Cape Broyle

CAPE BROYLE

(Author - Unrecorded most likely John Walsh or James Joseph O’Brien, written in the year 1972)

The first known history of Cape Broyle was when Sir William Vaughan came from England and Trepassey, the headquarters of his colony, to form the seat of a colony in the year 1618 or the Summer 1618. 

There may be men living at Cape Broyle many years before the year 1618.  It my be true that there were Winter Crews at Cape Broyle, as when the first settlers, the first permanent settlers came to Cape Broyle in 1780s they found in many places large pine stumps, most of them near 2 feet in diameter all covered by roots and debris.  They had no account of who cut them. 

A winter crew was 12 men left in Newfoundland during the winter to cut pine for to bring back to England.  The first of the winter crews were all South of Cape St. Francis.  As Newfoundland pine was so smooth it was in great demand for interior of ships.  If there were winter crews at Cape Broyle in the middle 16th century, it is also true that there were some of the pine from Cape Broyle in some of the ships that helped to defeat the Spanish Armada in the year 1588, thereby making England mistress of the seas.

Sir William Vaughan came from England with a company of emigrants to form a colony at Trepassey in the year 1617.  He had a colony in Newfoundland with his head quarters in Trepassey. Sir William having acquired a grant of land in the North including Cape Broyle from John Guy and Company.  When Captain Whitbourne brought out the second batch of emigrants to Newfoundland - Trepassey in the year 1618, Sir William Vaughan came to Cape Broyle to form a seat of a colony, he being a Welsh man but of French descent, he named the harbour “Cambroil” now Cape Broyle.

Sir William Vaughan remained in Newfoundland from 1617-1623, finding he was making very little progress, having no protection, and being a friend of King James 1st, he sent a ship from England and brought Sir William and his whole company home in the year 1623.  Before Sir William left Newfoundland he sold the northern part of his grant of land, including Cape Broyle, to Lord Baltimore, and for many years afterwards Cape Broyle was known as Baltimore’s Harbour.

Lord Baltimore sent some of his boats from Ferryland in the years 1627-1628 to fish at Cape Broyle. There was also a battle at Cape Broyle in the year 1627 - Baltimore’s ships and the French.  Lord Baltimore left Newfoundland in the year 1629.

There was on record of Cape Broyle after the departure of Lord Baltimore for many years (12).  History says that 12 families lived at Cape Broyle, and 6 families at Brigus South in the year 1715.  Those families that lived at Cape Broyle in the year 1715 must have left it again, as the people - the permanent settlers reported no families at Cape Broyle when they came here in the 1780s.  They may have moved to Brigus or Ferryland as Brigus was near the fishing ground and Ferryland was better for to find and offer more protection those troubled times.

The first permanent families that came to Cape Broyle were the Kelly’s, Walshes, Grants, Aylwards and Fitzgeralds, all those families came in the 1780s with the O’Brien’s in 1791.

HISTORY OF THE WALSH FAMILY

John and Ellen (nee Nellie Lyons)

John and Ellen Walsh, natives of County Wexford, came to Newfoundland, the ship was coming to St. John’s - St. John’s was the chief town at that time.  It was late Spring, but the Arctic ice forced the vessel into Petty Harbour, and John Walsh hauled his wife ashore on a home made sled into Petty Harbour where they were made welcome.  That was how John and Ellen Walsh saw Newfoundland for the first time.  They came to Cape Broyle in the year 1785, at that time they had one child a boy named Michael.  John and Ellen Walsh had a family of 5 sons and one daughter.  The sons names were Michael, William, John, Richard and Thomas.  Michael Walsh married Catherine Grant in the year 1810.  They had a large family - 6 daughters and two sons.   William Walsh was not married.  The 3rd son, John Walsh, married Catherine O’Brien in the 1820s.  They had a family of 3 sons and 5 daughters.  Thomas and Richard Walsh, also, Brian Cashin (John Cashin’s brother) were lost at the seal fishery.  The schooner with Captain Morey sailed from Aquaforte in the Spring 1818 and she never returned.  John and Ellen Walsh’s daughter, Mary, born in the year 1796, married John Cashin (a native of County Wexford) in the year 1814.  John and Mary (Walsh) Cashin had a large family - 5 sons and 6 daughters.  All the daughters were married except 2, one daughter, Ann, died in 1848 at the age of 14 years.  Another daughter, Theresa, was not married.  John Cashin’s sons were all married except Patrick who died in 1864, aged 35 years.

