STREET ADDRESS: 58 Prince Street
CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE: Yarmouth
MUNICIPALITY: Yarmouth
COUNTY: Yarmouth
YEAR BUILT: circa 1905
ARCHITECTURAL COMMENT:
2 storey Italianate style with Queen Anne Revival influences has a 1 storey off-center addition on back. The medium pitched, truncated hip roof has a discretely placed inset chimney on back slope and centered shed dormers on all sides. The asymmetrical 2 bay facade has an off-center entrance in a recessed corner veranda and a 1 storey cutaway bay window; veranda has spindlework trim, balustrade and brackets and a single turned column at corner. Most windows have double hung sashes and 1/1 glazing; dormer windows have 2/1 glazing; second storey windows have shallow moulded crowns. Wood construction, shingle clad with corner-boards, moulded frieze-boards, a shallow false overhang and belt course of patterned shingles.
HISTORICAL COMMENT:
Built in 1905 for George W. Clements, although his mother, Harriet, still held title to the land at the time. When construction of the house was completed, Mr. Clements wrote a note and sealed it in a corner by the edge of a fireplace. The current owners discovered it and after photocopying it, returned it to the place where it was found. The note says: "Yarmouth Sept. 1st 1905. This house was built by A.W. Nowlan of Hebron, Boss Carpenter [assisted by] Israel Churchill of Pembroke Shore, W. Bain of Lakeside, Edwin Robichau of town & Isaack Amero. [Masons] Wm Amerigan of Newfoundland & Fraser Gavel of town. House built for G.W. Clements son of Capt. Wm E. Clements. May God's blessing rest on the inmates of this house ever is the prayer. G.W. Clements"
CONTEXTUAL COMMENT:
West side of street, second house south of Forest Street. One storey back entry porch was enlarged to twice its original size in 1999, with materials and trim matching the original section. Well maintained property.
PRESENT OWNER: Roy W. & Louise Bent
ADDRESS: 58 Prince Street Yarmouth Nova Scotia B5A 1S5
ORIGINAL OWNER: Harriet Clements
BUILDER: Arthur W. Nowlan
ORIGINAL USE: Single Family Dwelling
PRESENT USE: Single Family Dwelling
| HISTORY OF BUILDING | ||||
| OWNER | FROM: | TO: | OCCUPATION | BOOK-PAGE |
| Harriet Clements | 25 Mar. 1905 | N/A | Widow | CO 712 |
| George W. Clements | N/A | 05 May 1920 | Trader | N/A |
| Percy L. Bent | 05 May 1920 | 22 Feb. 1935 | C.P.R. express messenger | DM 540 |
| Florence M. Bent | 22 Feb. 1935 | 13 Aug. 1971 | Wife of P.L. Bent | EG 603 |
| Marjorie F. Bent | 13 Aug. 1971 | 25 July 1994 | Single woman | HP 463 |
| Central Trust Company Roy William Bent | 25 July 1994 | 05 Aug. 1994 | Executors & Trustees Estate of M.F. Bent | Estate A1593 |
| Roy W. & Louise Bent | 05 Aug. 1994 | Present | Heirs of M.F. Bent | 523-1018 |
COMMENTS ON HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS:
In 1920 George W. Clements sold this property to Percy Bent, who worked 42 years as an express messenger for Canadian Pacific Railways. Mr. Bent transferred title to the property to his wife, Florence, in 1935 and they continued to reside here for the rest of his life. In 1971, six years after his death, Mr. Bent conveyed the property to their only daughter, Marjorie, who lived here until her death in 1994.
In her Will, Marjorie Bent appointed her nephew, Roy William Bent as on of her Executors and left the property and its contents to him and his wife, Louise, who lived in Pointe Claire, Quebec at the time. As it was her wish that the homestead remain in the family, if possible, Roy and Louise Bent took possession of the home in 1994 and it has now been in the Bent family for 80 years.
SOURCES: Registry of Deeds/Probate Town Assessment Rolls, 1905-1920 Yarmouth Directories, 1895, 1949 Clements genealogy, (Clement Doane, c. 1965) McAlpine's Nova Scotia Directory, 1907-08 Note found in premises, 1997