The history of Queens County is a microcosm of the history of Canada, with its early explorers, pioneer settlers, and bitter struggles for power and mastery. It contains all the elements of love, hate, fear, greed, treachery and heroism which make for high drama, and characterize the history of mankind through the ages and throughout the world.[27] The dominant features of this area is the system of waterways comprising that portion of the St. John River which flows between the boundaries of Queens County, and the tributaries of the St. John River, the largest being the Grand Lake, with the smaller Wahsademoak and Maquapit Lakes. These waterways are without falls or rapids and provide a smooth and easy natural means of communication.[28] The waterways furnished quantities of fish which were used as a staple or as a supplement to the diet of the early settlers. They were also prolific hunting-grounds for beaver, muskrat, and other fur-bearing animals which were the man articles of trade routes and means of communication for a great many years. Another benefit was the spring flooding over low-lying areas which provided a natural fertilizer for the garden crops of the settlers, and also for their farm animals.[29] The people of Queens County were healthy in those early years and, in general, long-lived. The birth-rate was very high, and most of the children lived to grow up. The climate was healthful, and the soil still had it original nutrients, without the aid of artificial fertilizers. The large families were an economic benefit because they were needed to help with the work both inside and outside the house. Besides the children of that generation were trained to be the best possible kind of insurance against loneliness and destitution when their parents and grandparents were no longer productive. The communities began to grow in spit of outward migration.[30] Along the upper part of the Washademoak Lake are several traces of early French settlement, such as an area between the bluff below Thornetown and Perry Point. The old settlers claimed that this place was a battle ground when the Acadians were driven from the area. In 1784, the Parish of Johnston had been settled by the Loyalists along the Washademoak Lake.[31] Wooden covered bridges date back to the 14th century in Europe. Man has always been somewhat nomadic in search of food. His travels in new Brunswick were by foot or canoe. The province is laced by brooks, streams and rivers which were not always easily traversed. As people settled the land the need for some form of river crossing was born. The first crude bridges were just logs supported by beams. The arch was soon developed for the covered bridge to protect the structure from the weather and give the bridge more support. Researchers tell us that the first covered bridges were erected in medieval Europe. They were essential for transportation and commerce. Even today travellers depend on covered bridges to cross several of our waterways. The Starkey Bridge spans Long Creek where it flows into the Canaan River. Built in 1912, this bridge is still used and the road to the entrance has been upgraded to present-day standards in 1939. Saturday, May 26th, 2012, over 350 people attended a community celebration of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee held in the historic Starkey covered bridge, itself marking its 100th Anniversary. Built by Samuel Morton Starkey (1837-1921) who was a surveyor by trade; it passed out of the Starkey name in 1920 when William Henry Calcott Chambre (1880-1948) bought it, and it is now often referred to as the "Chambre House."
In-text citation: Hetherington, Michael. A Collection of Memories and Short Stories, by Arthur Palmerston Hetherington, Sr. 2018. p. 19. The families that came to settle in the community of Codys station were predominantly Baptist, the several Cody families belonged to the Church of England, the remaining households were Presbyterian.[24] The Presbyterians held services in a small hall built and owned by George Redmond Cody, located about a mile from his farm on the main road, the minister coming from nearby Scotch Settlement. The Baptists would hold one great revival meeting in the Cody hall every winter with some roving evangelist conducting the proceedings.[25] St. John's Episcopal Church for the parish of Johnston was at English Settlement (now Highfield), five miles from Codys Station over a back road, the Cody families attending the quaint wooden structure with its modest pagoda-like steeple as often as possible, although the rector of the church held services every fortnight in the Cody hall.[26] Codys Women's Institute Hall is designed a Provincial Historic Site for its architecture and its association with the Women's Institute. Since 1927, the Women's Institute has played an important role in the home and farm economy as well as in the social history of New Brunswick. The small house that the Codys had built when they first settled on the Washademoak, the house where H. A. Cody was born, was moved to another part of the farm property in the summer of 1884 and used as a barn and shed. The building of the new house was an "exciting adventure" for the family, "when the mason and plasterer were brought from the city, while the woodwork was done by a first-class carpenter."[21]