The name of Walsh is dying out now (1972) but there are numerous descendants of the Walsh family living in Cape Broyle (1972).  We will say around 100 years ago nearly every one living at Cape Broyle were in some way related to the Walsh family.  There were many nuns from the Walsh family, also 3 Christian brothers.  One of John and Ellen Walsh’s great grand sons was Principal of a College in Boston. Many of his pupils from Boston were killed in First World War (1914-1918).  The Walsh family had at least 5 priests through their daughters.  John Walsh died in the year 1827 and he is buried in Ferryland. His wife, Ellen, died 20th February 1847, age 86 years, the first person buried in the graveyard at Cape Broyle.  Mary Walsh, wife of John Cashin, born 1796 died 1890 in her 94th year.  Her husband, John Cashin, born 1782 died 1861, aged 79 years.

THE O’BRIEN FAMILY

When the O’Brien’s came to Cape Broyle in the year 1792, there were four brothers and two sisters.  The brothers names were John, James, Thomas and Michael.  John O’Brien married Mary Kennedy in the year 1810.  Mary Kennedy lived at Renews.  Mary Kennedy, who married John O’Brien, had 8 sisters, all of whom were married and had families.  So John O’Brien’s family had many cousins and relations around 150 years ago.  James O’Brien, who came to Cape Broyle in 1792 was not married.  He died in 1850 nearly 80 years old.  Thomas O’Brien married a girl named Brennen around the year 1815.  They had a family of 3 sons and a daughter.  Michael O’Brien died at Ferryland and is buried at Ferryland.

The O’Brien sisters, Elizabeth and Margaret O’Brien - Elizabeth married a man named Hearn from Caplin Bay (now Calvert).  Margaret O’Brien married  John Kelly.  He lived only one year.  After a few years after his death Margaret (O’Brien) Kelly married a man from Brigus named Gregory where she lived for many years.  She had a family of four sons - John, Michael, Thomas and William.  It was said that her four sons were the 4 strongest men at Brigus in their day.  Margaret O’Brien has a few descendants living at Brigus (1972).  The O’Brien family operated a cod and western boats around 100 years ago.  They built and operated at least 2 western boats, one of which was a great sailor, on one occasion she beat into St. Mary’s Harbour ahead of all the boats that were on the way into St. Mary’s.  A good sailing boat was always noted and praised for sailing qualities.  The O’Brien’s have many descendants at Cape Broyle in the year 1972.

From 1792 year to 1972.

The name of that great sailing boat built by the O’Brien’s was  the “Ellen”.

THE CASHIN FAMILY

John Cashin, the first of the Cashin’s, came to Caplin Bay (now Calvert), in the year 1812, where he fished and lived for two years.  He, John Cashin, married Mary Walsh (only daughter of John and Ellen Walsh in the year 1814,. He lived at Cape Broyle from 1814 until his death in 1861.  John Cashin and Mary (Walsh) Cashin had a family of 5 sons and 6 daughters.  All were married except one son, Patrick, who died 1864 at the age of 35 years, and two daughters, Ann & Theresa.  Ann died 1848 aged 14 years and Theresa died 1915 at the age of 90 years.  The name of Cashin is gone from Cape Broyle in 1972.  Michael Cashin, afterwards Sir Michael Cashin, grandson of John and Mary Cashin, carried on a large business - fish business supplied for the fishery, nearly all Cape Broyle,  fisherman from Witless Bay to Cappahayden.  The trade of both the American and Nova Scotia vessels.  Sir Michael Cashin, as a merchant, he dealt with the large firm of Bowring Brothers and as Bowring Brothers had a large sealing fleet of vessels, Sir Michael Cashin secured hundreds of berths at the seal fishery, some springs as high as 30 berths for Cape Broyle alone.  In October 1915 Sir Michael Cashin had on his premises in his stores over 7,000 quintals of dry fish.  A vessel named the Holda loaded 3900 and sailed for Spain January 1916, the remainder was shipped to St. John’s, and in 1917 he had over 600 casks of cod oil, 45 gallons each on his wharf at one time the most of that oil from the Banksing vessels.

