Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
August 21, 2025
“Well Hidden”
“These
were their settlements. And they kept good family records.”[i]
Don’t
forget to look for the title which is embedded in the chronicle.
FAMILY ALBUM
I apologize for focusing on one
family this summer, but that is what I am working on. This is yet another photo
of the farm of Charles and Phoebe Holmes, continued on by Floyd and Minnie
Holmes and in my lifetime, owned jointly by Floyd and Cecil. Little house on
the left, farmhouse on the right, shed and pig pen in the background. The
farmhouse, when Mum was a child, had a nice porch on the front. When I looked
at this little photo, about 2 x 3 inches, I thought there was a headless child
running in front of the little house. It’s a plant. And, looks like Charlie’s
rhubarb patch at the base, as well as a vine.
Back row: Bryce, Margaret (Mum),
Bobby Minella
Front row: Sis and Jim. Not sure
what is between Marg and Bobby – a dog would be logical
Charles in the background.
AND I QUOTE (replies from the last newsletter)
From Karl. As someone who studied
and taught Canadian history, I applaud your synopsis of the Loyalist
experience.
Thanks, Karl. That means a lot to me. I
was rather nervous about it.
1924
to 1928
Those are the
years that our Holmes ancestors spent renewing relationships that had somehow
fallen by the wayside but with organization, letter writing, and challenging
travel – by hook or by crook – they managed to come together again. They
reacquainted and rediscovered their family ties. And then, one by one, they
died, and many of those ties died with them.
2024 to 2028
My mind is on fires. Currently (August
9th) there are fires in all four Atlantic provinces – Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. Smoke has drifted towards
us all summer from the west; now it mingles with smoke from the east and up the
road. We have not had a significant amount of rainfall for two months. I know
some of you live in drought conditions much of the time. This is not totally
new for us, but I believe it is the worst here in my lifetime. (I stand
corrected, the worst in 40 years. Government source on Facebook.) Our woodlands
are closed to all but emergency personnel, with a high fine. And, people are
complaining about their rights to be in the woods. I wondered if that amount of
money was high, but Bill reminded me that it would not go far in combatting a
forest fire.
Unplanned fires have been with us for
ever. And yes, they affect our research. Fire burned my great-grandparents
Holmes home in 1893. Everything gone. Fire burned the 1890 U S census. During
the revolution, soldiers on both sides burned villages, including places where
our ancestors lived, like Bedford, New York. Gone were many records. Women’s
long colonial dresses caught fire as they cooked by the hearth. Fires burned
churches, businesses, and even entire cities in many places, including New
Brunswick.
So, how do genealogists work around
these and other losses? Sometimes, we don’t. Sometimes there are church records
and other smaller salvaged resources to be found. Sometimes, we are left with
brick walls. For non-genealogists, brick walls are individuals we cannot find.
Most genealogy charts are for four or five generations, then we need to start
new pieces of paper. My first brick wall comes in my fifth generation, and I
know her first name. Elizabeth – maiden name unknown (MNU); Elizabeth MNU
McMonagle Fowler. Women are more apt to be brick walls, as they were often
called by their husband’s name: Mrs. Edwin McMonagle, first husband; Mrs.
George Fowler, second husband. Was she a Blakeney? My friend Sandi supposes she
might be. I don’t see much Blakeney DNA. I do see a lot of Corey DNA. The thing
is, Mr. Edwin McMonagle stops there – his parents are unknown. One of them
could be a Corey. All other direct ancestors in the sixth generation are
accounted for – so I am fairly confident that Elizabeth or one of Edwin’s
parents is a Corey. When did they die? I only have an approximate idea, for his
wife remarried, and her second husband remarried. I assume it was after the
deaths of their spouses. I don’t know that their records burned, but they sure were
well hidden. Could they have burned in 1893?
No one, even professional genealogists,
is immune from brick walls. Fire or flood could be one reason. Illegitimacy
could be another – people often hid that fact. People often toss old records –
I pulled some of Mum’s vital records out of the trash – not sure what I missed.
I guess she had forgotten that I wanted papers.
Hence, my article. So thankful to Karl
for giving me “Riverbank Visitors.” Mum remembered seeing it at the farm. From
that guest book grew my interest in my Portage Vale, Kings County, families –
Ketchums, Hoyts, Sniders and others. More than history – family history, a
story, and a chapter in the Colossal Collection of Cousins.
