In 1497, John Cabot sailing westward from Bristol, England discovered the island he referred to as the "new founde lande." In the ensuing centuries, fishermen from England and other European countries pursued an annual cod fishery in its coastal waters. Initially, this fishery was migratory, with the seasonal fishers returning to their home ports each autumn. However, eventually through sporadic colonization, or by individual choice, hardy settlers chose to stay and live year-round along the coastline of Newfoundland.It was mainly in the late decades of the 18th century and the first three of the 19th century that large numbers of English and Irish migrants arrived in Newfoundland. According to historical statistics, Newfoundland's population grew by 350% from 1797 to 1815. As a result of this significant influx of immigrants, many small settlements sprang up, mainly along Newfoundland's English Shore. It was during this era that former male-only migratory fishing rooms evolved into year-round family settlements.Courageous Souls profiles one such small fishing village, Caplin Bay (now Calvert). This settlement, located on the eastern coastline of Newfoundland, running south from the capital city of St. John's, is locally referred to as the Southern Shore. This book explores aspects of the settlement's early history, and endeavours to flesh out the family roots of its mainly English and Irish settlers mentioned in surviving church, court, and civil records. It also analyzes local folklore and tries to validate this oral history by extracting information from extensive collections housed in Newfoundland and Labrador's archives and from other locations throughout the world.