Henry Pyle 1802 - 1898

Henry Pyle was my 3 times maternal great-grandfather born in Crosserlough, Kildrumferton parish, County Cavan, Ireland to Richard and Hariet. He had one sister, Margaret.

He emigrated to Quebec City sometime before 1825, became a farmer and married Jane Griffith, also from Ireland in 1825.

They had 5 children, Jane, my 2 times great-grandmother, Phoebe, Robert, Ann, and Eliza Jane. Their mother, Jane died in 1863 and Henry married again, this time to Jane Gregory in 1865. Jane Gregory Pyle died in 1883, he had also survived a daughter, Phoebe who died in 1876 and his only son, Robert who died in 1875.

Henry died at the age of 96 at the Finlay Asylum for elderly men.

1832 Emigrants Handbook for arrivals at Québec

1832 Emigrants Handbook for arrivals at Québec

C. Buchanan, Chief Agent.
Emigrant Department, Québec, 1st June, 1832
Published by His Majesty’s Chief Agent for the superintendence of settlers and emigrants in Lower Canada – For the use of Emigrants (gratis)
Printed in Québec by Thomas Cary & Co. –
Freemason’s Hall, Buade Street, Québec – 1832


Information for emigrants

There is nothing of more importance to emigrants on arrival at Quebec, than correct information on the leading points, connected with their future pursuits. Many have suffered much by a want of caution, and by listening to the opinions of interested designing characters, who frequently offer their advice unsolicited, and who are met generally about wharves and landing places frequented by strangers. To guard emigrants from failing into such errors, they should immediately on arrival at Quebec, proceed to the

Office of the Chief Agents for Emigrants, in Sault-au-Matelot street in Quebec’s Lower Town.

Emigrants arriving at Quebec from the United Kingdom, and who are desirous of settling in Lower Canada, or of obtaining employment in Lower Canada, are informed that all necessary information for their guidance may be obtained (gratis) on application at this Office, between the hours of 10 and 3 o’clock daily, Sundays excepted.

The following directions are of importance to the emigrant arriving in Canada, and are addressed to him in the simplest language.

Previous to disembarkation, arrange your baggage in a small compass, the fewer packages the better, but have them well secured. Old dirty clothing, large boxes, and other useless articles, are not worth the carriage. If you have any provisions left, such as oatmeal, potatoes, etc, you can sell them at Quebec at a profit, and avoid the expense of transport, and you can purchase baker’s bread, butter, tea, sugar, and other necessaries more suited for your journey.

Persons intending to settle in Lower Canada, will find much valuable information regarding the laws and customs of the country by referring to a little work published by Joseph F. Perrault, Esquire, Prothonotary, of Lower Canada, entitled, "A Rural Code for the use of the old and new inhabitants of Lower Canada," which may be had of Messrs. T. Cary & Co. Printers, at Quebec, for nine pence.

Routes to the principal settlements in

Lower Canada

District of Québec

Townships of Portneuf – North side of the River St. Lawrence and in the district and vicinity of Quebec, are the settlements of Beauport, Stoneham, Tewsbury, Valcartier and Jacques Cartier, Deschambault, and the settlement of Portneuf. Inhabitants, principally Irish.

Township of St. Nicholas – From the Market-slip, in the Lower Town of Quebec, ferry-boats go daily as the tide suits, to St. Nicholas, 12 miles up the river on the south side, where Craig’s Road begins.

Townships of Frampton - South side of the River St. Lawrence – 36 miles from Quebec by Point Levy, a thriving settlement, inhabitants mostly Irish – Townships lying contiguous to the Kennebec Road, beyond Frampton, offer good prospect for settlement. The lands are principally private property. The Seignioury of St. Giles, 30 miles from Quebec, by St. Nicholas and the Craig’s Road, is favourably situated for emigrants, from its contiguity to the Capital, and is increasing rapidly, its population is principally Irish.

Township of New Argyle - Seigniory of St. Croix – The settlement of New Argyle, located 8 miles from Richardson’s Tavern, on the Craig’s Road, in St. Giles, and 38 miles from Quebec; the new road to the Township of Inverness, passes through this settlement. Inhabitants, principally Highlanders from the Island of Islay, and Irish. The lands in this part are of good quality.

Townships of Ulster – Yorkshire – Dublin – New Hamilton – The settlements of Ulster, Yorkshire, Dublin, and New Hamilton, commence four miles beyond New Argyle, and 42 miles from Quebec, and are situated in the flourishing Township of Inverness, through which a new road has been nearly finished to the borders of the Township of Halifax. The inhabitants of Inverness are from various parts of the United Kingdom. Those from England are principally from Yorkshire, those from Ireland, mostly from the Northern Counties, and those from Scotland, are chiefly Highlanders from the Island of Arran. Beyond Inverness lie the Townships of Halifax, Chester, and Tingwick; good lands for settlement; but at present there is no convenient road to them. The Township of Arthabaska joins Inverness, and is a desirable place for settlement.

