Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick

This article is about the geographic parish, former local service district, and census subdivision. For the community, see Pennfield, New Brunswick.

Pennfield
Parish
Location within Charlotte County.
Country	Canada
Province	New Brunswick
County	Charlotte County
Erected	1786
Area [1]
• Land	363.75 km2 (140.44 sq mi)
Population  (2021) [1]
• Total	2,222
• Density	6.1/km2 (16/sq mi)
• Change 2016-2021	2.4%
• Dwellings	1,029
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-3 (ADT)
Figures do not include portion within the village of Blacks Harbour

Pennfield is a geographic parish in Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada, ^[4] located west of Saint John located east of St. George and west of Saint John.

For governance purposes, Utopia and areas south of Route 780 are part of the incorporated rural community of Eastern Charlotte, ^[5] while the sparsely populated north and The Wolves islands in the Bay of Fundy are part of the Southwest rural district, ^[6] both of which are members of the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission. ^[7]

Prior to the 2023 governance reform, it comprised one village of Blacks Harbour and two local service districts, all of which were members of the Southwest New Brunswick Service Commission (SNBSC). ^[8]

The Census subdivision of the same name includes all of the parish except the former village of Blacks Harbour. ^[1]

Origin of name

The parish was named by Quaker Loyalist settlers of the area for William Penn, early Quaker leader and founder of Pennsylvania. ^[9]

History

Pennfield was erected in 1786 as one of the county's original parishes; ^[10] it included Lepreau Parish, the southern part of Clarendon Parish, and a small piece of Saint George Parish.

Boundaries

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

• on the north by a line running true west from the southernmost corner of Queens County;
• on the east by a line running true north from the mouth of the Pocologan River;
• on the west by the prolongation north and south of the western line of grants straddling Lake Utopia, then south along a line running through the Letang River and Letang Harbour;
• on the south by the Bay of Fundy.
• also including any islands within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the shore and The Wolves, a group of islands more than 5 miles (8.0 km) offshore.

Evolution of boundaries

Pennfield's original northern boundary was a prolongation of the southern line of the Cape Association grant in Saint David Parish, ^[10] which runs south of Robinson Creek Road in Saint David Ridge. The prolongation passes near the northern end of Loon Lake in Clarendon Parish before striking the Queens County line. A small part of Saint George Parish near the head of the Letang River was also part of Pennfield; all islands in the river and Letang Harbour were part of Saint George.

In 1814 the parish was extended north ^{[lower-alpha 1]} to the county line, ^[13] adding the rest of Clarendon.

In 1850 the boundary with Saint George Parish near the head of the Letang River was changed to its modern line. ^[14]

In 1857 the eastern part of Pennfield was erected as LePreau Parish. ^[15]

In 1868 all of the parish north of the most southern point of Queens County was included in the Clarendon District, a polling district that also included the northern part of Lepreau Parish. ^[16]

In 1869 the northern part of Pennfield was included in the newly erected Clarendon Parish. ^[17]

In 1877 the boundary through the Letang River and Letang Harbour was changed, transferring some islands to Pennfield. ^[18]

Former governance units

Municipality

The village of Blacks Harbour sat at the southwestern corner of the parish's mainland. ^[19]

Local service districts

Both LSDs assessed for the basic LSD services of fire protection, police services, land use planning, emergency measures, and dog control. ^[20]

Pennfield Parish

The local service district of the parish of Pennfield originally included all of the parish outside Blacks Harbour.

The LSD was established in 1970 to assess for fire protection. ^[21] First aid and ambulance services were added in 1979. ^[22]

In 2022, the LSD additionally assessed for community & recreation services. ^[20] The taxing authority was 512.00 Pennfield.

Beaver Harbour

Beaver Harbour comprised an area on the western side of Beaver Harbour, including the eastern part of the old town plat and running north to the junction of Mountain Road and Waite's Lane. ^[23] The community of Beaver Harbour outgrew the boundaries of the LSD by 2013. ^[24]

The LSD was established in 1971 to add street lighting and community services. ^[25] First aid and ambulance services were added in 1979. ^[22]

Beaver Harbour additionally assessed street lighting and community & recreation services. ^[20] The taxing authority was 524.00 Beaver Harbour.

