John Bishop

    Mary Hutcheson

    22 Oct 1770 Henry

    18 Oct 1772 James

This couple were not married as the wives maiden name was stated.  There were no baptisms recorded after James.

By 1780 1790 A family of Bishops were living in Pickeyes.  By 1805 the Bishops held the western side of the cove and there was a hill named Bishops Hill

Petten and Butler held the remaining land on Pickeyes.

This gets complicated by another family of Bishops in Back cove.  1780 probably a bit earlier most of the back cove Bishops and several families of Roach who were also Church of England moved to Bay Roberts in 1820.  The predominant family was now John Bishops.

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The Battens from the Channel Islands are of Norman extraction and go back to the days when the Vikings Angles Saxons Normans and Basque inhabited Coastal Europe, Many of the family names found in Nfld became Anglicised.  Batten was originally Batton.  Nfld place names St. Johns Petty Hr Bay Bulls are found on Jersy in the same order St. Jean Petite Harve Baie Bay de Boule.  There were four Norman Sail in St. John's 1523 when Capt John Rut visited.  Those fellows no doubt named it.

Samuel Batton occupied the Picco Rooms in Pickeyes 1705.  Samuel Batton married Ann Butler and was given Land by her Father Tom Butler in Port de Grave.  Interred next to Tom Butler a site which remains to day sacred ground.

In 1817 Capt Buchann R.N. reported only two families of Battons left in Port de Grave.  The other six were found in Bareneed.  This proves what my Grandmother told me.  Her Grandfather a ship owner had moved to The Docks.

East of the Church his large property bounded the water front of the most sheltered part of the harbour known as The Docks, Ring Bolts can still be seen where the earliest fisherman the Jersyman moored their vessels.  I like to believe it was Sam's relatives who first fished there.

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My Grandmother Lucinda Batten married my Grandfather William John Leamon in Petty Harbour 25 May 1891.  He died in 1942 and I would be sent to Petty Harbour as she insisted on remaining in the Old home stead.  She would tell me of meeting Grandfather when she came to Petty Hr to work in Jacob Bishops store.  She mentioned his wife was her Aunt and the Bishops travelling to The Labrador in their vessel to take part in the codfishery.

Labrador Fishery

1. Livyer (?)  Labrador Resident

2. Floater He lived on the vessel and fished from it

3. Stationer They would travel to shore based fishing rooms and live ashore in houses.

The Bishops and Battens were stationers.  There was no Doctor, no Coast Guard, no radio  Anything you forgot you did without.  Grandmother spoke of the waterfont Shed and the mountain of supplies that grew larger as the sailing date neared.  All clothing was gone over and repaired  A day before the sailing Bread Cookies and Cakes to last the Trip would be baked.  On Sailing day they tried to cross Trinity Bay before nightfall.  On the Labrador there were icebergs.  After five days hard sailing there was a further delay while the house repairs were completed.  They moved ashore for the Summer.

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Capt John had the difficult task of screening families who would be living together for five months in a hostile Land.  There were no services and of particular concern was the screening of people who would cave in if exposed to a life threatening situation  Groups were Generally of the same faith and family.

The concern of being able to cope with Natures elements is reflected in the Hymns in common use here

"When the billows roll and the Cables strain

Will your anchor drift or firm remain

Guide me oh thou Great Jehovah

Pilgrim in this Barren land

And dark is his path on the wings of a Storm"

In the last one they see a hell with water and wind not fire.  I am certain that the Battens and Bishops knew and trusted.  Their many years fishing in "the Land God gave to Cain" tells it all.

I have enclosed a Jacobs family History written by Walter Simms also a history of Petty Hr Parish that he served so well.  I will on the following pages complete Walters Storey.

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Page 6

William

William's children:  Susanna married Jacob Bishop 28 Jan 1842, John married Harriet Lear, Emma married Elijah Dawe.

