. I believe the house is no longer there but there was a stone like foundation and a very big mantel stone. Kind of unique. I'm not sure if Dad has any pictures. Last I heard My Uncle Donald in Port Hawkesbury owned the property. He built a little Building up there with a wood stove so that he could visit , have a tea and solitude, just to sit watch the deer etc. His wife Kathleen is how I found your site."

[Source: Neil Gillis Kitchener, Neil's grandson]
ngillis@aol.com

"There was only your family of Gillises in the Glendale/Maple Brook area and they were not original settlers there. Your other Gillis relatives were from the Hawthorne area-the ones who are having a reunion in Port Hood in late July (not the Gillises who are having a reunion in the first week on July in S.W. Margaree)"

[Source: Allan Gillis]
gaoideal1772@rogers.com

Correction? Mary Gillis, Nana's mother was from Iona, not Boisedale?

[Source: Janette MacVarish. Janette is the daughter of Neil Gillis (Nana's brother). Her late husband, Robert MacVarish, was the son of Alan MacVarish of Glendale. Alan's sisters included Sister Andrea MacVarish. Margaret MacVarish (born Margaret McDonnell) was from Judique and was her mother-in-law]

Clarification: Neil Gillis left the Glendale farm after his wife died in 1943 and it's now a forest, hard to get to, about 3.5 miles from church. Neil moved so that the family would be closer to the church, and took what he could from the old home to build his new home.

[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

This sheds new light on Nana's comment that Neil "Let the place go." It sounds like he didn't let the place go, but left it to build a better home for his family. Also, this corroborates Nana's statements that the walk to school was long -- it was three and a half miles

Pa used to carry wood to Saint Mary of the Angles church every Sunday to warm the church. One time, Pa had the measles and could not leave the house. Father MacPherson came to the house, furious that Pa had not brought the wood, dismissing the fact that Pa had the measles.

[Source: Mom]

Another time during Lent, Pa had made himself some chicken soup and took a few spoonfuls and suddenly realized the day was Friday. He immediately stopped eating the soup, and went to confession. Father MacPherson was so enraged that he flew out of the confessional, screaming at Pa and pointing at him that he had sinned, despite Pa’s explanation that he did not realize what day it was and stopped immediately.

[Source: Mom]

This certainly demonstrates what a fire-and brimstone preacher Father MacPherson could be.

"[I] grew up in Port Hood, Inverness County, and served as an Altar Boy on many occasions for Father Donald MacPherson… Your stories about Father Donald were most enjoyed. He was certainly down on the liquor and his High Masses could last up to 2 1/2 hours. He used to write letters for illiterate parishioners and one of them named Donald "Brown Hughie" always insisted that he write on the bottom "Please excuse the bad writing."


[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm, Brossard, QC, Canada]
donnachaidh_siosal@videotron.ca

"Back in Port Hood my father had to pay Father Donald so much per year to retain the use of a certain pew. On many occasions people who did not pay their pew rent could come to Church and find their pew full of bundles of shingles. The shingles stayed in their pew until they paid their annual pew rent."

[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm]

"Excessive alcohol consumption caused many problems amongst his parishioners and Father Donald in his own way tried to resolve this problem. Alcohol "moonshine" was produced locally in privately owned Stills which Father Donald referred to as "Black Pots" and when his parishioners were questioned in this regard it would be a sin to lie to Father Donald so they used to paint their Stills white and then they could honestly state that they did not own or operated a "Black Pot." "

[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm]

On farming in Inverness County: "Everyone including Priest, Doctors, etc all had their own cows, chickens, pigs, etc. for feeding their families. I had to get up early in the morning in order to start a fire in our stove, then out to the barn to milk the cows and then to Church to serve as Altar Boy for Father Donald. And I was not allowed to eat or drink until I returned from serving Mass. I used to get up earlier than required as our radio was able to take in Wheeling, West Virginia (only early in the morning) and I still remember listening to "Big Slim" who after singing a song would say "Well, I got to be getting back to the wagon, boys, these shoes are killing me." About that time my mother would start hollering at me to get out and milk the cows. Great memories."

[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm]

"Like most Priests in Inverness County around the turn of the Century, Father Donald had to organize his own farm in order to provide himself with his own required vegetables, potatoes, milk and etc. His Parish in Glendale had horses and cows for his own needs. Sometimes, parishioners would work on his farm to pay off their pew rent. For example, One parishioner might come with his horses and plow to break up the ground on a piece of land behind the church while another parishioner was planting trees in the same general area."

