Glimpses of the Past Part 44

[128] See Page 234 of this history.

COY.

The progenitor of those of this name now living in the province was Edward Coy, who came to the River St. John from Pomfret in Connecticut in 1763. The name was originally McCoy; but the "Mc." was dropped by Edward Coy's grandfather and was not again resumed by his descendants.

By his wife, whose maiden name was Amy t.i.tus, Mr. Coy had a family of six sons and five daughters. His third daughter was the first female child born of English or American parents on the River St. John. The well known inlet on the river, called "The Mistake," was originally called "Coy's Mistake," the name doubtless suggests by the circ.u.mstance of Coy's mistaking the channel in ascending the river, and after proceeding some miles finding himself in a "cul de sac." Edward Coy was one of the original grantees of Maugerville, his lot being opposite the head of Gilbert's Island, but for some years he lived at Gagetown, where his daughter Mary was born in 1771. This daughter published in 1849 a narrative of her life and christian experience, including extracts from her diary and correspondence during a period of upwards of sixty years. It is a curious and interesting old book. Edward Coy was an active member of the Congregational church and one of the signers of the original church covenant. As the children of the family grew up, Mrs. Bradley informs us, their parents instructed them in the ways of religion, furnishing them with such education as their situation and circ.u.mstances admitted, which was little more than they learned at home, except in the case of the two youngest. The early years of the family were rendered more arduous by reason of ill health on the part of the mother and failing sight on the part of the father. Edward Coy settled at Upper Gagetown under arrangements with Col. Wm. Spry, who gave him (July 12, 1770,) a lease of 200 acres of land. Under the terms of the lease Coy was to pay at the expiration of two years 4 shillings per annum, and at the expiration of four years 8 shillings per annum for ever. This was not a very large rental for a farm of 200 acres, but the tenant system was never popular on the St. John. Mr. Coy was required to "leave a row of trees on each side of the high road, thereafter to be laid out, at the distance of about six rods from each other." About this time he sold his lands in Maugerville to Moses Coburn.

At the outbreak of the Revolution the att.i.tude of the Indians was so threatening, and reports of the lawlessness of privateers so alarming, that Mr. Coy removed his family once more to Sheffield, which was then by far the most thickly settled place on the river. He attended the meeting held on the 24th May, 1776, at which resolutions strongly favoring the cause of the colonies in rebellion were adopted, and was appointed one of the "rebel committee." His son Amasa went in arms with Jonathan Eddy against Fort c.u.mberland. Both father and son, however, subsequently took the oath of allegiance to the King and were thenceforth loyal subjects. The family returned to Gagetown in a few years, the public mind having become more settled respecting the American war. Mrs. Bradley, in her narrative, gives a good description of the general interest and excitement created in the Spring of 1779, by the coming of the celebrated New-light preacher and evangelist, Henry Alline, which made an indelible impression on her mind, although she was only a child at the time. Shortly afterwards the small-pox broke out in the settlements, and Edward Coy determined to have his family "inoculated." Inoculation, it may be observed, was regarded as the best preventative of small-pox before vaccination was introduced by Dr. Jenner. The results, however, were not uniformly satisfactory.

In the case of the Coy family, Mr. Coy and his wife lay at the point of death for a considerable time, and their second son, aged 24 years, died.[129]

[129] Rev. Jacob Bailey writes regarding an epidemic of smallpox at Annapolis in 1794. "What is somewhat remarkable, numbers died under inoculation, while the old s.e.xton who took it in the natural way, though 98 years of age, recovered."

When the Loyalists arrived in 1783 Edward Coy was living in a log house on his lot at Upper Gagetown where he had cleared about 15 acres of land. The circ.u.mstances of the pioneer settlers were still rather straitened, but the exiled Loyalists were in a much more unfortunate condition. Speaking of their distress, Mrs. Bradley says; "My heart was filled with pity and affection when I saw them in a strange land, without house or home, and many of them were sick and helpless. I often looked upon them when they pa.s.sed by in boats in rainy weather and wished for them to call and refresh themselves and was glad when they did so." Edward Coy shared with a Loyalist family the accommodation of his humble dwelling until they could provide themselves a shelter.

