Nine years later, however, another note emerged under the date of March 15, 1827, describing a deed from Richard and Martha McFARLANE to Samuel, in which grants of land on the "east side of the river formally granted to the aforesaid Richard McFARLANE opposite lots No. 2 and No. 3 in a grant to Witter MOORE and others; also lots No. 2 and 3 on the west side, formerly granted to James BROWN and Michael YOUNG with mills and privileges thereunto belonging to the said Samuel McFARLANE...."
Whether the earlier transfers
or arrangements were legally finalized or not, I suspect that we may well
consider 1827 as the authentic date of ownership of the lands herein mentioned;--
but Rollingdam's gradual
settlement had already begun and several homes ( log houses or framed
houses ) had been going up for the past 6 or 8 years throughout the area.
In the interim, on Sept. 16, 1822 Sam married Margaret CAMERON at St. Andrews;
Rev. Jerome Alley, officiated. And we may well assume that the
young couple took up their residence near the millsite soon thereafter.
(Their dates are ; Samuel, born Feb. 9, 1793; died Dec. 14, 1882, aged 89 years and 10 months. Margaret, born July 19, 1798; died Jan. 13, 1888 aged 89 years and 5 months). Samuel and Margaret had 9 children, of whom at least two lived out their days in the old home;-- Samuel and Marietta. These two, along with Hubert John and Ellen, back in 1835, attended school together at Rollingdam.
There is one other McFARLANE associated with this account of whom I have found nothing documented as far as deeds and or lots are concerned but whose name seemed to reappear when this early study was made- James McFARLANE. This writer has the names of at least a dozen McFARLANES for this specific area, but none for James-- except Samuel James of more recent history. My list includes the following McFARLANES; John, Peter, Malcolm, Duncan, Hugh, Walter, ( two ) Samuels, Hubert, John Robinson, Samuel James, Thomas, Charles Wellington, and Hugh Duncan. There was a Sergeant James McFARLANE who served in the British Army from 1804 to 1816 and who was a member of the 104th Regiment during the War of 1812. Possibly he could be the James we are looking for. The only bona fide note I have on James in connection with Rollingdam is that, around 1827, he is reputed to have "built a mill on the east side of the Digdeguash River" only a few hundred yards from his home on the west side. Also, a glance at the map of original land grants shows one lot owned by a James McFARLANE in the Waweig area. However, the mill must certainly have had an earlier active date than 1827.
There is an old local tradition to the effect that the first mill was built on the east side of the river but this one burned and a subsequent mill was erected on the west side. To confirm or correct such details much more research herein must be carried out on McFARLANE lands and mills. The McFARLANE home and barn still stand in excellent condition. Mr. Sam McFARLANE, Sr. was a prominent and useful citizen; one authentic account owned by the GRAHAM family (of the late Mr. and Mrs. Nelson GRAHAM) shows him, in 1841, as a local Road Commissioner. He was prominent in community affairs-- and a noted Lodgeman. Back in the 1830's and onward, the McFARLANES, in addition to their industrious mills, owned a small store, a workshop, and a blacksmith shop. On King's Brook (afterward referred to as "Tan House Brook") they had a Tan House that stood north of, but near to, the brook on the east side of the road. The Tannery was a two-story building which stood endwise and close to the road. Teams bringing hides to the shop would drive close to the front entrance and from here the pelts were hoisted to a second story door and thence drawn into the building.
This was in the 1880's and earlier and remembered well by our elders. Here Hugh McFARLANE plied his trade as Shoe Maker; and children enroute to and from their school paid their periodic visits looking in at the open door.
One tradition has it that even a brick factory existed on this brook on the west side of the road. The McFARLANE home is one of the most historic in this village; and, in the 19th century, was the center of a great deal of community life.
Written by Rev. Charles M. Smith, Rollingdam,
NB
Found in July 27, 1972 edition of Saint Croix
Courier, St. Stephen, NB--
(includes picture of Samuel McFARLANE 1793-1882).
By permission of the Saint Croix Courier.
Page Loaded Dec 16, 1999
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