[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm]

It was April of 1915 and Donald MacIsaac of Hillsdale had arrived in Glendale to marry Katie Anne MacInnis, a lady of that parish. When the wedding party got to the glebe house they found Father Donald MacPherson madly packing up in order to catch the next train. He had just got his call to join the army as a chaplain.

The priest didn't have time to perform the marriage but he hurriedly scribbled a note on a page of paper and told Donald to show it to Father Colin Chisholm in Port Hood and everything would be fine. Donald took the paper and went off happily.

Five years later, Father MacPherson was at the Judique picnic and he bumped into Donald and Katie Anne.

"And how are things going, Donald," inquired the priest.

"Oh, we're doing just fine Father," said MacIsaac, "and I still have your paper."

Shocked beyond words, Father Donald grabbed MacIsaac and his "bride", shanghied two people to be witnesses and hustled the foursome up to the glebe house for a quick, but official, marriage ceremony.

For five years Donald MacIsaac, being illiterate, had thought he had a marriage certificate!

[Source: Allan Gillis, as told to him by Allan Graham, Judique]

1. REV. JOHN N. "HONEST JOHN"4 MACLENNAN (NEIL3, JOHN "IAIN MAC RUARAIDH SAILAICH"2, RODERICK1)1,2
was born July 27, 1875 in Dunvegan, Inverness County, and died January 02, 1930 in Antigonish, Antigonish County. He was ordained on June 29, 1908.
Burial: Glendale, Inverness County

More information about Rev. Donald MacPherson
1. REV. DONALD2 MACPHERSON (DONALD1)1,2 was born October 03, 1872 in Boisdale, Cape Breton County, and died August 01, 1959 in Antigonish, Antigonish County. 24 Apr 2006 - Father Donald served overseas with the Canadian Army as a Chaplain during WWI. Previously he served as Parish Priest in Glendale and afterwards was assigned to Port Hood as Parish Priest, replacing Father Colin Chisholm. He joined the Army in 1916.

[Source: Duncan J. Chisholm]

Ken, who Nana dated, was Ken Burke, Jessie Burke's brother in law. According to Jeannette, they dated at least a few times. Ken was not from Glendale.


[Source: Jannette MacVarish]

I remember that around 1988, Nana was talking about Ken, and I asked if Ken was Dad's father, "No he wasn't," Nana replied, "and I don't want to talk about that."

Allan Gillis contributed this fascinating insight into a time before modern medicine: "I know diphtheria and consumption (TB) were greatly feared by people in rural
Cape Breton and many perished from both. In the early 1900s, a house would be "flagged" when diphtheria or anything similar struck. A colored sign of sorts would be put on the farm gate and no one was allowed to enter. Kindly neighbors would often bring food or grocery necessities as far as the fence and leave them for the afflicted family to pick up.

If someone died before the disease had run its course with the rest of the family they would have to be buried on the farm or, if the father was healthy enough, he would have to transport the body to the graveyard, dig the grave, and then bury the body - all by himself, with no priest or any ceremony at all. This happened to many families in those days."
[Source: Allan Gillis]

Many thanks to John A. Kennedy - one of the pictures on the site were mistakenly labeled as Nana’s parents.

John A. Kennedy, CD, FSA Scot mailto:jak.cb@sympatico.ca writes:

Hello Robert: The photo 008 in your collection is of John (Johnny Ban) Gillis & Isobel (Macdonald) Gillis and would be Anne's uncle as far as I can make out. My Mother was Janet Isobel (Jessie) Gillis daughter of John (Ban) Gillis and Isobel Macdonald (The photo 008). David was my Mother's uncle. Neil C. Gillis, David's son, was my mother's first cousin. Neil C. use to come from Glendale and visit us in Inverness. I was never in Glendale but heard lots of stories. If my memory serves me right I think one of the girls became a Nun. There is still one of Neil C's boys living in Glendale his name is Hugh. I got this information from my brother in Inverness. I have the picture of Johnny (Ban) (The man with the fiddle) and Isobel in my photo album. I got it from my Mother. They are buried in the churchyard at Glencoe. I hope this clarifies some of the info in your write-up. It was nice chatting with you. Best regards. John.

Many early edits of "Nana" had the story of the Halifax explosion in the first chapter. I finally dropped it because it departed too much from the narrative, but I have included it here, because it's an inspiring story, and Nana and her friends felt the force of the blast --250 miles away.

Besides being the center of a recent controversy, the beautiful Christmas tree on Boston Common has a very interesting history. You may know that the tree used to be displayed at Prudential Center before being moved to Boston Common a few years back. You may know it contains nearly 15,000 lights. You may also know that the tree comes from Canada. What you may not know is that the tree is a thank you gift from the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

During World War One, ships carrying troops, ammunition, and relief supplies regularly gathered in Halifax Harbor to sail the Atlantic together for protection against German U-boats.

