From The Scrap Book
June 1993
By Dr. Bill Randall
Carmichael Family
I was greatly impressed upon my first visit to Katie Carmichael. She was the last survivor of the
Carmichael name and the grand daughter of one of the original settlers. Her gentle, humble manner was reflected in the simple, unadorned surroundings of her household – the homemade furniture, the silvery grey of the floorboards grooved by the many scrubbings with homemade lye soap. From a large chest she showed me household and personal items which her grandparents had brought with them on the Cornelius. (the ship that brought Harvey settlers to N.B.)
Many years later when Greg MacLean moved her house to Tweedside the exposed sturdiness of the timbers reminded me of the sturdiness of Katie’s person.
The Carmichael name is gone from Harvey, but following are some of the genealogical details in the Historical Association’s files.
CARMICHAEL – 1
JOHN CARMICHAEL m. MARGARET HUME
b. 1799 (C) England b. 1805 (C) England
d. 21 June 1879 (CR) Harvey d. 22 Oct 1870 (CR) 65 yr. Harvey
John Carmichael and Margaret Hume were married in England, their first son, Samuel died in England. John and Margaret with two small sons, James and Robert came to New Brunswick in 1837 with the first settlers to Harvey. It is probable that Margaret’s sister, Mary Hume and infant daughter Jane, may have come with them. (Mary Hume married James Craig on 14 Dec. 1841.)
The Carmichaels settled on Lot 20W and 19E, 100 acres of land. The lot is an unusual shape with the highway going through it, so part of the lot is on each side of the highway. The house and barn were built on lot 20W. (Land Grant 1851/12/19 Vol. KL, No. 4949)
According to the Return of the Harvey Settlement statistical report dated 7 Nov 1840, John had 5 acres in crops in 1840 with 9 acres chopped and ready for crops next year; he produced 30 bu. oats, 7 bu. wheat, 12 bu. barley and other grain, 250 bu. potatoes; had 2 swine; and had built a dwelling house.
Return of Harvey Settlement for the year 1843 shows 6 acres in crops that year, 3 acres in meadow, 1 acre in pasture and 2 acres new land for crops next year. They produced 1 1/2 tons hay, 2 tons straw, 200 bu. potatoes, 7 bu. wheat, 50 bu. oats, 25 bu. barley and buckwheat, 1 bu. turnips; had 1 cow, 2 sheep, 2 swine, 1 young cattle; had a dwelling house, barn and one other out building; and there were seven in the family.
Statistical Return of the Harvey Settlement for the year 1847 indicated that John was a “turtle’ (trade
independent of the occupation of land); there were 8 in the family; they had 1 cow, 2 oxen, 6 sheep, 3 swine, 2 young cattle, and produced 8 tons hay and straw, 150 bu. potatoes and 6 bu. wheat. Cleared 19 acres of arable land and 2 acres pasture. Estimated value of land 45 pounds; value of buildings 9 pounds; value of stock 21 pounds and value of crops 33 pounds, for a total estimated value of 108 pounds.
According to the 1860 Census, they employed 3 males and 1 female. Owned or occupied 60 acres of
improved land and 76 acres unimproved. Cash value of farm was 130 pounds, value of implements and machinery, 6 pounds. They had 2 horses, 3 milch cows, 2 working oxen, 2 other neat cattle, 12 sheep, 3 swine and slaughtered 550 lbs. of pork. Produced 160 lb. butter, 30 lb. wool, 9 tons hay off 18 acres, 150 bu. oats off 8 acres, 40 buy. buckwheat off 3 acres, 20 bu. timothy, 100 bu. turnips, and 60 bu. potatoes.
John and Margaret had seven children: SAMUEL CARMICHAEL
b. & d. prior to 1837, in England.
JAMES CARMICHAEL m. MARGARET WATT
b. 1834 Eng. (C) b. 1850 (C)
d. 20 Oct. 1904-70 yr. (C) d. 21 Nov. 1929 – 79 yr (C)
m. 19 July 1871 St. Pauls, F’ton d/o Michael Watt and Mary Ann Morecraft.
They had six children. See page 3
ROBERT CARMICHAEL Not married.
b. 1837 Eng.
d. 18 Nov 1912 – 75 1/1 yr. (CR)
JANE CARMICHAEL m. THOMAS DAVIDSON
b. 4 July 1838 Harvey (FS) b. 29 Mar 1827 Eng. (FS)
d. 16 Dec 1894 Thomaston (FS) d. 10 July 1903 Thomaston (FS)
They had seven children. See Davidson family.
JOHN (JACK) CARMICHAEL Not married.
b. 1841
d. 24 Mar 1866 (CR)
ISABELLA CARMICHAEL m. JOHN T. THOMPSON
b. 1842 b. 1833 Eng.
d. June 1916 d. 11 May 1910 – 78 yr.
m. 12 Apr 1865 (CR) s/o John Stuart Thompson & Isabel Swan.
They had eight children. For this family see the book, “The Swan Family early 1800s-1980” by Jocelean Swan Hall and Margaret Swan Crozier, pages 6,7 and 8.
MARY CARMICHAEL m. JAMES NESBITT’
b. 1845 b. 1827
d. 13 Aug 1928 (FS) d. 30 Oct 1882 – 55 yr. (FS)
They had eight children. s/o John Nesbitt and Ann ….
For this family see the Nesbitt family.
