M. before 1820 in (probably) Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island2
Husband: Job Bevan
D. 17 Dec 1868 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island2
One day in 1809, a ship sailed into Canada, carrying passengers from England seeking a new life. Among them was a 10-year-old girl, Rebecca Pepperell, and as the ship docked, she saw for the first time the place she make her home — Charlottetown, Prince Edward island.
Rebecca was born in 1798 in St. Albans, England to William Pepperell and Mary Browne,1 one of eight children, seven of whom were girls. Her parents were originally from Durnford, in Wiltshire County,4 and didn’t have roots in St. Albans. By the time Rebecca was 6-years-old, her family had moved to the city of Bristol.5 It isn’t certain if there were any other places in England where they lived during her early childhood.
There’s no record of what prompted the Pepperell family to resettle in Canada by the end of 1809,6 but conditions in England may have had something to do with it. The beginning of the industrial revolution meant a shift in what skills were needed to make a living, plus a population boom was making cities like Bristol crowded. As with others from Europe before and after, finding a more secure future was likely a motivation for the Pepperells to become immigrants.
Prince Edward Island was going through a transition when young Rebecca arrived. Once called Île d’St-Jean, the first colonists to settle there were French. After England took over Canada in 1763, families from Scotland and loyalists from the American colonies were encouraged to come. But around 1810, a new group of people started moving in, and they were from England. With the English becoming well-established there, it must have given the Pepperell family a sense of familiarity.
Charlottetown in the early 19th century.
Sometime before 1820, Rebecca married a soldier from Bath, England named Job Bevan. After Job’s military service ended, he made a living as a carpenter.7 They would have eight children born between 1820 and 1845. Rebecca was a member of St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Charlottetown, where her father was a sexton, and her husband was a beadle.8
Job died on January 6, 1862,9 and Rebecca was listed as his widow in the 1864 directory, living in a house on Prince Street near Kent.10 She passed away on December 17, 1868.3 Her obituary said she died after “a long and painful illness.”11 She was buried in the Old Protestant Burying Ground in Charlottetown.
Rebecca’s descendants would scatter widely across Canada and the U.S. One daughter moved to Boston, a son went to New Jersey, another daughter to Seattle, and another son to Victoria, British Columbia.
Children:
1. Maria Bevan — B. 5 Oct 1820, Halifax, Nova Scotia;2 D. 14 Dec 1888, Boston, Massachusetts;12 M. (1) John Baird, 15 Jan 1838, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;13 (2) Charles W. Hughes (1819-?), 15 Jun 1842, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;14 (3) John Costigan (1829-?), 20 May 1867, Boston, Massachusetts15
2. William Bevan — B. 26 Mar 1823, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;16 D. 26 Feb 1880, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;17 M. Hannah Vessey (1825-1904), 16 Jan 1846, Prince Edward Island18
3. James Job Bevan — B. 1827, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;19 D. 17 Oct 1859, Trenton, New Jersey;19 M. Sophia Elizabeth Wiseman, 11 Nov 1858, Trenton, New Jersey20
4. Sarah Ann Bevan — B. 3 Oct 1830, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;21 D. 26 Nov 1924, Seattle, Washington;21 M. Daniel McKinnon (1833-1895), 20 Oct 1854, Prince Edward Island22
5. Job Bevan — B. 18 Mar 1834, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;23 M. Abigail Treneman (~1837-?), 5 Aug 1858, Prince Edward Island24
6. Rebecca Bevan — B. 9 May 1837, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;25 D. 12 Apr 1868, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;25 M. Charles Rodd (1839-1905), 26 May 1864, Prince Edward Island26
7. John Bevan — B. 18 Apr 1841, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;27 D. 17 Sep 1842, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island27
8. Charles Frederick Bevan — B. 17 Jan 1845, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;28 D. 3 Jun 1926, Victoria, British Columbia;29 M. (1) Mary Gillis (1847-bef 1877), 12 Nov 1868;30 (2) Mary Helen Moody (1843-1900), 1877;31 (3) Hattie Ann Gray (1857-1929), 23 Nov 1908, Victoria, British Columbia32
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Pepperell) Bevan
2 Find-a-Grave listing of Maria (Bevan) Hewes (firstborn child of Rebecca)
3 Death record of Rebecca Bevan, Canada, Prince Edward Island Death Card Index, 1721-1905, FamilySearch.org
4 Marriage record of William Pepperell and Mary Brown, England, Wiltshire, Church Records, 1518-1990, FamilySearch.org
5 Birth record of Marie Pepperall, “The Descendants of Patrick Callaghan and Maria Pepperall,” Ron Nelson, islandregister.com
6 William’s daughter Louisa was listed in St. Paul’s Anglican Church records as being born in Charlottetown on December 31, 1809.
