Hello Antonia,
I was very pleased to see your response to S. Bliss re the Sinclairs of
Charlotte, NB and the Dewars. I am also researching this family and wonder
if you are researching these and others in St. James Parish, Charlotte
County, NB. If so lets keep in touch.
The following is my response to her which you might find interesting.
"Regarding her ancestor, see page 300 in the Whyte book for Thomas Sinclair
#11179. He is the husband of Eory and the ancestor of the family for whom S.
Bliss was searching. Thomas St. Clair (Sinclair), is a Scot and was a
member of the Reay Fencible Regiment organized by Lord Reay (Clan MacKay) at
the request of the King, in 1794; the regiment was mustered out in 1802 at
Stirling. Thomas served with many of the men from his district, many of whom
would become a part of the emigration of 1803 from Assynt and Eddrachillis in
Sutherlandshire, Scotland via Boston to NB. They finally landed at St.
Stephen in 1804 and established the villages of Scotch Ridge, Pomeroy Ridge,
Little Ridge and Basswood Ridge. He and many of his neighbors made up the
passenger list of the ships Nelly and Fortitude. You can find my narrative
of their voyage and settlements on the NB Charlotte County board.
Thomas was listed as St. Clair on the list posted at St. Andrews in 1804, but
Sinclair everywhere else.
Thomas Sinclair was granted 315 acres of land located at Lot 4 of the Class
Letter D of the First Division of the Chiputneticook Ridge. Today that can
be found on the road to Scotch Ridge from St. Stephen. My father lived on a
farm on that lot as a child.
Alexander Sinclair, his son, your ancestor, was awarded 180 acres in the same
grant, at lot 2, same class letter and division. This lot is located on the
road to Basswood Ridge from the crossroad at the Scotch Ridge Church.
Thomas was married to Eory and had the following children (NB-not all
confirmed)
William
Thomas
Alexander
Isabella
Murdock
Duncan
Alexander b 1784 m Barbara Morrison (also my family) 6 Dec 1804, he is buried
in the Scotch Ridge Cemetery. They had the following:
Daniel
Florey
Jannet
Margaret
Hugh
William
Alexander Falconer
Alexander Falconer b 5 Dec 1816 m Christina McLeod, their children:
Barbara Ann b 17 April 1852 m Nevin Dewar, (children here include Margaret,
Luther, Eliz., Dougal, Mary, Jean, Luella, Frank, Alice, Harold, Wilena)
Christine Eliz.
Dougal Blair
Flora Isabella
Huigh Alexander
Donald MacLeod (daughter Margaret Smith living in Somerville, MA 90+ years)
John Turnbull
William Henry
In the census of 1871 Nevin Dewar is 28 and living with James 80, and
Catherine 64. In the census of 1851 James is listed as born in Scotland,
arrived in NB in 1816, he is listed as a school teacher and farmer. The
mother is Catherine Low (according to the baptismal register of the Scotch
Ridge Kirk) and was born in NB. Nevin is listed as a son in this census,
with brother Alexander, James, John, Robert, Peter, and sisters Sarah and
Catherine.
An interesting sidelight, Alex and John Dewar, and my ggrandfathers uncle
David Hannan all went west for the gold rush and mining opportunities, Alex
was shipwrecked and save, and it is said that John killed David H. on the way
home in Colorado."
My best regards Antonia,
Ralph Hannan
North Rading, MA
A descendent of Thomas Sinclair
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