On August 17th, 1971, at the age of 102, Julia remembered Hillscote and how the family often took their meals, especially afternoon tea, in the summerhouse, a hexagonally-shaped structure with latticework sides and a conical roof. Nearby the farmhouse stood majestically, its two large bay windows projecting from the front side, one for the dining-room, one for the parlor. And surrounding the chimney, which came up through the middle of the square-hip roof, was a quaint little wooden parapet. "I shall never forget the plum and pear trees and the three hundred apple trees that were on our old homestead," she said. H. A. Cody never forgot them either.[22] On August 25th, 1974, H. A. Cody's sister Julia died at the age of 104 at the Carleton Manor Nursing Home, Woodstock, New Brunswick. She was buried beside her husband and near her parents in the little cemetery adjoining At. John's Anglican Church, Highfield. The family homestead ("Hillscote"), which still overlooks Washademoak Lake at Codys Station, was restored by the late Byron F. London. He acquired the twelve-room house and its 165 acres of farm and timberland in 1959 from his wife's family, who were relatives of the Codys. January, 1979, "Hillscote" was designated by the Minister for Historical Resources to be a provincial historic site.[23] Hillscote, the Cody family homestead is owned by Emma London's niece, Jean Ann Dickeson. Many people in the Washademoak area would bring their wheat to the Codys to be ground, farmers coming along the lake road with their wagons loaded. Besides returning with flour, farmers would shovel their wagons full with the buckwheat hulls, using these to bank their houses for warmth or to spread their cow stables for cleanliness. Parts for the grist-mill, such as the cogs and wheels, were ordered from a dealer in Saint John and sent up on the train via the Norton-Chipman run. The trainman was told, "Throw this off at Cody's," and after a number of times, the name "Codys" began to eponymously replace the original name of the community which was "Johnston" (after the parish). In time, George Redmond gave some of his land for the railroad and for the little station house that came to be called "Cody's Station."[18] Mr. Gerald Connell (1913-2011) worked for the CPR for 29 years, starting in 1946. He shared his memories of working at the Chipman station, after working for 17 years as stationmaster at Codys until the rail was closed, at the Chipman Public Library's Christmas party December 23, 2008. Read more. [19] This railway station was a stopping point for visitors to the area, and would have allowed visitors access to the Washademoak Lake region. In Queens County, rail travel allowed visitors easier access to communities that were not necessarily on the river route. Today CPR Engine 144 is preserved as the oldest surviving Canadian-built steam locomotive, and is currently displayed at Explorail, the Canadian Railway Museum, in Saint-Constant, Quebec. Steam Engine #29 stands at the entrance to the Canadian Pacific Railway's North America headquarters in Calgary. CPR Locomotive #136 moved on to run excursions for tourists at the South Simcoe Heritage Railway in Tottenham, Ontario.[20] Mr. Bob Boudreau, a retired Canadian Coast Guard in Saint John, shares his memories of the former CPR railway bridge at Cody: "The remains of the former CPR railway bridge at Codys were partially submerged in the river and had become a hazard to navigation. The CG had ordered the CPR to have the abutments removed. This was done under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. An area contractor was to blow them out using explosives, and I was asked to be there to ensure they were indeed removed.
I was about a quarter mile away from the site when the explosion happened, I took a photo (not sure where it is) and figured out the water was blown some 700-800 feet into the air. After it was over, nothing remained but debris from the pilings and plenty of dead fish! It was a fun assignment! I was on a railfan trip behind #136 on the South Simcoe Railway years ago, and have been behind sister engine #29 when it was running here in NB on the Salem & Hillsborough Railway. #29 was severely burned when its shed was torched. It was then returned to the CPR who refurbished it cosmetically and it was placed on display in front of their Calgary headquarters." Mr. Boudreau retired in 2001 as the Navigable Waters Protection Officer for NB and PEI, a position he held for 9 years. (Mr. Boudreau, personal communication to Kevin Crannie, 14 Feb. 2016) This heritage home (circa 1909) built by the Reverend Isaac Newton Thorne later became The Hetherington Bros Mercantile Store. Dr. Judson Egbert Hetherington and Thomas Palmerston "Pal" Hetherington operated the store in the upper part of the property later to be moved to this present location in 1921.
