James Pitts, 1735-1805, was the first permanent settler in Lance Cove, Bell Island. It was he who enticed to there the Kents, the Reeses, the Coopers, the Hiscocks , the Kennedys , the Stoylses , and last but not least the Hammonds, the Clements and the Bickfords to establish that beautiful community, and it was his industry and vision that set the tone that set it apart as one of the happiest and most prosperous settlements in Newfoundland. Agriculture as well as ship-building and fishing allowed those fortunate settlers to escape the thrall of the dehumanizing truck system.

Near the cliff side in Lance Cove there is an old cemetery, secluded amongst ancient trees, where those pioneers from Devon, Erin and Wales lie sleeping side by side; no churches then to segregate them denominationally. Sometime between 1969 and 1988, the headstone to James Pitts was smashed to pieces in a contemptible an act of vandalism, though most certainly not by anyone from Lance Cove. In the summer of 1997, Tom Stoyles, a Lance Cove resident, gathered the broken pieces and assembled them in a Glass covered box which he stood against a tree near the grave site. To compound the desecration perpetrated against this sacred place, some despicable person or persons subsequently removed the box and threw its contents over the nearby cliff side. Tom Stoyles, literally at the risk of his life , scaled the cliff and retrieved sufficient of the pieces to confirm what it was that had happened and to permit the replication of the stone with some authenticity. Besides the quaint epitaph, luckily transcribed and preserved in 1968, the stone has some other interesting and somewhat unique features that identify it with its era.


Upon discovering the absence of this stone from the cemetery during a visit there in June, 2003, and after unraveling the mystery of its disappearance , I embarked upon a campaign to have it replaced by a replica, hopefully in time for the April 30, 200th anniversary of James Pitts passing. A fund has been set up for this purpose and anyone wishing to make a contribution may do so by contacting me at lcrees@nfld.com, phone, 834-0588 , or by contacting at, scotts@pei.sympatico.ca., Ian Scott who, besides managing the fund, is assisting with promoting this project.

Lloyd C. Rees,
12A Rich's Place,
Manuels,
CBS, NL
A1W 5E7
Phone: 834-0588