Charlotte
Taylor - Tabusintac
Cliff
and I listened to the stories of yesteryear that Dad and George hashed
over. They ranged from working in the lumber camps to ploughing a
straight furrow for the fields of buckwheat.
George told of incidents in the life of his grandmother who as a young
woman had been left a widow with several children. She took over
running the farm and kept the family together.
Twice in the 1780s, and again in 1804, circumstances forced Charlotte
Taylor to assume full responsibility for the support of her family.
I found out about Carlotte by reading, Kimberley A. Branch’s essay, “Charlotte: Mother of Tabusintac” and
from Mary Lynn Smith’s website “Charlotte
Taylor - Her Life and Times” at http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/charlotte_taylor/index.htm
Taking charge of her life was not a new venture for this lady who was
born in England, fell in love with a fellow who did not meet her
family’s approval, took off for the West Indies, coped with the death
of her lover, made land at Miscou Island in New Brunswick - possibly
with a babe in arms, married Captain John Blake by 1777 and
relocated to Black Brook on the Miramichi River, where three children
were born.
Captain Blake’s death occurred before March of 1785 as at that date, a
group of Pre-Loyalist 'old settlers' sent John Mark Crank Delesdernier
to Fredericton to present a case for them in requesting that their
names be kept in the Land Register. The 'old settlers' who signed this
petition were: Alexander Henderson, John Murdoch, Martin Lyons, John
Toshen and John Fishgerral, John Malcolm, and Widdow Blake. The
Petition stated that Charlotte had 4 children and 1 servant living with
her, for a total of six in the household
The 1785 Daniel Micheau Survey clearly showed that the Widow Blake had
possession of Lots 8 and 9. Due to the creation of the Province of New
Brunswick in 1784 these lands that were originally licensed in Halifax,
Nova Scotia had to be registered under the new governing body in New
Brunswick.
It is widely believed that she married William Wishart soon after the
death of John Blake, but for reasons unknown, did not legally take his
name. A child, William Wishart, was born of their union.
On September 11, 1787, Charlotte married Philip Hierlihy and they had
five children. In 1798 the Hierlihy family settled further north on the
Tabusintac River.
By 1804, Charlotte was once again a widow, with young children. She
lived in Tabusintac, surrounded by her family, until her death, 37
years later, on April 25, 1841.
The essay, “Charlotte: Mother of
Tabusintac” by Kimberley A. Branch can be viewed at the
Legislative Library, Fredericton and at the Newcastle Library.
Mary Lynn Smith, a descendant of Charlotte compiled a comprehensive
history, titled “Charlotte Taylor Her
Life and Times” from her birth in England to her death in
Tabusintac and placed it on her website at http://www3.telus.net/charlotte_taylor.
* * *
Query 1338
Gorman: In the Census for 1901, Mrs. Mary (Joseph)
Gorman is listed with her two sons in Milltown, New Brunswick
David was born in Prince Edward Island in 1872, and Frederick P. was
born in New Brunswick in 1878. Is there any record of Joseph’s
death in 1893 and his burial in the Milltown cemetery? Is there a
church there associated with the cemetery? Are there any descendants
who can share information?
CHRISTINE GORMAN
43 Charles St.,
Amherst, NS
Canada, B4H 3P9
E-mail Christine.Gorman@ns.sympatico.ca
Query 1339
Ketch - Keech: Seeking documentation on the name of the
wife of John Ketch, a Loyalist.
WARD KETCH
35 South Margaretta Street
Schuylkill Haven, PA.
17972, USA
E-mail theketchs@hotmail.com
Query 1340
Tilton - White: Was Deborah Tilton, who was born in 1752,
and married to William White, the daughter of Clayton Tilton?
CORI LEIGH LANDRY
14 Isiah Drive
Miramichi, NB
Canada, E1N 3Y5
E-mail momoftwoca2000@yahoo.com