ESTEY.

The ancestor of the Esteys in America was Jeffrey Estey, an English puritan, who sought refuge in New England from the persecutions of Old England. He was living at Salem, Ma.s.s., in 1636, but removed later to Long Island, N. Y., where he died in 1657. His son, Isaac Estey, married Mary Towne, who was born in Yarmouth, England, about 1634. She was among the unfortunate witchcraft martyrs of Salem in 1692; she wrote a remarkable letter to the judges and court denying the charges preferred against her. Isaac Estey was grandfather of Richard Estey who came to the St. John river with the Maugerville colony. Richard Estey lived at Rowley but he was born at Topsfield, Ma.s.s., the home of his parents and grand-parents. His wife was Ruth Fisk of Ipswich, Ma.s.sachusetts. He was a member of the Congregational church in Rowley until he was dismissed to the church at St. John river in May, 1764.

Among his children who were born at Rowley and came to Maugerville were the following:--

1. Richard Estey, jr., born Feb. 9, 1728, married Hannah Hazen.

2. Sarah Estey, born Oct. 12, 1736, married Thomas Barker.

3. John Estey, born about 1739, married Mary Hart.

4. Zebulon Estey, born Dec. 14, 1742, married Molly Brawn and died Oct. 10, 1806.

Richard Estey, sr., was one of the seven signers of the original church covenant at Maugerville and served on important church committees. The Esteys were well known and active men in the community, and were among the pioneers of milling on the St. John river. Richard Estey, jr., had a saw mill in 1779, on what was then called Numahael creek. His brother Zebulon moved to Upper Gagetown about 1778, where he built a grist mill--the first in that vicinity and used by farmers on both sides of the river. The committee sent by Major Studholme early in 1783, to explore the river and report upon the state of settlement, mention the fact that Zebulon had been settled about 5 years on his location. He had built a house and grist mill and cleared about 3 acres of land. He had a wife and 8 children. The committee add:--"Said Estey is a good man, his character very loyal and we beg to recommend him to be confirmed in his possessions."

Moses, Israel and Amos Estey, who were of a younger generation, removed from Maugerville to the Burton side of the river prior to 1783, induced thereto in all probability, by the inconveniences consequent upon the Spring freshets.

Zebulon Estey was a ruling elder of the Congregational church at Maugerville in 1775. Through the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Crandall, one of the fathers of the Baptist denomination in the maritime provinces, a considerable number of the old Congregationalists of Waterborough and the vicinity were led to organize a Baptist church.

Their leader, Elijah Estabrooks, was foremost in the movement, which was much aided by the unexpected conversion of the "old squire"

Zebulon Estey to Baptist principles. Father Crandall writes of that day: "Nearly thirty candidates were baptized, and the meeting did not break up until the going down of the sun. It was truly solemn and delightful to hear the praises of the Lord sung by great numbers of happy converts in boats returning home from the delightful scene. The work of that day I can never forget. The clear setting sun, the large expanse of unruffled water, the serenity of the atmosphere, the delightful notes of the feathered songsters, and the solemn sound of hymns sung by many happy voices, presented to me an emblem of the paradise of G.o.d. It seemed as though heaven had come down to earth, and that I was on the brink of the eternal world."

Of the church organized at Waterborough in 1800, Elijah Estabrooks became the pastor, Edward Coy and Joseph Estabrooks deacons, and Zebulon Estey clerk, "all by a unanimous vote."

Further particulars of the organization of this church, which was the first of the denomination in western New Brunswick, will be found in Dr. Bill's History of the Baptists.

The Esteys proved a prolific stock and their descendants on the River St. John are numerous.

ESTABROOKS.

The first of this name in America is supposed to have been Joseph Estabrooks, who was born in Enfield, Middles.e.x County, England, and came to Concord, New Hampshire in 1660. It is said that he had two brothers, one of whom, Thomas, was at Swansea in 1683, but subsequently went to Concord. Elijah Estabrooks, who settled on the River St. John, had in his lifetime many places of abode. He was probably a native of Haverhill, Ma.s.sachusetts, where his son, of same name, was born in May, 1756. The family came to Halifax about the year 1763, removing soon afterwards to Cornwallis, and from thence to St. John. On the 18th October, 1765, Mr. Estabrooks entered the employ of Simonds & White. In 1773 he made an agreement with Wm.

