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Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 24 Jun 2015 6:35PM GMT
Classification: Query
I'm looking for descendants of Isaac Albert(s) born around 1816 in Woodstock, NB. He married a woman named Celia. They had a son named Isaac, and hopefully some other children that I don't know about. Isaac Jr. was born around 1839, also in New Brunswick. He married Sarah Morrison and had at least three children that I know of, Alice, Annie and William. Our family is descended from William, but I would like to find out if there are any other descendants from this family tree. I don't believe Annie had any children, but am not certain. Also, this was an African Canadian family. They were Baptists. I also know that at some point all of Isaac Jr.'s children left Canada and came to the U.S.

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 25 Jun 2015 9:07PM GMT
Classification: Query
The following is intended as a preliminary compilation and really need a lot of work. It may be useful.

Thomas.

*ALBERT*

HENRY ALBERT b. ca. 1816, m. REBECCA _____ (b. ca. 1820).
Henry and Rebecca Albert were in Woodstock Parish, Carleton Co., NB in 1861. Both were native to New Brunswick and ‘Colored’.

ISAAC ALBERT b. ca. 1811-5, d. Jacksontown, Carleton Co., NB 10MAY1886 age 75 years, m. CELIA _____ (b. ca. 1814-7).
Isaac was a barber in Woodstock Parish, Carleton Co., NB in the 1851 census. With his family lived Ann Wise, age 27, and her three children. There was also a Mary Wise, age 40 and Robert Wise age 21.
I do not find them in 1861 but this does not mean they were not there. For example, they are referenced as being in Woodstock Parish in 1871 at the Carleton County web site at:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nbcarlet/
Especially at:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nbcarlet/1woodstock1871p2....
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nbcarlet/2woodstock1871.ht...
They cannot be found at the Library and Archives Canada site for the 1871 census, suggesting that they were not indexed. This is a fairly common problem with the LAC sites in which census returns clearly referenced as being on microfilm at the LAC fail to appear on the specific sites for each census. In the above pages, clearly someone has accessed the microfilms.
In 1866 an Isaac Albert petitioned for land in Carleton Co. with Inglis and John Hovey.
In Woodstock Parish, Carleton Co., NB in 1871. With them was a child, Jenkins R. Wise b. MAR1871. Possibly Frances' child? This appears likely as in 1881, in Northampton Parish, Carleton Co., NB, Isaac and Celia have living with them Hanford and 'Fraces' E. Wise and their children; but not Jenkins.
In Northampton Parish, Carleton Co., NB in 1881, Isaac was a farmer.
Children:
1. ISAAC (HARE?) ALBERT b. ca. 1835-9, m. SARAH _____ (b. ca. 1835-41).
In Woodstock Parish, Carleton Co., NB in 1851, a servant to Jenkins and Mrs. Dibblee.
In Wicklow Parish, Carleton Co., NB, in 1861, Isaac (21) and Jane (24) Albert had a daughter, Elizabeth (1). Jane (b. ca. 1834) may be the same person as Sarah (ca. 1835-41). Isaac was ‘Mulatto’ and Jane was ‘Colored’.
In Woodstock Parish in 1871 and 1881. In 1881, Isaac was a labourer, and the family was b. NB, African and Baptist.
In 1881 a fire destroyed a large amount of property in Woodstock. On Richmond St., this included properties of Charles Godfrey, James DeBoise, Ike Albert and others. Presumably Isaac was also known as Ike.
Isaac may have m. a 2nd time as Isaac Albert and Charlotte Jones, both of Woodstock, NB, m. Houlton, Aroostook Co., ME by the Rev. George E. Lowden 11OCT1883.
Children:
11. ELIZABETH ALBERT b. ca. 1860.
12. ANNIE ALBERT b. ca. 1862-4.
13. WILLIAM ALBERT b. ca. 1866-7.
14. ALICE ALBERT b. ca. 1867-9, m. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB by the Rev. George M. Campbell 8JUN1883 GILBERT JAMES HAYES b. Carleton Parish, Saint John Co., NB ca. 1858-61, d. Saint John Co., NB 14OCT1899 age 38 years; m. 2nd Fairville, Saint John Co., NB 5JAN1896 HENRIETTA HAYES (b. Carleton Parish, Saint John Co., NB ca. 1866, d. 25DEC1958 age 94 years; m. 2nd Saint John Co., NB 9SEP1912 THOMAS HENRY WRIGHT (b. Saint John, Saint John Co., NB ca. 1870; m. 1st _____), s/o Sylvester and Sarah Ann Wright), d/o David and Madeline (Thornton/Fontaine) Hayes; m. 3rd? GEORGINA A. HAYES b. Saint John, Saint John Co., NB b. 20APR1864 (22APR1867 in 1901, ca. 1864), d. General Public Hospital, Saint John, Saint John Co., NB 19AUG1939 age 59 years (?)), d/o David and Madeline (Thornton/Fontaine) Hayes), s/o Mathias and Mary Jane (Bailey/Swanton) Hayes.
