M. (1) 15 Jan 1838 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Husband: John Baird (or Beard)
M. (2) 15 Jun 1842 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Husband: Charles W. Hughes
M. (3) 20 May 1867 in Boston, Massachusetts
Husband: John Costigan
D. 14 Dec 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts
Maria Bevan left Canada for the United States not once, but twice — the first time with her husband, and the second time as a widow. And on the second trip, she made the move permanent.
Maria was born on Prince Edward Island on September 15, 1820 to Job Bevan and Rebecca Pepperell, the first of their eight children. Job, who was born in Bath, had migrated only a couple of years earlier as a member of the Royal Artillery, and Rebecca had moved with her family from Bristol in 1809. The family lived in Charlottetown, which was the main settlement on Prince Edward Island, and they attended St. Paul’s Anglican Church, where Maria’s grandfather served as sexton.
On January 15, 1838, when Maria was only 17-years old, she married a man named John Beard (or Baird), but the marriage didn’t last and produced no children; it’s likely that he died. Maria found a second husband, Charles Hughes, who, like her father, came from England as member of the Royal Artillery. After getting married on June 15, 1842 at St. Paul’s Church, they made their home in Frederictown, New Brunswick, where oldest son Charles was born. Maria's husband ended his military service in 1846, and they moved back to Charlottetown. There she had four more children: Augusta, Bessie, George and James. Church records show that both Charles and Maria worked as servants for at least part of this time.
It was in 1857, that the family first packed up and moved to the United States. Why they left Canada isn’t known. This wasn’t a common migration for families at the time; the ship they sailed on listed only two other passengers, and both were young men. The Hughes family arrived in Boston, and there is no record that they stayed there for any length of time. Within a year, they settled in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Maria gave birth to one more child, a daughter named Gertrude.
D. 14 Dec 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts
Maria Bevan left Canada for the United States not once, but twice — the first time with her husband, and the second time as a widow. And on the second trip, she made the move permanent.
Maria was born on Prince Edward Island on September 15, 1820 to Job Bevan and Rebecca Pepperell, the first of their eight children. Job, who was born in Bath, had migrated only a couple of years earlier as a member of the Royal Artillery, and Rebecca had moved with her family from Bristol in 1809. The family lived in Charlottetown, which was the main settlement on Prince Edward Island, and they attended St. Paul’s Anglican Church, where Maria’s grandfather served as sexton.
On January 15, 1838, when Maria was only 17-years old, she married a man named John Beard (or Baird), but the marriage didn’t last and produced no children; it’s likely that he died. Maria found a second husband, Charles Hughes, who, like her father, came from England as member of the Royal Artillery. After getting married on June 15, 1842 at St. Paul’s Church, they made their home in Frederictown, New Brunswick, where oldest son Charles was born. Maria's husband ended his military service in 1846, and they moved back to Charlottetown. There she had four more children: Augusta, Bessie, George and James. Church records show that both Charles and Maria worked as servants for at least part of this time.
It was in 1857, that the family first packed up and moved to the United States. Why they left Canada isn’t known. This wasn’t a common migration for families at the time; the ship they sailed on listed only two other passengers, and both were young men. The Hughes family arrived in Boston, and there is no record that they stayed there for any length of time. Within a year, they settled in Whitewater, Wisconsin, where Maria gave birth to one more child, a daughter named Gertrude.
Maria in about 1857
The following year, Maria and her children began to migrate back to the United States. Passenger list records show that they didn’t all come on the same ship. 16-year-old daughter Bessie traveled alone in June, 14-year-old George went in August, and 18-year-old Augusta brought James, aged 9, and Gertrude, age 7, in September. Charles remained in Canada a couple more years, and it isn’t known exactly when Maria left.
The entire group settled in Boston, and on May 20, 1867, Maria married a widower named John Costigan. Although she was in the 1870 census as his wife, Maria was listed in the Boston city directory for the years 1876-1878 living in the households of her married children, and back to using the name Maria Hughes. She definitely wasn’t widowed because Costigan didn't die until 1902, but it isn't known if she had gotten a divorce.
Maria as an older woman
On December 14, 1888, Maria passed away in Boston from chronic bronchitis. Her family buried her in Mt. Hope Cemetery with a gravestone that simply said, "Mother." Maria’s legacy was perhaps in the decision she made to resettle in the United States the second time — none of her surviving children every returned to Canada.
Children:
1. Charles William Hewes – B. 20 May 1845, Fredericton, New Brunswick; D. 24 Nov 1872, Boston, Massachusetts; M. Charlotte Elisa Pippy (1846-1923), 12 Aug 1867, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
2. Caroline Augusta Hughes – B. 22 May 1847, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; D. 26 Jan 1889, Boston, Massachusetts; M. Henry T. Matifes (1847-?), 21 Sep 1867, Boston, Massachusetts
3. Elizabeth Matilda Hughes – B. 25 Sep 1849, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; D. 16 Nov 1937, Los Angeles, California; M. Edwin G. Bentham (~1845-1928), 6 Jan 1868, Boston, Massachusetts
4. George Henry Hewes – B. 17 Oct 1853, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; D. 18 Sep 1923, Tujunga, California; M. Nancy Sophia French (1856-1916), 17 Jul 1879, Boston, Massachusetts
5. James Job Hewes – B. 27 Aug 1855, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; D. 19 Oct 1935, Winchester, Massachusetts; M. Emma R. Tirrel (~1857-?), 5 Jun 1883, Boston, Massachusetts
6. Gertrude E. Hewes – B. 6 Aug 1859, Whitewater, Wisconsin; D. 10 Oct 1916, Los Angeles, California; M. (1) Charles A. Fernald (~1853-1910), 25 Dec 1876, Boston, Massachusetts; (2) Alfred R. Phillips (~1866-?), 19 Sep 1895, Boston, Massachusetts
Sources:
Baptismal record of Maria Bevan, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 5 Nov 1820
Records of Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation
Military records of Charles Hughes, 5 Mar 1846, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Baptismal record of Charles Hughes, Fredericton, New Brunswick, 8 Jun 1845
Records of St. Paul's Anglican Church, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
Passenger list of ship Dr. Rogers, Boston, Massachusetts, 30 May 1857
1860 and 1880 U.S. Census, Wisconsin and Massachusetts
1864 City Directory for Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
City Directories for Boston, 1876-1878
Death certificate of Maria Hughes, Boston, Massachusetts, 14 Dec 1888
Tombstone inscription of Maria Hughes
Letter from Charles Hall, 28 Mar 1982, Riverside, Rhode Island
Death certificate of Charlotte Hewes, 25 Aug 1923, Medford, Massachusetts
Massachusetts marriages, 1841-1915
California death index, 1905-1939
Death certificate of Elizabeth Bentham, 17 Nov 1937, Los Angeles, California
Family bible of George H. Hewes
Death certificate of George Hewes, 20 Sep 1923, Tujunga, California
Marriage certificate of George Hewes and Nancy French, 21 Jul 1879, Boston, Massachusetts
Death certificate of Nancy Hewes, July 1916, Berkeley, California
Massachusetts deaths, 1841-1915
Death record of Gertrude E. Phillips, 12 Oct 1916, Los Angeles, California