Copied from newspaper clipping appearing in newspaper in June 1927
An interesting document in the hands of one of the resident descendants of a pioneer family is a
certificate of character given the latter when he left Scotland. the certificate reads as follows:
“That John Carmichael and Margaret, his wife, leave this country for America, with a good moral and
religious character, and in full communion with the Relief Church is attested by James Muirhead, Minister
Wooler, 18 May 1837″
Copied from notes written by Katie Carmichael
Emigrated to Canada landing May 1836 James Carmichael and his wife Margaret (Hume) with two of
their sons, James and Robert. His first son Samuel having died before leaving the motherland. Son Jack, daughters Jane, Isabell and Mary born in Harvey, N.B. Canada. James married Margaret Watt. Robert unmarried, Jane married Thomas Davidson. Isabell married John Thompson. Mary married James Nesbitt. Jack unmarried having died at the age of 19 year.
Copied from Daily, Telegraph, Thursday, 27 October 1870
Died Harvey, 22 inst., Margaret Carmichael, wife of John Carmichael, age 65. Deceased was a native
of Northumberland, England, and emigrated to America in 1837.
Copied from Morning Freeman, 3 November 1870.
Mrs. John Carmichael of Harvey Settlement died Saturday evening. She appeared to be in usual health
up to a few moments of her decease. Just after finishing her tea, she complained of a severe pain in the region of the stomach, and so intense did it become, that she told those about her that unless she could have a doctor or get immediate relief she could not live. She had but uttered the words when she leaned forward and fell to the floor. She was immediately raised up and it was found life extinct. Mrs. Carmichael was about 70 years of
age and one of the first that made for themselves home in Harvey. (“Farmer”)
CARMICHAEL – 3
JAMES CARMICHAEL m. MARGARET WATT
b. 1834 Eng. (C) b. 2 Mar 1849 (FS) (1850-C)
d. 20 Oct 1904-70 yr. (C) d. 21 Nov 1929-79 yr. (C)
m. 19 July 1871 St. Pauls Church, F’ton d/o Michael Watt and Mary Ann Morecraft.
s/o John Carmichael and Margaret Flume,
page 1.
James and his wife Margaret lived on the homestead farm on Tweedside Road. They are buried in
Harvey Cemetery. They had six children:
JOHN CARMICHAEL Not married.
b. 14 July 1873 (CR)
d. 1914 (C)
JAMES FULTON CARMICHAEL Not married.
b. 1875 (C)
d. 1952 (C)
MARY ELLEN CARMICHAEL
b. 8 Oct 1877 (CR) (1878-C) d. 1880 (C) Died young.
MARGARET ETHEL CARMICHAEL m. JOHN EASTMAN (EASTY) BELL
b. 29 May 1880 (CR) b. 3 May 1879
d. Sept 1963 d. 29 June 1944
m. 10 June 1903 s/o John (Jack) Bell and Jane (Jean)
They lived on a farm on the Lake Road, Cleghorn. (See the book, “George Cleghorn and
and had six children: Descendants 1819-1982″ by Ruth Cleghorn, Page 18.)
Melvin, Margaret May, Helen Isobel, Stanley Eastman, Malcolm Glen and Bessie Eveline.
ANNIE MAY CARMICHAEL m. JAMES ROBERT BELL
b. 24 Aug 1884 (CR) b. 2 Mar 1881
d. 14 Aug 1967 d. 21 Mar 1941
m. 7 Oct 1909 s/o John (Jack) Bell and Jane (Jean)
Lived on a farm on the Lake Road, Cleghorn. (See book, “George Cleghorn and
and had two children: James Russell, Descendants 1819-1982″ by Ruth Cleghorn, page 26.)
and Margaret Blanche.
KATIE ISABEL CARMICHAEL Not married. Lived on the Carmichael homestead all her life.
b. 26 Jan 1894 (CR)
d. 11 Nov 1979 – 85 yr.
Copied from newspaper obituary – 1929
MRS. MARGARET CARMICHAEL
Harvey, N.B., Dec 9 – The community of Harvey Station was saddened on November 21 by the passing
of Mrs. Margaret Carmichael, one of its oldest residents at the age of 79 years. Deceased had been in failing health for some years but her death came suddenly at the last. Of a quiet and retiring nature, she was beloved by all who knew her and her death will be keenly felt throughout the whole community, where her sterling character held high esteem.
The funeral services were conducted by Rev. George Knight of the Presbyterian Church, of which the deceased was a member. The pallbearers were James Bell, Eastman Bell, Garfield Nesbitt, Charles Nesbitt, Everett Mowatt and Thomas Davidson. the Presbyterian choir sang the favorite hymns, “Rock of Ages,” and “Abide With Me” and “No Night in Heaven.”
Mrs. Carmichael leaves to mourn her loss three daughters, Mrs. Eastman Bell and Mrs. James Bell, of Lake Road; miss Kate, at home; one son, Fulton, also at home; three sisters, Mrs. Janet McDonald and Mrs. Ellen Matthews, of Alberta; Mrs. Ronald McDonald, New York, and Mrs. Isobel Mowatt, of Harvey Station, also survive.
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Information on the Carmichael was compiled from the following sources:
Unpublished manuscript “Genealogy and History of the Harvey Area as recorded by Rev. William Randall.:
Census reports 1851, 1861 and 1891.
Presbyterian Church Records 1856-1915, births, marriages and deaths. (CR)
Harvey Cemetery tombstones (C).
Statistical Return of the Harvey Settlement for the year 1840, the year 1843 and the year 1847.
Notes written by the late Katie Carmichael, and family charts by Marlene Bell. (FS)
(FS-family source)
The book, “George Cleghorn and Descendants 1819-1982” compiled by Ruth Cleghorn.
The book, “The Swan Family” by Jocelean Swan Hall and Margaret Swan Crozier.
Newspaper obituaries and other items from scrapbooks, many undated.
Compiled as a guide for future researchers by: Jocelean Swan Hall – 26 March 1993
Source: Rev. Bill Randall’s “From The Scrapbook Vol. One.”
