2. What to the names Dwyers Pond, Northeast Pond, Tilt Hill Pond, 32 Shed, Cross Country Pond, & Georges Hill have in common?
3. What do the numbers 17,26,27,32,33, & 25 have in common?
4. What is the connection between the Rusk Institute of Medicine in New York City & the Thistle family?
5. What Thistle turned down an appointment to the Canadian Senate?6. What do the names Bamafash, Bamareng, Jeannie Barno, Bamasteer, Cobbs Arm & Strathcona have in common?
7. What to the initials D.R. , E.F. & F.H. mean?
8. What do Capt. David, Walter Leslie, Ralph, & Clemmet Wellington Thistle have in common?
9. What Thistle won the Govener Generals Medal in University for highest marks in the graduating class?
10. Where did the name Jimmer come from? Dont know this one myself. LOL
11 Who was called the Jimmer & the Little Jimmer?
12. Where is Otterbury & who lived there?
........ ~ Thistle of Harbour Grace~.........
The Thistle's of Harbour Grace were once one of the most prominent famlies in
Conception Bay. After the death of Thomas Thistle Jr. in 1812 and his mother
Amy Thistle sometime around 1817 the Surname Thistle seems to fade away.
With the death of the matriarch and her son Thomas Pynn Thistle, ended one
of the oldest family names in a long line of Thistles from this Harbour.
This proud family was once one of the largest land holders of Harbour Grace
and they lived in the very center of the Harbour . They were also one of the
largest Merchants in the area till the end of the 18th century. The Thistles
and some of the other early settlers the Parsons, Webers, Strittons, Pikes
and Moores who's property also abutted the Thistles of Harbour Grace are
responsible for much of the early growth of the village. Their roots go back
to the mid to late 1600's and the family may have descended from the four
Thistle brothers that arrived in harbour from the Channel Island of Guernsey .
In 1765 Amy Thistle claims her ancestors had owned property here for 102 years.
That would have meant her family had lived here in 1663. The families that lived
on the waterfront next to the Thistles, the Pynn's and Joureaux families, were
two other very old well established families in the settlement.
It was not easy for these first pioneering families to establish their roots in
Newfoundland. More then once Habour Grace was attacked by the French.
In 1705 Harbour Grace was burnt to the ground and 22 homes were destroyed,
the people of the settlement fled to Belle Island. Honery Thistle (Henry) shows
up in the 1706 census on Belle Island with his family of 1 wife, 5 children, 4 servants
and 1 boat.
Could Henry Thistle have been part of the Thistle family of Harbour Grace?
Was he one of settlers that fled to Belle Island and decided to stay because
it was safer there to settle his family? Henry Thistle had contracted for
land in 1705 the same year that the French attacked Harbour Grace.
Henry may have lived in Harbour Garce in 1697 when the settlement had
a population of 14 dewllings 11 planters 9 wives 15 sons 20 daughters
107 fishery servants and 25 Boats. Did Henry Thistle die on Belle Island ?
Who knows, but his children may have been the seeds of some the early
Thistle families of Carbonear or Mulley's Cove.
In 1750 Amy Thistles Father in-law bequeathed her a large wooded area behind
her plantation as well as 6 stores, 6 houses, 2 stages, 4 wharfs, 3 gardens and
1 meadow.This along with other lands were leased to tenents. It would have
taken some time for Amy's father in-law to amass this kind of position .
That would lead me to believe in 1677 Thomas Thistles family lived
In Harbour Grace when the community had 7 dwellings 10 planters 2 wives
5 daughters 35 fishery servants and 11 boats and 9 gardens.
The Thistle families were deeply involved wth the business , political and
religious aspects of Harbour Grace. Mr. Thistle shows up in church records
as the Warden of the Anglican Church of Harbour Grace and Carbonear in the
year 1795. Part of Amy Thistle's land abutted the chapel and school for
150 yards. In 1799 the earliest Catholic Cemetery on Bennett's lane in
Harbour Grace was donated by The Thistles which were known as a very old
family from the Jersey Islands. William Thistle owned a plantation that was
next to the Catholic Church of Harbour Grace, his land bounded the Church
on the east for 90 yards.(Newfoundlanders used the term Jersey men for all
settlers that arrived from the Channel Islands including Guernsey and the other
two smaller Islands Alderney and Sark.)
In 1811 Amy Thistle transfered 23 acres of land to Dr. Sterling who later sold the
land to Rev.Charles Dalton in 1839. Mr. Dalton later willed the land to the Nuns in
Harbour Grace for their Convent in 1858.
With the deaths of Thomas and Amy Thistle and their son , the families
remaining four daughters married into some of the most prominent families
of St Johns. This was the begining of the end for this historic old family
of Harbour Grace. The surname Thistle slowly disappears from the
church records and outside of William Thistle of Outterbury. Only three
Thistles show up in the 1871 directory on the South side of Harbour Grace,
the name Thistle fades away .
Gary Thistle.............
Thistle Family 140 years in business
It is believed that the legendary October gale of 1867 ,which devastated much of the North East Coast & Labrador wrecking 42 ships & taking 40 lives, caused the Thistle family to move to Green Bay. Frederick Thistle was returning to Harbour Grace from the Seal Islands in Labrador with his crew & their families when the gale struck. They sought shelter in Halls Bay & discovered what is now known as Boot Harbour. Frederick, grandson of Captain Willam Thistle who with Thomas Oates owned the vessel Little Belt, descended from a long line of Thistle planters (schooner owners, floaters) who owned land in the centre of Harbour Grace dating back to mid 1600's. Their summer fishing station was the Seal Islands, a now deserted community just north of Battle Harbour. Frederick & wife Elizabeth were married there, in 1862, & some of their children were born there. Upon discovering Boot Harbour, with its large White Pine trees & good soil for pasture & growing crops, Frederick purchased land & decided to move his family there. He started a steam powered saw mill at the mouth of the stream. His main product was White Pine shingles which were sold mainly in the booming fishing & copper mining towns of the surrounding area. He used his schooner to deliver his products & built a thriving business in Boot Harbour. This was the start of the Thistles attachment to the lumber business which has lasted for six generations. Frederick died in 1907 & is buried beside his wife Elizabeth in Boot Harbour. Upon his death he willed the business to his youngest son Simon who later moved to Corner Brook.
Frederick Thistle 11 the third of Frederick & Elizabeths 8 children was born in the Seal Islands in 1866, grew up in Boot Harbour & married Lavina Pike in 1887 in Boot Harbour. Lavina was a descendent of the legendary Gilbert Pike & Princess Sheila Na Geira of Bristol's Hope.They moved to Southern Arm, Green Bay, & there Frederick started a sawmill at the mouth of the brook. This mill was later owned by the Yeats family. Lavina died in 1902 & Frederick, devastated by her death, decided to move with his 7 children to an area where he could be closer to better medical care & more services. In the summer of 1902 he floated his house on fish barrels across Green Bay & up North West Arm to Kings Point. There he remarried Fanny Strong & started a sawmill similar to Boot Harbour & Southern Arm. From the sawmill business he built a general retail store, carpenter shop, shingle mill, blacksmith shop, cooperage & boat yard building up to 60 ft schooners. From the early 1900's to the mid 1930's he built a thriving business & was the largest employer in the Kings Point area. The sawmill also manufactured fish barrels used to ship herring to the US. He as well shipped pulpwood to Newcastle England, & pit props to the coal mines in Wales. As he grew older the business came under management of his sons Frederick 111 & Ralph. Frederick semi retired to work in the general store. He died in 1937 & is buried in Kings Point with his second wife Fanny.