Hazen and James Simonds to settle in the township of Conway, near the mouth of the river, Hazen and Simonds guaranteeing him a deed of 250 acres of land. An old return, or census, of the township, dated 1st August, 1775, shows that Mr. Estabrooks' family included a wife, three sons and three daughters. He had cleared and improved seven acres of land and built a log house. His domestic animals were one cow, two young cattle and two hogs. Before he had made more than a good beginning the Revolutionary war brought everything to a stand. We learn from Major Studholme's report that Elijah Estabrooks was one of those who accompanied Hugh Quinton in the expedition against Fort c.u.mberland in 1776, and shared in the discomfiture of the party. His predilection for the American cause did not save him from being molested by the "rebel privateers,"

and he was obliged in the Spring of 1777 to remove his family from their exposed situation at the mouth of the river to the vicinity of Gagetown. It is a little remarkable that Elijah Estabrooks and his immediate neighbors on the St. John should have come from Cornwallis and other parts of Nova Scotia, although they were in the first instance natives of New England. They seem to have had no legitimate t.i.tle to the lands on which they settled themselves, while awaiting the issue of the struggle between Great Britain and the colonies in rebellion. The arrival of the Loyalists in 1783 rendered their situation exceedingly precarious. However, they were befriended by Governor Parr, who directed that such lots as were occupied by old inhabitants of the country (although the occupants might not have any legal claim) should not be appropriated by the Loyalists until they had paid for the improvements made by those in possession. This policy was continued, after the formation of the Province of New Brunswick, by Governor Carleton and his council. A valuation of the improvements made at Upper Gagetown by Robert Lasky, Robert Lasky, jr., Elijah Estabrooks, sr., Elias Clark, Arculus Hammond, John Richardson, Samuel Hersey, Francis Grant, Moses Clark, Samuel Kemble and Benjamin b.o.o.ber was made by Thomas Hart, Samuel Upton and John Hart. As the valuators were old settlers and neighbors, the interests of their friends were not likely to suffer at their hands. They placed the value of the buildings and improvements of the eleven individuals named above at 603.12s.6d. which was more than the Loyalists who had drawn the locations were disposed to pay; consequently the old settlers remained in possession. The valuation put upon the house of Elijah Estabrooks, sr., was 10; that of his "improvements" 46.

Elijah Estabrooks, jr., was led by the visit of Rev. Henry Alline, in 1779, to connect himself with the church formed on "New-light"

principles at Waterborough, and a few years later he commenced preaching. In May, 1780, he was baptized by Rev. Joseph Crandall, and his example being followed by several others a small Baptist church was const.i.tuted in Waterborough of which Mr. Estabrooks was the pastor. Several of the incidents of his ministry are related in Rev.

Dr. Bill's History of the Baptists. During the years he labored in Waterborough and the adjoining settlements he supported himself and his family by his own industry. He was held in universal esteem by persons of all denominations and all descriptions. Today his descendants and those of his brothers are very numerous on the St.

John river.

DARLING.

