James Brown was born on September 6, 1790, at Glamis near Dundee, Scotland, the son of James Brown and Janet Douglas. He arrived in New Brunswick in 1810, as a sailor on the brig "Hector of Dundee". He abandoned the ship in St. Andrews and worked as a laborer on the farms and in the woods for several years until he was able to buy land at Tower Hill, St. David Parish, Charlotte County. His "rocky farm" remained his home and a major interest for the rest of his life. He also taught school for a number of years.

In 1817, he married Sarah Sherman. They had ten children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived. Sarah died in 1839, and three years later Brown married Catherine (Cameron) Gillespie, a young widow with an infant son. They had eight children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived.

ohn Brown was a practical man with strong beliefs in the dignity of the common man, and the virtues of honesty, hard work and self improvement. He had received a basic education in the common schools of Scotland and in his words "a tolerable training in the habits of industry". He was brought up as a Presbyterian but as an adult joined the Universalist Church as did his daughter Catherine (Brown) McKenzie. He helped organize the First Universalist Society, St. David, in February 1840. He was also a strong supporter of the temperance movement. However, in spite of his dislike of "trappings" and his long hours of work, he very much enjoyed his family, his political encounters, gatherings of friends, good food, music and poetry, especially that of Robert Burns, whom family say was his first cousin. His contemporaries commented on Brown's qualities of tolerance and wit and these are evident in his writing.

Brown's public career covered more than 30 years. His occupations were roads, and later railroads, the development of the educational system, easier acquisition of land by immigrants and the poor, increased participation in government. He first contested a Charlotte County seat in the general election of 1827. He was unsuccessful, but ran again in the election of 1830, and this time won his seat. He was re-elected in 1834, 1837, 1842, and 1846. Major appointments of this period were Supervisor of the Great Road from St. Andrews to Fredericton, 1838-1842, and as a government member of a commission to survey and report on New Brunswick agricultural practices, 1849. All these assignments required travel throughout the province.

In 1850, Brown was defeated in the general election but was appointed to the Legislative Council. In 1854, he resigned from the Council to contest his old seat. This time he won and was appointed Surveyor General and later to the Board of Works. In 1856, he resigned with the Fisher Cabinet, and did not contest the ensuring election, probably because of health and financial difficulties. However in 1857, he was again elected and returned to his posts of Surveyor General and member of the Board of Works. As Surveyor General, he was able to implement the system of purchasing land grants by labor on the roads. He saw this as a help to poorer settlers as well as an incentive to immigrants. During the 1850s, he was also involved in the restructuring of the University of New Brunswick, and drafted the Parish School Act of 1859. A scandal in the Crown Land Office erupted in the spring of 1861. A Legislative committee enquiring into the matter, found dubious practices on the part of some employees and some members of the legislature, but Brown's honesty was not seriously questioned.

Brown was defeated in the election of 1861, and was almost immediately appointed as a special Immigration Agent to lecture in Great Britain on opportunities for Immigrants in New Brunswick. He toured England, Scotland and Ireland in 1861 and 1862 with his son, John C. Brown, promoting New Brunswick as a home for immigrants. He was also one of the commissioners of the New Brunswick Exhibition in the International Exhibition in London in 1862.

Following this trip, Brown retired to his farm at Tower Hill. At the request of his neighbors, he contested the election of July 1864, and also the election in February 1865, as an opponent of Confederation but was unsuccessful in both attempts. He died on 18 April 1870.

SOURCES: Michael Swift; "James Brown", Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. IX, page 86; Lillian M.B. Maxwell; "James Brown", Maritime Advocate in Busy East, November 1950, page 9-13

David Pickett, Sr. (1743-1826) was a Loyalist, originally from Stamford, Connecticut. In 1769 he married Sarah Lewis Gould (1739-1832) and had 7 children: David, Jr., Gould, John Lewis, Peter, Hannah, Abraham, Munson, and Sarah. In 1783, with his wife, their children and his brother, James, and his family, Pickett sailed to New Brunswick aboard the "Union". The family settled in Kingston Parish, Kings County.