Gilbert was of Saint John when married. Possibly the Gilbert Hayes b. ca. 1861, d. Saint John Co., NB 14OCT1899 age 38 years.
There were three Gilbert Hayes in Saint John Co., NB in 1881. One was age 1-year. Another, age 20, was in Lancaster Parish, apparently a brother to Mathias Hayes (30) with whose family he lived. All were African and b. NB. One Gilbert, apparently this one (but this is uncertain), had a wife, Henrietta Hayes. The second Gilbert Hayes, age 23, lived in Lancaster Parish with Mathias’ father, Samuel Hayes (70). Presumably the two Gilbert’s are the same person, listed twice; which is not wholly unusual. This would make Gilbert the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Hayes. However, in his 2nd marriage, Gilbert James Hayes is given as the son of Mathias and Mary Hayes. This seems impossible as in 1881, Mathias was b. ca. 1851, and his wife, Mary Jane Bailey/Swanton, was b. ca. 1851 as well but is given elsewhere as b. 17JUL1838. Mary, who seems to have been married before, may be Gilbert’s mother.
In Guys Ward, Saint John, Saint John Co., NB live, in 1891, lived Gilbert Hays (31), a lodger. The image is very poor at the bottom of the page in which Gilbert appears so not much information is readily available. He is given as married, but his wife is not with him.
To be brief, as the matter still needs investigation, Gilbert James Hayes appears to have been the stepson of Mathias Hayes by a previous marriage of Mary’s. Thus, while listed formerly as Mathias’ brother (based on the age difference) apparently marrying his nieces, he was, in fact, a stepson, marrying step-cousins. Much of this is speculative.
It appears, at least, that Alice (Albert) Hayes may have died sometime between 1891 and 1895.
15. ALBERT ALBERT b. ca. 1868.
2. VICTORIA ALBERT b. ca. 1844.
Possibly the Victoria Albert who had a stillborn child in Saint John APR1872. In the 1881 census of Sydney Ward, Saint John, Saint John Co., NB, A Victoria Albert b. NB ca. 1851, African and Church of England, is indicated as being married, but lives alone.
3. JOHN ALBERT b. ca. 1845-51, m. HATTIE _____ (b. ca. 1853).
In Woodstock Town, Carleton Co., NB in 1881 and 1891. A peddler in 1891.
Children:
31. WILLIAM ALBERT b. ca. 1865-8, m. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB by the Rev. C. T. Philips 23JAN1889 HANNAH M. FRANCIS (b. ca. 1868-9), d/o William and Abby Francis.
When married, Hannah was from Kingsclear, York Co., NB and William from Woodstock.(b. ca. 1868).
In Woodstock Town, Carleton Co., NB in 1891, a 'horse shoer' (farrier).
The William Albert who m. Hannah might also be his cousin, [13].
32. ANNIE MAUDE ALBERT b. ca. 1877, m. Houlton, Aroostook Co., ME by the Rev. Fred E. White 18OCT1894 THOMAS FRASER
33. HENRY (JAMES, ALBERT JAMES?) ALBERT b. ca. 1879.
34. GEORGE ALBERT b. ca. 1881.
35. VIOLET ALBERT b. ca. 1884.
4. FRANCES ELIZABETH (F. A. in 1851) ALBERT (daughter) b. ca. 1850-1 (ca. 1855), m. HANFORD WISE (b. USA 26SEP1847 (ca. 1847-8)).
Fannie Wise b. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB ca. 1859, d. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB 11MAR1915 age 56 years.
In 1871, a Jenkins R. Wise b. MAR1871 lived with Frances and her parents, and may have been their son. At the baptism of Dearborn Calvin Jenkins Wise, his mother was Frances Elizabeth, and his father, Hanford, was a labourer in Nashwaaksis.
In 1881, Hanford and Frances lived with Isaac and Celia Albert, possibly her parents, in Northampton Parish, Carleton Co., NB.
In 1891, they are in Wakefield Parish, Carleton Co., NB. Hanford is noted as 'Hartfield' and 'Hartwell' in 1901 , and Frances as, 'Fanny'. She is b. ca. 1851, which seems more likely for the d/o Isaac and Celia Albert. He is in Woodstock in 1901, b. USA 26SEP1847, possibly arrived 1857 or 1870, and is a domestic for Ellis and Edna M. Smith.
Children:
41. DEARBORN CALVIN JENKINS (JENKINS R). WISE b. MAR1871, baptized Douglas Parish Anglican Church, York Co., NB 1JUN1872.
42. GEORGE A. WISE b. ca. 1873-5, m. ALICE MAUDE MacINTYRE (b. 17JUN1879).
Possibly the Alfred Wise b. 16APR1872, with a wife, Maud (b. 17JUN1879), in Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB in 1901.
Children:
421. CHRISTINA LAILA WISE b. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB 24DEC1907.
43. ELBRIDGE WISE b. ca. 1879, d. Woodstock, Carleton Co., NB 1NOV1895.
44. CHARLES WISE b. OCT1880 (not in 1891 census).
45. OCTAVIA WISE b. ca. 1881.
46. HANFORD WISE b. ca. 1885.
47. STANLEY WISE b. ca. 1887.
In 1908, a person named Devine assaulted Stanley and received 3 months in prison.
5. JERUSHA ALBERT b. ca. 1865.