There were twenty-three proprietors of a township, which was originally called "Amesbury" in honor of James Amesbury, a Halifax merchant, one of the grantees. Among the few inhabitants of the township, prior to the arrival of the Loyalists, mention may be made of Benjamin Darling, the first English speaking settler on the banks of the Kennebecasis. Mr. Darling was born at Marblehead, Ma.s.sachusetts, in 1730, and came to the St. John river a few years before the war of the American Revolution. He used to trade with the Indians and became very friendly with the chief of a small village at Nauwigewauk. Here in early times the Indians used to raise corn and tobacco. They were inclined to resent the intrusion of the whites into their domain but Benjamin Darling, after prolonged negotiation, obtained from the local chief possession of the island, the consideration offered and accepted being two bushels of corn, one barrel of flour, a grindstone, some powder and shot and sundry knives, hatchets and other implements. Darling built himself a comfortable log dwelling, the upper part of which served as a store-room for goods for the Indian trade. After his wife's death his daughter Hannah became the housekeeper with a young girl friend as companion. The Indians, though otherwise friendly enough, objected to all attempts to clear and till the land and would not even allow the young ladies to beautify their premises by the cultivation of flowers. On one occasion Benjamin Darling went in company with the Indian chief to visit a beaver dam not far away. During their absence an Indian entered the house with the avowed intention of taking one of the girls for his "squaw." There being no man about the premises the prospect was certainly alarming, but woman's wit proved equal to the emergency. As the intruder advanced to lay hands upon her Hannah Darling offered to go with him of her own free will, but immediately after leaving the house cleverly eluded the Indian, slipped in again at the door and fastened it. The despicable savage advanced to the window with diabolical threats, whetted his knife before their eyes and finally seized a club to make forcible entry only to find himself confronted at the doorway by the plucky girl with a loaded musket in her hands. Her spirit was now thoroughly aroused; she ordered him off the premises forthwith, and the Indian after glancing at her determined face slunk away. The old chief was greatly incensed at this occurrence, and a day or two later the culprit was brought before the young woman with his hands tied, the chief demanding "shall we kill him?" To which she answered, "Oh, no! let him go." He was thereupon chased out of the neighborhood and forbidden to return under penalty of death. Hannah Darling, the heroine of this spirited adventure, afterwards married Christopher Watson, and is said to have attained the wonderful age of 108 years.

GAGE.

Among the large land grants on the River St. John, pa.s.sed in the year 1765, was one of 20,000 acres to General Thomas Gage and nineteen other individuals, most of them residents of New York. The tract included the lower part of the parish of Hampstead and the upper part of Greenwich, extending in front along the river from about the foot of Long Island to Jones' Creek, a little below Oak Point. Many of the original grantees were related by blood or marriage and the a.s.sociation was in its way a "family compact." General Gage served in the seven years war in America and was commander-in-chief of the British forces at the Battle of Bunker Hill. His wife was a daughter of Peter Kemble, president of the Council of New Jersey; Stephen Kemble and Samuel Kemble, who were proprietors of the township, also were her brothers.[130] Henry Gage, son of General Gage, although only a child of five years, was one of the proprietors.[131] Other proprietors were William, Samuel and Robert Bayard; they were related to the Kembles. The Bayards were leading Loyalists and among their descendants we have still with us Dr. William Bayard, the nestor of the practising physicians of the maritime provinces. Archibald McCall, a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia, was another proprietor; his wife, Edith Kemble, was a sister of Stephen and Samuel Kemble. Another notable proprietor was John Watts, a member of the Executive Council of New York, a gentleman of wealth and reputation; his daughter married Sir John Johnson, who was also one of the a.s.sociates in the grants.

[130] See Jonas Howe's interesting account of "Kemble Manor" in the New Brunswick Magazine of September, 1898.

[131] Henry Gage served as lieutenant in the Seventh regiment during the Revolutionary war, and on the death of his uncle, Viscount Gage, inherited the family t.i.tles and estate in Suss.e.x, England.

KEMBLE.

On the 27th of May, 1767, fifteen of the original grantees, including General Thomas Gage, transferred their rights to Stephen Kemble[132]

for a very small consideration--ten pounds current money of the Province of New York--and the grant was thenceforth known as the Kemble Manor.

[132] Stephen Kemble was born in 1740 at New Brunswick in New Jersey; was ensign in the 44th regiment under Lord Howe at Ticonderoga in 1757. In 1765 he became captain in the 60th or Royal American regiment, major in 1775 and Lieut.-Colonel in 1778.

He was for a while Deputy Adjutant General of the forces in America, a position filled a little later by Major John Andre.

Col. Kemble retired from active service in 1805. He eventually returned to his native town of New Brunswick in New Jersey and died in the house where he was born, Dec. 20, 1822, in the 82nd year of his age.