Early in the morning of December 6, 1917, the French munitions ship Mont-Blanc, which carried four hundred thousand pounds of TNT and other explosive compounds, was preparing to moor to await a convoy, when the Belgian ship Imo entered the wrong channel. To avoid a collision, the Mont-Blanc turned toward Halifax, but the Imo struck the ship, sending showers of deadly sparks everywhere. The crew of the Mont-Blanc abandoned the burning ship, leaving it on a dead course for Halifax.

The Mont-Blanc exploded, causing the biggest man-made explosion until Hiroshima. Two thousand people were killed; another 9000 injured, and 200 were blinded.

The explosion that destroyed all the northern part of Halifax was so massive that it shattered windows some 60 miles away. My grandmother, a 15-year-old student at the time, recalled that morning and said that her schoolhouse windows shook furiously and the floor rumbled-and she was 250 miles away from the blast. (Interestingly, Nana did not believe the official version of the events; she told me she always believed one of the ships had been bombed by the Germans.)

In any case, imagine it - an explosion nearly as large as an atomic bomb, killing or injuring more people than September 11 or Pearl Harbor. Imagine the chaos, the panic, and the suffering, and the need for medical assistance and relief on an inconceivable, citywide level.

Now recall that this disaster occurred in 1917 - decades before medical helicopters, fleets of ambulances, life support units, trauma teams, modern medical science or citywide crisis management.

The surviving Halifax hospitals couldn't possibly treat all the injured, and to make the situation even more dire, a blizzard struck the next day.

Relief came from around the world, but the people of Halifax were particularly touched by the generosity of the city of Boston, which was the first to send people and relief supplies. With a lot of help and indomitable spirit, Halifax and its people recovered and healed.

Starting then and continuing to this day, the city of Halifax sends Boston a beautiful Christmas tree every year as their way to say thank you for everything the people of Boston did to assist them during unimaginable tragedy.

Despite all the controversy about "Christmas trees" versus "holiday trees," (It's a CHRISTMAS tree, by the way) it's important to remember that the center of attention is a not just a tree but a yearly reminder of tremendous generosity, giving, and selflessness from the people of this state to their northern neighbors during their darkest hour all those years ago.

Whatever that tree on the Boston Common is called, I see it as a reminder that the various holidays this month we celebrate kindness, generosity, and love. Back in 1917, the people of Boston demonstrated this spirit. We should honor them - and all those who died in Halifax - by doing the same.

Neil also came to the United States and married Florence (his wife) at Gate of Heaven in East Boston in 1926 before returning to Glendale. Maple Brook was the area of Glendale that is now covered with trees.

[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

Trull Street, defined as being from 83 Hancock Street to 22 Bellevue street, was laid out Dec. 10, 1875. It would seem that the home building began right afterward.

[Source: "List of Streets, Etc., in Boston," page 485, author unknown, City of Boston, 1910]

Clarification: My guess that Nana was renting 10 Trull Street when she first arrived was correct. She did indeed arrive in 1938. Franny was already living at 12 Trull with her family. The McLaughlins soon moved in to 4/6 Trull, next door to Nana. Nana brought Mrs. McLaughlin a casserole to welcome her to the neighborhood, and Mrs. McLaughlin said she didn't want Nana's charity. Nana told Mom that she met neighbors on the way back home and remarked that there would be trouble. Around 1941, Nana was making her rental payment at Dorchester Savings Bank and was told by one of the employees that the McLaughlins were trying to buy 10 Trull Street right out from under her. Nana said she wanted to buy the house and immediately made arrangements to do so.
[Source: Mom]

This explains a lot, including Nana repeatedly saying how kind the employees of Dorchester Savings Bank were to her. I also remember nana speaking about many fights with the McLaughlins. Although it should be noted that we remember son Billy McLaughlin and his sister Rose as very kind people. Dad and Billy were lifelong friends and Billy used to park his car in Nana's garage for $10 a month.

Jeannette once visited and an Irish patient, Julie Brackets, was attacking Nana with a hammer! Julia did not like Anne at all and probably had Alzheimers… She called out to Julia to try to make her stop and Julia put down the hammer and broke into song, "Goodbye, Johnny Dear."

[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

Freeman's Drugs used to sell beer on Sunday, under the guise of "medicine."
[Source: Mom]

Additional Information: Pa also lived with his daughter Mary for a time, but he was hit by a car, then he died, and Ma went with Jessie in Saugus.

