On the Saint John highway, below Jack McCullough’s new home, almost at
top of Wheaton Hill, was built a little Anglican church. Promotor [sic] was Mrs.
Botterall who donated the land. The Rector was Rev. D. W. Blackall. The
meetings were fairly well attended, but there were hardly any regular
supporters. So the higher boards of the church said they would take the lumber
of the church and build a church-hall for Elmsville Anglican Church. Before
this the government had been widening the highway, and really destroyed the
entrance and left no parking space. Then this change was accomplished.

    The Wheaton cellar is on that side, down under the hill near a brook
which flows into lake. Above the lake on the north side of road, was the home
of Jeremiah Hanson, brother of James, Eli, etc. Jeremiah’s family were:
Burpee, millman: Daniel: sea captain: Munn: and Wesley, who died at
Memramcook College while a student there. The girls were nearly all efficient
teachers and two, Ida and Nancy taught some on local licenses. The teachers
were Rachel, Mrs. Bucknam, Eastport: Mary, Mrs. Olin Young, The Ledge, later
Maine: Addie: Annie, Mrs. Carmichael, later of Minnesota (I think): Lillian:
also Blanche, who became Mrs. Bowden and went to reside in San Jose, Cal. Mrs.
Bowden died after the birth of second child, Nancy, wife of Captain Rufus
Outhouse, living home with her mother, went to San Jose and brought children
home with her. Mentioned above, Ida, married Allen Turner of Saint John. Mr.
Bowden came to see his children later on, married Lillian, and took her and
little Curtis with him. When Blanche was of school age, Curtis came back to
go to school with her. Before Mrs. Outhouse died she sent the children home
to California. It was then that she sold the farm to Mrs. Botterell, who in
after time, sold to Eastern Pulp Company. Going along the road there is now
a cutting through hill above Gravelly Brook to Presbyterian Church. Before
the road went down hill to Gravelly Brook, then up to Old Field Gate, turned
north at right angles to Church. This road, and road from Old Field Gate to
Bocabec River have been abandoned.

    The Presbyterian Church body was formed about 1789, but Church was not
finished for some years. Services were held mostly by Rev. McLean and Casselis
(Scotch ministers) from St. Andrews, until William Millen, Northern Ireland
was ordained in Bocabec church. With him was James Law of England, who went
as a missionary to East Coast of New Brunswick with residence at Rexton, Kent
Co. Mr. Millen then was over the Bocabec, Waweig and Rollingdam area, and
was called upon very often from St. George and Pennfield areas. After a couple
of years he left and went to the Baillie church, builtbut in a few years, then
returned and was pastor here until his death in 1888-- after nearly forty
years pastorate. The Manse (home of Rev. Millen) was in WaweigBayside. In the early 90's in time of Rev. Calder, a new manse was built at Waweig by the three congregations.

    Just beyond the church fence on north is the cellar of an old McLaughlin
home, and beyond the bend, on road leading to Methodist (now United Church)
is another cellar--McKay (I’ve heard it called McCoy). Back to main highway
was a former Eli Hanson Jr. home. I can recall driving there with my mother
to get the mail, then the only one in Bocabec. When I was growing up, in my
teens, there were two Post Offices. Now there is daily mail service in rural
mail boxes. That office was kept by Mrs. Eli Hanson and her daughter Clara.
Her older daughters were away. Rebecca, Mrs. John Mann, Breadalbane, near
St. George: Josephine went to teach in Deer Island and married Frank Pendleton:
another, Emmeline, married George English in Deer Island. Two sons, Daniel
and Melvin had gone to California. I understood that Melvin, a lawyer out
there, came to take his mother and sister back with him. Clara became Mrs.
Fisher. None of them returned.

    The next to live there were Mr. Edward Irvin, wife Jane Johnston, both
of Bocabec. Her brother, James, spent his latter days with them. Another
brother, George Johnston, was principal of St. George High School and died
suddenly. My father and I went to his funeral on New Years day, 1897, while
I was home for Christmas holidays from Normal School. After Mrs. Irvin's
death, the property was sold to the government who wanted to widen the roads.
Mr. Irvin went to live with Jack Johnson's son, Aubrey, in lower Bocabec. The
Baptist Churchyard adjoined their property. It was the first church building
in Bocabec. As years went by the congregation had dwindled by death and many
families moving away, that church services were closed and finally the lumber of the church
was sold. The churchyard is well taken care of by a legacy from the family
of Isaac Hanson of Haverhill, Mass. From this, the Presbyterian Cemetery
has, for a few years been receiving a donation to help take care of Hanson
graves in cemetery.