Other descendants of Frederick & Elizabeth Thistle who gained prominence in business were David Rudolf Thistle ( 1891-1969) their grandson who founded Trade Printers & Publishers & went on to become the King/Queens Printer & publisher of the Newfoundland Gazette. He was President of the St. Johns Board of Trade & was awarded the M. B. E. Also Eban Frederick Barnes (1894-1972) was the son of Edward Barnes & Clara Belle Thistle a daughter of Frederick & Elizabeth. He founded E. F. Barnes Ltd. where he designed & built the Barnes motor boat engine. He also operated a ship yard designing & building steel hulled ships on the St. Johns waterfront. E. F. Barnes is still operating on the waterfront today. Both these businessmen were born in Boot Harbour.
The depression of the 1930's devastated much of Newfoundland & the Thistles did not escape the crises. Business in Kings Point began to decline. In 1935 the business obtained a contract to cut & export, to Britain, wood from the Reid Company Lots in Burlington. Ralph moved to Burlington in 1935, Frederick 11 & son Frederick 111 followed in 1937. When Frederick 11 died Frederick 111 became senior manager of the business. During World War 11 the export wood business ended & the family business reverted to a sawmill operation & general store. In 1946 Ralph moved to Baie Verte & started his own sawmill business. They eventually began cutting pulpwood for Bowaters in Corner Brook. By now Frederick 111 son Sidney was moving into the business & the business began to grow. In 1955 Thistle & Sons was incorporated, with Sidney as senior manager. Brother Walter Roy (1919- 1998) joined the business as manager in Burlington & Sidney moved to Baie Verte. Frederick 111 retired in St. Johns. They purchased Bowaters store in Baie Verte & in addition to the sawmill & general store in Burlington, operated 14 pulpwood camps for Bowaters. They became a major economic force on the Baie Verte Peninsula employing hundreds of people. Once again business for the Thistles was booming.
In the early 1960's Baie Verte began to change. Advocate & Rambler Mines opened & Bowaters closed their woods office. The Thistles changed too & phased out their woods operations & began to focus on opportunities around the mines. They built a new modern department store, rebuilt twice because of fires with a supermarket, dry goods, furniture, restaurant, hardware & building supplies & also housed the Bank of Nova Scotia. Sidney saw other opportunities & started a construction company, trucking company, tuna boat business, & constructed apartment buildings. He brought cable television to Baie Verte & had the first cable television license in Nfld. In 1967 Roy left Thistle & Sons & started his own business, White Bay Stores Ltd. the present day White Bay Home Hardware. In 1974 the whole community was shocked when Sidney (age 50), at the peak of his career. died suddenly of heart failure. Much of the responsibility for his business then fell to his wife Gertie. She continued to operate the business for a number of years but eventually sold off all the operations. The present day Co-op & Home Furniture are the principle locations she owned.
With the start of White Bay Stores in 1967 a new era of Thistle business began. Starting with a 800 sq. ft hardware store the business has continually expanded to the present day 30,000 sq. ft of merchandise & warehouse space consisting of a Home Hardware Building Centre & Home Furniture in two locations. Roys son Kevin joined the business full time in 1977 & acquired ownership in 1984 with the semi retirement of his father. In 2004 Kevin semi retired & son Paul has now become General Manager. The company is currently constructing its newest project. Riverside Properties a seniors housing complex in Baie Verte.
From:
To:
Subject: Re: CB Thistles
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:22 PM
Hi Kevin , No Thomas and Ay Thistle were Anglican. Their son was the warden
of the Anglican Church and Carbonear Methodist church at one time they
were united. Thomas Thistle was a constable of Carbonear in 1732. take away 21
years or more can give you a approximate date of his Birth 1705 or older
more likely older.
Destroy any files I gave you of Thomas Thistle of Harbour Grace this one
has been up dated use this ..Gary
Early Thistle Families of Newfoundland
By Gary Thistle.
I put this together to help other's with some of the early births and
baptisms. Though I
believe these families fairly represent which children are tied to some of
the earlier
settlers. There may be error with this and I caution those who use this.
You should verify
the information bellow as you would any source.
It is said that the Thistle surname migrated to Newfoundland from the
along with many Channel Islanders of Jersey and Guernsey about 17th Century.
One of four Thistle brothers from Guernsey settled in Harbour Grace and
another to Boot Harbour.
In the 18th century another migratory movement of the surname Thistle also
arrive here from Ireland and England.
THOMAS THISTLE Merchant Planter of Harbour Grace and
Catherine ?
This family, was well established in Harbour Grace possibly from the
early to Mid
1600's. most likely originated from the Channel Islands. Their descendants
married into
many notable and prominent family's from St. John's to Harbour Grace.
Thomas Thistle
father had substantial holding in Harbour Grace which he bequeathed to his
daughter
in-law Amy Thistle in his will of 1750. She claimed her family had been
there for 102
year that would at least put her descendants the Pynn's in Harbour Grace
around 1663.
In 1697 Harbour Grace records show there were 14 house's and 11 planters.
Thomas Thistle plantation consisted of 2 Stages 4 Wharves 2 Flakes 6 Stores
6 Houses
3 Gardens 1 Meadow and was surrounded by his own woods. This was a
considerable
amount of land and it would taken a long time for Thomas Thistle to have
achieve this
kind of holding. He lived next to the Pynn's plantation and they were
located in the
very center of the harbour. There is a fresh water stream that runs through
the Thistle
property and it is called Thistle Brook. It was know to the people of
Harbour Grace as a
very important land mark used in reference to other properties in the town.
These
locations would have gone to the very first inhabitants of Harbour Grace.
Thomas and
Amy Thistle named one of their sons Thomas Pynn Thistle. This may be an
indication
as to Amy Thistle's maiden name.
There is a Catherine Thistle that was buried Harbour Grace Anglican Church
records,
her age was estimated at age 80. This would of made her born about 1702.
St Paul's
Anglican Church Burial Records. Catharine Thistle: 6 Dec. 1782 abt. 80
years old
Harbour Grace. This may be the mother of Thomas Thistle that married Amy
Pynn of
Harbour Grace. excerpt re Harbour Grace, Newfoundland History (1936) -
specifically
mentioning Jersey men. In the article there is mention of "two private
Jersey burial
grounds. Tombstones of the THISTLE family dating back to 1760 are still
able to be
seen in the Plot off Thompson's Lane" "Dr John Moore, a Jersey man, was
buried there.
He was a Doctor on a warship, and married into the THISTLE family and
settled at
Harbour
Grace."
Children of Thomas Thistle Merchant of Harbour Grace and Constable of
Harbour
Grace and Carbonear and Catherine ?.
1. Thomas Thistle b. about 1705
2. Ann Thistle. b. about 1720 d. 7 Dec. 1782 note may be a sister
to Thomas Thistle
Thomas Thistle son of Planter Thomas Thistle and
Catherine
married Amy Pynn of Harbour Grace.
Thomas Thistle died sometime after 1795 we know this because of a
letter dated 1795
that Mr. Thistle( Warden of the Church) at Harbour Grace and Carbonear
open the
Church for Mr. Smith of Poole England his wife Amy Pynn died in 1816 and
her death
was noted in a news paper and recorded by Terrence M. Punch, Nova Scotia
Vital
Statistics from Newspapers, 1813-1822, Genealogical Committee of the Nova
Scotia
Historical Society, Halifax. The province and county are associated with
the location of
the record source and in some cases may not be the same as the place where
the
event occurred. He Noted that Amy Thistle was from Newfoundland.
