Grand Bay-Westfield Heritage

There is truly no place like Grand Bay-Westfield, New Brunswick. Grand Bay-Westfield is yours to explore with something for everyone – hiking, walking and cycling trails, parks, shopping, dining, golf course, splash pad, tennis and pickleball courts, sports fields, river access – and more. Our Town is a dynamic and vibrant community renowned for being Neighbours by Nature – A welcoming place for all to live, grow and thrive.

Grand Bay-Westfield is located in southwestern New Brunswick along the River Valley Scenic Drive, one of the provincially designated scenic routes. It is home to a community of 5,866 residents (Wards 1 and 2).

On January 1, 2023, as part of the provincial local governance reform process, the new local government of Grand Bay-Westfield was formed. It includes the former Town of Grand Bay-Westfield (Ward 1) and a portion of the former Local Service District of Westfield West focused on areas along Brittain and Campbell Roads (Ward 2).

Alwington Manor was the home of General John Coffin (1756-1838), a significant figure in the history of Grand Bay-Westfield.  A Loyalist officer and descendent of an aristocratic British family, Coffin resided in Boston prior to his arrival in the province in 1783. Stories abound about this controversial character who served in the Kings American Regiment with Henry Nase, another figure prominent in the area’s history who became Coffin’s business partner.  Coffin is credited with developing the area; he assisted in the construction of mills and farms, even importing farming stock and “implements of husbandry” from England and the United States.

Coffin originally lived in a home built for him by Henry Nase on land acquired on his behalf by Edward Winslow.  In 1790 he acquired Glazier’s Manor from Beamsley Perkins Glazier consisting of 6,000 acres.  He renamed the property Alwington Manor after his ancestral home in Devon, England.  

An ancient Maliseet trail existed from the Bay of Fundy up through the Musquash, Loch Alva to Robin Hood Lake and the Nerepis River.

This early survey by Charles Whitney was part of the WF Ganong collection located at the NB Museum in Saint John.

The trail was recently mapped by Robert Doyle. Note how the portages lead to Robin Hood lake and then north to Nerepis.

This large modern church built on a hill overlooking Grand Bay-Westfield features a number of historic stained glass windows that were removed from the 7 small churches that amalgamated in 2003.  These works of art serve as a tangible reminder of the history of the Anglican Church in the area, which dates back to 1796 when the Parish of Westfield was formed. 

The parishes of Greenwich, Grand Bay, Westfield, and Ketepec amalgamated to form the Parish of the Nerepis and Saint John on 7 July 2003, following 3 years of discussion and prayer.  St. John’s (Grand Bay), St. Peter’s (Public Landing), St. James (Westfield), St. Anne’s (Ketepec),  St. Luke’s (Welsford), St. James (Brown’s Flat), and St. Alban’s (Crystal Beach) were deconsecrated in November 2004; services were held at St. Paul’s in Oak Point and the Westfield United Church until the first phase of construction on the Church of the Resurrection was completed.   A service of Thanksgiving and Amalgamation was held on 24 November 2003. 

This nature preserve borders the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield and lies within the boundaries of the city of Saint John.  Owned and maintained by the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, the 48.9 acres of woods and fields are a popular destination for hiking.  Progress toward restoration and protection has been the result of several years of dedicated work and planning by interest groups, including the Nature Trust of New Brunswick, the Friends of Blueberry Hill, Ducks Unlimited, the Town of Grand Bay-Westfield, and the City of Saint John.  In 2009, the environmental integrity of Henderson Brook was restored, the first of many planned projects for preservation and maintenance.

The Preserve borders a large wetland complex and a shrub wetland comprised of young red ash, mountain ash, and speckled alder.  Other features include open fields in various states of forest regeneration, a brook, and a sloping hillside leading to the St. John River that is covered by a mature red spruce forest.  Botanical surveys have identified more than 178 species of plants, including the threatened species Anticosti Aster (Aster anticostensis).

There is evidence of parts of the Old Post Road, formerly part of the stagecoach route from Saint John to Fredericton.  Remnants of the Stevens Family Farmhouse are still visible on the property.  Built in the early 1800s near the top of the hill by the Stevens family, the farm once featured plum, pear, and apple orchards as well as pigs, cows, sheep, oats and hay.  Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis in the 1960s, the property maintained a pathway to a quarantine area for cattle which were sold to Cuba and sent by ship from Saint John.

