Brief Fleming Family History

Research to date indicates that the first known Fleming family in our family tree was John Fleming and his wife Sarah. John was born in 1788 and Sarah in 1798. Her maiden name was Robinson. They were both born in County Down, Ireland and immigrated to Canada in 1821. They lived in St Andrews, NB., moving to Old Ridge in 1829 and then to Baillie three years later where they lived for the remainder of their lives. John died on 19 Nov 1870 and Sarah died between 1871 and 1881. (Her name was listed in the 1871 Census but not in the 1881 Census.)

John was listed in the 1861 Directory as a shoemaker. He was given a Government Land Grant of 100 Acres on 09/10/1869. The land was described as follows: N W of Dennis Stream, BLK0, St James Parish, Charlotte County, NB. The property is believed to be located on what is Highway # 3 between the old "Fur Farm" and the "Pulp" road to Scotch Ridge. It is believed to include what is known as the "old Marshall Place" presently occupied by a McCaffery family.

John and Sarah were reported to have six children: William, Thomas J., Sarah, Mary and Jane. There was also a Samuel Fleming listed in the 1867 directory as a farmer in Baillie who could also be a son but this is not confirmed at this time.

1.    Mary Fleming was born on 18 Jun 1828 in St Andrews, She married George Eales of Vanceboro, Maine. They were reported to have had 12 children. She died on 27 May 1915 in Vanceboro, Maine.

2.    Thomas J. Fleming was born in 1830 and died in 1850 at the age of twenty.

3.    Sarah E Fleming was born in 1833. She married Robert Milligan. He was a brother to Sarah Elizabeth Milligan-Fleming who was my great-grandmother.

4.    Jane Fleming was born in 1835 but nothing else is known of her life at this time.

5.    William Fleming was born in St Andrews, N.B. on 31 July 1822 and died on 27 March 1910. He was buried in the Moore's Mills Cemetery. William was granted land in 1879/09/05 described as BLO on road to Baillie Settlement, St James Parish, Charlotte County, 100 acres. This land was next to his father's grant. He was listed in the 1861 Census as a farmer.

He married Sarah Elizabeth Milligan on 16 July 1855. She was born in 1840 and died on 2 April 1915. One story which I have heard can be traced back to my Uncle Bob Fleming who is reported to have told people that his grand-mother used to walk from the homestead at DeWolfe to the Baptist Church in Baillie in her bare feet. She carried her shoes and stockings, only putting them on as she approached the church.

According to the St James Parish Census, she and William had only eight children but other records have them having 9 children:

1.    Thomas James Fleming born 1856 died 1936 m. Agnes C Milligan on 11 Mar 1893, born 1863 died 1945

2.    Margaret Fleming born 1858 died 28 Sep 1925 m. Everett Brown m. Daniel Webster Moore

3.    Adeline G. Fleming born 1860 died 1873 at 13 yrs.

4.    Robert M Fleming born 1862 died 6 Aug 1895

5.    Samuel Fleming born 1865 died 11 Nov 1886

6.    William B Fleming born 1867 died 1913 m. Mary A Whirty on 28 Aug 1912

7.    Elizabeth C Fleming born 1870 died between 1871 and 1881

8.    John A Fleming born 1875 m. Lillian C Stewart on 19 Oct 1904

9.    David Fletcher Fleming   Died 24 Nov 1879 age 2 yrs, 10 mos.

Thomas James Fleming was the oldest child, born in 1856 and died on 2 Jan 1936 at home in Baillie of a heart attack. He married Agnes Milligan at the Manse in Waweig on 15 Mar 1893.

Agnes Milligan was born in 1863 and died on 9 July 1945 at Old Ridge, NB. These were my grandparents on my mother's side of the family. It is reported that my grandfather was of stern moral fibre but not overly ambitious. He was nicknamed the "Deacon" and was closely affiliated with the Baptist Church which was built on the Hill just a mile north of the property. The school and the Orange hall were built on the "home place" but I have no idea as to when. It was reported that my grand parents moved around a lot. Apparently, Thomas found all of his homes by "occupying" them when others moved out until he was forced to move on. Little is know of my Grandmother's childhood as her name never showed up on the Baillie (St James) Census with the rest of the family. According to a letter from my Aunt Sarah Lindsay to Lavinia Sala, my great grandmother, Nancy Luke-Milligan, died when Agnes was only 9 years old. Agnes then went to live with her grand-mother Luke who also passed away shortly thereafter. She then is reported to have been brought up by a Presbyterian Minister. This is confirmed by the 1881Census which has her living with a Rev. William Millen, his wife and eight children in Waweig. She was 17 at the time. Interestingly enough, this Rev. Millen's name appears on her Wedding Certificate as the minister who performed the ceremony. She didn't see her father or brothers and sisters until after she had grown up, when the returned to Baillie to visit them. She also visited her Aunt, Mrs Fleming, where she met and later married her cousin, Thomas J Fleming.

At the time of her marriage, she was employed as a servant with a William and Mary Russell in Waweig. Tales passed down through the generations indicate that she was brought up very "prim and proper" with high moral and religious values and that by the time she was ready to get married, "Old Tom Fleming" was all she could find. She was 30 and he was 37 at the time of their marriage.

During the early part of their marriage, they moved around a lot for reasons previously mentioned before settling at the "home-place" in Baillie. The "Home Place" as we know it is where Thomas and Agnes Fleming lived and brought up their children. I can remember the house very well and can remember when the house burned down while Uncle Bob was living there. All that remains today is the old barn. This property was originally granted to Joseph McLaughlin in the early 1800's. He is believed to have sold it to Richard Haddock who in turn sold it to my great-great-grandfather, James Milligan, Sr. on 19 July 1845. On his death, he left it to his son Samuel Milligan.

When Samuel died, it is reported that Grandpa "Deacon" Tom Fleming moved in the next night and thus "occupied" the home place. It was occupied by his family up until the death of Uncle Bob in 1971. At that time, my mother, Jessie, was able to obtain title of this "heirship" property enabling it to be sold.

Thomas and Agnes Fleming had nine children.

·         Jessie Fleming born 16 Aug 1894 died 4 Mar 1976 m. Harry Reynolds Jessie lived most of her married life in Blackland only travelling to Alberta to visit her children later in her life.

·         Robert William Fleming born 27 Nov 1895 /died 4 Dec 1971 Robert never married. He served in the Army in both WW1 and WW2. He lived at the home place in Baillie and was a Mason by trade.

·         Mary Agnes Fleming born 9 May 1897 died 20 Jan 1972 m. Delmont Smith Mary lived first in Calais and then in Auburn, Me. where Uncle Del worked in a Shoe Factory.

·         Frederick D. Fleming born 1898 died 29 Jun 1918

·         George Moore Fleming born 1900 died 1919

·         Sarah Elizabeth Fleming born 4 May 1901 died 8 Mar 1985 m. Elmer Lindsay Lived in South LaGrange, Me. where Elmer worked on the railroad.

·         Norman Fenwick Fleming, born 3 Dec 1902; died on 10 May 1872..He never married, worked in the woods and farmed. He spent his later years living at my home with his sister, (my mother) Jessie.

·         Hazel Edna Fleming; born on 21 Mar 1904; died 25 May 1992. She married Wm. "Ping" Dickerson and lived on the Valley Road where Ping farmed and worked in the woods.