7 “The Descendants of Joshua Bevan,” Steven Meeken, islandregister.com
8 Records of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
9 Death notice of Job Bevan, The Examiner, Prince Edward Island, 13 Jan 1862
10 Hutchinson’s Prince Edward Island City Directory, 1864
11 Death Notice of Rebecca Bevan, The Examiner, Prince Edward Island, 4 Jan 1869
12 Death record of Maria Hughes, Massachusetts, U.S., Death Records, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org
13 Marriage record of John Baird and Maria Bevan, Records of Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation
14 Military records of Charles Hughes, 5 March 1846, Halifax, Nova Scotia
15 Marriage record of John Costigan and Maria Hughes, Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915, FamilySearch.org
16 Baptismal record of William Bevan, Prince Edward Island, Baptism Index, 1788-1943, Ancestry.com
17 Find-a-Grave listing of William Bevan
18 Marriage record of William Bevan and Hannah Vessey, Canada, Prince Edward Island Marriage Registers, 1832-1888, FamilySearch.org
19 Find-a-Grave listing of James Job Bevan
20 Marriage record of James J. Bevan and Sophia E. Wiseman, New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965, Ancestry.com
21 Death record of Sarah Ann MacKinnon, Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-1017, Ancestry.com
22 Marriage record of Daniel McKinnon and Sarah Ann Bevan, C., P. E. I. M. R.
23 Baptismal record of Job Bevan, P. E. I., B. I.
24 Marriage record of Job Bevan and Abigail Treneman, C., P. E. I. M. R.
25 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Bevan) Rodd
26 Marriage record of Charles Rodd and Rebecca Pepperell, C., P. E. I. M. R.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of John Bevan
28 Baptismal record of Charles Bevan, P. E. I., B. I.
29 Find-a-Grave listing of Charles Frederick Beavan
30 Marriage record of Charles Bevan and Mary Gillis, C., P. E. I. M. R.
31 Find-a-Grave listing of Mary Helen (Moody) Beavan
32 Marriage record of Charles Frederick Bevan and Hattie Ann Gray, British Columbia, Canada, Marriage Index, 1872-1935, Ancestry.com
Job died on January 6, 1862,9 and Rebecca was listed as his widow in the 1864 directory, living in a house on Prince Street near Kent.10 She passed away on December 17, 1868.3 Her obituary said she died after “a long and painful illness.”11 She was buried in the Old Protestant Burying Ground in Charlottetown.
Rebecca’s descendants would scatter widely across Canada and the U.S. One daughter moved to Boston, a son went to New Jersey, another daughter to Seattle, and another son to Victoria, British Columbia.
