Enoch DOW (bcdgd)  (1744 –  1813) was Alex’s 5th Great Grandfather; one of 64 in this generation of the Miller line.  He left hundreds of descendants.  Over two-thirds of the population of the western border area of Canterbury New Brunswick is closely akin with the posterity of Enoch Dow.

The Book of Dow, Genealogical Memoirs of the Descendants of Henry Dow 1637, Thomas Dow 1639 and Others of the Name, Immigrants to America During Colonial Times.is the Bible of Dow researchers and Charles Percy Dow’s alpha system for recording Dows is important to know

Enoch Dow  was born 7 Dec 1744, Methuen, Essex County, Massachusetts.  His parents were David DOW and Mary BROWN. He moved from New Hampshire to Orocmocto New Brunswick in 1753 with his parents and brothers.  The Dows aren’t Torries who escaped after the Revolution, the were New England Planters.  See my post New England Planters in New Brunswick for their story.

 He married Ruth MORTON about 1770 probably in Majorfield, Sunbury County, New Brunswick, Canada.   Enoch died 23 Dec 1813, in Dow Settlement, (Dumfries Parish) York County, New Brunswick Canada and is buried in Lower Meductic Cemetery,  in Canterbury (between Highway 2 and the St. John River).

Ruth Morton was born 3 Jun 1752 in Freetown, Bristol Mass.  Her parents were Seth MORTON and Elizabeth ALLEN.  Ruth died in 1825 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick, Canada

Children of Enoch and Ruth:  [Note: discoveries after the publication of the Book of Dow rearranged the birth order of some children, the letter key is unchanged from the original.]

	Name	Born	Married	Departed
bcdgdb 1.	John Dow	1770 Majorfield (Maugerville) Sunbury, New Brunswick	Hannah Brooks 1801 Kings, New Brunswick,	25 Sep 1832 Woodstock, York County, Canada
bcdgda 2.	Jesse Dow	1772 Stepchild?	Mary Tidley (Teed) 4 Mar 1802 Canterbury, York, New Brunswick	22 Mar 1867 Canterbury, York Co, New Brunswick
bcdgdc 3.	David Dow	1773 Majorfield, NB	Unmarried	1794 or more likely c. 1803 Canterbury, NB Killed by a falling tree like his grandfather
bcdgdd 4.	Amos Dow	1775 Majorfield, NB	Ann Teed 4 March 1802 Woodstock, NB	1837
bcdgde 5.	Enoch Dow	1777 in Majorfield, New Brunswick, Canada	Basha Cronkite 1799 – Queens, New Brunswick	1845 in Onocoto, York Co, New Brunswick, Canada
bcdgdf 6.	Mary “Molly” Dow	1778 Majorfield, NB	Amos Brooks	1843
bcdgdg 7.	Rhoda Dow	14 Nov 1786 Canterbury, York, New Brunswick	John Porter 28 Jul 1808 Woodstock, Carlton, New Brunswick	15 Feb 1877 Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick
bcdgdi 8.	Ruth DOW	1 Dec 1787 Woodstock Parish, York, New Brunswick	Abraham ESTEY 17 Nov 1812 Frederickton, New Brunswick	2 Jan 1864
bcdgdj 9.	Hannah Elizabeth Dow	1791 New Brunswick	David Phillips 2 Feb 1812 Southhampton, York, New Brunswick. Canada	30 May 1816 Southhampton, York, New Brunswick Canada
bcdgdh 10.	Esther Dow	11 Nov 1797 Canterbury, New Brunswick, Canada	Stephen Brooks Watson 12 Jul 1818 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick	21 Apr 1886 in Stillwater, Penobscot Co, Maine Burial: 23 Apr 1886 Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine

Enoch worked with his father, brother Nith and cousin William as lumbermen.

The above plan of the river shows the locations of the early settlers of Maugerville; in order ascending the river.

The lower ten lots of the township and Mauger’s Island were granted to Joshua Mauger. Just above were the lots of Gervas Say, Nehemiah Hayward, John Russell, Samuel Upton, Zebulon ESTEY, John Estey, Richard ESTEY I and Edward Coy.

At the head of Mauger’s Island were the lots of Matthew Wason, Samuel Whitney and Samuel Tapley.

Between Mauger’s Island and Middle Island the lots were those of Jeremiah Burpee, Jonathan Burpee, Jacob Barker, Daniel Jewett, Ezekiel Saunders, Humphrey Pickard, Moses Pickard, Jacob Barker, jr., Isaac Stickney and Jonathan Smith.

Opposite Middle Island, in order ascending, were Thomas Barker [Richard ESTEY’s son-in-law], John Wason, Daniel Palmer, Richard Kimball, Joseph Garrison, Samuel Nevers, Peter Mooers, Richard ESTEY Jr., Jabez Nevers, Enoch DOW and Hugh Quinton.

Between Middle and Oromocto islands were Thomas Christie, Elisha Nevers, Jedediah Stickney, Stephen Peabody, Capt. Francis Peabody and William McKeen.

Opposite Oromocto Island were Israel Perley (at the foot of the island), Lt.-Col. Beamsley P. Glasier, John Whipple, Nathaniel Rideout, Capt. Francis Peabody, Alexander Tapley, Phineas Nevers, Joseph Dunphy, William Harris, Ammi Howlet, Samuel Peabody and Oliver Peabody.

Above Oromocto Island we find the lots of Asa Perley, Oliver Perley, George Munro, James Simonds, Joseph Buber, Joseph Shaw, Benjamin Brawn, Daniel Burbank, Thomas Hartt and the Widow Clark. Thence to the upper boundary of the township, a distance of two miles, there were at first no settlers, but in the course of time Richard Barlow, Nehemiah Beckwith, Benjamin Atherton, Jeremiah Howland and others took up lots.

In 1803, he loaded a large flat bottomed boat with all their belongings and poled up St. John river from Maugerville to Canterbury,, leading 20 families upriver and founding Dow Settlement on his land grant, 2 miles of river front and 4 miles deep.  After land was cleared, he helped to build a church and Dow Cemetery.

Here is Google map’s directions of the 100 kilometers from Maugerville  (then Majorfield) to Dow Settlement,.  At that time, there were no roads, only a trackless wilderness forest and the river.

In Robert Piercy Dow’s Book of Dow, Enoch is given the coding “bcdgd” (p. 690).

The Majorfield colony had a hard time.  All the clearing and the homes were close to the River.  The industry was in floating timber to tidewater and selling it.  Three times the Spring freshets assumed great proportions and swept away all the homes in Majorfield.  Thereupon the colonists became utterly discouraged.  Nith Dow, William Dow and others returned across the border.  Enoch Dows bcdgd decided to remain and formulated a plan to move upstream to a safer shore and used for his purpose the Canterbury land grant.  A dozen or so families went with him.  They built a largew flat boat and poled it up the river.  The forest was trackless and so remained many years.  The migration was in 1803 – this date is positive..  About 100 miles north they stopped and chose the right bank for the new settlement.  Some years later Dow’s Settlement was founded across the stream and about 4 miles higher up.  Still anothyer 4 miles up, the lane was settleed, another Dow home.

Some remembered Enoch Dow as an outspoken Tory during the Revolutionary War, although he was part of the group to settle in New Brunswick with the Massachusetts firm of Simonds, Hazen and White (headquartered in Newburyport, where the Dow clan originated) which settled in the area as early as 1762 (before his father settled there). His name is listed among those granted land. There is even proof of an Enoch Dow that served in the rebel army of the time. He was a Baptist. In 1803, he moved from the original Majorfield settlement to form Canterbury, after several floods destroyed the houses of Majorfield.

