Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/338

a contest, for a petition was presented on the part of some of the freeholders protesting against his election as being undue. Mr. Davidson, however, attended the ensuing session of the House at Halifax and took his seat.

Benjamin Glasier, who has been mentioned in several of Samuel Peabody's letters, came to the St. John river from Massachusetts in the year 1779. He purchased, October 17, 1782, from Benjamin Bubier for £200, a tract of 1,000 acres at "Morrisania," so named after Hon. Charles Morris, the original proprietor. The property was situated about six miles below Fredericton, in what is now the parish of Lincoln, and is yet in possession of the Glasier family. Mr. Glasier is described in the deed of conveyance as a "shipwright." It is claimed by his descendants that he was a brother of Colonel Beamsley P. Glasier, of the Royal American or 60th regiment of foot, who has been frequently mentioned in the earlier papers of this series. Benjamin Glasier before coming to this country, had served as a Lieutenant in one of the Massachusett's Infantry corps in the French and Indian wars. He was taken prisoner at the seige of Fort William Henry. His commission, carefully preserved as an heirloom by his descendants, bears the signature of Hon. Thomas Hutchinson, the last Royal Governor of Massachusetts.

Benjamin Glasier was the progenitor of the well-known family of which the late Senator Glasier (familiarly termed "the main John Glasier") and his brothers Stephen, Duncan and Benjamin were members. The operations of the Glasiers in lumbering and shipbuilding extended over well nigh a century. At one time they were undoubtedly the largest operators in New Brunswick, employing over 600 men. Their production in earlier years consisted principally of pine timber, which was shipped to Liverpool, England.