Notre-Dame Union Church & Cemetery History

This history has been prepared based on information handed down in a little wooden box measuring 6″ wide x 10″ long x 5″ deep which contained receipts, minutes of annual meetings and financial records, and several loose sheets of paper which were apparently deemed to be worth saving. Other information comes from memories recounted (from within my own family and elsewhere), genealogy records from several family sources, and from Province of New Brunswick and Kent County Records located by various people over the years. In addition I have read and gathered some information from a History of Notre Dame written in French in September 1978 by Denise Bourgeois, Romeo Gagnon, Paul Leblanc and Louise Richard, students involved in a “Youth of Canada at Work” project.

Union-Church-4

To the best of my knowledge at this time what is written here is accurate, although I cannot verify that in any absolute way. I have prepared this History in a loose-leaf format that will allow me to make corrections when and if new information is received. My intention is to keep track of every copy distributed so that when and if necessary corrected pages can be inserted in all copies

I hope that you enjoy going back in time and continuing your personal connection to the little community, church and cemetery you have all clearly demonstrated over the years mean so much to you as part of your family history. I am hoping that this information will be passed on to our children.

The first twenty years of my life were spent in this community. My life in Notre Dame holds very fond memories for me, and I am extremely proud to be able to say that I was born and brought up there, that I received most of my education there, that much of my family continues to live there, and that I cherish the friendships developed there with neighbours and school friends. I am particularly proud of the fact that living in this community afforded me the opportunity to become fluent in the French language. (My speaking skills in the language have deteriorated from lack of practice, but I can still do quite well at understanding and reading the language.) My interaction with the Acadian people has always been and continues to be a wonderful experience that has enriched my life.

Dawn (Johnston) Bray
July, 2004

Union Church History (PDF download)

The following two photographs were sent to me by the Robinson Family, whose connection to Notre Dame began when Robert Ansley Robinson married Robina A. Johnston July 17, 1879 (page 48). Their grandson, James Gardiner Robinson, who lives in Brantford, Ontario, (page 81) sent these lovely photographs of his great-grandparents.

The lady is Ann (Chisholm) Johnston:

born May 14, 1837, Salmon River, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada;
died March 7, 1930 at Notre Dame, Dundas Parish, Kent County, New Brunswick ,Canada; father was George Chisholm;
mother unknown (the guess is her name was Ann Blair);
siblings were John, Catherine and Elizabeth (source: 1851 Canada Census).

and

The man, in the white beard is James Johnston;

born August 9, 1831, Notre Dame, Dundas Parish, Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada; died October 19, 1913, Notre. Dame, Dundas Parish, Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada; father was Andrew Johnston (born Ayrshire, Scotland);
mother was Ann Spence from Armaugh. County, Northern Ireland;
siblings were William, Jane, Robert, Robina Ann, John, Andrew, David H., Amelia, Thomas.

Ann-(Chisholm)-Johnston

James-Johnston

Ann Chisholm and James Johnston married November 28, 1854 at Shediac, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada.

Their children were:

Emily Jane, born September 29, 1855 (married William James Cobham)
Robina Ann, born December 16, 1857 (married Robert A. Robinson)
George Andrew, born February 25, 1860 (married Gladys)
Mary Katherine, born February 2, 1863 (married Frederick Smith)
James McKie, born June 12, 1865 (married Sarah Eliza Dysart)
John Thomas, born October 2, 1867 (married (1) Christina McAskill (2) Hannie Haynes)
Robert Howard, born September 13, 1869 (married Mary Alice Bowser)
Bertha May, born October 12, 1871 (married John E. Harman)
Ida Maude, born July 4, 1873 (married Purdy Blair)
Herbert Banniste, born April 27, 1875 (married Ida May Walton)
Hartley Henderson, born June 22, 1878 (married Eva Seaman)