In the year 1774 Col. Kemble appointed Joseph Frederick Wallet Des-Barres to act for him in the settlement of the manor, with power to subst.i.tute and appoint one or more agents. Des-Barres immediately named James Simonds as his deputy; the duties of the latter are specified in the records of the old county of Sunbury under the following heading:

"Instructions for carrying into execution the letter of Attorney of Stephen Kemble, Esq., to Joseph Frederick Wallet Des-Barres, Esq., to be observed by James Simonds, Esq., his subst.i.tute for this purpose specially appointed."

Under the instructions the manor was to be divided into one hundred lots of 200 acres each, to be laid out in such a way as to allow communication with the river to as many settlers as possible. Half the lots were offered at 5 sterling each to purchasers or to tenants at a renewable lease of ten shillings per annum, but it was not until about the year 1782 that any effectual measures were taken for the settlement of the grant, the explanation probably being that Mr.

Simonds and his partners were too much engaged in securing their own lands from forfeiture to pay much attention to those of Col. Kemble.

However on the arrival of the Loyalists a number of lots were speedily disposed of and by the efforts of Ward Chipman, who succeeded James Simonds as agent, the greater part of the lands were saved from escheat. Col. Kemble visited the River St. John in 1788. His correspondence with Ward Chipman relative to the improvement of the Manor is of interest. The last of the lots on the river was sold in 1811, and in 1820 the rear of the property, comprising about one half of the whole, was sold to Nehemiah Merritt, of St. John, for 1000.

STERLING.

Another considerable grant in the year 1765 was that made to Captain Walter Sterling of the Royal Navy, and nine others[133], 10,000 acres at the foot of Kingston peninsula, now known as "Lands End." This tract was forfeited for non-fulfilment of the conditions of the grant.

Capt. Walter Sterling visited the River St. John in August, 1775, and some business transactions with him are to be found in the old account books of Hazen, Simonds and White.

[133] The names of the a.s.sociates in this grant were Dorothy Sterling, Walter Sterling, jr., Christopher Sterling, Ann Sterling, William Sterling, Andrew Sterling, John Ewer, Walter Ewer and John Francis.

GLASIER.

Another large grant of this period was known as "Glasier's Manor"

(subsequently as "Coffin's Manor"), extending from Brundage's Point in the parish of Westfield up the river to a point two or three miles above the Nerepis. Colonel Glasier is believed to have made his headquarters during his sojourn on the River St. John at or near the site of Fort Boishebert at Woodman's Point. The Nerepis stream was at one time known as "Beaubear's river;" for example, in a description of the River St. John, written a little before the arrival of the Loyalists, we have the following: "At the entrance of a small river called Baubier's River or narrow Piece [Nerepis] the land a considerable distance back is good upland but no Interval. The land up Baubier's River for three miles, which was included in Glasier's original Grant, is good, both Interval and upland. On Baubier's River mills may be erected and there is some good timber. On Baubier's Point the salmon fishery is said to be the best on St. John's River."

Shortly after the arrival of the Loyalists Glasier's Manor pa.s.sed into the possession of General Coffin, and was by him named Alwyngton Manor. Before this transaction was consummated, however, Glasier's Manor had nearly shared the fate of other grants. Elias Hardy, a clever lawyer employed by the government to investigate the state of the old townships with a view to the forfeiture of lands vacant and unimproved, claimed that the manor was escheatable in part as not having been fully settled. It was shown, however, that Nathaniel Gallop and others had made improvements, built dwellings, barns and out-houses, but the Indians had burned the houses and destroyed the crops and finally driven the settlers away. Owing to the distracted state of the country at the time of the Revolution, no settlement was practicable near the mouth of the river. Governor Parr used his influence in Col. Glasier's behalf, a.s.suring him that every effort would be made to preserve his lands in view of his efforts to promote the settlement of the country. General Coffin succeeded, after he had purchased the manor, in getting some valuable settlers to take up lands at the Nerepis, among them Capt. Henry Nase, a brother officer in the late King's American regiment, whose descendants still live at Westfield. In the course of the first year's residence General Coffin expended more than 1,200 sterling in improving his property. He built on the Nerepis stream an excellent mill and displayed much enterprise in other ways.