Additional Information: Miss Ryan's first name was Ellen and was a nice lady.
[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

Correction? Nana studied nursing in Sydney (not Toronto).
[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]
I remember Nana telling me she studied in Toronto, but Jeanette may be correct.

Additional Information: The conversion that Father MacPherson speaks of in his letter refers to a person named Thompson who converted by Father Costello to Catholicism at Nana's house. Jeannette was there and said it had been raining all day, and the sun came out as this woman converted.
[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

Dad and Nana's return to Glendale was in August 1958 -- my guess was very close. Dad had served as an usher for his cousin Duncan MacVarish's wedding at Saint Ignatius Church. Afterward, Nana and Dad joined Jeannette's and her sister Mariah for a return trip to Glendale in Nana's Ford. This was likely Dad's only trip to Glendale. The trip takes about 16 hours from the Boston area.
[Source: Jeannette MacVarish]

bodachan
"The word in Gaelic is spelled "bodachan" and is pronounced as you have it. It has a number of meanings including "Little old man". But it's also used as a term of endearment when referring to a youth, which is how your grandmother used it with you."

[Source: Bob and Marg Leonard]

Throughout the book, I misspelled Father Anthony Buchette's name as "Buschette." I joked that poor Nana could never remember how to pronounce his last name, and then I go and misspell it. He was such a good priest. His masses were joyous. It was because of his masses that I started going to church again. He was a great friend and comfort to Nana; she adored him. I will always be grateful to Father Buschette for all his good deeds. He was an inspiration and friend and a wonderful priest.

Despite the sadness and foreboding during my visits with Nana after she had the stroke, I did witness a very amusing incident at the rest home. While I sat with Nana, there was a resident in another room who was constantly saying things like, "I need to get up, I need to leave, where am I?" Sometimes, this was constant. One afternoon, as I sat quietly with Nana, the lady was saying, "I have to get up, I need to go, I don't know where I'm going," when suddenly another resident shouted, "You're going to HELL for driving us all crazy!" I have to admit that made me laugh out loud.

Aunt Jessie Gillis died in 1995. The Blueberry muffins she always brought were homemade by her.

Nana's garage, built in 1923, was torn down sometime after the new owner purchased it in 1995.

May 20, 2006 would have been Nana's 104th birthday. I still miss her and think of her often.

Monday night, sitting in the car in the rain, I was thinking about Nana and her upcoming 100th birthday, and I started talking to her. I asked her to send me a sign -- something noticeable. I wanted to know that she was with me, that she loved me, and that she was in Heaven, or at least at peace, happy and free from pain. I asked that the sign be at Saint Mary's so I would recognize it.

I think I got my sign. The most spectacular rainbow I've ever seen—probably any of us have ever seen since Noah and the Flood -- lit up the sky yesterday. It was the brightest, thickest, most pronounced and beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. I followed it all the way down 495 and past the cornfields to Sharon and Foxboro. People were stopping their cars to look at it.

I got to wondering if that was my sign and thought about the guy who drowns in a flood after refusing an offer of rescue from a rowboat and helicopter, saying that God will save him. When he drowns, he gets to Heaven and he's mad at the Lord, and God says, “I sent you a helicopter and rowboat, what more do you want?” I guess I would have to be stupid NOT to assume the spectacular rainbow wasn't my sign, but it's hard for me. I'm still working on my faith. But my God, if it is the sign, then Nana IS with me, she does love me, and she's happy and at peace.

I said another prayer that the Lord would send me another rainbow -- in a card, email, whatever. The next night, I found a little rainbow color card on the table when you walk into the kitchen.

Small world!

Literally an hour after my interview with Jenna MacNeil ("Main Streets Sydney") aired on CBC in Cape Breton, I received this email:

From: georgem@syd.eastlink.ca
To: robertxgillis@aol.com
Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 5:22 PM
Subject: Sis Andrea MacVarish

Hi Robert: Just heard 1/2 of your interview on CBC radio and was wondering if the Sister Andrea MacVarish in your book was my Great Aunt. She was born in Glendale (Maple Brook) I think?? Her sister would be my Grandmother, Catherine, and she also had 2 other sisters, Sister Loretta Vincent and Sister Mary Rose, who were also nuns. If so she has nieces and nephews living in the Boston and Sydney areas. She lived to be over 100 yrs old.

Regards
George MacEachern

I replied right back to George to tell him that indeed that is the same Sister Andrea MacVarish, who lived to be 103 and passed away gently on August 3, 2004.

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