Old St. Andrews

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Charles Gove House

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St. Andrews Beacon, May 21, 1903
Ex-Collector Gove's Death
He Lived to a Good Old Age
Faith in St. Andrews Never Faltered

St. Andrews lost an able champion and a firm friend when Mr. Charles M. Gove, ex-collector of customs, passed away on Friday night last. . . .

About 45 years ago, convinced that St. Andrews had a superior advantage over Saint John as a port, and that it would outrival it as such, he closed up his business in Saint John and removed here. He built the present steamboat wharf, also a wharf near where the De Wolfe pier stands. He erected the large warehouse near the railway station and the buildings at present occupied by the Post Office and H. O'Neill. Mr. Lewis Millidge, of Saint John was a partner for a time.

On the first of July 1868, he was appointed appraiser and preventive officer at this port, and on the death of Collector Whitlock (father o the present customs official) in January, 1870, he succeeded to the collectorship. He held office until 1897 when he was superannuated.

During all the years he never for a mment lost faith in the future of St. Andrews as a port. That faith was as strong the day he died as it was 40 years ago.

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A Reminiscence
St. John Globe, May 16

The death at St. Andrews of Charles M. Gove will revive recollections in many of the older business men. Mr. Gove was a thriving and prosperous merchant of St. John, and was always up to if not ahead of the times. When the building of the St. Andrews and Quebec Railway was begun and long before it reached Woodstock, from St. Andrews, Mr. Gove saw a great future for the latter place. It was to be the winter port of Canada, and summer and winter would witness its rapid growth. Mr. Gove determined to be early on the ground to participate in its development and to share in the wealth which would be produced. Friends advised him to wait, but his ardent soul would not brook delay. He closed up his business there, went to St. Andrews, and with enterprise began the work. It was money and labour lost. The road has not yet been built to Quebec by that route, and somuch as is built is now a branch of the CPR. Mr. Gove was too proud-spirited to return to St. John. He lived to a grand old age, and probably never surrendered the cherished hope of his early years. But by his removal—it must have been about 1860—St. John lost an energetic and an enterprising citizen.