THE WEDDERBURNS OF NEW BRUNSWICK

• Jane Heaviside and Alexander Wedderburn, Esq.   (Alexander, son of William, born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1796)

• Judge William Wedderburn and Jeannie Vaughan    

• Alice B. Wedderburn and James Vernon, Esq.  

• Lt. Col. Frederick Vernon Wedderburn and Alice Jane Kee McGerighle 

• Alice Lydia Medley Wedderburn and Rev. Henry Irvine Lynds   

• Ethel Fraser Wedderburn and John Lewis Walter Lehrle 

• Appendix 1 - Biographical Notes on John and William Black 

• Sources 

With many thanks indeed to Greg Haley of Quebec, the compiler of this extremely

 comprehensive and fascinating study of the New Brunswick Wedderburns,

and who has agreed to their inclusion in these pages.

Alexander Wedderburn, the first of the (short) line in Saint John, New Brunswick died a relatively young man and his only son, Hon. William Wedderburn, was apparently never well acquainted with his lineage. William Wedderburn was born in Saint John on October 12, 1834, the sixth child of Alexander Wedderburn of Aberdeen, Scotland and Jane Heaviside. Although he inherited his father's papers & documents, etc., by the time he began to seriously investigate his family's origins these had all been lost in the Great Saint John Fire of 1877, which destroyed his home. Following the fire, the family moved to their summer residence at Hampton, known as the 'Villa'. William Wedderburn corresponded widely with others of the name, in an attempt to learn more about his own history, including the author of The Wedderburn Book. In 1882, he was appointed county judge for Kings and Albert Counties.  He was said to be a silver tongued orator, and delivered one of his famous speeches in 1883 at the one hundredth anniversary celebration of the landing of the Loyalist in Saint John. In 1876, he was elected Speaker of the House and soon after was appointed Provincial Secretary. He was active in the Sons of Temperance, Mechanics Institute, The Independent Order of Forresters and Masonic Fraternity. 

Lt. Col. Frederick Vernon Wedderburn, the oldest son of Judge Wm. Wedderburn and Jeanne Vaughan was a barrister, but his love was the militia. He and his wife, Alice McGarrigle of Welsford, lived quietly at his residence �Linden Heights �in his boyhood village of Hampton. He died unexpectedly in 1920. His wife continued to live in Hampton until her death in 1944 and her generous donations and ready sympathy made her known to every home of the area. For several years she acted as deputy registrar of Deeds for Kings County. 

In the family history section at the Saint John Free Public Library there is a two-volume genealogy of the Wedderburn family.

There are several photos of members of the Wedderburn family as well as other information in the Kings County Museum, Hampton. 

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