Village of Canterbury, New Brunswick

Enoch Dow bcdgd had a wife Ruth, m before 1770. There was no clue to her identity, but Sally Hull, Enoch’s great grand daughter, who had lived with her grandfather, maintained  that she had known who Ruth was but had forgotten. As Mrs. Hull was over 90, this was not strange. W S Dow, trying to jog her memory, ran over various names until he came to Norton.   A John Norton was a pioneer of 1803 and was the first to be buried in what is now the great Dow Cemetery. The second interment in the great Dow Cemetery was David Dow [our David DOW’s grandson], killed by a falling tree, while he was clearing the Sullivan Creek hill road.   Mrs. Hull brightened. Surely the missing Ruth was Ruth Norton, John’s sister, both pioneers from the states. [editor’s note –  Mrs Hull’s memory notwithstanding, it is more likely that her maiden name was Morton.]

Almost the first act of the settlers was to build a church and lay out the Dow cemetery, which is about a quarter mile below. With few exceptions everyone now buried in this large cemetery was a Dow by birth or marriage and in 1926 it was planned to double its size. Enoch Dow was a Baptist and every descendant was of that denomination with only three exceptions who turned Mormon and went to Utah. Enoch and sons did most of the building of the new church and Enoch Jr was its Lay Minister for years.

Enoch was a lumberman both at Majorfield and Canterbury NB. That was the only wealth giving occupation of the region. He died 23 Sep 1813.  He was outspoken as a tory, although two of his uncles and eight cousins had careers as fighters on the Federal side.  Some Enoch Dow enlisted 1776 for the Canadian campaign.  Some Enoch Dow was a private at Winter Hill 1777.  If these are not our Enoch, we do not know who they were.  It is quite possible that both were our Enoch who later recanted.  If so, he never in after years admitted service.

There is a homogeneity of the enormous posterity of Enoch Dow worth noting, the family being the largest by far of any Dow thus far. It is rare that a man should have 14 children, almost all maturing and that one of those children should have 17, almost all producing posterity. There is not a single instant in this posterity of death from tuberculosis or cancer. Average longevity is remarkably great, but a majority suffer from rheumatism in old age.

A search of the galley proofs of this Book by members of the Canterbury family and others has provoked a lively search into the political opinions of the pioneers as well as the origin of the various families of early New Brunswick.  It is a majority verdict that Enoch Dow was not so much a tory, after all.  Moreover, the Author clings to his original opinion that Enoch saw service in the Federal Army.

There is no way of knowing what families accompanied Enoch from Majorfield to Canterbury.  It is certain that the Nortons came with him.  The Majorfield party had to scatter rather widely, as Enoch’s land grant was a large one.  It had about two miles on the river front and extended about 3 1/4 miles inland.  This tract was divided by Enoch among his sons and they, in turn, divided among all their sons.

The Nortons who were never tories were their nearest neighbors.  The Teeds sprang from a Federal soldier.  They and the Dickinsons settled in Lower Woodstock.    The Brooks family pioneered Southampton; the Philips Northampton; the Ways and the Hillmans in Temple, four miles below.  The Tompkins, in spite of the name, were a German family and came later, as did the Lutwicks.  The original Hartley farm was in Southampton.  The Marstons of Canterbury descended from a British soldier of 1812.  The Yerxmas sttled at Kesewick, 20 miles from Fredericton.  The Cronkites were of lower Southampton; the Porters of Lower Woodstock.

William Segee Dow, whose knowledge of early New Brunswick history is profound, disagrees with the Author on the whereabouts of David Dow’s family on various dates.  There was a settlement, he explains, by Newburyport people at Port Arthur (now St John) as early as 1761-2 and David was among them.  He asserts that Enoch was married in Majorfield and his first born ws there in 1770.  He thinks the family were American sympathizers. although after the war it was more polite to display tory convictions.  The first tories from the Statesx came in 1783 and the influx lasted several years.

Early New Brunswick Probate Records 1785-1835 by R. Wallace Hale,

“Enoch, Dow Parish of Woodstock, York Co. Will dated 20 Sep 1813, proved 1 Feb 1814. Names wife Ruth, sons John Jesse, Amos, Enoch, daughters Molly Dow, Rhody (sic) Dow,Hannah Dow, Ruth Dow, and Easter Dow. Son John Dow and wife Ruth Dow executors. Wittnesses :James Upham, Amos Estey, Matthew Phillips.”

Children

1. John Dow – bcdgdb –

John’s wife Hannah Brooks was born in May 1772 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick Canada. Hannah died 19 Nov 1858 Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick. The Brooks family pioneered Southampton, York, New Brunswick.

Many years ago a grandson and a distant cousin furnished information of his personality, but from their distance was compelled to use much hearsay.  W S Dow recently [1927] collected dates and exact facts.  Primogeniture operated to make him the leading citizen of Canterbury, New Brunswick, but his own ability had more to do with it.  He was a magistrate for many years and for twenty years represented his home town in the Provincial Legislature.  Hannah Brooks, his wife, may have been one of the original Majorfield party.  He had all the characteristics of the sternest New England Puritans.  Like the whole community, he was a dogmatic and polemic Baptist.

Children of John and Hannah:

i. Enoch Dow – bcdgdaa – b. 26 Apr 1802 in Canterbury, York Co, New Brunswick; d. 1883 always appears as Esq. ; m.  23 Nov 1824 in Northampton, York Co, New Brunswick to Mary (Molly) Jane Philips (b. Abt 1802 in New Brunswick – d. 18 Oct 1875 Canterbury),   Enoch and Molly had four children born between 1829 and 1838.

Enoch  was easily successor to his father in ability and influence, the local magistrate for many years.  He served as Captain in the Aroostock War of 1839 and his name is found in the Maine official roster, although he was always a Canadian of Canterbury.  Enoch was a stern magistrate and shared the intense religiousness of his father and grandfather, that type which seems to delight in regarding all pleasure as sin, and consequently his home was not a joyous place.

One of his sons, unable to endure home life, ran away in early manhood and remained unheard of for eighteen years.  Enoch regarded his loss as a direct visitation of Providence rebuking him for his unworthiness, but it is not recorded that his home life became less stern.

ii. Hulda Dow – bcdgdab – b. 1805 Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York New Brunswick; d. 1878; m. Amos Lewis, no children

iii. Mary Dow – bcdgdac – died in infancy

iv. Mary Dow – bcdgdad – b. 1808; m. [__?__] Scriver

v. Asa Dow – bcdgdae – b. 02 May 1810 in Canterbury, York County, New Brunswick; d. 17 Mar 1898 in Meductic, York County, New Brunswick

vi. Gertrude Dow – bcdgdaf – b. 1812 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; m. [__?__] Thomas

vii. Hannah Dow – bcdgdag – b. 1813 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York New Brunswick; m. William Coulter

viii. Calvin Dow – bcdgdah – Twin b. 1814 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick d. 1867; – Unmarried

ix. Luther Dow – bcdgdai – Twin b. 1814 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; d. 1870; – Unmarried

x. John Wesley Dow – bcdgdaj b. 1815 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York New Brunswick; d. 1894; – Unmarried

xi. Chloe Isabella Dow – bcdgdak – b. 1817 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; m. 26 Dec 1857 Woodstock (Bureau de Santé), Acadie (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) Age: 40 to David m Patterson (1815 – _)

Chloe is said to have inherited a family Bible full of valuable data.  This has not come to light.

xii. Lydia Dow – bcdgda – b. 1819 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. unmarried

2. Jesse Dow – bcdgda –

Jesse’s wife Mary Tidley (Teed) was born 25 Mar 1782.   She was Ann Teed’s sister, the Dow brothers and Teed sisters possibly had a double wedding 2 Mar 1802. Her parents were Sylvanus Teed (Salaveras Tidley) and Mary Nye. Mary died 27 Mar 1869 in Canterbury New Brunswick . The Teeds sprang from a Federal soldier.