Located behind the dwelling of Leo Hannigan at 55 Edgewood Drive, this burial ground contains the markers of the Brundage family and William D Jones.

Sophia Jones was a Brundage.

Elizabeth L MacKenzie and Tryphenia Watters graves are here too.

Situated atop a small hill, the distinct gambrel-roofed home overlooks the Grand Bay-Westfield ferry landing.  Gambrel-roofed homes are uncommon in Grand Bay-Westfield.  The roof of the George W. Crawford home is particularly distinctive due to the pronounced curve of the lower rafters, which are broken by flat-roofed dormers (2 on each side).  The home is associated with a thriving sawmill that once dominated the shoreline.  The mill was integral to the town as an employer and as an influence on the rhythm of life for residents:  a local historian recalls that many kept time by the mill’s whistles. 

George W. Crawford was a grandson of William Crawford, a cabinetmaker from Londonderry, Ireland, who acquired a farm of 200 acres in 1810.  George owned the “Crawford Mill” for a period prior to 1920.  It is not clear if he built the original mill, or if he inherited or acquired an already operational business.   Crawford and his family settled at 2 Brundage Point toward the end of the 1800s.  It is likely his association with the mill began at about that time.  A Mr. Primes, a lumber camp equipment salesman, kept a store in one end of Crawford’s long rectangular home.   This speaks to the importance of the Brundage Point area to local industry during those years.  The mill was sold to the Wilson Box Factory of Saint John ca. 1920, but went out of business a decade later.  The land was then sold to Rulof Baxter.   The mill and associated structures, other than the home, were left to deteriorate over time, marking the end of the sawmill industry at Brundage Point. 

When the house Crawford lived in burned ca. 1913, the lot was sold to James Baxter, father of Rulof Baxter, who constructed the current structure on the original granite foundation.   A section of the foundation, partially covered by red brick and other material, is a visible remnant of the building’s history.   Although members of the Baxter family have resided at 2 Brundage since ca. 1913, many still refer to the historic place as “the Crawford Home” atop “Crawford Hill.”

Formerly referred to as the loyalist burying ground, this burial ground is adjacent to the Grand Bay-Westfield Baptist Church.

Several of the markers are in disrepair and stand in marked contrast to the more modern recent markers.

Of particular note is the Hamm family who donated the land to build the Church.

Gyro is an international organization founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1912.  The group’s aim is to teach “power, poise and purpose” in relationships, as well as to promote healthy living and good citizenship.  Camps based on these principles sprang up across Canada soon after the Club’s formation, with one such camp for children in Grand Bay-Westfield.

The Camp opened on July 1, 1927 as part of the town’s Confederation Diamond Jubilee celebrations . The property was deemed ideal for a summer camp due to its proximity to the Saint John River, allowing campers to take advantage of the water for swimming and other leisure activities.  In 1927 Mr. Dow Bishop was contracted to build 2 cabins as well as a larger building designed to serve as both a recreation and dining hall.  

For over three decades, the Gyro Fresh Air Camp was a vibrant part of the community, hosting on average 100 children a year.

This private home has a high tri-gabled saltbox shaped roof which is broken by a pedimented dormer on the extension.  The large front gable and side gables feature projected eaves and returns, typical of early farmhouses in the residential Greek revival style.

The Kirtley and Hayter families  number among the early setters of Grand Bay-Westfield.  Captain John Hayter, Loyalist, (1749-1811) born in Devonshire, England and previous resident of Philadelphia, settled on a land grant of 400 acres in the area known as Epworth Park.  He gradually acquired more land, including the property that now comprises 171 Woolastook, which was originally granted to Robert Walter.  Captain Hayter married Mary Monk  (1763-1826) of Woolrich, England, a descendant of Sir George Monk, Duke of Albemarle, who had made the journey on the same boat.  They had 9 children, including Thomas (1796- 1865) who married Mary Ann Gallagher (1803-1878). Together they had 10 children.

Located in an area behind 2 Sunnyside Drive.

This small graveyard is home to 15 graves.

Family names are Fanjoy, Finley, Lingley and Watters.

The graveyard in on private property and the property owner  discourages visits.