Within a year, David Pickett was elected one of the first church wardens of Trinity Church, and, in 1805, he was appointed county treasurer. He also served as justice of the peace and judge of the Court of Common Pleas. A master weaver by trade, David Pickett, Sr. had owned a fulling mill for preparing cloth in Connecticut. He established another fulling mill and a sawmill in New Brunswick and, at his death, left an estate valued at £2280, which included land in Kingston, Springfield, and St. Stephen, Charlotte County. The fulling mill was inherited by his son, Gould Pickett, and grandson, Seymour Pickett.

David Pickett, Jr. (b. 1776) inherited the sawmill his father had established and also became church warden and county treasurer after his father's death. In 1826 he married Ruth Sherwood Wetmore, and they had at least 2 sons, David Wetmore and Justus (1831- after 1914).

David Wetmore Pickett (1828-1909) was an Anglican clergyman at St. Paul's Church, Oak Point, New Brunswick. He graduated from the University of King's College, Windsor, N.S., and was headmaster of King's Collegiate School from 1854-1862. He married Helen Boyle (d. 1900), the daughter of Joseph Prescott Boyle and Eliza Collins, at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, in 1852. It is unclear how George H. Burpee, master of several St. John River vessels, is related to the Pickett family.

Source: Graves Papers, vol. 8 part 3; Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. II

Richard Hocken came to Chatham, New Brunswick, from Liskeard in Cornwall, England, about 1840. His family had known the Samuel family, merchants in Chatham, before they left England and used this tie to establish two sons, Richard and John, in merchandizing in the province. On 1 July 1846, Richard married Susanna Samuel, daughter of Michael Samuel, a prominent Jewish merchant. Hocken's main business interest was his merchandizing firm which purchased goods in both England and the United States for re-sale throughout Northumberland and Gloucester counties in New Brunswick. He was also treasurer of the Chatham Gas Light Company, was involved in several local clubs, and was a member of the Masonic Order. Richard Hocken died at Chatham on 9 April 1896, aged 76 years.

Charlotte County Grammar School was situated in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. It was probably similar to others in the province. Schools in New Brunswick were initially established through private interests or by the church rather than government grants. The educational ideals of grammar schools were modelled on the English system of classification, but as more of the working class filtered into the system, the government realized their importance. They began setting aside funding for grammar schools, regulating schools and placing the minimum requirement for teaching.

"The Grammar School Times" was established in 1893, but only lasted a year. In 1895, Hubert Stinson and Robert Clarke, students at the school, edited a handwritten school paper. In 1935, the newspaper was re-established under the name "Grammar School Review" to "provide a permanent record of [student] activities and to develop literary talent". The "Review" was published every Monday by the the Student Council. In 1935, the editor-in-chief was J. V. Gibson (class of 1936); the advertising manager, H. Bartlett (class of 1938); and business manager, V. Stinson (class of 1936). It was printed by Beacon Press.

Entries written in two different hands and the references to siblings suggest that this diary was composed by two daughters of Catherine and William Grant of Old Ridge, Charlotte County, New Brunswick. William Grant (1759-1831) was probably born at Strathspey, Scotland. He served as a sergeant in Her Majesty's 71st Highland Regiment, settling at Old Ridge, in the parish of St. Stephen before 1788, possibly as a Loyalist refugee. William and Catherine Grant had no fewer than 11 children: Alex (b. 1788), William (b. 1789), James (b. 1791), Jannet (b. 1793), John (b. 1795), Catherine (b. 1798), Marjory (b. 1800), Charles Douglas (b. 1803), Isabella (b. 1807), Archibald (b. 1811), Absalom, and one of the diarists. Some members of his family may have moved to the parish of Canterbury, York County prior to 1860.

Charles [William] Darcus was born in Dublin, Ireland on 22 February 1893. He was one of six brothers, four of whom emigrated to Canada, and all served during the First World War. When he enlisted in the 26th Battalion at Saint John on 28 Novemb~r 1914, he stated that he was
single, had no previous military experience and that his Next of Kin was his mother, Mrs. Solomon Darcus, of Dublin, Ireland. He was five feet eleven inche~ high, with a medium complexion and grey eyes. At the time of enlistment, he was 21 years and 10 months old. While not stated on his Attestation Paper, it appears that he was a resident of Fem Hill, Fredericton, New Brunswick. The 26th :Battalion trained in Saint John over the winter and, on 17 March 1915, he married Anna Naomi I Staveley in Fredericton. His brother, S. J. Darcus, was married to her sister. According to the wedding announcement, they both came from prominent Irish families. Like most soldiers, he assigned $20.00 of his monthly pay to his wife.

