New Carlisle:
Sources of
Genealogical Information Prior to 1820
By: Raymond Garrett
Acknowledgments
:
-
The author is pleased
to thank Aldo Brochet, for his invaluable assistance; and the personnel
of the Ministère de Justice at New Carlisle for their kind help.
Sources
of Genealogical Information Prior to 1820
One of the
great problems encountered when trying to trace one's family genealogy
in Gaspesian Protestant records is that the records themselves are incomplete.
Research at the Protonotary's Office, New Carlisle, County of Bonaventure,
has located Presbyterian religious records dated 18111812, written
by Rev. John Young; but from 1812 to 1833 Presbyterian records were nonexistent.
Anglican records begin for the region Gascons to New Richmond in 1821
and continue to the present time.
Neither the
1811 Presbyterian records nor the 1821 Anglican records have a predominance
of older persons being married or baptized. This suggests the existence
of a traveling missionary or that religious services existed and the records
have been misplaced or lost. The existence of a church at New Carlisle
prior to 1821 is also supported by two court cases :
Declaration
and Summons # 370
John Gallon
Sr. VS John Garrett
dated 28
May 1816
and
Declaration
and Summons # 371
John Gallon
Jr. VS John Garrett
dated 28
May 1816
both of which
give the site of the infraction as being "at church". Thus we can conclude
that a church existed in New Carlisle prior to 1821 but the records have
been misplaced or lost.
Fortunately
other sources of information ( apart from religious records) exist for
the period from the founding of the settlement (in 1784)to 1821; from which
we can obtain information concerning the origins and occupations of our
ancestors. The Judicial Archives at the Protonotary's Office at New Carlisle
are fairly complete and contain:
1789 Records
of the Court of Common Pleas
1 volume,
77 pages; William von den Veldon, Clerk; Officers of the Court, F. O'Hara;
Louis Fromonteau; Hugh Munro.
18061820
Records of the Provincial Court
3 volumes
, Frances Robichaud, Amasa Beebe, Clerks. William Crawford, Judge.
18081809
Records of the Provincial Court
Book of
Receipts, 1 volume,
1813 Verdict
of a Jury at New Carlisle,
18131814
Records of the Provincial Court
1 volume;
Amasa Beebe, Clerk; William Crawford, Judge.
18181823
and 1826
Records
of the Provincial Court
7 cardboard cahiers.
18151860
Judgments of the Provincial Court, Acts of Protest, Summons to Testimony,
and petitions of Curatelle and Tutelle.
2 cases
of loose and unbound documents.
The judicial
Archives , especially the Acts of Protest, and Petitions of Curatelle
and Tutelle contain a goldmine of marriage contracts, last will
and testaments, statements of persons involved in shipwrecks and other
mishaps etc..
In addition
to Religious Records and the Judical Archives , other sources of information
are to be found in the Notarial Archives, located at the same place.
1816 Untitled
Relief Book.
1 cahier;
Commissioners, William LeMaistre, M. Demers, and William Crawford; (dealt
with in detail later in this article).
18191824
Gaspé Land Claims Commission
2 volumes,
630 pages. A provincial commission headed by Jean Thomas Taschereau which
covered the entire Gaspé Peninsula and established legal title to
the land occupied by the local residents.
18111827
Accounts of Commissioners for Goal (JAIL) Erection
The 1816 "UNTITLED
RELIEF BOOK" is perhaps one of the more informative documents located
at the Protonotary's Office at New Carlisle. Although it deals with the
crop failure of 1816 in the New Carlisle area; it contains a minihistory
of almost 80 families. It gives dates of arrival in the area, the regiments
of exsoldiers, the ages of the claimants, mentions participation in
famous battles, tells whether the person was married or single and how
many children they had. As not everyone applied for relief, some important
New Carlisle families such as Brotherton, Sherar, LeGallais, Gallie, etc
are not mentioned.
"CONTENTS
OF THE 1816 UNTITLED RELIEF BOOK"
Due to the
poor harvest of 1816 the government allocated 100 barrels of flour to be
sent to New Carlisle and rationed to the residents. This occurred in a
age before the birth of the welfare state; the flour was not given away.
It was sold at the rate of 4 pounds (sterling) per barrel!. If the person
could not pay in cash, an equivalent amount of lumber (960 square feet
of pine plank ) to be used in the construction of the county jail or firewood
(8 cords) was accepted.
