Rexton, New Brunswick

Rexton (2006 pop.: 862) is a Canadian village in Kent County, New Brunswick.

Situated on the Richibucto River, the village was originally inhabited by Mi'kmaqs, 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 1700s.

The first English-speaking settlers arrived about 1790, and considerable colonization by Scottish, Irish and English immigrants followed. Fishing, lumbering and shipbuilding flourished throughout the nineteenth 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.

Rexton (Kingston at the time) was the birthplace of Andrew Bonar Law, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in 1922-1923. William John Bowser, Premier of British Columbia (1915-1916), was also born there.

Current Premier of New Brunswick, Shawn Graham, was raised in Rexton.

References

* Barry Kinread Glencross, "Rexton: The First 175 Years" (privately published, 2001)