Strays from Prince Edward Island
in the 1871 New Brunswick Census
By Ruby M. Cusack
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When I saw the teacher untie the string
and roll down the wall map of Canada, I knew she was going to let all
of us, regardless of grade, play our favourite Geography game. She pointed
to Prince Edward Island and we were to tell her something about the province.
Wendell raised his hand to say, “The capital of P.E.I is Charlottetown.”
My response was, “It was the home Anne of Green Gables.” Cliff
knew it was often called, the Garden of the Gulf. Ralphie answered with,
“My father was born there."
I wondered why anyone would want to leave that beautiful province with all its sandy beaches to move to New Brunswick.
According to David Fraser’s book, “Prince Edward Island Strays in the 1871 New Brunswick Census” there were 2103 people living in New Brunswick who listed their place of birth in the 1871 census as being P. E. I.
The following are some of the folk with place of birth given as Prince Edward Island.
Thirty-year-old John K Bearisto, the Presbyterian minister in Upham parish of Kings County, was living in the household of Janet Smith.
Anna L. Howard was a servant in the household of Daniel R. Jago of Wellington Ward, Saint John.
Margret Mosher was the wife of Philip Mosher of St. Martins parish.
In Sydney Ward, Saint John, forty-one-year-old John T. Jardine was listed with his wife and eight children, his occupation was given as carpenter.
In Restigouche County, Elizabeth McTaggert is listed as the wife of Daniel, a shoemaker, who was born in Scotland, while her eight children were born in New Brunswick. Also in this county is John U. Campbell, a sixty-one-year-old sheriff.
Moyse Arsenault was a farmer in Kent County, with six of his children being born on the Island. His wife, Cecile and daughter Adeline were born in New Brunswick.
James Weatherbie was a thirty-four-year-old shipwright living in Charlotte County.
This 204-page book is an extract of the family entries in the 1871 New Brunswick census that contain one or more persons born in Prince Edward Island and includes information such as surname, given name, sex, age, birth month for those under one year old, married or widowed, marriage month for those married in the last year, birthplace and nationality/ethnic origin, occupation, and religion. There is also a full name index to the listings.
“Prince Edward Island Strays in the 1871 New Brunswick Census” compiled and edited by David Fraser can be ordered from him at 124 Gondola Blvd, Quispamsis, NB, Canada, E2E 1J1. E-mail dfraser@nbnet.nb.ca. Canadian address $25.00 including shipping and to a United States address $19.00 US currency.
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