Quebec
21 Nov 1816
"Le mauvais
état de la dernier récolte … la Bale des Chaleurs par … le
vole de Captaine Caldwell … la quantité de cent quarts de fleur(flour)
de par vous distribué entre les differentes families … vous avez
ci-inclus
une lisle
des families qui ont êté rapports..."
signed
Andrew William Cochrane
Quebec
23 Nov 1816
"I hereby
acknowlege to have received on my schooner HIBERNIA, 100 barrells of flour
marked C.A.T. …
deliver
to M. Belanger, missionary, and Mr. LeMaistre at New Carlisle…"
signed
Captain Caldwell
New Carlisle
3 Dec 1816
"97 barrells
unloaded by a boat owned by Amos Hall Jr. … 32 barrells lost due to moisture
… 3 other barrells sent
to Caldwell's by mistake…"
The next extract
concerns the method of pavement of the persons who unloaded the schooner
and of those who transported the flour from the shore to the store
house.
New Carlisle
3 Dec 1816
Commissioners
for the Government
Hon. William
Crawford, William LeMaistre Esq., Rev. M. Demers
to;
Alex McKay 7 shillings 6 pence
Amos Hall Jr 12
Robert Smollett 4
William Billingsly 5
James Morrison 5
William Sullivan 14
Joshua Beebe 7
Hector Morrison Sr 7
Andrew Caldwell 6
Lewis Imhaugh(Imhoff) 5
Andrew Chisholm 5
Robert Caldwell 2
TOTAL 3 pounds 14 shillings 6 pence
The above
persons refused to take payement of their labour in government flour and
insisted upon the senior commissioner in paying them out of his own pocket.
Sullivan and Hall in particular stated as a reason for their conduct that
they had enough of grain or flour of their own for the winter."
The remainder
of the article will deal with information concerning the families that
applied for relief. The original wording of the document has been retained
as much as possible. Thus COX TOWNSHIP refers to New Carlisle, Hope Township
to Hopetown, East Nouvelle to Shigawake, etc. Also the AMERICAN WAR
OR AMERICAN REBELLION refer to the American War of Independence. then reading
the LIST Of' PETITIONERS, please remember that it was originally
written in 1816.
LIST OF
PETITIONERS
1 John
Restell
Resident
of Cox Township; has a wife and children.
2 Charles
Bujold
Resident
of Bonaventure; a fisherman; age 49; has a wife and 11 children, 7 of which
are deceased.
3 John McNairn
Resident
of Cox; age 64; single, A discharged soldier who saw action during the
American Rebellion with the 44th REGIMENT OF FOOT and was a prisoner of
war. Also served for 8 years with the NEW BRUNSWICK FENCIBLES.
4 Pierre
Marceau
Resident
of Hamilton Township; age 28; has a wife and 4 children.
Alexandre
Marceau
Resident
of Hamilton Township; age 22; was recently married.
5 William
McAdams Sr.
Resident
of Cox; age 68;has a wife age 61. Served for 3 years with the ROYAL NAVY
and with the ROYAL TRAIN Of ARTILLERY from 1776 to 1784. His son, daughterinlaw,
and 7 grandchildren are living with him.
6 Louis LeMare
Resident
of East Nouvelle; has a wife and 7 children.
7 William
McAdams Jr.
Resident
of Cox; Age 33;has a wife and 7 children.
James Stephans
Resident
of Cox; age 32; has a wife and no children. Served in the ROYAL NAVY for
5 years on the Man of War, BULWARK. Settled in the area 7 years ago.
8 William
Wilson
Resident
of Cox;age 64; a native of Shector, England; bred to the sea from the age
of 14. Served in the ROYAL NAVY for 13 years and saw action at the BATTLES
OF THE NILE and TRAFALGAR. Settled in the area 6 years ago.
9 Edward
Powers
Resident
of Cox; is married to the daughter of Lewis Imbaugh (Imhoff) . Served as
a soldier for 20 years and 3 months with the ROYAL NEWFOUNDLAND FENCIBLES
and saw action at the BATTLE OF YORK. Expects to receive 3 years rations
next spring.
10 Pierre
Bergeron
Resident
of Cox; age 85; has a wife, a grandchild, and one servant. Has lived in
the area for 29 years.
11 William
Garrett Sr.
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 4 children not including his son William Jr. and
his wife who lives with him. Settled at New Carlisle in 1784, served in
the American War and was wounded in the left leg.
12 Thomas
Fulham
Resident
of East Nouvelle; age 48; has a wife and 6 children the eldest a
girl of 14. Settled in the area 33 years ago.
