The Road To Norton by Lillas Reid
Cliff
and I watched the sky all day, in hopes a snow storm would not blow up,
as this was the evening the concert was going to be held. Dad was
looking forward to hearing Earl McGinnis sing some of the old songs.
Since it was a really cold night, Mum insisted we put a couple of
blankets in the backseat of the car. She was concerned the heater would
not throw much heat or the car could quit on the road to Norton.
In the 1980's Lillas Reid compiled, “The
Road To Norton” to present an informative and pictorial history
of this village.
She diligently searched for pictures and placed more than one hundred
in the publication. Copies of the ones she didn’t use were given to the
Provincial Archives in Fredericton.
Photos of George Braman cutting ice on the Kennebecasis River, the
Raymond Family leaving for church by horse and buggy, George Brown and
horse “Harry”, Buck and Bright - the oxen team owned by Andrew
Teakles, the Raleigh Man’s wagon, and Howard Allaby ploughing with the
team, give us a glimpse of life before the age of the horseless
carriage.
Lil wrote about many of the interesting “beginnings” in Norton.
Hugh Campbell donated land for a church and cemetery about 1820.
In 1805 the Free Christian Baptists formed in the Parish of Norton. Due
to the scarcity of money, the Baptists and Presbyterians joined
together to erect a church building at Riverbank circa 1828.
Abigail Baxter, daughter of Simon Baxter chose John Lannen for her
third husband. About 1830, they donated the land for the St. Stephen
Catholic Church.
In 1881, the Chapel of Ease, St. Luke’s was constructed with the inside
walls being sheathed with black ash.
Mrs. Rebecca Guiou taught five of her children and several of the
neighbourhood children in the mid 1850's from her home on Dickie
Mountain.
Before 1862, a school was erected at Peekaboo Corner.
Pekaboo Corner was given its name in the1800's because a woman living
at that corner was often seen peeking through her curtains as
travellers passed by.
In April 1830, a Temperance Society was organized in the Parish of
Norton with approximately four hundred members.
On October 17, 1923, Miss Mary Frost and Mrs. Barbara Secord called a
meeting of the Norton ladies to discuss the possibility of forming a
Woman’s Institute.
In 1898, the three-storey Kings County Municipal Home with a hospital
on the third floor was built. Prior to its opening, paupers were sold
at public auction.
The road between Bloomfield and Norton was paved in 1936.
Isaac Teakles operated a shingle mill in the 1920's.
During the early 1860's Thomas Blair built a carding mill and a grist
mill on California Brook. Years later the nether stone was used at the
entrance to the Melbourne Otis home.
Edward Baxter appears to have had the first blacksmith’s shop.
In 1859 the European and North American Railway went through Norton.
William Baxter, who came with his Loyalist family in 1782, was Norton’s
first doctor.
The 1980's publication, “The Road To
Norton” by Lillas Reid portrays life in the village and along
the roads to Norton. It is available for viewing at several research
institutions.
* *
Query 1430
Keen
- Estabrooks - Fletcher: Alby Keen was born April 1806 in
Nobleboro, Maine, married Nancy Estabrooks in 1832 in St. Stephen, New
Brunswick. Nancy was born 1816 in Wakefield, New Brunswick, daughter of
David Estabrooks and Judith Fletcher. They lived in Princeton,
Washington Co., Maine until their deaths. Their daughter Amanda Jane
Emerson Keen was born 06 Apr. 1835 in St. Stephen, where their son
Thomas Keen was born on 11 Sep. 1833. I feel that Alby Keen had many
ties to New Brunswick and suspect that his father was a William
Keen. Seeking any information on Keen/e, Kean that could help me
identify the link to Alby (Albion) Keen from Maine.
DIANA LEDGER
12047 Sir Lancelot Drive
Glendale, MD
20769, USA
E-mail dll@ledger.cc
Query 1431
Briggs:
I had a relative, Mrs. Alva Briggs, who in 1949 was living at 44
Leinster Street, Saint John. I don't know her first name or what has
become of her and her husband. Does anyone recognize this family?
GEORGE F. SANBORN Jr.
5 Tsienneto Road, Unit 79
Derry, NH
03038-1573, USA
Telephone (603) 425-1871
E-mail SeorasOg@comcast.net
Query 1432
Heywood
- Cooper - Scott - Mitchell - Bullock: Hannah Cooper,
born13 May 1805 in Robbinston, Washington Co., Maine; died 10 July 1835
in St. Stephen, New Brunswick was Zimri Brewer Heywood’s first wife -
married 09 Dec 1826 in Charlotte Co., NB. Their four children
were born in NB. We need names of Hannah Cooper’s
parents/siblings and details about the family's life in NB. Jane Scott,
born 19 Feb 1812 in St. James, NB; died 28 Mar 1841 in Calais,
Washington Co., Maine and her sister, Rebecca Scott, born 18 Jul 1818
in St. James, NB; died 30 Mar 1845 in Calais, Washington Co., Maine
were 3rd and 4th wives of Zimri Brewer Heywood. Information
needed about their parents, William Chase Scott and Mary Mitchell, and
details about these marriages. Ann Bullock, born 03 May 1821 in St.
George, NB; died 10 Jan 1902 age 85 yrs in Livermore, California was
Zimri Brewer Heywood’s fourth and last wife. We need names of her
parents and siblings. We have information to share about the children
and California descendants.
JEAN DARNALL
1297 Bretmoor Way
San Jose, CA 95129
E-mail jdarnall@ix.netcom.com
