Looking
Back at Macnaquac
A Community History
The aroma of pancakes on the griddle and
sausages in the oven were better at getting us out of bed than any alarm
clock.
When we came into the kitchen, we heard Dad tell Mum, he was going to harness
Dan and take us to school in the pung as March had come in like a lion.
I looked out the window, but all I could see was blowing and drifting snow.
I didn’t see anything that resembled a lion.
Mum really confused us with, “I like March going out like a lamb as that
means Spring will come early.”
Some of the folk who lived in the Macnaquac Valley, judged that Spring was
on the way, when the last loads of two foot blocks of ice, sawn from the river,
were stored in the icehouses. Others thought Spring was on the way, when
the snow became soft and slushy and sap rose in the maple trees.
“Looking Back at Macnaquac - A Community History” compiled in 1992
by Ruth Timmins, Jean Cunningham, Bessie Howland and Velma Murch includes
recollections of daily and seasonal activities, a record of the properties,
the names of their owners through the years plus a bit of family histories.
The 200 acre Currie farm was granted to John Biddle, who sold it in 1792
to Abraham Close. It then passed into the hands of Francis Kilburn, John Kilburn,
Albert Kilburn, and in 1913 to Avard Currie and wife Amelia (Ingraham) for
the sum of twenty-five hundred dollars.
Today, Macnaquac Provincial Park occupies a large part of the Murch farm,
which was purchased in 1917 by J. Murray Murch from Havelock Gordon.
Dr. Beverly W. Robertson, who was born in 1874 at Big Cove, Queens County,
spent his first year of medical practise at Hatfield Point, then moved to
Keswick Ridge where he spent his life until his death in 1951. His wife
Carrie Ingersoll was the daughter of a sea captain from Seal Cove, Grand Manan.
Many memories are held of operations, by kerosene lamps, on the kitchen table.
The original Macnaquac School was built on the Zebulon Ring Estey property.
In 1904 the wood to heat the building cost $11.85. In 1922, the teacher was
Emma Trafton with a salary of $465.
One of the greatest ice freshets to hit the area was on April 20, 1886.
John Ebbett Murch, Sidney Nash, and Russell Currie share their stories of
World War II.
Shirley Currie Edmondson tells of her happy childhood days with home, school
and church forming the boundaries of her world.
Although the flood waters and parks have erased many of the landmarks of
the valley, the memories of the past come alive with stories and photos in
Looking Back at Macnaquac - A Community History - compiled by
Ruth Timmins, Jean Cunningham, Bessie Howland and Velma Murch.
This 1992 publication is available at the libraries in Fredericton and Nackawic
and at the New Brunswick Legislative Library.
***
Query 1270
Carrington - Chalker: Charles Carrington
was born circa 1836 in either Prince Edward Island or New Brunswick and married
Elizabeth Chalker (1847-1914) in 1869 in Dalhousie. They
reportedly were divorced and she moved to Maine in the1890s with children,
Jane, Alfredia, Priscilla and maybe others.
K. TWEEDIE
PO Box 578
Milford, ME
04461, USA
E-mail k_tweedie@yahoo.com
Query 1271
Coull - Hopper: Margaret Stewart
Hopper married William Coull on 5 November 1913 in Campbellton New Brunswick.
William died 5 Feb. 1972 in Newcastle. He may have worked for C.N.R. I am
interested in finding the descendants of their children, Charles, Dorothy,
Hamilton, William, Alfred and Donald.
MARIANNE TKALEC
5-414 Cadbury Court
Waterloo, ON
Canada, N2K 3G4
E-mail mtkalec0104@rogers.com
Query 1272
Wright: The Wright Family came from
near Cootes Hill, Co. Cavan to Mull River, Mabou, Nova Scotia in l8l3 and
more in l820. Who knows about the families who came to Cootes Hill,
New Brunswick? Several mysteries remain about the Wrights - people
who left home in Cape Breton Island to visit relatives in New Brunswick or
Quebec and never returned.
Dr. JAMES ST. CLAIR
Mull River, Mabou
NS, BOE -1XO
E-mail 1517mull@ns.sympatico.ca
Query 1273
Upham - Fenton: Robert Upham married Jane Fenton on
16 Oct. 1890 in Albert County. Robert left circa 1916 bound for Boston. We
are interested in finding any traces of him - whether he had additional children,
where he was buried, who his parents were, etc.
JUDY STRADESKI
323-2830 Arens Rd.
Regina, SK
Canada, S4V 1N8
E-mail Judy.Stradeski@sasktel.net
Query 1274
Webb: I am researching the Webb
family of New Jerusalem, New Brunswick. Any information on this family would
be very much appreciated.
LORNA BARRETT
Box 327
Paisley, Ontario
Canada, N0G2N0
E-mail lornablca@yahoo.ca
Query 1275
Day- Buckley: Who were the parents
and siblings of George E. Day and Eliza Ann Buckley who were married in 1871
raising a family of 6 at Hardings Point at Lands End in New Brunswick. George
was a Pilot of a cargo ship to the United States.
EVA GREENLAW
PO Box 1140
Bunnell, FL,
32110, USA
E-mail MISSY1D@AOL.COM
Query 1276
Teed - Tidd: I would like information
on Jonathan Teed’s parents, siblings and descendants?
WALLACE MARTIN TIDD
5 Howe Cres., Oromocto
NB, Canada, E2V 2S1
E-mail wtidd5004@rogers.com
Fax 506-446-9084
Query 1277
Odell - Smith: Elizabeth "Parnee"
Odell was born in Canada in 1811 and married John Smith in Ohio in 1823.
She later married Harvey Campbell and moved to Iowa.
S. GRANGE
519 Six Nations Ave.
Placentia, CA
92870, USA
E-mail sdgrange@att.net
Query 1278
Richardson - Dorcus: John Richardson
(born 1840) married Dorcus (last name unknown) and they had seven children.
They were Gertrude, John Jr., Nellie, Frederick B., James A., Harry C., and
Nubert N.
HARRY MERCER
#3-3960 Fraser St.
Vancouver, BC
Canada, V5V-4E4
E-mail hmercer@telus.net
Query 1279
Vaughan - Grimley - Andersen:
Harriet Mae Vaughan, according to her 1948 New York death certificate was
born 19 Aug. 1877 in Saint, New Brunswick., the daughter of Robert Vaughan
and Elizabeth Grimley. She married in 1904, New York to Lorentious Olaf Andersen.
S KAY ANDERSEN
815 SW Roosevelt
Lawton, OK
73501,USA
E-mail lbox-2gene@yahoo.com
