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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.

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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
New and Used Genealogical and Historical books of
New Brunswick for sale.


Ruby M. Cusack is a genealogy buff living in New Brunswick, Canada. Send your New Brunswick genealogical queries to her at:  rmcusack@nbnet.nb.ca.  Include your name and mailing address for the benefit of the readers of the newspaper who do not have access to E-mail but could have information to share with you. Please put "Query" followed by the surnames in your query. For more information on submitting queries, visit http://www.rubycusack.com/Query-Instructions.html
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