13 Samuel
Allen
Resident
of East Nouvelle ; age 34; married to the widow Rafter; has 3 stepchildren
and 1 child of a former marriage. Settled on his land 2 years ago. Was
a carpenter at Kingstown(Kingston) in Upper Canada in His Majesty's Naval
Dockyard for 18 months. Was in Body of Reserve (militia), and fought under
Colonel Morrison at the Battle of CHRYSLTER'S FARM.
14 Niel McKinnon
Sr.
Resident
of Cox; age 75; has a wife, 2 sons , 1 daughter and a grandchild.
15 James
Shannon
Resident
of East Nouvelle; age 35; a native of the County of Limerick, Ireland.
Settled in the area last summer.
16 Baptiste
LeBrasseur
17 Fragile
Duguie (Duguay)
Resident
of Cox; the wife of Joseph LeBrasseur; has 7 children.
18 James
Neilson
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 3 children.
19 James
Almond
Resident
of East Nouvelle; has a wife and 2 children; settled on his land 1 year
ago.
20 Robert
Flowers Sr.
Resident
of Cox; age 68; has a wife age 63; served in the 53rd and 29th REGIMENTS
OF FOOT for 11 years and 8 months. Saw action during the American Rebellion
and was badly wounded during the storming of an American fort on Lake Champlain.
21 Pierre
Babin
Resident
of Cox; age 47; has a wife and 7 children the eldest is 13.
22 Joseph
Gautier Jr.
Resident
of Cox; has a wife, 4 children and one orphan age 15.
23 George
Wright
A transient;
originally from England; was ship wrecked , rescued and taken to Mirimichi.
Of late living in New Carlisle.
24 Joseph
Meiber
Resident
of Cox;age 25; has a wife and 2 children.
25 William
McGear Sr.
Resident
of Cox; age 62; has a wife and 2 children.
26 James
Ryan
Resident
of Cox; age 64; has a wife. By trade a school master but has only
4 scholars.
27 Ortaille
Poirier
Resident
of Cox, age 33; has a wife and 3 children.
28 Henry
Pearson
29 Robert
Caldwell
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 9 children.
Andrew Caldwell
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 4 children.
30 John Cordue
Resident
of Cox; age 67 ; has a wife and no children. Served in the New York City
Militia prior to 1780.
31 Johnston
Kilgore
Resident
of the second range of Cox Township ;age 24; has a wife and one child;
settled on his land last summer.
Joseph Marsh
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 4 children. Was a soldier in the 37th REGION OF
FOOT.
32 Richard
Smith
Resident
of Cox; age 29; has a wife and 2 children.
33 Hector
Morrison
Resident
of Cox; age 64 ; has a wife and 6 of his 7 children are living with him.
34 William
Thompson
Resident
of Cox; age 38; has a wife and 4 children.
35 Robert
Smollett
Resident
of Cox; age 28 (?) ; has a wife and one child. Served in the ROYAL NAVY
from 1799 to 1802 and saw action with Nelson at Copenhagen.
36 Richard
Billingsly Sr.
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 7 children. A discharged soldier from the 31st REGIMENT
OF FOOT, settled at New Carlisle in 1784.
37 Hector
Ross
Has a wife
and one child. The son of John Ross a settler at New Carlisle in 1784.
38 William
Billingsly
Resident
of Cox; age 31; has a wife and 2 children. A discharged soldier from the
REGIMENT OF NEWFOUNDLAND FENCIBLES who saw action during the War of 1812.
39 Jacques
Dugué (Duguay)
Resident
of Paspébiac; age 75; a widower.
40 Charles
Teriot
Resident
of East Nouvelle.
41 James
Sawyer
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 8 children.
42 Baptiste
Enklehart (Anglehart)
Resident
of Cox; age 62; has a wife and 5 children the eldest is 14. Served
for the whole of the American Rebellion with the BRUNSWICK CORPS.
43 Charlemange
Dugué (Duguay)
Resident
of Paspébiac; age 28; has a wife and 4 children - the eldest is
9.
44 Duncan
McRae
Resident
of East Nouvelle; age 65; has a wife age 65. Has been disabled for 12 years.
45 John Doiy
Resident
of Hope Township; age 41; widower with 3 children the eldest is 14.
46 Elizabeth
Allain
Age 36;widow;has
6 children the Eldest a boy of 17 .
47 Farquhar
McRae
Resident
of East Nouvelle; has a wife and 6 children.
48 James
Astles
Resident
of Cox; age 61 ; has a wife and 10 children. Served 12 years in the 2Oth
and 53rd REGIMENTS OF FOOT and saw action during the American Rebellion.
