Clare Ledyth MacDonald was born on July 4th, 1891 at Alma, New Brunswick and was the youngest child of Roderick and Rachael (Simpson) MacDonald. Clare had two older brothers; Dr. Purdy Alvan MacDonald, a physician in Halifax and Edmund Luther MacDonald, manager of the Halifax Hotel. They purchased, in partnership with their father, the property now known as 64 Main Street, Hantsport from Delancey T. Faulkner in 1912.1
Roderick (Rod, Roy, Rory) MacDonald, a retired salesman and merchant, died in 1918 at Hantsport. In his Will he bequeathed his piano, gold watch and some money to his beloved daughter Clare.2
In the 1921 Census of Canada, Rachael MacDonald now a widow age 62, and Clare age 29, appear to be living on their own in the house on Main Street.3
Clare studied at Acadia University and the Toronto Conservatory of Music and was organist in the Hantsport Baptist Church according to the Evening Mail newspaper of July 19th, 1928. Her mother Rachael died in December of that year and is buried together her father Roderick in Riverbank Cemetery.4
Clare Ledyth MacDonald married Charles Albert Dorman on November 6th, 1929 in the Hantsport Baptist Church. Clare gave her occupation as Music Teacher and Charles (Charlie) Dorman gave his occupation as Mechanic on the marriage registration.5
Charlie Dorman was born in Hants Border on April 2nd, 1900, the eldest son of Albert Dorman and Jennie Hutchinson. In partnership with Clarence J. Amirault he operated a garage on the west side of Main Street from 1918 to 1931 when that property was sold to Imperial Oil Co. Ltd.6
In 1923 Charlie Dorman held a Chauffeur’s License and was self employed. He was later known for having a collection of fine cars.
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In September 1947 Charlie Dorman in partnership with Arthur Weatherby opened a business on William Street7 in the building where the Valley Credit Union is now located after purchasing the property which at that time extended along William Street to the Post Office,
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A 50 foot wide slice of the property adjacent to the Post Office was sold to the Town of Hantsport8 in December1950 to create a new street. The property was further subdivided to allow construction of four new homes. Many today will remember that the street had a row of cherry trees growing in the median, one side called Cherry Avenue and other Cherry Lane. The building housing Dorman’s Store was sold to Avon Credit Union in December 1974.9
Clare Dorman became the organist at St. James United Church where she was photographed at Easter 1954.10
She taught piano lessons in the front room of her home to several generations of students, many of whom performed with distinction at the annual Hants County Music Festival.
She was matron of The Order of the Eastern Star, Hantsport branch.
Clare died in November 1972 and is buried in Riverbank Cemetery together with her husband.
Charlie Dorman died at Fisherman’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg on February 12th, 1982. In his Will11 he made bequests to his surviving brother Everett R. Dorman of Wolfville and to his wife Clare’s nieces and nephews, in particular “my friend” Gwendolyn MacDonald, wife of Donald MacDonald of Lunenburg, “including any automobile owned by me at the time of my death”.
Sources:
- Hants County Registry of Deeds, Book 112, Page 205
- Hants County Court of Probate, 1918 No. 3089 A
- 1921 Census of Canada, Nova Scotia, Hants County, sub-district 28 Hantsport Town, Family #54
- HHS 1995 Riverbank Cemetery Survey, Section 4, No. 200
- Nova Scotia Historical Vital Statistics, Registration: Year: 1929 number: 57626
- Hants County Registry of Deeds, Book 149, Page 785
- The Hants Journal, newspaper published at Windsor, NS, 17 September 1947
- Hants County Registry of Deeds, Book 187, Page 690
- Ibid. Book 328, Page 874
- HHS Collection, donation of Sharon Scott, 2025
- Hants County Court of Probate, 1982 No. 4281