"After the death of their father, Thomas Thorne Hetherington, in early September, 1913, Judson felt his brother, Thomas, had been exiled long enough out west from the family and began working on a plan to bring Thomas back. In the spring of 1914, Thomas liquidated his assets out west and came back to Codys to start the "Hetherington Bros." (Source: Email Communication, June 19th, 2020 - Mike Hetherington, Fredericton, New Brunswick. Grandson of Palmerston "Pally" and Dorothy Hetherington). Cedric Connell (1923-2011) owned and operated Connell's Store from this location with his first wife Mary L. Somerville Connell (1927-1977). He delivered mail for many years. Their principal residence was above the store. Through the years this house has changed many hands. This historic home was owned by Ms. Heather McAlpine who operated Crafted Images Pottery from the premises. Crafted Images Pottery featured a line of functional hand-thrown porcelain, intricately textured in hues of blue and green for the kitchen, dining room and home décor. Heather's studio, Crafted Images Pottery, was open by chance or appointment at 52 Codys Lane, Codys, New Brunswick. Respected New Brunswick potter and owner of Crafted Images Pottery, Heather MacAlpine of Codys, New Brunswick, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2023, at the age of 60. The Loyalists had not been settled in Queens County very long before they attempted to establish places where they could meet and worship the God who had guided them safely through perilous times and protected them from the many dangers that beset them in the new pioneer life.[15] The church had another important function in addition to that of ministering to the spiritual welfare of the community. The church was the center of the social life as well, and the "meeting-house" was the place where young and old alike met whenever there was an opportunity. In a region where homesteads were far apart and roads were poor, and in a generation before motorcars, telephones or radios had ever been dreamed of, the Sunday church services and the weekly prayer meetings had great recreational value. After the service was over, people gathered around the church doors and talked. News was important whether it was from the land they had left behind, or from the great wide world beyond the oceans, or from the next farm or village.[16] The church was also a place where boy could meet girl, and evening services were always well attended by the younger generation. When the service was over, there were leisurely walks home through the sweet-scented spring nights. During the winter the circle of acquaintances was enlarged, when the ice provided an easier and quicker way of travel, either by horse and sleigh or on skates.[17]
On May 18, 2008, Codys Baptist Church celebrated their 185th Anniversary with a special worship service. Reverend David Taylor was the guest speaker. Due to a decline in membership in recent years, and the community having been without full-time pastoral care for several years, several life-long members travel to Apohaqui United Baptist Church for Sunday Worship Service. The historic building of Codys Baptist Church, one of Codys oldest surviving buildings, has stood the test of time offering a continuous place of worship for 199 years. Codys Baptist Church is a vibrant, active, caring congregation of believers which continues to have a positive influence on the lives of many people in the community. 2023 will mark the 200th anniversary of the parish of Codys Baptist Church. The 'Life and Times' of Hetherburton by Kevin Crannie Dr. Judson Egbert Hetherington, a native Queens County son, was born May 15th, 1866, at Thornetown, New Brunswick, of English ancestry, the son of Thomas and Violet D. Thorne Hetherington. Educated at the Codys public school and at the Baptist Seminary in Fredericton, N.B., he studied medicine at the Chicago Homeopathic Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, and at Rush Medical School, Chicago. He was Chair of Physiology at the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College and Superintendent of the Homeopathic Hospital from 1895. Judson would go on to a successful political career as a Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Queens County. Judson practiced his profession in Chicago for a short while and then he returned to Codys to practice medicine. He was President of Hetherington Brother Mercantile, Lumbering and Milling Company, a member of the Union Club and Elks Club, the Canadian Club of Boston and a member of A.F. & A.M. On March 6, 1919, he was chosen Speaker of the House of Assembly when William Currie resigned and, subsequently, Provincial Secretary-Treasurer. He held that position until September 10th, 1925. [8] Judson Hetherington was a half-brother to Dr. Gilbert Hetherington. Gilbert Hetherington was born September 11th, 1853 at Codys, Queens County, New Brunswick to Thomas Thorne Hetherington and Margaret W. Strong. Gilbert Edwin married Carrie May Brooks (1862-1940) and, together, the couple had 7 children. Dr. Gilbert Hetherington received his medical degree from Boston University in 1877. He practiced in Saint John until 1855, them moved to Boston where he remained until 1909 when he took up practice in Coles Island. During the epidemics of influenza in 1918-1920, he traveled countless miles by horse and sleigh to visit his patients. [9] Anna Hetherington, a Chicago Heiress, was born Anna Harding Lancey, on November 19th, 1873, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. A. Lancey. Anna attended Wellesley College, a highly selective private women's liberal-arts college in the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston, from 1891-1893 