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Thomas Piercy Family Page 1, 2 << 3 >> 4, 5, 6, 7 (Index)

Descendents of Thomas Piercy(1784 - 12 Oct 1865)
and Mary Henderson (ca. 1786 - 3 Sep 1868)

Second Immigrant Generation
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5. Matthew Piercy. Son of Thomas Piercy & Mary Henderson. Born 15 Jul 1814 in Thornington, Eng. Died 28 Feb 1889 in Comox, BC. Buried 1 Mar 1889 in Courtenay Civic Cemetery, Section A. Occupation Farmer. Religion Presbyterian.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 decendants; 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 produced by Jocelean Swan Hall.

Inscription on gravestone in Courtenay Civic Cemetery, Section A: "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, Eng. 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:
15 i. Thomas H. Piercy
16 ii. John Piercy
17 iii. Eleanor "Ellen" Piercy
18 iv. Mary Ann Piercy
19 v. Jane Piercy
20 vi. Margaret "Maggie" Piercy
21 vii. Matthew Henry Piercy
22 viii. Isabella "Bell" Piercy
23 ix. Samuel Johnson Piercy
24 x. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Piercy
25 xi. Walter Henderson Piercy
26 xii. Agnes Piercy

Eleanor "Ellen" Piercy (b. 15 Nov 1842, Harvey - d. 21 Feb 1925, McAdam) and husband James M. Lister (b 22 Dec 1832, Dumfries, Scotland, d. 25 Feb 1912, McAdam). Source: Jocelean Swan Hall, 25 Jul 2006. Medium Sized Pop-up Image 700 X 909 jpeg; 149 k; 72 dpi Full Sized Pop-up Image 1244 X 1616 jpeg; 1132 k; 180 dpi

 

6. Elizabeth Piercy. Daughter of Thomas Piercy & Mary Henderson. Born Approx 1815 in Northumberland, Eng. Died 26 Jun 1889 in Fredericton, NB. Buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredericton.

Elizabeth and John McKay were married in Fredericton, NB, on 16 Feb 1841, by John Birkmyre, D.D., Minister of St. Paul's Church. Witnesses were N. E. Jamieson and Isabella Piercy.
Elizabeth was living with son William and his wife Annie in the 1881 Census, Kings Ward, Fredericton, NB. Also living in the same household were sons John and Thomas, and daughters Sarah and Minnie.

From gravestone: Elizabeth died 26 June 1889 age 74 years.
She married John Robertson McKay, 16 Feb 1841 in St. Pauls Church, Fredericton By John Birkmyre . Born Approx 1816 in St. Stephen. Died 26 Dec 1872 in Fredericton. Buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredericton.

Listed in the 1851 Census for Fredericton: McKay, John, husband, age 35 years, native, carpenter/prop., born in NB; Elizabeth, wife, age 33, English; Mary, daughter, age 11, native; William, son, age 9, native; Isabella, daughter, age 7, native; Elizabeth, daughter, age 5, native; Thomas, son, age 3, native.

Listed in Fredericton Census of 1871 (Edited by Robert Fellows) McKay, pp. 46-47 - KINGS: John R. 55, NB, husb. carpenter, Scot., C of S; Elizabeth 54, Ire., wife, Eng.; Mary 29 NB; William 27 NB, Farmer; Isabel 25 NB; Elizabeth 23 NB; Thomas 21 NB, Carpenter ; Minnie 18 NB; Ellen 16 NB; John 13 NB, student; Sarah 13 NB, student; Peggy 8 NB, student. (This should have been "Piercy", instead of "Peggy"/jh)

From Saint Croix Courier, 9 Jan 1873: "Died: In Fredericton on the 26th ult., Mr John R. McKay, a native of St. Stephen in the 57th year of his age."

Gravestone in Forest Hill Cemetery, Fredericton:
MacKAY
William MacKay died 26 Jun 1859, age 75 years (?)
Mary, wife of Wm. M. Cameron died 1889 age 53 years
John died 1897 age 39 years.
children of John R. and Elizabeth MacKay
(back of stone)
John R. MacKay died 26 Dec 1872 age 57 years
his wife Elizabeth died 26 Jun 1889 age 74 years
(side)
M. Percy died 19 Nov 1875 age 14 years
Helen died 24 Feb 1876 age 21 years
Thomas died 22 Aug 1888 age 38 years
children of John R. and Elizabeth MacKay

(Not sure who William MacKay who died 1859, age 75 years would be./jh)

They had the following children:
27 i. Mary McKay
28 ii. William McKay
29 iii. Isabella McKay
30 iv. Elizabeth Henderson "Lizzie" McKay
31 v. Thomas McKay
32 vi. Minna Gertrude McKay
33 vii. Ellen McKay
34 viii. John McKay (Twin)
35 ix. Sarah Jane McKay (Twin)
36 x. Matthew Piercy Brooke McKay

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