On Historic Ground: The Loyalist Society's Excursion to Gagetown

Year
1892
Month
7
Day
20
Article Title
On Historic Ground: The Loyalist Society's Excursion to Gagetown
Author
------
Page Number
3
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
ON HISTORIC GROUND, THE LOYALIST SOCIETY'S EXCURSION TO GAGETOWN. A Service In the Church of the Village -Addresses by the Lieut.-Governor. Sir John Allen. Dr. I. Allen Jack. Rev. Mr. Parkinson, Dr. Stockton and Others —Enjoyable Conversazione- Rev. W. O. Raymond Treats of the Early History of Gagetown. It was queen’s weather yesterday, when the Loyalist Society and their friends went to Gagetown to celebrate the centennial of the church there. “Queens county weather'’ someone said. About 300 boarded the steamer May Queen, and a delightful sail was enjoyed on the way up river. A breeze was blowing, and the excursionists bestowed themselves on the decks where they could get the benefit of it, and see the scenery of the river. The Artillery Band attended, and provided music on the way up. The steamer made good time and Gagetown was reached after about three and one-quarter hours. A MORNING SERVICE. A service was held in the church before a large congregation. Very fine music was given by the choir; Rev. Mr. Hanson read the lessons and Rev. Mr. Parkinson delivered a very fine sermon, appropriate to the occasion, dealing with past events in the church history and advocating future effort. About 200 people had come from Fredericton by steamer Florenceville and picnicked about the fields and private houses and halls, where refreshments were provided. On the glebe lands of the church a rustic stage had been erected and public addresses were delivered. THE LIEUT. GOVERNOR. On motion, Sir Leonard Tilley took the chair, and made a few opening remarks. He stated the object of the excursion. It was as much a picnic as a centennial celebration. It was the desire to bring together the descendants of the Loyalists who settled the province in 1783. The Loyalist Society, of which he was president, had now 100 members, who had furnished to the society data concerning the families of which they were representatives. It was the purpose to, in time, publish a book containing these data. There were, however, in the province, thousands who should be members. It was hoped by this excursion to arouse an interest in the society and enlarge the membership. No more suitable place could be found in the province than Gagetown, which was central in its position between St. John and Fredericton, and which abounded in historic interest. There was no grave yard in the province which contained more of the early Loyalists than that at Gagetown. Sir Leonard referred to those speakers who would fellow him, and he read a communication from Judge Palmer regretting his inability to attend. He spoke of the sacrifices made by the Loyalists who settled the lands, who resigned everything—home, friends and property, in honor of king and country.. He referred to the privations and sufferings they endured for principle and country. SIR JOHN ALLEN was then introduced. He felt it an honor to be asked to address the assembly. He spoke of Dr. Harding whose persistent efforts were the cause of the excursion, and of the delights of seeing such beautiful scenery and such fine weather. He referred to the annual meeting of the Loyalist Society held every 18th of May. This was, he said, a strictly temperate dinner, and yet it was always an enjoyable occasion. They did not believe it necessary to use intemperate drinks. Those men who came here in 1783 and endured the privation of wintering under canvas, were worthy the honor which the society bestows in annual commemoration of their coming. He had heard from his relations, when a boy, tales of these privations. He had heard that frequently they had had to grind their corn between stones, not being able to get to the mill. He referred to the discourse of the morning. It was a heart stirring sermon, one which did him much good. He trusted that many of those present would now take the opportunity to join the society. MR. JAMES GARDEN, of Fredericton, followed, at the request of Dr. Harding. His grandfather was one of the Loyalists who settled the province, being a member of the British army. He was glad to meet so many on this occasion. REV. MR. PARKINSON was introduced as a loyal subject, though not a Loyalist by birth. He said he was a most pronounced Loyalist. When he studied the Catechism he was taught loyalty to two things—the Church of England and the Tory party. He had always been loyal to these, and he would be until his dying day. DR. STOCKTON said that the preceding speaker had referred to his loyalty to the Tory party. The party needed the loyalty of many, for the G. O M. had brought defeat upon it. He had a pride in his native province. He was a Canadian and a New Brunswicker. Since he had left the province, and returned he had a higher opinion of his province. There were many spots on the river that could not be matched by the Rhine, on whose bosom he had lately been. With the European river were connected oppression of the people, with its crumbling ruins and its fallen castles. He had met a gentleman from Leipzig who told him that he believed there was no country in the world which possessed as much civil and religious liberty as Canada. He had said yea, yea, to this, for he believed that Canada in this respect surpassed England. They might say that it was mere sentiment that drew them together, but sentiment was one of the greatest powers in the world. It was sentiment that animated men to become leaders in the ranks of war or commerce. When Sir Leonard Tilley was quite a boy, there were no steam boat s, no Saw mills on the river. All the great improvements had been made in a life time. MR. I. ALLEN JACK followed. He asked. "If, when we refer to our forefathers and praise them for their principles do we really mean It? If we study their lives, we will really admire their characters and capacity." He had had the pleasure of reading Mf. Lawrence’s work on the early