French Village
February 26, 2000
There are two places known as French Village in New Brunswick, one southwest of Hampton in the Saint John area, the other near Fredericton.
The French Village near Hampton was established c1689, possibly by Pierre Chesnet, Sieur de Breuil, and settled by 15 French families c1767. It may have been named by Saint John merchants Simonds, White, and Peabody. Alan Rayburn, author of Geographical Names of New Brunswick, notes that following the arrival of the Loyalists, the French settled in other parts of the province. When a number of bedroom communities in the Saint John area were amalgamated in 1998, part of the village was absorbed into the amalgamated town of Rothesay and part joined the town of Quispamsis.
The settlement near the Kingsclear First Nation in the Fredericton area was also name for French settlers in the late 18th century, after the Preloyalists settled Fredericton. According to Rayburn, most of the French moved to Madawaska and some settled on rear lots when Loyalists obtained the land grants adjacent to the St. John River. It was also called Upper French Village in the 19th century. A Holiday Inn now stands on the site. The hotel was formerly called the Mactaquac Inn and was originally operated by the Kingsclear first Nation.
There are two places known as French Village in New Brunswick, one southwest of Hampton in the Saint John area, the other near Fredericton.
The French Village near Hampton was established c1689, possibly by Pierre Chesnet, Sieur de Breuil, and settled by 15 French families c1767. It may have been named by Saint John merchants Simonds, White, and Peabody. Alan Rayburn, author of Geographical Names of New Brunswick, notes that following the arrival of the Loyalists, the French settled in other parts of the province. When a number of bedroom communities in the Saint John area were amalgamated in 1998, part of the village was absorbed into the amalgamated town of Rothesay and part joined the town of Quispamsis.
The settlement near the Kingsclear First Nation in the Fredericton area was also name for French settlers in the late 18th century, after the Preloyalists settled Fredericton. According to Rayburn, most of the French moved to Madawaska and some settled on rear lots when Loyalists obtained the land grants adjacent to the St. John River. It was also called Upper French Village in the 19th century. A Holiday Inn now stands on the site. The hotel was formerly called the Mactaquac Inn and was originally operated by the Kingsclear first Nation.