John BRADLEY (1738 – bef. 1830) was Alex’s 6th Great Grandfather; one of 128 in this generation of the Miller line.

John Bradley was born 17 Aug 1738 in Haverhill, MA. John was a twin. His twin sister Susannah Bradley married Philbrook Colby 13 Jul 1758 Haverhill. Susannah died 2 Aug 1778 in Pembroke or Weare, NH. His parents were John BRADLEY Sr and Susannah STAPLES.    He married Mary Lucy HEATH on 21 Mar 1760 in Haverhill, Mass. They immigrated to New Brunswick between 1764 and 1765, about the same time as the Estey clan.   John died before 1830

The Bradleys were not Loyalists, they were New England Planters, see my post New England Planters in New Brunswick for their historical story.

In our imaginations, Mary’s father might have been  Chief CROOKED KNIFE. In reality, Mary Heath was born 16 Jan 1739 in Haverhill, Mass.  Her parents were David HEATH and Ann STAPLES.  Mary died before 1824 in New Brunswick.

Children of John and Mary:

My mother has some letters her mom wrote documenting her efforts in the 60’s to track down info about the Esteys.  She and my grandfather went on a trailer trip to the east coast and New Brunswick and Ontario.(also Wisconsin–interesting letters) Seems there was a family story that Mary Estey had Indian antecedents (the”estey eyes” were almond shaped and slightly slanted) and she was trying to track it down.. In New Brunswick she found the custodian of the land grant records who was a gold mine of info. When she said there was a legend Mary Estes (her spelling) had Indian blood, the woman was horrified and said “Oh, no-the Estes were all most respectable. They came from Massachusetts and brought their wives with them.”

A Haverhill, Mass marriage was recorded between John Bradley and Mary Heath. And so the following is presented merely as legend and — although it is a wonderful tale — totally unverifiable.

A man named John Bradley who was born in 1753 in Vermont became the first permanent white settler in this area (Washburn). A tall strong man with a fiery temper, he joined Ethan Allenand the Green Mountain boys in Vermont. When the Revolutionary war began, Bradley was with Ethan Allen at the capture of Ft Ticonderoga.

The Flag of the Green Mountain Boys is still used by the Vermont National Guard

When Benedict Arnold started his march through Maine, Bradley was chosen as a scout and hunter. Arnold expected to find enough wild game to feed his men, but game was scarce. After hunting all day, Bradley returned with only one partridge. Arnold sent for him and called him a worthless loafer. Bradley talked back to the commander who then drew his sword, which Bradley knocked from his hand. The fighting continued and Aaron Burr came with a file of soldiers and had Bradley arrested and bound to a tree. A man had been shot that morning and Bradley had no doubt that he would also be shot. He finally managed to twist the straps free from his wrists and attempted to escape. A guard tried to stop him and he killed the guard. Bradley had no weapons and his enemies were behind him as he ran into the woods.

Vermont legend says Mary Heath’s father was Abenaki Chief Crooked Knife

He had not traveled far when he found himself surrounded by the St Francois (Abenaki) Indians, members of a scouting party watching the white men. As two of the Indians understood English, Bradley told the story and was untied and given food. The next day, two of the Indians took him and started toward the village of Washburn. When they arrived he was taken to see Chief Crooked Knife, who liked him.

The chief promised him his life if he could prove himself of greater strength than any man in the village. After he had outjumped and bested all the strongest of the braves, Chief War Knife adopted him and gave him his only daughter for a wife. The old chief was a hunchback and, also, a very intelligent temperance crank who drilled temperance in the daughters of his tribe.” (Note: from Boston Library resource)

Bradley could not return to the country he had left for he had killed a man and would surely be hanged for his crime, and he didn’t want the Indians to kill him so he was happy to become a member of the tribe. Some years later Bradley went with some Indians up river on a bear hunt and never returned. The Indians said he was killed by a bear in a trap. He left a large family of children and many of his ancestors live in Aroostook today.

Back to the real John Bradley

William Hazen, one of the Newburyport firm, afterwards removed to St. John. Hannah Hazen of nearby Rowley married our ancestor Richard ESTEY and immigrated to New Brunswick about the same time.  It is likely they are related.  In 1765, Simonds, White and Hazen received from the government of Nova Scotia a grant of a very extensive tract of land at the mouth of the St. John River.

