The John Magee Residence located on Water Street in St. Andrews was built for John S. Magee circa 1867. Mr. Magee was born in Ireland in 1834 and came to New Brunswick as a young man. He first settled in Saint John then moved to St. Andrews where he conducted a successful dry goods business known as the “Albion House”. Starting in 1879, Mr. Magee was editor of the local newspaper, “Bay Pilot”, and remained as such until 1889. He was instrumental in the formation of a company that built St. Andrews’ first high-standard hotel, The Argyle, which aided in St. Andrews’ recognition as Canada’s first seaside resort. Magee sold this home in 1884.
This was the home of Thomas Aaron Hartt from 1899 until his death in 1930. Mr. Hartt, born in 1858 in Fredericton Junction, taught school for a number of years before establishing a mercantile business in St. Andrews. He was elected to the House of Assembly for Charlotte County in 1903 and remained a member until 1911, at which time he resigned and was elected to the House of Commons. He was re-elected in 1917.
The John Magee house is now the home of The Gables Restaurant.
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Thomas A Hartt was my great grandfather. His daughter, Lottie Hartt, married J Frederick Worrell who practiced as a dentist there for forty years. My grandmother always said she was born at the Gables.
My other great grandfather came from Ireland in 1847 on The Star with all the Irish workers and their families . They lived in Pleasant Ridge and are buried in St Patrick’s cemetery in Rolling Dam.