Acadiensis/Volume 1/Number 3/Book-Plates
Book-Plates.
HE MOST REVEREND John Medley, D.D., late Bishop of Fredericton and Metropolitan of the ecclesiastical province of Canada, was born in London, England, Dec. 10th, 1804. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford, and took his degree with second-class honors in 1827. He was ordained on June 14th, 1828, and became curate of Souther, in Devonshire, the same year. Tn 1831 he accepted the incumbency of St. John, Truro, and in 1838 he was appointed to the vicarage of St. Thomas, Exeter. He was consecrated first Bishop of Fredericton on Ascension Day, 1845, in Lambeth Chapel, by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Howley. The foundation stone of Fredericton cathedral was consecrated August 21st, 1853. The cathedral is a very fine specimen of architecture, and its situation, near the bank of the St. John river, surrounded as it is by a wide stretch of green sward, and clustered about by feathery elm trees, betokens the highly aesthetic taste of its projector, who sleeps his long sleep beneath the shadow of its walls.
No. 11.—The book-plate of Bishop Medley, which is here reproduced from the original copper-plate engraving, is one of the most beautiful in design and execution of any of those to be found within the limits of Acadia. Upon a ribbon is the motto: "Believe, Love, Obey," while above the shield is the crest, an heraldic tiger, sejant, vert, tufted and maned, or.
No. 12.—Mr. Edward Allison was born at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, in November, 1803, and at the age of twelve years removed to Halifax, where he afterwards went into business with his brothers.
About 1845 he went to St. John and entered into partnership with Mr. James deWolfe Spurr, carrying on a general lumber business under the firm name of Allison & Spurr. they building the first mill at Spurr's Cove, at the location afterwards occupied by Miller & Woodman.
Mr. Allison was also largely interested in shipping and the importation of general merchandise until about 1854, when, at the death of Mr. Adam Jack, who was managing the business of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance Company for him, he closed up his mercantile business and devoted himself exclusively to insurance. This latter business he continued until 1871, when he retired altogether from active business and removed to Fredericton, from whence, after three or four years, he again removed to Halifax, at which city he died in 1876.
No. 13.—The late William Richdale Bustin was a descendant of an old Northumbrian family, and he was born at South Lincolnshire, England. He was educated under the Rev. Joshua Stoppard, at Sedgefield Grammar School and at the University of Edinburgh. He was a good linguist and well versed in the natural sciences.
He had held commissions in H. M. 10th and 98th Regiments of Foot, and was a brother officer of the late Col. John Robinson, of Douglas, York Co., N. B. After seeing some service in the Mediterranean and on the
Book-Plate of Edward Allison.
Book-Plate of the Late John Medley,
Bishop of Fredericton.
From the Collection of Dr. Chas. E. Cameron.
Continent of Europe, his battalion of the regiment was reduced.
He came to the Province of New Brunswick in 1848, and was the last officer to whom land was granted in Nova Scotia.
He was a gentleman of superior education, literary mind, sound piety and retired habits.
No. 13.
No. 14—Of all Acadian families, few are more numerous or more widely distributed than those bearing the name of Wetmore, with allied branches. Many of them have occupied prominent positions, more particularly in the Province of New Brunswick. They are all descended from Thomas Whitmore, who came from the west of England to Boston, Mass., in 1635, in the eleventh year of the reign of Charles the First. Three of them at least, namely, Thomas Wetmore, Rev. Robert Griffith Wetmore and William Wetmore, are known to have possessed book-plates, one of which we reproduce herewith. In 1861 a very valuable book, entitled, "The Wetmore Family in America," was published by James Carnahan Wetmore, dealing with the Wetmore family throughout America. That portion of the Wetmore family who settled in Charlotte County, N. B., appears to have been entirely omitted, and as it embraced many prominent and interesting personages in provincial biography, it is our intention to publish the first of a series of articles, dealing with that branch of the family, in our next issue.