Family members wishing to visit are asked to respect the privacy of the property and to make arrangements and seek permission well in advance.​

Peter Lingley (1769-1831) and his wife, Mary (1774-1831), United Empire Loyalists from New York State, settled here in 1783.  Land grant map 156 records a grant to Lingley of 200 acres.  The Lingleys built their home on a parcel of land near the mouth of the Nerepis River in an area that came to be known as Lingley Station.  Over time, the land was divided up among 4 sons and continued to be owned by members of the family for nearly two centuries.  Steen and Sadie Lingley were the last Lingleys to live on the property.  The original Lingley home on the land burned in 1921 in the Westfield Fire.  It was replaced with the existing structure, which was purchased after Sadie Lingley’s death by the Sutton family in 1970.  It is a well-preserved example of a 1920s farmhouse.  The house remains primarily as it was constructed; a large kitchen and bedroom were added in 1974 and extensive landscaping has been done.  

In this Gallery are several videos of historic sites in Grand Bay-Westfield

The following  videos were filmed on June 10, 2012 at the Mount Hope Farm open house.

Mount Hope Farm Open House – 10 June 2012

Mount Hope Farm, nestled by the Nerepis River and forested hills in Grand Bay-Westfield, was built in 1786 by Colonel Henry Nase, the first loyalist to settle in the area.  This old home has remained in the family since then and is listed on the NB and Canadian Registers of Historic Places. Over its 225 years the old home has been altered only slightly.

Two hundred years ago, General John Coffin formed a company of local New Brunswick men to join the New Brunswick Fencibles.  According to his memoirs, most of these young men were sons of men General Coffin served with during the American Revolution.  Mount Hope Farm, as family history and an old gun attest, was an overnight stop for a number of them who walked to Fredericton to join other companies that formed the famous “104^th Regiment”.   From there, they marched to Kingston, Ontario to help defend British territory against invasion by the United States in the War of 1812.  During February 1813, they marched 350 miles to Quebec in -25 F. snowy weather, spent two weeks in a garrison, and then completed the remaining distance to Kingston for a total distance of 700 miles.

In light of the 225^th anniversary of Mount Hope Farm and its connection to the War of 1812, the Nase Family and the Grand Bay – Westfield Heritage Committee hosted an open house on site on June 10^th, 2012.

Peter Lohnes explains the inportance of Mount Hope Farm to the community.

Eric McCumber introduces the war of 1812 and its impact on Mount Hope..

Murray Davis demonstrates an ancient piece of equipment at Mount Hope open house.​

This cemetery is located at Westfield near 273 Nerepis Road (N 45 21.441 W 66 14.243) and contains the grave of Henry Nase described as a native of Dover, Dutchess County NY.

Henry Nase was one of the first Loyalist settlers in the area and the builder of Mount Hope Farm

His wife Jane Quinton is also buried here  (date of death May 29, 1852)/

Other Nases are: G Harry Nase (1877-1955) and his wife Mabel V Reid (1884-1959), Murray Nase, wife Agnes and son.

Details are still being sought on this burying ground located on the banks of the St. John River.

Many markers are damaged or missing.

The remaining markers are for the Elliott family and the Stephenson family.

The old Portage Trail is a former portage route used by First Nations people travelling from the Musquash watershed to the Nerepis River.  Although the trail is overgrown in sections, it is still possible to walk it.  W. F. Ganong’s 1836 survey plan shows an “Indian Portage” running from Ogden Lake to the northern end of Loch Alva.  Although the plan does not mark a portage trail from the northern end of Robin Hood Lake, it is evident, based on the memories of local residents whose parents recall the route being used, that this section did in fact exist.  It is probable that cultural and archeological remnants may be found along the route.  The St. John and Nerepis Rivers were a vital means of transportation for the Wolastoqiyk, or Maliseet people who resided in the area.

Located on a hill at the intersection of Highway 7 and Highway 177, this graveyard has been abandoned since the Kirk or Presbyterian Church burned down circa 1921.

No records have been located but several markers remain along with remnants of the old Church foundation.

The Godfrey family plots are located there among others.​

St Augustine’s Church was built in 1926.

Before its formation, the Catholic population was serviced by 2 different areas of the province.

A priest from Petersville, Father O’Regan visited and held Holy Mass in the home of Bernard McGovern.

Then, Fathers Farrell, Hannington and Carleton travelled by horse and buggy to say Mass twice a year and offiiciate at other occasions.

It was not until 1932 that this practice was discontinued and Westfield was pronounced a parish by the Bishop.

Well kept cemetery at Woodmans Point.

Former site of St. Peter’s Anglican Church which was built here in 1796.

The Church was moved to Public Landing in 1860 by a team of oxen who dragged the Church up river on the ice.

