EZEKIAL SIPRELL

Ezekial was born in Studholme, New Brunswick and was the son of William and Sally Foster Siprell . 

“Hartland (Carleton Co.) April 9 – Rev. Ezekiel SIPRELL, frequently spoken of as ‘the old patriarch’ passed away peacefully away to his rest at 7 o’clock this morn. He had been in a feeble condition all winter and his demise was being looked for at any moment. He was confined to his bed for three days. He was quite conscious to the last but his mind wandered. Uncle Zekle has been a familiar cognomen for two score years. Born at Studholm (Kings Co.) Aug. 10th, 1799, the son of a Loyalist who was a native of France settled in Pennsylvania, from whence with his wife he came during revolutionary times. When deceased was a child his father’s family moved to Lower Brighton where he spent his youth and young manhood. His mother was a FOSTER and he was quite closely connected with the Fosters, Fenwicks, McLeods, Sprouls, McFarlands and Kiersteads of Kings Co., including Dr. McLEOD of Fredericton and Hon. G.E. FOSTER, Minister of Finance. Mr. Sipprell had four brothers, two of whom settled in Ontario and one in Aroostock County. He had several sisters, one of whom married a MORTON, another a GOOD of Millstream; another married a GREY of Pembroke. He, with his brother, Seth SIPPRELL were the pioneer settlers in this locality. It is a story the old man loved to repeat, of how two poled up the river in a canoe, with a gallon of molasses, a bag of cornmeal, their guns and axes. Landing just opposite where Hartland now stands they began cutting birch timber. In a little hut they lived alone for a number of years and on their first clearing sowed wheat and from two acres raised the unparalled crop on 101 bushels which took the king’s bounty for that year.  “For several years, they lived alone in a little hut.  A pleasant family tradition states that, as a lad he was visiting Nathaniel Shaw’s family and idly rocking the cradle wherein lay their first child, Letitia. Someone began to tease young “Zekel” asking him when he was going to get married.  “I’m going to wait for Tishie’,” he is said to have replied.  And he did just that.  He waited some sixteen years and married her in 1833.  We are told that, after the wedding, he took her up behind him on his horse and galloped off to their new home.  Baptized at about nineteen  at a meeting held by the noted evangelist Rev. Clark Allen, the “New Light” preacher he became a staunch adherent of what came to be known as the Free Christian Baptist Church.  He was ordained 15 March 1840, and began a ministry that was to cover many years.  Following the pattern of the day, he farmed during the week and laboured for his Lord on Sundays.  He served several “Districts of Care”, but it was as an evangelist that he was everywhere welcomed.  At the time of his death, he was believed to be the oldest clergyman in Canada.  His funeral was conducted by Rev. Joseph Noble, one of his own converts.”  P 75 Harold Fritz Sipprell

Letitia Shaw was born in Northampton, New Brunswick, 16 July 1816; and died in Somerville, NB., 7 April 1902; in Victoria Corner, N.B.  The eldest child of Nathaniel and Phoebe (Ackerson)Shaw,  Letitia came of a pre-Loyalist family.  Abraham Shaw and his wife Bridget Best came to Boston, Mass., from Yorkshire in 1634.  John Shaw, the fifth of that name in direct descent from Abraham Shaw, was born in Abington, Mass., 31 Jan 1738.  He married Mary Burrell, 22 Nov 1759.  They were pioneer settlers at Maugerville, N.B. in 1763. 

A few years later they moved across the river to higher land near the mouth of the Oromocto River (Lot No. 5 – just four above the granted to Israel Kenney).”  P. 77  from a book compiled as a “Centennial Project by Harold Fritz Sipprell.