按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
rica what his politics were； answered； 〃Is there a government here？〃 He was told that there was。 〃Then；〃 said he； 〃I'm ag'in the government。〃
Isaac Vandegrift came from Halifax to Point de Bute。 His mother was a widow。 He married Miriam Smith； from Sackville； and the ceremony took place at the 〃Brick House；〃 Prospect。 Isaac settled at Hall's Hill； but afterward moved back to Point de Bute。 He was an excellent ploughman； and was one of the drovers north when the Richibucto and Miramichi markets were supplied with beef from the Westmoreland marshes。 He contracted consumption and died comparatively young。 Mrs。 Edward Jones； of Point de Bute； is the only one of his five children now living。
A family named Ireland came to Prospect early in the centry； and Mr。 Trueman took some trouble in assisting Mr。 Ireland to locate。 These entries are found in the journal： 〃May； 1811Robert goes to Amherst for Mr。 Ireland's goods；〃 and； later； Mr。 Trueman 〃goes with Mr。 Ireland and Amos Fowler to Westcock for advice。〃 Mr。 Ireland moved to King's County； where he farmed for a time。 Later he went to Ontario。 The late Hon。 George Ryan； when at Ottawa； met some members of the Ireland family and renewed old acquaintanceship after a separation of forty years。
COLPITTS。
Extracts from the historical paper read at the re…union of the Colpitts family in Coverdale； Albert County； Sept。 6th； 1900：
〃In the spring of 1783； immediately after the close of the Revolutionary War； there came to Halifax； from Newcastle…on…Tyne； England； a tall； stalwart Englishman with his wife and family of seven children。 The name of the man was Robert Colpitts； as far as we know the only one of the name to come out from the Mother Country； and the progenitor of all on this side of the Atlantic who bear the name。 What his occupation or position in society was before his emigration we can only conjecture。 Strange to say； there does not exist a scrap of writing which throws any light on these questions； and tradition is almost equally at fault。 Later in life Robert Colpitts was a captain of militia； and it is thought he had some connection with the army before his emigration。 Whatever his occupation was he must have been possessed of some means； as among the articles brought from England were things which would be counted as luxuries rather than necessities for a new settler among the wilds of New Brunswick。 For instance； among these articles were three large clocks。
〃Tradition says that this was not his first visit to Canada。 Before the outbreak of the American Revolution he had been over； it is believed； in connection with a survey of the Bay of Fundy。 At this time he had made a small clearing on what is now the Charles Trites' farm； in Coverdale； and put up a small cabin on the place。 He then returned to Newcastle…on…Tyne； and closed up his business with the expectation of returning with his family。 In the meantime the war between England and her American colonies had broken out； and he could not reach Nova Scotia until the trouble was settled； which was not for seven years。 For a part of this time the family had charge of a toll bridge near Newcastle。 The following incident is declared to have actually occurred while they were keeping the toll bridge。 A large man； riding a very small donkey； one day came up to the bridge and asked the amount of the toll。 The charge was more than he felt inclined to pay； so he asked what would it be for a man with a load。 Finding that it was considerably less he at once laid down the smaller sum； picked up the donkey in his arms； and walked over the bridge。 From Halifax Mr。 Colpitts and the two oldest boys made their way overland； walking the most of the way from there to Moncton； while the others came in a vessel soon afterwards。 When they reached Coverdale the land he had improved had been pre…empted； and Mr。 Colpitts had to push on。 He settled at Little River； five miles from its mouth。〃
The writer； after giving a fuller account of the family； says： 〃It is； we freely confess； the history of a race of humble farmers； and such； for the most part； have been their descendants； no one of the name has yet occupied a prominent place in the public life of our country。 But the name has always been an honorable one； and those who have borne it have been； with few exceptions； honest； God…fearing； God…honoring men and women。〃
Mr。 James Colpitts； of Point de Bute； is a great…grandson of Mr。 Robert Colpitts。
MONRO。
Alexander Monro was born in Banff； Scotland。 His father； John Monro； and family came from Aberdeen to Miramichi； New Brunswick； in 1815。 He remained in Miramichi three years and then moved to Bay Verte。 The next move was to Mount Whatley； and； after a few years stay there； Mr。 Monro purchased a wilderness lot on Bay Verte Road； to which they removed； and after years of strenuous labor made for themselves a comfortable home。
It was from Mr。 Robert King； school masterreferred to in another part of this bookthat the son； Alexander Monro； received the inspiration and training that started him on the road to success in life。 His biographer says： 〃When he was twenty…one years of age a Mr。 Robert King came into the district to take charge of the school； and under his care young Monro studied in the winter evenings geometry； algebra and land surveying。 Mr。 King possessed a surveying compass； and gave him practical instruction in land surveying； leading him to decide to follow that business。
Mr。 Monro obtained a recommendation from Dr。 Smith； of Fort Cumberland； and others； and in the year 1837 went to Fredericton to obtain an appointment from the Hon。 Thomas Baillie； then Surveyor…General of the Province。 Mr。 Baillie complimented him on his attainments； but refused to appoint him to the office。 When Mr。 Monro got back to St。 John he had but two shillings in his pocket； and with this meagre sum he started on foot for home。 Before he had gone far he found a job of masonry work and earned fifteen shillings。 With this money he returned to St。 John； and purchased Gibson's 〃Land Surveying〃 and some cakes for lunch； and set out again for Westmoreland。 On the way he worked a day at digging potatoes； for which he received two shillings； and later on built a chimney and was paid two pounds。
The next year Mr。 Monro received the appointment of Deputy Crown Land Surveyor。 In 1848 he was made a Justice of the Peace； and was the surveyor to run the boundary line between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick。 He was the author of a number of works； one on Land Surveying； also one on the 〃History； Geography and Productions of New Brunswick； Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island。〃 For a number of years he edited an educational monthly magazine called the PARISH SCHOOL ADVOCATE。 His biographer adds： 〃Such is the life and labors of one of our foremost and most useful citizens； and if there is a moral to be read from it； it is this； that to make a man of cultured tastes； a student； a scholar and a publicist of acknowledged rank and value in the country； universities with their libraries and endowments are not absolutely necessary； social position； influential connection and wealth are not necessary。 Without such adventitious aids； what is wanted is