The 26th Battalion sailed from Halifax on board SS Caledonia on 15 June 1915 and arrived in England on 24 June. After further training, Charles Darcus embarked for France on 13 September as part of his Battalion's advance party. By October, he was a Lance Corporal in the machine gun section. In late October, he wrote a cheerful letter to his wife in which he described life in the trenches while being fired on by the Germans. Promotion to Corporal came on 18 December. In addition to time in the front lines, he also spent much time in the medical and
reemployment syste ·~• Thi started on 27 February 1916 when he was admitted to No. 10
Stationary Hospital in 'St. "Omer for what was later diagnosed as influenza. He returned to duty two weeks later. On 18 April, he spent a brief time in No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance with an abscess. He was granted eight days leave in May and then, about two weeks later, reverted to the ranks at his own request.

The battalion was in front of the St. Eloi Craters at this time. Darcus had a close call when a German 5 .9 inch shell exploded near where he was. While a friend was wounded, he was unhurt. His luck did not last as he received a shrapnel wound to his left forearm and was admitted to No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne on 12 June 1916. When sufficiently recovered, he was sent to No. 1 Convalescent Depot. Finally, he spent eight days in the Base Depot at Havre before rejoining his unit on 29 June. Two months later, on 22 August, he was admitted to No. 14 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne with enteric dysentery. This was sufficiently serious for him to be sent to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Camp in Felixstowe, England and then to Bermondsey Hospital in Condon. On 26 October, he went to the Canadian Convalescent
Depot on Shomcliffe for four weeks of Physical Training. Following this, he went to the 1st Canadian Casualty Training Battalion in Hastings for more training. On 18 February 1917, he was back at the Canadian Casualty Assembly Camp.

Following another period of hospitalization, Darcus was transferred to the 13th Reserve Battalion in Shoreham. Promotion to Acting Lance Corporal and Acting Corporal with pay followed within a month. The 13th Reserve Battalion (New Brunswick) was based in Bramshott
and reinforced the two New Brunswick battalions in the field-the 26th and the 104th. On 9 October 1917, he reverted to Private as a punishment for going Absent Without Leave (AWOL) but, on 21 November, he was again promoted to Acting Corporal with pay. His final reversion to Private happened on 4 April 1918 in preparation for being posted back to the 26th Battalion. This reduction in rank was normal and reinforcements were sent as privates so as to not upset the rank structure within the receiving unit. He was sent to the 2nd Canadian Infantry Base Depot on 5 April and then the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on 14 July. Both units were in France. Finally, on 14 August 1918, he rejoined the 26th Battalion. His time with the battalion was short. The famous "Canada's 100 Days" had started and the Allies were pushing hard against the Germans. The Battle of the Scarpe had begun on 26 August. The Canadians were advancing forward despite firm opposition. On 28 August, Lance Corporal Darcus "was hit in the stomach by shrapnel and instantly killed". He was initially reported as missing and later as dead. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial.

At some point, his wife and her family moved to Victoria, BC. On 13 November 1918, there was a notice in the Saint John Globe that Anna Darcus had announced her husband's death to her friends. This was in response to a telegram she had received from the Department of Militia and Defence - "Replying your telegram October 31st. Deeply regret to info.rm YOlJ 69227 Acting Lance Corporal C. Darcus previously reported wounded and missing now t~ported killed in Action Aug. 28, 1918. Director of Records". On 17 August 1920, his 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Memorial Plaque, Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to her. A second Memorial Cross was sent to his mother in Ireland. In 1926, Anna Darcus changed her name to Darcus-Hodder by deed poll, Hodder had been her late father's middle name. In 1966, she
donated his medals (1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Allied Victory Medal), Memorial Plaque, Scroll and Memorial Cross to the Fredericton Region Museum. Anna Darcus-Hodder died in Victoria, BC on 27 October 1974. ·

