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William Messer (4 Dec 1799 – 21 Sep 1874)
and Alice (or Alison) Brown (~1795 – 19 Sep 1877)

N.B. Land Petition. V. 26, no. 54, RS-272, PANB - reel #F9047
and
(RS272 Vol 26, No. 54-bottom half of page)

William Messer and his wife Alice (or Alison) Brown were first granted Lot 6E, 100 acres in Harvey Settlement, which proved unsuitable for farming.   In 1843 they moved to Lot V, fourth tract, north of Frog Lake. Below are scans of his 1843 petition for a new farm and a 1846 request to Thomas Baillie, commissioner of crown lands and surveyor general of New Brunswick, requesting a farm for his "17" year old son Walter (b. 1832 and actually 14 years old at the time!). Baillie's memo to the Crown office with reference to Walter's apparent age is somewhat humerous. Scans of the original documents are below along with transcriptions at the bottom of the page.

 

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N.B. Land Petition. V. 26, no. 54, RS-272, PANB - reel #F9047

(WILLIAM MESSER)

I do hereby certify that my oldest son Walter Messer is already of the age of seventeen years.   I cannot give the exact date having no register.   If he is deprived of the lot surveyed for him I am apprehensive of losing him.

his

Fredericton Sept 13, 1843    Walter x Messer

William mark

The above was affixed by Wm Messer in my presence.   The nature of the certificate being first explained to him.

Andrew Inches.

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Walter Messer Harvey Sett 1843

________________________________________________________________________________

To His Excellancy Sir Wm M George Polabrook, K M Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New Brunswick.

The petition of William Messer humbly showeth that he is one of the Harvey Settlement People who emigrated to this province in 1837 and was placed upon the Lot No. six on the south east side.   After expending much labour upon it he provide it to be really a bed of rock, to such a degree as to render it improper for him to earn a sustenance for his wife and 6 children.   He therefore applied to the then Surveyor General; the Hon Mr. Sansers who was so fully satisfied of the circumstance that he permitted Deputy Blair to survey another lot for him near the Frog Lake and also another 100 acres adjoining for his son, now 17 years of age, it being then custom for the office to make such allotment in order to induce the young men of the settlement to remain near their parents.

That he has since chiefly assisted his son in making a good clearance of about 16 acres on his lot, and has only made a very slight clearing on his own lot yet resting assured that it was secured to himself in exchange for the first until a short time since when to his astonishment he is informed that it is now advertised by the present surveyor general fo the sale on the first day of the next month.

Your petitioner has had great difficulties to contend with and has repeatedly suffered for want of the most common necessities of life.

He therefore humbly begs that your Excellency will be pleased to confirm the agreement which was made with him by the Hon. Mr. Sanders and stop the sale now advertised.

And as in Duty bound will every pray.

William Messer

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I hereby certify that I a well acquainted with Wm Messer an live on the nest lot to him.   He is a very poor but honest man and has worked faithfully to support his family.   And that the old lot on which he first settled is so very rocky that perhaps not more than 10 acres of land is fit for cultivation could be found.

It has been generally understood in the settlement that the two lots at the Frog Lake were secured to him and his son at the above date.

William Grieve

Harvey Settlement

The Petitioner is quite willing to move fro the old lot this fall as sooon as he can erect asmall house for hi family.

________________________________________________________________________________

(RS272 Vol 26, No. 54-bottom half of page)

Crown Land Office

28 July 1846

The petitioner Wm Messer occupies and has improved upon Lot No. 6 containing 100 acres toward which he ahs (financed/funded?) in road work L.5. - L 5.6.11 (Not sure of number/jsh) is yet due upon that lot. He was anxious to have a lot surveyed for his son and Mr Blair was accordingly (ordered/authorized//jsh) ot U, NW of Frog Lake is held for him although from his size and appearance he would not pass for over 14 years of age.   Upon this lot he has improved and continues (?) (*words here very blurred/unreadable........) applied for by Thomas Piercy who is able and willing to pay for and cultivate the same.

Tho F Baillie

R 5098 Land

William Messer cavat against the sale of lot V Block 31 Harvey Sett on the 4 th August next,

'

July 28/46

Incol Aug 1/46

The sale of Lot V be stayed, but the petitioner be requested to relinquish the old lot.

*some words were very difficult to read and may not have been transcribed accurately, ie. Last 3 lines.

 

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