Geographical Names of New Brunswick
When Cliff and I came into the house, Dad, Gramp and Uncle Ern were looking at the lumbering photos that had been taken many years ago. It seemed that Uncle Ern had seen an obituary in the newspaper of a fellow who had worked with them at Vinegar Hill. A discussion had arisen as to the date of that mill camp. So now they were looking for a picture to determine the year.As we listened, we saw them point to men in the pictures and we heard comments such as:
* The fellow with the apron came from Devils Back and he was a great cook.
* Remember Jim who haled from Cootehill Ridge? He always had a pipe in his mouth.
* This camp picture was taken the year we sawed at Lakefield.
* Those two cousins from Emigrant Settlement were a real team on the crosscut saw.
* The fellow with the dog on the load of logs is a Hogan from Mt. Prospect.
At the supper table, I asked Dad a whole bunch of questions,
* “Why would they call a place Vinegar Hill?”
* “Where was the mountain, where they prospected for gold?”
* “Is Lakefield near a lake?”
* “What does coote have to do with a hill and a ridge”?
Before I could finish asking more questions, he grinned at me and said, “I think your tongue is tied in the middle and wagging at both ends.”
That was the end of the question period!
If I had known Alan Rayburn, he would have been able to tell me that, Vinegar Hill was 7 miles south of Sussex and probably named by settlers from Ireland in memory of the rebels’ challenge of General Lake at that place. Mount Prospect was 5 miles South East of Hampton and had a post office from 1909-1919. Cootehill Ridge was 8 miles from Welsford. The settlers came to that area from Cootehill, County Cavan, Ireland in the early 1800s. Lakefield was later Southfield.
The 1975 publication, “Geographical Names of New Brunswick” is the result of a comprehensive field and archival research study by Alan Rayburn. The study is unique in that it embraced an analysis of all known toponyms for the entire province.
The book also has 31 pages devoted to, “An Essay Towards An Understanding of the Principles of Place Nomenclature” and “The Historical Development of the Place Nomenclature of New Brunswick” by W. F. Ganong.
The origins and use of 4,006 names in New Brunswick are discussed.
I learned that, Ida was 12 miles west of Havelock and had a post office from 1885 to 1924. Muzroll Brook flows east into Cains River and was possibly named for a French family who settled there about 1760 after the expulsion and it is also said to be for a man murdered by the Indians. William Owen gave a lake on Campobello Island, the name, “Glenseven” for his ancestral home in Wales. Poodiac, 9 miles from Sussex, derived its name from Poodiac, a suburb of Portland, Maine - an interesting story as to why this name was chosen.
“Geographical Names of New Brunswick” by Alan Rayburn is available in several research institutions.
***
Query 1244
Meenan - Gunn: Margaret Meenan married John Gunn in Saint John in possibly 1859 as their first child was born in 1860. Margaret was born in 1842 and died in 1866. John was born in 1834 or 1835 and died in 1870. I am interested in finding their burial sites.
ANNE GUNN/LOISELLE
30 Great Pines Drive
Shutesbury, MA
01072, USA
E-mail: skleciak@verizon.net
Query 1245
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 10 May 1830. They had eight 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.
SUSAN WOJTOWICZ
77-10 79th Place, Glendale
NY, 11385, USA
E-mail swtowski@rcn.com. - Nov 2005 changed to suzette.362@gmail.com
Query 1246
Armstrong: Searching for the descendants of Edward Charles Armstrong, World War I veteran and a resident of the former community of Armstrong's Corner, Queens County, and now part of CFB Gagetown, New Brunswick.
BGCHA
P.O. Box 20086
Saint John NB
Canada, E2L 5B2
E-mail info@bgcha.ca
Query 1247
Sergeant - Coster: I am seeking the family of Joseph Sergeant (1882) and Euphemia (Effie) Coster (1885). They married in Glasgow, Scotland in 1907 and emigrated to Canada circa 1925 and settled in Saint John, New Brunswick. In 1939, they were living on McKiel Street, Fairville. Another address they had at some stage was 46 Harding Street, Fairville. They left Scotland with their two daughters Rita and Evelyn. Rita's married name was Wilson. She had three children:- Shirley, Blair and Ian. Any help in finding these long lost "cousins" would be greatly appreciated.
DEREK SMITH
97 Pierce Avenue
Olton, Solihull
West Midlands, United Kingdom
B92 7JY
E-mail derek.j.smith@blueyonder.co.uk
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