In 1837, James Craigs and Henry Craigs, bothers from Wooler Northumberland, arrived in New Brunswick. James, as a single man of 23, immigrated to New Brunswick, arriving July 13 1837 on The Brig Cornelius of Sunderland, and made his way to Harvey Settlement along with his brother Henry and many other settlers. When they drew lots for their farms, the single men had to be content with a farm on the second tier from the Saint Andrews to Fredericton Road
After marriage in 1841, James and his wife Mary (Hume) lived all their lives on the farm in Harvey and are buried in the Harvey Settlement Cemetery, Lot 323. James' wife Mary Hume was born in Fenton near Wooler in Northumberland. Mary immigrated to Harvey Settlement with her infant daughter Jane and her sister Margaret Hume, who married John Carmichael.
The photograph displayed is a copy of a sepia owned by Glen and Patsy Craig of Arcola Saskatchewan. Large photographs of James, Mary and daughter Isabella were later found in the attic of a house in Williamsburg New Brunswick.
On the Land Grant map for the present Parish of Manners Sutton, James' farm is shown as Lot #11, west, second tier, directly behind that of his younger brother and sister-in-law, Henry and Isabel Kay.
James' wife Mary Hume was born in Fenton near Wooler in Northumberland. Mary immigrated to Harvey Settlement with her infant daughter Jane and her sister Margaret Hume (Carmicheal).
Brother Henry and Isabelle (Kay), as a young married couple, left from the Port of Berwick-upon-Tweed on the 27th of May 1837 on the brig Cornelius of Sunderland, and arrived in Saint John New Brunswick on the 12th of July 1837. They settled on Land Grant Lot #11W, in Harvey Settlement and were among the first settlers of Harvey. Henry, as was his brother James, was a native of Wooler, Northumberland, England (The Borders). Henry built a small house and barn in the field beyond the spring that was near the road. In 1875 he built a new home closer to the present highway. Today, the brothers’ farms are adjoining.
When the brothers arrived in Harvey, they, along with many other immigrants, were told that The Stanley Land Company had run out of money and the immigrants were basically left stranded until the 26 families in question spoke to Lieutenant Governor Sir. John Harvey and asked to purchase land outside of Stanley. The Lieutenant Governor agreed that if the immigrants worked on the road to St. Andrews, they could draw lots upon it and in return the community would be named after Sir. John Harvey (Harvey Settlement).
Harvey Settlement has it’s own history from birth to incorporation, but none-the-less, I am proud to be a sixth-generation Craig, borne out of the immigration of 1837 and 1842 to New Brunswick and to Harvey Settlement.
INFORMATION BY DANN CRAIG