Settled at New Carlisle in 1784.
49 Duncan
McRae
Resident
of East Nouvelle; age 28; has a wife and 3 children.
50 Philip
Main
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 2 children.
51 John Ross
Resident
of East Nouvelle; has a wife and 11 of 13 children are living with him.
Served with the 63rd REGIMENT OF FOOT during the American Rebellion. Settled
at New Carlisle in 1784.
52 Peter
Ramier
Resident
of Cox; age 21;has a wife and no children.
53 William
Scott
Resident
of Cox; age 51;has a wife and 10 children.
54 Samuel
Chatterton
Resident
of Cox; age 54; has a wife and 10 of his 12 children are living with him.
Settled at New Carlisle in 1784.
55 John Caldwell
Resident
of Cox; age 53; has a wife and 10 of his 12 children are living with him.
56 George
Newland
Resident
of Cox; working for John Rafter. Served in the ROYAL NAVY for 25 years.
57 John Rafter
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and child. His step child, brother(age 14) and sister(age
18) are living with him.
58 John Chisholm
Resident
of Cox;age 79; has a wife, daughter and son living with him.
59 Mrs. John
Travers
Resident
of East Nouvelle; a widow; Claim made by her soninlaw William
Huntington. Her late husband served in the army with 26th and 44th REGIMENTS
OF FOOT for 36 years.
60 Christopher
Pearson
Resident
of Cox; age 81; has a wife age 81.
61 Robert
Flowers Jr.
Resident
of Cox; age 30; has a wife and 3 children.
62 David
Scott
Resident
of Cox; age 79; served for 4 years with JESSUP'S CORPS ( an American Regiment
loyal to the British Crown during the American War of Independence). Settled
at New Carlisle in 1784.
63 Michael
Cotoye
Resident
of East Nouvelle; age 50; has a wife and 9 children. Eleven years ago he
helped build a schooner for Daniel Starnes.
64 Nicholas
Renouf
Resident
of Cox; has a wife and 4 children.
65 Michel
Obie
Resident
of East Nouvelle;age 49; has a wife and 7 children. Lives about 9 miles
east of New Carlisle.
66 William
Flowers
Resident
of Cox ; age 34; has a wife and 5 children.
67 James
Forsythe
Resident
of Cox ; age 21.
68 Lewis
Imhaugh (Imhoff)
Resident
of Cox; age 63 ; has a wife and 3 children by present marriage as well
as 3 children by a former marriage. Served with General Nichols for 7 years
during the American Rebellion.
69 Owen Poor
(Powers)
Resident
of Hope Township; age 60; has a wife and 5 children .
70 Poclaine
Munro
Resident
of Cox; the wife of Hector Munro a fisherman who left her last fall; has
one son age 3.
71 Cornelia
Jeffries
Resident
of Cox;age 79; the daughter of John Jeffries, a loyalist settler at New
Carlisle in 1784. Living with a niece , and an old negro female servant
who has 3 grandchildren.
72 Pierre
Billene (?)
Resident
of Port Daniel Township; age 33; has a wife , 6 children and 3 stepchildren.
73 James
Lambert
Resident
of Hope Township;age 59; has a wife and 3 children. Served with the ROYAL
NAVY from 1775 to 1785.
74 William
Huntington
Has a wife
and 9 children.
75 Isaac
Mann
Age 32;
has a wife and 3 children.
76 Jean LaRocque
Age 50;
has a wife and 9 children. "Claims" to be a Micmac by birth.
77 Jacques
Cronier
Resident
of Hope Township; has a wife and 5 children.
78 Jacques
Baudry
Resident
of Paspébiac; has a wife and 4 children.
79 Rosalinda
Dugué (Duguay)
Resident
of Paspébiac; has a husband and 2 Children.
80 Peter
Huard
Resident
of Paspébiac; age 40 ; has a wife and 6 children.
When considering
the information contained in the "1816 UNTITLED RELIEF BOOK", it must be
remembered that the relief program ~ not history, was their primary concern;
thus the entries for some families are brief. If your surname appears in
the list, it is possible but not necessary that it is one of your ancestors.
One case in point is the Munro entry (#70) ; other documents in my possession
indicate that the Munro's now living in the New Carlisle area are not related
to this person but in fact are decended from the 'Factor' (manager) of
the Hudson's Bay Post that then existed at Caraquet.
(East Nouvelle is
now called Shigawake; Hope is Hopetown; Cox is New Carlisle or Paspébiac)