GENERATION ONE
JOHN McCREA, born 1776 in County Donegal,
Ireland. His
will was written June 6, 1837 and registered at Gagetown on October 26,
1837. His first wife was a Miss
Brock, who died in Ireland. By this marriage he had two children:
William 1792
- married
Jane Elliott
Mary 1793 - 1879 "
John McCready
John
McCrea's second wife was Ann Boyd.
They had the following children:
Hugh 1801
- 1887 married Catherine Boyd
Thomas 1802
- 1858 " Jane Foster
Flora 1806
- 1863 " John McAfee
Ann 1809
- 1875 " Robert Coleman
Diana " John Floyd
John
McCrea and his family arrived in New Brunswick
from Ireland in 1823 and joined his son, William, who came out in
1821. The McCreas settled in Shannon, Queens County. John McCrea received a Grant of Land in Shannon consisting of 200 acres on December 9,
1828. Following is John McCrea's petition for a grant of Crown Land,
and also his will, dated 1837.
John McCrea passed away in 1837. A memorial stone has been placed in the Shannon
Cemetery.
LAND PETITION OF
JOHN McCREA
To
His Excellency, Sir Howard Douglas, Baronet, Lieutenant-Governor and
Commander-In-Chief of the Province
of New Brunswick.
The
Petition of John McCrea, farmer, humbly sheweth -
That
the petitioner was born in Ireland,
County Donegal,
that he is a subject of Great Britain,
and has resided in the County
of Queens for
three years past, that he is 50 years of age. and has a wife and seven
children, and has never received any grant or allotment of land from
the Crown.
The
petitioner therefore humbly prays that Your Excellency will be
favourably pleased to grant a certain tract or lot of land lying and
being in the County of Queens, Parish of Wickham, abutted and bounded as
follows, viz. - lying partly in the rear No. 11-12-13 in the grant of
Garret Jacobus and others, and in front of lands granted to Shanahan and
others, on the Eastern side of the Washademoak Lake, that the said land
is in a naturel and uncultivated state and has never had any improvement
made thereon, it is partly covered ...... wood and alders, that
the petitioner conformably to the Royal Instructions intends to ' settle
said land forthwith, and as he is an able bodied man with some means,
he hopes soon to stock his farm. with everything necessary to social
and rural life, that he has not directly nor indirectly bargained or
agreed for the sale or transfer of the said land to any person or persons
whatsoever.
And
as in duty bound your petitioner will ever pray.
THE WILL OF JOHN McCREA
Page 1 of 4
Know ye that
at Gagetown, Queens Co., on 24 day of Oct, l837, before me, Nathaniel Hubbard DeVeber, Esq., the last
will and testament
of John McCrea of the Parish of Wickham, Co. of Queens, Executors Hugh McCrea and
James Foster, in the 1st. year of the reign of our Sovereign Lady Victoria.
Registered 26 Oct., l837, Henry S. Peters, Dept.
Register
In the name of God, amen, I, John McCrea, of the
Parish of Wickham,
Queens County, N.B., being in imperfect health of body, but of a sound mind and
memory, thanks be to almighty God, calling unto the mortality of my body and knowing that it is
appointed for all
men once to die, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament; that is to say, principally
and first of all, I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it, and
my body I recommend
to earth, to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors,
nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power
of God. And as touching
such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give,
devise, and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.
First of all, I give and bequeath to my dearly
beloved wife, Ann
McCrea, a living unto my estate during her natural life, to be supported by my two sons,
Hugh and Thomas McCrea. Secondly, I
give and bequeath
to my two sons, Hugh and Thomas McCrea, that is to say, I give and bequeath to my son,
Hugh, the 100 acres which he now resides upon with his half of the moveables. Thirdly, I give and bequeath to my son, Thomas, the 100 acres
which joins him, together with the half of the moveable property (including the half of the
stock), the above mentioned
to be divided at the time of their seperation, the same to be theirs and their heirs
and assigns forever.
WILL OF JOHN McCREA - continued
Page 2 of 4
Fourthly, I
give and bequeath to Robert Coleman after my decease the sum of four Pounds currency. Fifthly, I give and bequeath to John Floyd a two year old heifer after my
decease. Sixthly, I give and bequeath to John McAfee
a two year old heifer after my decease. Likewise I give and bequeath to my son, William
McCrea, the sum of five
Shillings; likewise, I give and bequeath to John McCready the sum of two Shillings and
sixpence, the same to be paid after my decease.
Lastly I make and ordain and constitute and appoint my son, Hugh, and James Foster
my sole executors to this, my last will and testament, to recover all my just debts, dues
and demands, and to
take care that this, my last will and testament, be performed according to my true intent
and meaning.
In witness whereof I, the said John McCrea, have
hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixth day of June A.D. 1837. I do hereby utterly revoke and disallow all other wills or
testaments made by me
and declare this only to be my last Will and Testament.
Sealed and delivered) in the presence of us who) saw the within named) sign the same in our presence.)
George Earle
) John
Mccrea
Francis Coleman
)
Andrew McGready
)
Page 3 of 4
WILL
OF JOHN McCREA - continued
N.B., Co. Queens to wit. Be it remembered that on the twenty-fourth day of
October, 1837, personally appeared before me, Nathaniel H. DeVeber, Esquire, Surrogate of Queens Co. in Her Majesty's Province of N.B.,
George Earle and Andrew McCready, both of Wickham in Queens County, foresaid and being duly
sworn, made oath
and saith that they saw John McCrea sign and seal the within instrument purporting to be
the last Will and Testament of said John McCrea, bearing date the 6th day of June, 1837,
and heard him publish
the same as his Last Will and Testament, that at the same time thereof the said John
McCrea was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best of the knowledge and belief of
them, the said disponents,
and that their names subscribed to the said Will are of their own proper handwriting and that they
subscribed their names
thereunto in the Testator's presence and in the presence of each other and at the same
time thereof they saw Francis Coleman, the other subscribing witness, sign his name by
making his mark, also
in the presence of the Testator
N.H. DeVeber
Surrogated Judge of Probate
WILL OF JOHN McCREA -
continued
Page 4 of 4
New Brunswick, Queens County, to wit: Be it remembered that on the 24 Oct. 1837, personally
appeared before me, N.H. DeVeber, Esq., Surrogate of Queens County, Hugh McCrea and James
Foster, the Executors
in the aforesaid Will, named and were duly sworn to be the true executors and
performance of the said Will taking oath of Executors as by law appointed
N.H. DeVeber I hereby certify the proceeding to be true copy of
the original Will
of John McCrea, deceased, and certificates thereon indorsed, lodged in the Registry of
the Court of Probates for Queens
County examined by me.
Nov. 20, 1837
Henry S. Peters, Dist. Reg.
Return
to the TOP
|