Virtual Hike to Juniper, New Brunswick

The next destination on my Virtual Hike was Juniper, New Brunswick.

The previous destination on my virtual hike was Cross Creek Station, New Brunswick.

Virtual hike, juniper new brunswick, logging, trails, walkingThe virtual hike from Cross Creek Station to Juniper was partly over trails and roads that the Google Maps car did not record as they were remote areas. Canada also does not have as much mapped as the United States in most areas.

I am virtually making my way across New Brunswick to the US Border and have only one more stop before I make it into Maine.

Virtual hike, juniper new brunswick, logging, trails, walkingJuniper is high in the hills between the Nashwaak and St. John river valleys. You can see the topography in this map. Juniper has a high proportion of residents that work in the forestry industry and is surrounded by forests.

Virtual hike, juniper new brunswick, logging, trails, walkingHere was one of the areas where I had images. It is rolling hills that slowly increase in altitude. You can see that it is passing through forested areas.

Virtual hike, juniper new brunswick, logging, trails, walkingAt Deersdale the path follows some gravel roads for the rest of the way to Juniper. It looks like it is a bit hilly, but no images here as it is a route where the Google car did not go.

Virtual hike, juniper new brunswick, logging, trails, walkingHere is the turnoff onto the gravel road at Deersdale which is shown in the previous map. .

I did not find much about Juniper, but it is named for the juniper shrubs that are in the surrounding bog areas. I chose Juniper as it was the right distance and also the name of the daughter of a good friend of mine.

I am setting shorter distances between destinations for better motivation for my daily walking and so far it has been working. I have been walking more each day.

My current plan is to make my way toward northern New York through Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. Perhaps I will find some interesting stops along the way. I have only one more stop in New Brunswick and then will cross the border into Maine.

Steven

Images in this post are from Google Maps and Street View.

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Early Mayor of South Bend, Indiana

Tonight I was trying to figure out what to blog about. I just connected with a Leeper cousin through the blog so was thinking about my Leeper family today. This made me think of an interesting person in our family, and decided to re-post what I wrote about him back in January 2020. I re-titled the post so people don’t think it was about a more recent mayor of South Bend.

Steven


Mayor of South Bend, Indiana – 1-26-2020

One of the early mayors of South Bend, Indiana was the cousin of my 3rd Great Grandfather William Absalom Leeper.

David Rohrer Leeper

David Rohrer Leeper

David Rohrer Leeper was the son of Samuel Leeper the brother of Absalom Leeper my 4th Great Grandfather.

David R. Leeper, Rushing for Gold, Connie and Peter Roop, Diary, Gold Rush, Irish HeritageDavid Rohrer Leeper had an interesting life. At the age of 17 he went to California as a 49’er. He wrote a journal of his journey which is really interesting to read. The book shown above, The Diary of David R. Leeper: Rushing for Gold, is an excerpt from his journal.

Hangtown, Placerville, CaliforniaDavid’s journal was about his experience in California. Not only the time that he spent in California, but the trip across the country. After the gold rush he also went to Northern California and worked in the timber industry.

After his return from California David R. Leeper became involved in politics and served in the Indiana State Legislature and Senate. Leeper Park, South Bend Indiana, David Rohrer LeeperDavid was elected Mayor of South Bend in 1892 and served for two years. He then served as Police Commissioner until his death in 1900.

South Bend Indiana, David Rohrer Leeper, Leeper Park, Mayor of South BendTo honor Leeper a large park in South Bend was named for him after his death in 1900.

Leeper park is on the National Register of Historic Places and encompasses 25 acres which includes several historic structures. One of the structures is the cabin of Pierre Navarre who established a fur trading post in 1820 at the future location of South Bend. The cabin was originally north of the river, but was moved to Leeper Park and restored in 1900.

There are also two other political figures in this branch of my family. Through David’s half-brother Samuel, he was the half-great uncle of Ohio congressman Samuel Leeper Devine.

Carol Devine Miller, the daughter of Samuel Leeper Devine, currently represents West Virginia in the US House of Representatives.

I have thought about David Roher Leeper quite a bit lately as another former Mayor of South Bend, Pete Buttigieg, is often mentioned in the news.

Steven

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