Jesse was a farmer and lumberman.  Buried in Dow Cemetery, his stone giving 1772 – 1867, his wife appears as Tid,

Beyond doubt he had more lineal descendants at his funeral than any other Dow in history, although Phoebe (Green) Dow, Quaker, died at 102 years of age with 250 surviving descendants. Moses Dow, Jesse’s son, in 1885 gave the list of children and details as given below:

i. Solomon Dow – bcdgdaa -b. 1802 in Canterbury Station, New Brunswick; d. 1865/1895; m. 25 Jul 1833 in Canterbury, York Co, New Brunswick to Martha Wright (b. 1806 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick- 1882)

12 children, 30 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren when he died.  Solomon and his brother Jacob had river front farms, but undertaking some unusually large lumbering operations, became financially involved and lost their farms.  Solomon moved to “The Lane” and is buried in Dow Cemetery,

ii. Jacob Dow – bcdgdab – b. 6 Jan 1804 in Canterbury, New Brunswick; d. 1 Jul 1872 in Canterbury, New Brunswick; m. 26 Jul 1836 Woodstock, New Brunswick Age: 32 to Frances “Fannie” Yerxa (b. 1809 Douglas, New Brunswick –  d. 1884 Canterbury New Brunswick). Fannie’s parents were John Yerxa and Joanna Sarah  Merrithhew (or Catherine Gerow).

John was a loyalist from Sleepy Hollow New York, who arrived in New Brunswick in 1783.   John (Johanni(e)s) Yerxa (Jurckse, Jurcks(x)en, Jurckse, Yerkes, Djurckse, Dirckse(n), Yourx) Baptized 08-Oct-1751 in Dutch Reform Church known as “The Old Sleepy Hollow Church”, Westchester Co., New York – born – Cortland Manor; died 11-Jun-1828 on farm Lot #6, Douglas Parish, York Co, NB in her 77th year. One of the first settler in Province of New Brunswick, left 14 children, 86 grandchildren & 55 great-grandchildren.

Jacob and Fannie had 7 children and 20 grandchildren.    Jacob was a lumberman with his brother on a tract by the river, which they lost through over extended credit.  It may be remembered that at this time the British government suddenly withdrew its preferential tariff on lumber in favor of its colonies.  Scandinavian lumber then poured in, bankrupting many of the strongest firms of New Brunswick.  The bbbfa Dow family were thus reduced from millionairedom to ruin.  Jacob moved back to Dow’s Settlement, near his brother Samuel and cousin David.  In 1847 he built a log house there, still standing and occupied [in 1926].  The solid log house of the period was not built because it was cheaper, but because it resisted cold better than any other.

iii. Rhoda Dow – bcdgdc – b. 4 Oct 1805 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. 1869; Unmarried

iv. Ruth Dow – bcdgdad – b. 26 May 1807 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. 1901 in Dow Settlement, New Brunswick; m1. Elias Brown (properly Brawn); m2. 10 Mar 1840 – Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick, to Jacob S. Cummins (1805 – 1889) (Cummings is interchangeable spelling);

7 children, 17 grandchildren.  Ruth is buried in Dow Cemetery.  She had one son, Moses Brown Cummings (1836 – 1912), by her first husband.  Moses was a Civil War vet and died in Charlestown, Maine.

v. Betsey Dow – bcdgdae – b. 06 Feb 1809 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. before 1885; m. Thomas Edwards, a Scotchman; had a farm near Benton.  7 children, 32 grandchildren

vi. Samuel Dow – bcdgdaf – b. 25 Sep 1810 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; d. 30 Sep 1886 in Dow Settlement, York, New Brunswick; m. 8 Sep 1835 Canterbury Kings, New Brunswick to Mahala Yerxa (14 Mar 1815-1889);

17 children; 50 grandchildren.  His farm in Dow’s Settlement adjoins that of his brother and wife’s sister.  Their children had more cousins living within a few miles than most any other family in America.  Of 17 children, no fewer than 7 survived in 1927. I don’t normally include great grandchildren, but seventeen children is our family tree record for one mother, so in honor of the achievement, here is a list:

1. Milne L Dow (1835 – 1918)
2. Charles Perley Dow (1837 – 1907)
3. Emma M Dow (1839 – 1902)
4. Gideon Yerxa Dow (1840 – 1933)
5. Amaziah N Dow (1841 – 1928)
6. John Yerxa Dow (1841 – 1931)
7. Archibald F Dow (1843 – 1891)
8. Barbara Yerxa Dow (1844 – 1864)
9. Ruth Dow (1846 – )
10. Joanna Dow (1847 – 1900)
11. Lydia J Dow (1849 – 1944)
12. Thursa Theresa Dow (1852 – 1897)
13. Samuel Howard Dow (1853 – 1923)
14. Alice E Dow (1856 – 1922)
15. Asa N Dow (1858 – 1931)
16. Frances Loretta Dow (1860 – 1934)
17. Dudley James Dow (1863 – 1935)

vii. Aaron Dow – bcdgdag – b. 14 Jun 1812 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. 17 Sep 1888 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick, burial Lower Meductic Cemetery, Meductic; m. Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick to Lydia Cummings (1823 Dumfries, New Brunswick – 31  Jul 1890 Dumfries, New Brunswick, burial Lower Meductic Cemetery, Meductic)

Lived their whole lives at Dow Settlement. Their son Boardman carried on the family homestead in 1926.   13 children, 36 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild Not the record number of his brother Samuel, so I won’t include, but I’ve seen the list.    😉

viii. Olive Dow – bcdgdah – b. 20 Jan 1814 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; m. 7 Jul 1836 Dumfries, York, New Brunswick to Moses Hillman (1817 – 1904).

Moses’ brother Tristram Winslow Hillman (1800-1885) married our ancestor Harriett PARKS. She was the widow of Isaac MILLER Jr. She was more than 30 years younger than Isaac and there were 39 years between Isaac’s oldest and youngest children. Harriet was a widow with 8 of her 10 children living, beside seven or eight of her 13 step children, when she married Tristram Winslow Hillman in 1846. See Isaac’s page for her struggles living as a widow in the New Brunswick wilderness. He was referred to in family history as “that queer duck Hillman.”

Farmers of Temple, New Brunswick; 6 children, 32 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren.

ix. Moses Dow – bcdgdai – b. 03 Jan 1816 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; d. 1908; m. 4 Jun 1840 to Nancy B Cummings (24 May 1824 Fayette, ME – 1917)

Farmer, lived on the place inherited from his father. He started investigation of his family history which his grandnephew afterwards developed.  In 1885 the only information obtainable was from old letters, tombstones and personal memories.  Moses gave the first list of Enoch’s children in 1885, while the birth order was later revised, the Book of Dow’s key was based on this early list.    Moses had a large supply of these.  11 children, 25 grandchildren

x. Esther Dow – bcdgdaj – b. 27 Dec 1818 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; convert to Mormonism; Moved to Utah and became a plural wife; 2 children; never communicated with her family

xi. Ephraim Dow – bcdgdak – b. 27 Jun 1820 in Canterbury, Dumfries Parish, York New Brunswick; d. 1874 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; m1. Canterbury to Mary Blake (1829 – ); m2. 1846 Canterbury to Eliza Knowles (1825 – )

Both Mary and Eliza were from New Hampshire tory families. Lumberman, always lived in Canterbury, New Brunswick; Buried with two wives in Dow Cemetery;  7 children, 7 grandchildren

xii. Lydia Dow – bcdgdal – b. 26 Oct 1822 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; d.1915; m. Amos Knowles (1820 – ); 2 children

xiii. Mary Lucrecia Dow – bcdgdam – b. 12 Jul 1824 in Northampton, Carlton, New Brunswick; d. 20 May 1895 in Northampton, York, New Brunswick; m. 27 Feb 1851 Northampton, Carlton, New Brunswick Age: 26 to Charles Sheffield Grant (b. 21 Jun 1826 – d. 18 Jan 1898 Northampton Kirk Cemetery, Woodstock, New Brunswick,) Charles’ parents were  William Grant (1774 – 1847) and Ann Maidstone Hillman (1780 – 1860)

Mary and Charles were farmers of Northampton; 4 children, 3 grandchildren

xiv. Jesse Dow – bcdgdan – b. 11 Dec 1826 in Dumfries Parish, York, New Brunswick; d. 1899 ; m. 1853 Dumfries Paris to Susan Wright (27 Jul 1828 Canterbury NB –  11 Oct 1903 Auburn, Maine) Daughter of Josiah Wright;

