JAMES SIMPSON FAMILY

Another early Rollingdam family was that of James SIMPSON.  James is believed to have owned about three blocks of land in the lower end of Rollingdam, from the corner southward;  and westward from the Digdeguash River to the GIDDEN'S and other adjacent lands.  He acquired his first piece of land March 30, 1829, from George D. MORRISON in which apparently both blocks No. 2 and 3, owned by Hector and George MORRISON were granted. From the wording of the deed it is strongly implied that both James SIMPSON and George MORRISON were residents of St. Andrews at that time (1829), although local tradition has it the SIMPSONS originally came from Waweig. In any event they were in St. Andrews for the transaction.  A few years afterward James and his wife Elizabeth ( Mitchell) SIMPSON, in July 1835, transferred one block of 100 acres to Alexander McCANN.  It mustbe kept in mind that dates, as such, mainly confirm and legalize property transactions but not necessarily sttlements upon lands--which most often, antedated deeds by 5 or more years.  James SIMPSON'S home was the one now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Marvin NODDIN and family.  Although James and Elizabeth are reputed to have had no children--yet his gravestone reads:  "James died October 13, 1855, aged 56; erected by his son Samuel." (Provided we have the correct James SIMPSON).  There was also a James Henry SIMPSON of Waweig. The MONTGOMERY family was comprised of James and Jane MONTGOMERY who came from Ireland in 1830 and lived on the main road--where Mrs. George Richardson now resides.  Apparently there were three children of this couple:  Robert, John, and Sarah.  Robert married Rebecca MONTGOMERY (of the Whittier Ridge road) and they had three children;  Effie, who married William McKAY and lived in Canterbury, NB.  Edith May, who married George Walter FRENCH and lived in BC;  and Willard who lived in West Virginia. John, called 'lame John' lived in the old home on the west side of the road.  His brother Robert and wife Rebecca lived in the old homestead on the east side but this couple died when quite young, leaving three very small children--mentioned above.  Robert was only 45 and Rebecca only 30. Their uncle John (a bachelor) helped to raise his brother's three children.  

(This information has been recently confirmed by a daughter of Edith (MONTGOMERY) FRENCH,--Mrs.Patricia (FRENCH) CHOQUETTE of British Columbia. To the best of this author's knowledge the following is a list of dates of arrivals in Canada, or in a few cases to Rollingdam itself:  James SIMPSON-1829,  James MONTGOMERY-1820.

Written by Rev. Charles M. Smith, Rollingdam, NB
By permission of the Saint Croix Courier Page Loaded July 12, 2002
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