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 28 Jun 2015 2:31PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank-you for all this information. Some of it we already knew, but some we didn't. We are still trying to absorb it all. I was wondering how you were able to access all that information. At a previous visit to New Brunswick, my husband came across Sarah Albert (s) obituary in the Woodstock Press dated December 5, 1911. For some reason he did not make a copy of it or even transcribe it. He noted, however, that in the obituary, it says that Alice was married to Caleb Hopewell at that time. I was wondering if you are able to access this newspaper, and if so, could either make a copy of the obituary or transcribe it to us?

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 28 Jun 2015 8:02PM GMT
Classification: Query
Hi!
What I wrote several years ago is very much in need of correction and updating. For example, I recently found out that John Wesley Albert's wife was Hetty Ann Patterson, d/o Joseph and Elizabeth Patterson. Due to my location, research is difficult. Also, Isaac Albert appears to have had a brother:

HENRY ALBERT b. ca. 1816, m. REBECCA _____ (b. ca. 1820).
Henry and Rebecca Albert were in Woodstock Parish, Carleton Co., NB in 1861. Both were native to New Brunswick and ‘Colored’.
A Henry Albert and _____ Bacon petitioned for land in Carleton Co., NB in 1853.

I have not been able to find more on Henry.
As to the 1911 obituary, I do not have anyway to access it. As far as I know, Sarah did not appear in the 1901 nor in the 1911 censuses.
As to Alice Albert, I believe you mean the one b. ca. 1867-9. Caleb Hopewell (Hope in 1901) was married in the 1881, 1891 and 1901 censuses, to Rebecca (b. 15NOV1857). I do not find either in 1911. I think Rebecca was Rebecca Jones (ca. 1852-3), who was working in Fredericton in 1871 and a daughter of William and Charlotte Jones in Douglas Parish, York Co, NB in 1861.

