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Welcome to Wikipedia. We invite everyone to contribute constructively to our encyclopedia. Take a look at the if you would like to learn more about contributing. However, unconstructive edits are considered , and if you continue in this manner you may be from editing without further warning. Please stop, and consider improving rather than damaging the work of others. Thank you. 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.
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. In the Acts of the Assembly Journals for the Province of New Brunswick particularly 1853 and 1854, mention is made, concerning The Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Land Company opening a new road through TOWARDS what we now know today as Hainesville. The road officially was named the New Zealand Road COINCIDING with, the British Newly formed territory of New Zealand in the southern hemisphere in the year 1840. A number of Ma-ori chiefs sign a Treaty with the British on 6th February 1840, to be known as the Treaty of Waitangi. The official in charge of the Companies affairs at that time paid tribute to Richard Hayne who was manager of the Company from 1836 to 1849 who may have been the official that named the New Zealand road, as was tradition in her magistys Queen Victoria commonwealths at that time, as a form of honour and celebration. By 1850 the community of Haynesville was formed upon the road continuing Northwards. This was named after Richard Hayne. And later recognized in the house of Assembly, as such was the case for the New Zealand Road.QUOTE: From Page 26 of the Book Geographical names of New Brunswick. By: Allan Rayburn. Toponymy Study 2. Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names Ottawa 1975.‘’During this time there was much activity in surveying for highway roads in the province and these surveys established many of the minor nomenclature along their routes. ‘’( Beginning a quote from page 27. )‘’ In 1832 the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land Company was organized (Incorporated 1834), and in 1835 obtained an immense grant of land in the north east part of York County. By the company many settlers were brought out from Great Britain and placed on their tract, and thus originated the settlements of Stanley, Hainesville, Williamsburg, Zealand, Temperance Vale, Campbell, Maple Grove, Cross Creek, and others in that region. The causes of the naming of these are mostly evident enough. ‘’( Beginning a quote from page 27. )‘’ At different times since 1850 the government had made vigorous efforts to promote immigration, and to that end has laid out large blocks of land for settlement, at the same time giving them names. It is said at the Crown Lands Office that these names were largely suggested by Moses Perley, and if so, he has given more names that now survive in New Brunswick than any other man; they are partly for men and events of the time in England, partly proper to New Brunswick. Their positions are shown upon Wilkinson’s map of 1859. Other settlements were established under the Labour Act of 1868 and again under the Free Grants Act of 1879; such were Colebrook ( near Campbellton), Sunnyside, Robertville, Millville, Saint-Isidore, Pleasant Ridge, Acadieville, Adamsville, .....’‘ The actual namer of our community ‘still’ although narrowed down, remains in question. Just who or which official he was. There is also evidence of a request from the government of that time to name a community as such to honour AND mark the British accomplishment in New Zealand. The New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land company did bring in many of there own workers and settled them on these tracts of land as was the New Zealand road case. They also set up Post Offices and churches along with schools to educate the workmans families. They placed their workers in charge of these establishments as a perk of sorts from the Land company Giant. Simultaneously an outflux of established settlers left this community for other more deemed, ‘’friendly areas’‘ particularly Aroostook Maine where Land and opportunities were galore. Approximately 50% of the people may have left this area beginning in 1845 onwards. Every family was affected. Eventually some came back. Before this event The area was made up almost entirely of Dutch oriented families. Today MANY of the different families have or had Dutch written Bibles as testimony to there original roots. It can be said safely that No one family may have been in part responceable for the community receiving this name. Many of the families whether by coincidence or just providence originated from the Dutch area in the Netherlands named New Zealand. Many of the families can be traced specifically to Zeeland Province, and the city of New Amsterdam which has a community named Zeeland just south of the City. Some families although Dutch or German are harder to trace. All of the families here though share a common denominator. We are all proud of our heritage and our people, AND we seek only the truth. To pass on a legacy of factual events to our children. It matters not so much how we got our name. What matters more is that we ARE the name All claims are investigated thouroughly and subsequently ruled upon. ..The Zealand Historical Society Early Postal Service The first official post office in the community called New Zealand was operated by Thomas Woodworth.10 He operated this former way office from July 1, 1868, until his resignation on October 24, 1871. Newly married Darius E. Brewer10 took over, continuing the post office duties until 1885. Rev. Peter O. Rees10 took over from Mr. Brewer on August 1, 1885, as the new name for the post office changed from New Zealand to Zealand Station. Mr. Rees maintained this position until April 4, 1899. The final change came in 1961, after several postmasters, when the post office name was officially shortened to Zealand. Maps At the Library and Archives Canada site, you will find several local maps for New Brunswick. They begin as early as 1788 and cover many areas. Postal Routes and Dropoff communities are also listed. Over 600 New Brunswick Maps are catalogued and Microfilmed. The Zealand Historical Society has obtained several copies of them for documentation and clarification. Also at Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador house hundreds of Maps from the same Period on New Brunswick. These maps show clearly that it was the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Land Company that first started useing the term New Zealand. Many maps before 1865 show the planned areas by the company for settlements includeing Zealand Station. The Book entitiled: THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLACE NOMENCLATURE OF NEW BRUNSWICK By W F Ganong also refers to several of these maps as his sources includeing the early Wilkinson and Wyld and Hardy maps from 1836 to 1865. The Book by Mr Ganong can be viewed at the New Brunswick Provincial Archives on Microfilm. Zealand at the time was not only being planned but documented. Early Railroad Keswick Valley's Gibson Railway Line (New Brunswick Railway) was commissioned in 1870. 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, New Brunswick, was established from the influence of the nearby Cardigan Settlement some 16 kilometers away. Next Lawrence Station was established, followed by Zealand Station. Eventually Stoneridge Station, Continuing in a northwestwardly direction were Burnside Station, Hayne Station, Barton Station, Burt Lake Station, Millville Station, etc., all the way to New Burg Station just above Woodstock. The foot of the New Zealand community was about one half 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. After 1961,The commitee set up by the Federal government on Permanant Names officially shortened the name to Zealand This was first emplemented through the Post offices all across Canada. 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. Bibliography | ||||||||
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