This grant embraced on the east side of the harbor all the land from Union Street, St. John, north to the Kennebeccasis, and on the west side what is now known as the Parish of Lancaster. This last tract was then designated the Township of Conway. A return made to Major Studholm, who commanded at Fort Howe, on the 8th July, 1783, gives the names of the settlers who had cleared land and made improvements in the Township of Conway, under agreements with the grantees up to that date. The return may be summarized as follows:—
Name Amount Cleared and Improved.
Hugh Quinton 15
Peter Smith 10
Thomas Jenkins 12
Samuel Peabody 55
Jonathan Lovet 60
William McKeene 45
Daniel Lovet 30
James Woodman 5
Elijah Esterbrook 7
John Bradley 4
Zebedee Ring 3
Gervis Say 10

Nearly all these people had been driven off their land by raiding parties from Machias, Maine during the Revolutionary war, and compelled to seek shelter up the river. These raids will partly serve to account for the extremely backward state of the settlements at the mouth of the St. John, prior to the arrival of the Loyalists.

The immediate result of Israel Perley’s report of the state of the lands up the St. John River was the removal of a large number of families to them from Massachusetts in 1763. According to Moses H. Perley’s statement, there were about two hundred families, numbering eight hundred souls, in this band of settlers and they were brought in four vessels under the charge of Israel Perley. The number, however, is probably exaggerated and perhaps four hundred would be nearer the truth. That at all events was the estimaed number of the settlers on the St. John in 1764, and a census taken in 1767 showed that there were but 261 persons in Maugerville, the principal township.

This township had been surveyed in 1762, at the instance of Capt. Francis Peabody, who was the father-in-law of both Simonds and White and also of Jonathan Lovet. This man, from his age and character, as well as from the active part he took in the work of settling the River St. John, must be justly regarded as the founder of Maugerville and Gagetown and the most prominent and influential person on the river, while he lived. He took our ancestor Zebulon ESTEY from Massachusetts to New Brunswick.

“The River St. John” by Rev. Wm. Raymond published in 1910, pages 334-5:

“On 15 January 1765 on Captain Francis Peabody’s schooner, came Zebulon ESTEY to Maugerville. He paid 12 shillings passage money from Newburyport to St. John and 13s 6d for `his club of Cyder’ on the voyage. Richard ESTEYand Thomas Barker built a saw-mill on a small creek near Middle Island. (After 1765.) They sold it in 1779 – near Maugerville. Richard Estey signed a church covenant for a distinct church society. Many moved from Maugerville due to the annoyance of the spring freshets. [A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw]  Zebulon Estey moved to Gagetown. Some went across the river to the township of Burton. These included Israel Estey, Moses Estey and Amos Estey.”

The township of Maugerville was on the east side of the St. John River and began at a point about five miles below Fredericton. Its northerly line was at right angles with the river and its depth along the river was sixteen miles in an air line. It embraced, therefore, the present parishes of Maugerville and Sheffield. Opposite to it was the township of Burton and below the latter, Gagetown. The three townships were all more or less settled prior to 1770, but, except in the case of the Maugerville immigration of 1763, it is not now possible to determine the date of the arrival of the settlers. It is certain, however, that some of those who came with Perley in that year settled at Gagetown, amongst others, Edward Coye, one of whose daughters was said to be the first female child born of English speaking parents on the River St. John.

Nearly all the settlers on the river were from Massachusetts, and the vast majority of them from a single county, Essex. Thus the Perleys were from Boxford, the Burpees from Rowley, while other families were from Haverhill, Newburyport, Ipswich, Gloucester, Salem and other towns of this ancient county which antedates all others in Massachusetts with the single exception of Plymouth. These settlers were therefore, for the most part of Puritan stock and all, or nearly all, were members of the Congregationalist churches of New England.

Instead of the barren soil of New England, they had their choice of the noble intervale lands of the St. John River, which have their fertility renewed every spring by the overflowing of that great stream. And this land they received for a price so small as to be merely nominal. The township of Maugerville was divided into one hundred lots, each with a  frontage on the river and a width of about fifty rods. Four of these lots were reserved for public purposes: one for a glebe for the Church of England, one for the Dissenting Protestants, one for the maintenance of a school and one for the first settled minister. Nearly all the Maugerville lots were taken up immediately after the first immigration, and the population of the township in 1767 was, as before stated, 261 souls. All these people were natives of America, with the exception of six English, ten Irish, four Scotch and six Germans. The enormous preponderance of the native New England element gave a tone to the character of the settlement, which it never lost until the arrival of the Loyalists.

On the 24th of May, 1776, a meeting of the inhabitants of the River St. John was held at Maugerville, at which a committee was appointed “to make immediate application to the Congress or General Assembly of the Massachusetts Bay for relief under their present distressed circumstances.” This rebel committee consisted of twelve persons, ten of whom were prominent in the church. Jacob Barker, who presided at the meeting, was a Justice of the Peace and a ruling elder of the church. Pheneas Nevers and Israel Perley were also justices, and both were church members. Daniel Palmer, Edward Coy, Israel Kinney and Asa Perley were ruling elders. Moses Pickard, Thomas Hartt and Hugh Quinton were church members.