Peg, cremation of the farmhouse, 2017.
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
A couple of
chronicles ago, I posted photos of my walk in Portage Vale. This walk was on
the Land Grant for my Loyalist ancestors, Captain Isaac Ketchum and James Hoyt
III, in what is now known as Portage Vale, dated 1815 – to the best of my
ability and as true to the original as I can figure it, including spelling and
punctuation errors. It applies to the descendants of Daniel and Charlotte
(Hoyt) Holmes. It will appear in a future issue of “Generations.” The copy I
have is very tiny. It took me a long time. It contains a couple of smudges that
made it hard to read. The first page would be unique to the grantees, in the
mention of people and parcels of land; shortly after the start of the second
page wouldn’t change much on other grants.
This is part two, continuing on from the last
chronicle. I am still puzzling out the grant map.
The Grant
The first map is a cadastral map, made some time after
the second one. I accessed the map at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick
website.[ii] The
second one was made at the time of the survey of the land grant, c. 1815. Lot
number 30, which remained vacant at the time of the land grant, was granted to
Peter Ketchum in 1837, so the cadastral map was made on or after that date.
The third map is the old grant map overlaid with
current government data. On that, if you look closely, you can see the seven
grantees lots. I also added the property that Captain Isaac built his house on.
The orange arrow shows the F W Davidson house, which may interest my cousins,
Karl, Michael, Douglas, and Brenda. The green arrow shows the cemetery where
some of our collateral people are buried. The purple arrow shows the property
of the house that Isaac built. You will need to ask for an email in order to
see these maps.
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=14033cda76c64f558e64a18ee3d388fb
New Brunswick, George the Third by the
Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, King,
Defender of the Faith, etc. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting.
Know Ye that We, of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, have
given and granted, and We do by these presents, for Us, our heirs and
Successors, give and grant unto William Johnston Stockton, Jacob Snider, George
Snider, Elias Snider, Isaac Ketchum, Peter Ketchum, Samuel Ketchum, James Hoyt,
John Davidson and William Tidd, In Severalty, that is: unto each of them, and
unto each and every of their several and respective Heirs and Assigns, in and
by the several divisions, quantities, lots, pieces and parcels herein after
mentioned Seven Lots or plantations of Land, containing in the whole
three thousand two hundred and eighty acres, more or less, with the usual
allowance of ten per cent for Roads and Waste, that is to say, unto the said
William Johnston Stockton, lot number twenty six, in the first division,
containing three hundred and twenty five acres; unto the said Jacob Snider, lot
number twenty seven, in the first division, containing three hundred and fifty
five acres; unto the said George Snider, lot number twenty eight in the first
division, containing three hundred and fifty acres; unto the said Elias Snider,
lot number twenty nine in the first division, containing five hundred acres;
unto the said Isaac Ketchum, Peter Ketchum, Samuel Ketchum and James Hoyt, Lot
number thirty one, in the first division, containing one thousand acres; unto
the said John Davidson, lot number one, in the Second division, containing
three hundred and seventy five acres; and unto the said William Tidd, lot
number two, in the Second division, containing three hundred and seventy five
acres; The
said seven lots being comprehended within two divisions of Land situate, lying
and being on the upper part of Salmon
River, and on the adjacent part of Annagance Brook or Stream, within the Parish
of Sussex in Kings County, and are abutted and bounded as follows, to wit; The
First Division beginning at a marked Iron Wood Tree; on the Southerly Bank of
the said River, on the upper bounds of the ungranted Lot number twenty five,
about half a Mile above Carlisle’s Tavern; thence or from the said Tree running
South by the Magnetic Needle, fifty six chains of four poles each along a part
of the said upper line of the said lot; thence East seventy nine chains, or to
meet the lower line of lot number thirty one in this division; thence South thirty
forty five Degrees East eighty chains along the South-west line of the said lot
number thirty one; thence along the South-east line of the said lot, North
forty five degrees East, one hundred and forty chains, crossing the said Salmon
River in that extent; thence North forty five degrees West one hundred and
forty eight chains, or until it meets the South-easterly side of the Public
Road which leads to Pollet River, as now marked out; thence along the said side
of the said Road South-westerly until it meets a line running North from the
Iron Wood Tree at the bounds first described; thence along the said line South
