Prewer family of Whepstead

In March 1861 Azariah Prewer and Sarah Nunn married in a village church in Suffolk, England.

They had 15 children and only one is known to have died before adulthood.

Fourteen children were born at home on Winson’s Farm at Whepstead. Most were baptised at St Petronilla Church, Whepstead, an image of which appears above.

At least six of the family saw out their days in North America and one, Ernest, spent some time in America before returning to Suffolk.

Vincent Farm may be the same building in which the Prewer family lived until about 1881.

Given that building was on a 150 acre block of land, it appears likely to be the same dwelling.

This Google map link shows what the Pages Hill area looks like today.

Azariah PREWER (1835-1905)

Azariah Prewer married Sarah Elizabeth Nunn and took her to live on his father’s farm known as Winsons, on Pages Hill, Whepstead.

Sarah Elizabeth NUNN (1840-1904)

Sarah was born in Chevington, a village only four miles from Whepstead. Her father William John Nunn was landlord of the Pear Tree in Whepstead in 1881. The Nunn family along with their relatives, the Avis family, were for several decades connected to the Pear Tree.

Amelia Prewer 1862-1944

Amelia married Josiah Halls. Josiah was a farmer at Lakenheath, about 20 miles north of Whepstead.

They had at least four children: Evelyn Isabella Prewer (1883-1979), Frederick George Josiah (1890-1984), Lucy Elizabeth E (1899-1986), Oliver Arthur (1901-1980).

The 1911 census reveals they had been married 28 years and all four children are with them at Lakenheath.

Fred Nunn Prewer 1863-1940

Fred moved to Utah, America where he was a farmer.

George Prewer 1865-1943

George was a Anglican missionary who served the Canadian Indian peoples.

He was principal of St John’s Indian Residential School, also known as the Chapleau Indian Residential School, in Chapleau, Ontario, Canada.

Although Prewer was known to have served Canada’s indigenous people for many years, his role at St John’s school was clouded in controversy.

According to an online article, George Prewer was removed from his position after complaints about how children were treated. Several children died during his tenure.

More recently it has been revealed that many children died across Canada in such institutions.

George Prewer’s legacy, therefore, is marred by what happened under his watch.

Josiah Prewer 1866-Unknown

Josiah may have died before adulthood.

Samuel Prewer 1868-1955

Samuel was a postman, an occupation other family members undertook as well.

Esther Sarah Prewer 1870-1944

Esther married William Wright who farmed in Suffolk.

Susanna Prewer 1871-1941

Susanna married Henry Adams and moved to Canada.

Henry William Prewer 1872-Unknown

Henry, who may have been known as William, went to North America in 1899 and lived in Utah and Colorado.

Azariah Prewer 1873-1899

Azariah moved to Canada as a young man and drowned when he  fell from his canoe.

Ernest Edward Prewer 1875-1956

Ernest was a postmaster and shop keeper and lived for a time in both Canada and America where he work on the Colorado railway line.

Mary Ann Prewer 1876-Unknown

Mary Ann was still single in 1911 and her whereabouts after this are yet unknown.

One online tree has her married name as Farmer, but there no details yet found to confirm that.

There’s also a possible 1908 marriage to an Arthur Sparrow but nothing to confirm that either.

It’s possible she may have emigrated to North America as did several of her siblings.

Sarah Elizabeth Prewer 1877-1942

Sarah went to America in 1904 on the same vessel as her younger brother Aubrey. She married Elmer Dalton and lived in Utah.

Albert Prewer 1879-1967

Albert married Evelyn Teague and lived in Somersetshire.

Evelyn Prewer 1882-1883

Evelyn died as a baby just before her first birthday.

Aubrey Prewer 1886-1964

Aubrey went to the US in 1904 along with his sister Sarah. He is found on the 1901 census in London as a draper’s apprentice.

He died in Reno, Nevada according to an online tree.