Rexton, New Brunswick

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Rexton (2006 pop.: 862) is a Canadian village in Kent County, New Brunswick. Home of mostly members of the Theriault family.

Situated on the Richibucto River, the village was originally inhabited by Mi'kmaq, many of whose descendants still reside in the nearby Elsipogtog First Nation, formerly referred to as the Big Cove Band. Acadian settlers colonized the general area in the 18th century.

The first English-speaking settlers arrived about 1790, and considerable colonization by English Ship-builders, Scottish Merchants and Irish Immigrants followed including many Irish Protestants who arrived to work in the Jardine Shipbuilding Yards around the year 1819 and they eventually cleared enough land to receive land grants following the 1820s survey by a Mr. Layton conducted around the Molus River area of nearby Weldford Parish, New Brunswick and the size of Elsipogtog First Nation was reduced to the current boundaries.

Fishing, lumbering and shipbuilding flourished throughout the 19th century. The first bridge over the Richibucto River was completed there in 1850, improving commerce and communications in the region.

The settlement was known from about 1825 as Kingston, but in 1901, the name was changed to Rexton. This was probably to avoid confusion with other Kingstons, particularly Kingston, Kings County, New Brunswick, which still carries the name.

Famous residents

Rexton (Kingston at the time) was the birthplace of Bonar......
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