This committee drafted several resolutions which were passed by the meeting, the most important of which was “that it is our minds and desire to submit ourselves to the government of Massachusetts Bay, and that we are ready with our lives and fortunes to share with them the event of the present struggle for Liberty however God in His Providence may order it.” The meeting also voted “that we will have no dealings or connection with any person or persons for the future that shall refuse to enter into the foregoing or similar resolutions.” Under this threat these resolutions were hawked around the country with a result which is thus stated by the rebel committee:— “If it be asked what proportion of the people signed the resolutions, it may be answered there is 125 signed and about 12 or 13 that have not, 9 of whom are at the river’s mouth.”   Our ancestors are among the minority who refused to sign: — William Hazen, Thomas Jenkins, James Simonds, Samuel Peabody, John BRADLEY, James White, William McKeene, Zebedee Ring, Peter Smith, Gervas Say, Lewis Mitchill, ———— Darling, John Crabtree, John Hendrick, Zebulon ESTEY, John Larlee, Joseph Howland, Thos. Jones and Benj. Atherton.

The people of Machias who were all great patriots, made an easy living during the
war by plundering the farmers and fishermen of Nova Scotia. The settlers at the mouth of the St. John were constatnly exposed to the depredations of these raiders from the summer of 1775 until the garrison at Fort Howe was established under Major Studholm, in the summer of 1778. The conduct of these raiders must have been bad indeed to draw forth a remonstrance from so notorious a rebel as Colonel John Allan, who, in a letter to the Massachusetts Council, was constrained to say: “I am extremely sorry privateers are so encouraged this way. Their horrid crimes is too notorious to pass unnoticed.”

Most of the farmers settled at the mouth of the St. John were compelled to abandon their homes and remove up the river in consequence of the visits of the Rev. Seth Noble’s friends, the thieves and plunderers of Machias.

Children 

2. Mary Bradley

Mary’s husband John Shaw was born 26 Jan 1761 in Abington, Mass. His parents were John Shaw and Mary Burrell. He immigrated to Maugerville, New Brunswick as a young child before 1763 when his brother Ziba Shaw was born in New Brunswick. John died in Clinton, Maine, some say in 1778, but there are children born after that.

John Shaw, Jr., is mentioned in the 1783 Studholm Report: “John Shaw, Jr., has a wife but lives with his father, has a house but no land cleared. Claims also some land in New town in consequence of clearing three fourths of an acre of land in that township. Gave intelligence to the rebels at Oak Park that the King’s troops were pursuing them up the river, in consequence of which they escaped.”

John moved to Penobscot, Maine with his wife and her family three years after the Loyalists arrived. Since the Loyalists arrived in 1783, this would mean that they moved to Maine in 1786.

By or about 1790, John & his family came to Hallowell (now present-day Clinton), Maine and settled north of what is now known as Noble Ferry.

In 1797, John Shaw & his family lived on a 128-acre farm in Clinton—they had 6 children & owned 2 cows.

Children of Mary and John:

i. Nancy Shaw b. 23 Mar 1785 in Burton, Sunbury, New Brunswick, Canada

ii. John P. Shaw b. 4 Dec 1787 in Penobscot, Hancock, Maine; d. Aft 1870 census Maxfield, Penobscot, Maine; m. Sarah “Sally” Dudly (b. 1790 Maine – d. Betw. 1850-1860 census)

In the 1860 census, John P and Sally were living in Chester, Penobscot, Maine where John was a miller.

John and Sally’s son LeBaron (b. 1838) enlisted in Company D, Maine 11th Infantry Regiment on 23 Aug 1862. LeBaron mustered out on 05 Dec 1862 on a disability discharge.

iii. Elizabeth “Betsy” Shaw b. 19 Jun 1790 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine; m. 14 Jan 1807 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine to John Nelson (b. 1789)

iv. Advardus “Vardis” Shaw b. 25 Jul 1792; m. 1814 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine to Mercy Chase (b. 28 Jul 1796) Advardus is a name unique to the Shaw family. Advardus and Mercy had six children born between 1814 and 1820.

Another Vardis Shaw was the grandson of our ancestor Thomas HAWES.   His parents were Joshua Shaw and Sarah Hawes.. This Vardis Shaw b. 22 Dec 1798 in Plainsfield, Mass. d. 24 Mar 1863 in Lambs Creek, Pennsylvania; m. 1852 to Eleanor Clark (1802 – 1859) In the 1850 census, Vardis was farming in Richmond, Tioga, Pennsylvania.

