SUNBURY.
Joins York on the North West, Northumberland on the North East, Queen's
on the South East, and Charlotte on the South West. It stretches along
both sides of the river Saint John, and contains four Parishes, with a
population of three thousand two hundred and twenty-seven inhabitants.
This is the smallest County in the Province, not being over twenty
miles in length. It is, however, the oldest settled part of the river
St. John. The first establishment of any consequence on the river was
made at this place in 1761, by a number of families from Massachusetts,
who having obtained a grant of a Township on the river St. John from
the British Government, after exploring different parts of the country,
settled at Maugerville. Here they were joined at different periods
during the troubles in America, by several more families from
New-England. These settlers made improvements on both sides of the
river, and called the whole district Sunbury. The first commission of
the peace for this place was dated 11th August, 1766, and for holding
Courts of Common Pleas 1770.
The Courts of Justice mere held here till 1783, when the American war
being ended and the Loyalists having settled in different parts of the
country, the Supreme Court was removed to Saint John, and afterwards
established at Fredericton, which was made the permanent seat of
Government, and has remained so ever since.
The Parishes of Maugerville and Sheffield, on the eastern side of the
river, are situated on a strip of rich intervale, which being annually
overflowed, yield abundant crops and are rich in pastures.
The farms are well improved and stocked with abundance of cattle. The
houses are in many parts neat and improving in appearance, and the
settlers in general substantial landholders and good husbandman.
This is a delightful part of the Country for wheel carriages, the road
being a continued level along the margin of the river, which is
occasionally hid from the view of the traveller, by lofty trees and
shrubs along the banks, which break off the piercing winds in winter
and afford a pleasant shade in summer. The road, is however, unsafe in
many places where the freshets have scooped away the banks and indented
the road with small gullies, which being neglected by the inhabitants,
endanger the overturning of carriages. In the rear of these Parishes
are a chain of lakes which communicate with each other and discharge
their waters into the Grand Lake, and from thence by the Jemseg into
the Saint John.--Most of these lakes are environed with excellent land,
and have settlements along their banks.
There is a Church belonging to the Establishment in Maugerville with a
resident Pastor.--There are two Meeting-Houses in Sheffield, one
belonging to the seceders, and the other to the Methodists. They have
both settled Ministers and good congregations.
The Parishes of Lincoln and Burton are opposite the Parishes just
described, on the western side of the river--they are situated on high
land interspersed with intervale. They are well settled and the farms
generally well cultivated. The river Oromocto intersects these
parishes. This is an extensive stream well settled in many places,
having several branches which wind through the country to a great
distance. Some of these streams are settled, and mills are built at
different places.--The main road from Fredericton to Saint Andrews
crosses this river a little above the falls, where a blockhouse was
constructed during the war for military purposes. There is an extensive
tract of wild meadow along the course of this river, which yields a
great quantity of coarse grass, and affords an extensive range for
cattle, after the water has drained off in the summer. The land on the
Oromocto and its tributary streams is generally of a good quality, but
in common with most all the streams in this Province very subject to
frost. The mouth of the Oromocto being very deep, is a very eligible
place for ship-building, which is prosecuted here to considerable
extent, timber, &c. being floated down the river in great abundance.
There was formerly a good herring fishery at the falls in this river,
but a mill having been built near that place it has dwindled to
nothing.--There is a Church at the mouth of the Oromocto on the Burton
side, in which divine service is occasionally performed by the Rector
of Maugerville.--There is likewise a Court-house in Burton nearly in
ruins where the County Courts are held. A stream called Swan Creek runs
through Burton, but has nothing peculiar to merit a particular
description.--Three valuable Islands lie in this part of the river
Saint John called the Oromocto, Middle, and Major's Island. Ox-Island
runs parallel with Major's Island. It is small and forms shoals near it
which impede the navigation. There are also shoals at the Oromocto,
which are nearly impassable for large vessels in the dry part of the
season.