- Call Number:
- HIL-MICL FC LFR .B9F3C6
- Category:
- Family
- Creator:
- Byles Family.
- Material Description:
- 1 microfilm textual records (4 volumes) ; 35 mm
- Background:
Rev. Mather Byles, Jr. (1734-1814) was a Congregational minister before his ordination in the Church of England. In 1776 he fled from Boston to Halifax and served as the garrison chaplain until 1788 when he became rector of Trinity Church, Saint John, New Brunswick. Mather Byles, Jr. was married three times: to Rebecca Walter, Sarah Lyde, and Susanna Reid. His descendants include: Anna, (1768-1830), wife of Lt.-Colonel Thomas Desbrisay; Elizabeth ([1767]-1808), wife of William Scovil; Rebecca (1762-1853), wife of William J. Almon; Belcher (1780-1815); and Mather III (1764-1803). Mather III was employed at one time as a draughtsman in J.F.W. DesBarres' office. Later, he went to New Brunswick with General Campbell, and afterwards to Grenada as Commissary General. Mather Byles, Jr.'s sisters Mary and Catherine remained in Boston and maintained their Loyalist sympathies throughout the Revolution.
- Contents:
- Online: Some or all of this material is available electronically; see Finding Aid section.
The reel contains copies of the correspondence of Rev. Mather Byles, Jr. and of his family
Volume 1 includes the letters of Rev. Mather Byles, Jr. 1777-1810, and his wife Susanna (b. 1750), 1816-1817, together with a few letters from his daughters and several of his poems.
Volume 2 includes the letters of Mather Byles III, 1782-1819, with reports of his death, and miscellaneous correspondence, 1806-1819.
Volume 3 contains the letters of Mather Byles' daughters, chiefly those by Rebecca, to their aunts in Boston, 1777-1814.
Volume 4 continues copies of the letters of Rebecca Byles (Mrs. W.J. Almon), 1810-1837.
- Originals:
- This correspondence was copied in 1917 from the originals which were part of the estate of Senator William Johnston Almon, through the courtesy of W.C. Milner. The transcripts are held by the National Archives of Canada.
- Archival Ref. No.:
- NAC MC 23, D 6.
- Finding Aids:
Background information on the Byles family is found at the beginning of the reel entitled: Memorandum.
An Inventory Description, Memorandum and Table of Contents are available in print.
Online: An electronic version of this collection on microfilm is available on the Canadiana Heritage website: http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_115168; it is browsable but not searchable.
- Notes:
- The letters are arranged in overlapping series, and explanatory notes have been added to the text.