judges, which he hoped would shortly be published, and he was much impressed with the character and ability displayed by these men. He hoped for some practical outcome from those gatherings, as something should be done to commemorate those ancestors and their principles. He believed that some building should be erected to collect old Loyalist mementoes. He hoped that something would be done in that line. If the descendants of the old fathers would combine they could do this. T1IE FIRST RETURN TRIP. At 4 30 the steamer started on the return voyage, and those who returned regretted much that they could not stay to enjoy the conversazione which was held in the evening At this, a very fine program was carried out, consisting of solos by Messrs. W m. Starr and G. Ludlow Robinson, Rev. N. C. Hanson, (the latter a Danish song), and Mrs. J. R. Armstrong; dusts by Misses Blanche Tibbitts and Mabel Peters and Miss Hoben and Mrs. Gilbert; and choruses. Rev. W. O. Raymond also read a very interesting paper on EARLY DAYS IN GAGETOWN. Reference was made to the visit of De Monts and to relics found, indicating Indian settlements at Grand Lake. Rev. Mr. Raymond's Paper. In about 1658 Fort Grimisick was erected at the mouth of the Jemseg, near the residence of the late Mr. Chas. Harrison, and in 1670 was under command of Sieur de Maison. In 1674, however, the fort was destroyed by Dutch marauders. Later the lands at the Jemseg were granted to the brothers D’Amour, but in 1691 they went into the possession of the widow of De Maison. In 1690 Villebow repaired the fort at the Jemseg and placed a garrison of 50 soldiers there under command of Portneuf. In 1692 he abandoned the fort to establish himself at the Nashwaak. After the expulsion of the Acadians from the peninsula quite a number of THE HOMELESS FRENCH settled in the vicinity of Grimross, but they were later dislodged by the British to make way for the settlers for whom the township of Gage had been mapped out. It was believed that of the Maugerville party of 1763 Edward Coy settled at Gagetown. The second part of the paper dealt with the early grants. The earliest was that of Long Island to Sir Robert Wilmot. The Island was afterwards purchased from him by Messrs. Gerrish, Buller and others of Halifax. Large grants were also made to Joseph Amesbury and General Thomas Gage and associates, but these were escheated IN FAVOR OF THE LOYALISTS of 1783. Grants at the Jemseg were made to James Spry Heaton, Capt. Spry, Lieut. Wm. Shaw and other retired army officers. The first clerical visitation that Gagetown received was from Rev. Thomas Wood, S P. G. missionary at Annapolis, who, in 1769 visited the St. John River. At Gagetown he baptized two Indian children. About the same time Chas. Newland, Godfrey Jadis, (a retired officer of the 52nd regiment) settled, at Grimross, and traded with the Indians, but on February 6th, 1771, his house, store and all his effects were destroyed by fire. Capt. Jadis estimated his loss at £2,000 and he strongly suspected the Indians of having been the incendiaries. Gagetown was the only place on the river where any attempt was made to carry out THE CONDITIONS OF THE ORIGINAL GRANTS and even there large tracts were escheated to the Loyalists in 1784, though oath was made that there were 21 inhabited houses upon lands lying below Gagetown township. In the expedition of Colonel John Allan, on their way up river, they encamped at Long Island, whence they proceeded nine miles to one Peter Carr’s, and across the portage at Grimross’. Among the settlers in the vicinity of Gagetown was many of the officers and men of the loyal regiment, especially of the De Lancey battalions. The third battalion was composed of men of Queens Co., and Long Island, N. J., and Colonel Hewlett, the commanding officer, was a native of Hampstead. Thus Queens Co., Hampstead and Long Island were named. Richard Hewlett, a grand-son of the colonel, had died quite recently at Hampstead, at the advanced age of 92. In 1783 and 1784 Gagetown was SETTLED BY THE LOYALISTS. The land was surveyed by Fredk. Hansen, and on July 14, 1784, a grant was made to Lawrence Buskirk and 66 others, among these being Gideon Corey, Tertullus Dickinson, .James Hoyt, Benj. Burgess, Reuben Chase, Thomas Peters, James Sayre, Seth Squires, Enoch Mott, Daniel Dunn, Thomas Carlo and Thomas Horsfield. The third part of the paper dealt with the Gagetown church. In the year 1790 the people decided to proceed to the erection of a church, a grant having been made by the imperial government of £2,000 sterling, for the erection of churches in New Brunswick. The Gagetown church records showed that a meeting of the rector, church-wardens and vestry was held at the house of Daniel Babbitt, on Wednesday, April 21st, 1790, at which it was agreed TO ADVERTISE FOR TENDERS for the erection of a building. A lot of land was generously donated by Daniel Babbitt as a site for the church. On August 31st, at a meeting held at the house of Thomas Carle, the tender of James Peck and Solomon Dingee to erect a church 42x30 feet with a circular chancel of six feet sweep and steeple 10 feet square, for £300 was accepted. The church was completed in the summer of 1792, and was consecrated by the Right Rev. Charles Inglis, D. D., with the name of St. John’s church. The members of the church corporation at that time were:— Wardens—Wm. Tyng, Daniel Babbitt; Vestry—James Peters, Thomas Carle, John Whitlock, John Knox, Thomas Wetmore, Solomon Dingee, Reuben Chase, John Compton. THE PEW OWNERS. The pews, some 26 in number, were disposed of to the following persons: John Leonard, Daniel Babbitt, Joseph Dixon, Reuben Williams, James Peters, Abiathan Camp, Garret Dykeman, Seth Chase, Abiel Briggs, Jacob Wiggins, John Knox, Morris Haycock, Isaac Gilbert, Anthony Barker, Thos. Creighton, John Lunsbury, Lewis Mitchell, Jacob Wiggins, William Tyng, James Peters, Daniel Hewson, Jeremiah Johnston, Thomas Peters, Thomas Cory, John Compton, James Peck, Solomon Dingee, Thomas Wetmore, Luther Wetmore, Reuben Chase, Thomas Carle, Perez Gilchrist and the rector.