the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第22章

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ames；　and　Joseph　D。　Wells；　great…grandsons；　represent　the　name　in　Point　de　Bute　and　Jolicure。　The　late　W。　Woodbury　Wells；　M。P。P。；　and　Mr。　Justice　Wells；　of　Moncton；　also　are　members　of　this　family；　while　Lieut。…Governor　Snowball　is　a　great…　grandson　of　William　Wells。

BLACK。

William　Black　was　born　in　Paisley；　Scotland；　in　1727。　When　a　young　man　he　removed　to　Huddersfield；　England；　and　engaged　in　the　linen　and　woollen　drapery　business。　In　1774　he　prospected　Nova　Scotia　with　a　view　to　settlement；　and　purchased　a　large　block　of　land　near　the　present　town　of　Amherst。　The　next　year　he　brought　his　family；　consisting　of　wife；　four　sons　and　a　daughter；　to　Nova　Scotia；　and　settled　on　his　new　farm。

William　Black　was　twice　married；　and　lived　to　the　great　age　of　ninety…　three　years。　He　spent　the　last　years　of　his　life　in　Dorchester；　where　he　left　a　large　family　by　his　second　wife。　He　was　the　father　of　William　Black；　who　has　been　designated　the　〃Father　of　Methodism〃　in　the　Lower　Provinces。

The　Blacks　have　proved　good　citizens；　and　have　contributed　their　full　share　to　the　development　of　the　country。

PURDY

The　Purdys　were　Loyalists　from　New　York　State。　Three　brothers　came　to　this　countryHenry；　Gabriel；　and　Gilbert。　Jacob；　the　fourth；　remained　in　New　York。

Henry　Purdy　settled　in　Fort　Lawrence；　Gabriel　in　Westchester；　and　Gilbert　in　Malagash。　Mrs。　Martin　Trueman　is　a　grand…daughter　of　Gilbert。　The　Purdys　of　Cumberland　are　all　descendants　of　these　brothers。

The　family　for　the　last　century　has　always　been　able　to　count　an　M。D。　among　its　members；　and　the　civil　service　has　seldom　been　without　a　Purdy　on　its　roll…call。

WOOD。

〃The　earliest　record　of　the　Wood　family　is　the　marriage　of　Thomas　Wood　and　Ann　Hunt；　May；　1654；　at　Rowley；　Mass。　Their　son　John；　born　in　1656；　married；　in　1680；　Isabel；　daughter　of　Edward　Hazen；　presumably　a　forbear　of　the　St。　John　Hazens。　Issue　of　this　union　was　a　large　family；　of　whom；　Josiah；　born　April；　1708；　was　the　twelfth　child。　He　married　Eleanor　；　and　their　son；　Josiah；　born　March；　1740；　was　married　in　1767　to　Ruth　Thompson。　Their　son　Josiah；　born　1776；　after　coming　to　New　Brunswick；　married　Sarah　Ayre；　daughter　of　Mariner　and　Amy　Ayre。　Their　two　children；　Mariner　and　Ann；　were　the　father　and　aunt　of　the　present　Josiah　Wood。

〃Mr。　Wood　has　a　number　of　interesting　documents　of　ancient　date；　among　them　two　grants　of　land　from　the　King　to　Robert　Thompson；　the　great…　great…grandfather　of　Senator　Wood。　The　earliest；　dated　1759　（in　the　reign　of　George　II）；　was　for　750　acres；　one　and　a　half　shares　of　the　original　grant　of　the　township　of　Cornwallis。　The　later　document　attests　that　in　1763　Robert　Thompson　was　granted　500　acres　more；　individually　by　George　III。

〃Mr。　Thompson　does　not　appear　to　have　gone　into　possession；　and　some　forty　years　later　his　widowed　daughter；　ambitious　for　the　welfare　of　her　fatherless　family；　set　out　from　Lebanon；　Conn。；　with　her　son　Josiah　to　find　this　lost　heritage。

〃They　appear　to　have　come　to　Dorchester；　N。B。；　by　a　schooner　commanded　by　one　'Lige　Ayre；　so　called。　Why　they　should　have　gone　first　to　Westmoreland's　shire　town；　instead　of　direct　to　the　Eldorado　of　their　dreams　is　one　of　the　unknowable　things；　but　presumably　the　exigencies　of　travel　in　those　days　had　something　to　do　with　it。　Both　passengers　and　mail　matter　went　by　dead　reckoning；　so　to　speak；　and　could　seldom　get　direct　conveyance　to　their　destination。

〃In　the　yellowed　leaves　of　a　century　old　diary；　penned　by　the　hand　of　Senator　Wood's　grandfather；　and　also　from　letters；　we　find　quaint　comments　and　an　interesting　insight　into　the　lives　of　the　early　settlers。