10 children, 9 grandchildren

1851 Census of New Brunswick York County, Dumfries Parish, page 18

Name, Sex, Relation, Age, Origin, Date of Entry
Jessie Dow M Head 79 U.S. Farmer Birth
Mary Dow F Wife 69 U.S. Birth
Ledia Dow F Daughter 29 U.S. Birth
Jessie Dow F Son 23 U.S. Birth

Moses Dow M Head 36 U.S. Farmer Birth  (Jessie’s son Moses lived next door)
Nancy Dow F Wife 27 U.S. 1832
Adney Dow M Son 11 U.S. Birth
Jerusha Dow F daughter 8 U.S. Birth
Thankfull Dow F Daughter 6 U.S. Birth
Alonzo Dow M Son 4 U.S. Birth
Aaron Dow M Son 2 U.S. Birth
Nancy Dow F Daughter 5 mths U.S. Birth

4. Amos Dow – bcdgdd –

Amos’ wife Ann Teed  was born about 1774 in York, New Brunswick.  She was Mary Tidley’s (Teed) sister, the Dow brothers and Teed sisters possibly had a double wedding 2 Mar 1802. Her parents were Sylvanus Teed and Mary Nye. Ann died after 12 Jan 1852. The Teeds sprang from a Federal soldier.

Amos was a farmer and lumberman, he took a prominent place in the early development of Canterbury.  He died 1837.  We note in his posterity the strongly marked tendency towards intermarriage with original Canterbury families

Children of Amos and Ann:

i. David Dow – bcdgdda -b. 14 Jul 1801 in Dow Settlement, York, New Brunswick; d. 1888 in Ludlow, Aroostook, Maine m. 16 Nov 1824 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick to Mary Pearley Way (b. 5 Oct 1799 Eel River, York Co, New Brunswick – d. 1881 in Ludlow, Aroostook, Maine) Mary’s parents were Titus Way (b. 10 Nov 1756 in New London, New London, CT – d. 1830 in Eel River, New Brusnwick) and Elizabeth Porter (b. ~1756 – d. bef. 1830 in Eel River, New Brunswick) David and Mary had eight children.

David Dow M Head 50   (David lived next door to his cousin Moses, son of his Uncle Jessie Dow (see immediately above)
Mary Dow F Wife 52
Amos L Dow M Son 25
John A Dow M Son 23
Esther Dow F Daughter 24

Charlotte Dow F Daughter 20 b. 24 Jan 1830 in New Brunswick, Canada; d. 24 Jul 1910 in Dyer Brook, Maine; m. Charles Frederick Watson (b. 1834 in Carlton, New Brunswick, – d. 21 Sep 1905 in Ludlow, Aroostook, Maine) Charles parents were William Watson (~1801 – 1880) and Jane Philips Wolverton (1804 – ~1874)

Rhoda Dow F Daughter 18
Hannah Dow F Daughter 16
Mary Dow F Daughter 14
Walter Dow M Son 12

Farmer and mill man, is really the founder of Dow’s Settlement, although the land belonged to his grandfather.  He build a home and dam there, with a saw mill and grist mill. After Mary’s death he spent the rest of his life with a son in Ludlow, Maine.

ii. Charlotte Dow – bcdgddb – b. 1806 in Dow settlement New Bruswick; m. 1824 – Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick to Matthew Lutwick (1801 – ); both buried Dow Cemetery. Three children

iii. Nancy Dow – bcdgddc – m. Elias Knowles Three children

iv. Hannah Dow – bcdgddd – m. Daniel Randall. farmers of Dow Settlement, a daughter died young.

v. John Dow – bcdgdde – b. 1810 York, New Brunswick; d. 1855/57 New Brunswick; m. 27 Jan 1842 Southampton Parish (York), New Brunswick Age: 32 to his first cousin Maria Brooks;

Lived on Enoch’s original farm, where Spurgeon Dow lived in 1927.  Four of his children married Dow descendants

vi. Margarette Dow – bcdgddf – b. 1810/12 Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. 1902 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick m. 24 Sep 1836 Kenswick Ridge, New Brunswick Age: 24 to Benjamin Merrithew (b. 27 Jul 1811 in Keswick, York Co, New Brunswick – d. 1884 in Fredericton, York, New Brunswick); Margarette and Benjamin had five children born between 1837 and 1849.

Farmers of Canterbury Lane;

vii. Eliza Ann Dow – bcdgddg – b. 25 Jun 1814 in Canterbury, New Brunswick; d. 11 July 1921 in Marpole, Old, British Columbia; m. 1837 to George Debeck (1814 – 1870)

107 years, 16 days
Alternative time units
39,097 days
3,377,980,800 seconds
56,299,680 minutes
938,328 hours
5585 weeks

George DeBeck II & Eliza Ann Dow

Longest lived of any Dow;  Children b. Canterbury.  About 1860 the whole family with others of the original Majorfield settlement went by caravan to Eburn, near Vancouver, BC.  Eliza whose posterity is large, became the only centenarian in the Province and her birthday celebration was a notable event.  She lived and retained her faculties six years longer.

Eliza Ann and her son Howard Debeck

George’s grandfather Lt. John Ludwig DeBeck was born 1755 in Germany and died just after the loyalists return from New York to New Brunswick, either before or after his son’s birth.

George’s father George Debeck Sr. was born in b. Abt. 1783, Fort Howe St. John N.B. just after the Loyalists returned from New York. George went to France in about 1803 or 1804 and fought for Napoleon, he was awarded the Cross de legion of Honour, which he kept hidden when he returned to N.B. in 1809 and married Mary Green. He was wounded in the Battle of Wagram (near Vienna, Austria) on July 4-6 1809, according to family he was by then a Captain and was the only officer in his company to survive the battle. The two-day battle of Wagram was particularly bloody, mainly due to the extensive use of artillery on a flat battlefield packed with some 300,000 men, casualties totaled more than 78,000.

He was awarded the cross of the legion of honour, supposedly by Napoleon himself. When George returned to New Brunswick he encountered some opposition in the community as a result of his military adventures and because British subjects were not permitted to hold Napoleonic decorations, and kept his Grand Cross secret for the rest of his life. After his death in 1862, his daughter Mary Debeck Baker prepared to leave for a new home in Nova Scotia, she pressed the medal and John Ludwig Debecks muster rolls into the hands of her sister-in-law Mary Moore Porter Debeck asking that they be given to the laters son Wallace as he was next in the male line of descent. Wallace later donated the muster rolls to the Canadian National Archives and the medal is now in the keeping of his son ,Armand DeBeque of DeBeque Colorado. George DeBeck is buried in St. John United Church Cemetery, McKenzie Corner, N.B. His gravestone simply reads: DEBECK   George  died 23 Jan. 1862  78 yrs.

Debec, Richmond Parish, Carleton County, New Brunwick,an unincorporated area located between a few miles south of the midpoint between Woodstock to Houlton, Maine. is named for George Debeck, settler 1835 and mill operator. CPR station in 1861, called Debec Station in 1869, when a second line was built from Woodstock to Houlton (Maine). Debec Brook flows NE to Bulls Creek”. (Rayburn )

Debec was a small village about 40 houses, a bank, doctor, dentist, blacksmith shop and a garage. It had at one time a lumber mill (George Debeck’s, believe it burnt down, one of the reasons they left.). In the early 1900s the surrounding areas depended on the rail junction for trains service, mail and groceries. Many trains stopped there and many village residents worked for the CPR. The Debec Post office had rural routes to outlying communities such as Elmwood and McKenzie Corners. There was no church till the 1940s . There was a Debec school.

