Dunbrack Family History - Person Sheet
NameJanet Parker 
Birth5 Jul 1851, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death9 May 1951, Waltham, MA Age: 99
FatherFrancis Parker (1806-1885)
MotherMary Kent (1821-1895)
Misc. Notes
Caption info for photo
Janet is the old lady in the front row with glasses on. Front row (left to right): Nellie P., Janet Parker, ALmira Mary, Burton Irving Back row: Warren Heath, Francis Parker, Sarah R., Norman Kent Little Burton Irving died a couple of years later (drowning I think). Uncle Warren owned a business in Waltham with his brother Norman Kent Dunbrack.
Other biographical information, by HFW:
JANET PARKER DUNBRACK (1851-1951) was a very determined woman and worked hard all her life. In Nova Scotia she had a loom in her kitchen with the beater hung from the rafters. She wove the flax from the farm and the wool from their sheep into sheets and clothes for her family, including the cloth for the suit her son Parker wore when he came toe the States.
When her first child was born she said of the Dunbracks, “Every John has a James and every James has a John.” She refused to follow tradition and named her baby Francis Parker for her side of the family.
On their farm James used oxen for ploughing and raised sheep and turkeys. Winters were spent lumbering and in the spring all the men joined in a log drive. Aunt Al Ruso remembered what “lovely” log jams there would be in “the pot” as the bend in the river on their property was called.
Janet Dunbrack wanted her family to get a better education than was available in Meagher’s Grant so in about 1890 they sold their farm. James and Janet Dunbrack with their children Francis Parker, Sarah, Almira Mary, Warren Heath, Nellie P., and Norman Kent sailed from Halifax and arrived in Boston., Feb. 23, 1890, after a very rough two days on the water. They lived in Harvard, Mass. where James and his son Parker worked a farm at Shaker Villiage. Another son, Burton Irving, was born to them there. He died at an early age in a drowning accident. After two years in Harvard, they moved to Ayer where James died of pneumonia, in 1894. In 1907, the family moved to Waltham.
After James died, Janet took in washing to support the family and later became a dressmaker. When she was in her eighties, she deplored the fact that she had never become a naturalized citizen because she would like to have voted against Franklin D. Roosevelt.
(above information for the most part furnished by Winifred Dunbrack and Beatrice Hohorst, children of F. Parker Dunbrack)
Janet is the old lady in the front row with glasses on. Front row (left to right): Nellie P., Janet Parker, ALmira Mary, Burton Irving Back row: Warren Heath, Francis Parker, Sarah R., Norman Kent Little Burton Irving died a couple of years later (drowning I think). Uncle Warren owned a business in Waltham with his brother Norman Kent Dunbrack.
Other biographical information, by HFW:
JANET PARKER DUNBRACK (1851-1951) was a very determined woman and worked hard all her life. In Nova Scotia she had a loom in her kitchen with the beater hung from the rafters. She wove the flax from the farm and the wool from their sheep into sheets and clothes for her family, including the cloth for the suit her son Parker wore when he came toe the States.
When her first child was born she said of the Dunbracks, “Every John has a James and every James has a John.” She refused to follow tradition and named her baby Francis Parker for her side of the family.
On their farm James used oxen for ploughing and raised sheep and turkeys. Winters were spent lumbering and in the spring all the men joined in a log drive. Aunt Al Ruso remembered what “lovely” log jams there would be in “the pot” as the bend in the river on their property was called.
Janet Dunbrack wanted her family to get a better education than was available in Meagher’s Grant so in about 1890 they sold their farm. James and Janet Dunbrack with their children Francis Parker, Sarah, Almira Mary, Warren Heath, Nellie P., and Norman Kent sailed from Halifax and arrived in Boston., Feb. 23, 1890, after a very rough two days on the water. They lived in Harvard, Mass. where James and his son Parker worked a farm at Shaker Villiage. Another son, Burton Irving, was born to them there. He died at an early age in a drowning accident. After two years in Harvard, they moved to Ayer where James died of pneumonia, in 1894. In 1907, the family moved to Waltham.
After James died, Janet took in washing to support the family and later became a dressmaker. When she was in her eighties, she deplored the fact that she had never become a naturalized citizen because she would like to have voted against Franklin D. Roosevelt.
