The Upper St. John River Valley

Censuses and population surveys

• 1820 US Census of Madawaska Missing from the microfilm copy of the census, now found! Both banks of the Upper St.John River Valley, now in Aroostook and Madawaska Counties. Includes name index 
• 1829 Report on "Sufferers in the Madawaska settlement" Listing of households most affected by harvest failure, and in need of relief; undertaken by New Brunswick government, both sides of the St.John River. Includes name index.
• 1830 US Census of the Madawaska Settlement Penobscot County, Maine and York County, New Brunswick Both North and South banks of the St.John River, now in Aroostook and Madawaska Counties. Includes name index 
• 1831 report on the inhabitants of the St.John River valley by Deane and Kavanagh (Details on individuals living on both North and South banks; also includes observations on the region and its inhabitants. Includes name index.) 
• 1831 Census of Kamouraska County, Lower Canada (Québec) Includes Rivière-Ouelle, Rivière-du-Loup, and Ste-Anne-de-la-Pocatière Many of the inhabitants of the Upper St.John River Valley came from the Kamouraska region of Québec; this census provides info on some of these settlers, their families and neighbors (in French and English)
• 1833 New Brunswick Special Census of Madawaska Both North and South banks of the St.John; includes name index. 
• 1837 Maine Census of the Madawaska Settlements Information on the 1837 Census 
• 1840 US Census of Aroostook County The entire county; includes the Madawaska Settlements, including communities in Carleton Co., New Brunswick; includes name index 
• 1840 New Brunswick Census of the Madawaska Settlement Both sides of the St.John River, in Carleton Co, NB and Aroostook Co., Maine
• 1850 US Census of Aroostook County (includes online name index)
  • Mortality Schedule of the 1850 census
• 1851 New Brunswick Census of Victoria County (with online name index).
• 1858 censuses of Ste.Luce and St.François-Xavier parishes, covering both sides of the St.John River (includes online name index)
• 1860 US Census of communities in the Upper St.John River Valley, Aroostook Co., Maine Annotated, includes index. Now with searchable database!
• 1872 census of St.Bruno Parish, Van Buren (includes online name index and searchable database)
• Census transcriptions annotated! Check out the popup boxes in the census transcriptions!
  These popup boxes include information on marriages, maiden names, relationships, etc. of people who appear in the census transcriptions on this site. For now, annotations of the 1860 census and the 1850 census of Northern Aroostook County. Adding annotations to 1820, 1830, 1831, 1833, and 1840 censuses, and to the 1831 survey; continuing to add annotations to 1860, 1851, and 1850; Adding cross references to appearances of individuals in other censuses.

Church Records

• Early missionaries of Madawaska Territory (both sides of St.John River, 1786-1857) 
• Ste Luce Parish, Frenchville: Parish register Information abstracted from the Ste Luce registers. Search the database of the parish records, online.
  • Early Baptisms at Ste Luce, 1843-1860. Now online: Searchable database of baptisms
  • Early Marriages of Ste.Luce, 1843-1860. Online searchable database of marriages
  • Early Burials of Ste Luce, 1843-1860. Online searchable database of burials.
  • 1844 & 1850 Confirmations at Ste.Luce church
  • 1858 Census of Ste.Luce parish. Covers entire parish, both sides of St.John River
• Also be sure to check out Ken Roy's Ste Luce Cemetery database.
• St François-Xavier de Madawaska Parish
  • 1858 Census of St.François-Xavier parish (part of Ste Luce parish census), both sides of St.John River
  • Pew-rent paid by parishioners, 1847-1857
• 1872 Census of St.Bruno Parish, Van Buren (includes online name index and searchable database)

Land Grants and Surveys

• Native Peoples of the Upper St.John River Valley The first inhabitants of the valley were the Wulustukieg or Maliseet people; a brief and incomplete history of this original community Updated with 1841 report on Maleseets of Madawaska.
• 1787, 1790 & 1794 British Land Grants in the upper St.John River valley: owners, locations and other details; plus owners in 1831 (on both banks of the river) updated from original documents
• 1817 & 1822 Military Settlement Survey of the St.John River Instructions from July 1817 for a survey of lots along the St.John between Bristol and Grand Falls and 1822 list of settlers on the military lots.
• 1827 List of American citizens in possession of lands in Madawaska Information from the Justice of the Peace for the County of York, Province of New Brunswick 
• 1831 report on the inhabitants of the St.John River valley by Deane and Kavanagh (Details on individuals living on both North and South banks; also includes observations on the region and its inhabitants. Includes name index.) 
• 1844 Report on Lands Held by Settlers in valleys of upper St.John and Aroostook Rivers Greatly revised and updated from original document! Includes online name index.