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A Collection of Documents Covering Various PEI Families Collected by Rick and Eileen Bremner from the Archives and other sources:1) Paper written by Margaret Bagnall regarding the Bagnalls resettling to New Zealand in 1864 This is the story of two courageous women, Moore HASZARD, who sailed from Prince Edward Island, Canada, to New Zealand in 1858, and Martha BAGNALL, who made the same voyage five years later. The passenger lists of the two ships also contain the names of the MORPETH, OWEN and DARRAH families, whose descendants will hold a reunion in Auckland next weekend.
Voyage of Hardship As the tiny sailing ship Prince Edward carried Moore HASZARD from Charlottetown Harbour in November, 1858, destined for New Zealand, 14,500 miles (23,200 km.) and then half a year away, she needed all the courage of her illustrious forebear, Sir John MOORE. The bride of Robert HASZARD, she must surely have questioned the wisdom of this voyage, especially as she lay wretchedly ill with seasickness for much of the trip. Her son, Fenwick, born in New Zealand 16 years later, wrote of her distress: "Mother had been ill from the start of the voyage. She never could get over the seasickness and before reaching Cape Town she was in such an exhausted state that her life was despaired of. On reaching the Cape it was decided to remain for a month until her strength was built up." At least Moore HASZARD had the comfort of her husband and several members of the Haszard family. She was christened Moore in deference to Sir John MOORE who had died at the Battle of Corunna in 1809 and had left no male heirs to carry on the name. Moore was one of the 84 passengers in the hands of a highly skilful master, Captain Edward NOLAN, who had spent more than 30 years in sail, chiefly in north Atlantic and west African waters. As well as the considerable demands on his seamanship and recurring shortages of water and the main food of salt meat and ships biscuits at certain stages of the voyage he had to control some quirky passengers. What had carried these 84 people away from Prince Edward Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence? Moores father, Henry Douglas MORPETH, had heard of the Auckland Waste Lands Act whereby land was bought from the Maoris by the Crown for the purpose of settlement. Immigrants "of good character and sober speaking habits" could select 40 acres (16.2 hectares) of this land on the payment of the agents fee of 10. Children could claim 20 acres on application by their guardians. Robert HASZARD, aware of the decreasing property at home, especially with the restrictions of farm free holding, looked to the other side of the world. Auckland drew agonizingly close, but there was still one final ordeal. The ship was struck by a violent westerly squall as Great Barrier Island was rounded. Moore HASZARD recorded, "For a while it seemed impossible that anything could save us. The ship was lying on her side with the lee rail under water. The expressions on the faces of all fear or determination the howling of the wind, flapping of sails and roar of water, made such a scene that I can never forget. Gradually the strain was eased and the ship slowly came back to an even keel." Moore HASZARD�s journey did not really end on May 13, 1859 when the ship berthed with the relieved passengers and such items as bricks, saws, wagons and even a steam engine. The Haszards first settled in Mangonui, Northland, and the only communication to Auckland was by means of a sailing cutter. Fenwick HASZARD kept a record of those heartbreaking days when settlers looked out from their temporary raupo whares, often on many acres of scrub to be cleared. He wrote with particular sensitivity on what his mother and other women went through in those times. "The living conditions were hard even for men," he recalled. "But how much harder they were for women, little more than girls brought up in the seclusion of early Victorian days. "They were certainly taught the rudiments of house management, but they never had to do the actual work. "Then suddenly they were transplanted to the wilds of a practically unknown county, surrounded by tattooed savages and compelled to do the whole of the multitudinous work, even to the grinding of corn for bread for the whole household." Mangonui was abandoned and the family moved to Tanoa on the Otamatea River. Robert HASZARD taught at a native school, even though