Book overview
For more than a century and a half, the voices of Arthur Hill Gillmor and Hannah Dawes Howe Gillmor remained preserved in fragile letters, tucked away in family collections and archives. Now, for the first time, their remarkable correspondence is brought together in a single volume.
Arthur Hill Gillmor was a prominent New Brunswick businessman, parliamentarian, Member of Parliament, and later Canadian Senator. Yet beyond his public accomplishments existed a deeply personal story rarely captured in official histories. Through 293 surviving letters written between approximately 1842 and 1879, readers gain an intimate glimpse into the private world of a nineteenth-century couple navigating love, marriage, family, politics, travel, faith, and daily life in colonial Canada.
Beginning with the courtship of Arthur and Hannah and continuing through Arthur's political career and extended travels, these letters reveal the emotions, challenges, and aspirations of two individuals whose lives unfolded during a transformative period in Canadian history. Their correspondence documents everything from Atlantic voyages and parliamentary service to family concerns, social customs, and the realities of life in New Brunswick during the nineteenth century.
Compiled, transcribed, and annotated by distant relative and family historian Gayle Farmer, this collection is enriched with genealogical research, historical notes, photographs, and contextual commentary that bring the Gillmor family story vividly to life.
Part love story, part family history, and part historical record, Arthur Hill Gillmor & Hannah Dawes Howe offers readers a rare opportunity to experience history through the authentic voices of those who lived it, preserving a legacy of devotion, resilience, and public service for future generations.