Known Children of: Thomas Thistle son of Thomas & Catherine and Amy Pynn
of Harbour Grace.
1. Mary Thistle b. abt. 1762
2. Jane Thistle. b. abt 1763
3. Rachel Thistle. b. abt. 1765
4. Catherine Thistle. bapt. 3 Aug.1766
5. Emma Thistle. b. abt. 1768 d. age 84 13 Oct. 1852
6. Thomas Pynn Thistle. bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 d. 9 Mar.1812
Thomas and Amy Thistle named one of their sons Thomas Pynn Thistle. This
may be an indication as to Amy Thistle's maiden name.
Ann Thistle b abt. 1720 daughter of Thomas Thistle Planter Merchant and
Catherine ?
Ann Thistle ( ( 1st. marriage) married Henry Pynn Planter of Harbour Grace.
Children of:
Robert Pynn.
Elizabeth Pynn.
Rebecca Pynn.
Jane Pynn.
Ann Thistle (Widow) 2nd. marriage......Married Michael Stretch of
Harbour Grace:
Details for reference PROB 3/51/15 from our Catalogue.
Pynn, Henry, Harbour Grace, in Newfoundland, in parts beyond the seas,
(ship's
chandler). Ann Stretch, formerly Pynn, wife of Michael Stretch, relict and
adtrix.
(Covering dates: 1752 May 13)
Children of Thomas and Amy Pynn.
Mary Thistle: married Arthur Grumly 1 Jan. 1782 daughter to Thomas and Amy
Thistle
Harbour Grace Anglican Church Records.
Catherine Thistle: married William Gaden( bapt. 3 Aug.1766 brother of
George Gaden.
The Gaden's were Merchants Son of William Gaden & Honora Troone
(This was Catherine's 2nd. Marriage. As mentioned in Will.) Catherine's
1st Marriage
possibly to Dr. Jonathan Moores 27 Dec.1787 Harbour Grace St Paul's
Anglican Church
The record was (insert between the pages). Of the Parish Register.
Emma Thistle: married George Gaden Merchant of St Johns 5 July 1789
Cathedral of
St Johns The Baptist Anglican. Wit: Peter W. Thistle, William Gaden.
Children of:
Emma Gaden abt 1795
George Thistle Gaden abt 1798
William Hark Gaden:bapt. 30 Sep.1799
Thomas Eppes Gaden:b. 9 Mar.1803 Bapt. 11 Aug. 1813
Tryphena Gaden: b. 8 Jul.1805 bapt. Aug. 11 1813
Joseph Crawford Gaden. b. 6 Jul. 1807 bapt. 11 Aug. 1813
Sarah West Gaden
Cathedral of St Johns The Baptist. Anglican Baptisms.
George Thistle Gaden Merchant of St Johns Newfoundland married Johan
Bucan
Lightbody of Edinburgh
Glasgow Scotland 26 Sep. 1822 marriage took place in Scotland Youngest
daughter
of Buccleuch Lightbody.
(note Emma (Thistle) Gaden left her son Joseph Crawford Gaden
(also known as Garland Crawford Gaden) her
estate. Will dated 9. Sep.1841.)
Emma Thistle born abt.1768
died age 84 13 Oct. 1852 . Burial in family vault. Funeral
Sunday the 17th on the north side of the main church entrance
ST. Paul's Harbour Grace.
Thomas Pynn Thistle: Bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 d. 9 Mar.1812
married Mary Journeaux Daughter b. 1776 d. 25 Feb. 1850of James Juer and
Elizabeth
Thomas Pynn Thistle: bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 ( note Thomas may of been baptized
as a
young Boy?) Mary Journeaux: b.abt 1776
Children of:
Mary Thistle born 14 May 1805 bapt.20 Jun.1811
Harbour Grace Anglican Church.
Thomas Thistle Jr. Late of Harbour Grace , Merchant deceased 9 Mar.1812
Mary Thistle widow of Thomas Thistle married Joseph Innott.
Mary Thistle died 25 Feb.1850 age 74 yr.of Harbour Grace.
27 Feb.1850 Paper Date (Weekly Harold Conception Bay Advertiser and was
interned
in a private cemetery belonging to her former Husband the late Thomas
Thistle Esq.
Merchant of this place.
Mary Thistle:(Widow) of Thomas Thistle
of Harbour Grace married Joseph Innott of this Parish 28 Jun.1817
wit:Mary Knight
Matt'w Kearney, Mary Parsons,and John Hillyard. Harbour Grace St Paul's
Marr.
Joseph R. Innott Head Stone's St Paul's Harbour Grace. Died 20 Nov.1832
age 47 yr.
(note: 1800 Journeaux , who's extensive properties came under the control
of his son
in-law's Dr Mayne; Nicholas Payne, THOMAS THISTLE, and Jewer . (alt. Jure,
Gore,
Juer ) whose property was to be sub divided and sold by James Bailey who
married
one of the Jewer daughters.)
Jane Thistle married John Hillyard:
children Of:
Thomas Hillyard: b. 8 May 1804.. bapt:30 Dec.1804
Congregational Church St. Johns Vital Stats Vol.23
Samuel Hillyard:b. 8 Apr.1806 ..bapt. 8 Jun.1806
Congregational Church. St. Johns Vital Stats. Vol.23
Alfred Wilson bach of St Johns married Jane Thistle Hillyard spin most
likely
the daughter of John Hillyard and Jane Thistle ? of St Johns. wit: Ann
Sarah Beverly ,
John Shea Vital Stats. Volume 26-E Cathedral of St. Johns The Baptist St.
Johns
Anglican Cathedral.
Rachel Thistle: married Peter McKie Esq.
Peter McKie deceased. mentioned in his will
that Rachel was the daughter of Thomas and Amy Thistle.
Will dated 2 Apr.1836 ( Peter McKie Surveyor of His Majesty's Customs at
St Johns.)
Rachael Mckie: had recorded a Will in Canterbury England in the year 13
Jan.1845
Children of Peter Mckie and Rachel Thistle
Maria Thistle Mckie: bapt. 14 Jan 1787
Louisa McKie: 2 May 1790 .
both Cathedral of St Johns The Baptist Anglican
Rachel Mckie: b.27 Oct.1801 bapt. 2 Nov.1801
Congregational Church St.John's Vital Stats. Vol 23 Bapts.
(note in Peter Mckie's will he lists some of his children daughter's
Rachel Turbot,
Caroline Langarne, Agnes O'Farrel, and Elizabeth Bullock and his son John
Livingston McKie was educated as a Surgeon).
1821 St. Johns Thomas Greensill? LANGHORNE, bach, clergyman, Twillingate
Caroline McKie, spin, St Johns Julia Williams, Susanna Warne.
NOTES:
It is interesting to me how Historian's can error and through out time it
is passed down
through the generation's as a fact. Then copied by other expert's. Take
the case of
Amy Thistle of Harbour Grace.
Most Historian's claim Amy Thistle and her family lived in Harbour Grace
for 102 years.
This statement was made in the year 1765 from the from a quote by her about
her
property when a census was taken by the British Admiralty in a survey for
fishing
rooms Harbour Grace. Then they go to say that would of put the Thistle
families in
Harbour Grace about the year 1663.
