Rev. Doctor Abraham Van Guelder WIGGINS

1804 - 1865  (60 years)

• Name	Abraham Van Guelder WIGGINS  [1]
  Prefix	Rev. Doctor
  Birth	13 Aug 1804	, Jemseg, Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada   [1, 2]
  Christening	8 Mar 1806	, Gagetown, Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada   [1]
  	this information was recorded in the Gagetown Anglican Church Records.
  Gender	Male
  Note	From the 100th Anniversary Program of 'Old St. John's and the Village of St. Eleanor's', Rev. Abram V. Wiggins was the third Rector (between 1830-1851) of St. John's Church in St. Eleanor's, Prince Edward Island, Canada. His first sermon took place on January 9, 1831, in the still unfinished church. A year later, he reported, 'The Church in St. Eleanor's is in almost the same uncomfortable state in which I found it on my arrival. No exertion on my part has been spared to stimulate the people to finish it; but all I have been able to affect is the assertion of a pulpit and the glassing of four windows which were boarded up when I came. The walls are still unplastered and the pews unfinished'. On November 22, 1835, St. John's Church was destroyed by fire. Rebuilding began in 1838, but it was four years before Rev. Wiggins officiated at the first service in the new Church in November of 1842. Like the first St. John's Church it was built by master carpenter and craftsman, George Tanton, son of the original settler of that name. Rev, Abram Wiggins left St. Eleanor's, Prince Edward Island, Canada in 1851 and was succeeded by Rev. J. H. Read.
  Name	A. V. G. Wiggens  [4]
  Occupation	Between 1830 and 1841	, St. John's Anglican Church, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island   [5]
  	the priest
  Occupation	Between 1843 and 1846	, St. John's Anglican Church, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island   [6]
  	the priest
  Death	27 May 1865	, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island   [2, 7]
  	from '100th Anniversary Program' on May 27, 1865, 'On the return trip to Charlottetown, the Bishop's party suffered a Highway accident. The Rev. Mr. Wiggins was overturned, and Mr. Townsend was thrown from his rig in consequence of running against trees'.
  Burial	, St. John's Church Cemetery, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada, 46.42008,-63.81021   [1]
  	There is a large cross beside a son's marker at St. John's Anglican Church Cemetery, St. Eleanors, with raised lettering "OUR FATHER" on the base of the cross. The History of New London, published 1959, refers to this cross as probably marking where Abraham is buried. [These notes from Patricia (Townshend) Alnes]
  		Marker - Abraham Van Guelder W Tombstone, probably of Abraham Van Guelder Wiggins (1804-1865). St. John's Anglican Church Cemetery, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
  Person ID	I1541	Ancestral Trails
  Last Modified	28 Apr 2024

  
  

  Father	Jacob F. WIGGINS, Esq.,   b. 4 Apr 1762, Newburgh, Orange County, New York d. 2 Feb 1815, Grand Lake, Queens County, New Brunswick, Canada (Age 52 years)
  Mother	Elizabeth Ruth SLOCUM,   b. 5 Nov 1769, Providence, Providence County, Rhode Island d. 12 May 1852, Fanjoy's Point; Grand Lake, Queens County, New Brunswick (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	15 Nov 1784	Saint John, Saint John County, New Brunswick   [2, 8]
  Family ID	F619	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Diana TOWNSHEND,   b. 19 Jan 1806, , Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 3 Oct 1881, , Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Age 75 years)
  Marriage	2 Nov 1831	, Prince Edward Island, Canada   [1, 2]
  Children	1. Rev. Gilbert Charles WIGGINS,   b. 21 Jul 1832, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 19 Jan 1859, , Hyères; near Toulon,, France (Age 26 years)   2. William George WIGGINS,   b. 13 Jun 1834, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 5 Jan 1842, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Age 7 years)   3. Caroline Maria WIGGINS,   b. 2 Jun 1836, , Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 31 Jan 1878, , Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Age 41 years)   4. Helen Gertrude WIGGINS,   b. 30 Apr 1838, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. Bef 1865 (Age < 26 years)   5. Esther Flora Elizabeth WIGGINS,   b. 23 May 1840, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada   6. George William Jacob WIGGINS,   b. 13 Jan 1842, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island d. 5 Apr 1919, , his residence, Darnley, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Age 77 years)   7. Rev. Dr. Cecil Frederick WIGGINS,   b. 24 Aug 1844, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 19 Apr 1937, , Sackville, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, Canada (Age 92 years)   8. Susana WIGGINS,   b. 21 Feb 1847, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 22 Dec 1925, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Age 78 years)   9. Flora Townshend WIGGINS,   b. 26 Mar 1851, , St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada d. 15 Apr 1881, , her residence, Charlottetown, Queens County, Prince Edward Island, Canada (Age 30 years)
  Family ID	F8813	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	28 Apr 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Occupation - the priest - Between 1830 and 1841 - , St. John's Anglican Church, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island Occupation - the priest - Between 1843 and 1846 - , St. John's Anglican Church, St. Eleanors, Prince County, Prince Edward Island  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  Abraham Van Gelder Wiggins Rev. Doctor Abraham Van Gelder Wiggins (1804-1865)

  
  

• Sources

  [S372] Patricia (Townshend) Alnes, 372. [S7214] NBGS - First Families, 7214. (Reliability: 2). [S1234] Kathy Sheehan, personal communication, 1234. (Reliability: 2). [S5280] Cemetery Marker - William George Wiggins, 5280. (Reliability: 3). [S10106] Along the North Shore, 10106. (Reliability: 3). page 187 [S10106] Along the North Shore, 10106. (Reliability: 3). page 188 [S11914] Death Record - Abraham Van Guelder Wiggins, 11914. (Reliability: 3). [S2043] Cory Family Society, 2043.