Fredericton's Old Burial Ground - Seann Chladh

James Taylor senior was a Loyalist who arrived at Pointe Sainte-Anne in 1783. Born in Port Glasgow Scotland, he had emigrated to New York when young and served as a Sergeant with the 3rd New Jersey Volunteers during the American Revolution. In Fredericton he was known as "James The Elder" (as differentiation from his son James), and is credited with establishing “one of the largest and most respectable firms” in the colony—with business interests in the mercantile trade, as well as timber, shipbuilding, and general construction operations. His place of business was located just below Regent on Queen Street, across from the (present-day) former York County Court House.  James’ three sons, James, William, and John F., formally entered into a partnership with their father in 1821, forming “James Taylor Senior and Company”. In addition to their store, the Taylors operated a mill and shipyard on the western end of Fredericton. They also owned a mill on the Nashwaak (present-day Ma...

Yesterday, John NEILL passed away at his home in Gibson (York Co.). He had been inflicted for some time with enlargement of the heart and this culminated in his death. He came to this country about the year 1842 from Whitborn in Scotland and for a time after coming out he taught school. He then engaged in the hardware business in the firm of Stewart & Neil. He was always a most enterprising man and is said to have introduced from the Scotland the first bone crushing mill ever brought to this country. He was connected through his mother with the Stewarts of the largest hardware house in Edinburgh.  He leaves two sons and five daughters living: Jas. S. NEILL, hardware merchant, Albert NEILL, Mrs. J.F. McMURRAY, Mrs. W.R. LOGAN, Mrs. Wm McKAY, Mrs. Arthur SEWELL and Miss Alice NEILL. His widow survives him.  He was a prominent member of the St. Andrew's Society of which he was secretary from 1847 to 1852. He also occupied the offices of 1st and 2nd vice-presidents. Through hi...

Thomas R. Robertson was the first Treasurer for the Society of Saint Andrew. He served from 1825 to 1828, and was also President in 1846 and 1847. Born in Scotland, Thomas arrived to Fredericton in 1818 – along with his friends Robert Gowan, and John Gregory – all with the 74th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot.  When his regiment departed Fredericton in 1823, he stayed behind, joining the merchant firm of Thomas L. Langen as a clerk. Thomas soon became a full partner, and their business operated under the name of Langen & Robertson. This continued until 1831, when Mr. Langen retired and the business was then taken over by Thomas.  T. R. Robertson’s store was located on the west end of Queen Street, and continued to operated in the same location. On August 2, 1839 his store was destroyed by a fire – described by the Fredericton Sentinel as the most disastrous of the decade. Nevertheless, T. R. Robertson’s store was rebuilt and continued for another 17 years. Thomas was a hig...

At 19 years of age, John Gregory was the youngest founding member of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew. He arrived in Fredericton in 1818 — along with his friends Robert Gowan and Thomas Robertson — as a member of the 74th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot. Throughout his lifetime John Gregory was an “active and prominent member of the Society,” serving as Secretary (1828-1837), as well as Vice-President (1838-1841; 1858-1861), and President (1861). He is also credited — along with his close friends and fellow Society members Francis Beverly, Robert Fulton, Thomas Robertson, and Robert Gowan — with founding St Paul's Church. Born into a family of law professionals in Edinburgh, Scotland, John attended private schools and commenced Law studies at the age of 15. After interning for two years, it is said that his “pride was hurt” when the senior attorneys criticized his work. He felt the criticisms were unjust, and what made matters even worse, his father agreed with them! John thu...

Peter Fraser was the first President of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew. He served for seven years. In 1923, the then President Mr Justice Oswald S. Crocket wrote extensively about him:  Peter Fraser, the first president of the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew, was a leading merchant and one of the most prosperous and prominent citizens of Fredericton. Born at Forres, Morayshire, Scotland in 1765, he came to New Brunswick in his eighteenth year about the time it was founded as a separate Province in 1784, and by his native ability and unremitting industry and prudence soon hewed out the path upon which he advanced to business success and public prominence.  As early as 1789, Mr. Fraser purchased from William Garden (original grantee) the block of land bounded today by Queen, Church and King Streets, situated beside Parliament Square. Not long afterwards, he built a residence on the Queen Street side of his property (today known as Farraline Place). Later he built a ...

Prior to 1927 there had always been a Society Piper. The first was Robert Gowan, who joined the Society in 1826.  He arrived in New Brunswick from Ireland in 1818 as a piper in the 74th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot, and was garrisoned here from 1818 to 1823. Robert assisted John Baird as a teacher in the Barrack School for children of the regiment, and when his unit departed, stayed in Fredericton and opened a "Painting, Engraving and Writing" shop on the corner of Regent Street. This is where he was hired to engrave the Society's mull horn in 1826. He later became a bookkeeper in the lumbering firm of Robert Rankin & Co. Later, when the Central Bank of New Brunswick was established in 1834, he was appointed bank cashier, and then in 1839 he entered the Crown Land Office. There he kept meticulous accounts of all lands granted in the province (his six-volume leather bound ledgers are preserved in the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick).  Robert Gowan was also a res...