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Duncan family of Restigouche area
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In Aberdeen, Scotland, lived one David Duncan, in the early 1770's.
On the Baie des Chaleurs, a Mr Schoolbred and one Mr. Smith, had acquired control of most of the land from Pabos, P.Q., to Tide Head, N.B., as Seigneurs of the Restigouche. Conditions had been set to them having the land and building roads and schools were some of them. They knew of great salmon stocks and were to make it an industry which would make them wealthy, by trading their wares to Great Britain.
In 1773, Schoolbred and Smith, hired Robert Adams and our David Duncan, who brought along his son John (who was then 16), to work for them, and run their business.
Using Old Church Point as their headquarters, building a 60 foot long store, they became the first British settlers on the Restigouche.
David Duncan, visiting a fishing station at New Richmond, found that the ship he intended to sail to Britain on in the fall was ready to leave. He had no time to say goodbye to his son Jonh, and they were never to see each other again.
The going was not easy. Twice Americans sailed up the river and destroyed their stores and stole their supplies. They had to contend with the French, the British, the Americans and the Indians. After being attacked by the Americans, they built a ship so they could get to Quebec, to re-plenish their supplies.
The Indians were always pretty friendly with the British settlers, visiting them at each New Year, wishing them "Kishabonannie" or a Happy New Year so they began each new year on a friendly note.
John Duncan at age 33, had been courting Elizabeth Morrisson of Nipisiguit (Bathurst) and decided it was time to marry. As there were no protestant churches or parsons in the area, and the closest one was in Miramichi, they both agreed to walk there in snowshoes, staying with indians here and there along the way. March 20/1790 they were married by the Rev. Jacques Fraser missionary of Miramichi and their son David was the first British boy born on the Restigouche. A few months before, a girl had been born to Robert Adams and Elizabeth Busteed, making her the first female child of British ancestry born on the Restigouche.
Shoolbred and Smith, having not fulfilled their obligations set forth in their contract, and this having been reported to the Imperial Government by Samuel Lee, esq., saw their (Seigneuries) estates, revert to the Crown.
Robert Adams and John Duncan applied for a grant at Old Church Point but were refused for unknown reasons.
When the war of 1812 broke out, David Duncan was sent to Fredericton and placed on garrison duty to replace those who went to the "front".
The Duncan house in Tide Head was occupied by John, William and Nellie Duncan. It was used as a school house as the families lived downstairs and school was help upstairs. One winter, a Captain Bell, along with his wife and child, were stuck, frozen in port, and had to spend the winter here. They spent it in John Duncan's house
In 1831 the St Andrews Presbyterian Church was built and John Duncan was one of its first elders along with Robert Adams, John Adams, Alex Adams and Johnathan Hoar.