as an Art Specialist. Upon her return to Chicago, she met and later married Judson Egbert Hetherington on June 11th, 1894. Retiring from medicine, Judson returned with Anna and their two young daughters Katherine H. Coleman (1895-1979), and Virginia H. McClure (1903-1988) to Codys in 1904. The couple purchased 25-acres of land on the banks of the Washademoak and built and elegant mansion, part of a grand estate that included carriage house, bungalow, boathouse, and formal gardens. Originally intended as a summer house, the 26-room residence soon became their permanent home. Hetherburton, the name given to the mansion, was built of choice pine delivered to the site at a cost of $9.00 per meter. The interior woodwork was of golden classic oak. It is suspected that between the period of 1907-1915, the addition of a natural fireplace became part of the residence. The Hetherington's were popular hosts, and among the people invited to their home was John Christopher Miles (1832-1911), a Saint John artist. He stayed with the Hetherington's for a summer while he painted scenes along the Washademoak. The Hetherington's drove one of the first cars in the area, a 1906 Packard. [10] Copyright Notice: All images and content on Codys, New Brunswick web blog are protected by Copyright. All original photos and articles are copyright to their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended. Material on this website may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, posted, transmitted, or modified in whole or in part without the express written consent from the website owner. After Judson's sudden death on January 29th, 1928, while undergoing an operation in Montreal, Quebec, Anna continued to be active in the community. It is said she once ordered a full dining room set to keep a factory at risk of closing, open over the winter. She donated to the Saint John Hospital over several years and as a result donations made to the New Brunswick Museum, Anna became a life member in 1948. In 1951, Anna donated 96 pieces of mostly American pressed glass to the museum. Despite exhaustive investigation, the New Brunswick Museum is unable to establish how and why Anna came to own such an extensive glass collection. A short time later, Anna moved to Sikeston, Missouri, to live with her daughter, Katherine Coleman, until her death on May 13th, 1959. Even though she resided in Sikeston, Anna never forgot her links to New Brunswick; her estate donated $5,000 for the maintenance of the Judson E. Hetherington Memorial Library at Saint John Hospital; and Anna endowed Acadia University with two scholarships specifically for New Brunswick students attending it, in her husband's name as well as under her in-laws, Thomas and Violet Hetherington. [11] Although Hetherburton sat empty and was badly abused at one period in its past. In 1967, Palmerston and Victoria Tapley of St. Catharines, Ontario, purchased the mansion as their personal Centennial project. In the two years the Tapley's owned Hetherburton, the stately mansion became a public venue with the couple providing public tours at a cost of 50 cents per adult and 25 cents per child, from June to September. The Tapley's would return to St. Catharines at the end of September, returning the following summer to open the mansion. On September 12th, 1969, Mrs. Victoria Tapley wrote to the Provincial Government of New Brunswick attempting to sell Hetherburton. Although the asking price of $65,000 was deemed reasonable by the then Historical Resources Department, the offer was declined based on the fact that the funds available by the Provincial Government were limited and the number of old buildings requiring attention were quite enormous; as well, prior commitments of funds made it impossible for the department to make a realistic offer for the property. In the early 1970's, Glen (1927-2015) and Freda (1926-2014) Cowan of Moncton purchased Hetherburton. The rooms within came alive with the nine member family, the largest family to occupy the mansion. The Cowan's occupied Hetherburton for seven years and were active in the Codys community, were described as being popular hosts and noted for their hospitality. Leaving Codys in the early 1980's to take up residence in Riverview, the Cowan's continue to have fond memories of their time in the grand house. In the early 1980's, Donald and Carole Drury of Fredericton became the fourth owners of Hetherburton. The Drury's spent a total of 15 years in the mansion, an occupancy second only to the Hetherington's. Interior structural repairs were done, including a kitchen upgrade and major exterior landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds maintained as the Hetherington's originally envisioned. Like so many previous owners, the Drury's were also noted for their hospitality and willingness to share the house with friends. By the mid 1990's, the Drury's prepared to leave Hetherburton to reside in Fredericton. As with the Cowan's, the Drury's have fond memories of Codys and their time on the estate. In 1997, Wolfgang Burnshine of Germany came to Canada to retire and purchased Hetherburton deciding to settle in Codys for his retirement years. The mansion was registered under his company name, and from the period of 1997-1999, Hetherburton sat unoccupied. In 1999, Mr. Burnshine and his wife took up residence in the house. Aside from the addition of an exterior deck added to the front of the century-old home, no interior renovations were made. During a severe winter windstorm in 2005, a tree fell and struck the home, badly damaging the western facade. Due to Mr. Burnshine's failing heath, Hetherburton had been on the market for up to six months; structural repair was still pending.