(above information for the most part furnished by Winifred Dunbrack and Beatrice Hohorst, children of F. Parker Dunbrack)
Spouses
Birth12 Aug 1847, Meagher’s Grant, Nova Scotia, Canada
Death10 Nov 1894, Ayer, MA129 Age: 47
BurialWoodlawn Cemetery, Ayer MA
FatherJohn Dunbrack (1822-1888)
MotherJanet Fox (~1820-~1888)
Misc. Notes
Left Halifax 11 Feb 1891, arrived Boston 12 Feb 1891, on S. S. Carroll.
Died of pneumonia.
Petitioned the Court of Probate in Halifax for his father’s property, bequeathed to his brother Robert, who predeceased his father, as did his mother Janet:
“To the Worshipful the Honorable Samuel L. Shannon, Esquire, Q.C. Judge of Probate for the County of Halifax
The Petition of James Dunbrack of Meagher’s Grant, in said County, Farmer, Humbly Sheweth:
That John dunbrack, of said Meagher’s Grant, Farmer, departed this life there on Sept. 9th 1888, leaving as last Will, herewith produced, dated June 6th 1881 whereby the appointed William McLean of said Meagher’s Grant, sole Executor. That said William McLean has not proved said Will and has filed his renunciation of the Executorship thereof.
That Janet Dunbrack the wife of the testator died before him.
That Robert Dunbrack, son of the deceased to whom testator devises and bequeaths the whole of his Real and Personal Estate (with the exception of a small bequest to his son your petitioner) has also died, having first taken possession of the Real and Personal Property so given to him or Deed whereof was also given to him by testator in his (testator’s) lifetime and having made a conveyance of the Real Estate to certain parties since his father’s death.
That your petitioner and the children of a deceased daughter of said testator are the parties who would be the heirs-at-law of said John Dunbracj, deceased, and who are the heirs-at-law of Robert Dunbrack, deceased aforesaid, he never having been married.
That your petitioner desires to have the said Will of the father proved to have his father’s Estates administered, and to establish the title of his brother, Robert Dunbrack, in the Estate devised and bequeathed to him.
And Petitioner therefore prays that Administration of the Estate of the said John Dunbrack, deceased, with said Will annexed may be granted to petitioner and that a Dedimus may issue to take proof of said Will (And petitioner as in duty bound as so) and for other purposes.”
James Dunbrack (signed)
Died of pneumonia.
Petitioned the Court of Probate in Halifax for his father’s property, bequeathed to his brother Robert, who predeceased his father, as did his mother Janet:
“To the Worshipful the Honorable Samuel L. Shannon, Esquire, Q.C. Judge of Probate for the County of Halifax
The Petition of James Dunbrack of Meagher’s Grant, in said County, Farmer, Humbly Sheweth:
That John dunbrack, of said Meagher’s Grant, Farmer, departed this life there on Sept. 9th 1888, leaving as last Will, herewith produced, dated June 6th 1881 whereby the appointed William McLean of said Meagher’s Grant, sole Executor. That said William McLean has not proved said Will and has filed his renunciation of the Executorship thereof.
That Janet Dunbrack the wife of the testator died before him.
That Robert Dunbrack, son of the deceased to whom testator devises and bequeaths the whole of his Real and Personal Estate (with the exception of a small bequest to his son your petitioner) has also died, having first taken possession of the Real and Personal Property so given to him or Deed whereof was also given to him by testator in his (testator’s) lifetime and having made a conveyance of the Real Estate to certain parties since his father’s death.
That your petitioner and the children of a deceased daughter of said testator are the parties who would be the heirs-at-law of said John Dunbracj, deceased, and who are the heirs-at-law of Robert Dunbrack, deceased aforesaid, he never having been married.
That your petitioner desires to have the said Will of the father proved to have his father’s Estates administered, and to establish the title of his brother, Robert Dunbrack, in the Estate devised and bequeathed to him.
And Petitioner therefore prays that Administration of the Estate of the said John Dunbrack, deceased, with said Will annexed may be granted to petitioner and that a Dedimus may issue to take proof of said Will (And petitioner as in duty bound as so) and for other purposes.”
James Dunbrack (signed)
Marriage23 Feb 1874, Musquodoboit, Nova Scotia, Canada123
ChildrenAlmira Mary (1879-1969)
Francis Parker (1875-1927)
Nellie P. (1885-1953)
Sarah R. (1878-1958)
Warren Heath (1881-1966)
Norman Kent (1888-1938)
Burton Irving (1892-1901)