Sir Michael Cashin represented Ferryland district from 1893 until 1923, when he was forced to resign owing to ill health.  It was through the help of Sir Michael Cashin that the railroad to Trepassey was brought about, so he turned the first sod of the Trepassey branch on the 12 day May 1911.  His son, Peter Cashin, (Major Peter Cashin), is living in St. John’s, his grandson, Michael, (Peter’s son) is living in America and his grandsons, Richard & Larry and many descendants of the Cashin family are living in 1972.

THE KELLY FAMILY

When the Kelly family came to Cape Broyle, there were 3 brothers, Michael, John and Cornelius Kelly.  John married Margaret O’Brien but he lived only 1 year.  Cornelius Kelly was married in the late 1790s, his wife’s name was Catherine.  Con Kelly, as he was known, and his wife, Catherine, had a family of 4 sons and 5 daughters.  The sons names were: John, Michael, Patrick and Cornelius.  The daughters names were: Margaret, Elizabeth, Catherine, Ellen and Mary.  John Kelly married Margaret O’Brien, he died in one year and left no family.  Michael Kelly married Bridget Cashin, they had a family of one son, Michael and a daughter Mary Ann Kelly - it was Cornelius Kelly’s brother married Margaret O’Brien.  Cornelius sons. Patrick, Cornelius and John were not married.  Cornelius daughter, Margaret, married Richard Walsh grandson of John and Ellen Walsh, Elizabeth Kelly married Edward Hartery, a native of Devonshire, England, who came to Cape Broyle in the early 1820s.  Catherine Kelly married John Hayes, also a Brigus English man.  The Kelly family have many descendants through their daughters in the year 1972.  The last of that Kelly name went from Cape Broyle with the death of Michael Kelly in the year 1953.  From the 1780s until 1953 (168 years) the Kelly family gave to Cape Broyle a Foreign Going Captain, at least 2 priests and nuns through their daughters.

THE GRANT FAMILY

The Grant family,  were one of the old permanent settlers who came to Cape Broyle in 1780s.  Grant may be an English name, but the first Mrs. Grant who came to Cape Broyle was a native of Tipperrary, Ireland. George Grant and family owned a piece of land, about 400 feet in breadth from the salt water front north to the old road, back road.  Grants land took in where the community center now stands (1972), also the new school, north to the back road.  The first Grants - John and Mary Grant, had a family of 3 sons and 3 daughters.  The sons names were: George, Thomas and Richard.  It was said that Thomas Grant towed his coat through St. John’s and no one would tread or walk on it.  The Grant family had 2 priests through their daughters.  The daughters names were:  Catherine, Mary and Margaret.  George Grant, son of John Grant, was the only one to get married.  He was married to a girl - a  native of  St. John’s and they had a family of 7 sons and 3 daughters.  Only 2 of George Grant sons were married.  They left no descendants.  Names of George Grants sons were:  Richard, George, Thomas, John, Martin, Joseph and Patrick.  Richard and George were married.  Joseph was lost fishing out of Cape Broyle in 1875.

The daughters of the first George Grant who came to Cape Broyle in 1780s were: Catherine, Mary and Margaret.  They were sisters of Thomas, George and Richard Grant.  Catherine Grant married Michael Walsh.  They had in their descendants 1 priest, 3 Christian brothers and a number of nuns.  Mary Grant married John Dalton (the first Dalton) a native of County Wexford around 1828.  They had a priest and many nuns in their family.  Margaret married Michael Greene around the year 1845.  They had many descendants - among their descendants their grandsons were Augustus, Walter and Gregory Greene.  Walter and Gus enlisted in the war of 1914-1918 and went overseas in the First 500 named the “Blue Puttees”.  Gus fought in the Dardanelles and in the first of July Drive and was wounded - the Battle of Beaumont Hamel equal to the Charge of the Light Brigade whereby General Haig named the Newfoundlanders “Better than the Best”.  Walter Greene enlisted in 1915 and served to the end of the war, returning as Sergeant Major. 

THE LAHEY FAMILY

William and Mary Ann Lahey came to Cape Broyle around 1812.  It was said at that time the Lahey family came out to Newfoundland in what they named “the Kehoe’s gang”.  William and Mary lived for a time in a small house on the road that now goes to the presbytery.  They moved from there and went to live at the head of the harbour across the river to Fairy Pond.  They were the first to live at Fairy Pond.  Their house was near where William Hawkins now lives (1972). William and Mary Ann Lahey had one son and one daughter - Michael and Margaret.  William Lahey had an estate in Ireland and after many years in Newfoundland, after the death of some relative of his, he received over 60 pounds, his share or value of the estate after expenses were paid. William & Mary Ann Lahey, who came to Cape Broyle in the 1812 have many descendants in the year 1972.