sixty chains, or to the said Tree at the first bounds aforesaid; the above
described first Division being divided into six lots or plantations, numbered
from number twenty six to number thirty one both inclusive, which are all
included in this Grant, except the small Lot number thirty, which remains
ungranted and vacant; their respective numbers, contents, marks, bounds and
division lines being expressed on the annexed Plan ~
The Second Division
begins at a large Spruce Tree marked in the North-westerly edge or side of the
public Road (as now marked out,) which leads to Blakeney’s House or Tavern on
Petcudiac River, the said Tree standing a few rods from where the said Road seperates
from the Pollet River Road aforesaid; thence or from the said Spruce Tree
running North twenty five degrees West, one hundred and forty chains, crossing
Annagance Stream aforesaid in that extent, thence North twenty one Degrees
East, eighty one chains and fifty links, or to the lower or North-easterly line
of the lot number two in this Second Division; thence along the said line of
number two South twenty five degrees East, one hundred and forty one chains and
fifty links, or to a marked Spruce Tree on the North-westerly edge or side of
the Road to Petcudiac aforesaid, crossing the said Stream in that extent,
thence along the said edge of the said Road South westerly to the Large Spruce
Tree at the first described bounds of this Second Division; which is divided
into two lots or plantations numbered one and two, being both included in this
Grant, each of which lots contains three hundred and seventy five acres more or
less with the aforesaid allowance; and measures in breadth one hundred and
twenty rods at right angles to its sides; the division line running North
twenty five degrees West from the Petcudiac River Road aforesaid; the whole
being wilderness Land, and also particularly described and marked out on the
Plot or Plan of Survey hereunto annexed,
(here starts
a new page) together with all profits, commodities, hereditaments and
appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging, or in any wise appertaining;
except and reserved, nevertheless, out of this present Grant, to Us, our heirs
and successors, all Coals, and also all Gold and Silver and other mines and
minerals: TO HAVE AND TO HOLD, the said Seven
several Lots, pieces and parcels of Land, and all and singular the premises
hereby granted, with their and every of their appurtenances, (except before
excepted,) unto the said several Grantees above-named severally and
respectively, and unto their several and respective heirs and assigns in
severalty, that is to say, in, by, and according to the several divisions,
quantities, lots, pieces and parcels above described and granted; they the said
several Grantees, their several and respective heirs and assigns, YIELDING AND PAYING, therefore yearly and every year
forever unto Us, our heirs and successors, at the Office of our Receiver
General of our Quit Rents, in New-Brunswick, or to such other person as shall
be appointed to receive the same, the yearly rent or sum of two shillings
sterling, for every hundred acres of the said several lots, pieces and parcels
of Land to them severally and respectively hereby granted and so in proportion,
according to the number of acres, to commence on the mid-summer day after the
expiration of two years from the date of this Grant, and to be paid yearly and
every year, on every mid-summer day forever; and in default of the said
payment, or if it shall happen the aforesaid yearly rent at any time to be
behind or unpaid in part or in all, by the space of thirty days next over or
after any of the said mid-summer days or times whereon the same ought to be
paid as aforesaid, that then and from thenceforth this Grant, for and so far as
it respects all and every such lot and lots, pieces or parcels of Land hereby
granted, of which the said rent shall so be behind and unpaid, shall
immediately cease and determine, and be void and of none effect, and such lot
and lots, pieces or parcels of Land and premises last aforesaid shall revert to
and revest in US, our heirs and successors. PROVIDED
ALSO, and this present Grant is upon condition, that the same Grant be
registered in the Secretary’s office of our said Province, to which registry
shall be attached a duplicate of the plan hereto annexed, and that a docket
thereof, be entered in our Auditor’s Office, and also in the Office of our
Receiver General of Quit Rents, within three months after signing the same,
otherwise the said Grant shall be void and of none effect: PROVIDED
ALSO and upon condition and our will and pleasure is, that for every fifty
acres of their said several and respective lots, pieces and parcels of Land
aforesaid, accounted plantable, the said several Grantees, or their several and
respective heirs and assigns, shall and do within five years from the date of
this Grant, clear and work three acres, at the least, in that part of the said
Land which they shall respectively judge most convenient, or else clear and
drain three acres of swampy or sunken ground, or drain three acres of marsh if
