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Descendents of Thomas Piercy (ca 1760 - unknown)
and Elizabeth Unknown (unknown)

Generation 3
*********************************************************************************************

6. Matthew Piercy. Son of Thomas Piercy & Mary Henderson. Born 15 Aug 1814 in Redsford, Parish Of Kirknewton, Engand. Christen 23 Aug 1814 in Crookham Presbyterian. Died 28 Feb 1889 in Comox, BC. Buried 1 Mar 1889 in Courtenay Civic Cemetery, Section A. Occupation Farmer. Religion Presbyterian.

Matthew Piercy of Thornington, England, and Agnes Moffitt of Preston were married in Coldstream on 30 Apr 1837 by the Rev. M. Taylor. Witnesses were Thomas Smith and Isabella Moffitt.

They came to New Brunswick with Matthew's parents, sisters and brother on the brig "Cornelius of Sunderland", which sailed from Berwick-upon-Tweed on 28 May 1837 and arrived in Saint John, NB on Wednesday, 12 Jul 1837, and were among the pioneer settlers of Harvey Settlement.

Undated photograph of Matthew Piercy (b.15 Jul 1814, Thornington, England, d. 28 Feb, 1889, Comox, BC). Source: David M. Swan, 15 Mar 2007. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 264 X 327 jpeg; 76 k; 72 dpi

They received Land Grant Lot #14 West, 100 acres is Harvey Settlement. Their twelve children were born in Harvey. After 38 years of living in New Brunswick, the Piercys moved to British Columbia in 1875 and settled on Vancouver Island, and again were pioneer settlers. Their sons Thomas, John, Matt, Sam and Walt, and youngest daughters Agnes and Isabella moved to British Columbia with their parents. Elizabeth died at an early age in Harvey. The four oldest daughters married and remained in New Brunswick.

Matthew was very active in the Presbyterian church and the second church built in Harvey Settlement was on his land. In the Comox, BC the Presbyterian Church and cemetery was built on land donated by Matthew Piercy and Samuel Crawford. Matthew and Agnes are buried in that cemetery.

As printed in the Comox Valley circulating newspaper (1889)
The Late Matthew Piercy

The remains of the late Matthew Piercy of Comox, were laid to rest in the Presbyterian graveyard at Comox on March 1st. The funeral was one of the largest ever held in Comox. The pallbearers were S. F. Crawford, Robert Duncan, Oliver Duncan, Alex Urquhart, A. Milligan and Henry Grieve. The deceased was a native of Northumberland, England, aged 74 years and emigrated to New Brunswick in 1837. He was one of the pioneers of Harvey Settlement and came to British Columbia in 1875, with his wife and part of his family. He survived his wife three years and leaves five sons, six daughters, sixty-five grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren to mourn his demise. He was an elder of the Presbyterian Church for 35 years previous to his death in 1889.

1880-1884 cabinet card photograph of Agnes Moffitt (b. 19 Oct 1815, Lanton, Northumberland, UK, d. 7 Apr 1886, Comox, BC). Source: Jocelean Swan Hall, 27 Jul 2006. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 700 X 1059 jpeg; 234 k; 72 dpi Full Sized Pop-up Image 1420 X 2148 jpeg; 2214 k; 180 dpi

1880-1884 cabinet card photograph above "From Judkins Floating Sunbeam Gallery, Puget Sound and British Columbia. Source: Jocelean Swan Hall, 27 Jul 2006. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 700 X 1061 jpeg; 228 k; 72 dpi Full Sized Pop-up Image 1568 X 2376 jpeg; 2252 k; 180 dpi PHOTORAPHER: Judkins, David Roby. VARIANT: Judkins' Floating Sunbeam Gallery. LIFE DATES: 1836 01 17-1909 12 11. BIRTHPLACE: Chesterville, ME. PLACE OF DEATH: Santa Maria, CA. WHERE ACTIVE: Puget Sound, WA Seattle, WA New Westminster Skagway, AK BC. BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY: He operated between about 1880-1884 out of Seattle and through Puget Sound on a barge which was towed from location to location. He called his gallery Judkins' Floating Sunbeam Gallery. Judkins photographed in New Westminster and up the Fraser River in June 1882. COLLECTIONS: BNCM BVA BVIPA. IDENTIFYING MARKS: " Judkins Floating Sunbeam Gallery, Puget Sound and British Columbia" on verso of print mount. " Cor. 2nd & Columbia Streets Judkins Seattle, W.T." on front of print mount. " D. R. Judkins, Photo. Stereographs of British Columbia" on front of stereograph (orange) mount.

 

Descendants of Matthew Piercy and Agnes Moffitt hold a family reunion every five years in the area on Vancouver Island where the Piercy family settled. The eighth reunion was held in August 1999. Three "Family Tree" books have been printed in British Columbia, the first was printed in 1967 with details on the family of Thomas Piercy and Jane Speedy; the second book printed in 1979 included all the Matthew Piercy descendants; and the third book was printed in 1998. In 1989, a book "The Families of Eleanor Piercy Lister, Mary Ann Piercy Lister, Jane Piercy Swan and Margaret Piercy Wood, Daughters of Matthew Piercy (1814-1889) and Agnes Moffitt (1815-1886) was compiled by Jocelean Swan Hall.

Inscription on gravestone in Courtenay Civic Cemetery, Section A, 472: Matthew Piercy / Born / July 15, 1814 / Died Feb 27, 1889 / Agnes Piercy / Born Oct 19, 1815 / Died / April 7, 1886 / Gone to a fairer land / of pleasure and love / To join the bright band / of Angels above.

He married Agnes Moffitt, daughter of John Moffitt & Ellen "Nellie" Davidson, 30 Apr 1837 in Coldstream, England. Born 19 Oct 1815 in Lanton, Scotland. Died 17 Apr 1886 in Comox, BC. Buried in Courtenay Civic Cemetery, Section A. Religion Presbyterian.

They had the following children:
18 i. Thomas H. Piercy
19 ii. John Piercy
20 iii. Eleanor "Ellen" Piercy
21 iv. Mary Ann Piercy
22 v. Jane Piercy
23 vi. Margaret "Maggie" Piercy
24 vii. Matthew Henry Piercy
25 viii. Isabella "Bell" Piercy
26 ix. Samuel Johnson Piercy
27 x. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Piercy
28 xi. Walter Henderson Piercy
29 xii. Agnes Piercy

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Entry last updated: 10 Oct 2008
To report errors or to provide additional information please contact Tim Patterson