Westmorland County Churches
Information and locations of records

For the purposes of this web site, church listings are restricted to those in existence before approximately 1900, since that is the time period of most interest to most genealogists.  Churches are divided according to denomination.  A special note is required concerning the Methodist, Congregational and Presbyterian denominations; in 1925, the first two and many congregations of the latter merged into the United Church of Canada, and records from these congregations are often found in these churches.

The Roman Catholic information is fairly complete and accurate, but the information for the other denominations MUCH less so.  Any researchers who can provide either a good overview, or information on both the development of a denomination, or where holdings of records can be found, are encouraged (or implored, maybe!) to contribute these to this site.   

Addresses provided are to either the churches themselves, or to archival bodies that hold their records.  These records are listed by denomination rather than geographically. Churches are listed approximately in order of their founding.  Note the dates of establishment of the different parishes; records pre-dating the establishment of the parish might be located in adjacent parishes. 

CEA - Centre d'Etudes Acadiennes, Universite de Moncton, Moncton, N.B., E1A 3E9; phone (506) 858-4085; fax (506) 858-4530; web site http://www.umoncton.ca/etudeacadiennes/centre/cea.html  The Centre has indices for many of the records, especially in Acadian regions, making it much easier to locate entries of interest.

PANB - Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 6000, Fredericton, N.B. E3B 5H1; web site http://www.gov.nb.ca/supply/archives/. 

MPL - Moncton Public Library, 644 Main St., Suite 101, Moncton, N.B. E1C 1E2; web site http://www.monctonpubliclibrary.ca/. 


Anglican (Church of England)

St. Martin's in the Woods - Shediac Cape - Shediac Parish - begun in 1821, this is the oldest church in Shediac. Records are available at the PANB, MPL (1829-1957) (film C-13, C-3020, F-1104). Records for 1825-1835 are online on this site.

St. Paul's - Sackville - Sackville Parish - begun in 1820, records are available at the PANB, MPL (1820-1971).

Dundas Anglican - Dundas - adjacent to Shediac Parish - although located in Kent County, it is very near the county line and vital statistics of Westmorland County individuals may be found there. Records are available at the PANB, MPL (1870-1912).

St. George's Anglican - Moncton - Records are available at the PANB, MPL (1843-1990).

Baptist

The development of the Baptist church followed a unique pattern - one man, Joseph Crandall, travelled between Salisbury and Sackville, stopping in The Bend (Moncton) through the early 1800s. He founded or encouraged churches in all three locations.

Salisbury - Salisbury Parish - founded upon the preaching of Elder Joseph Crandall in the late 1700s, Records are available at the PANB, the Moncton Public Library (1829-1957).

Moncton - Moncton City - founded as "Moncton Baptized Church of Christ" in June 1828 - previous to that, followers tended to join the Salisbury church. Records are available at the PANB, the Moncton Public Library (1829-1957).

Shediac - Shediac Town - Shediac Parish - dating from about 1840, Records are available at the PANB, the Moncton Public Library (1829-1957).

Methodist

Shediac - Shediac Town - Shediac Parish - dating from 1839, Records are available at the PANB, the Moncton Public Library (1829-1957).

Roman Catholic

The Catholic church traditionally has maintained very complete records of baptisms, marriages, and burials.  Baptisms list the sponsors (or godparents) of the child, sometimes identifying their relationship to the baptised.  Witnesses to marriages are given, and often the parents of the bride and groom are also identified.  

1806 - Memramcook (Saint-Thomas de Memramcook) - Dorchester parish - Founded before 1755, re-established around 1781; records extant from 1806.  Microfilm from 1806-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F15663-F15666); the index to the registers from 1806-1900 available online at http://www.umoncton.ca/etudeacadiennes/centre/memramcook/mem-lis.htm. 
Transcription of 1806-1870 available for sale from Lois Graham.  

1800 - Grand-Digue (La Visitation) - Kent County - While Grand-Digue is not in Westmorland County, it is immediately adjacent, and many early records of Westmorland County families are found in its records.  Founded around 1786; records extant from 1800.  Microfilm from 1800-1920 are available at CEA and PANB.  Transcription of 1800-1875 available for sale from Lois Graham.  

1812 - Barachois (Saint-Henri) - Shediac parish - Founded around 1789; records extant from 1812.  Microfilm from 1812-1920 are available at CEA and PANB. 

1813 - Cap-Pele (Saint-Therese d'Avila) - Shediac/Botsford parish -  Founded 1800; records extant from 1813.  Microfilm from 1812-1920 are available at CEA, PANB (F1674, F15653, F15654, F15670), and MPL (C-3020).  Transcription of 1812-1899 available for sale from Lois Graham. This parish was also known as Shemogue in some cases - the PANB lists it as Shemogue, for example.  
 
1832 - Dieppe (Saint-Anselme) - Moncton parish - Founded before 1755; re-established 1832; records extant from 1832.  Microfilm for registers from 1832-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F15680).  Transcription of 1832-1870 available for sale from Lois Graham.  

1839 - Melrose/Botsford/Port Elgin (St. Clement's, St. Bartholomew's) - Botsford parish - Founded 1839; records extant from 1839.  Microfilm from 1839-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F1729, F15662). 

1850 - Scoudouc (Saint Jacques le Majeur) - Shediac parish - Founded 1805; records extant from 1850.  Microfilm from 1850-1920 are available at CEA, PANB (F1674), and MPL (C-3020).  Transcription of 1850-1870 available for sale from Lois Graham. 

1863 - Shediac (Saint-Joseph) - Shediac parish - Founded 1863; records extant from 1863.  Microfilm from 1863-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F15668). 

1872 - Moncton (St. Bernard's) - Moncton City - Founded before 1872; records extant from 1872.  Microfilm from 1872-1920 are available at CEA; for 1806-1870 available from PANB (F15658).  

1878 - Haute Aboujagne (Sacre-Coeur-de-Jesus) - Shediac parish - Founded 1874; records extant from 1878.  Microfilm from 1878-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F15661).

1880 - Dorchester (Saint Edward the Confessor) - Dorchester parish - Founded 1880; records extant from 1885.  Microfilm from 1885-1920 are available at CEA and PANB (F15655).    

1885 - Sackville & Middle Sackville (Saint Vincent Ferrier & Our Lady of the Holy Rosary) - Sackville parish - Founded 1885; records extant from 1885.  Microfilm from 1885-1920 are available at CEA and  PANB (F15679).