Advardus served as a private in Capt. John Moore’s Co. in Infantry of the Clinton militia as part of the war of 1812 the British threatened to attack the Maine coastline in 1814 and the Clinton militia was called into active service.

On Dec 19, 1822 a number of Master Masons met at the house of Advardis Shaw in Sebec, Maine to discuss the expediency of establishing a lodge of Free Masons in that vicinity, and there were present at that meeting the following named brethren, Advardis Shaw, Eben Greenleaf, Josiah Towle, Moses Greenleaf, Jason Hassell, Col. Wm. Morrison, Eben Weston, Esq., Daniel Chase, Esq., John W. Thompson, Jonathan Robinson, Moses Morrill and Capt. Ephraim Moulton. These brethren came together again on Jan 2, 1823, and it was voted that they thought it expedient to organize the formation of Piscataquis Lodge, No. 44 Advardis Shaw was raised to Master Mason on Mar 22, 1826

v. Sarah Shaw b. 23 Mar 1794 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine; m. 1 Jun 1819 – Sebec, Piscataquis, Maine to Herbert “Hurbert” Crommitt (b. Oct 1798 – d. 2 Feb 1882 Howland Cemetery, Penobscot County, Maine AE 83 yrs. 4 mos.)

In the 1860 census, Harbard and Sarah were farming in Howland, Penobscot, Maine. Nathaniel B Shaw (b. 1802 Maine) and John Shaw (b. 1788 Maine) were also living in the household.

vi. Mary “Polly” A Shaw b. 0 Nov 1796 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine;

vii. Charles Shaw b. 30 Jul 1798 in Clinton, Kennebec, Maine; d. 23 Aug 1874 Carleton County, New Brunswick; m. 16 Aug 1817 – Fredericton, York, New Brunswick to Margaret Bradley (b. 1796 Fredericton, NB – d. 1878) Margaret’s parents were Oliver Bradley and Margaret Smith.

3. John Prince Bradley

John’s wife Mary Heath Green was born 15 Nov 1765 – Elizabeth, Union, New Jersey. Her parents were Richard Green (1735 – ) and Elizabeth Woolverton (1736 – 1766). Mary died 15 Sep 1865 – New Brunswick, Canada.

Children of John and Mary:

i. Nancy Ann Bradley b. 28 Sep 1791 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts,; d. 30 Jan 1856 in Covington, Wyoming, New York

ii. Henry Bradley b. 1792 – New Brunswick, d. 1848 – New Brunswick, Canada; m. 21 Oct 1817 to Abigail Freeman (b. 1798 in New Brunswick – d. Norfolk, Ontario, Canada). Abigail was Sarah’s sister. Her parents were Mark Freeman (1757 – ) and Susanna Young (1765 – ) Henry and Abigail had eight children born between 1817 and 1840. In the 1852 and 1861 census, Henry and Abigail lived in Norfolk County, Ontario on the north shore of Lake Eire.

Children: Henry; Angus; Sarah, married Jacob Sailor; Mary ; Amelia, married Ebenezer Bolstridge, ; Dorcas, died young.

iii. Mary Ann “Miriam” Bradley b. 17 Sep 1793 in Upper Saint John River, New Brunswick; d. 1891 in New Brunswick; m. 8 Dec 1813 Tobique River, Victoria, New Brunswick to James Giberson (b. 3 Jul 1791 Wakefield, Carleton, New Brunswick) His parents were John Giberson (1762 – 1842) and Elizabeth Brown (1770 – 1844). Mary Ann and James had twelve children born between 1814 and 1840.

According to Nadine Giberson Nyborg’s notes, James Giberson is said to have been 7 feet tall

iv. Oliver Bradley b. ~1795 Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick, Canada; d. ~1835 Tobique Rocks, Victoria, New Brunswick, Canada or St John River York New Brunswick; m. 18 Jun 1818 Anglican Church Woodstock to Sara Freeman (b ~1799 Woodstock Carleton New Brunswick – d. abt 1829 in Southampton New Brunswick) Sarah’s parents were Mark Freeman (1757 – ) and Susanna Young (1765 – )

Family legend tells that Oliver was murdered in Tobique Rocks and his children were sent to York County, NB to live with Sara Freeman’s family.