he had no knowledge of Maori and his pupils knew little of English. Robert HASZARD retired in 1886. He and Moore moved south, spending their final years in Waihi. On the night of December 23, 1863, Martha BAGNALL looked out from the sailing ship Pakeha, towards the fading land around Charlottetown Harbour, which would soon be frozen. Ahead of her lay New Zealand, said by those who had sailed earlier in the Prince Edward to be beautiful country where land was given to every person who paid their passage. But beyond the darkening shoreline on Prince Edward Island were Marthas six brothers and five sisters. She never saw them again. Not all were sad on that bleak December day. Young Horatio Nelson BAGNALL, a son of Martha and her husband, George, raced round the decks of the newly built brig with as much confidence as his famous namesake had handled the VICTORY. His older brother, a future Mayor of Auckland, Lemuel BAGNALL, and his bride, Sarah, thought of new challenges rather than the severing of old ties. Their arrival in Auckland on May 26, 1864 was not encouraging. No accommodation was available after settlers had fled north from the turbulence of the land wars. The weary immigrants inquired anxiously for lodgings while their children sloshed through the mud of Shortland St
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2) From "N.Z. Herald" of Saturday, 12 May, 198? -
Mr. and Mrs. BAGNALL were married in Canada in 1863 and came to Auckland in the following year. Four years later Mr. BAGNALL went to the Thames, he and his father purchasing the Turua Sawmills. In 1872 he was elected to represent the Thames district on the Auckland Provincial Council, and since then he has served on the Thames Harbour Board, the Auckland City Council, the Auckland Land Board, the Charitable Aid Board and Education Board. Mr. BAGNALL has been chairman of each of the elective bodies of which he was a member, and he was also Mayor of Auckland for a period. From "The Social World" N. Z. Sporting a Dramatic Review, 23rd October 1913.
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3) From "N.Z. Herald" of Saturday, 12 May, 198? - Dorothy Bagnall's book, The Bagnalls of Turua, on pages 25 and 26. Mr. and Mrs. L. J. BAGNALL Their Golden Wedding.
An interesting function was held at Cargen, Auckland, on October 10th, when Mr. and Mrs. L. J. BAGNALL celebrated their golden wedding. The spacious new dining room was a bower of roses, the floral decorations evoking many admiring comments. A large wedding cake centred the main table and was cut by Mr. and Mrs. Victor BAGNALL. The principal toast was proposed by the Mayor, Mr. C. J. PARR and duly honoured in bumpers of champagne. Mr. and Mrs. BAGNALL were presented with many beautiful gifts and sheaves of congratulatory telegrams from all parts of New Zealand. Mrs. BAGNALL wore a handsome gown of silver grey poplin, finished with embroideries and smart black and white bonnet. She carried a bouquet of roses. Miss BAGNALL wore a biscuit coloured coat and skirt with touches of tangerine, and hat ensuite; Mrs. Harold BAGNALL wore a grey silk skirt and dark blue silk coat, and floral hat; Mrs. Victor BAGNALL white crepe frock and black picture hat; Mrs D. HUNT, grey charmeuse gown, cream hat massed with flowers; the Mayoress (Mrs. C. J. PARR) black velvet coat and skirt and black and cerise hat. There were about 150 guests.
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4) A third generation Bovyer, Stephen, youngest son of John of Lot 48, was the inventor of a horse power machine: as noted in the Royal Gazette of August 8 1837....Mr. Stephen Bovyer completed his very simple but very efficient horse power....which was attached to a threshing machine and tested with a quantity of oats (everyone was) highly gratified with its capabilities...the power and the speed are said to be fully equal to that of the machine imported at great cost from Boston.
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Another item from the Royal Gazette of September
BOVYER PATENT HORSE POWER MACHINE
Price 25 lbs delivered.
From the Prince Edward Island Register
In May 1831, 63 passengers from Greenrock, Scotland, landed in Georgetown on the ship "Stoffa" and a few days later 39 others followed from Plymouth, England, on the ship "Resolution." That year the post office was transferred from John Norton's farm in Brudenell to Georgetown. Mail was delivered weekly from Charlottetown on horseback.
