Remembering Jerome
Jerome died approximately 100 years ago. Even so, he is still remembered today. Residents of St. Mary’s Bay still tell his story and speculate about his origins. Journalists and writers still publish articles and books about him. Jerome continues to be part of the collective psyche of the Acadian community of Clare. A monument has been erected to him. A residence for the handicapped has been named after him. Songs have been written about him. He has been depicted in paintings, and a film has been made that was inspired by his life.
In this section, you can read and listen to the many versions of the Jerome legend that have emerged since the beginning of the 20th Century. You will notice that over time, Jerome’s story has changed. People have actually forgotten the major dates in his life, like when he arrived in Nova Scotia, even the date of his death. The few facts that are known have been replaced by speculations, which by dint of repetition begin to seem like truth. As you will see, publications about Jerome often repeat themselves, copying from one another without quoting or crediting their sources. In short, Jerome’s story is being transformed into legend.
Chapters in Books
- William Coates Borrett, Nova Scotia's Mystery Man, Tales Told Under the Old Town Clock, 1942
- Edward Rowe Snow, A Canadian Enigma -- Jerome, Amazing Sea Stories Never Told Before, 1954
- R. Baden Powell, Jerome, Sandy's Cove Mystery Man, Second Scrap Book: Digby Town and Municipality, 1973
- Edith (Comeau) Tufts, Mrs. Elisabeth Comeau, Acadiennes de Clare, 1977
- Mary Kate Bull, Sandy Cove, Sandy Cove, 1978
- Helen Creighton, Bluenose Ghosts, Bluenose Ghosts, 1994
Maps
- Inconnu, Map given to tourists staying at the Olde Village Inn, Sandy Cove, indicating "Jerome's Rock"
- Her Majesty in Right of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, New Brunswick/Nouveau-Brunswick , atlas.gc.ca, 2001
Miscellaneous
- Unknown, Jerome
- R. Baden Powell, Jerome: Sandy Cove Great Mystery
- F. G. J. Comeau, The Story of Jerome, June 28, 1933
- John W. Fisher, Travelogue Talk (transcription), December 27, 1942
- Gisèle Thibault, Jerome: Mystery Man of St. Mary’s Bay, 2000
- Ernest F. Gaudet, Jerome, Ernest à Roger. Chansons reflétant la culture de la Baie Sainte-Marie, N.-É., 2000
- Patrice Boulianne (Blou), Fallen Angels, December 15, 2006
Newspaper or Magazine Articles
- , Story of 'Jerome' Remains Unsolved
- Anonymous, "Mystery Man" From The Sea An "Unrepentant Pilgrim", Halifax Chronicle Herald?
- J.C. MacKay, A Mystery of the Nova Scotian Shore, Family Herald and Weekly Star, February 26, 1930
- Hazel B. Shaw, Mystery Man, Free Press Weekly Magazine Section, August 15, 1952
- Joe LeBlanc, Legless Mystery Man Took Secret to Grave, Halifax Chronicle Herald, December 13, 1954
- Benoit Jeddry, Story of Jerome Reprinted by Request, Yarmouth Herald, February 21, 1962
- Hilda Van Wey, Jerome, The Mystery Man of Sandy Cove, Family Herald and Weekly Star, 1965
- R.B., Will Erect Memorial To Mysterious "Jerome", The Vangard (?), 1967
- Digby Courier, Jerome, Mystery Man of Digby County, Digby Courier, September 19, 1974
- Arthur Thurston, Mystery of Legless Jerome -- A Solution, The Vangard, January 19, 1977
- Jean-Pascal Vanhove, Grand opening of the Maison Jerome , Le courrier de la Nouvelle-Écosse, May 31, 1989
- Normand Provencher, “Jerome’s Secret”: Acadian Phil Comeau’s First Fiction Film , Le Soleil, September 23, 1994
- J.A. Deveau, Unnaswered questions still surround Jerome, Halifax Chronicle Herald?, October 31, 1994
- Brian Medel/Yarmouth Bureau, Stone Marker Erected For Meteghan Mystery Man, The Halifax Chronicle Herald, August 16, 2000
Oral History or Interview
Poetry