EDWARD WYATT AND FAMILY

Etched on a tombstone in the Five Mile House Burying Ground in Marshfield is, “In memory of Edward Wyatt departed this life 11 July 1853, ac. 35.” The following is about Edward and his family as it was told to the writer, found in the Archives of Prince Edward Island and recorded on tombstones.

EDWARD WYATT was born in 1818, the eldest child of Joseph and Elizabeth Wyatt. They settled about 1817 on a 104 acre farm on the northeastern corner of the St. Peters Road and the Suffolk Road at the seven mile post from Charlottetown, the land being leased from Chief Baron Montgomery. Joseph was born September 14, 1797 in the parish of Witney, Oxfordshire, England. His father was John Wyatt and his mother Rachael Cockbill. Joseph was married August 11, 1818 by Rev. Theophilus Desbrisay to Elizabeth Robertson, a native of Perthshire, Scotland who was born about 1797. Edward was baptized in St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Charlottetown by the same minister. Other children were: John, b. 1821; Catherine, b. 1824; William, b. 1827; Mariah, b. 1829; James, b. 1832; Joseph; Elizabeth; and Isabella, b. ca. 1839.

It is of interest to note that Rev. Theophilus Desbrisay came from England to be the first minister of the Anglican community in Charlottetown. A quote from writer Ludlow Jenkins states, “In the census taken by Robert Fox by order of Govenor Fanning 136 years ago [1798] this Lot 34 was the first place to be enumerated commencing on the North side [of Hillsborough River] with the Rev. Theophilus Desbrisay with a total of twelve in the family. Mr. Desbrisay said he did not wish to live in Charlottetown on account of the wickedness of the place.”

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John (brother of Edward), born August 20, 1821, married Martha Armenia Hartz August 7, 1851 and settled in Charlottetown. According to the census of 1861 they had 7 children. Two of their children were Darius William, b. August 6, 1853, and Charles Albert, born July 4, 1856. THE ISLANDER reported the following: “Died on December 3, 1872 of congestion of the brain, William Darius Wyatt, beloved and eldest son of Mr. John Wyatt, tanner,

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of this city, aged 20 years.” Charles Albert Wyatt was issued a marriage bond dated 26 September 1877. John died 7 January 1895.

Catherine (sister of Edward), born February 20, 1824, married John Robins of Charlottetown on September 17, 1853. Four of their children were: Edward Er. [sic], b. March 16, 1854; Thomas Charles, b. January 16, 1857; William Frederick, b. January 3, 1859; and Louisa F. B., b. July 12, 1861. A tombstone in the People’s Cemetery, Parkdale reads, “Catherine, wife of John Robins, b. February 20, 1824, died June 24, 1909. John Robins died December 9, 1885. Age 57. Also, infant son George died May 20, 1870. Age 9 months.” Edward Ernest settled in Hawaii where he died December 6, 1929. For information contact: E-mail: “Barthel” <quad6-@surfree.com>.

William (brother of Edward), born in 1827, a shoemaker on Hillsborough St. in Charlottetown, married Randal M. Spencer on October 4, 1856. They were the grandparents of Wanda Wyatt, the renowned philanthropist from Summerside. Wanda was the daughter of Judge James Edward (Ned) Wyatt and Cecelia LeFurgey, and died in 1998 at age 103. The saga of this family branch is written in the book A Century on Spring Street - Wanda Lefurgey Man of Summerside Prince Edward Island, 1895-1998 by Deirdre Kessler.

Mariah (sister of Edward), born in 1829, didn’t marry, and died July 18, 1876, aged 47. She is named, along with her parents and other family members, on a four sided monument in the Community Cemetery, Marshfield beside St. Columba Presbyterian Church.

James (brother of Edward), born in August 1832, remained at the Whitney Hill homestead on the Suffolk Road, and married Matilda C. McLeod on March 28, 1878. When he retired from farming he acquired property on St. Peters Rd. to the west of the Suffolk Rd. and east of the big hill where he built a retirement home. It was situated where Michael and Janice Saunders now live. However, James didn’t live much longer. Their daughter, Matilda (“Aunt” Tillie Boswall), married George Boswall Sr. in 1909. George’s farm on the south side of the Frenchfort Rd. had no buildings, so George moved the retirement house to his Frenchfort farm circa 1910. It was moved across