James Fogan

	Born	1850	Bathurst, Gloucester Co., New Brunswick
	Baptized	4 Sept 1852	St. Mary's Church (Anglican), Chatham, New Brunswick
	Married	16 July 1870	Mary Jane Kirkpatrick at Newcastle, New Brunswick
	Died	3 July 1894	Newcastle, Northumberland Co., New Brunswick

- Family album of photos and documents.

Parents:

• John Fogan
• Mother: Mary Haskett

Chidren:

• William Bill Fogan; b. 1872; d. 1920
• Robert K. Fogan; b. 1874; d. 1943
• Edith May Fogan; b. 1877, twin; d. 1943
• Anna Myrtle Fogan; b. 1877, twin; d. 1895
• James Anderson Fogan; b. 1879; d. 1950
• John Kirkpatrick Fogan; b. 1882; d. 1953
• Mabel Olive Fogan; b. 1884
• Frances Clara Fogan; b. 1888

The Parents of James

James Fogan grew up in the care of the Thomas Brooks family from the infant age of about two. His parents were John and Mary [Haskett] Fogan of Bathurst. His father came over from Ireland, it is supposed, and worked as a lumberman in Bathurst and Chatham. His mother Mary originally came from England or perhaps Tipperary and arrived in New Brunswick in 1822.

James' Early Years

Although James was born in Bathurst, he grew up in the Chatham area. When only two, his mother Mary died suddenly and the widowed father moved back to Bathurst with only the family he could support.

James stayed and was adopted into the Thomas Brooks household in Newcastle, across the river from Chatham. He was eleven months old when the 1851 census was taken. His adopted father Thomas was a rope and nail maker. Thomas was married to Nancy and they had two natural children: Jane and Thomas (who were 26 and 11 years older than James). Also at the home was a grandson, Charles Dunn.

James and Mary Jane

Mary Jane Kirkpatrick was born in 1843 (or September 19, 1848 per the 1901 census below) at Douglastown, just down river from Newcastle1.

Mary's family may have been well-to-do or at least connected to people with land, for in 1875 she inherited from David Cook a lot of land on the north side of the Miramichi, a few miles downstream of Newcastle. James was adopted early on and his father had moved back to Bahturst, so it is unlikely he had acquired any property in his earlier years.

James and Mary were united in 1870 at Newcastle. Their marriage bond had been co-signed by her brother, Hugh Kirkpatrick.

By May of 1875, the first sale of some land took place, beginning with a small section south of the Old King George Highway, then known as "the Queens Highway". This was bought by George Stothart for $25 to adjoin his other property on the west edge, which he had bought earlier from David Cook. Mary Jane Fogan had been willed the property from a David Cook. She now owned the land as of the date of the execution of his will, on April 26, 1875. The initial sale to George Stothart was just one month later. Mary was interviewed separately by the Justice of the Peace, Mr. John Lawlor to ensure she was selling the property voluntarily.

One year later, James and Mary sold a larger portion of the same lot, again to George Stothart for $150.

Then three years after, in October of 1878, another sale of the same lot was done for $60 to a John Harriman.

Some 34 years later on, their son William would do one more sale of the Fogan land estate.

The family must have prospered, as James and Mary had a formal portrait done with the twin daughters, Edith May and Anna Myrtle. James has the striking composure of a successful businessman, in suit and stylish tie. Mary is dressed in formal black as are the two young ladies. James was to die within a couple of years of tuberculosis.

Apparently there was an adoption by James and Mary of a girl from somewhere on Mary's family side, named Eliza Jane Kirkpatrick. Little is known of her, but she may be the 'Ellie Langmaid' of Boston who attended Mary's funeral in 1913.

News item: "On a Monday, the 6th of August in 1883, ten men who were returning home from the picnic held at Newcastle on that day, started with a trolly. One of the men, James Aharan, who lived two or three miles from town, was sitting in front with his legs hanging over and when only a short distance from town, his feet struck a plank lying on the sleepers and was thrown upon the track in front of the trolly which passed over his body. He was conveyed to James Fogan's and a messenger dispatched for Dr. Fish who pronounced the injuries internal. He lingered till the morn of the following Sunday when death came to his relief. The remains where interred Sunday afternoon." - per the Union Advocate newspaper of August 15, 1883.

