John Breynton
Encyclopedia
John Breynton was a renowned minister in Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, Canada
.
He was baptised 13 April 1719, and spent his first 14 years between his home at Trefeglwys and school in nearby Newtown. From 1733 to 1738, he attended Shrewsbury School
, and in 1738, matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
, subsequently gaining a BA
in 1741. The following year, he was commissioned as a chaplain in the Royal Navy
. By 1745, he was a chaplain on a ship of war at the various engagements between the sieges of Louisbourg
, Nova Scotia
. In 1750, he received an MA
from Cambridge, and married Elizabeth Wade at St Mary and St Michael Church, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
. He was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts or Venerable Society to assist at St Paul's Church
, Halifax, Nova Scotia
under the auspices of the Bishop of London
, while the rector William Tutty returned to London on private business, during which trip Tutty died in 1754. Breynton immediately took over as missionary and minister, or Rector, at St Paul's in 1754.
Earlier, in 1753, he had founded the first free school in Nova Scotia. In 1760, he consecrated St George's 'Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church - the second oldest church in Halifax, becoming fluent in German as a result. In 1770, he was awarded an honorary degree
of Doctor of Divinity
by the University of Oxford
. He returned to London during 1771-1772 to collect his degree, but returned to resume his post in Halifax. By the 30 October 1776, he was Chaplain to the Royal Fencible Americans.
On 13 September 1778, his first wife died, shortly before the 28 November 1778 wedding of their daughter Anne in St George's, Hanover Square.
By 6 September 1779, as a widower, he remarried and continued as Rector of St Paul's Church, Halifax. With his second wife, he appears to have returned to London shortly after 1785, continuing to draw his Halifax salary of £190 pa until he resigned and was replaced in 1791. Because of his fluency in German, he was reported to have been a chaplain to Queen Charlotte
. He remained in London and died in 1799 in Edgware Road, Paddington
, London
. He is buried in the St Marylebone
Burial ground, Paddington Street, London. His widow died in 1806 at Lichfield
, Staffordshire
.
He married firstly Elizabeth Wade (died 13 September 1778), on 8 September 1750 at St Mary and St Michael Church, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
, with issue:
Following the death of his first wife, he married secondly the widow, Mrs Mary Gerrish née Cradock, (18 May 1723 Boston, Massachusetts, USA - December 1806 Lichfield
, Staffordshire
, England
), on 9 September 1779 at Halifax, Nova Scotia, with no issue. She was the daughter of George Cradock and his wife Mary née Lyde of Boston, Massachusetts, and the widow of Joseph Gerrish (Boston, Massachusetts 1709-1774 Halifax, Nova Scotia), whom she had married in 1768 Halifax, Nova Scotia.
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
He was baptised 13 April 1719, and spent his first 14 years between his home at Trefeglwys and school in nearby Newtown. From 1733 to 1738, he attended Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
, and in 1738, matriculated at Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College, Cambridge
Magdalene College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hostel, in time coming to be known as Buckingham College, before being refounded in 1542 as the College of St Mary Magdalene...
, subsequently gaining a BA
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1741. The following year, he was commissioned as a chaplain in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. By 1745, he was a chaplain on a ship of war at the various engagements between the sieges of Louisbourg
Fortress of Louisbourg
The Fortress of Louisbourg is a national historic site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th century French fortress at Louisbourg, Nova Scotia...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. In 1750, he received an MA
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from Cambridge, and married Elizabeth Wade at St Mary and St Michael Church, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. He was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts or Venerable Society to assist at St Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church (Halifax)
St. Paul's Church is an evangelical Anglican church in downtown Halifax Nova Scotia within the Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island of the Anglican Church of Canada. It is located at the south end of the Grand Parade, an open square in downtown Halifax with Halifax City Hall at the...
, Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
under the auspices of the Bishop of London
Bishop of London
The Bishop of London is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers 458 km² of 17 boroughs of Greater London north of the River Thames and a small part of the County of Surrey...
, while the rector William Tutty returned to London on private business, during which trip Tutty died in 1754. Breynton immediately took over as missionary and minister, or Rector, at St Paul's in 1754.
Earlier, in 1753, he had founded the first free school in Nova Scotia. In 1760, he consecrated St George's 'Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church - the second oldest church in Halifax, becoming fluent in German as a result. In 1770, he was awarded an honorary degree
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
of Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
by the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He returned to London during 1771-1772 to collect his degree, but returned to resume his post in Halifax. By the 30 October 1776, he was Chaplain to the Royal Fencible Americans.
On 13 September 1778, his first wife died, shortly before the 28 November 1778 wedding of their daughter Anne in St George's, Hanover Square.
By 6 September 1779, as a widower, he remarried and continued as Rector of St Paul's Church, Halifax. With his second wife, he appears to have returned to London shortly after 1785, continuing to draw his Halifax salary of £190 pa until he resigned and was replaced in 1791. Because of his fluency in German, he was reported to have been a chaplain to Queen Charlotte
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was the Queen consort of the United Kingdom as the wife of King George III...
. He remained in London and died in 1799 in Edgware Road, Paddington
Paddington
Paddington is a district within the City of Westminster, in central London, England. Formerly a metropolitan borough, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He is buried in the St Marylebone
St Marylebone Parish Church
-First church:The first church for the parish was built in the vicinity of the present Marble Arch c.1200, and dedicated to St John the Evangelist.-Second church:...
Burial ground, Paddington Street, London. His widow died in 1806 at Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
.
Family
Breynton married twice.He married firstly Elizabeth Wade (died 13 September 1778), on 8 September 1750 at St Mary and St Michael Church, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, with issue:
- Mary Breynton (CIR 1753-1795), married 19 Aug 1775 Halifax, Nova Scotia to Captain John Watson
- Anne Breynton (1755–1839), married 28 November 1778 St George's Hanover Square, London to Francis Perceval EliotFrancis Perceval EliotFrancis Perceval Eliot was an English soldier, auditor and man of letters.Eliot was the son of General Granville Elliott and his second wife, Elizabeth Duckett...
- John Breynton (1756–1843), married 9 Jan 1793 St Mary's Church, LichfieldLichfieldLichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
to Elizabeth Cotton - Henry Edward Breynton (1759–1761)
Following the death of his first wife, he married secondly the widow, Mrs Mary Gerrish née Cradock, (18 May 1723 Boston, Massachusetts, USA - December 1806 Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), on 9 September 1779 at Halifax, Nova Scotia, with no issue. She was the daughter of George Cradock and his wife Mary née Lyde of Boston, Massachusetts, and the widow of Joseph Gerrish (Boston, Massachusetts 1709-1774 Halifax, Nova Scotia), whom she had married in 1768 Halifax, Nova Scotia.
External links
- Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
- Portrait of Rev Dr John Breynton, DD
- http://blackloyalist.com/canadiandigitalcollection/story/faith/anglican.htm
- http://www.museeacadien.ca/argyle/html/body_egrant1.htm
- http://www.uquebec.ca/musique/orgues/canada/halifaxsgac.html#English