The variety and location of records key for genealogical research in New Brunswick, Canada is the focus of this website. Up for discussion are the types of sources which are instrumental in piecing together a person’s family tree. Canvassed are census returns, birth / marriage / death records, wills, land ownership records, as well as secondary sources such as obituaries. How to find these, online in databases, as well as, off-line, in libraries and archives, will be central to the dialogue. Tried, successful search strategies to emulate and traps to avoid, will be a recurring theme. If you are keen to research your New Brunswick roots, and especially if your ancestors came from Scotland and / or Ireland, this site may assist you in your quest.
Author
Metes & Bounds is the creation of John R. Sadler, a native New Brunswicker and family history enthusiast for more than two decades. His SADLER family ancestors hailed from Dumfriesshire, Scotland and settled in Northumberland County, N.B. Meanwhile other of his family lines, including DICKIE from Ayrshire, Scotland (settled in Restigouche County), and FULTON and MAGEE from County Donegal, Ireland (settled in Queen’s County and Saint John, respectively). In addition to researching on Ancestry and ScotlandsPeople, he regularly spends time at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick and tromps around the province’s graveyards. Five times he has ventured to the British Isles exploring libraries and archives in Dublin, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Retired in 2019, he was director of the University of Western Ontario Law Library. Prior to that he was a reference librarian at the University of New Brunswick Law Library in Fredericton. He resides in Pointe-du-Chene, N.B.
Website name
The term “metes and bounds” refers to a system for describing land by referencing its physical boundaries, including distances, directions, and natural or man-made landmarks. It’s a method used in land surveying and legal descriptions to delineate the perimeter of a property. Metes & Bounds, the title of this website, is a nod to David Sadler, Sr. (1804-1885) and David Sadler, Jr. (1845-1885), pioneer New Brunswick land surveyors, from whom John R. Sadler is directly descended.