Now I do not doubt the fact that statement was made by Amy Thistle and I'm
sure that
she was correct in that mater. But she was not talking about the Thistle
families of
Harbour Grace. She was talking about her family the Pynn's. Though I also
know The
Thistle families were there too. I'm not sure if they were there as long or
longer then
the Pynn families but they lived next door to each other and held the best
location
dead center in the Harbour with a source of fresh water running through the
property
and this location would of gone to the very first settlers. I could punch
holes through
out the document and some it is correct but there are many error's and
they get
quoted and passed down by other experts on the Surname Thistle in
Newfoundland.
Amy Thistle undoubtedly took a leading part in the town, and is
often named. She had property just East of the R. C. Chapel granted to
her by Governor Byron in 1770. ( Bonnie Hickey Harbour Grace, NF
NFGenWeb Conception Bay North )
The Thistle family are real Jersey descendants, and they must
have owned the half of Harbour Grace at one time. This name can be
traced back to the Norsemen before the time of the Norman conquest, but
is sometimes spelt Thessell, which gives it a French pronunciation.
(Harbour Grace, NF
NFGenWeb Conception Bay North Bonnie HIckey )
In 1805, Thomas Thistle, in a petition to Governor Erasmus Gower,
complained that his
neighbor, Pynn was encroaching upon his property. The Governor ordered
Magistrate
Charles Garland to rectify the matter, and Pynn was ordered to allow room
for vessels
to unload to unload at Thistle's wharf; Garland further ordered that
Thistle had to have
an outlet onto the main path (later Water Street).
In a will left by Mary Stretten 1825 and died 18 Jan.1831 Bequeathed her
Plantation
in Harbour Grace to Rachel Mckie wife of Peter McKie Esq. St Johns. The
Placation
was next to the old Meeting House.
The Division of Thomas Thistle Estate of Harbour Grace .Dated 5 Sep.1818
Thomas
Thistle left his surviving heirs 4 Large Lots of Land To his remaining
Children.
Rachel Thistle Mckie, Emma Thistle Gaden Catherine Thistle Gaden.
( deceased) to her heirs. Jane Thistle Hillyard. (deceased) to her heirs.
Thomas Thistle of Harbour Grace in 1818 a dispute over the Estate of
Thomas Thistle
the Supreme Court carefully insured the use of the their father's
Property was passed
on to the Thistle's four daughters but through the ownership of their
husbands the
reference to this case names: Emma Gaden, George Bayley and Charles Wm.
Beverly.
vs. the administrator of Thomas Thistle Estate.
(note Thomas Thistle merchant & Amy Thistle of Harbour Grace owned
substantial
holding of land in Harbour Grace and St Johns. It was noted by Amy
Thistle that her
father in-law bequeathed her in his Will land in 1750 Harbour Grace.)
In a Letter From Munn. Thomas Thistle and Enima Thistle both sold land in
1800
2 large properties in Harbour Grace.
Enima Thistle:1806 advertisement of Enima Thistle of Harbour Grace
offering 2 Large
plantations for sale with wharves, stores and counting houses as well as
good
residences.
(note Amy Thistle in 1805 Plantation records state in her father in-law’s
will 1750
bequeathed her 8 Houses a Sundry 1 Store 1 wharf 3 Gardens 2 Flakes 1
Stage.)
In A letter dated 1795 that Mr. Thistle( Warden of the Church) at Harbour
Grace and
Carbonear open the Church for Mr. Smith of Poole England. From The Church
of
England Archives.
In 1811 Amy Thistle: 23 acre's of land was transferred to Dr. Sterling.
Dr. Sterling sold
the land to sold to Rev. Dalton. Charles Dalton later he willed the land
to the Nuns in
Harbour Grace for their Convent in 1858.
An excerpt from "The Daily News" of 13 Feb 1925, page 10:
NAMES CUT ON GLASS
Dear Sir, -Thanking you for the picture of the pane of glass in Stretton
House, Harbour
Grace, on which Mr .HORESBY cut his name with a diamond,on May 26th, 1797.
I
notice
another name cut above his viz., Henry JUER. There is no date to this but
twenty years
ago, when I was on a visit to Harbor Grace, I thought of the old
churchyard, to the right
going up Walsh's Lane, and immediately in the rear of the Anglo American
Telegraph
Office, where I spent my early days. I started deciphering the
inscriptions on the old
tombstones (five or six in number), and found that the greater number were
erected to
the THISTLE family - a very old family in Harbor Grace, who were owners of
much land
in the center of the town, between the PYNN's estate and Harvey Street.
It is very
probable that they owned land in other parts of the town also. The
THISTLE family
presented the land, which was used for many years, as the Catholic
cemetery, and
many of the best known people in the town were interred there, notably,
Peter
BROWN,
the merchant, John and James FOX, (grandfather and granduncle of our
genial friend,
Mr. John FOX, H.M.C.), FOLEY the merchant, and, above all, the first
martyred priest in
Newfoundland, Rev. Patrick PHELAN, who lost his life at Grate's Cove
Point, on the 3rd
of September, 1797. He was a powerful swimmer, and dived several times
among the
breakers in his endeavors to save the lives of the boat's crew, but was
unsuccessful,
and lost his own life. Several days after, the body of the saintly priest
was found floating
upright in the middle of Conception Bay, with his breviary under his arm.
The body was
recovered by a man named SNELGROVE, and was interred in a vault in the old
cemetery. I have a copy of the epitaph, which, I should say, is now
entirely obliterated
by the ravages of Time. But to come back to the JUER family. Among the
tombstones
in the old churchyard behind the Anglo-Telegraph Office, is one very large
one to
James JUER, who died in 1754. I am almost certain that this James JUER
was a Jersey
man, and he was a physician by profession. The Henry JUER,scratched on
the window
glass, was probably a son of the above. There is also one to Dr. MORE.
On the
fly-sheet you sent me, it is stated that the pane of glass with the ancient
signature has
been preserved and is now for the first time given to the public.
Probably it was the
STRETTON or PARSONS' family who preserved it, as the first Methodist Church
was
started on or near their property. Historic Stretton Hill is called after
Mr. STRETTON,
and there was also a Mr. Stretton PARSONS, but Mr. A. A. PARSONS, Governor
of H. M.
Penitentiary, knows more about them than I do, I should say. I agitated
about the little
cemetery in Walsh's Lane, being neglected, about 15 or 16 years ago, and my
old
friend, the late R. D. Mc RAE, had a fence placed round it. I don't know if
the fence is
there now, but I am sure that I have only to mention it to have our
enterprising young
friends, John and Frank Mc RAE, for them to do so, because in that sacred
spot lies the
bones of their ancestors of the THISTLE family of Jersey; one of the
daughters married
Mr. John HIGGINS, the first of that family in Harbor Grace, and a rattling
Irishman he
was, as I have heard in my young days.
Yours truly,
H.F. SHORTIS
St. John's, Feby.12th
excerpt re Harbour Grace, Newfoundland
History (1936) - specifically mentioning Jersey men. In the article
there is mention of "two private Jersey burial grounds. Tombstones of the
THISTLE
family dating back to 1760 are still able to be seen in the Plot off
Thompson's
Lane" "Dr John Moore, a Jersey man, was buried there. He was a Doctor on a
warship, and Mr. John HIGGINS, the first of that family in Harbor Grace,
and a rattling
Irishman he was, as I have heard in my young days. married into the THISTLE
family
and settled at Harbour
Grace."
use this one Kevin.....