All the book-plates of the Wetmore family which the writer has been able to discover bear the family coat-of-arms and crest, which are as follows:
Arms—He beareth argent, on a chief azure; three martlets, or.
Crest—A Falcon, ppr.
The writer has had some correspondence with Hon. George Peabody Wetmore, Chairman of the Committee on the Library of the U. S. Senate, regarding the Wetmore book-plates, and as one of his letters contains a great deal of information in a concise form, we take the liberty of re-publishing it verbatim:
WASHINGTON, D. C., May 7th, 1901.
Dear Sir,—
I am sorry not to have been able to give attention to your letter, received some time ago, until now. In reply to your enquiry as to whether I know anything concerning Wetmore book-plates, I would say that I find in a book called "Book Plates Old and New," by John A. Gade, published by M. F. Mansfield and Company, New York, on page 41, a paragraph speaking of book plates engraved by Paul Revere, in which mention is made, among others, of one of William Wetmore. In another book, "Book Plates, and their Value," by J. H. Slater, published at London, by Henry Grant, 47 Essex street, 1898, I find two references, on page 63 and page 233, again of William Wetmore. "American Book Plates," by Charles Dexter Allen, Macmillan and Co., New York and London, 1894, refers, on page 56, to a book-plate of Prosper Wetmore by Maverick, and on pages 147 and 148 to one of William Wetmore, by Paul Revere, giving a fac simile of the same. In the same book, in the list of early American book-plates, page 302, No. 924, a description is given of the book-plate of Charles H. Wetmore, signed by "Doolittle, Sculp.," same page, No. 925, that of Prosper Wetmore, signed, "Maverick, Sculp.," and same page, No. 926, William Wetmore, signed " Revere, sc."
My father, William S. Wetmore, had a book-plate about forty years ago, and I had one made about thirty years ago. I will try and remember, when I go to Newport, to send you examples of each.
Yours truly,
George Peabody Wetmore.
D. R. Jack, Esq.,
St. John, New Brunswick.
No. 14.
No. 15.—Rev. Robert Griffieth Wetmore, A. M., was the youngest child of Timothy Wetmore, by Jane Haviland, of Rye, N. Y., his first wife, Timothy was the son of Rev. James, who was the son of Izrahiah, who was the son of Thomas Whitmore, before mentioned. He was born in Rye, N. Y., March 10, 1774; christened the Sunday next before Whitsunday by the Rev. Mr. Avery, Mr. Robert Griffieth and wife, sponsors, by proxy ; married May 16, 1795, at St. John, N. B., by Rev. Mather Byles, first rector of Trinity Church, St. John, to Jane Gidney, of Queens Co.; had Jane, and Abraham Kirsted Smedes. In his tenth year he removed with his father to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, where he studied law and was duly admitted an attorney 6th May, 1795. Soon afterwards he removed to New York and commenced the study of theology, being ordained deacon by Right Rev. Samuel Provost, bishop of New York, 25th May, 1797.
He was a very prominent Mason, and held many high offices in that body. He died on the 30bh January, 1803, at Savannah, Ga. His wife died at Rye, N. Y., Saturday, October 2nd, 1802.
No. 16.—Thomas Wetmore, brother to the Rev. R. G. Wetmore, was born in Rye, N. Y., September 20, 1767; married March 17th, 1793, at Gagetown, N. B., to Sarah, daughter of Judge James Peters, and had thirteen children by her. He was a Loyalist, and removed with his father to Nova Scotia, and from thence to New Brunswick, where he studied law with Hon. Ward Chipman, was admitted to the bar, and practised with credit and success. In 1792 he held the office of Deputy Surrogate of the Colony, was Master and Examiner in Chancery, Registrar of Wills and Deeds for Queens County, and was a member of the Council. He was appointed Attorney General of the Province of New Brunswick July 26, 1809, which office he filled with signal reputation until his death, 22nd March, 1828.
The writer has before him an old volume published in 1776, the property of Mr. George Otty Dickson Otty, containing the book-plate of Thomas Wetmore, and also his autograph, with the date 1799.