LAND HO!!
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This information is subject to international COPYRIGHT laws. Unless otherwise noted, this material is the work of Norman A. DeMerchant. It can be used with permission, contact Norm... The document below is the first time the DeMerchant surname was ever used. Prior to this Document in 1805, the surname is non-existent. Click on the image for a better view. Although this grant petition is asking for land on the Mirimichi the reverse side of the petition indicates how John DeMerchant ended up in Carleton County. This Mirimichi petition was "withdrawn to be registered for 59 + 60 in Wakefield. 27th Feb 1807" Another clue, which took me months to piece together from this document, may be the hand writing itself. I believe this is Mary DeMerchant Seniors hand writing. Why would I surmise this? There is proof in 1814 that Mary Sr was literate but it was a hand drawn facsimile of her signature. Very strong proof never the less. Later in the same year (1814) John Junior petitions for a land grant and the hand writing on it is remarkably similiar to this 1805 petition. Nine years is a long time for the same person to be writing documents for father and son. It is possible the writing is someone else but one more small clue is the proper spelling of the name. Both petitions spell it properly - De Merchant. At both times John Sr was still referred to as Cuffman and DeMerchant was consistantly spelled Demarchant. If anyone who reads this is a hand writing expert, please e-mail Norman. |
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To the Honorable Gaberiel G Ludlow Esq President of His Majesty's Council & Commander in Chief of the Province of New Brunswick ETC ETC ETC The Memorial of John DeMerchant & Charles Foster Most humbly sheweth. That they arrived in this Province in the Year 1783 as Disbanded Soldiers; That they have not received any lands from Government. That your Memorialists humbly Prays that his Honor will be pleased to allot them a Farm of 200 acres each on the Mirimichi River in the vicinity of Betts Bourough on the upperside next adjoining the lot alloted to John Wilson. And your Memorialists in duty bound will ever pray. Fredericton} John DeMerchant 16th March 1805} Charles Foster The situation applied for in this memorial is vacant. Geo Sproule 18th March 1805 S Genl |
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| This is a small portion of NB Crown Grant Map 91 and 101. On June 20th, 1809 John DeMarchant (sic) was granted 415 acres of land in the Parish of Wakefield (Modern Parish of Brighton)consisting of lot 58 and 60. The two lots are seperated by lot 59 granted to Charles Foster A.K.A Karl Foerster. These lots are located approximately 8KM (5 MI) above the modern Town of Hartland. CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW. |
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I copied this map at the Aroostock County Registry Office, Houlton ME on May 21, 2001. I am unsure of its date but it does show State Grant Lots. The lot highlighted in blue was granted to Charles DeMerchant on January 13, 1875 "for consideration of road labour paid and settling duties performed." It is "the east half of lot numbered fifteen in Township B, now Town of Blaine, aforesaid in the first range of townships west from the east line of the State, containing in said east half 72 acres and 80/100." The map shows the grant was made to C. D Merchant but the deed from the State has the correct spelling of the name. The small lot highlighted in green is the Tapley Cemetery in Blaine, ME. Charles DeMerchant is buried with his wife and two children in this location, very close to his farm. It is located on U.S. Rte 1 approximately 1 mile (1.6 KM) from the centre of town. |
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This is a portion of NB Crown Grant map 81. Lot 10 was Granted to Ezekiel DeMerchant Dec 12, 1889. This may not appear very relevant if you consider when the land was granted but I can prove almost conclusively this lot has been in the DeMerchant name since 1828. Robert DeMerchant (Ezekiel's Father)puchased this lot from Thomas Gee (Robert's brother-in-law) in 1828. Unfortunetely there were some complications in regard to Thomas getting the grant "offically" and hence the land was never granted until 1889. CLICK FOR A LARGER VIEW |
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To the right is a scan of John Coffman's grant in St Mary's Parish, County of York, NB. Originally granted in Sunbury County, Nova Scotia the grant was re-registered after New Brunswick was made a Province in 1784. Although John Coffman's name is included on the grant map I believe he never settled on this land. Please see "Our Early History" page for more information. COFFMAN, JOHN Volume: 1, page 36, Grant number 10 Original province of registration: Nova Scotia Nova Scotia registration date: 1784/10/05 New Brunswick registration date: 1785/01/19 Accompanying plan: No Acreage: 150 acres Place and County: NASHWAAK RIVER, Sunbury County SOURCE: UNB Library, Crown Grant Database CLICK ON THE IMAGE |
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