This file is for the use of Kevin Thistle he may copy and use this for the
purpose of his research and can re print it as he see's fit ....Gary
Thistle.....
9. What Thistle won the Govener Generals Medal in University for highest marks in the graduating class?
10. Where did the name Jimmer come from? Dont know this one myself. LOL
11 Who was called the Jimmer & the Little Jimmer?
12. Where is Otterbury & who lived there?
........ ~ Thistle of Harbour Grace~.........
The Thistle's of Harbour Grace were once one of the most prominent famlies in
Conception Bay. After the death of Thomas Thistle Jr. in 1812 and his mother
Amy Thistle sometime around 1817 the Surname Thistle seems to fade away.
With the death of the matriarch and her son Thomas Pynn Thistle, ended one
of the oldest family names in a long line of Thistles from this Harbour.
This proud family was once one of the largest land holders of Harbour Grace
and they lived in the very center of the Harbour . They were also one of the
largest Merchants in the area till the end of the 18th century. The Thistles
and some of the other early settlers the Parsons, Webers, Strittons, Pikes
and Moores who's property also abutted the Thistles of Harbour Grace are
responsible for much of the early growth of the village. Their roots go back
to the mid to late 1600's and the family may have descended from the four
Thistle brothers that arrived in harbour from the Channel Island of Guernsey .
In 1765 Amy Thistle claims her ancestors had owned property here for 102 years.
That would have meant her family had lived here in 1663. The families that lived
on the waterfront next to the Thistles, the Pynn's and Joureaux families, were
two other very old well established families in the settlement.
It was not easy for these first pioneering families to establish their roots in
Newfoundland. More then once Habour Grace was attacked by the French.
In 1705 Harbour Grace was burnt to the ground and 22 homes were destroyed,
the people of the settlement fled to Belle Island. Honery Thistle (Henry) shows
up in the 1706 census on Belle Island with his family of 1 wife, 5 children, 4 servants
and 1 boat.
Could Henry Thistle have been part of the Thistle family of Harbour Grace?
Was he one of settlers that fled to Belle Island and decided to stay because
it was safer there to settle his family? Henry Thistle had contracted for
land in 1705 the same year that the French attacked Harbour Grace.
Henry may have lived in Harbour Garce in 1697 when the settlement had
a population of 14 dewllings 11 planters 9 wives 15 sons 20 daughters
107 fishery servants and 25 Boats. Did Henry Thistle die on Belle Island ?
Who knows, but his children may have been the seeds of some the early
Thistle families of Carbonear or Mulley's Cove.
In 1750 Amy Thistles Father in-law bequeathed her a large wooded area behind
her plantation as well as 6 stores, 6 houses, 2 stages, 4 wharfs, 3 gardens and
1 meadow.This along with other lands were leased to tenents. It would have
taken some time for Amy's father in-law to amass this kind of position .
That would lead me to believe in 1677 Thomas Thistles family lived
In Harbour Grace when the community had 7 dwellings 10 planters 2 wives
5 daughters 35 fishery servants and 11 boats and 9 gardens.
The Thistle families were deeply involved wth the business , political and
religious aspects of Harbour Grace. Mr. Thistle shows up in church records
as the Warden of the Anglican Church of Harbour Grace and Carbonear in the
year 1795. Part of Amy Thistle's land abutted the chapel and school for
150 yards. In 1799 the earliest Catholic Cemetery on Bennett's lane in
Harbour Grace was donated by The Thistles which were known as a very old
family from the Jersey Islands. William Thistle owned a plantation that was
next to the Catholic Church of Harbour Grace, his land bounded the Church
on the east for 90 yards.(Newfoundlanders used the term Jersey men for all
settlers that arrived from the Channel Islands including Guernsey and the other
two smaller Islands Alderney and Sark.)
In 1811 Amy Thistle transfered 23 acres of land to Dr. Sterling who later sold the
land to Rev.Charles Dalton in 1839. Mr. Dalton later willed the land to the Nuns in
Harbour Grace for their Convent in 1858.
With the deaths of Thomas and Amy Thistle and their son , the families
remaining four daughters married into some of the most prominent families
of St Johns. This was the begining of the end for this historic old family
of Harbour Grace. The surname Thistle slowly disappears from the
church records and outside of William Thistle of Outterbury. Only three
Thistles show up in the 1871 directory on the South side of Harbour Grace,
the name Thistle fades away .
Gary Thistle.............
Thistle Family 140 years in business
It is believed that the legendary October gale of 1867 ,which devastated much of the North East Coast & Labrador wrecking 42 ships & taking 40 lives, caused the Thistle family to move to Green Bay. Frederick Thistle was returning to Harbour Grace from the Seal Islands in Labrador with his crew & their families when the gale struck. They sought shelter in Halls Bay & discovered what is now known as Boot Harbour. Frederick, grandson of Captain Willam Thistle who with Thomas Oates owned the vessel Little Belt, descended from a long line of Thistle planters (schooner owners, floaters) who owned land in the centre of Harbour Grace dating back to mid 1600's. Their summer fishing station was the Seal Islands, a now deserted community just north of Battle Harbour. Frederick & wife Elizabeth were married there, in 1862, & some of their children were born there. Upon discovering Boot Harbour, with its large White Pine trees & good soil for pasture & growing crops, Frederick purchased land & decided to move his family there. He started a steam powered saw mill at the mouth of the stream. His main product was White Pine shingles which were sold mainly in the booming fishing & copper mining towns of the surrounding area. He used his schooner to deliver his products & built a thriving business in Boot Harbour. This was the start of the Thistles attachment to the lumber business which has lasted for six generations. Frederick died in 1907 & is buried beside his wife Elizabeth in Boot Harbour. Upon his death he willed the business to his youngest son Simon who later moved to Corner Brook.
Frederick Thistle 11 the third of Frederick & Elizabeths 8 children was born in the Seal Islands in 1866, grew up in Boot Harbour & married Lavina Pike in 1887 in Boot Harbour. Lavina was a descendent of the legendary Gilbert Pike & Princess Sheila Na Geira of Bristol's Hope.They moved to Southern Arm, Green Bay, & there Frederick started a sawmill at the mouth of the brook. This mill was later owned by the Yeats family. Lavina died in 1902 & Frederick, devastated by her death, decided to move with his 7 children to an area where he could be closer to better medical care & more services. In the summer of 1902 he floated his house on fish barrels across Green Bay & up North West Arm to Kings Point. There he remarried Fanny Strong & started a sawmill similar to Boot Harbour & Southern Arm. From the sawmill business he built a general retail store, carpenter shop, shingle mill, blacksmith shop, cooperage & boat yard building up to 60 ft schooners. From the early 1900's to the mid 1930's he built a thriving business & was the largest employer in the Kings Point area. The sawmill also manufactured fish barrels used to ship herring to the US. He as well shipped pulpwood to Newcastle England, & pit props to the coal mines in Wales. As he grew older the business came under management of his sons Frederick 111 & Ralph. Frederick semi retired to work in the general store. He died in 1937 & is buried in Kings Point with his second wife Fanny.