Beaver Harbour was the only LSD in Charlotte County with street lighting.

Communities

Communities at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [26]} bold indicates an incorporated municipality

• Beaver Harbour
• Blacks Harbour
  • Tunaville
• Crow Harbour
• Deadmans Harbour
• Justasons Corner
• Pennfield
• Pennfield Corner
• Pennfield Ridge
• Pennfield Station
• Seeleys Cove
• Utopia
• Utopia Centre
• Wallace Cove
• Woodland

Bodies of water

Bodies of water ^{[lower-alpha 2]} at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [26]} italics indicate a name no longer in official use

• Letang River (L'Etang River)
• Little New River
• Little Pocologan River
• New River
• Pocologan River
• Cripps Stream
• Red Rock Stream
• Trout Lake Stream
• Buckmans Creek
• Crow Creek
• Wards Creek
• Beaver Harbour
• Blacks Harbour
• Crow Harbour
• Deadmans Harbour
• Letang Harbour (L'Etang Harbour)
• Red Head Harbour
• Seeleys Basin
• Eastern Chops
• The Basin
• more than fifty other officially named lakes

Islands

Islands at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [26]} italics indicates a name no longer in official use

• Cochranes Island
• Moose Island (Little Moose Island)
• Munson Island
• Peat Island
• Penn Island
• Tub Island
• The Wolves
  • Eastern Wolf Island
  • Flat Wolf Island (Fatpot Island)
  • Green Rock (Gull Rock)
  • Horseshoe Rock
  • Southern Wolf Island
  • Spruce Island (Flat Wolf Island)

Other notable places

Parks, historic sites, and other noteworthy places at least partly within the parish. ^{[11] [12] [26] [27] [28]}

• Lepreau River Wildlife Management Area
• New River Protected Natural Area
• Pocologan Protected Natural Area
• Utopia Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Population

Canada census – Pennfield community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	2,222 (+2.4% from 2016)	2,170 (-2.2% from 2011)	2,218 (-4.5% from 2006)
Land area	363.75 km2 (140.44 sq mi)	363.86 km2 (140.49 sq mi)	363.88 km2 (140.49 sq mi)
Population density	6.1/km2 (16/sq mi)	6.0/km2 (16/sq mi)	6.1/km2 (16/sq mi)
Median age	48.8 (M: 48.8, F: 48.8)	46.7 (M: 46.5, F: 47.0)	44.3 (M: 44.1, F: 44.4)
Private dwellings	945 (total)	996 (total)	1,099 (total)
Median household income		$60,992	$58,972

References: 2021 ^[29] 2016 ^[30] 2011 ^[31] earlier ^{[32] [33]}

Historical Census Data - Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick

Year Pop. ±% 1991 2,211 —     1996 2,275 +2.9%	Year Pop. ±% 2001 2,417 +6.2% 2006 2,322 −3.9%	Year Pop. ±% 2011 2,218 −4.5% 2016 2,170 −2.2%
[34] [35] [36]

Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick [34]
Census		Total		English				French				English & French				Other
Year		Responses		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %
2011		2,195		2,045	7.3%	93.17%		90	38.9%	4.10%		5	n/a%	0.23%		55	18.2%	2.50%
2006		2,305		2,205	2.6%	95.66%		55	52.2%	2.39%		0	100.0%	0.00%		45	55.6%	1.95%
2001		2,410		2,265	5.3%	93.98%		115	39.1%	4.77%		10	n/a%	0.42%		20	20.0%	0.83%
1996		2,240		2,145	n/a	95.76%		70	n/a	3.12%		0	n/a	0.00%		25	n/a	1.12%

Access Routes

Highways and numbered routes that run through the parish, including external routes that start or finish at the parish limits: ^[37]