Oliver and Sarah had at least three children:

(1.) Caroline Bradley (b. 25 Oct 1825, Fredericton, New Brunswick – d. 10 Oct 1913, Woodland Center, Aroostook County, Maine; m. Nathaniel Bubar

(2.)Jarvis Bradley (b. 7 Jan 1824 or 1828 in Tobique, Victoria, New Brunswick; d. aft 1901 in Hastings, Ontario; m. 20 Jul 1850 in St. Rose Mission, Lynn, Essex Co., Mass. to Mary McKeen or McKenney (b. 18 Oct 1826 in Tyrone, Ireland – d. 18 Jul 1913 in Lynn Essex Mass)

(3.) Patience Bradley m. Zeferade Beardsley (b. 1815) Zeferade and Patience are found in the 1881 census parish of Brighton along with son Enoch Beardsley. Enoch was married to Ursula Shaw.

(4.) Ward Bradley

(5.) Abigail Bradley.  m. John Christian Fox, had numerous children.

(6.) Mary Ann Bradley

6. Sarah Hannah BRADLEY (See Jonathan PARKS ‘s page)

8. Olive Hannah Bradley

Olive’s husband Thomas Sewell was born 01 Feb 1767 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. His parents were Dominicus Sewell and Sarah (Mary) Thorndike. Thomas died 04 Apr 1846 in Carleton, New Brunswick, Canada

Children of Olive and Thomas

i. Mary Sewell b. 6 Sep 1804 New Brunswick; d. 11 Jul 1898 New Brunswick; m. 23 Dec 1824 Sunbury County, N.B. to Herbert Sewell (b. 03 Jun 1802 in Maugerville, Sunbury, New Brunswick – d. 03 Jul 1898 in New Brunswick) Herbert’s parents were Nicholas Sewell (1762 – 1851) and Eunice Hawthorne (1770 – 1851) Mary and Herbert were first cousins. They shared grandparents Dominicus Sewell (1735 – 1822) and Sarah Thorndyke (1736 – 1815). Mary and Herbert had 11 children.

ii. Elizabeth Ann Sewell b. 10 Aug 1807 in Maugerville, Sunbury, N.B.; d. 18 Aug 1901 in Coldstream, Carleton, New Brunswick; m. 23 Sep 1848 Brighton, Carleton, N.B. to William Hayward (b. 08 Oct 1810 in Lincoln Parish, Sunbury County, New Brunswick – d. 01 Feb 1886 in Rockland, Carleton County, New Brunswick)

iii. Gideon Sewell b. Abt 1808 in N.B.; d. 29 Oct 1894 Blaine, Aroostook, Maine; m1. Elizabeth Clark (1827 – ); m2. 27 Apr 1845 to Elizabeth Emily Rideout (b. 1827 in New Brunswick)

iv. Thomas Justus C. Sewell b. Abt. 1811 in Carleton County, N.B.; d. 29 Jan 1875 in Upper Brighton, Carleton, N.B.; m. 31 Jul 1851 Carleton County, N.B. to Jane Bubar (b. 25 Apr 1816 – d. 14 Apr 1883 in Upper Brighton, Carleton Co, New Brunswick)

v. Miriam Amelia Sewell b. 12 Nov 1812 Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 2 Jan 1869 Carleton, New Brunswick; m. 19 May 1827 Sunbury County, N.B. to George Hayward (b. 17 Mar 1806 in Carleton Co, New Brunswick – d. 14 Mar 1891 in Ashland, Carleton Co. New Brunswick) Miriam and George had seven children born between 1830 and 1851.

vi. Olive Jane Sewell b. abt. 1817; m. 22 Nov 1838 Carleton County, N.B. to James Whitfield Clarke (b. 1811 in New Brunswick y – d. 29 Dec 1883 in Peel, Carleton, New Brunswick) Olive and James had eight children born between 1839 and 1860.

vii. Charlotte Sewell b. 24 Jun 1820 New Brunswick

viii. John Milton Sewell b. 1822; d. Bef. 1871; m. 23 Jan 1851 Carleton County, N.B. to Mary I. McBurney (b. 25 Mar 1828 – d. Aft. 1901) John and Mary had five children.

ix. Glorianna Sewell b. ~1823; d. 1891; m. Charles Day (b. 15 Aug 1819 – d. 04 Dec 1879) Glorianna and Charles had twelve children born between 1847 and 1868.

Sources:

http://www.barney.org/family/wga9.html#I1477

http://www.a-trails.com/Surnames/thomas.html

http://www.bradleyfoundation.org/genealogies/Bingley/tobg25.htm#18155

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=30589943

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nbsunbur/maugervillesettlement.htm

The Maugerville Settlement 1763 – 1824 James Hannay – [Published in Collections of the New Brunswick Historical Society Vol. 1, 1894]