Other descendants of Frederick & Elizabeth Thistle who gained prominence in business were David Rudolf Thistle ( 1891-1969) their grandson who founded Trade Printers & Publishers & went on to become the King/Queens Printer & publisher of the Newfoundland Gazette. He was President of the St. Johns Board of Trade & was awarded the M. B. E. Also Eban Frederick Barnes (1894-1972) was the son of Edward Barnes & Clara Belle Thistle a daughter of Frederick & Elizabeth. He founded E. F. Barnes Ltd. where he designed & built the Barnes motor boat engine. He also operated a ship yard designing & building steel hulled ships on the St. Johns waterfront. E. F. Barnes is still operating on the waterfront today. Both these businessmen were born in Boot Harbour.
The depression of the 1930's devastated much of Newfoundland & the Thistles did not escape the crises. Business in Kings Point began to decline. In 1935 the business obtained a contract to cut & export, to Britain, wood from the Reid Company Lots in Burlington. Ralph moved to Burlington in 1935, Frederick 11 & son Frederick 111 followed in 1937. When Frederick 11 died Frederick 111 became senior manager of the business. During World War 11 the export wood business ended & the family business reverted to a sawmill operation & general store. In 1946 Ralph moved to Baie Verte & started his own sawmill business. They eventually began cutting pulpwood for Bowaters in Corner Brook. By now Frederick 111 son Sidney was moving into the business & the business began to grow. In 1955 Thistle & Sons was incorporated, with Sidney as senior manager. Brother Walter Roy (1919- 1998) joined the business as manager in Burlington & Sidney moved to Baie Verte. Frederick 111 retired in St. Johns. They purchased Bowaters store in Baie Verte & in addition to the sawmill & general store in Burlington, operated 14 pulpwood camps for Bowaters. They became a major economic force on the Baie Verte Peninsula employing hundreds of people. Once again business for the Thistles was booming.
In the early 1960's Baie Verte began to change. Advocate & Rambler Mines opened & Bowaters closed their woods office. The Thistles changed too & phased out their woods operations & began to focus on opportunities around the mines. They built a new modern department store, rebuilt twice because of fires with a supermarket, dry goods, furniture, restaurant, hardware & building supplies & also housed the Bank of Nova Scotia. Sidney saw other opportunities & started a construction company, trucking company, tuna boat business, & constructed apartment buildings. He brought cable television to Baie Verte & had the first cable television license in Nfld. In 1967 Roy left Thistle & Sons & started his own business, White Bay Stores Ltd. the present day White Bay Home Hardware. In 1974 the whole community was shocked when Sidney (age 50), at the peak of his career. died suddenly of heart failure. Much of the responsibility for his business then fell to his wife Gertie. She continued to operate the business for a number of years but eventually sold off all the operations. The present day Co-op & Home Furniture are the principle locations she owned.
With the start of White Bay Stores in 1967 a new era of Thistle business began. Starting with a 800 sq. ft hardware store the business has continually expanded to the present day 30,000 sq. ft of merchandise & warehouse space consisting of a Home Hardware Building Centre & Home Furniture in two locations. Roys son Kevin joined the business full time in 1977 & acquired ownership in 1984 with the semi retirement of his father. In 2004 Kevin semi retired & son Paul has now become General Manager. The company is currently constructing its newest project. Riverside Properties a seniors housing complex in Baie Verte.
From:
To:
Subject: Re: CB Thistles
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010 12:22 PM
Hi Kevin , No Thomas and Ay Thistle were Anglican. Their son was the warden
of the Anglican Church and Carbonear Methodist church at one time they
were united. Thomas Thistle was a constable of Carbonear in 1732. take away 21
years or more can give you a approximate date of his Birth 1705 or older
more likely older.
Destroy any files I gave you of Thomas Thistle of Harbour Grace this one
has been up dated use this ..Gary
Early Thistle Families of Newfoundland
By Gary Thistle.
I put this together to help other's with some of the early births and
baptisms. Though I
believe these families fairly represent which children are tied to some of
the earlier
settlers. There may be error with this and I caution those who use this.
You should verify
the information bellow as you would any source.
It is said that the Thistle surname migrated to Newfoundland from the
along with many Channel Islanders of Jersey and Guernsey about 17th Century.
One of four Thistle brothers from Guernsey settled in Harbour Grace and
another to Boot Harbour.
In the 18th century another migratory movement of the surname Thistle also
arrive here from Ireland and England.
THOMAS THISTLE Merchant Planter of Harbour Grace and
Catherine ?
This family, was well established in Harbour Grace possibly from the
early to Mid
1600's. most likely originated from the Channel Islands. Their descendants
married into
many notable and prominent family's from St. John's to Harbour Grace.
Thomas Thistle
father had substantial holding in Harbour Grace which he bequeathed to his
daughter
in-law Amy Thistle in his will of 1750. She claimed her family had been
there for 102
year that would at least put her descendants the Pynn's in Harbour Grace
around 1663.
In 1697 Harbour Grace records show there were 14 house's and 11 planters.
Thomas Thistle plantation consisted of 2 Stages 4 Wharves 2 Flakes 6 Stores
6 Houses
3 Gardens 1 Meadow and was surrounded by his own woods. This was a
considerable
amount of land and it would taken a long time for Thomas Thistle to have
achieve this
kind of holding. He lived next to the Pynn's plantation and they were
located in the
very center of the harbour. There is a fresh water stream that runs through
the Thistle
property and it is called Thistle Brook. It was know to the people of
Harbour Grace as a
very important land mark used in reference to other properties in the town.
These
locations would have gone to the very first inhabitants of Harbour Grace.
Thomas and
Amy Thistle named one of their sons Thomas Pynn Thistle. This may be an
indication
as to Amy Thistle's maiden name.
There is a Catherine Thistle that was buried Harbour Grace Anglican Church
records,
her age was estimated at age 80. This would of made her born about 1702.
St Paul's
Anglican Church Burial Records. Catharine Thistle: 6 Dec. 1782 abt. 80
years old
Harbour Grace. This may be the mother of Thomas Thistle that married Amy
Pynn of
Harbour Grace. excerpt re Harbour Grace, Newfoundland History (1936) -
specifically
mentioning Jersey men. In the article there is mention of "two private
Jersey burial
grounds. Tombstones of the THISTLE family dating back to 1760 are still
able to be
seen in the Plot off Thompson's Lane" "Dr John Moore, a Jersey man, was
buried there.
He was a Doctor on a warship, and married into the THISTLE family and
settled at
Harbour
Grace."
Children of Thomas Thistle Merchant of Harbour Grace and Constable of
Harbour
Grace and Carbonear and Catherine ?.
1. Thomas Thistle b. about 1705
2. Ann Thistle. b. about 1720 d. 7 Dec. 1782 note may be a sister
to Thomas Thistle
Thomas Thistle son of Planter Thomas Thistle and
Catherine
married Amy Pynn of Harbour Grace.
Thomas Thistle died sometime after 1795 we know this because of a
letter dated 1795
that Mr. Thistle( Warden of the Church) at Harbour Grace and Carbonear
open the
Church for Mr. Smith of Poole England his wife Amy Pynn died in 1816 and
her death
was noted in a news paper and recorded by Terrence M. Punch, Nova Scotia
Vital
Statistics from Newspapers, 1813-1822, Genealogical Committee of the Nova
Scotia
Historical Society, Halifax. The province and county are associated with
the location of
the record source and in some cases may not be the same as the place where
the
event occurred. He Noted that Amy Thistle was from Newfoundland.
Known Children of: Thomas Thistle son of Thomas & Catherine and Amy Pynn
of Harbour Grace.