Highways Route 1

Principal Routes Route 176

Secondary Routes: Route 778 Route 780 Route 785 Route 795

External Routes: None

See also

• List of parishes in New Brunswick

Notes

1. Because Pennfield's northern line was based on Saint George's, Pennfield probably expanded when Saint George did. This has been the norm in New Brunswick since the first boundary changes in 1787. If Pennfield was an exception, then the boundary was moved north in 1850.
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 5 June 2023.
3. "Chapter I-13 Interpretation Act". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 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. "Southwest Regional Service Commission: RSC 10". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
6. "Southwest Regional Service Commission: RD 10". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
7. "Regions Regulation – Regional Service Delivery Act". Government of New Brunswick. 21 July 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
8. "Communities in each of the 12 Regional Service Commissions (RSC) / Les communautés dans chacune des 12 Commissions de services régionaux (CSR)" (PDF), Government of New Brunswick, July 2017, retrieved 1 February 2021
9. Ganong, William F. (1896). A Monograph of the Place-Nomenclature of the Province of New Brunswick. Royal Society of Canada. p. 261. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
10. "26 Geo. III Chapter I. 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 1786. Saint John, New Brunswick: Government of New Brunswick. 1786. pp. 3–12. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
11. "No. 162". Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development. Retrieved 3 July 2021. Remainder of parish on maps 163 and 166 at same site.
12. "470" (PDF). Transportation and Infrastructure. Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 3 July 2021. Remainder of parish on mapbooks 471, 481, 482, 491, 492, 497–499, and 502 at same site.
13. "54 Geo. III c. 15 An Act to enlarge the limits of the Parishes of Saint Patrick and Saint George, in the County of Charlotte.". 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. p. 15. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
14. "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.
15. "20 Vic. c. 9 An Act to erect the eastern part of the Parish of Pennfield, in the County of Charlotte, into a separate Town or Parish.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick, Passed in July 1856, and March and July 1857. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1857. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
16. "31 Vic. c. 51 An Act to establish an additional Polling place in the County of Charlotte.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Month of March 1868. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1868. p. 84. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
17. "32 Vic. c. 51 An Act to erect part of the Parishes of Lepreaux and Pennfield, in the County of Charlotte, into a separate Town or Parish.". Acts of the General Assembly of Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick. Passed in the Month of April 1869. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1869. pp. 96–97. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
18. "Chapter 2 The Division of the Province into Counties, Towns, and Parishes.". The Consolidated Statutes of New Brunswick. Fredericton: Government of New Brunswick. 1877. pp. 56–85. Available as a free ebook from Google Books.
19. "New Brunswick Regulation 85-6 under the Municipalities Act (O.C. 85-45)". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
20. "2020 Local Government Statistics for New Brunswick" (PDF). Department of Environment and Local Government. p. 55. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
21. "Regulation 70–63 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 70–385)". The Royal Gazette. 128. Fredericton: 343–344. 17 June 1970.
22. "Regulation 79-39 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 79-169)". The Royal Gazette. 137. Fredericton: 1009–1010. 4 April 1979.
23. "New Brunswick Regulation 84-168 under the Municipalities Act (O.C. 84-582)". Government of New Brunswick. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
24. Rayner, Barb (5 March 2013). "Meeting will outline Beaver Harbour boundaries". The Saint Croix Courier. p. A2.
25. "Regulation 71–17 under the Municipalities Act (O. C. 71–127)". The Royal Gazette. 129. Fredericton: 154. 3 March 1971.
26. "Search the Canadian Geographical Names Database (CGNDB)". Government of Canada. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
27. "New Brunswick Regulation 94-43 under the Fish and Wildlife Act (O.C. 94-231)". Government of New Brunswick. 5 June 2006. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
28. "Explore New Brunswick's Protected Natural Areas". GeoNB. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
29. "2021 Community Profiles". 2021 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
30. "2016 Community Profiles". 2016 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
31. "2011 Community Profiles". 2011 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
32. "2006 Community Profiles". 2006 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. 20 August 2019.
33. "2001 Community Profiles". 2001 Canadian Census . Statistics Canada. 18 July 2021.
34. Statistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 census
35. 2011 Statistics Canada Census Profile: Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick
36. "Census Profile, 2016 Census: Pennfield, Parish [Census subdivision], New Brunswick". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
37. Atlantic Canada Back Road Atlas ISBN   978-1-55368-618-7 Pages 4, 12

45°12′40″N66°39′22″W / 45.21119°N 66.656113°W / 45.21119; -66.656113 (Pennfield Parish, New Brunswick)