To help you follow the family’s story, Children of Eliza Dow and George Debeck:

1. Emmeline Debeck, b. b. 1837; d. 1860.

2. Mary Ann Debeck, b. 17 Mar 1839

3. Olive Hillman Debeck b. 1841

4. Howard Ludlow Debeack b. 1843, New Brunswick; d. April 04, 1924, Penticton.

5. Hannah Althelia Debeck b. 1845; d. 25 Mar, 1864, Richmond N.B.

6. Helen Eliza Debeck b. 1847, Debec Junction, Carleton, N.B.; d. 12 Dec 1875, New Westminister.

7. Warren Debeck, b. 1849.

Had to throw this in — The story of Waren’s son George W. Debecks courtship has seen print several times. In 1877 he eloped with a 16 year old St. Annes Convent girl hiring the only cab in New Westminister and the onlt tugboat to effect their getaway. He intercepted the line of girls as they were marched to Church Sunday morning Mar. 19 quickly helping Miss Keary into the waiting cab,and sped to the Fraser River and the waiting boat. they were able to escape to Port Townsend WA to be married without interference, as George W. had given 2 loggers a bottle of liquor to cut the telegraph wires and Emma’s parents were powerless to send word ahead. It was later theorized that the two loggers might have comsumed their reward before going about earning it,because they did a very effective job of cutting off New Westminister’s contact with the rest of the world. Two miles of telegraph wire had been taken down and it was over a week before service was restored . The romantic young couple returned to be forgiven by their parents and lived to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary

8. George Ward Debeck, b. 27 Sep 1849; d. 10 Apr 1943

9. Leonora Debeck, b. 1852

10. Clarence Hunter Debeck, b. 1855

11. Josephine Eugenia Debeck, b. 1859; d. 1884, L.A.

12. Roderick Debeck, b. 1859, New Brunswick; d. 1860, N.B..

From DeBeck Family New Brunswick to British Columbia

The DeBeck family’s move to B.C. came about after a neighbor and friend James Bell left New Brunswick to seek his fortune in the West in British Columbia. After a few years he returned home to New Brunswick with money in his pockets and tales of gold to be had for the taking in British Columbia. He married Olive the daughter of George and Eliza DeBeck on Sept 23, 1863 and bought a piece of land and intended to settle down and farm in New Brunswick.

At the same time, Eliza Ann and George’s 15-year-old son (George) Ward DeBeck decided to run away from home. George caught up with him in St. Andrews and convinced him to return and attend school for another year on the understanding that after the year he would be free to go if he wanted.

Meanwhile after a year Jim Bell decided he wasn’t cut out for farming and decided to leave again for British Columbia This time accompanied by his wife Olive DeBeck and young Ward. By his own accounts George Ward’s first glimpse of the West Coast was in California on July 23, 1866. Olive and Jim continued on to Victoria, while Ward stayed in Gilroy California until 1868.

Jim Bell started a Coal business at Kavanaugh’s Wharf in Victoria British Columbia.

Eliza Ann and George’s son Howard Ludlow DeBeck and his wife Emmaline Weeks decided to make the trip to the West Coast from New Brunswick. They sailed from New York on July 1 1867 on board the S.S.Ocean Queen He was not accompanied by his son Warren as has been recorded by the family. Howard joined Jim Bell in his coal business in Victoria. It is not known when Warren arrived There is a story of him travelling to Australia. He was working with his father and brothers at Burrard Inlet in 1869.

The rest of the family was supposed to have come together, though the passenger list of the Del Norte lists only Miss H.DeBeck, Miss L. DeBeck, Mr.and Mrs.DeBeck and child, the child was either Clarence or Josephine.

The DeBeck’s had left a married daughter in New Brunswick, Mary Ann DeBeck had married Samuel Yerxa as well as 2 daughters and a son in the Richmond Churchyard. Emmaline had died of T.B July 7, 1860 and Hannah Althea had died April 9 1864 from Diphtheria. Roderick had died Jan 18 1859 age 5 weeks 2 days.

In 1869 the family seemed to be all together George Sr. and sons Ward and Warren were working at Burrard Inlet logging employed by either Burrard Inlet mill or Hastings mill. Clarence went to New Westminister and drove a stage and went to school. Howard bought property from Hugh McRobert’s on Sea island and moved there with his wife and 2 little daughters Marion and Georgina. Daughter Olive and husband James Bell now lived in New Westminister. Daughter Helen Eliza DeBeck married William Gibson a grocer in Victoria in 1869 or 1870.

In May of 1870 George DeBeck II . accidentally slipped while logging and was killed. His obituary in the Mainland Guardian dated Sat May 7 1870 reads:

Fatal Accident”:

On Wednesday afternoon last, Mr. George DeBeck met with his death in a very sudden and unexpected manner. It would appear from the evidence elicited at the inquest, that while in the act of stepping over some logs lying at a sharp angle, he slipped and fell.the concussion was so sudden and violent as to produce dislocation of the vertebrae, the immediate cause of his death. Mr. DeBeck held a very high position in the esteem and respect of his fellow citizens,and will be a real loss to the community. He leaves a widow and family to deplore his loss. Mr.DeBeck was a native of New Brunswick where he held a very respectable position. When the sad news, reached the city, Dr. Black the coroner for the district, proceeded to the inlet and did an inquest on the remains. From the position of the deceased when found by his youngest son and the character of the injuries there can be no doubt as to the cause of death, and the verdict was returned accordingly. The remains of the lamented gentleman were brought to town on Thursday,and will be interred today at the cemetery in Sapperton (Now called Fraser Cemetery in New Westminister)

This is what Ned DeBeck (Exodus) writes of his grandfather George DeBeck II “We have no clear picture of what he was like (George) as he met his death so soon after coming here. He could neither read nor write. Ward, his son, tells of reading the newspaper to him before he left home. He was particularly interested in the progress of the American Civil War. He was a very religious and devout man. He would never break his bread in the sight of the Lord without removing his hat. Even when it was cold or raining he would take no bite till he had taken off his hat. He must have been a pretty good father as all of his children got some education. None of them got more than what would call the eighth grade, but that was the fault of the schools in N.B. not his. He was sufficiently interested in his family to follow his scapegrace son Ward, clear down to St. Andrews and sufficiently broadminded to realize that a sixteen year old son can not be held on apron strings.”

Another tragedy struck the family the next year in 1871 when Howard’s wife Emmaline died giving birth to third daughter Emma Augusta. Emma was the first white child born in Richmond. Howard and Emmalines other daughters were Marion Lee DeBeck and Georgina Elmar DeBeck. [I had no idea Richmond, population 190,000 and site of Olympic speed skating, was so new]

In 1871 Warren traveled back to New Brunswick and married Annie Elizabeth.Trafton of Woodstock in October of that year. They returned to New West where poor Annie passed away shortly after her arrival on April 22, 1873 at the age of 24.

Leonora DeBeck also married that year on Dec. 5, 1871 to J.C. Hughes (Josias Charles) an accountant at the Mill where her brothers worked. The DeBeck family seemed to have unending loss, Leonora’s first born Charles Arthur Hughes died on May 25 1874 at Burrard Inlet a few weeks after his birth

Daughter Helen Eliza DeBeck died in Dec. of 1875 a few days after the birth of her third daughter Olivia Helen Gibson who was born Nov. 23 1875 She gave birth and died at the home of her sister Olive Bell in New Westminister.Family story is she died from consumption (TB).

In 1877 the 4 DeBeck brothers -Clarence, Howard, Ward and Warren started the Brunette Saw mill – from History of New Westminister page 132

” The first New Westminister mill to become a lasting success was the four DeBeck brothers Brunette Mill .the story has it that in 1877, this quartet rowed across the Gulf of Georgia to Baynes Sound, north of Nanaimo,where they bought a small engine, a circular saw, a hand edger and a trimmer on the installment plan with nothing down. They moved the machinery to a four acre site where the Brunette River joins the Fraser that they bought from the provincial government for $100 The DeBeck mill at Sapperton was soon one of the most profitable in the business. ………”

A young man named James Buckam Kennedy came to New West in 1877 and began working as a planer at the mill in 1880 he bought Ward’s interest and became family later marrying Josephine DeBeck, sister of the DeBeck brothers.on Nov. 30 1880 in New Westminister. Josephine had T.B. and went down to Los Gatos California to recover in the better weather she died there in 1885 at the age of 25. She is buried in the Fraser Cemetery in New Westminister.