any such be within the bounds thereof, and that for every fifty acres accounted
barren, the said Grantees, their heirs and assigns, severally and respectively,
shall and do put and keep on their said lots of Land, within three years after
the said date of this Grant, three neat cattle, and continue the same number of
neat cattle on the said Land, until three acres of every fifty acres of the
improvable land aforesaid, be fully cleared and improved: and in case there be
no part of their said respective Lands fit for present cultivation, that then
the said several Grantees, their heirs and assigns respectively, shall and do
erect thereupon, within the said term of three years a habitable dwelling house
and also put on their said Land the like number of three neat cattle for every
fifty acres, and if the said Land be so rocky or stony as not to be fit for
culture or pasture, then the said several Grantees their several and respective
heirs and assigns employing within a reasonable time from the date of this
Grant, and continuing to employ for the space of three years thence next
ensuing, one able hand for every hundred acres, in cutting wood, clearing the
land, or in digging any stone quary therein, it shall be deemed a sufficient
cultivation. And
it is our will and pleasure, and we do by these presents, grant, and declare,
that when the said several Grantees, their several and respective heirs and
assigns, or any of them shall have settled, planted, cultivated, or improved
their said several lots, pieces and parcels of Land, or any part thereof,
according to the directions and conditions above-mentioned, such person or
persons may make proof of such seating, planting, cultivation and improvement,
in the General Court, or Court of General Sessions of the Peace in and of the
County or district where the said Lands lie, and such proof shall be certified
by the Judges and Foreman of the Grand Jury of such Court to the Register’s
Office, and be there entered with the Record of this Grant or Patent, a copy of
which shall be admitted on any trial, to prove the seating and planting of the
same Land, and every three acres which shall be so certified to be cleared and
worked as aforesaid, shall be accounted a sufficient seating, planting,
cultivation and improvement, to save from forfeiture fifty acres of Land in any
part of the said lots, pieces and parcels of Land respectively contained within
this same Grant or Patent. And it is our further will and pleasure, and we do
hereby expressly ordain and declare, that in case the said several Grantees,
and their several heirs and assigns, shall not or do not, within the said space
of five years from this date hereof, fulfil and have fulfilled the several
terms and conditions herein before prescribed, then this present Grant for, and
so far as it respects the lot or lots, pieces or parcels, of Land respectively
of such deficient Grantee or Grantees his or their heirs and assigns
respectively, shall be void and of none effect, and the same lots, pieces and
parcels of Land hereby intended to be granted, shall revert to Us, our heirs
and successors. PROVIDED ALSO, and this grant is
upon the condition that no part of the said several lots, pieces or parcels of
Land hereby granted to the said several Grantees above-named, and their heirs
respectively, be within any reservation heretofore made and marked for Us, our
heirs and successors by the Surveyor General of Woods, or his lawful Deputy, in
which case this our Grant for such part of the Land hereby given and granted to
the said several afore-named Grantees, and their several and respective heirs forever
as aforesaid, which shall upon a Survey thereof being made, be found within any
such reservation shall be null and void, and of none effect, any thing herein
contained to the contrary notwithstanding. PROVIDED ALSO, and it is our further
will and pleasure, that if any part of the said lots, pieces and parcels of
Land aforesaid, be fit for the production of Hemp and Flax, then the said
several Grantees, their heirs and assigns respectively, shall be obliged
annually to sow a proportionable part of such ground with Hemp or Flax Seed.
GIVEN
under the Great Seal of our Province of New-Brunswick. WITNESS, our dearly and
well beloved George Stracey Smythe Esquire President and Commissioner in Chief
of our said Province at Fredericton the thirtieth day of January, in the Year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen and in the fifty fifth Year
of our Reign.
By
Command of the President in Council, Jonth
Odell
No. 736
Registered the 3d Day of
February 1815.
Jonth
Odell, Regtr [iii]
This ends
week thirty-four of our centennial virtual celebration of 1925 – 2025.
[i] The Message. I Chronicles 4:33
[ii] PANB website. Place Names of New Brunswick. Cadastral Map of
Portage Vale, Kings, New Brunswick. Accessed July 29, 2025. https://archives.gnb.ca/Exhibits/Communities/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&community=3154
[iii]
PANB. “Land Grant to Ketchum, Isaac.” Grant #736, Sussex, Kings Co.,
1815-01-30. Microfilm F16515. Mailed to me by Emily Leadbeater. Emailed to me
by Paula Glendenning.
