The Story of Belmont
By: Ray Tanton
Mr. John Stevens received a grant of land from the crown in 1743 consisting of about 700 acres. He lived in the part now called Tumblein on the old Quarry Road, leading through the underpass, continuing back to the limestone quarry, crossing the swamp with a well built portion of good road, mostly built with rock from the quarry. Across the highway from the underpass, and down near the water there was a lime kiln in operation for many years.
Mr. Stevens sold 50 acres of this land to Messrs Brown and Anderson who established a ship yard. The sheds where the ships were built were situated near what later became lot 16 of Belmont. The blacksmith shop was near lot 74, for much scrap was found there. The company built two houses on what later became lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 and two more on lots 63 and 64. This was in about 1838.
After years of operation the shipyard property was sold to Mr. Ned Sutton, a native of Sussex, England, the father of Walter Sutton. He in turn sold it to Dunn and Company, an American firm who operated a mill at South Bay. Walter Sutton was born in 1877 and married Hattie May Jones. Dunn and Company also bought the Ketepec mill, owned by Sutton and Jewett situated near to where the Ketepec Marina was built later. Allie Gregory who married Addie Louise Sutton, daughter of Ned, became manager of the mill and later the owner along with Mr. Jewett. Allie Gregory was a brother of Mrs. Colby Smith. In 1874 Mr. Stevens sold the balance, 650 acres to Mr. Bonnell.
Mr. C. B. Lockhart was a clerk at the A. C. Smith Co. store and later became part owner, but because of family differences it was decided to buy out Mr. Lockhart’s interest. In 1910 Mr. Lockhart bought the ship building property from Mr. Allie Gregory for $2500 knowing that Mr. O.B. Akerly and Mr. Mott were interested in it. He subdivided it into lots with Mr. Gilbert Murdock as surveyor. In 1911 he sold it to Akerly and Mott for $3500, retaining the shore lot, (the Baxter lot) and lots 44, 45, and ½ of lot 43. He had previously sold lot 29 to Mr. Olston. Mr. Akerly named the subdivision Belmont, after the town where his wife came from in Massachusetts, a town of nearly 29000 people between Waltham and Arlington. Mr. Akerly repaired one of the Brown Anderson houses at a cost of $500 and lived in it using the other house for a barn and storage shed until it was torn down.
Mr. Akerly sold this house and lots 1, 2, 3, and 4 to the K. B. M. Outing Association in 1922. They enlarged the verandah and used the house until it burned down in 1934. They rebuilt it in the same year. Murray Long, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Denniston were very active in the club in the early days, while Gerald Lawrence helped with sports activities. I should mention here that the street lights for the community were paid for with donations from the people. Ray Tanton and Ernie Handren looked after replacing the burned out bulbs until they were taken over by the Civic Hydro. In about 1939 Ray Tanton and George Hamm collected money and purchased a water pump, placing it at the top of the hill at the corner of lot 65 with a copper pipe leading to the spring, below, that had been contained by a concrete wall. Previous to this the people dipped pots or pans into the spring to get water. Soon everyone had their own well, and water system.
Lot 26 had been originally intended for the club house and park, but because those on nearby lots felt that it would become a noisy nuisance, Mr. Akerly built on it himself and sold it to Mr. Norman Ralston, manager of a life insurance company. He then built a house on lot 7 where he lived. Mr. Akerly and Evelyn had 3 sons and two daughters. Sons were; Serg Mjr Harold who was killed overseas in the first world war in August 1914. Bert was a traveller for Weston’s Biscuits, while Claire was a baker. The daughters were; Reta, Mrs. Leroy Armstrong; and Eileen, Mrs. Harry McFarlane. Mr. Akerly continued to sell lots until none were left.
The original owners of the lots in Belmont
There were two houses built by Brown Anderson Shipyard. When Mr. Akerly bought this property he repaired one of these houses and lived in it. The other he used as a store house. These of course were on what became lots 1, 2, 3, and 4. He sold these four lots and house to the K. B. M. Outing association in 1922. They enlarged the verandah and used it as a clubhouse until it was lost by fire in 1934. A new clubhouse was built in the same year. At the time Murray Long was very active in the club activities.