Children:
1. Maria Bevan — B. 5 Oct 1820, Halifax, Nova Scotia;2 D. 14 Dec 1888, Boston, Massachusetts;12 M. (1) John Baird, 15 Jan 1838, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;13 (2) Charles W. Hughes (1819-?), 15 Jun 1842, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;14 (3) John Costigan (1829-?), 20 May 1867, Boston, Massachusetts15
2. William Bevan — B. 26 Mar 1823, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;16 D. 26 Feb 1880, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;17 M. Hannah Vessey (1825-1904), 16 Jan 1846, Prince Edward Island18
3. James Job Bevan — B. 1827, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;19 D. 17 Oct 1859, Trenton, New Jersey;19 M. Sophia Elizabeth Wiseman, 11 Nov 1858, Trenton, New Jersey20
4. Sarah Ann Bevan — B. 3 Oct 1830, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;21 D. 26 Nov 1924, Seattle, Washington;21 M. Daniel McKinnon (1833-1895), 20 Oct 1854, Prince Edward Island22
5. Job Bevan — B. 18 Mar 1834, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;23 M. Abigail Treneman (~1837-?), 5 Aug 1858, Prince Edward Island24
6. Rebecca Bevan — B. 9 May 1837, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;25 D. 12 Apr 1868, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;25 M. Charles Rodd (1839-1905), 26 May 1864, Prince Edward Island26
7. John Bevan — B. 18 Apr 1841, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;27 D. 17 Sep 1842, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island27
8. Charles Frederick Bevan — B. 17 Jan 1845, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island;28 D. 3 Jun 1926, Victoria, British Columbia;29 M. (1) Mary Gillis (1847-bef 1877), 12 Nov 1868;30 (2) Mary Helen Moody (1843-1900), 1877;31 (3) Hattie Ann Gray (1857-1929), 23 Nov 1908, Victoria, British Columbia32
Sources:
1 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Pepperell) Bevan
2 Find-a-Grave listing of Maria (Bevan) Hewes (firstborn child of Rebecca)
3 Death record of Rebecca Bevan, Canada, Prince Edward Island Death Card Index, 1721-1905, FamilySearch.org
4 Marriage record of William Pepperell and Mary Brown, England, Wiltshire, Church Records, 1518-1990, FamilySearch.org
5 Birth record of Marie Pepperall, “The Descendants of Patrick Callaghan and Maria Pepperall,” Ron Nelson, islandregister.com
6 William’s daughter Louisa was listed in St. Paul’s Anglican Church records as being born in Charlottetown on December 31, 1809.
7 “The Descendants of Joshua Bevan,” Steven Meeken, islandregister.com
8 Records of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island
9 Death notice of Job Bevan, The Examiner, Prince Edward Island, 13 Jan 1862
10 Hutchinson’s Prince Edward Island City Directory, 1864
11 Death Notice of Rebecca Bevan, The Examiner, Prince Edward Island, 4 Jan 1869
12 Death record of Maria Hughes, Massachusetts, U.S., Death Records, 1841-1915, FamilySearch.org
13 Marriage record of John Baird and Maria Bevan, Records of Prince Edward Island Heritage Foundation
14 Military records of Charles Hughes, 5 March 1846, Halifax, Nova Scotia
15 Marriage record of John Costigan and Maria Hughes, Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915, FamilySearch.org
16 Baptismal record of William Bevan, Prince Edward Island, Baptism Index, 1788-1943, Ancestry.com
17 Find-a-Grave listing of William Bevan
18 Marriage record of William Bevan and Hannah Vessey, Canada, Prince Edward Island Marriage Registers, 1832-1888, FamilySearch.org
19 Find-a-Grave listing of James Job Bevan
20 Marriage record of James J. Bevan and Sophia E. Wiseman, New Jersey, U.S., Marriage Records, 1670-1965, Ancestry.com
21 Death record of Sarah Ann MacKinnon, Washington, U.S., Death Records, 1907-1017, Ancestry.com
22 Marriage record of Daniel McKinnon and Sarah Ann Bevan, C., P. E. I. M. R.
23 Baptismal record of Job Bevan, P. E. I., B. I.
24 Marriage record of Job Bevan and Abigail Treneman, C., P. E. I. M. R.
25 Find-a-Grave listing of Rebecca (Bevan) Rodd
26 Marriage record of Charles Rodd and Rebecca Pepperell, C., P. E. I. M. R.
27 Find-a-Grave listing of John Bevan
28 Baptismal record of Charles Bevan, P. E. I., B. I.
29 Find-a-Grave listing of Charles Frederick Beavan
30 Marriage record of Charles Bevan and Mary Gillis, C., P. E. I. M. R.
31 Find-a-Grave listing of Mary Helen (Moody) Beavan
32 Marriage record of Charles Frederick Bevan and Hattie Ann Gray, British Columbia, Canada, Marriage Index, 1872-1935, Ancestry.com
