Hi again,
http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/rw/localities.nort...As noted in this post by Thomas A. Murray, there is considerable confusion about this family, including the different David's.
I can agree that David born 1781 was son of Benjamin. He moved to PEI about 1820, he married 1823 to Susanna Darby, their children are baptized in PEI, she died in PEI, he was baptized May 11, 1854, in PEI at age 73, he said he was born in ‘Mirarsiche’, understood to be Machiche, Gaspé Peninsula. This coincides with the record of his father who was known to be at Gaspe 1783, Loyalist with a son age 2, confirming that this is the David who was son of Benjamin.
All of the baptisms are found on the Island Baptismal Index.
Why does everyone think this David would leave and go to Shediac? He sold property to William Betts in 1855, this is believed to be his son William born 1829, the one I can't find a baptism record for though. I suppose it is possible that after his wife died in 1856, David packed up at age 75 and moved himself to Shediac but that just doesn't sound reasonable to me.... Why did he get baptized at that age? Most people who find religion at that age are doing so because they are nearing the end of life not because they are planning to move away from the place they've called home for most of their lives....
As you say....
There are land grant records for
David Betts Newcastle, N.B. - July 12, 1809
Northampton, N.B. July 3, 1813
Blissfield, N.B. Mar. 3, 1831
Do you think these land grants in NB are for the same David who was living in PEI? Isn't it more likely they are for Ephraham's son David Kingsley, aka King Betts whose siblings Samuel and William are also found in NB?
Since it is David Kingsley who is found in NB isn't it more likely that he is the one buried at Shediac rather than David of PEI? If not, then where is David Kingsley buried?
Who is Col. Ackerman? Could that be Atkinson?
Does anyone have the 1851 or 61 Census for Hardwood Ridge?