Lots 5 and 6 were sold to Mr. Alfred Kindred. When his house burned down he lived on lot 6 in a discarded streetcar purchased from the city. The lots were then sold to Mr. Judson Day, a stationary engineer and light keeper on Partridge Island. He left them to his daughters at his death, lot 5 to Hazel, Mrs. Samuel Seeds and, lot 6 to Elsie, Mrs. Eldon Fletcher changing the common line slightly. Lot 5 was given to Laurence Seeds Jr. and lot 6 was sold to William Nelson by Mr. Fletcher’s second wife Elsie Bennet after his death. Eldon Fletcher was a carpenter in the sugar refinery. S. L. Seeds was a carpenter at large. Mr. Shreenan after Mr. Akerly.
Lot 7 was retained by Mr. Akerly where he built a house and lived after selling lot 26. It was later sold to a Mr. Reid, then to Mr. Paul Rooney, and to Mr. Clarke. Mr. Shreenan after Mr. Akerly.
Lots 8, 9, and 10 were given to Mr. Akerly’s two sons and daughter.
Lot 11 was purchased by Mr. Gordon Foster, a salesman at T. S. Simms. He owned the adjoining lot on the next subdivision.
Lot 12 was purchased by Chas. A. R. Kelly, carpenter in Grand Bay, and sold to Mrs. Storey.
Lot 13a, half of lot 13 was purchased by Estey McKim, tea salesman for G. E. Barbour Co. He sold it to Frank Reiker, a grocer on Victoria St. who sold it to Dr. Hazelwood, dentist. In 1943 Dr. Hazelwood built a new house.
Lot 13b the second half of lot 13 was purchased by Henry E. Wheaton of the telephone company. He sold it to Don H. McQuarrie, supt. of dredges, who sold it to J. B. D’Arcy, welder at Fred Williamsons.
Lot 14 was sold to Thomas Wilcox, clothier, then to Nan Wilcox. (Evans)
Lot 15 was sold to Mr. Myles, a traveller, then to Mrs. Grace Lewin wife of the late Dr. Lewin.
Lot 16a and 17a were joined to face the river and sold to Henry E. Wheaton of N. B. Phone who sold them to Harry McConnell a grocer, then to Miss Herriet Smith, a teacher. She paid Mr. Ralston $100 to cancel the right of way over the back of her lot to his residence. She also bought a wedge from him.
Lot 16b and 17b were sold to Estey McKim who sold them to a Mr. McConnell (not same) then to Mr. Ralston.
Lot 18 was sold to Lamont Mercereau of Phone Co. then to Lloyd Cosman of W. H. Thorne and Co.
Lot 19 was sold to Lamont Mercereau then to Frank Reiker, Victoria St.
Lot 20 was sold to Frank B. Reiker grocer of Victoria St.
Lot 21 sold to Mr. Norman Ralston replacing right of way sold to Miss H. Smith.
Lot 22 with lot 23 were sold to a Mr. Scott, to Estey McKim. Then lot 22 was sold to Mr. Logan followed by Percy Belyea then to Laura Baxter in 1941.
Lot 23 sold by Mr. McKim to Chas. Kelly; to Rev. Keirstead; to C. B. D’Arcy in 1929. (Real Estate agent)
Lot 24 was sold to Douglas McAllister son of Archie then to Mr. Geo. Pitt of T. S. Simms Co.
Lot 25 was sold to Miss Harriet Wright daughter of Albert Henry Wright a member of the Salvation Army.
Lot 26 sold to Norman Ralston, then to Dr. G.R. Webb.
Lot 27 sold to Mathew Adams then split and sold to Dane Crosby and N. Ralston.
Lot 28 sold to Mathew Adams then to Dane Crosby.
Lot 29 sold direct from Mr. Lockhart to Mr. Olston then to Essie McCracken.
Lot 30 to Harry Estabrooks prop. fruit store on N. Market St.