The Final Years for James

James died on July 3, 1894 in Newcastle, suffering from consumption (tuberculosis) over the final 14 months1.

Mary Jane Fogan passed away at the home of her daughter Edith, on November 7, 1913 at the age of 70, almost 20 years beyond her husband. In her will, dated before 1910, she leaves all real and personal property, after debts and funeral expenses, to her oldest son William, in total and to the exclusion of any of the other children. One of two witnesses to the will is the husband of Edith May, James Forrest.

Footnotes

1. The birth year for James Fogan is 1850, estimated from "...James was 11 months old when his mother Mary Haskett Fogan died in Chatham at age 39 on August 4, 1852.", from website of Louis Fogan.
2. Obituary on Mary Jane Fogan: "MRS. MARY JANE FAGAN. Newcastle, Nov. 7. - The death of Mrs. Mary Jane Fogan, took place this forenoon. Deceased was 70 years old and had been ill only since Monday, when she suffered a paralytic stroke. She was a Miss Kirkpatrick, of Douglastown, where one brother, Wm. Kirkpatrick, survives her. She also leaves the following children: William and Robert Fogan, Mrs. James T. Forrest, James and John Fogan, of Newcastle, Mrs. Ellen Langmaid, of Boston, and Mrs. Harry Smallwood, Moncton. Deceased, who was a member of St. James Presbyterian Church, will be buried at 3 p.m. Sunday.
3. There is some confusion at this time on Mabel Olive Fogan. She may be the "Ellie Langmaid" mentioned in the above obituary (footnote 2.) who was married to either a Frank or an Alphonse Langmaid of Massachusetts. The latter information comes from the 1920 USA Federal Census. Or, the 1861 New Brunswick census indicates that "Eliza Jane Kirkpatrick, adopted daughter of Mary and Robert Kirkpatrick, lived with Mary and James Fogan", and this Eliza may be the later-married Ellie Langmaid (this information provided by Louis Fogan).

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Some Notes on the Children

• William Fogan was born on November 30, 1872 at Douglastown, New Brunswick. He died on January 12,1920 at Newcastle, New Brunswick.
• Anna Myrtle Fogan was one of two twin daughters born on June 10, 1877. She only lived to 18, being striken with consumption (tuberculosis) over her final nine months1.
• Mabel Olive Fogan was born on April 10, 1884. She married Frank Langmaid and they apparently lived in the Boston area.
• Frances Clara Fogan was born on November 11, 1888. She married Harry M. Smallwood on June 10, 1908 at Newcastle. They apparently lived in Moncton, New Brunswick.

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Census of 1901 (Town of Newcastle)

Person	Sex	Relation	Status	Birth Date	Age	Born	Origin	Occupation
FOGAN, Mary J.	F	head	widowed	19 Sept 1848	52	N.B.	Irish
William	M	son	single	30 Nov 1872	28	N.B.	Irish	M. Labourer
Edie	F	daughter	single	10 June 1877	23	N.B.	Irish
John	M	son	single	12 July 1882	18	N.B.	Irish	M. Labourer
Mable	F	daughter	single	10 Apr 1884	16	N.B.	Irish
Clara F.	F	daughter	single	11 Nov 1888	12	N.B.	Irish
LAFFERTY, John	M	lodger	single	2 June 1842	58	N.B.	Irish	General Labourer

NOTE: All have nationality of "Canadian" and religion of "R. Catholic".
- Canada 1901 Census for Newcastle, New Brunswick, District 19 - Northumberland, Subdistrict j-2 Newcastle, page 13, microfilm reel T-6442.

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Sources

1. "Northumberland County New Brunswick Death Register 1888-1919", by Michelle Falkjar; 2003; copy at Miramichi Public Library

-- JimBenedict - 30 Apr 2006
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