Susanna & Jacob had sons George Henry, John, Henry Jacob White. George Henry married Mary Ann Way and had a son named Henry who married Elizabeth Rowe.  Henry and Elizabeth had a son Harry and a daughter Olive.  Henry Jacob White married Katherine Webber and had sons George, John, Harold, Henry and Eric.

John & Harriet had a daughter Lucinda.  Lucinda had a son John Malcolm.  John Malcolm had a son Ray Leamon.

Emma & and Elijah had a son William.  William had sons Chester and Lewis.  Chester now 95 still heads the largest building supplies in Nfld. which he founded.  His brother Lewis Salesmanager.

Jacob Bishop was a licenced Church Layreader/School Teacher who came to Petty Harbour to replace Richard Allen who had retired.  At that time, a clergy came from St. John's once or twice a month for Communion and Marriages.  Baptisms, burials, the Sick and Sunday Service made Jacob a very busy fellow.  The one room school Just west of the Church had the teachers residence attached.  A door in the house opened into the classroom.  Wood for the house was cut and delivered.  Fish and vegetables for the asking.  The children were required to bring a Junk each day for school Heath.  A spring well Just up the Hill provided a never ending supply of sweetwater.  To this day residents prefer it to the towns water.

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The property where the School and Church are located was once the Property of John Chafe who lived there in 1708.  It went to his eldest son Edward who we beleive built the first Church St Davids 1780.  The earliest headstone 1811 Henry Chafe was Edwards brother.  Jacob Bishop was surrounded by Edwards children who were generous to their Church and very active.  Jacob Bishop had wonderful neighbours and must have been very happy there.

Two headstones:

    Jacob 23 Jan 1899 age 79

    Susanna 1 May 1891 age 71

The Lees who live in sight of the Church yard tell me Henry Jacob White visited his parents grave site every week.

Henry Jacob White married Katherine and their large home with a General store attached was located on the main road.  The had the mail and a contract for freight and passengers From the local railway station.  Mother told me I was five months old when the Bishops picked me up at the station and brought me to Petty Harbour.  The last Bishop to run the store was Henry J Ws daughter Mary Elizabeth who had a late marriage to Alexander G. Lee about 1945.  He was a widower.  If my mother went to the store in a slack time she would bring out the teapot and cookies and they would have a chat.  Remember my mothers Grandfather John Henry Ebsary was an older Brother of Allen Pitts Ebsary husband of Mary Ann Mercer.

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Alexander G. Lees first Cousin Cartrelt(?) Lee maried Rebecca Ann Bishop.  This is another Branch of the Bishops Clan who kept a farm at Manuels Conception Bay.  Cartrelt(?) and Rebecca Anns Daughter Marion marrion married Harold son of Henry Jacob White Bishop.  They had a vegetable farm on the Highway leading to St. John's.  They had two sons Roy and George who married built their homes on the farm and became farmers.  George died of lung cancer 1958 leaving two children Roy is still living there.

Charles came to St. John's and founded CHR Bishop Plumbing  He lived on Cowan Ave near me and I would see him from time to time.

Henry was a housing contractor and part time farmer I had met him at funerals a number of occasions.

Eric was the mechanic foreman at the Royal Garage when he opened his own shop on Topsail road  I had my car serviced there.

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Henry Jacob White is interred in the New Cemetery P.H. opened 1905

Mary Elizabeth Lee 30 Jan 1956 age 63

Henry Jacob White Bishop 29 Oct 1925

(notes between the two listed above read Family Plot)

Katherine Bishop 30 Jun 1943 (notes beside "was a Webber UC people)

George Hubert Bishop 25 Oct 1925 age 22 1/2

Kathleen Webber Bishop 30 May 1923 13mth

There is enclosed Head Stone photos.

Canon George Henrys Wife and Son

Anglican Cemetery Forest Rd St. John's.

(signed)  Ray Leamon

Updated on July 12, 2002