The first settlers removed to Brookfield, about the year 1786. The first who settled there, were William Hamilton and Daniel Moore, and shortly after, William Downing, William Carter, and James Boomer, settled there. William Downing soon left, and John Hamilton settled on what was his farm, in 1793. The first sermon was preached there by the Rev. John Waddell, in January, 1800, and he continued to be their minister until 1832. The people of Brookfield, before this date, attend public worship in Truro, quite regularly. At this date, it was set off from Truro congregation, and the Rev. John I. Baxter had it as a part of his charge. As mentioned before, the frame of the first Church was raised at Brookfield, on July 17th, 1833, and this was the only Church in Brookfield, until the year 1857, when the Baptists built their small Church. In the year 1869, the Presbyterians built their new Church and removed the old one. From the settlement of the place up to the year 1832, they came to Truro, to bury their dead, but from this time, they commenced to bury their dead in a Cemetery west of the Brookfield station. The body of Mr. William Carter was the first that was buried there, in January, 1832. What was called the new level road, from Truro to Halifax, was made through Brookfield, in the year 1835, and in December, 1858, the railroad was opened for carrying freight and passengers.
The Lieutenant Governor, Sir George Provost, arrived at Halifax, April 15th, 1809, and in July of this year, he visited Truro, and Pictou, where he received addresses from the inhabitants. He was accompanied by Michael Wallace and S. H. George, Esq., and his Aid-de-camp, Capt. Provost. The writer believes that this was the first four-wheeled carriage that ever passed through Truro. About this time, they were getting the roads made so that wheels could be run on them from Halifax, to Pictou, and in a few years after this, some of the people began to get carriages to ride in, but they were few in number for many years after this. It may here be observed that all the travelling that was done by men, women, or children was done on foot or horseback for more than fifty years after the settlement of Colchester; and it was quite customary in those days for people to ride on horseback ten or twelve miles to attend public worship, or to walk five or six miles for the same purpose, and carry the bodies of their dead on biers, by four men at a time, a distance of three miles to the place of burial. Spirituous liquors were always used at funerals in those days.
