My Family Tree

Anne Marie, born around 1835, was not in the PEI Baptismal Index. She said that both of her parents were born on the Island on the 1891 census. An online posting said "Winnie’s oral history (Winnifred Murray Bearse) names John and Marie Ellen MacArthur as Anne Marie’s parents", but I haven't been able to identify them - these were the names given to their oldest son and second daughter. However, these are also names connected with David's family.

Neil McArthur was a witness at the marriage of Anne Marie McArthur and David Long Bryant, which was performed by Justice of the Peace Craswell, from St. Eleanor's in 1853, and again, Winnie said that Anne Marie had a brother Neil. Possible parents for Ann Marie, therefore, could be John McArthur and Catherine McLaughlin/McArthur, who had a son Neil. There was also Alexander McArthur and Nancy McLaughlin, but Anne Marie did not name a son Alexander, and her date of birth is quite a few years past their last recorded child. However, their daughter Elizabeth married David's brother William. Was Betsy Ann Marie's aunt?

David was the son of William Bryant and Catherine Maria Coughlin. His father died in 1833, when he was about 3, and his mother married a widower, John Bowser in April 1833. David was raised by his mother and John Bowser.

In 1861 Ann Marie and David were living in Weldford, Kent, New Brunswick with children Margaret Ann (8), John Henry (6), Mariah Helen (4), Catherine Esther (2), and Mary Ann Almina (0). David's mother, Maria Bowser, and her son John were living with them. They said that all of their children were born in New Brunswick.

They returned to the Island, and were living in Lot 10 in 1881. Catherine Esther (21 born NB), Charlotte Alice Bryant (19), William Havelock (17), Mary Ann (15), Elizabeth Jane (13, born PEI), George (9), Frederick (7), and Flora Bell (3) were in the household. John Henry (age 24, born PEI) was married to Elizabeth and living next to them. Maria, married to Robert Patterson Murray, was next to John Henry.

In 1891, David and Ann M. were in Lot 10 with George (18) and Flora (10).

Name Mrs. D. L. Bryant
Date of Burial April 1900
Source pre-1906 Death Index. Bideford Methodist Church
Notes Bideford Methodist Churchyard