Zealand, New Brunswick
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Zealand is a small unincorporated town in York County, New Brunswick, Canada. It is located on the Keswick River, a tributary of the St. John River, between the towns of Burtts Corner and Millville.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Zealand_New_Brunswick_ca1980.jpg/300px-Zealand_New_Brunswick_ca1980.jpg)
History
Loyalist Philip Crouse came to New Brunswick in November 1789 and settled in the Keswick Valley, eleven kilometers from the mouth of the Keswick River. There he obtained a four hundred acre land grant from the British Crown, in two 200 acres phases.[1][2] In 1831 Philip’s son, Gould Crouse, purchased from his father two hundred of those acres. Gould named the area New Zealand (sometimes referred to as New Zealand Settlement[3]) after the birth place of his father in Zeeland, a southern province of the Netherlands.[4][5] Other Dutch settlers of Keswick Valley included the surnames Alieen (Allen), Brouwer (Brewer), Jansen (Hanson), Jurkse (Yerxa) and Lauren (Lawrence), just to name a few. The area where Philip Crouse lived was sometimes referred to informally as the Hanson Settlement area by some locals, until the mid 1870's.
Early Postal Service
The earliest and 1st official Post Office in the community called New Zealand on record at the Library and Archives Canada was ran by Thomas Woodworth in 1868. Before that Mr Woodworth operated it as a way office. He ran the New Zealand Post Office from July 1st 1868 to Oct 24 1871 when he resigned. Newly married Darius E Brewer next ran the next office until 1885. Rev.Peter O. Rees took over from him as the new name for the office changed from New Zealand to Zealand Station. from 1885-08-01 to 1899-04-04.Its final change came after several Post Masters in 1961 to simply Zealand as we know it today. The Book Geographical Names of New Brunswick confirms this as it lists the name PO (Post Office) Zealand Station being from 1889 to 1961. The book also states that from 1961 to the present the Post office name was simply shortened to Zealand. No Post offices were listed before 1868 in this community. They began officially after Canada’s birth on July 1st 1867.
Early Railroad
Keswick Valley's Gibson Railway line was commissioned in 1870. The section of the railway that came through New Zealand was completed in 1873. The system was initially built to narrow gauge, however this was changed to standard gauge in the 1880's. Railroad stations became established as access points to the local communities. Sometimes these community access points were quite a distance from the established community centers. Cardigan Station, at what is now called Burtts Corner, was established from the influence of the nearby Cardigan Settlement some 16 kilometers away. Next Lawrence Station was established, followed by Zealand Station. Continuing in a northwestwardly direction were Burnside Station, Burt Lake Station, Millville Station, etc., all the way to New Burg Station just above Woodstock.
The center of the New Zealand community was about one kilometer from the railroad station that served it. The locals that worked for the Gibson Railway line as section men named the access point, The Zealand Station. This was readily accepted by the railway. Immediately the center of the community started shifting toward the economic and social center growing around the railroad station, and in short order the community became known as Zealand Station. By the 1980's, with the dwindling influence of the railroad, the community name became more widely accepted as Zealand.
Community
Today multiple sand and gravel as well as cement companies have the community's natural resources as the backbone of their thriving industries. One of the highest skilled labour forces per capita makes its home here as well as a thriving outdoor enthusiasts' paradise reign supreme. The cleanest river system in the province as well as a sportsman's haven await all who visit this friendly and well managed area. Zealand was the first rural community in the province to be totally wired for high speed Internet. Also, the first piece of the Trans Canada Trail system in Canada, completed in the 1990's, runs through the community. Several churches and companies call this wonderful community home. A proud history indeed to a prouder future.
Notes and References
- ^ Crouse, R. "Crouse Family History, Second Edition" Rogue Publishing, 2000.
- ^ Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB), Land Petitions
- ^ "Journal of the House of Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick", February 24, 1853, page 292.
- ^ “Geographical Names of Canada" Natural Resources Canada, 2006.
- ^ Fellows, Robert F. “Community Place Names in New Brunswick, Canada.", 1998, page 274.
- Simon, John “ACTS of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of NEW BRUNSWICK” Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1840.
- “Journal of the House of Assembly of New Brunswick”, New Zealand Settlement, Provincial Archive of New Brunswick, 1855.
- Tracy, John C. “John C. Tracy Book” Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, 1927-1932.
- Bright and Douglas Parish Anglican Church Records.
- 1851,1861,1881,1901,1911 Douglas and Bright Parish Census Records
- Library and Collections Canada www.collectionscanada.ca
- Zealand Historical Society. Holdings, Zealand, New Brunswick, Canada
External links
- Crouse Loyalist Cemetery, Zealand, York Co., New Brunswick, Canada
- http://www.rootsweb.com/~nbyork/church.htm
- http://www.collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/post-offices/001001-110.01-e.php?adf=TRUE&adq%5B0%5D%5Bcol%5D=any&adq%5B0%5D%5Bq%5D=&adq%5B0%5D%5BboolOp%5D=NOT&adq%5B1%5D%5Bcol%5D=OfficeName&adq%5B1%5D%5Bq%5D=&adq%5B1%5D%5BboolOp%5D=NOT&adq%5B2%5D%5Bcol%5D=ElectoralDistrict&adq%5B2%5D%5Bq%5D=&adq%5B2%5D%5BboolOp%5D=NOT&adq%5B3%5D%5Bcol%5D=Province&adq%5B3%5D%5Bq%5D=New+Brunswick&adq%5B3%5D%5BboolOp%5D=AND&adq%5B4%5D%5Bcol%5D=Postmaster&adq%5B4%5D%5Bq%5D=BREWER&interval=24
Queensbury Bright and Douglas Anglican Church Records