Ward married in 1877 causing a big stir with his elopement with Emma Mary Keary to Washington State on March 19 1877. Ward lived for a year in Yale after selling his interest in the sawmill and later moved to Oregon Washington, and Idaho.

Clarence Hunter DeBeck married in 1879 to Emily B. Edwards they settled in New West.

Warren remarried in 1880 to Elizabeth Armstrong they lived in and had 2 children Annie in 1882 and Warren John in 1883 (33) More loss for the family as Warren died in 1884 at the age of 35. His son Warren John died at the young age of 27 in Kamloops in 1911.

And Leonora’s husband Josias Charles Hughes died Nov. 8 1886. leaving Leonora with 3 children to raise.

Eliza Ann (Dow) DeBeck had been for years living with Howard and helping him raise his children After many years as a single father, Howard remarried Aug 7 1889 to Selina Clarke. During this time Howard operated a men’s furnishings store on Columbia St at Sixth.

In 1891 when Howard’s youngest daughter married Arthur Emerson Rand, Eliza “Little Grandma” went with them to live in their new home. After the death of granddaughter Augusta Rand on Oct. 13 1909, Eliza went to live with son Ward and family at Eburne She lived with son Ward until her death on July 11 1921 ,at the age of 107.

Howard following an attack of asthma went to Penticton to live in 1909, he remained there till his death on April 4 1924 at the age of 81. He is buried in the Fraser Cemetery in New Westminister

Clarence sold out of the sawmill and purchased a tugboat and engaged in the towing business till 1894 when he engaged in work for the Government as Captain of the snagboat “The Sampson” remaining in federal service for about 10 years. Later he and his son-in law C.W. Tait established the Fern Ridge Lumber and Shingle Mills in Langley District and in 1913 bought the Royal City Shingle

Mills. Clarence passed away in 1924. He is buried in the Fraser Cemetery in New Westminister His wife Emily is also buried there

Ward had returned to B.C. in 1886 and had been engaged in logging until 1891 when he went to timber cruising after that he tired mining until he was appointed Indian Agent at Alert Bay, and was stationed there in 1902 where he was stationed till 1906. He next went back to timber cruising and logging and still had an interest in several mines. Ward died in B.C. on April 10, 1943. His wife Emma predeceased him in 1939. they are buried in The Fraser Cemetery in NewWestminister

viii. Mary Ann Dow – bcdgddh – m. [__?__] Barker

5. Enoch Dow – bcdgde –

Enoch’s wife Basha Cronkite’s birth is unknown but her family were proably of the Majorfield party. Henry Cronkhite (b. 29 Sept. 1745) moved to New Brunswick after the Revolutionary War. He belonged to the King’s American Regiment and fought with the British. At the End of the war the regiment went to N.B. to disband. He married Elizabeth (Grant,previous marriage) and they had 7 children, Henry, Abraham, Mary B., Simon, Jabez, Reuben and Jacob. There is no record of a Basha, but there are a lot of blank spaces in the research. There are numerous families in that area, Woodstock, Southhampton, and into Maine. I believe that all the Cronkhite’s (different spellings) are related and descend from Henry. Henry was the oldest son of Jacobus Cranckheyt (1721) who was born in Tarrytown, N.Y. The American Patriarch of thie family was Harck Syboutszen (Kranckheyt) ( 1620 ) from Langendyck, Holland.

Enoch’s services as lay preacher either brought no income or at best, not enough for his support.  He took up a farm 8 miles back from the River near Canterbury Station.  He died in 1845.

First preacher in Canterbury; baptized more people in St John’s River than any five subsequent preachers. Source : book- “Early New Brunswick Probate Records 1785-1835 by R. Wallace Hale, published by Heritage Books, Inc.

Children of Enoch and Basha

i.  Israel Dow – bcdgdea – b. 1806 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; d. 1881 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick; m. 1830 Fredericton Bureau de Sante, , New Brunswick Age: 24 to Harriet Dickinson (1809 – ); Harriet’s parents were Reuben Chase Dickinson (1791 – ) and Phoebe Teed (1789 – ) Israel and Harriett had ten children born between 1830 and 1851.

Their farm was at Grant’s Crossing, Canterbury Lane.

ii. Levy (Levi) Dow – bcdgdeb – b. 1790 in Canterbury, New Brunswick; d. Waupaca Co, Wisconsin; m. Mahala Dickinson (b. 1809 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick – ); moved about 65 years ago to Wisconsin [about 1862] ; lost sight of; At least four children.

His brother Isreal married Harriet Dickinson
He entered USA port of entry, Apr 1866, at Calais, Maine and on to Wisconsin.
He was Naturalized 1 Dec 1871, Madison, Dane Co. Wi.
Occupation Farmer

Levi’s son Andrew (1842-1927) was the Mayor of Ogdensburg, Waupaca, Wisconsin, lived on a farm with livestock, lived his life as a gentle person. During the Flu epidemic (1918) when many local residents died, including the parents of a little girl which he took into his home to raise with his children. They were a Catholic family, the Priest in those days went into the homes and

taught catechism. When he came into his home the little girl was lonely and frightened and did not respond to him as he would like, The Priest struck her, when Andrew witnessed this he told the Priest never to lay a hand on her again or he would strike him. The Priest showed his authority by striking the poor little girl again. Andrew kept his word by hitting him so hard it knocked out some of his teeth. As the Priest quickly left he cursed Andrews Potato crop, and ordered him out of the church. Well that year Andrew had the very best Potato crop ever and when he saw the Priest on the street one day he invited him to come back the next year. and curse his crops again. He had a Livery Stable was quite well off.

iii. Hannah Dow – bcdgdec – b. 1808 in New Brunswick; d. 1867 in New Brunswick m. 6 Dec 1826 Frédéricton (Bureau de Santé), Acadie (Nova Scotia and New Brunswick) Age: 18 to John Dickinson (1803 – 1885); indirectly increasing the Dow-Dickinson marriages by five (Children married Dows) Five children

iv. Sarah Dow – bcdgded – b. 1812 New Brunswick; d. 27 Jan 1870 NB; m. 18 Jul 1830 Age: 18 to John Stuart Young (1801 – 1873)

Nearby farmer Three children, one JW Saunders Young became a baptist minister carrying on the work of Enoch 2nd.

v. Olive Dow – bcdgdee – m.  Matthew Phillips, a son of Hannah Dow (bcdgdj)  Over 70 years ago [before 1857], they left the neighborhood and it is vaguely recalled that they joined the Mormons taking with them their kinswoman Esther Dow.

Matthew Phillips (b. 1747 in Horseneck, Essex, New Jersey – d. 3 Jul 1823 in Northampton, Carleton, New Brunswick, Canada), possibly this Matthew’s grandfather was a witness to Olive’s grandfather Enoch DOW’s will:

“Enoch, Dow Parish of Woodstock, York Co. Will dated 20 Sep 1813, proved 1 Feb 1814. Names wife Ruth, sons John, Jesse, Amos, Enoch, daughters Molly Dow, Rhody (sic) Dow, Hannah Dow, Ruth Dow, and Easter Dow. Son John Dow and wife Ruth Dow executors. Wittnesses: James Upham, Amos Estey, Matthew Phillips.”

vi. Mary Dow – bcdgdef – m. [__?__] Estey

6. Mary “Molly” Dow – bcdgdf –

Molly’s husband Amos Brooks was born in 1778 in New Brunswick. The Brooks family pioneered Southampton. Amos died instate Amos died instate Parish of Northampton, York Co. Intestate. Administration granted 6 April 1825 to Isaac Brooks of Northampton. Fellow bondsmen Benjamin Brooks of Northampton and Reuben Chase of Woodstock.