1. Mary Thistle b. abt. 1762
2. Jane Thistle. b. abt 1763
3. Rachel Thistle. b. abt. 1765
4. Catherine Thistle. bapt. 3 Aug.1766
5. Emma Thistle. b. abt. 1768 d. age 84 13 Oct. 1852
6. Thomas Pynn Thistle. bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 d. 9 Mar.1812
Thomas and Amy Thistle named one of their sons Thomas Pynn Thistle. This
may be an indication as to Amy Thistle's maiden name.
Ann Thistle b abt. 1720 daughter of Thomas Thistle Planter Merchant and
Catherine ?
Ann Thistle ( ( 1st. marriage) married Henry Pynn Planter of Harbour Grace.
Children of:
Robert Pynn.
Elizabeth Pynn.
Rebecca Pynn.
Jane Pynn.
Ann Thistle (Widow) 2nd. marriage......Married Michael Stretch of
Harbour Grace:
Details for reference PROB 3/51/15 from our Catalogue.
Pynn, Henry, Harbour Grace, in Newfoundland, in parts beyond the seas,
(ship's
chandler). Ann Stretch, formerly Pynn, wife of Michael Stretch, relict and
adtrix.
(Covering dates: 1752 May 13)
Children of Thomas and Amy Pynn.
Mary Thistle: married Arthur Grumly 1 Jan. 1782 daughter to Thomas and Amy
Thistle
Harbour Grace Anglican Church Records.
Catherine Thistle: married William Gaden( bapt. 3 Aug.1766 brother of
George Gaden.
The Gaden's were Merchants Son of William Gaden & Honora Troone
(This was Catherine's 2nd. Marriage. As mentioned in Will.) Catherine's
1st Marriage
possibly to Dr. Jonathan Moores 27 Dec.1787 Harbour Grace St Paul's
Anglican Church
The record was (insert between the pages). Of the Parish Register.
Emma Thistle: married George Gaden Merchant of St Johns 5 July 1789
Cathedral of
St Johns The Baptist Anglican. Wit: Peter W. Thistle, William Gaden.
Children of:
Emma Gaden abt 1795
George Thistle Gaden abt 1798
William Hark Gaden:bapt. 30 Sep.1799
Thomas Eppes Gaden:b. 9 Mar.1803 Bapt. 11 Aug. 1813
Tryphena Gaden: b. 8 Jul.1805 bapt. Aug. 11 1813
Joseph Crawford Gaden. b. 6 Jul. 1807 bapt. 11 Aug. 1813
Sarah West Gaden
Cathedral of St Johns The Baptist. Anglican Baptisms.
George Thistle Gaden Merchant of St Johns Newfoundland married Johan
Bucan
Lightbody of Edinburgh
Glasgow Scotland 26 Sep. 1822 marriage took place in Scotland Youngest
daughter
of Buccleuch Lightbody.
(note Emma (Thistle) Gaden left her son Joseph Crawford Gaden
(also known as Garland Crawford Gaden) her
estate. Will dated 9. Sep.1841.)
Emma Thistle born abt.1768
died age 84 13 Oct. 1852 . Burial in family vault. Funeral
Sunday the 17th on the north side of the main church entrance
ST. Paul's Harbour Grace.
Thomas Pynn Thistle: Bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 d. 9 Mar.1812
married Mary Journeaux Daughter b. 1776 d. 25 Feb. 1850of James Juer and
Elizabeth
Thomas Pynn Thistle: bapt. 26 Aug. 1779 ( note Thomas may of been baptized
as a
young Boy?) Mary Journeaux: b.abt 1776
Children of:
Mary Thistle born 14 May 1805 bapt.20 Jun.1811
Harbour Grace Anglican Church.
Thomas Thistle Jr. Late of Harbour Grace , Merchant deceased 9 Mar.1812
Mary Thistle widow of Thomas Thistle married Joseph Innott.
Mary Thistle died 25 Feb.1850 age 74 yr.of Harbour Grace.
27 Feb.1850 Paper Date (Weekly Harold Conception Bay Advertiser and was
interned
in a private cemetery belonging to her former Husband the late Thomas
Thistle Esq.
Merchant of this place.
Mary Thistle:(Widow) of Thomas Thistle
of Harbour Grace married Joseph Innott of this Parish 28 Jun.1817
wit:Mary Knight
Matt'w Kearney, Mary Parsons,and John Hillyard. Harbour Grace St Paul's
Marr.
Joseph R. Innott Head Stone's St Paul's Harbour Grace. Died 20 Nov.1832
age 47 yr.
(note: 1800 Journeaux , who's extensive properties came under the control
of his son
in-law's Dr Mayne; Nicholas Payne, THOMAS THISTLE, and Jewer . (alt. Jure,
Gore,
Juer ) whose property was to be sub divided and sold by James Bailey who
married
one of the Jewer daughters.)
Jane Thistle married John Hillyard:
children Of:
Thomas Hillyard: b. 8 May 1804.. bapt:30 Dec.1804
Congregational Church St. Johns Vital Stats Vol.23
Samuel Hillyard:b. 8 Apr.1806 ..bapt. 8 Jun.1806
Congregational Church. St. Johns Vital Stats. Vol.23
Alfred Wilson bach of St Johns married Jane Thistle Hillyard spin most
likely
the daughter of John Hillyard and Jane Thistle ? of St Johns. wit: Ann
Sarah Beverly ,
John Shea Vital Stats. Volume 26-E Cathedral of St. Johns The Baptist St.
Johns
Anglican Cathedral.
Rachel Thistle: married Peter McKie Esq.
Peter McKie deceased. mentioned in his will
that Rachel was the daughter of Thomas and Amy Thistle.
Will dated 2 Apr.1836 ( Peter McKie Surveyor of His Majesty's Customs at
St Johns.)
Rachael Mckie: had recorded a Will in Canterbury England in the year 13
Jan.1845
Children of Peter Mckie and Rachel Thistle
Maria Thistle Mckie: bapt. 14 Jan 1787
Louisa McKie: 2 May 1790 .
both Cathedral of St Johns The Baptist Anglican
Rachel Mckie: b.27 Oct.1801 bapt. 2 Nov.1801
Congregational Church St.John's Vital Stats. Vol 23 Bapts.
(note in Peter Mckie's will he lists some of his children daughter's
Rachel Turbot,
Caroline Langarne, Agnes O'Farrel, and Elizabeth Bullock and his son John
Livingston McKie was educated as a Surgeon).
1821 St. Johns Thomas Greensill? LANGHORNE, bach, clergyman, Twillingate
Caroline McKie, spin, St Johns Julia Williams, Susanna Warne.
NOTES:
It is interesting to me how Historian's can error and through out time it
is passed down
through the generation's as a fact. Then copied by other expert's. Take
the case of
Amy Thistle of Harbour Grace.
Most Historian's claim Amy Thistle and her family lived in Harbour Grace
for 102 years.
This statement was made in the year 1765 from the from a quote by her about
her
property when a census was taken by the British Admiralty in a survey for
fishing
rooms Harbour Grace. Then they go to say that would of put the Thistle
families in
Harbour Grace about the year 1663.
Now I do not doubt the fact that statement was made by Amy Thistle and I'm
sure that
she was correct in that mater. But she was not talking about the Thistle
families of
Harbour Grace. She was talking about her family the Pynn's. Though I also
know The
Thistle families were there too. I'm not sure if they were there as long or
longer then
the Pynn families but they lived next door to each other and held the best
location
dead center in the Harbour with a source of fresh water running through the
property
and this location would of gone to the very first settlers. I could punch
holes through
out the document and some it is correct but there are many error's and
they get
quoted and passed down by other experts on the Surname Thistle in
Newfoundland.