〃The　journal　was　begun　in　October；　1800；　when　Josiah　Wood　was　twenty…　four　years　old。　He　and　his　mother；　after　visiting　in　Canard；　appear　to　have　made　their　home　for　the　time　being　in　Newport；　N。S。；　where　in　the　cloth　mill　of　Alexander　Lockhart　　Josiah　found　employment。　The　young　man　seems　to　have　had　all　the　business　acumen　and　habits　of　industry　that　distinguish　his　posterity。　When　work　in　the　mill　was　slack　he　taught　school；　beginning　with　four　scholars。　Evening　amusements　consisted　of　husking　parties；　etc。；　where　Mr。　Wood　contributed　to　the　festivities　by　flute　playing　and　songs。　His　idea　of　a　vacation　was　taking　a　load　of　cabbages　to　sell　in　Windsor；　where　his　sole　extravagance　was　buying　a　bandana　handkerchief。

〃Mrs。　Wood　filled　in　her　time；　though　hardly　profitably；　by　having　smallpox。　This　dread　disease　did　not　seem　to　cause　any　dismay　in　those　days。　The　neighbors　came　and　went　with　kindly　ministrations　to　the　sick　woman；　and　the　son　pursued　his　work　in　the　mill；　quite　unconscious　that　according　to　modern　science　he　was　weaving　the　death…producing　microbe　into　every　yard　of　cloth。

〃In　February；　1801；　Mrs。　Wood　and　Josiah　went　to　Halifax；　where　they　put　up　the　sign　'The　Bunch　of　Grapes。'　　The　diary　speaks　of　their　visiting　'Mr。　Robie；　Mr。　Blowers；　the　Chief　Justice　and　the　governor；'　with　regard　to　their　land；　but　to　no　purpose；　their　claim　being　considered　invalid。

〃In　the　fall　of　the　same　year　they　returned　to　Dorchester；　where　Josiah　not　long　after　married　Miss　Ayre。　He　died　in　his　early　thirties；　leaving　two　young　children；　Mariner　and　Ann。　The　widow　married　Philip　Palmer　and　afterwards　went　to　live　in　Sackville；　N。B。　They　had　eight　children；　Martin；　who　settled　in　Hopewell　Cape；　Dr。　Rufus　Palmer；　of　Albert；　Stephen　Palmer；　of　Dorchester；　Charles　Jabez；　and　the　Misses　Palmer；　of　Sackville；　and　Judge　Palmer；　of　St。　John。

〃Miss　Ann　Wood　went　to　live　with　her　grandmother　at　Fort　Lawrence；　while　Mariner　continued　with　his　stepfather；　commencing　business　in　a　small　way　on　his　own　account　at　an　early　age。　He　purchased　in　course　of　time　the　property　adjoining　Mr。　Palmer's；　in　Sackville；　where　he　built　a　store　and　dwelling　which　is　known　as　〃The　Farm；〃　and　continued　his　ever　growing　business　at　the　same　stand　till　his　death；　in　1875。　In　1871　the　firm　assumed　its　present　name　of　M。　Wood　&　Sons。

〃During　his　genealogical　research　Senator　Wood　has　found　relatives　whom　his　branch　of　the　family　had　lost　sight　of　for　a　century。　The　Senator's　grandfather　had　a　brother；　Charles　Thompson　Wood；　born　at　Lebanon；　Conn。；　October；　1779。　He　married　Elizabeth　Tracy；　and　pursued　the　trade　of　hatter　in　Norwich；　Conn。　He　died　in　1807；　leaving　two　children；　Charles　Joseph　and　Rachel　Tracey；　both　of　whom　married　and　in　1830　moved　to　Kinsman；　Ohio。

〃The　children　of　this　Charles　J。　Wood　are　living　at　Kinsman；　and　Senator　Wood　visited　his　long　lost　relatives　this　autumn。　The　pleasure　was　mutual；　and　while　the　Senator　would　tell　of　many　years'　patient　seeking　for　his　father's　kindred；　they　related　the　story　which　had　been　told　them　by　their　father　of　his　uncle；　who　had　gone　to　the　wilds　of　Canada　and　never　been　heard　of　more。〃MISS　COGSWELL　IN　ST。　JOHN　DAILY　SUN。

McLEOD。

Alexander　McLeod　was　born　on　board　ship　in　Dublin　harbor；　the　11th　December；　1773。　His　father　belonged　to　the　42nd　highlanders；　a　regiment　then　on　its　way　to　augment　the　British　force　in　America。　This　regiment　was　on　active　service　during　the　American　Revolutionary　war；　and　at　its　close　was　disbanded　and　grants　of　land　in　the　Maritime　Provinces　distributed　among　its　members。　The　greater　number　of　these　grants　were　on　the　Nashwaak　River；　in　New　Brunswick。　Alexander　McQueen；　an　officer　in　the　same　regiment；　grandfather　of　Alexander　McQueen；　of　Shediac；　and　great…grandfather　of　Sheriff　McQueen；　of　Westmoreland；　settled　in　Pictou　County；　N。S。

