Marion (Edwards) Deacon.

MARCUS DEACON

The first appearance of this family at Freetown was in 1875 when Marcus Deacon is recorded as having purchased 125 acres of land at Upper Freetown (code 45) on 24 Sept. 1875 from James Stavert. Marcus Deacon added to his land holdings by purchasing a further 117 acres from James J ardine (code 15) on the North Freetown Road.

Marcus Deacon was b. 17 Mar. 1852 at North Wiltshire, the son of John and Mary Ann (Gill) Deacon. The Deacon family were natives of Ireland, (probably Wexford) and the family migrated to P.E.I. around 1822. Marcus’s great grandfather, John Deacon, and his grandfather, George Deacon, first settled at York. Marcus’s father, John Deacon, relocated to North Wiltshire about 1852.

Marcus Deacon married at Cornwall, on 24 Sept. 1873 to Marion Torrap Edwards. Marion was b. 21

Aug. 1851 at North Wiltshire, the daughter of Robert Hill and Mary (Stubbs) Edwards. Robert Hill Edwards migrated to P.E.I. in 1850 from Shropshire, England and taught school at North Wiltshire,

Marcus Deacon was a farmer and kept sheep and cattle on his farm. Marcus was also a butcher. He bought and sold sheep, cattle, horses and other farm animals. He also loaned money to many of his neighbours and held mortgages on several farms in the Freetown area at his death. Marcus and his family attended the local Methodist Church in Freetown. He was a member of the Board of Deacons in his church.

Marcus and Marion Deacon had ten children with all but the oldest born at Freetown. Marcus died of diabetes at Freetown on 18 Apr. 1904. Marion died 15 years later on 2 Oct. 1919 at Freetown. Their children, surname Deacon.

2a George Hill b. 9 July 1874 at North Wiltshire. George remained at home and travelled through various areas of the Island selling nursery stock and subscriptions to the Family Herald, Weekly Star and Canadian Countryman. After his father’s death he remained with his brother Frank and in 1950 moved to Charlottetown to live with his sister-in—law. He died at Charlottetown on 3 Feb. 1953.

2b Mary Ann b. 19 Nov. 1876 m. Joseph R. Lewis. (See Lewis history.)

2c John Abner b. 29 Aug. 1878 and attended the local school. On 14 Feb. 1898, John left home and headed West. He eventually settled at Seattle Wash. where he m. on 27 Nov. 1912, Florence Terrant. John worked as a labourer in Seattle where he d. 31 Mar. 1938. His wife (1. in 1916. They had no children.

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