Township of Leeds – The settlement of Leeds, through which Craig’s Road passes, lies to the left of Inverness. The region is located 50 miles from Quebec, and is increasing rapidly in population. Inhabitants, Scotch, Irish and English.

Township of New Ireland – The region of New Ireland, through which Craig’s Road also passes, lies beyond Leeds, 60 miles from Quebec and is increasing much in population. The inhabitants are principally Irish, and a number of English of the Wesleyan connexion, also about 25 American families from the United States.

Townships of Shipton & Dudswell – Craig’s road leads to Shipton and Dudswell, but is impassable for wheel carriage transport beyond Ireland.

Eastern Townships of Lower Canada

The route to the Townships - The present route to Trois Rivieres (Three Rivers), 90 miles above Quebec , by steam-boat, here cross the St. Lawrence to the south side and proceed to Sherbrooke, by Nicolet, La Baie, and Drummondville, or you may proceed to Sorel, 40 miles above Trois Rivieres on the south side of the St. Lawrence, and there disembark; the rate of passage from Quebec by the steam-boat, will be a trifle more than it is to Trois-Rivieres, but you will avoid the ferry. A good road leads from Sorel to Sherbrooke, by Yamaska and Drummondville. The distance from Quebec to Sherbrooke in a straight line by the new road to Inverness, when finished is 99 miles, and by Trois Rivieres or Sorel, the route obliged to be taken for transport, is 160 miles, of which 70 is land carriage.

Townships of Sherbrooke – Sherbrooke is the Capital of the Eastern Townships, and is surrounded by thriving settlements, particularly Stanstead, where industrious farming labourers or mechanics are much wanted, and are sure by good conduct to do well; as also, in the Townships of Stanbridge, Brome, Dunham, Potton and the Seigniory of St. Armand; the route to which is by St-Jean (St. John’s)

Townships of Chambly – Chambly is 40 miles from Sorel and 18 from Montreal. Labourers may get employment at the canal now making at Chambly, Chateauguay, Godmanchester and Sherington, from 25 to 40 miles from Montreal, south side of the St. Lawrence, are thriving situations.

North Shore of the St. Lawrence in Lower Canada

Townships of Trois Rivières – Three Rivers and its vicinity, 90 miles from Quebec, give employment to many emigrants. In the rear of Berthier, 130 miles above Quebec, are the Townships of Brandon, Kilkenny, Rawdon and Kildare.

Townships of New Glascow – Settlements in the Seigniory of Terrebonne, is about 30 miles from Montreal. Persons bound for the townships bordering on the Ottawa River, particularly Lochaber, Templeton, Hull, Grenville, Horton or other situations, on the Ottawa River, can proceed from Montreal, and Lachine, by the usual conveyances. There are many desirable situations for settlement belonging to private individuals. The names of the proprietors or the agents may be had on application at this office.

Please note - It is particularly recommended to emigrants to be exceedingly cautious in ascertaining the titles to such lands as they may settle on. Recommendation for lands to the respective Township Agents and Superintendents of settlement in Lower Canada, with routes will be furnished to emigrants (gratis)

A. C. Buchanan, Chief Agent – Emigrant Department , Quebec , 1st June, 1832

Selected Original Sources dealing with A.C. Buchanan

Robert John Grace – The Irish in Québec

"Third Report from the Select Committee on Emigration from the United Kingdom" – Evidence of A.C. Buchanan

A.C. Buchanan "Annual Report on Emigration for 1850"

"First Report from the Select Committee on Emigration of 1826 by A.C. Buchanan

St. Lawrence Steamboat Company

The John Molson built in 1827 at Montreal, it was powered by a mechanical sidewheel. 

Specifications: 154x23x9
Owned by J. Molson, Montreal.
Built by Campbell, Montreal and launched 22/05/27.
Had two engines: one by Boulton & Watt, London, from "Lady Sherbrooke", other new by J. D. Ward, Montreal.
Built as towboat normally hauling barge "Commerce", passenger accommodation added in former hold 1832 and 1834.
Used Montreal-Quebec; fastest trip 20 hr. 15 min. including stops.
Rammed and badly damaged "Chambly" 25/09/28 Trois Rivières.

There is an absence of passenger lists to Canada before 1865, in many cases the captains didn't feel it necessary to keep lists of their passengers so there is little to none to research.

But, in this case, with John Molson and his St. Lawrence Steamboat Company, there are passenger lists from 1819 to 1838.
Molson, an entrepreneur in Montreal in the early 1800s, built a successful brewing business. Over the years, he had heard stories of immigrants from the British Isles to Canada who had landed in Quebec City, but if their destination had been in the western part of Upper Canada (Ontario), or in some cases, the United States, many of them would not have gone. They would have not continued on their journey because they had run out of money, and transportation was very expensive on the St. Lawrence. So they could not get to where they were going, and had to stay in Quebec City – even if it had not been their choice.