November 2007, Larry King of Fredericton Junction and his business associate were preparing to take possession of Hetherburton, approximate possession date of December 21, 2007. At an expected cost of tens of thousands of dollars, the rebirth of Hetherburton appeared to be imminent. Mr. King's plans included interior structural repairs and renovations throughout, including the installation of new energy efficient heating and cooling systems. Spring, 2008, exterior repairs would include painting and roof replacement for the mansion, including repairs to the four outbuildings and extensive landscaping. When restored to its original grandeur, Mr. and Mrs. King and their two young children, had planned to make Hetherburton their summer home and a house where all special occasions would be celebrated. As with the Hetherington's, Hetherburton would become the permanent residence of the King family. Unfortunately, the current owner at that time, Mr. Burnshine, had subdivided so many parcels of land making it difficult for the King's to purchase Hetherburton. [12] With so many change hands, and the fate of Hetherburton hanging in the balance, one couldn't help wonder what is to be the future of Hetherburton? The stately mansion in need of being rescued was about to reclaim its rightful stature on the banks of the Washademoak Lake. February, 2008, Wayne Cuthbert and Leverna Piper of Vancouver, British Columbia, became the sixth owners of Hetherburton. Immediate structural repair to the western facade began in early spring. Extensive landscaping in a effort to keep the grounds maintained were ongoing. Interior structural repairs and renovations throughout were minimal thanks to Donald and Carole Drury who lovingly and carefully restored much of its original grandeur. Leaving Codys in 2010, Wayne and Leverna continue to have fond memories of Codys and their time spent on the estate. In 2011, Gail MacLean and Pete Potter of Western Canada, purchased Hetherburton from Wayne Cuthbert and Leverna Piper. Immediate exterior repairs began with the installation of a new steel roof and major landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds as the Hetherington's originally envisioned. At an expected cost of tens of thousands of dollars interior repairs were ongoing, due to the damage and disrespect caused by Mr. Wolfgang Burnshine.[13] On November 4th, 2011, Hetherburton, The Hetherington Mansion, a Heritage Canada home burned to the ground. The Potter's were not home when the fire occurred. The lose of Hetherburton was devastating for the Potter's. The Potter's described Hetherburton as "our paradise and we loved it dearly. We miss it and think about our home everyday." The Potter's had plans of rebuilding Hetherburton as close to the original as possible. After a four year struggle with a billion dollar company in England, the Potter's finally gave up on rebuilding Hetherburton. For the Potter's, "it was a stressful, horrible four years. Many tears were shed." The Potter's look forward to returning to British Columbia where Gail MacLean was born and raised. [14] The majestic historic mansion, Hetherburton (1904-2011), this glorious example of Queens County Heritage, would now be but a memory. The heritage bungalow, which was part of the grand estate, built by Dr. Judson E. Hetherington, including the double car garage, workshop and boathouse were sold. The new owner's have built a new modern A-frame house on the property that once occupied Hetherburton. The front of the house faces Washademoak Lake. The vegetation has been cleared to the water for the view. The three Cody children, Mary Florence (1865-1935); Julia Deborah (1869-1974); and Hiram Alfred (1872-1948), walked one-and-a-half miles to the little one-room schoolhouse at Thornetown. The teacher's they had "were true, earnest men and women, but they were greatly handicapped with a wretched schoolhouse, poor accommodations, lack of equipment and many classes." Some winter mornings the children would arrive at the schoolhouse, "shivering with cold to find the man responsible for lightning the fire just unlocking the door," and, according to H. A. Cody, "it would take most of the morning to get any heat in the big room and we would crowd about the one box stove trying to get some heat in our bodies. Our ink would be frozen so the bottles would be placed on the stove to be thawed. Generally the corks were frozen in and after a while when the ink began to boil, the corks would go to the ceiling and thus the plaster was well marked with the black in spots." After a while grade school lost its appeal to young Hiram Cody and he grew tired of it. His father noticed this and decided to put him to the test: Hilie was told that he did not have to go to school any longer, so he left! However, George Redmond put his son to work on the farm, giving him long hard hours of strenuous labor, and it was not long before Hilie realized his sad mistake. He finally agreed to go back to school, which he now viewed in a much different light. Yet, "after school there were the usual chores to do," H. A. Cody was to recall, "and, in summer during the four weeks" vacation weeding and hoeing had to be attended to, as well as the long hours of haying through the hot days. Up at five in the morning, milking to be done and after breakfast the grindstone to be turned, then to the field to shake out the hay and perform the many other duties of the farm. It was not hard to go to bed early and fall asleep as soon as the head touched the pillow. [2]
