Zebulon Estey (1742 - 1806)

Born 14 Dec 1742 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Brown) Estey — married 8 Aug 1765 in Newburyport, MA

Descendants

Died 10 Oct 1806 at age 63 in Gagetown, Queens, New Brunswick

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Biography

Birth
Zebulon was born 14 Dec 1742 in Rowley, Essex, Massachusetts to parents Richard and Ruth (Fiske) Estey. ^[1] He was named after Zebulon who was one of Jacob’s sons in the Bible. Zebulon Estey was a twin of John who also grew to adulthood passing in 12 Oct 1824.

Marriage and Children
The Zebulon Estey's resided in Rowley, Mass until 1764 when they relocated to a settlement on the St John’s River in New Brunswick Canada called Maugerville.

It is clear from their marriage record that Zebulon obtained passage between New Brunswick and Newburyport. On 8 August 1765 Zebulon married Mary (Molly) Brown at Newburyport, Massachusetts.^{[2] [3]} Zebulon and Mary 'Molley' Estey had the following known children:

1. Mary 'Molly' Estey ; m. 1st cousin Amos Estey
2. Susannah Estey
3. Nehemiah Brown Estey
4. Elizabeth Estey
5. Dorothy 'Dolly' Estey
6. Ruth Elizabeth Estey
7. Zebulon Estey, Jr.
8. Lucy Estey
9. Thomas Estey
10. Phoebe Estey

“The River St. John” by Rev. Wm. Raymond published in 1910, pages 334-5:

“On 15 January 1765 on Captain Francis Peabody’s schooner, named Wilmot, ^[4] came Zebulon Estey to Maugerville. He paid 12 shillings passage money from Newburyport to St. John and 13s 6d for `his club of Cyder’ on the voyage. Richard Estey and Thomas Barker built a saw-mill on a small creek near Middle Island. (After 1765.) They sold it in 1779 – near Maugerville. Richard Estey signed a church covenant for a distinct church society. Many moved from Maugerville due to the annoyance of the spring freshets. [A sudden overflow of a stream resulting from a heavy rain or a thaw] Zebulon Estey moved to Gagetown. Some went across the river to the township of Burton. These included Israel Estey, Moses Estey and Amos Estey.”

About the year 1760, before the landing of the Loyalists, a settlement was made at Maugerville by a company of New Englanders. Zebulon Estey came five years later in 1765. He was one of the few magistrates of New Brunswick when the Loyalists arrived in 1783. He got this appointment in an interesting way. The story is that he had built a mill on a brook near Gagetown, when someone tried to wrest it from him on grounds that he had no claim to the land on which the mill stood. At that time, New Brunswick was not a separate province, but was a part of Nova Scotia. Accordingly Estey had to go to Halifax to gain redress. The governor kindly listened to his grievance and not only gave him a title to the land for which he asked, but added much more to it. He inquired of Estey if there were no magistrates on the St. John river. On being answered in the negative he then and there appointed him a justice of the peace.

Excerpt from “The Studholme Report – 1783: A Provincial Authorized Survey of Families and Territory on the Saint John's River Settlements″ ^[5]

“Zebulon Esty has a wife and 8 children. Has been on about 5 years; built a house and grist mill and has about 3 acres of cleared land. Went on in consequence of an agreement with Mr. John Crabtree acting as attorney for Captain Jades, and was promised a lease for ever on payment of a small acknowledgement yearly. Said Esty is a good man, his character very loyal and we beg leave to recommend him to be confirmed in his possessions.”

Death
Zebulon died on 10 Oct 1806 in Canning Parish, Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada. ^{[2] [6] [7]} His Will, dated 8 September 1806 was proved 1 November 1806, Gagetown, Queens county, New Brunswick. ^[8]

His wife Mary passed away 12 August 1835, Fredericton. ^[2][9]

Sources

1. ↑ Holbrook, Jay Mack, comp. "Massachusetts Vital Records, Rowley, Essex county, 1639-1900" p.13. [7th birth record up from bottom left page] Oxford, Mass., USA: Holbrook Research Mass., 1990. Source Text: Birth record for Zebulon and John Estey, born 14 Dec 1742, Rowley, Essex, MA. to parents Richard & Hannah Estey" https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/256768?token=09aa07de6a8673017503bc644b621d641176169c40461651558bb2bee07dbd7d
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Source: New Brunswick Genealogical Society 1989 issue 42 page 66 Journal Brown Bible
3. ↑ "Newburyport [Essex county, Massachusetts] Marriages" p.3. [2nd record from top right page.] Reprinted ($ online db) Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Accessed 3 Nov 2022. https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/256976?token=98309b728d064932753e2acd65cda2be9dc44e16967377161951e770f3299e25
4. ↑ "The New Brunswick Magazine" Vol.1: Aug. 1898, No.2. p.75. "At Portland Point" Accessed 3 Nov 2022. https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/363039/?offset=0#page=85&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=Esty
5. ↑ New Brunswick "Studholm Report" http://sites.rootsweb.com/~cannb/NB_Census_1783Studholm_Report.htm#seven
6. ↑ MC776 John C. Hatt’s A genealogical study of the Estey family of New Brunswick
7. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80584622/zebulon-estey
8. ↑ Wallace Hale's "Early New Brunswick Probate, 1785-1835" PANB "Reference 7953, Zebulon Estey, Will dated 8 Sep 1806, Proved 1 Nov 1806; Queens, Gagetown, New Brunswick." https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/MC3706/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&abstract=7953&section=NameIndex
9. ↑ Aug 12 1835 Fredericton Newspaper The New Brunswick Royal Gazette T – d. Gagetown, Sunday 9th inst., age 93, Mary relict of late Zebulon Estey Esq. of Queens Co. NBC. https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/NewspaperVitalStats/Details.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=a0f216d2-7029-4d8c-9a73-5b122734ae51&r=1&ni=95887

• Provincial Archives of New Brunswick MC776 John C. Hatt’s "A genealogical study of the Estey family of New Brunswick"

Acknowledgements

• This person was created through the import of Family Line.ged on 01 March 2011. The following data was included in the gedcom.
• Contributions by g...neice descendant Leigh Anne (Johnson) Dear