Nelson Parish, New Brunswick

This article is about the geographic parish, former local service district, and census subdivision. For the former village, see Nelson-Miramichi, New Brunswick.

Nelson
Parish
Location within Northumberland County, New Brunswick
Coordinates: 46°51′09″N65°41′24″W / 46.8525°N 65.69°W / 46.8525; -65.69
Country	Canada
Province	New Brunswick
County	Northumberland
Erected	1814
Area [1]
• Land	353.68 km2 (136.56 sq mi)
Population  (2021) [1]
• Total	929
• Density	2.6/km2 (7/sq mi)
• Change 2016-2021	2.4%
• Dwellings	433
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (ADT)
Figures do not include portion within the city of Miramichi Population change reflects revised 2016 figure

Nelson is a geographic parish in Northumberland County, New Brunswick, Canada. ^[4]

For governance purposes it is divided between the city of Miramichi, the village of Nouvelle-Arcadie, the incorporated rural community of Miramichi River Valley, ^[5] and the Greater Miramichi rural district. ^[6] All are members of the Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission except Nouvelle-Arcadie, which is part of the Kent RSC. ^[7]

Prior to the 2023 governance reform, the parish was divided between Miramichi and the local service district of the parish of Nelson; ^[8] an area upstream of O'Toole Crescent was part of the LSD.

Origin of name

The parish was probably named in honour of Admiral Nelson. ^[9]

History

Nelson was erected in 1814 from Newcastle Parish. ^[10]

Nelson included parts of Chatham and Glenelg Parishes until 1850, most of Derby and parts of Southesk until 1859, and most of Rogersville until 1881.

Boundaries

Nelson Parish is bounded: ^{[2] [11] [12] [13]}

• on the north by the Southwest Miramichi River and Miramichi River;
• on the east, beginning at a cove northeasterly of the junction of Rasche Street and St. Patrick's Drive, by a line running southeasterly along the northeastern line of a grant to Thomas McCallum and its prolongation to a point seven miles (11.27 kilometres) from the Kent County line;
• on the south by a line seven miles from and parallel to the Kent County line;
• on the west, beginning at a point about 2.25 kilometres west of North Lake, by a line running north 22º west ^{[lower-alpha 1]} through the mouth of the Renous River;
• including Barnaby Island in the Southwest Miramichi.

Evolution of boundaries

When Nelson was erected it included a strip of Chatham and Glenelg Parishes that ran from the Miramichi River to the modern Kent County line, which included the Douglasfield and Chatham Head areas. The boundary with Northesk Parish was a line running south 68º west ^{[lower-alpha 1]} from modern Wilsons Point, which cuts repeatedly through the modern line between Derby and Southesk Parishes.

In 1850 the boundary with Chatham and Glenelg was moved west to its present position. ^[16] The Northesk boundary was moved north to a line running west from Wilsons Point by the magnet of 1850.

In 1856 the boundary with Northesk Parish was changed back to the pre-1850 line. ^[17]

In 1859 all of Nelson north of the Southwest Miramichi River, along with Beaubears Island, was erected as Derby Parish. ^[18]

In 1881 all of Nelson within seven miles of the Kent County line was erected as Rogersville Parish. ^[19]

Communities

Communities at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [13]} bold indicates an incorporated municipality; italics indicate a name no longer in official use

Barnaby River Chelmsford Doyles Brook Kirkwood Lower Barnaby

McKinleyville Passmore Renous 12 Semiwagan Ridge Upper Barnaby

Miramichi Craigville Ivory Road Nelson-Miramichi Nowlanville

Miramichi Reynolds South Nelson South Nelson Road

Bodies of water

Bodies of water ^{[lower-alpha 2]} at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

• Barnaby River
• Southwest Miramichi River
• Semiwagan Stream
  • Semiwagan Deadwater

Islands

Islands at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [13]}

• Barnaby Island
• Macs Lake

Other notable places

Parks, historic sites, and other noteworthy places at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [13] [20]}

