A Legacy of Plaster Rock
by
Teresa Madore and Emily Yeomans



The cold winds of winter had hit with a real clout. Mum stuffed little pieces of cloth around the window sashes to stop the draft. As she worked she told us of how long ago the spaces between the logs in the cabins were corked to keep the heat from the fireplace in and to keep the cold out.

It has been said that early settlers along a particular section of the Tobique River gathered plaster found along the cliffs and red clay to cork their log cabins for warmth. Due to the plaster and the river route a permanent settlement was established and was named Plaster Rock

In 1984 Teresa Madore and Emily Yeomans were instrumental in gathering information for the publication, “A Legacy of Plaster Rock”, which they describe as a stroll down the Tobique as far as the Indian Reservation and a sail up to the Little Tobique above Nictau. One general principle in the publication was to include any contributor who had set foot or approached the banks of the Tobique as they had influenced Tobique history and thus merited mentioning.

According to the Charles G. D. Roberts account of 1882, many settlers along the river valley were already taking loads of plaster down the river.

In 1881, Hezekiah Day and his two brothers William and Ezra were the first settlers in the Plaster Rock area. Hezekiah and his wife Amanda (Fairbanks) with their three children, Carrie, Thomas and John decided to settle across the river.

Henry and Eleanor (Scott) Ridgewell received a land grant in 1882.  They came from Newcastle to build their first log cabin on the site of the present day Tobique High School. In four years they were able to construct a beautiful frame house.

David and Margaret Roulston, his two brothers and two sisters came from Ireland in the late 1800s and first settled in the St. Stephen area but within a couple of years they came to Plaster Rock. The death of Margaret left David with seven children to care for. Rumors of a gold rush in the Klondike lured David’s brothers to head west.

“Pack Peddlers”, such as John Griffith, Seth Salmond, Paddy Green and Alex Parnarsky  were a welcome sight as they carried dry goods, linens, thread, laces and messages from neighbours.

In 1897, Fred Hale and his brother Archie, decided to build a sawmill on the same site the Fraser Mill is today.  Quickly other buildings were built to house and feed the crew.

The 236 pages in “A Legacy of Plaster Rock”, by Teresa Madore and Emily Yeomans portray the happenings in a village and the people who lived there.

I suggest, you check with your nearest research institution to see if they have a copy of the book on their shelf.

Reprints of the book may be ordered from Teresa Madore, 2430 Route 380, Anderson Road, New Brunswick, Canada, E7G 4C6. Telephone 506-356-2393.

By the way, Teresa Madore has ten other publications that you might wish to inquire about.
Query 1041
Archibald - Morrison - Tabor
: I am looking for information on Ruby Douglas Archibald, who was a daughter of William Charles Archibald and Anna Richardson. She was born in Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia on 21 Feb 1893 and married John Hilyard Tabor Morrison on 2 Aug 1918, the son of  John Morrison and Celia Leah Taber. They had issue John, Earl and Mary (Neil Price). In 1942, they resided in Campbellton, New Brunswick and she  passed away about 1952.
    -Pam Davis, P.O. Box 2305, Woodbridge, VA, USA, 22195-2305. E-mail to NELLIE1890@aol.com.

Query 1042
McManus - Maguire:
Honora McManus, sister of Francis McManus, married Owen Maguire. They arrived from Ireland in 1832 - 1834. Owen was a farmer in the Loch Lomond area of Saint John. I am seeking additional information on the siblings of Honora McManus who may have come to New Brunswick.
    -Mrs.Richard Brennan, 11101 Erin Road, Chester, VA, USA, 23831. E-mail to RckBrennan@aol.com.

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