Evidently Amos Brooks died prior to 5 Nov 1830, as administration of estate of Amos Brooks granted that date to Dow Brooks with fellow bondsmen John Grant and Henry Cronkhite (Molly’s brother-in-law), all of Northampton. An undated note in the file refers to the “Matter of Chas. BROOKS,” stating Amos Brooks died leaving the following children, lists sons Isaac, Dow, Charles, Amos, George, daughters Mary, Esther, [Minnie] and Caroline. List is notated that sons Isaac and Amos and daughter Mary deceased;

Molly and Amos lived in Southampton across the River from Canterbury; both buried Dow Cemetery.

Children of Mary and Amos

i. Dow Brooks – bcdgdfa – b. 1806 New Brunswick; d. After 1881 Census; m. Mary Watson (b. 13 Apr 1821, New Brunswick – Aft 1881); 6 children

ii. Charles Brooks – bcdgdfb – m. Mary Wright; 6 children

iii. George Brooks – bcdgdfc – m.  Nancy Clark

iv. Maria Brooks – bcdgdfd – m. 27 Jan 1842 – Southampton, York, New Brunswick to her first cousin John Dow (bcdgdde) (1810 – 1856)

iv. Hester Brooks – bcdgdfe – m. William Brown (probably Brawn)

v. Isaac Brooks – possibly the eldest, not listed in the Book of Dow

vi. Amos Brooks not listed in the Book of Dow

vii. Caroline Brooks not listed in the Book of Dow

7. Rhoda  Dow bcdgdg –  b.1789 New Brunswick.

Rhoda’s husband John D. Porter was born 1784 in Canterbury, York, New Brunswick. His parents were cousins John Porter and Mary Porter. John died 23 Jan 1860 in Woodstock Parish, York, New Brunswick.

John and Rhoda lived Lower Woodstock where the Porter clan was located; both buried Porter private cemetery.  Their large posterity is at present [1927] very numerous around Woodstock and if any one wished could be easily traced.

Children of Rhoda and John

i. George Porter – bcdgdga – b. 1804 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 22 Dec 1881 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick m. Rebecca Dickinson (1818 – ); 8 children

ii. John Dow Porter – bcdgdgb – b. 25 Feb 1819 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 28 Aug 1913 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick, m. Emily Chapman; 7 children; m2. Mary Irvine; 4 children

iii. Marjorie Porter – bcdgdgc – 19 Sep 1828 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. Jul 1916 in Northampton Kirk, Carleton, New Brunswick; m. 18 Jan 1846 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick to Elijah Watson (b. ~1817 in Carleton Co, New Brunswick – d. 20 Aug 1854 Lower Meductic, York Co, New Brunswick) Elijah’s parents were Peter Watson (1789 – 1879)and Hannah Ingraham (1795 – 1849) Marjorie and Elijah had four children born between 1846 and 1852.

m2. 16 Dec 1855 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick to Charles Trafton (b. 20 Jan 1829 in New Brunswick – d. 17 Jan 1910); Marjorie and Charles had four children born between 1857 and 1862.

iv. Mary Moore Porter – bcdgdgd – b. 3 Nov 1813 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 27 Jul 1902 in Escanaba, Delta, Michigan; m. Enoch Debee; 4 children

v. Esther Porter – bcdgdge -b. 1809 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 7 Feb 1877 in Woodstock, , New Brunswick, m. Joseph Scott; 8 children

vi. Jacob C. Porter – bcdgdgf – b. 1826 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick; d. 1905 in Meductic, New Brunswick; m. Esther Dickinson; 10 children

vii. Mary Porter – bcdgdgg – m. Dr. Charles Rice; 5 children

1851 Census of New Brunswick Carleton County, Woodstock Parish, page 35

John Porter M Husband 66 Native Farmer 1785
Rhoda [Dow] Porter F Wife 64 Native 1787 – bcdgdg 

John Junr Porter M 32 Farmer 1819 (living next door, John’s son – bcdgdgb]
Emily A Porter F Wife 29 Native 1822
Albert Porter M Son 10 Native 1841
Jacob Porter M Son 8 Native 1843
Emily Porter F Daughter 6 Native 1845
Woodford Porter M Son 5 Native 1846
Thadias Porter M Son 2 Native 1849
Margary Porter F Daughter Infant Native 1851

Jacob Porter M Husband 25 Farmer 1826 [living nearby, John’s son bcdgdgf]
Easter Porter F Wife 23 Native 1828
Eanoch Porter M Son 6 Native 1845
Hezekiah Porter M Son 4 Native 1847
Mary Porter F Daughter 2 Native 1849
Edwin Porter M Son Infant Native 1851

George Porter M Husband 47 Native Farmer 1804 [Living nearby John’s son or brother] bcdgdga
Rebeca Porter F Wife 33 Native 1818
Amanda Porter F Daughter 13 Native 1838
Henryetta Porter F Daughter 11 Native 1840
Jonathan Porter M Son 9 Native 1842
Rhoda Porter F Daughter 7 Native 1844
Jane Porter F Daughter 5 Native 1846
David Porter M Son 3 Native 1848
Melvina Porter F Daughter 1 Native 1850

8. Ruth DOW- bcdgdi – ( See Abraham ESTEY ‘s page)

9. Hannah Dow – bcdghi –

Hannah’s husband David Phillips was born 22 Oct 1786 in Meductic, Carleton, New Brunswick. His parents were Matthew Phillips (1747 – 1823) and Maria Ackerman (1747 – 1807). David died 31 Mar 1866 in Southampton, York, New Brunswick, Canada.  The Brooks family was one of the pioneers from Majorfield.

Matthew Phillips was a witness to Enoch’s 1813 will.

Hannah’s gravestone is small and eluded notice until 1926.  She died 1816 age 25.  Absence of other stones indicates that if she had children, they were elsewhere with her father.

Child of Hannah and David

i. George Matthews Dow (Matthew G D) Phillips b. 23 May 1816 in Southampton, York Co, New Brunswick; d. 22 Sep 1893 in Provo, Utah; Burial: Provo City Cemetery, Provo, Utah; m. 15 Oct 1836 in Southhampton, York Co, New Brunswick to Elizabeth Phillips (b. 22 Sep 1815 in Southhampton, York Co, New Brunswick)

10. Esther Dow – bcdgdh –

My previous story was that Esther was born in 1788 and she married a Mormon and moved to Utah. Another of Esther’s first cousin Olive Dow (bcdgdee) married Matthew Phillips, a son of Hannah Dow (bcdgdj)  Over 70 years ago [before 1857], they left the neighborhood and it is vaguely recalled that they joined the Mormons taking with them their kinswoman Esther Dow. Another researcher thought “apparently they moved out of the neighborhood, perhaps toward Frederickton.”

Thanks to a heads up from Michelle Daniels and her many years of research, I’ve found that she married Stephen Brook Watson and moved to Bangor, Maine. Michelle has Esther’s birth date as 11 Nov 1797 in Canterbury, York Co, when her mother Ruth was 45 years old, six years after her next oldest sibling , so Esther may have been a “surprise” baby.

Esther’s husband Stephen Brooks Watson was born 3 May 1795 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick. His parents were Peter Watson (b. ~1759 England – d. Aft. 1814 in Woodstock, New Brunswick) and Louisa Woolverton (b. ~1761 – d. 17 Mar 1853 in Woodstock, Carleton, New Brunswick). Stephen died 23 Sep 1848 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine and is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor.

Stephen’s brother William Watson married David Dow’s (b. 1801 ) daughter Esther Dow (b. 17 May 1827) married William Watson (b. 1801) and Jane Philips Wolverton (b. 1804)’s son William Watson (b. 1829)

In the 1850 census, Esther was a 54 year old widow living in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine with four children at home ages 10 to 30.