Mr。　McLeod　settled　on　the　Nashwaak；　and　lived　there　the　remainder　of　his　life。　Alexander；　his　son；　went　to　Sheffield　in　1796；　and　began　a　mercantile　business。　He　married　Elizabeth　Barker；　of　that　place。　In　1806　he　removed　to　the　city　of　St。　John；　where　for　some　years　he　conducted　business　on　a　scale　large　for　the　times；　and　was　very　successful。　He　was　a　Methodist　local　preacher；　and　in　1829　started　a　literary　and　religious　journal；　which　enjoyed；　like　most　of　its　successors　in　that　city；　but　a　brief　existence。　Mr。　McLeod's　family　numbered　sixRoderick；　the　youngest；　died　in　infancy；　Annie；　the　eldest；　was　a　teacher　and　never　married；　Sarah　married　James　Robertson；　Margaret　married　Rev。　Albert　Desbrisay；　who　was　for　some　years　chaplain　of　the　old　Sackville　Academy；　Wesley　was　twice　married；　first　in　1836；　to　Amy　Trueman；　who　died；　leaving　one　daughter；　and　again；　in　1840；　to　Seraphina　Trueman。

Wesley　McLeod　was　a　persistent　reader；　a　good　conversationalist；　and　a　most　interesting　man　to　meet。　He　was　a　bank　accountant；　and　the　last　forty　years　of　his　life　were　spent　in　the　United　States。　His　home　was　in　Newark；　N。J。；　where　his　widow　and　three　daughters　still　live。　Mr。　McLeod　never　lost　his　love　for　the　old　flag　for　which　his　grandfather　fought；　and　although　so　many　years　of　his　life　were　spent　in　the　United　States；　where　he　always　took　a　great　interest　in　all　public　questions；　he　never　became　a　naturalized　citizen　of　the　Republic。　He　lived　to　be　eighty…five　years　of　age。　Robert　Trueman　McLeod；　of　Dunvegan；　Point　de　Bute；　is　a　son　of　Wesley　McLeod。

Alexander　first　married　Sarah　Trueman；　of　Point　de　Bute；　by　whom　he　had　five　children。　His　second　wife　was　Georgina　Hultz；　of　Baltimore；　U。S。

Robert；　the　youngest　son　of　the　first　family；　was　in　the　Confederate　Army　in　1860；　and　lost　an　arm　at　Fort　Sumter。　He　afterwards　graduated　with　honors　from　Harvard　and　died　in　Europe　while　travelling　for　the　benefit　of　his　health。

Alexander　McLeod　was　a　Methodist　preacher；　and　a　Doctor　of　Divinity　when　that　title　was　not　so　common　as　it　is　now。　He　was　one　of　the　editors　of　the　PROVINCIAL　WESLEYAN。　Like　his　brother　Wesley；　the　last　years　of　his　life　were　spent　in　the　United　States；　where　both　he　and　his　wife　were　engaged　in　literary　work。

The　following　extract　is　taken　from　a　letter　written　by　a　member　of　the　McLeod　family　in　reply　to　one　asking　for　information：

〃Your　letter　was　received　a　couple　of　days　ago　and　I　would　gladly　send　you　all　the　information　we　have；　but　the　most　of　it　is　so　vague　that　it　is　quite　unsatisfactory　for　your　purpose。　Of　course　we　all　know　very　positively　that　the　McLeods　sprang　from　the　best　and　most　honorable　clan　of　old　Scotland。　We　have　improved　some　in　manners；　for　we　no　longer　drive　our　foes　into　caves；　and　smoke　them　to　death。　（We　only　wish　we　could。）　　We　no　longer　brag　that　we　were　not　beholden　to　Noah；　but　had　boats　of　our　ownthat　would　relate　us　too　nearly　to　Lillith　but　still　we　are　proud　of　our　ancestors。〃

AVARD。

Joseph　Avard　was　born　in　the　town　of　St。　Austle；　Cornwall；　England；　in　1761。　At　twelve　years　of　age　he　was　apprenticed　to　a　clockmaker；　with　whom　he　remained　eight　years。　He　married　Frances　Ivey；　in　1782。　Mr。　Avard　was　appointed　a　class…leader；　and　for　seven　years　never　failed　to　be　present　at　the　regular　meeting　of　its　members。　He　was　intimately　acquainted　with　Mr。　Wesley；　and　attended　his　funeral；　at　which　there　was　said　to　be　thirty　thousand　people　present。　He　also　heard　Charles　Wesley　preach　his　last　sermon。

In　1789　Mr。　Avard　was　one　of　nine　charter　members　of　the　Strangers'　Friend　Society；　organized　by　Dr。　Adam　Clark。　The　object　of　the　Society　was　the　relief　of　distressed　families　in　the　town　of　Bristol　where　Mr。　Avard　lived。　He　was　made　a　local　preacher　in　1790。　For　a　short　time　he　lived　in　London；