In order that a better education could be received, it was decided in the early 1880's to build a house in Saint John so that all three of the Cody children could attend the nearest school. George Redmond and Uncle Hiram built the house on Adelaide Street and then returned to the Washademoak, Loretta August staying to take care of the new place, while Hilie, Mary, and Julia were enrolled in a nearby school. After spending one winter, and with the three children having the measles, they too returned to the Washademoak, giving up the Saint John idea, the children going back to the Thornetown schoolhouse. "I hated everything about the city", H. A. Cody wrote, "and glad indeed was I when in the spring we returned home, and the venture was not repeated." [3] George Redmond Cody wanted his only son to go on to a higher education after finishing his years at the Thornetown schoolhouse. At time Hilie thought of becoming a civil engineer but, since H. A. Cody was an only son, his father was anxious for him to take Holy Orders. At first the ministry did not appeal to the boy: "he was aware of his father's dream for him, but with characteristic conscientiousness he would not venture upon preparation for the ministry until he was entirely sure that it was his vocation." [4] Mary (nicknamed Mollie by the family) decided at the age of seventeen to become a schoolteacher and, after attending the Provincial Normal School in Fredericton from 1882-1883, she returned to the Washademoak area to teach in the rural community of Goshen, several miles from Codys Station. [5] In the meantime, Julia at the age of seventeen had gone to the Provincial Normal School from 1886-1887 and had returned to teach in the nearby community of Irish Settlement. Like Mary, she too came home to Codys Station on the weekends, the sisters have now entered into a double courtship with two young brothers, Fred and Howard Leonard, also of Codys Station. [6] In 1925, Mr. Daniel Perry Owens, purchased the property where the former Thornetown Schoolhouse originally was located. Mr. Owens passed away in 1949 and the property was left as an estate and later had to be broken up. In 1995, through family entitlement, the Thornetown Schoolhouse was left as an estate and sold to a gentleman from Germany by the Hetherington family, as their property surrounded it in its original place. The Thornetown Schoolhouse was moved five miles from its original location to the far end of the Manford's property. It has been fixed up leaving the same character and is now a private residence. [7] This heritage house overlooking beautiful Washademoak Lake was built as a family home by Charles Doney (1804-1884), farmer and storekeeper. Charles married Mary Cowan Doney (1808-1900) and, together, the couple had seven children. Within a decade a large store was built onto the house, and the Doney's flourished here as merchants, farmers, and lumbermen. A post-office was operated from the premises for the Parish of Johnston. This was a fairly elaborate house for the time featuring a double parlor, fine interior trim, four fireplaces, and four splendid tall chimneys, fluted pillars, and beveled glass leaded doors. The house has 13 room. The house retains it Gothic architecture so common during the Victorian era. There have been some interior changes (it is suspected that the back dormer was added later), but on the whole it is remarkably close to the originals. In 1926, at the age of five, Audrey Frances (Doney) Merritt, daughter of Moses and Lalage (Vallis) Doney, moved with her family to the Doney homestead in Codys, New Brunswick. After graduating as an RN from Victoria Public Hospital, Fredericton, in 1945, Audrey had a long and fulfilling career as a nurse, first working in rural New Brunswick, then at the Saint John General Hospital and finally at Loch Lomond Villa from which she retired in 1977. Audrey Merritt passed away at the age of 89 on October 1, 2010. (Source: Audrey Frances Merritt: In Memoriam.ca - Moses Doney: Ancestral Trails Genealogy). July, 1957, Charles and Helen Bishop purchased the house and property from the Doney family. Phyllis Bishop Patterson Brown, sister to Raymond Paul Bishop (1946-2019) , did not reside in the house but her two sisters, three brothers, including a nephew to Charles and Helen, and John Bishop lived in the Doney homestead. The summer of 