So entrepreneur John Molson supplied the boats to ferry them along the St. Lawrence River down to Montreal for a reasonable fare. Soon, passengers and freight was plying the waters between Montreal and Quebec City, a distance of 150 miles or so.

People could now continue their journey past Quebec City and Montreal, and travel onward to settlements in Upper Canada and the United States. The business idea that he had years ago had turned into a success.

The Shipslists site states, in part...

One method of proceeding inward (west) and down (south) into the United States, after arriving by Sailing Ship at the port of Quebec, was to take passage in one of the St. Lawrence Steamboat Co. Steamers to Montreal. Some records of passengers carried exist for the years 1819 to 1836, on the Steamers Malsham, New Swiftsure, Lady Sherbrooke, Car of Commerce, Caledonia, Quebec, Telegraph, Chambly, Waterloo, John Molson, St. Lawrence, John Bull, Canada, Voyageur and Canadian Eagle. These steamboat records only represent passenger movements of one company ; although large, the St. Lawrence Steamboat Company was not the only one operating on the River, from Quebec to Montreal. It is, however, the only one for which some records survive.

The database is available free at the Ships List website.

Advertisement: The JOHN MOLSON, Capt. C. W. Douglas, and HERCULES, J. B. Clarke, Lieut. R. N. Commander, will be employed next season as passenger boats. The formers accommodations have been considerably extended, by making a number of state-rooms in the space formerly occupied by her hold. These boats will, we are convinced, be much liked by passengers generally, as they are so entirely free of annoyance produced by the jarring of the machinery; the JOHN MOLSON in particular, has been frequently remarked for the stillness and quietness of her motion.

Source: Canadian Emigrant (Sandwich, ON), Saturday, April 14, 1832

My 3rd great-grandfather, Henry Pyle booked passage on the John Molson steamboat on 25 May 1832, he was passenger #173 and rode in steerage for the sum of -17/6 pounds from Quebec City to Montreal. This was the John Molson's 4th trip up.

The photograph of the steamboat at the top of this entry is what the John Molson would have looked like when my grandfather sailed to Montreal.

Finlay Asylum - 1860 Quebec City
Dates of Operation: 1857 - 1970

The Finlay Home was an Anglican residence that primarily served elderly men between 1857 and 1970.

With the closure of the Anglican-run Quebec Asylum around 1827, there was no Anglican or Protestant home for the elderly until the 1850s. 
This caught the attention of Margaret Finlay, who willed £200 to the Church of England for this purpose upon her death in 1849.

In 1857, the bishop acquired a wooden cottage in Saint-Jean-Baptiste "to form the commencement of an asylum for the aged and infirm, or otherwise disabled persons and distressed widows, being of the communion of the Church of England.” It eventually became a men’s home, with the women redirected to the Ladies’ Protestant Home.

By 1860, the Church had collected enough for a large building. Designed by Ottawa architects Stent and Lavers, who also designed the Military Asylum, this eclectic building fused together different styles with a predominance of gothic elements. The new Finlay Asylum was inaugurated on August 2, 1862. It was large enough to accommodate the Church of England Female Orphan Asylum in the west wing and the Church of England Male Orphan Asylum in the east wing. The latter remained in the building until the 1960s, by which time it functioned primarily as a student residence. Although they were separate institutions, the young boys were colloquially known as the "Finlay Home boys.”

By 1962, the Finlay Home catered to only eight elderly men. The building was sold in 1968, and the home continued in Sillery until October 1970. The six remaining men were relocated to Saint Brigid’s Home and to another home in the Eastern Townships.

The Finlay Asylum lives on as a charitable trust that provides grants to organizations for the homeless and needy, namely Saint Brigid’s Home.

My 3rd maternal great-grandfather, Henry Pyle born in Crosserlough, County Cavan, Ireland was an inmate of Finlay Asylum as an elderly gentleman with no family left. He passed away in 1898 and was buried in Bourg Louis Cemetery in Quebec City.

A to Z April Challenge - Reflections

Not long after I started my blog, The Past Whispers, about the genealogy of my family, I stumbled upon a post on Facebook that mentioned the A to Z Challenge, I was immediately interested. After reading the rules I joined and decided I would write about the place names in the province of Quebec, my home. What fun!

In being a part of the challenge I researched, formulated a post a day, traveled to other blogs to read posts I would have otherwise never had the chance to see, and I learned a great deal about the country in which I was born.

The people who set up this challenge did a marvelous job, kudos to you! Would I ever do another blogging challenge, yes, in a heartbeat!

See everyone next time!

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