Children of Esther and Stephen:

i. Asa H Watson b: 16 May 1820 in Carleton Co, New Brunswick; d. 21 Jul 1871 in Old Town, Penobscot Co, Maine; Burial: 22 Jul 1871 Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor; m1. 15 Mar 1843 in Jacksontown, Carleton Co, New Brunswick to Charlotte Elizabeth Corey (b: Oct 1822 in Queens Co, New Brunswick – d. 14 Oct 1846 in Maine, Burial: Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor); Her parents were Stephen A Corey( b: 1797) and Sarah Cyphers Brown (b: in Queens Co, New Brunswick)

In the 1860 census, Asa was farming in Orono, Penobscot, Maine with his mother Esther and youngest brother Howard.

m2. 12 Sep 1865 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine to Miranda “Maranda” C Hardy (b: Oct 1825 in Naples, Cumberland Co, Maine – d. 2 Feb 1918 in Old Town, Penobscot Co, Maine of Senility, Burial: 4 Feb 1918 Riverside Cemetery, Stillwater, Penobscot Co, Maine) Asa and Miranda had two children, Etta (b. 1866 ) and Alice (b. 1871). Miranda’s parent were Jonathan Hardy (b: in New Hampshire) and Mary Jordan (b: in Portland, Cumberland Co, Maine) Maranda had first married 24 Dec 1847 in Piscataquis Co, Maine to Nathan Brasier (b: Abt 1824 in Maine – d. 31 Jul 1864 in Maine) and had three children from this marriage.

In the 1870 census, Asa and Miranda were farming in Orono, Penobscot, Maine.

ii. Mary Dow Watson b: 4 Sep 1822 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick c: 29 Feb 1824 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick; d. 3 Jan 1917 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine; Burial: 4 Jan 1917 Mt. Hope Cemetery, Bangor; m. 27 Oct 1842 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick to George Lathrop Churchill (b: 25 Oct 1819 in Woodstock, Carleton Co, New Brunswick – d. 2 Jan 1889 in Portland, Cumberland Co, Mainel Burial: 5 Apr 1889 Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor) George’s parents were Benjamin Churchill (b: 1 Feb 1790 in Yarmouth, Yarmouth Co, Nova Scotia) and Elizabeth Everett (b: 16 Feb 1793 in Kingston, King Co, Nova Scotia)

In the 1880 census, George and Mary were living in Portland, Cumberland, Maine. Mary’s mother Esther was living with the family. George was a grocer. George and Mary didn’t have children.

iii. George W Watson b: 15 Jun 1824 in New Brunswick; d, 15 Aug 1850 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine

Some genealogies say George may have married Viola J Scott (b. 1830 Maine – d. Aft. 1900 census Dexter, Penobscot, Maine), but that George E and Viola Watson were living in Dexter, Penobscot, Maine in the 1860, 1870 and 1880 census, long after the 1850gravestone date.

iv. Elijah J Watson b: 20 Feb 1827 in Eel River, York Co, New Brunswick; d. 28 Nov 1910 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine of Senility; m1. 14 Apr 1850 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine to Salome P Haskell (b: 11 Mar 1818 in Hebron, Oxford Co, Maine – d. 12 Mar 1875 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine, Burial: 13 Mar 1875 Mount Hope Cemetery, Bangor) Salome first married [__?__] Williams and had a son Albert Williams (b: ~1844 in Massachusetts)

Elijah and Salome had three children born between 1857 and 1862 in Bangor Maine

In the 1870 census, Elijah was a carpenter in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine.

m2. 14 Mar 1883 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine to Martha “Mattie” Dawson (b: Oct 1830 in Brewer, Penobscot Co, Maine – 26 Dec 1915 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine of Arteriosclerosis, Burial: Mount Hope Cemetery) Mattie’s parents were Stephen Dawson (b: Jun 1813 in England – d. aft 1900 census) and Martha Thompson (b: 1815 in Greenfield, Penobscot Co, Maine – ) Mattie first married 10 Aug 1861 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine to John N Williams.

In the 1892 city directory, Elijah lived at 62 Pearl Street Bangor, Maine.

v. Aaron D Watson b: Apr 1831 in Eel River, York Co, New Brunswick; d. 1 Feb 1902 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine of Conjestion of Lungs; m. 6 Jan 1852 in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine to Mary Lavinza Colbath (b: 8 Apr 1835 in Exeter, Penobscot Co, Maine 0 d. 15 Oct 1892 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine of Consumption) Mary’s parents were John Smithson Colbath (1784 – 1864) and Mary Quimby (1795 – 1881) Aaron and Mary had seven children born between 1856 and 1877.

In the 1880 census, Aaron D and Mary L were farming in Bangor, Penobscot, Maine.

Aaron D Watson (1833-1892) Gravestone — Mount Hope Cemetery , Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine, Plot: Lot 922CG

vi. Walter S Watson b: 4 Dec 1831 in Jacksontown, Carleton Co, New Brunswick; d. 7 Apr 1907 in Boston, Mass. of Pneumonia/ Gripe; Burial: Milton Cemetery, Milton, Norfolk Co, Mass; m. 9 Apr 1856 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Mass to Sarah B Hutchinson (b.  7 Dec 1836 Dorchester  – d. 15 Mar 1909 Boston;  Burial: Milton Cemetery, Milton, Norfolk Co, Mass) Sarah’s parents were Joseph Hutchinson (b: St. John, St. John, New Brunswick) and Sarah B Marshall (b: Milton, Norfork, Mass.)

Walter was a Cabinet Maker 1856 in Dorchester.   Walter and Sarah had three children born between 1861 and 1867.

Young Walter Watson and his brothers Elijah,Walter, and Charles William

In the 1870 census, Walter and Sarah were living in Boston Ward 16, Suffolk, Mass with three young children and Walter’s mother Esther. Walter was working as a cabinet maker.

vii. Charles Watson b: Abt 1833 in New Brunswick

viii. Amelia Watson b: Abt 1834 in New Brunswick; d. Aft. 1850 census when she was living with her mother in Bangor.

ix. Susan Watson b: Abt 1838 in New Brunswick; d. Aft. 1850 census when she was living with her mother in Bangor.

x. Howard Watson b: 21 Mar 1840 in Jacksontown, Carleton Co, New Brunswick; d. 5 Jul 1911 in Melrose, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts of Acute Cardiac Dilatation(sic)/Chronic Aortic Disease; Burial: 7 Jul 1911 Wyoming Cemetery; m. 28 Oct 1868 in Bangor, Penobscot Co, Maine to Annadora E “Annie” or “Dora” Washburn (b: Abt 1847 in Maine – d. Aft 1920 census) Annadora’s parents were Thelismer B Washburn b: (~1815 in Maine) and Citogenne Greenwood Bearce (b: 7 Apr 1820 in Hebron, Maine (Oxford)) Citorgenne was 1/64 Wampanoag/ Narragansett Indian from his father side.

In the 1900 census, Howard and Dora were boarding in Chicago, Illinois where Howard was the manager of a machinery company.

Sources:

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/r/a/Dorothy-Kratzer-CO/GENE1-0005.html

http://www.angelfire.com/music2/greggwager/wager368.html

http://members.tripod.com/Tere_4/more.htm

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/d/o/w/Kenneth-H-Downey/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0548.html

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/10708951/person/215834934

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=43885314

http://automatedgenealogy.com/censusnb51/SurnameSearch.jsp?surname=Dow

http://www.dowlink.net/the_dows_of_new_brunswick.htm

The Book of Dow, Genealogical Memoirs of the Descendants of Henry Dow 1637, Thomas Dow 1639 and Others of the Name, Immigrants to America During Colonial Times. by Robert Percy Dow 1929

http://boards.ancestry.com/thread.aspx?mv=flat&m=32&p=surnames.cronkite

Dedicated to all Dows Everywhere

http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=43885314&st=1 See Michel Daniels mdaniels67@aol.com

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/k/r/a/Dorothy-Kratzer-CO/PDFGENE1.pdf

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~missourirayfamilies/12.htm

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mdaniels67&id=I33738

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mdaniels67&id=I33738 Contact Michele Daniels mdaniels67@aol.com