Village of Doaktown

The documented history of Doaktown‘s settlement can be traced back to United Empire Loyalist Ephraim Betts (born around 1730) and his companions, who arrived in the years following the American Revolution. Betts, a former sergeant in the 2nd Battalion of DeLancy’s Regiment, moved to Fredericton in 1783 after the war, where he worked as a tanner, cordwainer, and jailer for York County. In 1795, Betts and five others requested a large land grant from the Crown between the Nashwaak Portage and the Etienne or Cain’s River. This area later became known as Betts Settlement.

Around 1799, Ephraim relocated his family to the settlement and officially registered it on June 20, 1809, marking the first official land allocation on the Upper Southwest Miramichi. By that time, 60 families had already settled in the region, all recognizing Betts as their leader. Throughout his time in Miramichi, Ephraim held various roles, including Overseer of the Poor, Overseer of the Fisheries, Commissioner of Roads, and Justice of the Peace. He also continued his involvement in military affairs, eventually becoming a major before retiring in 1813. A sword believed to have belonged to Ephraim Betts can be seen at the Doak Provincial Heritage Site.

By 1816, Ephraim and his immediate family faced financial difficulties, and his original property was sold by 1825. That same year, Robert Doak, the area’s second notable citizen, arrived from Scotland via Blackville. Born on April 4, 1785, in Ochiltree, Ayrshire, Robert was the son of Agnes (Duncan) and Robert Doak Sr. In 1808, he married Jane Kirkland, and in 1815, the 30-year-old and his family moved to the Miramichi region, where he worked as an innkeeper for several years.

In 1818, Robert’s elder brother, James, and his family joined him in the Miramichi. The Doak brothers partnered with Alexander MacLaggan, who operated a sawmill in Blackville. In the early 1820s, while maintaining their partnership with MacLaggan, the Doak brothers relocated 20 miles upriver to where their father, Robert Doak Sr., had recently settled. This area would later become known as “Doaktown.”

Here, the Doak brothers acquired a significant amount of property, including some previously owned by Ephraim Betts’ family. They established water-powered carding and grist mills, a sawmill, an oat mill, and an extensive farming operation, helping to shape the foundation of what Doaktown would become.

Robert Doak, rather than his older brother James, emerged as the settlement’s most prominent figure. He served not only as the community’s largest employer but also held various roles such as School Trustee, Town Clerk, Clerk of the Market, and Justice of the Peace. His widespread influence earned him the nickname “Squire” Doak.

Ephraim Betts and Robert Doak are just two of the many individuals who have had a lasting impact on the history of the Village of Doaktown.

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