• Semiwagan Meadows Protected Natural Area

Demographics

Parish population total does not include Renous 12 Indian reserve or portion in Miramichi

Population Population trend [21] [22] [23] [24] Census Population Change (%) 2016 957 2.4% 2011 935 14.9% 2006 814 20.3% 2001 1,021 2.7% 1996 994 1991 994 N/A

Language Mother tongue (2016) [24] Language Population Pct (%) English only 895 93.7% French only 55 5.8% Other languages 0 0% Both English and French 5 0.5%

See also

• List of parishes in New Brunswick

Notes

1. By the magnet of 1814, ^[10] when declination in the area was between 16º and 17º west of north. ^[14] The Territorial Division Act clause referring to magnetic direction bearings was omitted in the 1952 ^[15] and 1973 Revised Statutes. ^[2]
2. Not including brooks, ponds or coves.

References

1. "Census Profile". Statistics Canada. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
2. "Chapter T-3 Territorial Division Act". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
3. "Chapter I-13 Interpretation Act". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
4. The Territorial Division Act ^[2] divides the province into 152 parishes, the cities of Saint John and Fredericton, and one town of Grand Falls. The Interpretation Act ^[3] clarifies that parishes include any local government within their borders.
5. "Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission: RSC 5". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
6. "Greater Miramichi Regional Service Commission: RD 5". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
7. "Regions Regulation – Regional Service Delivery Act". Government of New Brunswick. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
8. "Local Service Districts Regulation - Municipalities Act". Government of New Brunswick. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
9. Ganong, William F. (1896). A Monograph of the Place-Nomenclature of the Province of New Brunswick. Royal Society of Canada. p. 256. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
10. "54 Geo. III c. 17 An Act in further addition to an Act, intituled 'An Act for the better ascertaining and confirming the boundaries of the several Counties, within this Province, and for subdividing them into Towns or Parishes.'". Acts of the General Assembly of His Majesty's Province of New-Brunswick; Passed in the Year 1814. Saint John, New Brunswick: Government of New Brunswick. 1814. pp. 16–18. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
11. "No. 69". Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development. Retrieved 18 June 2021. Remainder of parish on maps 70, 78, and 79 at same site.
12. "203" (PDF). Transportation and Infrastructure. Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 18 June 2021. Remainder of parish on mapbooks 204, 218, 219, 233, and 234 at same site.
13. "Search the Canadian Geographical Names Database (CGNDB)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
14. "Historical Magnetic Declination". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
15. "Chapter 227 Territorial Division Act". The Revised Statutes of New Brunswick 1952 Volume III. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1952. pp. 3725–3771.
16. "13 Vic. c. 51 An Act to consolidate all the Laws now in force for the division of the Province into Counties, Towns and Parishes.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Mjaesty's Province of New Brunswick, Passed in the Year 1850. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1850. pp. 142–152, 145–149. Retrieved 27 March 2021. Book was poorly proofread, resulting in title typo and reuse of page numbers 145–152.
17. "19 Vic. c. 22 An Act to amend Chapter 1, of Title I, of the Revised Statutes, so far as relates to the Division Line between the Parishes of Northesk and Nelson.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick, Passed in the Months of March, April, and May 1856. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1856. p. 41. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
18. "22 Vic. c. 5 An Act to divide the Parish of Nelson into two separate and distinct Parishes.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick, Passed in March and April 1859. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1859. pp. 15–17. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
19. "44 Vic. c. 28 An Act to erect part of the Parish of Nelson, in the County of Northumberland, into a separate Town or Parish.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Month of March 1881. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1881. pp. 59–61. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
20. "Explore New Brunswick's Protected Natural Areas". GeoNB. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
21. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census
22. 2006 Statistics Canada Community Profile: Nelson Parish, New Brunswick
23. 2011 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Nelson Parish, New Brunswick
24. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Nelson, Parish [Census subdivision], New Brunswick". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 26 September 2019.

46°51′09″N65°41′24″W / 46.85250°N 65.69000°W / 46.85250; -65.69000 (Nelson Parish, New Brunswick)