Stevens Cemetery is a private family burial ground located in a wooded area within the neighbourhood known to local residents as “Ingleside.”

The cemetery, which holds approximately 150 graves, was established on a piece of the 200 acres of land granted to Loyalist Shubael Stevens (1747-1825) of New Haven, Connecticut in 1784.

Shubael Stevens is buried here, along with his wife Martha (1761-1840), their children and grandchildren, and members of the extended family whose surnames represent some of the region’s earliest residents, including Bunnell, Finley, and Roberts.

Shubael’s daughter Melilia (1795-1818) was the first person to be buried in the cemetery, followed the next year by her cousin Martha Ann (1814-1819).

Shubel Stevens (1752-1825), a Loyalist and native of New Haven, Connecticut, came to “Parrtown,” now Saint John, in 1783.  He was granted a small town lot but did not settle there; a 200 acre grant in the area of Grand Bay-Westfield historically known as “Ingleside” followed and there he built his homestead.  The massing of the house has retained its integrity, with renovations and modernizations completed in a manner sensitive to its age and original design. 

Stevens, a carpenter-turned-farmer, prospered and acquired at least 600 more acres of land in short order.   Upon his death his large property was divided amongst his children, with the house and farm bequeathed to his son Benjamin (1799¬-1867).  Benjamin further subdivided the property in his will, giving the house and farm to his youngest son William Bartlett.   The property passed to other members of the Stevens family and has continued to be owned and inhabited by descendants of Shubel Stevens up to the present day.

Common in the nearby City of Saint John after the Saint John Fire of 1877, the Second Empire style was not favoured in Grand Bay-Westfield even though many residences were built as summer homes by people from the City.

The home was likely erected in the 1870s, the height of Second Empire architecture, on a lot granted to Stephen Smith in 1816.  Many Second Empire features are evident in the details of the structure, including the wood detailing of the façade, 3 dormers with original 2/2 windows, mansard roof (façade), bracketed eaves, and front double-door entrance with cut glass.  The ell and attached sheds were destroyed by fire in the late 1980s, necessitating their removal as well as the truncation of the cedar-shingled mansard roof.  A new entrance at the side of the building was created at that time.  The building is also important as an example of a repurposed historic building in the business core of the town.

This graveyard is found on a hillside off the Corbett road in Morrisdale NB.

It is overgrown and many of the markers are in disrepair.

Details are still being recovered.

This is a small burial ground on the private property of Gordon Simms on the River Road.

Further details will be forthcoming.

Originally inhabited by members of the Porter family in Gagetown, a community about 70 kilometers “up river”, the home was floated down the St. John River by the family to its current site some time prior to 1911. Members of the Porter family continued to reside there for several decades.  Since that time, the home has been modified; the wrap-around veranda has been removed, the small front porch has been enclosed, an extension built to the rear, and a side entrance was blocked off due to renovations of the interior.

The main level of the home housed the New Brunswick Telephone Exchange for the area beginning in 1919, under the management of Myrtle (Porter) Rathburn.  The home is regarded fondly by many local residents for its association with Mrs. Rathburn, who was well known in the community.  With the introduction of rotary dial telephones in the 1950s, the telephone exchange was no longer needed and the main level of the house was converted back to living space..​

The Watson Family Cemetery is a small isolated burial ground located on a 1 acre section of the 50 acre farm formerly owned by William Watson.  It is the only known burial site of members of the early Black settlers in the Grand Bay-Westfield area.

William Watson arrived in Saint John from Virginia in 1815 on board the Romulus.  (sources: Beatrice McGovern, local historian, 1963).  In 1838 Watson was granted a 50 acre parcel of land adjoining that of Samuel Smith, who arrived aboard the Romulus in 1815.  The lots were located near Alwington Manor, the Coffin estate.  (source: PANB land grants).  Less than an acre of this land was used as the family cemetery.

Watson and his son, William Junior, were respected members of the community.  William Junior, born in New Brunswick and married to a white woman from England, lived to an advanced age and died in 1916.

He and his wife Elizabeth, two infants and an adult daughter were buried in their family cemetery.

Circles of stones outline their final resting places.

Five small white wooden crosses placed there in recent years by a previous owner Mr. Don Perrin,mark the gravesites.

A tribute to this family is noted on an interpretive panel at the Kiwanis gazebo on the Nerepis causeway.

Recently, the bomb disposal squad , from Gagetown, using ground penetrating radar discovered an additional grave.