Thomas.

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 28 Jun 2015 8:11PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank-you for the rest of that information. I only inquired about the Alice Albert marriage to Caleb Hopewell because like you say, he has only appeared to be married to Rebecca Jones. Do you mind if I ask what your interest is in the Albert family? Are you a relative?

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 28 Jun 2015 8:17PM GMT
Classification: Query
I don't think I am related. It's hard to tell. I certainly have a lot of relatives in Carleton, York, Queens and Kings counties. I started doing a study of my brother-in-law's family and ended up writing about 400-500 pages on Black families in NB. Most of it was hastily compiled and there is always new stuff. I had to quit, except for occasional forays, as every time I opened the file it closed down because it was too large.

Thomas.

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 28 Jun 2015 8:20PM GMT
Classification: Query
That is very interesting. In your research, have you discovered how or why these families ended up in that area? I've been very curious to research back far enough to know where they came from and why but as you can see, I can only get back to the early 1800's, and that isn't far enough.

Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 29 Jun 2015 12:48AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 30 Jun 2015 4:26PM GMT
There are various reasons why people of African descent appear in New Brunswick. The first, significant group are those called Black Loyalists who arrived in 1783. They were offered freedom, but some were still slaves when they arrived. Many found conditions intolerable and removed to Sierra Leone. With a few exceptions, I have found few who could be pin-pointed geographically. When Saint John became a city in 1785, Blacks were forbidden to practice trades or to fish. They could only work as servants. That's one reason why so many were barbers in the more populated area.

The second major influx were the Refugees of 1815. Most of these went to Halifax (Preston and Africville, for example). Willow Grove near Loch Lomond near Saint John was settled by a number of these refugees. I imagine some escaped slaves also arrived between 1783 and 1815, but this is not something I know much about. Certainly, in that period, there were advertisements in NB looking for escapees from that province. After 1815 the Underground Railroad had one terminus in NB and Nova Scotia, especially through Boston. (See the story of Amos Gilbert, originally named Reuben Kelly; and his brother, Oliver Cromwell Gilbert (Oliver Kelly).) Elm Hill was likely first settled by descendants of Black Loyalists and of escapees. Probably Springhill near Fredericton as well with St. Peter's as a sort of community focus. Douglas Parish, past Nashwaaksis towards the Keswick, had quite a few families. Otherwise there were isolated households. Later areas would be in Barker's Point and Devon, for example or around Woodstock.

The difficulty was that Blacks were treated so poorly in NB, they did not always stay.

So this means two things. First, written records are likely to be fairly rare in a province where early records are rare in any case. Secondly, much of the relevant History is likely anecdotal, and disappearing rapidly into vague legends. What is needed is in-depth research. Land records, marriage registers, church records, probate records, newspapers, etc. Much is on microfilm but few people take the time to search these let alone extract information meaningfully.

One problem is that it is not always easy to identify relevant families. William and Charlotte Jones, probably near Burtt's Corner or that general area, for example, lived in an area with another, prominent, Jones family. It wasn't until today when I looked for Caleb Hopewell's wife that I found that her maiden name might be Jones, which, in turn, led me to William and Charlotte's family in 1861. I did this by searching the 1871 census of NB for a Rebecca of the right age who was indicated as 'African' 'Colored' or something similar. Rebecca Jones was the only such person. Then I checked the 1861 census for Reb* Jon* (with * being a wild card since enumerators can't spell Rebecca and have a hard time with Jones). So, two pieces of evidence, tenuous but suggestive. I wouldn't have found them at all if you hadn't mentioned Caleb Hopewell.

