Biographical Directory
of
Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
Free Baptist Ministers and Preachers


by Frederick C. Burnett


On Sunday afternoon, several of Gram’s relatives came to visit. The men went to look at Gramp’s potato field while the ladies sat in the front parlour, discussing the weather and the making of pickles. Somehow the conversation led to preachers and their church connections. Since children were supposed to be seen and not heard, I felt I could not speak up and ask them to explain their comments, which certainly were confusing to me.  I thought Baptists were Baptists, but they were talking about Free Baptist, Freewill Baptist, and Free Christian Baptists.

If Frederick C. Burnett had been there, he could have explained the subject to me as his 1996 publication, Biographical Directory of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Free Baptist Ministers and Preachers, was the culmination of a lifelong interest in the lives of 437 individuals of the Free Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Quakers, Christian Connexion, Hamiltonians and Freewill Baptists ministers and preachers.

    * Rev. Shirley J. Case was born near Hatfield Point, graduated from Acadia University and taught in the Seminary at St. Martins.

    * Rev. James Wesley Clark was born in Hampstead in 1855, the son of George and Ruth (Merritt) Clark. He was the pastor at Waterloo Street Church and at Apohaqui in the 1880's.

    * Rev. John H. Erb of Erb Settlement was ordained in 1883. Due to failing health, he moved to San Antoine, Texas in 1885.

    * Matthew Fenwick led the meetings at Millstream from 1807 until his death.

    * Elder Thomas Fitzherbert’s father, Jonas built a small meeting house in Upper Kent in 1853.

    * In 1827, Elder John Flanders was ordained in New Hampshire and by 1831, he was in St. Andrews.

    * Elder George Garraty was a schoolmaster and an excellent penman. About 1833, he held meetings at Rusagonis, where he taught school. He died in California in 1890.

    * Elder Charles McMullin listed his birthplace as Deer Island. He was living in Maugerville at the time of his marriage in Wakefield in 1814 to Jane Willse.

    * Elder Abner Merseau, the son of Lawrence and Hester was born at Blissville in 1802.

    * Samuel Nicklin, a Loyalist, was a signer of the petition in 1802 to allow ministers of any denomination to perform marriages.

    * Elder Ziba Pope was from New England but lived in St. George until about 1816.

    * Henry Wayman was the son of a Loyalist soldier killed in the American Revolution. In 1802, he was a member of the Sussex Baptist Church.

Elder Frederick C. Burnett resides in Carleton County and as a craftsman specialized in monuments and lettering. His ‘Biographical Directory of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Free Baptist Ministers and Preachers’, is an everlasting memorial to those who played important roles in the religious life of the Maritimes during the last two centuries.

The book is available for viewing in several research institutions.

Queries

  • Query 1104
    Kerr - Norwood
    : I'm looking for descendants of Rebecca Kerr of Petersville, New Brunswick and her husband Russel Norwood of Gagetown. Rebecca died in 1879 and at least two of their children were raised by Kerrs in Queen County.
    CARL KING, 565 Westmorland Rd., Saint John, N.B., Canada, E2J 2G8. E-mail kingc@nbnet.nb.ca.

  • Query 1105
    Melvin - Lewis
    : Richard Izard Melvin was born 20 August 1842 and married in 1865 to Rachel Jane Lewis from Lewistown, a little settlement near White's Mountain, Lower Ridge Road, Creek Road, Havelock. Their children were, William Ensley, Rachel, John, James Henry Arthur, and Rolland
  • Esther Tedford at etamalin@rogers.com.

  • Melvin - Floyd:  I am looking for information with respect to my great great grandfather who I believe is either John Ephraim Melvin (formerly of Chester, N.S.) b. Aug. 9, 1819 and married Mary (?) from PEI or John Crane Melvin (formerly of Chester, N.S.) b. Aug. 9, 1809.   His parents were David Melvin b. Aug. 9, 1770 and married Nov. 5, 1794 to Abigail Floyd b. Sept. 11, 1775.  John & Mary Melvin's  children were William Kirk,  Sarah Ann,  William Richard (my great grandfather) b. Aug. 20, 1842 and died in Lewistown (near Havelock) Kings County, N.B.,  John Hans,  Charles A.,  Henry Bruce,  Mary Jane  and I believe Caroline.   I should also mention that my cousin Val and I have set up a group under http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MelvinFH that people can visit and get the latest on the Melvin history.
        Esther Tedford, 757 Downview Crescent, Oshawa, ON  L1H 7W4. E-mail etamalin@rogers.com.



  • Query 1106
    Robinson - Ludlow
    : John Robinson (1761-1828) who settled in New Brunswick about 1783, married Elizabeth, daughter of the Honourable George D. Ludlow, the Chief Justice of New Brunswick. They had five sons and one daughter. John embarked in "commercial pursuits" in New Brunswick, was deputy paymaster-general of His Majesty's Forces in the colony, Speaker of the House of Assembly and later a member of Council, and Mayor of Saint John in 1821. Another John Robinson, the son of Lieut. Col. Morris Robinson lived for a time in Fredericton. Despite the distinguished careers of these gentlemen, I am having difficulty in finding information on their descendants. Any assistance would be appreciated.
    CHRIS ROBINSON, 21 Riverview Dr., Hay River, NT, Canada,  X0E 0R7.
    E-mail chrisbet@msn.com.

  • Query 1107
    McDonald - Francis - Monteith - Taylor - Woodrow
    : I am seeking information on Evelyn McDonald who was born 01 March 1867 in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Her mothers name was Margaret (Maggie) Francis and her father was a sea captain who drowned at sea. Margaret remarried to John Monteith and lived in Maine. Evelyn married Joseph Taylor in Lewiston, Maine and had two children, Ruth and Ralph. Her second marriage was to William Woodrow in 1896 and she had three more children Marjorie, John Clark and William. She died on 07 July 1950 in Orange, Massachusetts.
       JAN CALICHMA
  • E-mail jan1203@verizon.net

  • Query 1108
    Staines family
    : Robert Staines was born in 1818 in Malta. In 1843, he was married in Ireland to Elizabeth McLaughlin. About 1855 they came to New Brunswick via Barbados and Nova Scotia. They had 11 children: Emily, Georgiana, Elizabeth, Andrew, Stephen, Annie, Henry, Henryetta, William, Robert and Maud. Some of them spent time in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Any information would be appreciated.
         DON GOULD, 200 Captain's Circle, Fall River, Mass, 02721, USA. 
  • E-mail md200cc@cox.net.

  • Query 1109
    Nixon - McAleer
    : My great-grandparents, Henry Nixon and Gertrude McAleer were married in Saint John on 01 May 1893 and later moved to British Columbia. I am interested in finding information on their parents, siblings, origin of families and date of entry into New Brunswick.
        LYNE MINSHULL, RR#2, River Road, Oliver, B.C., Canada, V0H 1T0.
    E-mail minshullfarm@ cablerocket.com.

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