Voices, Vessels and Vellum
Saint John History Real and On-line
Dusting was not one of my favourite Saturday
morning chores. As I moved the wooden log-cabin treasure box that sat on Mum’s
bureau, I wondered what secrets it held.
Since she was in the hen house gathering the eggs, I considered the coast
was clear. I lifted the cover to find a bunch of letters. Carefully I took
one out of the envelope and tried to read it but the writing was terrible
plus I still wasn’t very good at reading “writing”. I preferred ‘printing’.
A few of the words were legible and I was really concentrating hard on
trying to decipher the contents. I didn’t hear Ken come into the room until
he yelled, “I am going out right now to tell Mum, I caught you snooping!”
I still have difficulties in reading ‘hand writing’ but thanks to the Voices, Vessels and Vellum: Saint John History Real and On-line
website at http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/NBHistory/VVV/
digital images of one hundred 18th century documents and letters
from the Saint John Free Public Library Primary Source Documents Collection
have been posted and are accompanied by text transcriptions as detailed in
the following examples:
Copy of a grant to Richard Walker & associates for 2400 acres at Red
Head, September 3, 1784 Grant dated 3rd day of September 1784 Richard Walker
and associates a tract of Land situate lying and being in the County
of Sunbury in His Majestys Province of Nova Scotia , Beginning at
a Spruce tree at Red Head on the Eastern side of the Harbor of Saint John
, about 4 miles from Parr Town . . .containing together in the whole Two
thousand and four hundred acres . .
25th April 1785 - Elizabeth Mullen by Abijah Willard against Thomas Mullen
Defendant. . . And that your Oratrix is to her great grief, distress and
disappointment inform'd that the said Thomas Mullen her said Husband was
in the Month of October in the same year last before mentioned, unlawfully
married to one Prudence Brown, with whom the said Thomas Mullen then did
and still doth Cohabit and live . . . (By the way, Oratrix is a woman plaintiff,
or complainant.)
Articles of agreement had made agreed upon and fully concluded By and Between
John Coffin Esquire of Kings County in the Province of New Brunswick and
Mark Mansfield William Austin and John McAlpin all of the city of Saint
John in the Province aforesaid Laborers, This twenty fourth day of August
in the Year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred and eighty seven
-- Follows that is to say, First the said Mansfield Austin & McAlpin
do hereby convinant and agree to and with the said John Coffin on their
Part to dig the said Race way from the Mill dam on Trout Creek to the Mill
aforesaid situate on Nerepiss River of a sufficient Depth and Width to contain
and convey to the said Mill an ample and sufficient quantity of Water to
answer the several purposes required of the same Mill and carry the wheel
of the same with out any Let or obstruction from want of water owing to any
defect of the Race way so to be dry by them the said Mansfield Austin &
McAlpin. . .
Deed for property sold to Charles Duffus by Charles and Catherine McPherson,
May 23, 1793
KNOW all Men by these Presents, That I Charles Mcpherson of the City of
Saint John and province of New Brunswick Inholder & Cathrine my wife for
and in consideration of the Sum of Seven pounds ten Shillings lawful Money
of the Province of New-Brunswick to us paid by Charles Duffus of the said
City and -- in the County of Saint John -- and Province of New Brunswick the
Receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge, HAVE granted, bargained and sold,
and by these presents, DO grant, bargain and sell, unto the said Charles
Duffus his Heirs and Assigns : ALL that Certain Lot of ground or Town Lot
Situate lying and being in Germain Street Corner of Duke Street in the City
of Saint John and province of New Brunswick known and distinguisht in the
Origanel Grant by Lot Seven hundred and ninety nine ( 799 ) Which Lot was
Granted to Joseph Conie and Sold by him to George Handasyde , and sold by
said George Handasyde to the aforsaid . . . .
Copy of minutes of vestry meetings of St. Johns Church commencing July
29, 1790 to May 1, 1792, transcribed by D.R. Jack, June 21, 1906.
Suit of John Denn against Richard Fen for ejection from property, April
23, 1796.
Brief to Supreme Court concerning Richard Fen and John Denn-land tract,
April 23, 1796.
Voices, Vessels and Vellum a
digital and text collection at http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/NBHistory/VVV/
is a joint project between the University of New Brunswick Libraries' Electronic
Text Centre and the Saint John Free Public Library.
By the way, you will find the archival collection at
the Saint John Free Public Library, Market Square, Saint John, is a
treasure trove of information and history with a focus on scarce or rare
New Brunswickana, Canadiana, local history and selected works related to
the history of the Atlantic Seaboard.
**
Query 1280
Chestnut - Jordon:
Seeking information on the Jordon and Chestnut families of Kings County,
New Brunswick. I am wanting the ancestry on John Chestnut, son of Susannah
Jordon and Robert Chestnut, born 28 Sep. 1869, died 21 Nov. 1940.
I believe Robert’s parents were Margaret and John Chestnut who came from
Ireland.
CAROL LINDEN
301 Pritchard Rd.
Comox, BC
Canada, V9M 2N9
E-mail helena18818@yahoo.ca
Query 1281
Straight - Sherwood:
My great grandparents, William E. and Idella Straight of MacDonald’s Corner,
Queens County were crossing the Washdemoak on 23 Dec. 1899, on their way
to buy Christmas gifts at Thomas Todd's General Grocery Store for their
4 children, when they fell through the ice. Idella Straight, the daughter
of Gilford Sherwood, drowned and her husband William Straight was found
unconscious. Any information on this tragedy would be appreciated.
CAROLYN RAMSDALE
2548 W. Monte Cristo Ave.
Phoenix, Arizona
85023, USA
E-mail bcrams98@yahoo.com
Query 1282
Read: Eliphalet Read,
the great grandson of John Read, who came to America with the Great Fleet
in 1630, came to Sackville, New Brunswick circa 1760. He fought with General
Wolfe at Quebec in 1759. He had 9 children. A daughter Rebecca,
I believe was the wife of Icbod Lewis who built the Free Meeting House in
Moncton and is buried there. His son Benjamin, born 1778 was my 3rd
Great Grandfather and is buried in Bayside, Westmoreland, New Brunswick.
FRANK READE
2235 Rte. 115
Irishtown, NB
Canada, E1H 2L2
E-mail rsagency@nb.sympatico.ca
Query 1283
Godsoe - Clark: Ralph
Jackson Godsoe (born 1805-died 1880) married Catherine Ann Clark from Golden
Grove, near Saint John, in 1828. They had 6 children including Daniel Oscar
Godsoe born 1832. I am interested in Catherine's dates of birth/death and
information on her siblings and parents.
FRAN PRODGER
1663 Place Des Ravins
Ottawa, ON
Canada, K1C 6H4
E-mail franprodger@hotmail.com
Query 1284
Dolan - Gillis: Michael
Dolan (Doolin / Dooling) married Flora Gillis 27 July 1846 in Newcastle,
Northumberland County, New Brunswick. Flora was born circa 1823 in Newcastle
and Michael about 1820 in Ireland. The Dolans moved to Wisconsin and Minnesota
in the mid 1860s. Michael and Flora are buried in Stillwater, Minnesota.
Looking for information on parents and /or siblings.
KIM McISAAC
2120 Piedmont Ave.
Duluth, MN
55811, USA
E-mail kmcisaac9@aol.com