THE FURLONG FAMILY

The Furlong family, Richard & Johannah (nee Doran) Furlong came to Cape Broyle around the year 1815.  Richard Furlong and Johannah (Doran) Furlong were married at a church in Count.  After their marriage they walked from the church to the vessel or ship that was to bring them to Newfoundland and to Cape Broyle.  It was not a very nice passage to Newfoundland in those days.  There was a certificate of their marriage at Cape Broyle at one time.  It was in the possession of their daughter, Sarah or “Sally” Furlong, afterwards Sally Aylward.  They have a few descendants at Cape Broyle in 1972, but the Furlong name is gone.  A great grandson Patrick Furlong is 80 years and is now living at St. Mary’s.

The KENT FAMILY

The first of the Kent family came to Newfoundland around the year 1800.  He was married 1815 - he first settled at Brigus.  He had a family of 4 sons: Matthew, John, Michael and Patrick.  After his family grew to manhood, Patrick married and moved to Island Cove, where he joined farming with fishing and made a good living.  He had five head of cattle at one time in his barn or stable.  John Kent’s sons: Michael and John, came to Cape Broyle where they took an active part in the fishery. Michael Kent was a great boat builder.  The boats he built were all good sailors.  John Kent has many descendants at Cape Broyle from 1800 to 1972.

THE COSTELLO FAMILY

John COSTELLO and his brother, William, came to Cape Broyle from Conception Harbour in the 1850s.  By their work they were a great help to the economy of Cape Broyle.  William Costello married Mary Coady.  He died in 1865 leaving 1 child, a girl, named Ann Costello.  John Costello married an Irish girl from County Cork, her name was Mary.  John and Mary Costello had a family of 6 sons: Timothy, Patrick, William, Peter, John and Michael.  Timothy and Patrick died young.  William was drowned while fishing on the Grand Bankss in the year 1887.  Peter Costello was drowned when his vessel “the Loraina” was lost on a  voyage from Cape Broyle to Esquamaux Point, Labrador, in September 1915.  John Costello married Ann Gatherall of Calvert in the 1890s.  The only member of the Costello family now living in Cape Broyle is Peter Costello.  John Costello, the first Costello, died in 1909, and his wife, Mary, a native of County Cork, died in 1911.

THE DALTON FAMILY

John Dalton, the first Dalton to come to Cape Broyle from County Wexford in the early 1820s, as John Dalton married Mary Grant in the year 1828.  She was the daughter of John and Mary Grant who came to Cape Broyle in the 1780s.  John and Mary Dalton had a family of 4 sons and 1 daughter.  The sons names were: Michael, Richard, Stephen and John Dalton.  The daughter was named Mary.

Michael Dalton was married and emigrated to America with his family.  Richard married and went to Petty Harbour to live. Stephen Dalton was not married.  All the Daltons now living in Cape Broyle (1972) are descendants of John Dalton who married Ann Walsh in the 1850s.  Ann Walsh was the granddaughter of John and Ellen Walsh who came to Cape Broyle in 1785.  John Dalton and family were all a great help in the building of Cape Broyle.  John Dalton was one of the crew of a cod seine skiff, that put out his oar at Cape Broyle and rowed against a moderate north eastern to Harvey’s wharf in St. John’s with a patient for the hospital in 1860.  The Dalton family have many descendants at Cape Broyle in 1972.

