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Descendents of William Bell (12 Apr. 1813 - 23 May 1895)
and Janet Oliver (~1812 - 1 Sep 1895)

Second Immigrant Generation
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2. Agnes Bell . Daughter of William Bell & Janet Oliver. Born 1837 in Fredericton. Christen 15 Aug 1837 in Cathedral, Fredericton.
   From Cathedral, Fredericton records: "Agnes Bell aged 2 weeks baptized Aug 15, 1837, daughter of Wm and Janet Bell, by T. M. Stirling."   (PANB F1114 Cathedral, Fredericton). Agnes perhaps died as an infant as another daughter born in October 1839 was named Agnes.

3. Margaret Bell . Daughter of William Bell & Janet Oliver. Born 1838 in Harvey. Died Dec 1918 in Tweedside. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Religion Presbyterian.

From York Co NB Marriage Register C 1850-1866 (PANB):   Witness to marriage was Thomas Brown.

    From newspaper obituary - 1918:
    Harvey Station, Dec 11 -- Margaret Messer, widow of the late William Messer, of Tweedside, died there at the residence of her son, William Messer, on Friday morning last.   She was in her seventy-ninth year and has been in failing health for some time.   She was a daughter of the late William Bell, one of the pioneers of Harvey.   She is survived by six sons and three daughters.   Her sons are James, William, Thomas, John, Walter and Oliver, all residing at Tweedside.   Her daughters are Mrs Alice Rankine and Mrs Mary Barry, residing in Boston, and Mrs Janet Bulmer, residing at North Bay (Ont.).   She is also survived by two brothers and four sisters, John Bell, of Tweedside, and George Bell, residing in Washington state; Mrs Mary Smith, of Thomaston, NB; Mrs T. Hicks (Hawkes?) and Mrs Levi Talbot, residing at Portland, and Mrs Isabel Wilson, residing here.   She was a lady of very pleasant disposition and was held in high esteem throughout the community.   The funeral, which was held on Saturday afternoon, was largely attended.   The services were conducted by Rev. J. F. McKay.

    She married William Messer, son of William Messer & Alice (Or Alison) Brown, 3 Sep 1856 in Harvey Presbyterian Church By Rev. Samuel Johnson . Born 1834 in Eng. Died 1914 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Farmer. Religion Presbyterian.

    William was 3 years old when he came to NB with his parents and siblings in 1837, and the Messer family was among the pioneer settlers of Harvey Settlement.

Undated photograph of elderly William Messer, b. 1834, Northumbrland, England, d. 1914, Harvey and his wife Margaret Bell, b. 1838, Harvey, d. Dec. 1918, Tweedside. Source: Dallas Davis, Fredericton, N.B. Dec. 30, 2008. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 700 X 995 jpeg; 252 k; 72 dpi Full Sized Pop-up Image 951 X 1352 jpeg; 1020 k; 200 dpi

 

    In the 1861 Census, William was 28 years old, and his wife Margaret was 23 years old, and two children:   James Bell, 4 years, and William, 8 mo.   They owned or occupied 50 acres improved and 90 acres unimproved land.   Cash value of farm was 150 pounds, value of implements and machinery 1 pound.   They had 3 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 1 other neat cattle, 5 sheep, 2 swine, and slaughtered 200 lb. pork.   Produced 100 lb. butter, 4 lb. wool, 3 tons hay, 200 bu. oats, 50 bu. buckwheat, 40 bu. timothy and 30 bu. potatoes.

    For further information on this family see the book, "The Descendants of William and Margaret Messer, 1837 - 1985" by Doris Davis.
    They had the following children:
13 i. James Bell Messer
14 ii. Janet Ann Messer
15 iii. William Messer
16 iv. Thomas Messer
17 v. Alice Brown Messer
18 vi. John Messer
19 vii. Walter Messer
20 viii. Jennette Olive "Janet" Messer
21 ix. Walter Messer
22 x. Ellen Isabel Messer
23 xi. Mary A. Messer
24 xii. George "Oliver" Messer
25 xiii. Margaret Ann Richardson Messer

4. Agnes "Nancy" Bell . Daughter of William Bell & Janet Oliver. Born 16 Oct 1839 in Harvey. Died 9 Feb 1903 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery.
    Birth date from 1901 Census for Manners Sutton. From York Co NB Marriage Register C 1850-1866 (PANB):   Witnesses to marriage were Geo Lister and C. F. Lister.

   She married Christopher Johnston, son of Mr Johnston & Christina A. Heughan, 16 Mar 1858 in Harvey Presbyterian Church By Rev. Samuel Johnson. Born 15 Aug 1837 in Three Wells, Scotland. Died 15 Apr 1918 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Farmer.

    Birth date from 1901 Census for Manners Sutton.

    Copied from newspaper obituary - 1916:
    Christopher Johnston
    Harvey Station, April 17 -- Christopher Johnston, one of the oldest residents of this parish, died at his home at Coburn on Saturday morning.   He was in the eightieth year of his age and enjoyed remarkably good health up to a few months ago.   For the last twenty-three days of his life he was unable to take any nourishment of any kind except small quantities of water, but retained strength in a remarkable manner.   He was a native of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and came to Harvey early in life.   For upwards of sixty years he has carried on farming at Coburn, and was one of the leading farmers in that prosperous section of the parish.   His sons are Luke Johnston, residing here; Thos Johnston, of McAdam; and Albert, at home.   His daughters are Mrs Robert Embleton, residing here and Mrs James McCann of McAdam.   He was a man of genial disposition and had many friends here and elsewhere who will regret to learn of his death.

    They had the following children:
26 i. Luke Craig Johnston
27 ii. Jennette "Janet" Johnston
28 iii. Thomas Coburn Johnston
29 iv. Christina Johnston
30 v. Jane "Agnes" Johnston
31 vi. Mary Ann Johnston
32 vii. William Johnston
33 viii. Georgina "Georgie" Johnston
34 ix. Margaret Ellen Johnston
35 x. Charles Johnston
36 xi. John Albert "Ab" Johnston
37 xii. Florence Johnston
38 xiii. Grace Johnston

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Entry last updated: 1 Jan 2009
To report errors or to provide additional information please contact Tim Patterson