James Dunbrack was born after his parents had received their grant from the Crown and grew up in farming. In 1807 he petitioned for land on the East side of the Musquodoboit River for a farm of his own. The land, located on the east side and abutting Meagher's Grant, was received in 1811. At about that time he married Jean (Jane) McLeod (no primary record), and by her had two daughters, Catherine and Sarah. Catherine married and with her family moved to Minnesota. Sarah also married and with her family moved to the state of Washington. Jane McLeod Dunbrack died, and James then married Elizabeth Nelson. Together they had one son and several daughters.

One of these daughters, Mary Ann, grew up on the "Grant," married and had six children of her own when, in 1854, she and her husband became interested in the Mormons and their pronouncement that Great Salt Lake City was the "Promised Land". They and several others sailed to Boston, boarded a train for Buffalo, NY, crossed Lake Erie on a steamboat, went down the Mississippi River to St. Louis, and there joined a wagon train to travel the Oregon Trail as far as Utah. Unfortunately, Mary Ann and four of her children died along the way from illness.

Except for the census records of 1827, 1838, 1860, and 1871, there has been little information on James. He was a farmer, Presbyterian, of Scottish descent. The 1834 School Records for Meagher's Grant show two daughters and a son John, age 12, attending. James' wife Elizabeth died 28 Oct. 1848, aged 62, and was buried in St. James United Cemetery, Meagher's Grant. The 1871 Census indicates that James, then 85, was living with his son John, John's wife Janet (Fox) Dunbrack, and their two sons.

James died in 1877 but his place of burial has not been found. Possibly he was buried with his wife in Meagher's Grant and the stone was not marked.

Additional son and 3 daughters ?

* Data on Catherine Dunbrack and descendants was provided by James E. Dillman, Sr.