Charles M. Smith was born February 8 1906 in Stoughton, Maine. He grew up in Rollingdam, New Brunswick and went to grade school there, but in 1916 his family moved to Hyde Park, Massachusetts. He would go on to marry Lelia Allen of Calais, Maine. After completing his education he was ordained on February 21 1937 and pastored at a Baptist Church in Cape Neddick, Maine until 1939. From 1939 until 1942 he pastored at a Baptist Church in Brooklin, Maine. Starting in 1942 Charles Smith joined the U.S. Army as a Chaplain, and served as a Padre in Japan through 1945 and 1946. When he was released from active duty in 1946 he had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After 1946 he moved to Rollingdam, New Brunswick, and from 1959 to 1963 he was a Pastor at the Wilson’s Beach Baptist Church on Campobello, New Brunswick. He would later become the Pastor for the Central Baptist Church in Saint John, New Brunswick. During his time in New Brunswick, Charles M. Smith would do research into Charlotte County’s history, and would publish essays and articles in the St. Croix Courier on topics such as early education in New Brunswick, church history, and local history. Charles M. Smith retired as a pastor in 1968 and served as a supply pastor from that year forward. He died on December 23 1984 and is buried in the Rollingdam Baptist Church Cemetery.

Robert Forbes, born in South Devon on 7 Mar 1911, was a broker in Fredericton when he joined the army on 10 July 1940 and went overseas as a lieutenant and adjutant with the North Shore (NB) Regiment. He rose to the rank of major and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his commanding of an assault company on 6 June 1944. After the war he worked with the Fraser Company in Edmundston and retired to Fredericton in 1970. He died on 20 Feb 1999.

Robert’s brother, C. Hedley Forbes, born at Cross Creek on 27 May 1896, served in the First World War with the 8th Field Ambulance and enlisted in the Second World War with the Carleton & York Regiment. For his service in First World War he was awarded the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal. He was first elected Fredericton city alderman in 1931 and later became Mayor. He was also vice president of the Ross Drug Company as well as other working positions. He died on 24 Mar 1979.

The Star Line Steamship Company was one of several firms, which supplied passenger and freight service up and down the St. John River during the late-nineteenth century when steamboats were the main mode of transportation. The Star Line was incorporated in 1893, with capital stock valued at $95, 000. James Manchester was president of the company, and Robert S. Orchard, manager.

There were thirty-six stops on the Star Line route between Saint John and Fredericton. Two of the Line's most well known vessels were the "S.S. Majestic" and the "S.S. Victoria" -- the latter has been called "the largest and most luxurious steamer ever on the river". Built in Saint John in 1897, at a cost of $57,000, it could hold 955 passengers. It was very fast, and could make the round trip between Fredericton and Saint John once a day. The dining room was particularly elaborate -- mirrored and finished in gold and white. The "Victoria" was taken off the river in 1915, and like many other steamers was destroyed by fire in 1916.

William Wyton (16 March 1907 – Apr 1999) emigrated to Canada from England in 1920 and was placed with a family at Taymouth, NB. Here he married and raised a family.

Mr. Wyton was born on 16 March 1907 in Warwickshire, England. He arrived in Canada in May 1920 as a Home Child and took up residence with John and Ethel MacBean in Taymouth. The British Child Emigration Movement occurred between 1869 and the 1930s when over a 100,000 children were sent to Canada from the British Isles. Called Home Boys and Home Girls, they were sent by churches and philanthropic organizations who wanted to give orphaned, abandoned and impoverished children a better life in rural Canada. They arrived on ships and were sent to a ‘Home’ and then to farms where they were used for farm labour and domestic help.

In the 1921 census, the MacBean household in Taymouth included John (84 years) Barbara (82 years), John H. (48 years), Ethel (32 years) and William Wyton (14 years). The MacBeans were descendant of Loyalist Angus MacBean who served with the 42nd Regiment and settled on the Nashwaak. John H. and Ethel did not have any children and Mr. Wyton eventually inherited their farm.

Mr. Wyton married Nellie Moran on 14 May 1930 and they would have five daughters and two sons. Nellie was the daughter of Ernest Moran and Hazel Gallagher. Mr. Moran was a Home Child who arrived in Canada in the 1890’s. William Wyton died on 5 April 1999 in Fredericton, New Brunswick.