From the book
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5) In the spring of 1832, before he became a ship owner himself, John Howe chartered the Calypso from Chanter and sent her to the Island with 197 passengers chiefly mechanics and labourers. Lewis Gossard was her master, and she made the passage in forty one days, arriving on 27 May at which time the last snow must still have been lying in low, rotting, dirty, banks under the trees. Something went wrong with the arrangements for the Calypsos arrival. The most likely explanation is that Howe chartered the vessel on terms which envisaged releasing her in time to make a second voyage in the late summer. This meant that the Calypso had no time to go to Charlottetown to land her passengers, although Howe had entered into agreements with them to land them there. Chanter gave Grossard instruction to put the emigrants ashore near the site of stillborn Princetown, and this he did, on what was described by George Beer, the ringleader in the subsequent "Mutiny", as the wild shores of farmer Hackers farm Richmond Bay. The emigrants rebelled and, by one means or another, forced Grossard to transport them and some of their baggage to Charlottetown at the ships expense. George Beer's description of conditions in the 100 foot Calypso with almost 200 people on board is indicative of what was normally taken for granted:....was there a proper space between decks? Was not a considerable part of our luggage stowed between decks, so that we could scarcely stand or sit, and were almost compelled either to keep in our miserable berths, or stand shivering with wet and cold on the upper decks? Was this legal? Was there a correct and legal list of the passengers presented at the Custom House.?...... But the stranding of the passengers was really nothing very out of the ordinary. The early nineteenth century view was that the ship owner contracted to carry the emigrants to the New World but was not responsible for what happened thereafter, and the requirements of the Passenger Act of 1828, with which Beer appears to have been familiar, were neither observed nor enforced.
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6) According to the biography of Benjamin Armitage Bremner on his mother's (Sarah Beer) side during the last half of the 19th Century, there were six city councillors, one mayor of Charlottetown (Henry Beer) and two members of Prince Edward Island's House of Assembly (Henry and George Beer)
The Islander 1 Oct 1869 page 2 We exceedingly regret to learn that the Bremner brothers of this City received a telegram from Boston yesterday (Wed.) stating that their Mother was killed the day previously, somewhere near that City, by a Railway accident. Mrs. Bremner, whom since her husband's death, has been the proprietress of the Prince Street Bookstore, was on a tour to the United States, where she has unfortunately met an untimely end. The deceased was an exemplary Christian and her fate will be deplored by many sincere friends. We deeply sympathizes with her family in their affliction-
19 Nov 1869 Prince Edward Island Register
Bremner are hereby notified to make immediate payment to the undersigned and all persons having demands against said Estate are requested to present the same forthwith, duly attested, to the undersigned Geo Bremner Executor Charlottetown Oct 15 Sarah was baptized at Barnstaple, Devon and would have been nineteen when the Family emigrated. She married John Samuel Bremner on 1 Jan 1838. They lived on Prince Street just north of Grafton Street, where John is listed in Hutchinson's 1864 Directory as "Bookseller and Stationer, Prince near Grafton" also "Asst. Collector Import and Excise Office Charlottetown, Colonial Building." There are advertisements as follows: Royal Gazette, 1 July 1834-Land Agent Royal gazette, 7 January 1835- Sheriff The Constitutionalists, 27 April 1846- General Agent for the Constitutionalists. Also general Store north side of Queen Square (or/also Queen Street). After Johns death in 1864 aged 54, Sarah continued to run the Prince Street Bookstore, until her untimely death. Sarah and John had nine children and only raised to adulthood four of them ,the others died before they were three.
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7) From Azusa Valley News, July 5. Place of publication: Azusa, Los Angeles County, Calif.
"We learn from the Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) Patriot of the death of the father of Mesdames Susie Forbes and J. C. Johnson and their youngest brother, residents of this place. The following from the Patriot is self-explanitory.
At his home, Harrington, Brackley Point Road, Saturday June 11, 1892, Stephen McCallum, aged 67 years. The funeral took place Monday afternoon. We regreat to chronicle the death at Brackley Point of Stepehen MacCallum, Esq., an old resident of that place. The deceased took great interest in natural history and was the possesor of a very valuable collection of interesting relics gathered from all parts of the Island. Persons passing his place could not fail to notice, perched upon the north entrance two joints of a whale's vertebrae. Mr. McCallum was the father of Mrs. R. B. Norton of this city and was much respected.
He was an old pioneer of California, having come here in '49 via Cape Horn, and was seven months making the trip from Charlottetown to San Francisco. At one time was the owner of a 200-acre ranch near Palo Alto. He leaves a family of Seven daughters and three sons. At the time of his death he was justice of the peace and postmaster, which positions he has held for the past ten years. He had been ailing for the past year with heart failure.