Lot 31 sold to L. A. Belyea, to Percy Belyea, then to Mrs. Henry Hopkins.
Lot 32 and 33 were sold to Henry Arbo chemist in the pulp mill, then to Murray Long, of Maritime Construction.
Lot 34 sold to L. A. Belyea, then to John McConnell (tailor) then to his daughter Mrs. Gordon Wilson.
Lot 35 sold to William McAulay then to L. A. Belyea.
Lot 36 sold to Mrs Jones then to Mr. And Mrs. Bert Kilpatrick.
Lot 37 sold to Bert Kilpatrick.
Lot 38 sold to Bert Kilpatrick, then to Harry Golding of Ungar’s.
Lots 39 and 40 sold to Miss Thompson, a nurse, then to Bert Kilpatrick.
Lot 41 sold to Archie McAllister.
Lot 42 sold to Mr. Punter a bank runner, then to Thomas Rippey grocer cor. Ludlow and Rodney Sts.
Lot 43 (divided) (a) sold to Mr. Wm. McAulay, brother-in-law of Estey McKim then to Roy Merril, grocer. Part (b) retained by Mr. Lockhart and sold to Laura Baxter.
Lot ‘A’ with house was sold to Laura Baxter as well as lots 44 and 45.
Lot 46 to Mr. Miller then to Cecil Dexter.
Lot 47 to Mr. Miller then to Harold E. Sterling.
Lots 48, 49, and 50 to C. R. Nelson then to Miss Brewster.
Lot 51 was sold to J. E. Marshall, supt. of construction at N. B. Phone.
Lot 52 was also sold to J. E. Marshall then to Henry Evans.
Lot 53 was donated by Mr. Akerly to the War Fund lottery won by a man from Grand Bay, and sold to James King of Civic Hydro.
Lot 54 was acquired by Reta Armstrong daughter of O. B. Akerly.
Lot 55 sold to H. S. Estabrooks.
Lot 56 bought from Mrs. Armstrong by Bruce Campbell then sold to C. V. Emerson.
Lot 57 was sold to Archie McAllister, painter.
Lot 58 sold to Stanley Slocum then to Bruce Eldridge.
Lot 59 sold to Mr. McKim, cousin of Estey, then to Dr. Elmer Alexander.
Lot 60 sold to Chas Flower who sold it to Walter Dennison (insurance) retaining 25 feet at rear which passed to his son. There is also ten feet taken for the road.
Lot 61 sold to James Stephenson, salesman for J. S. & H. There is ten feet taken from this lot too for the roadway.
Lot 62 sold to Fred Noble and to his wife, Gladys Hannah, then to Capt Fred Hurley.
Lot 63 was sold to Robert Orr. The house on this lot was built by the Brown Anderson shipyard, in about 1838.
Lot 64 and 15 feet of lot 65 sold to Margarett Purcell who later became Mrs. William Armstrong. She sold it to Mrs. Gladys Hannah who sold it to Ray Tanton. It also was built by the Brown Anderson Co. in 1838.
Lot 65, the balance of the lot was sold to Frank Woodland, then to Mr. Hodges. The house was lost by fire. The lot was purchased by Mrs. C. V. Emerson and given to St. Annes Church.
Lot 66 sold to Chas. Gallop then to Norman Ralston.
Lot 67 sold to William Howard of W. H. Thorne Co. then to A. E. Handren and to Mr Ross brother of Mrs. Handren.
Lot 68 sold to A. E. Handren, woodworker at T. S. Simms Co.
Lot 69 sold to W. C. Benett with ten feet added to include apple tree. It was bought later by Donald Handren.
Lot 70 less the ten feet was bought by Bernie Maloney from the Bennet’s.
Lot 71 sold to George Hamm by Bennet’s then to Danny Conolly and later to Willard and Elaine Carr.
Lot 72 was bought from Mr. Pelton by Mr. Griffith.
Lot 73 bought by Mr. Hargrove who sold ½ to J. E. Cogswell.
Lot 74 sold to Mrs Duprea then to her daughter Ethel Bustin.