William Blanchard (abt. 1768 - 1850)

Born about 1768 in Horton, Dorset, England

Husband of Elizabeth (Joe) Blanchard — married [date unknown] in Newfoundland

Descendants

Died 24 Aug 1850 at about age 82 in Gillams Cove, Newfoundland Colony

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Biography

This profile is part of the Blanchard Name Study.

William Blanchard married a Mi'kmaq woman named Elizabeth Joe, and had several children in the the Bay of Islands, Newfoundland. "The known children of William Blanchard and Elizabeth Joe are Thomas, Elizabeth, Catherine, William, John, Susan (Susannah), Joseph, and Eliza (one of my great-greatgrandmothers). In their approximately 25-year span of childbearing, there may have been others."^[1].

The Blanchard's of Parson's Pond and Bonne Bay

The Blanchard's of Parson's Pond and Bonne Bay are descendants of William BLANCHARD of the Bay of Islands. William, however, was orignally from Dorsetshire, England.^[2] Papers of Governor Duckworth record William BLANCHARD living on the Humber River in 1810: a "cod and salmon fisherman, selling fish to St. John's."^[3]

J. B. Jukes, an American mentions the Blanchard's during a voyage to the Bay of Islands on August 20, 1839: "We visited one family about half way down the [Humber] sound .... Their name was Blanchard and the old man had lived here about sixty years, having settled there before the breaking out of the American War. He had several sons that were getting married and beginning to settle about him. His house, though small, was neat and comfortable, and he had two or three small fields under cultivation. They were just getting in the hay from one small meadow, and it appeared of good quality. They had very good currants, raspberries, and gooseberries growing in the garden edges."

Bishop Feild also spoke of William BLANCHARD during a visit to Gilliam's Cove, Bay of Islands in 1849: "The house is mean and dirty, and the old patriarch, who has lived here nearly seventy years, was in a state of great filth and discomfort. He is nearly ninety years of age. His mental faculties are good, but his bodily strength is nearly gone . He welcomed us kindly, spoke with pleasure of Archdeacon Wix .... This is, I believe, the second time only in nearly 70 years that he has seen a clergyman..."^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ The Western Star "Researching family of early Bay of Islands settlers uncovered many surprises," John G. Edgar, August 27, 2009. (see also profile of Thomas Joe for the letter, edited for length and clarity)
2. ↑ "England, Dorset, Parish Registers, 1538-1936," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDH-VFR4 : 7 December 2017), William Blanchard, 07 Aug 1768; Christening, citing Horton, Horton, Dorset, England, Record Office, Dorchester; FHL microfilm 2,427,540.
3. ↑ Cited in Loader / Loder Genealogy Pages, Profile for Blanchard, William. without attribution. References to the original source material would be appreciated. Accessed 2017.
4. ↑ Project Canterbury Church in the Colonies.No. XXV A Journal of a Visitation in the "Hawk" Church Ship, On the Coast of Labrador, and round the Whole Island of Newfoundland, in the year 1849. By Edward Feild, Lord Bishop of Newfoundland. Accessed 2017.