Tracing teachers in New Brunswick

In Duty Bound is a compilation of 145 teachers working in
Queens County, New Brunswick between 1818 and 1837

 

School is about to start. Children are anxiously waiting to find out who their teacher will be, and parents are thinking in terms of new sneakers, scribblers and back packs.

As adults, back-to-school time brings back memories of a favourite teacher that never seem to get erased, no matter how old we grow.

Teachers are also of interest to genealogical researchers. We spend hours searching for information concerning family members who were licenced to teach school in New Brunswick.

Robert Hawkes of Fredericton has made this task much easier for searchers whose ancestor petitioned for a licence in Queens County from 1818 until 1837. He compiled the publication "In Duty Bound ­ Parish School teachers of Queens County, New Brunswick, 1818-1837."

The names of 145 teachers are listed with notes about these individuals . . . James McClintock received a classical education in Trinity College, Dublin . . . Thomas Knowles was born in Halifax in 1802 and came to New Brunswick in 1825. He spent 10 years in the United States where he obtained the greatest part of his education . . . Thomas Black was said to possess a character "fit in every respect" . . . Elizabeth Wetherell was the first woman known to have taught in Queens County under the act of 1816 . . . The Introduction contains an excellent summary of the early school system in the province. Mr. Hawkes notes "the possession of good moral character seemed a very important qualification to be a teacher."

"In Duty Bound" is in the reference department of the Saint John Library at Market Square as well as in the Sussex and St. Croix libraries.


Queries have been grouped together to cover the year 1998 and can be viewed at Queries-1998

Ruby Cusack is a genealogy buff living in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Readers are invited to send their New Brunswick genealogical queries to Ruby at rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca. When E-Mailing please put Yesteryear Families in the Subject line. Please include in the query, your name and postal address as someone reading the newspaper, may have information to share with you but not have access to E-mail. Queries should be no more than 45 words in length.

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