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8) Sent to Rick and Eileen Bremner from Pamela Miller
The above obituary is from an original newspaper clipping of family papers. Another clipping was of a letter to the editor by an unidentified "Travellerr" Letters to the Editor Curiiosities Sir, - When traveling on the Brackly Point Road lately I noticed a comfortable and well arranged homestead, with a large joint of the backbone of a whale on the top of the gate post. Also-a fence formed of large pine stumps which appear to have done duty for half a century and to be good for as long again. On visiting the house I discovered that the bone and fence were a correct index to the character and genius of the owner. I found the owner, Stephen McCallum, Esq., to be not only a sociable and hospitalbe gentleman, but a naturalist and antiquarian. His house is a museum of curiosities, which shows his wonderful industry, keen perception and deep reflection. As Captain of Militia he has a sword owned by his father, who held the same office back in the 18th century. A stone arrow head picked up on his farm, about 4 inches by two; a white oval shaped stone about the size of an egg, with a groove round the centre, supposed to have been used by the Indians for killing wild geese and ducks; a shark's tooth, picked up on the shore; one half of the under stone of querns [*Editor�s note: simple hand mill for grinding grain, typically consisting of two circular stones, the upper of which is rotated or rubbed to and fro on the lower one used for crushing grain by the first settlers]. Twenty-five stacks of barley, containing 15000 grains, neatly enclosed in a box with glass front. Sixty-three samples of Island wood, carefully dressed, showing grain by wood and bark. Having mislaid my notes I can only remember a small part. What I saw was only a few of his later findings; the bulk of his stock being in charge of the Historical Society, Charlottetown; Mr. McCallum's example is well worthy of imitation by the young and rising generation. He is well entitled to be called an honorary member of the Historical Society. During my stay at the comfortable home of Mrs. R. Matheson, I observed the close attention, and careful study given to the cases of sickness on hand, by her son, Dr. C.S. Matheson. Such diligence and care, in connexion with good natural ability and kind gentlemanly conduct easily accounts for his success and popularity. Your, &c. Traveller. /Pam Miller"
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9) Tidbits from the archives
According to the biography of Benjamin Armitage Bremner on his mother's (Sarah Beer) side during the last half of the 19th Century, there were six city councillors, one mayor of Charlottetown (Henry Beer) and two members of Prince Edward Island's House of Assembly (Henry and George Beer)
The Islander 1 Oct 1869 page 2 We exceedingly regret to learn that the Bremner brothers of this City received a telegram from Boston yesterday (Wed.) stating that their Mother was killed the day previously, somewhere near that City, by a Railway accident. Mrs. Bremner, whom since her husband's death, has been the proprietress of the Prince Street Bookstore, was on a tour to the United States, where she has unfortunately met an untimely end. The deceased was an exemplary Christian and her fate will be deplored by many sincere friends. We deeply sympathizes with her family in their affliction-
19 Nov 1869 Prince Edward Island Register:
Bremner are hereby notified to make immediate payment to the undersigned and all persons having demands against said Estate are requested to present the same forthwith, duly attested, to the undersigned Geo Bremner Executor Charlottetown Oct 15 Sarah was baptized at Barnstaple, Devon and would have been nineteen when the Family emigrated. She married John Samuel Bremner on 1 Jan 1838. They lived on Prince Street just north of Grafton Street, where John is listed in Hutchinson's 1864 Directory as "Bookseller and Stationer, Prince near Grafton" also "Asst. Collector Import and Excise Office Charlottetown, Colonial Building." There are advertisements as follows: Royal Gazette, 1 July 1834-Land Agent Royal gazette, 7 January 1835- Sheriff The Constitutionalists, 27 April 1846- General Agent for the Constitutionalists. Also general Store north side of Queen Square (or/also Queen Street). After Johns death in 1864 aged 54, Sarah continued to run the Prince Street Bookstore, until her untimely death. Sarah and John had nine children and only raised to adulthood four of them ,the others died before they were three.