Since we were brought up in the age before television, it was necessary to create our own entertainment and I must say our imagination worked overtime.
This was one of those days when it was really too hot to do any physical activities. Therefore we were lying on the knoll watching the big white fluffy clouds roll across the bright blue sky and assigning characters to each of them - bears, steam engines, and birds all passed by.
Suddenly Cliff pointed to ones that were just coming in view and said, "See those two clouds over to the right. They look like women dressed in old fashioned-long dresses."
Now if we had lived in Grand Falls, we would have probably said these two ladies were walking to the Assumption Church.
Iin 1854, Father Michael Meloy saw to the establishment of the first chapel to serve the Grand Falls mission. In1868 it was given the name Assumption when Grand Falls became a separate parish. A new church was built starting in 1882, with the blessing of the cornerstone by Msgr. James Rogers of Chatham.
The church, built mostly of wood, was completely destroyed by fire on November 5,1906, along with the original chapel situated nearby. The present structure opened its doors in 1908.
Before a church was established at Grand Falls, clergy from other missions and parishes visited the area to provide such church services as baptisms and marriages.Church functions were carried out mainly in the summer months when travel was easier.
Among the first of these, Rev Charles Hott of the parish of Ste-Anne, near Fredericton, baptized three children of Isaac Michaud, the local courier, and their Baptisms appear in the Ste-Ann parish register; (André in 1809; Daniel in 1810; and Hélène in1815).
If you visit the Assumption Parish website at http//www.geocities.com/Heartland/8787/histor.htm you will find more history of the parish plus a list of the Baptisms from 1868 to 1900.
One example: Alfred Michaud was born on March 18, 1882 and baptized in Assumption Parish on April 02, 1882. His parents were Alexandre Michaud and Elisa Durepos. The sponsors were Alfred Marquis and Helene Gagnon. The officiating priest was J. J. O'Leary.
Another: Caroline McCluskey was the daughter of Manus McCluskey and Mary Ann McLaughlin. She was baptized on the day of her birth on December 18, 1868. The sponsors were Patrick Revlin and Elizabeth McLaughlin.
Still another: Charles Burgoyne was the son of Henry Burgoyne and Georgiana Tomalson. He was born on September 24, 1900 and was baptized on December 11, 1900. The sponsors were William Burgoyne and Ida McDougall. The officiating priest was the Rev. M.A. O'Keefe.
The list of Assumption Parish baptisms of 1868 to1900 at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8787/histor.htm is a sunshine cloud with a silver lining for the family researcher who has roots in the Grand Falls area as the name of the parents are given, which includes the mother's maiden name, the sponsors, date of baptism, date of birth and the name of the officiating priest.
* * *
Query 898
Wood - Gunter - Poore: I have been searching for my great grandfather
Harry Dow Wood's family. His father was Frank A. Wood.
Harry was supposedly born in Lawrence, Massachusetts but there seems to be
no records to verify this. His mother was Rebecca Gunter of Canada. Harry
Dow Wood married Gertrude Louise Poore in June of 1900 in Saint John, New
Brunswick and lived there for several years. If anyone has any information,
it would be appreciated.
-Dawn Spinney. E-mail to Dmarie44@aol.com.
Query 899
Allaby - Godsoe: I have an ancestor by the name of Isaac Allaby who
was a Loyalist with the 2nd. and 3rd. New Jersey Volunteers who went to Sunbury
County (New Brunswick). In 1793 he is in Saint John suing somebody for "discontinuance".
He joined the King's New Brunswick Regiment. He has a son, named Isaac and
two daughters, Ann and Hanna who married men named, Godsoe. We have no record
of his wife and her name. He next appears in Charlotte County in 1812 signing
a petition for a William Stuart. From then on he is lost or deceased. His
son, Isaac settled in Salt Springs, Kings County as a farmer.
-Stan Allaby, 6749 Zion Line, Watford, Ontario, Canada, N0M 2S0. E-mail
to stanallaby@yahoo.com.
Query 900
Fleet: I am searching for the burial place of William Fleet who
was born in 1815 and who died after 1871. He may have been buried in the
Wesleyan Cemetery on Thorne Avenue in Saint John..
-Walter R. Fleet, 405 N. West St., Coudersport, PA, 16915, USA. E-mail
wfleet@adelphia.net.
Ruby is a genealogy buff. Readers are invited to send their New Brunswick genealogical queries to her at rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca. When E-Mailing please put Yesteryear Families in the Subject line. Please include in the query, your name and postal address as someone reading the newspaper, may have information to share with you but not have access to E-mail. Queries should be no more than 45 words in length.
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