Mum said if Easter Sunday was a warm day, I could wear my new pink ankle socks to church. But if it was a cold day or it happened to be snowing, I was going to be stuck with those horrible long stockings with the garters fastened to a waist that I had been wearing since October.

I really couldn't see what difference the weather made as we would be driving in the car to the Kirk. It wasn't like we had to walk as the folk did in the past. Even a former minister, the Rev. Andrew Donald walked from pariah to parish on a Sunday and was known as the walking preacher. As Dad would say he preferred to use shank's mare than ride a horse. He was a native of Lanarkshire, Scotland and was educated in Edinburgh and Glasgow and came to Norton in 1842.

The Rev. Andrew Donald was one of  many  Presbyterian clergy who made his way through the roads and trails of New Brunswick forests to provide leadership and guidance. On Sundays the followers gathered in churches of the cities, towns and small rural communities to hear the word of God.

James Hannay served as a traveling missionary in New Brunswick and returned to Scotland in 1845. His eldest son, James remained and became editor of the Saint John Telegraph.

John Keir Beairsto, the grandson of the Rev. John Keir was born in Malpeque, Prince Edward Island and educated in Halifax and Princetown, United States. He was ordained and inducted on September 30, 1869 over the charge of Saltsprings, Hammond River and Golden Grove.

William Sommerville was born in Ballyrony, County Down, Ireland on July 1, 1800. He was educated at Glasgow University and Paisley, Scotland. After being ordained a missionary to the Colonies, he landed in Saint John in August of 1831 and visited a number of communities. He was married twice and had a family of fourteen children.

A. E. Betts compiled more than 400 short biographical sketches of Presbyterian ministers of the Maritime Provinces for his publication,  Our Fathers In The Faith - Being an account of Presbyterian ministers ordained before 1875.

Finding information on the clergyman  who officiated at an ancestor's marriage is much like finding the first dandelion of Spring - you wander farther into the field seeking not flowers but tidbits of information to add leaves to the family tree.

******

Query 98-649
Wilson - Snider - Byram - Hayward - Dixon: We have been trying to find the date of death for William Rainnie Wilson without success. He married Ann Snider on Oct.11, 1827 in Sussex and taught school in the area from1820 to1839. His daughters were: Barbara Ann, who married George Byram on Apr.10, 1856 in Saint John; Charlotte married George Hayward of Salisbury on Dec. 26, 1850 in Sussexvale and Mary Elizabeth  married Charles Dixon on Dec. 28, 1852 in Hampton Any information regarding his death would be appreciated.
 -Ruth Gillians, 142 East Ave., Kitchener, ON., N2H-1Y9. E-mail to richgill@sympatico.ca.

Query 98-650
Stackhouse - Wark: Mary Elizabeth Stackhouse, daughter of Mary Ann (Reid) and Whitfield Judson Stackhouse, married Robert Elroy Wark. Their children were: Yvonne; Stanley; Earl and Byrle. I would like further information on this family or make contact with descendants.
 -Vonda M. Adams, 608-611 University Dr., Saskatoon, SK., S7N 3Z1. Telephone (306)244-5258  or E-mail to ev.adams@home.com.

Query 98-651
Fowler - Staples - Mills: In 1879 Ellen Fowler was married for a second time to Sannders Staples. By her first husband - possibly Mills - she had a son George born May 24, 1872 in Fairville, New Brunswick. I am seeking information on George.
 -Ray E. Thomas, 59 Middle Road, Woolwich, ME., USA,04579. E-mail to thomas@clinic.net.

Query 98-652
Teall: In 1812 Asaph Teall from Bayham filed a petition for land, on which he stated he was born in New Brunswick. Does anyone have information on Asaph Teall?
 -Robert Williams. E-mail to eldren@jps.net.

Query 98-653
Morrell - Marks: I am searching for information on the family of Elnathan Foster Morrell and his wife Sarah Marks both from Saint John. Elnathan was born about 1835 and Sarah was born May 10, 1830. They had 8 children born in Saint John: Maria Eudavilla; Thomas Hawkins; Stenning H.; Foster E.; William W., Fred P., Mary and Laura. The family moved to Minnesota in the 1870's. Can anyone provide me with information on this family?
  -Susan Wojtowicz, 77-10 79th Place, Glendale, NY, 11385. E-mail to swtowski@rcn.com changed Nov of 2005 to suzette.362@gmail.com

Query 98-654
Byers - Akerley - Foster: I am looking for any information on William Frederick Byers, who was born in Germany on Jun. 03 1866 and died in Saint John on Dec. 02, 1933. He married Myrtle Akerley, the daughter of Charles Akerley and Harriet Foster of Cambridge Narrows. Their children were: Elsie; Edna; Arthur; Fred; Harold and William Russell.
 -Teresa Dominie, P.O. Box 153 Parsons Pond, NF, A0K 3Z0.  E-mail to tdominie@stemnet.nf.ca or adominie@stemnet.nf.ca.

Query 98-655
Bouchard - Boily: I am looking for a Thomas Bouchard and Marie Boily marriage in the Saint John area. They had five children. They migrated in the1880s to Waterville, Maine. Does anyone have any information on this family?
 -Lynn Bouchard, 801 s. Harrison St., Apt. 524, Olathe, Kansas, USA, 66061-4680. Telephone (913) 782-7133). E-mail to loislynn@swbell.net.

Query 98-656
Keirstead: If you have Keirstead connections in your line, we would like to hear from you as soon as possible as a Keirstead family reunion is being planned to be held in August of 2000 at Sussex, New Brunswick.
 -Valerie Keirstead , 28 Swallow Lane, Brentwood, NY, 11717, USA. E-mail to emailforval@aol.com or Anne Brown 17 Swanton Street, Saint John, NB, E2J 3J7. E-mail to abrown@nbnet.nb.ca.

Query 98-657
McAfee - Colpitts: William McAfee was born in New Brunswick and married Naomi Ruth Colpitts on Jul.11,1865 in Elgin Parish. Naomi was born in 1844. The father of William McAfee may have been in the British Amy and while being in Ireland, married a young Irish Catholic girl and left the army and came to New Brunswick. He supposedly settled around Mechanics Settlement by the Bay of Fundy or in Alma. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
 -Barbara York Wright, 4141 Warner Rd., Howell, Michigan, 48843, USA. E-mail to robar@ismi.net.

Ruby M. Cusack is a genealogy buff living in Saint John. Send your queries to her at rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca. (Please put Yesteryear Families in the subject line.) Include your name and mailing address for the benefit of those who do not have access to E-mail.  Queries should be 45 words or less.