McCANNS of ROLLINGDAM

        The McCANNS were early settlers-- Alexander  (Sr?) coming from Ireland to Canada in 1825.  His wife Mary, born about 1809, also from Ireland, arrived in 1830.  According to the reading of one deed--    Alexander bought a block of land from James SIMPSON in 1835.  SIMPSON, by this time, had been well settled upon his own acres down nearer to what we know as McCann's Corner.  However, it must not be overlooked that Alexander could have been living on his land a few years prior to final purchase,-- as were most such cases in early settlement days.

        The 1851 census describe the McCANNS as then living in a log house and as having eight children.  The block he purchased was the one whereon the McCANNS lived later known as the NIXON farm.Alexander's stone reads;  "Died 17 October 1860, aged 62".  Some of their children were;  Alexander Jr. Thomas and James.  There certainly were others, as indicated above, but their names have not as yet been established.  There were a considerable number of McCANNS in the 19th century in this general area.

        However, we do have a few notes on at least two of them.  Alexander Jr.'s wife was Jane (McKENZIE) and she is believed to have come from Vermont, or from elsewhere in New England.  They lived in the old McCANN homestead.  The children of Alexander Jr. (called "Sandy") and Jane were as follows:  Charles, married Allie McCRUM;  Homer married a McRAE;  Herbert (Congregational minister, lived in Gray, Maine.);  Hugh Alexander;  Effie, married Arthur McRAE;  Bert, married Louise MILLIKEN;  Millie, married Charles RILEY;  Maurice, married Una GOODILL. Thomas McCANN and his wife Ann (WILSON), lived in what later was known as the Harvey BARTLETT home on the main road.

        One record has it that Thomas bought his farm from James LEIGHTON back in 1847.  Alexander and Thomas built their mill at Rollingdam just below their old store at Rollingdam back in 1870 and this mill was active well into the twentieth century, (and is well remembered by this writer).  Thomas and Ann had three daughters;  Laura, married Hugh GOSS of Bonney River;  Jessie married an EMERSON;  Josephine, unmarried.  It is also believed there was at least one son, Lawrence.  Their gravestones read;  Thomas McCann, Died 1900, aged 74.  His wife Ann, Died 1906, aged 72.

        Of James McCANN and his wife Ann, very little is known, except that James is reported ( in 1861 census ) as being a carpenter and at that time as being 35 years of age;  Ann's age then was 27.

        Other McCANNS in this local area were;  Ward-- who lived in Minnesota; Samuel, Ward's brother, of Greenoch,  William, who lived in Waweig (in 1887).  Patrick, living on Sorrell Ridge in the 1840's.  Peter, per 1861 census, reported as "Servent and Blacksmith".  At least a few of these are related to the Alexander McCANN families-- Junior or Senior, and require further study and identity.  There may well be others.

Written by Rev. Charles M. Smith, Rollingdam, NB
Found in the October 5, 1972 edition of the Saint Croix Courier
By permission of the Saint Croix Courier
Page Loaded Dec 16, 1999
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