Hi Gregory,

Welcome aboard as a Doak Researcher. We need all the help we can get!!

I feel sure that YOUR ancestors in New Brunswick came over in 1814 from Scotland in the form of "Squire Doak". He and his brother arrived about 1814 on the Miramachi and then migrated north to found Doaktown about 1824.

It IS possible that what you heard about a migration of your family in the early 1700's from Scotland to Ireland is true. There was heavy migration of Presbyterian Scots from Scotland to Ireland from 1650 to 1700. After that, things were not too hospitable for Presbyterian's in Ireland and when the American Colonies opened up to immigrants from Ireland, there was a large migration of Scotch Irish Presbyterians from Ireland to America starting about 1714.

I would suggest that you pick your Grandfathers brain and RECORD everything he says. We are rapidly losing our older family members who can pass along to us information that can not be found elsewhere. I still deeply regret not being more interested in my family history when all my relatives were still alive. They are ALL gone now and I have so many questions that I would like to ask them now.

I have a Web Site you will want to check out for information on immigration history and trends. www.doak.ws. At the present time I do not have info on the Site about the DoakTown Doaks, but I will be putting that info up later on. Anything you learn from your Grandfather would be greatly appreciated.

Best Regards,

John Reginald Doak Jr. (b. 4/1/31 at Keene, N.H.)

Hope to hear from you in the future.