Weldford is a geographic parish in Kent County, New Brunswick, Canada.
For governance purposes it is divided between the villages of Five Rivers and Nouvelle-Arcadie, which are both members of the Kent Regional Service Commission, and the Richibucto 15 Indian reserve, which is not.
Prior to the 2023 governance reform, all of the parish outside the Indian reserve formed the local service district of the parish of Weldford.
Origin of name Weldford was a portmanteau of the names of the two Kent County Members of the Legislative Assembly in 1835, John W. Weldon and John P. Ford.
History Weldford was erected in 1835 from Richibucto Parish.
Boundaries Weldford Parish is bounded: Remainder of parish on maps 89, 98, and 99 at same site. Remainder of parish on mapbooks 251–253, 266–269, 283–285, and 300 at same site.
on the north by a line due west from the northernmost corner of the Richibucto 15 Indian reserve; on the east by a line running southerly along the eastern border of the main part of the Richibucto 15 Indian reserve to the Richibucto River, downstream to the mouth of the St. Nicholas River, up the St. Nicholas and then the East Branch St. Nicholas River to the mouth of Black Brook, then southerly to the Wellington Parish line at a point west of the East Branch Road; on the south by the prolongation of a line running south 68º west from the mouth of the Rivière Chockpish-nord; on the west by a line running north 22º west, based on the magnet of 1867, from a point on the Westmorland County line west of the northern tip of Shediac Island.
Communities Communities at least partly within the parish; bold indicates an Indian reserve; italics indicate a name no longer in official use
Balla Philip Bass River Bass River Point Beersville Brest Browns Yard Bryants Corner Cails Mills Clairville East Branch Emerson Ford Bank Fords Mills Jailletville Kent Junction Lower Main River Molus River Mundleville Normandie Pine Ridge Richibucto 15 (Big Cove) Saint-Joseph Saint-Norbert Smiths Corner South Branch Targettville Village-Saint Augustin West Branch
Bodies of water Bodies of waterNot including brooks, ponds or coves. at least partly in the parish:
Bass River Coal Branch River Kouchibouguacis River Molus River Richibucto River St. Nicholas River Bells Creek Big Cove Creek Clares Creek Gaspereau Creek George Beers Creek McKays Creek Big North Fork Little North Fork Lac Saint-Joseph
Islands Islands at least partly in the parish: Jerrys Island
Other notable places Parks, historic sites, and other noteworthy places at least partly in the parish.
Blind Brook Protected Natural Area Richibucto River Protected Natural Area
Demographics Parish population does not include Richibucto 15 Indian reserve
Population Population trendStatistics Canada: 1996, 2001, 2006 census Census Population Change (%) 2016 1,338 1.5% 2011 1,318 7.6% 2006 1,426 2.8% 2001 1,467 6.0% 1996 1,561 0.1% 1991 1,560 N/A
Language Mother tongue (2016) Language Population Pct (%) English only 1,105 82.5% French only 190 14.2% Other languages 35 2.6% Both English and French 10 0.7%
Religion There are several Catholic churches in Weldford Parish, all belonging to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moncton: St. Bartholomew mission in Bass River, Saint-Norbert in Saint-Norbert,St-Norbert - St-Norbert and St. Peter in South Branch.St. Peter's - South Branch
Also there are four Presbyterian churches, belonging to Bass River Pastoral Charge, The Presbytery of New Brunswick, Synod of the Atlantic Provinces: St. Marks Presbyterian Church in Bass River, St. James Presbyterian Church in Beersville, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Clairville, and Zion Presbyterian Church in West Branch.
The United Church of Canada has two congregations, belonging to Rexton Pastoral Charge, Chignecto Presbytery, Maritime Conference: St. Stephen's United Church in Molus River, and St. John's United Church in West Branch.
And there is one Anglican church, belonging to the Parish of Kent, Archdeaconry of Moncton, Diocese of Fredericton. St. Paul's Church in Browns Yard.
See also List of parishes in New Brunswick
Notes
References
External links Weldford Local Service District Advisory Committee New Brunswick Provincial Archives - Weldford Parish Softball New Brunswick Championship Results Richibucto River Association Kent County Gen web West Branch Days featured on Ruby Cusack Eleanor Wilson Graham Middle School The Green Festival Biography Willi Nolan Krista Betts receives Award Wild Heart of Kent