THE AYLWARD FAMILY

James and Johannah Aylward.  There were 2 families of Aylwards @ Cape Broyle.  James and Johannah Aylward were the first family that came to Cape Broyle. They came in 1780s. They were married when they came.  James and Johannah Aylward had a family of 3 sons and 2 daughters.  The names of the sons were:  Michael, Patrick and James.  Michael married a girl by the name of Duff.  They had no family.  Patrick was married. He had only one son named John.  He was lost from Cape Broyle in the first week of June 1875.  She was a new boat, her first day out.  They think an iceberg founded on her.  James Aylward married Sarah or Sally Furlong in the year 1840.  She was the daughter of Richard and Johannah Furlong who came to Cape Broyle in the year 1815.  James Aylward made his living by fishing and farming.  It was said if any person wanting potatoes for seed to go to James Aylward, he had them for $2/barrel (180 lbs).  That was over 100 years ago.  James and Sally Aylward had a family of 2 sons and 6 daughters.  The sons names were: Richard and John.  John Aylward died young.  Then there was only Richard Aylward to carry the name.  The only surviving member of the name is Angela Aylward, a great grand daughter of James and Johannah Aylward who came to Cape Broyle in the late 1780s.  Johannah Aylward, mother of James died in 1840, nearly 80 years old, her husband James Aylward, died a few years before 1840.

The other Aylward family who came from Ireland to Cape  Broyle was a family of 4 brothers: Maurice, Martin, John and Edward.  They came to Cape Broyle about the year 1815.  Edward was not married. John and Martin were married but no descendants of them are now living in Cape Broyle.  Maurice Aylward married Johannah Aylward, daughter of James and Johannah Aylward, who came to Cape Broyle in 1780s, as both families were not related to the family of Aylwards were more English.

It is from Maurice Aylward that the name of the Aylwards’ now living in Cape Broyle is derived.

THE RYANS & COADY FAMILIES

Michael and Mary Ryan and Edward Coady came from County Wexford to Cape Broyle, Newfoundland, in the year 1826.  When Michael and Mary Ryan were on the voyage from Wexford to Cape Broyle their first child was born, a boy, named Thomas.  His grandson, also, Michael, would always refer to his father, Thomas Ryan, as a true seaman, born on the sea.  Michael and Mary Ryan had a family of 3 sons: Thomas (born at sea), Michael who died in 1830 - he was drowned near Petty Harbour Motion, near Cape Spear, his wife Mary was left with three young children.  After 2 years, Mary Ryan, married Edward Coady, also a native of County Wexford. Edward Coady and Mary  (Ryan) Coady also had a family of 2 sons and one daughter, Mary.  The sons were named James and Edward Coady.  Edward Coady died young.  James married Bridget in the year 1870, Bridget Boland.  James and Bridget (Boland) Coady had a family of 6 daughters and 2 sons, Edward and John.  James and Bridget Coady have 3 daughters living in 1972, Mary O’Brien (the hill) She will be 98 years old on the first January 1973, another daughter, Bridget Morry, now living at Vancouver, 101 years old, and Mrs Gushue (my note (eob) - this should be Grouchy)  at St. John’s who is now 93 years old.  Mrs. Bridget Coady died 1908 aged 57 years.  James Coady died 1930 aged 90 years.  All the Coady’s living at Cape Broyle in 1972 are descendants of Edward and Mary (Ryan) Coady, who came to Cape Broyle in 1826.

THE HAYDEN FAMILY

Ronald Hayden came to Cape Broyle in the Spring 1918 as a member of the crew of the Whaler of a company who that year were operating a whale factory at Cape Broyle.  He came from Harbour Grace.  In November, Ronald Hayden married Elizabeth (Carey) Carew.  She was a war widow at the time as her husband, Vincent Carew was killed in action a year and one half before.  Elizabeth Hayden was noted for her kind and charitable qualities and her help to the sick.  After her marriage to Ronald Hayden they lived with Elizabeth’s adopted parents, Sally and Michael Scully, where he lived and carried on a successful fishery.  Ronald and Elizabeth Hayden had a large family of 8 sons and 4 daughters.  All of their children are living now (1972), except Stan Hayden who in 1949 in June underwent a major operation.  He fully recovered but could not do heavy work afterwards.  He died in 1970 at the age 45 years.  Names of the boys are:  Michael, Stanilaus, Lawrence, William, Ronald, Cyril, Harold and Frank.  Daughters names were: Rita, Hilda, Joan (operating the post office 1972- Sally married Austin O’Brien, who served in the navy in World War 11.  Michael Hayden, the eldest of the boys carries on a large business both on sea and land - a large number of traps also a modern hotel, which has a modern bar.  He takes care of weddings and parties and the like.  Ronald and Elizabeth Hayden have in the year 1972, 70 descendants living at Cape Broyle, Ronald Hayden is 80 years old and is enjoying very good health.  His wife, Elizabeth, died in 1965 at the age of 72 years.