Second Immigrant Generation
Descendents of Andrew Grey (ca 1785-94 – after 1861)
and 1. Mary Watson (unknown– aboard D'arcy summer, 1836)
and 2. Sarah Burgess ( ca 1810 – 11 Nov 1896)
First immigrant Generation
Descendents of William Messer (4 Dec 1799 – 21 Sep 1874)
and Alice (or Alison) Brown (~1795 – 19 Sep 1877)
Table of Contents
pre-immigrant generation
00
First immigranT Generation
01
Second immigranT Generation
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
Third immigranT Generation
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
Descendents of William Messer (4 Dec 1799 – 21 Sep 1874)
and Alice (or Alison) Brown (~1795 – 19 Sep 1877)
Pre-emigrant Generation
00. Walter Messer
Married to Ann UNKNOWN. Ann’s maiden name is unknown, and a record of Walter and Ann’s marriage has not yet been found.
They had the following known children:
2A i Eleanor
3A (1) ii William
Supplemental Information
Baptisms
Eleanor, daughter of Walter *Meser, (Taylor) and Ann his wife, was born in Tweedmouth 2 Jan 1796 and baptized 24 Jan 1796 by M. Blackhall, Minister, Golden Square Presbyterian Church, Berwick Upon Tweed records.
William, born in Tweedmouth, Northumberland, 4 Dec 1799, Eng. and baptized 19 Jan 1800 by Mr. Blackhall, Minister, Golden Square Presbyterian or Scotch Chruch, Berwick Upon Tweed records
*The spelling of the surname in these records is "Meser".
Descendents of William Messer (4 Dec 1799 – 21 Sep 1874)
and Alice (or Alison) Brown (~1795 – 19 Sep 1877)
First Immigrant Generation
1. William Messer
Son of Walter Messer and Ann UNKNOWN. Born in Tweedmouth, Northumberland, 4 Dec 1799, Eng. and baptized 19 Jan 1800 by Mr. Blackhall, Minister, Golden Square Presbyterian or Scotch Chruch, Berwick Upon Tweed records (The spelling of the surname in these records is "Meser"). Died 21 Sep 1874 in Harvey. Buried in Harvey Settlement Cemetery. Occupation Farmer. Religion Presbyterian. Based on William's obituary in the Daily Telegraph (below) his date of birth has often been erroneously listed as 1801.
Map and satellite imagery showing location of Ford, Northumberland where William Messer married Alison Brown in 1826 as well as places where he was born and (some) places where he was variously employed in the 1820's and 1830's based on christening listngs for his children. He worked as a hind at Downham Farm in 1827 and 1829 and at Paston (Pawston) Farm in 1832. See photographs and information on the history of these farms below. Many of his children were christened at Crookham. Google map compiled: Tim Patterson, 27 Nov 2007.a
In the marriage record for William Messer, his wife’s name was given as Alison Brown, married 24 Sep 1826 at Ford by Thomas Knight, Rector, and witnesses to the marriage were Walter Messer and William Brown.
The marriage record was signed by William Messer and Alison Brown, however it is interesting to note that in Sep 1843 NB Land Petition, when asking for land for his son Walter, William signed with an “X”.
William Messer, his wife Alice Brown, and children Elizabeth, 10 yr., Walter, 5 yr., William, 3 yr., and Thomas 9 mo., came to NB with the first settlers of Harvey in 1837. They 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.
In the 1861 Census, William owned or occupied 80 acres improved and 120 acres unimproved land, cash value of farm, 250 pounds; value of implements and machinery, 14 pounds. Had 2 horses, 5 milch cows, 9 other neat cattle, 14 sheep, 3 swine, and slaughtered 250 lb. pork. Produced 300 lb. butter, 33 lb. wool, 17 tons hay, 300 bu. oats, 25 bu. buckwheat, 5 bu. timothy, 150 bu. turnips, 100 bu. potatoes, and 4 bu. carrots.
The farm that William Messer founded on Frog Lake Road. Source: Tim Patterson, 10 Nov 2007.
From Daily Telegraph, 26 Sep 1874:
Died Harvey Settlement, 21st. inst., William Messer, native of Northumberland, England and emigrated to America in 1837, one of the original number that formed the well known colony in which he died. Having reached the age of 73, he leaves a widow and numerous circle of children and grandchildren.