Henry (ca. 1816) and Isaac (ca. 1811-15) Albert are likely brothers and appear to have been born in NB. If this is accurate then their parents were likely escaped slaves (ca. 1783-1800) or the children of persons arriving with the Loyalists in 1783. "The Book of Negroes" can be helpful, but unfortunately the recent book and television miniseries, by using the same name, have overwhelmed the internet making searching for it online tricky. I find images of the incomplete American version at:
http://www.fold3.com/image/660256
I haven't figured out how to effectively search this, and you have to join. Another, apparently truncated, transcription seems to be at:
http://www.blackloyalist.info/browse/
Why the index the individuals by forenames is beyond me. I see no practical way to search for a surname. Another version is at:
http://www.blackloyalist.info/sourceimagesdisplaypage/transc...
This appears to be searchable and contains the images of the original. This gives, on the ship, "Grace', bound for Port Roseway (Shelburne, NS):

Samuel Albert, 20, stout lad, M, (Samuel Mann). Formerly slave to Samuel Tin at Hackensack, New Jersey; says he was made free by the death of his master 7 years ago.

This is a poor transcription as Samuel should be, to be accurate, 'Saml.' with the 'l' as superscript. The same is true of the Samuel in Samuel Tin, and I am not sure that 'Tin' is an accurate transcription. The supposed 'T' is actually 'Y' (compare the word 'Years' a couple of lines below' and 'Tim' may be 'Yin' or 'Yen'. This is the advantage of including the images as these discrepancies are more easily noted. For some reason Saml. Albert is not noted at:
http://www.blackloyalist.info/browse/?start=500
Two, older versions:
http://museum.novascotia.ca/blackloyalists/names/default.htm
http://collections.ic.gc.ca/blackloyalists
have simply disappeared. It used to be that I could find an online version easily. It took half an hour to find:
http://blackloyalist.com/cdc/documents/official/book_of_negr...
I suspect this site has missing elements caused when part of the transcript was duplicated and part omitted. It has exactly the same transcription as above:

Samuel Albert, 20, stout lad, M, (Samuel Mann). Formerly slave to Samuel Tin at Hackensack, New Jersey; says he was made free by the death of his master 7 years ago.

Indicating a common source of transcription.
At:
http://blackloyalist.com/cdc/documents/official/indentured_l...
Sam Albert appears as an 'indentured servant' to Samuel Mann in Shelburne. Elsewhere he was Capt. Samuel Mann. At:
http://archives.gnb.ca/Exhibits/FortHavoc/html/Slave-in-Cana...
is a mention:

"and by a certificate acknowledged before a justice of the peace James Cox, of Shelburne, in 1800 hired "my slave, George Cox, to Captain Samuel Mann, of the brig Greyhound, for a coasting voyage to Newfoundland and back.""

so Samuel Mann was a mariner. His rank, however, appears to be an army rank yet, as a master of several vessels, he would also be referred to as captain. Capt. Samuel Mann (Man) (25SEP1753-23MAY1833) apparently also came from New Jersey. About 1807 he moved to Cape Breton.

So Samuel Albert, b. New Jersey ca. 1763 seems to have made it to Nova Scotia, indentured to Capt. Samuel Man. The distinction between 'indentured servant' and 'slave' is more a matter of terminology than actuality. Did he obtain his release from his 'indenture' when Capt. Man went to Cape Breton? If so, a move to New Brunswick may actually seem possible. There seems to have been far more interaction between widespread communities than is immediately evident. I have briefly noted Cox's in NB, so the James Cox noted in Shelburne may be significant. However, there was a Jacob Cox in NB as early as 1785.

Thomas.


Re: Albert(s) Family of Woodstock, NB

Posted: 30 Jun 2015 2:13AM GMT
Classification: Query
We had previously seen Samuel Albert in the Book of Negroes but could not find out what happened to him after he arrived in Shelburne. I contacted a woman at the Black Loyalist Heritage Society in Birchtown, Nova Scotia, but she was not able to locate any information about him. She suggested that he may have gone on to Sierra Leone. Finding out that he actually stayed and became an indentured servant to Samuel Mann tells us he didn't leave and could possibly be in our family tree. Now I need to find a way to link Samuel with Isaac although it seems as though you've been pretty thorough with your research and haven't been able to make a connection. Thank-you for all the information you've given us.
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