Oliver Nisbet

     Oliver Nisbet was born in 1822 at Trentamuclaugh, Donegal, Ireland.^1,2 He was the son of James Nisbet and Mary Roulston. Oliver Nisbet was baptized on 15 August 1822 at Church of Ireland, Parish of Taughboyne, Donegal; His father James Nesbit, was listed a labourer. Taughboyne is the diocese of Raphoe. It is a civil parish, County Donegal, containing the borough of St Johnston.¹ He married Mary Stewart, daughter of Robert Stewart and Letitia (?), on 18 October 1842 at Milkish, Kings Co, New Brunswick; They were married by Rev.G.M. Barratt, Wesleyan Minister. They were both of Milkish.³ Oliver Nisbet died on 2 May 1881 at Saint John, Saint John Co, New Brunswick; His obituary mentions that he left a wife and six children upon his death, and that the funeral was from his residence.⁴ He was buried on 5 May 1881 at Saint John, Saint John Co, New Brunswick.⁴
     He appeared on the census of 1861 at Westfield Parish, Kings Co, New Brunswick; Oliver Nisbet, aged 39, born Ireland, of the Methodist faith, along with wife Mary, aged 41, also born Ireland. Their children were enumerated as Margaret, 18, b. New Brunswick; James, 14; William, 12; Letitia, 10; Robert, 8; and John, 6.² The 1862 Walling Map of Inhabitants shows both Oliver Nisbet and his brother Joseph Nisbet along Milkish Creek.
     The Kings County Land Registry [Book Q3, pages 129 and 130] has recorded deed #29,973 in 1876 (kindly sent to the writer by Dorothy Wiggs) which states that Oliver Nisbet and wife Mary sold to William McCutcheon their share of the estate of Robert "Steward", "the said Mary being one of the heirs of the estate." The land was in Milkish, in the parish of Westfield, being Lot# 28 of 150 acres "more or less". The deed was dated 10 April 1876 and recorded 17 April 1876. He appeared on the census of 1871 at Westfield Station, Kings Co, New Brunswick; Oliver "Nesbitt" was 48; Mary, 50; James, 24; Letita, 18; William, 21; Robert, 16; Joseph, 9; - all Wesleyan Methodist; His parents, James and Mary, both aged 87, born Ireland, and Presbyterian were living with him.⁵
     On 10 Apr 1876, Oliver Nisbet and his wife Mary sold land to William McCutcheon for $100. The land was part of the estate of Robert Stewart and situated in Milkish settlement, designated as Lot #28 which contained some 250 acres. It was bound on the northwest by the Milkish Creek, on the northeast by land of William McCutcheon, the southeast by Cove Road and the southwest by the woods of James Linton.⁶ He appeared on the census of 1881 at Portland, Saint John Co, New Brunswick; Oliver was then listed as aged 58, b. Ireland, with wife Mary, 61, born Ireland and sons William 30, Robert 27, John 24, Joseph 19, all born NB. Living in the same household was son James, 34, wife Sophiah 29; Jessie, 5; Mary, 4; and Joseph 9/12 (born July). Oliver was listed as a Presbyterian, but Mary and all her children were listed as Methodists.⁷