Amy Thistle undoubtedly took a leading part in the town, and is
often named. She had property just East of the R. C. Chapel granted to
her by Governor Byron in 1770. ( Bonnie Hickey Harbour Grace, NF
NFGenWeb Conception Bay North )
The Thistle family are real Jersey descendants, and they must
have owned the half of Harbour Grace at one time. This name can be
traced back to the Norsemen before the time of the Norman conquest, but
is sometimes spelt Thessell, which gives it a French pronunciation.
(Harbour Grace, NF
NFGenWeb Conception Bay North Bonnie HIckey )
In 1805, Thomas Thistle, in a petition to Governor Erasmus Gower,
complained that his
neighbor, Pynn was encroaching upon his property. The Governor ordered
Magistrate
Charles Garland to rectify the matter, and Pynn was ordered to allow room
for vessels
to unload to unload at Thistle's wharf; Garland further ordered that
Thistle had to have
an outlet onto the main path (later Water Street).
In a will left by Mary Stretten 1825 and died 18 Jan.1831 Bequeathed her
Plantation
in Harbour Grace to Rachel Mckie wife of Peter McKie Esq. St Johns. The
Placation
was next to the old Meeting House.
The Division of Thomas Thistle Estate of Harbour Grace .Dated 5 Sep.1818
Thomas
Thistle left his surviving heirs 4 Large Lots of Land To his remaining
Children.
Rachel Thistle Mckie, Emma Thistle Gaden Catherine Thistle Gaden.
( deceased) to her heirs. Jane Thistle Hillyard. (deceased) to her heirs.
Thomas Thistle of Harbour Grace in 1818 a dispute over the Estate of
Thomas Thistle
the Supreme Court carefully insured the use of the their father's
Property was passed
on to the Thistle's four daughters but through the ownership of their
husbands the
reference to this case names: Emma Gaden, George Bayley and Charles Wm.
Beverly.
vs. the administrator of Thomas Thistle Estate.
(note Thomas Thistle merchant & Amy Thistle of Harbour Grace owned
substantial
holding of land in Harbour Grace and St Johns. It was noted by Amy
Thistle that her
father in-law bequeathed her in his Will land in 1750 Harbour Grace.)
In a Letter From Munn. Thomas Thistle and Enima Thistle both sold land in
1800
2 large properties in Harbour Grace.
Enima Thistle:1806 advertisement of Enima Thistle of Harbour Grace
offering 2 Large
plantations for sale with wharves, stores and counting houses as well as
good
residences.
(note Amy Thistle in 1805 Plantation records state in her father in-law’s
will 1750
bequeathed her 8 Houses a Sundry 1 Store 1 wharf 3 Gardens 2 Flakes 1
Stage.)
In A letter dated 1795 that Mr. Thistle( Warden of the Church) at Harbour
Grace and
Carbonear open the Church for Mr. Smith of Poole England. From The Church
of
England Archives.
In 1811 Amy Thistle: 23 acre's of land was transferred to Dr. Sterling.
Dr. Sterling sold
the land to sold to Rev. Dalton. Charles Dalton later he willed the land
to the Nuns in
Harbour Grace for their Convent in 1858.
An excerpt from "The Daily News" of 13 Feb 1925, page 10:
NAMES CUT ON GLASS
Dear Sir, -Thanking you for the picture of the pane of glass in Stretton
House, Harbour
Grace, on which Mr .HORESBY cut his name with a diamond,on May 26th, 1797.
I
notice
another name cut above his viz., Henry JUER. There is no date to this but
twenty years
ago, when I was on a visit to Harbor Grace, I thought of the old
churchyard, to the right
going up Walsh's Lane, and immediately in the rear of the Anglo American
Telegraph
Office, where I spent my early days. I started deciphering the
inscriptions on the old
tombstones (five or six in number), and found that the greater number were
erected to
the THISTLE family - a very old family in Harbor Grace, who were owners of
much land
in the center of the town, between the PYNN's estate and Harvey Street.
It is very
probable that they owned land in other parts of the town also. The
THISTLE family
presented the land, which was used for many years, as the Catholic
cemetery, and
many of the best known people in the town were interred there, notably,
Peter
BROWN,
the merchant, John and James FOX, (grandfather and granduncle of our
genial friend,
Mr. John FOX, H.M.C.), FOLEY the merchant, and, above all, the first
martyred priest in
Newfoundland, Rev. Patrick PHELAN, who lost his life at Grate's Cove
Point, on the 3rd
of September, 1797. He was a powerful swimmer, and dived several times
among the
breakers in his endeavors to save the lives of the boat's crew, but was
unsuccessful,
and lost his own life. Several days after, the body of the saintly priest
was found floating
upright in the middle of Conception Bay, with his breviary under his arm.
The body was
recovered by a man named SNELGROVE, and was interred in a vault in the old
cemetery. I have a copy of the epitaph, which, I should say, is now
entirely obliterated
by the ravages of Time. But to come back to the JUER family. Among the
tombstones
in the old churchyard behind the Anglo-Telegraph Office, is one very large
one to
James JUER, who died in 1754. I am almost certain that this James JUER
was a Jersey
man, and he was a physician by profession. The Henry JUER,scratched on
the window
glass, was probably a son of the above. There is also one to Dr. MORE.
On the
fly-sheet you sent me, it is stated that the pane of glass with the ancient
signature has
been preserved and is now for the first time given to the public.
Probably it was the
STRETTON or PARSONS' family who preserved it, as the first Methodist Church
was
started on or near their property. Historic Stretton Hill is called after
Mr. STRETTON,
and there was also a Mr. Stretton PARSONS, but Mr. A. A. PARSONS, Governor
of H. M.
Penitentiary, knows more about them than I do, I should say. I agitated
about the little
cemetery in Walsh's Lane, being neglected, about 15 or 16 years ago, and my
old
friend, the late R. D. Mc RAE, had a fence placed round it. I don't know if
the fence is
there now, but I am sure that I have only to mention it to have our
enterprising young
friends, John and Frank Mc RAE, for them to do so, because in that sacred
spot lies the
bones of their ancestors of the THISTLE family of Jersey; one of the
daughters married
Mr. John HIGGINS, the first of that family in Harbor Grace, and a rattling
Irishman he
was, as I have heard in my young days.
Yours truly,
H.F. SHORTIS
St. John's, Feby.12th
excerpt re Harbour Grace, Newfoundland
History (1936) - specifically mentioning Jersey men. In the article
there is mention of "two private Jersey burial grounds. Tombstones of the
THISTLE
family dating back to 1760 are still able to be seen in the Plot off
Thompson's
Lane" "Dr John Moore, a Jersey man, was buried there. He was a Doctor on a
warship, and Mr. John HIGGINS, the first of that family in Harbor Grace,
and a rattling
Irishman he was, as I have heard in my young days. married into the THISTLE
family
and settled at Harbour
Grace."
use this one Kevin.....
This file is for the use of Kevin Thistle he may copy and use this for the
purpose of his research and can re print it as he see's fit ....Gary
Thistle.....
Thank you for sharing your information online. I just tried to contact you via email but the message was bounced back. I am doing some reserch on the Barnes family from Harbour Grace and I have a few names that match up to your blog post. Please conact me if you happen to see this, I would love to ask you a few questions. Thanks!
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