1958, a year after the family had taken up residence, Charles and Helen's eldest son, Cecil, drowned in the nearby lake. The Bishop family continued to reside in the house until 1969. Charles Bishop had fallen ill and all of the younger family members had moved with their own families. A decision had been made to sell the house. The contents were sold by auction. Richard Brown, Phyllis Bishop Patterson's son, acquired the sideboard that belonged to the Doney family. Charles and Helen moved to Sussex. During the period that Charles and Helen Bishop owned the Doney homestead, there were many more outbuildings, separate from the house. (Source: Richard Brown, Raymond Paul Bishop's nephew. Email communication to Kevin Crannie, June 28th, 2020). Between the period of 1969 - 1970, the Veitenheimer's purchased the Doney homestead deciding to settle in Codys. There were no interior or exterior structural repairs made to the house. There was no extensive landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds maintained. The Veitenheimer family lived in the home for up to a period of four years. The Bond's were the fifth family to actually live in the house, and under their care it had been lovingly refurbished (over a period of four years, beginning in 1974), decorated, and restored. An interesting feature near the front of this property is an abandoned lime kiln, used in the last century to burn lime. The driveway is on the Doney (or Salmon Creek) road just off Route 710. Russell Bond (1927- 2008) was born on May 6, 1927, in the parish of Kars, Kings County, New Brunswick to the late Harold and Gladys (Earle) Bond. In 1950, Russell married Leola Flewelling from Kingston and they moved to Toronto to begin their family. He was hired by Tip Top Tailor’s company head office and later owned his own business, Russ Bond’s Men’s Shoppe on Danforth Avenue in Toronto. In 1960 the family embarked on a new life as market gardeners in Peterborough from their home and made many friends from the Great Lakes area. He rejoined Tip Top Tailors in 1961 and moved back to the Maritimes with his family settling into Leola’s family homestead in Kingston. They became involved in the Kingston community and Russell was manager of Tip Top Tailors in Saint John until 1967. Over the course of many years he had cultivated an interest in Antiques and left the tailoring business to establish his own shop 'Settler’s Cabin Antiques'. Around this time he entered a new occupation with his family as an auctioneer specializing in the sale of Fine Art & Antiques. His Kingston Auctions became legendary and Russell Bond quickly gained respect, always eager to share knowledge with his auction crowd. He entertained his auction patrons with his antics, quips and stories and was told many times 'Russell, You Could Sell Ice to Eskimos'. With his amazing stamina he conducted marathon auctions for some 40 years, and continued on with his son, Kevin, for the remainder. Leola Alice Bond (1926-2006) was born January 14, 1926, in Kingston, New Brunswick, the daughter of Fred and Pearl (Burgess) Flewelling. Leola graduated from MacDonald Consolidated School, Kingston, as valedictorian, in 1943 and was a recipient of the Governor Generals Medal. She trained as a beautician and hairdresser and after marriage worked in such places as Manchester Robertson Allison, Saint John, and later the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. She had a small hair salon in her Kingston home for some years. She worked with her husband for forty years in their family auction business .
Permanently moving to Codys in 1976, Russell and Leola became actively involved in the community and were noted for their hospitality and willingness to share the house with friends. They were involved in their local church, outreach ministry, and active members of the Gloria Dei Singers, an ecumenical choir founded and directed by Mrs. Shirley Cooper. After Leola's sudden death on July 25, 2006, Russell continued to be active in the community until his death July 27, 2008. Following Russell's death, his son, Allan Bond, continued to live in the residence for the next five years. Preparing to sell the property, immediate exterior structural repairs, including interior repairs and renovations throughout were completed over the course of three years. This heritage house is dated 1858. In 2013, the Bond residence and property was put on the market. Mr. Alan Whittaker of Saint John, who owns Try Al's Trucking Company, Ltd., a privately held company, purchased the 162-year-old century house. Exterior upgrades included an addition to the century-old barn, a graveled driveway, and major landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds maintained as the Bond's envisioned.
This majestic historic house, formerly, Charles Doney homestead (1858), this example of Queens County Heritage is currently home to new owners who have a hobby farm with a few animals. [1] |