A new member, @alexandra.l.collard, is seeking further information on her Prowse tree. "Thanks for adding me I look forward to being in this group and hopefully gleaning useful information for my family tree. My great grandmother was Anna Sibella Prowse, daughter of George Prowse of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. I have traced his tree back to William Prowse (1490) of Devon England, but I can't seem to go further. If anyone has information on his parents or spouse, it would be much appreciated."
George Fabes Prowse b. 1805 in Devon - d. 1883 in Montreal. m. Sarah Neal 1805 - 1871
Another notable Canadian Prowse line was in Montreal, Quebec. The line came from Ugborough, Devon then Devonport. George Fabes Prowse 1805-1883 emigrated to Canada in the 1820's. We know he came to Halifax, Nova Scotia - a common port of arrival - but we don't know exactly when he went to Montreal. We do know he married Sarah Ann Neal there on 7 Apr 1829. George Fabes was a tin and copper smith who, in 1851, patented the 'Prowsian Hot Air Cooking Range or Furnace' a wood stove that was the precursor of the modern range/stove we know today.
His son, George Roger Prowse 1836-1862, formed the Geo. R Prowse Range Co. to manufacture the ranges. He built a new factory in Montreal in 1913. These ranges were sold across Canada and indeed were part of the story of opening up the West.
Been working some on the Newfoundland Prowse line of late.
Robert Prowse 1798-1873, emigrated from Torquay, Devon to Port de Grave, Newfoundland at age 10! In 1827 he returned to Torquay to marry Jane Woodley, then returned with her to 'The Rock', where they began a family of four sons and three daughters. They moved from PdG to St. John's after their house burnt down. Robert and Jane returned to England in retirement.
Robert's eldest son, Robert Henry Prowse 1828-1904, like his father, became a merchant. Later he became a politician and served in the NFLD House of Assembly.
The fourth child, Daniel Woodley Prowse 1834-1914, was a notable merchant, lawyer, and politician. He was also a historian and, in 1895, wrote the oft-cited 'A History of Newfoundland from the English Colonial and Foreign Records. It is available for free on Google Books.
https://www.google.ca/books/edition/A_History_of_Newfoundland_from_the_Engli/l-NYAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA1&printsec=frontcover
There is also an interesting biography of DW Prowse online in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography. http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/prowse_daniel_woodley_14E.html
Robert's youngest son, Samuel Saxby Prowse 1842-1914 emigrated to New Zealand, where he raised a family and died.
I am wondering about the Roger Prowse who married Sibellia Fabes in Devonport in 1800 ancestors of George Fabes of 'stove' fame. Many claim that Roger was born in 1777 in Loddiswell, Devon - I was wondering what info/source folk might have for this?
Malcolm Prowse
Robert Garry Prowse here, currently living in Ontario but writing about the Alberta/Saskatchewan PEI Prowses. My Father was Douglas Prowse who was born on the Westview Ranch in 1920. His father was Aubrey Prowse and my Great Grandfather was Henry (called Harry Prowse.). Henry and his brother John Lemuel went west from PEI in 1905 to homestead. Apparently there was some kind of disagreement so one (John Leumuel's famly stayed in Saskatchewan and Henry homesteaded in Carbon Alberta where he had both a blacksmith shop and a farm. He died young, in his early fifties, we think from cancer due to smithing. Henry and John Lemuel were married to two Hardy sisters. Mary Hardy, Henry's wife, was my great grandmother. They are connected to the Hardy Mill Pond near the Prowse homestead in PEI.
Harry's father was Joseph Jarvis Prowse who was married to Agnes Rider Jarvis He had six sibings who form the other PEI lines such as the Murray Bay Prowses.
Joseph Jarvis Prowse was the son of William Prowse and Agnes Rider. William Prowse was the son of Robert Prowse (1760) and Mary Jarvis. (The Prowse/Jarvis/Ryder connections seem quite confusing in the early years as there seems to have been a great deal of intermarriage between them. When I visited the Church in Malborough Devon in 2018 looking for headstones, there was a little post office/shop by the entrance to the churchyard. When I told the woman at the counter what I was looking for she laughed and said she was a Jarvis married to a Prowse so it seems to go on........
As of October 19, 2023 there are three known Canadian branches of the Prowse tree (but probably more):
The Prince Edward Island (PEI) Line - notable for many judges, lawyers, and politicians including some involved in Canadian Confederation.
The Newfoundland Line, also notable for many judges, lawyers, and politicians though with no seeming connection to the PEI Line. Also worth mentioning that this line started long before Newfoundland became the 10th Province in Canada in 1950.
The Montreal Line, notable for the George Prowse Stove Company.
A typical G.R Prowse wood stove c.1895. These, and other G.R. Prowse stoves revolutionized large and commercial kitchens across Canada and parts of the USA.
See also a previous blog written about Famous Canadian Prowses: https://www.houseofprowse.com/post/historic-canadian-prowses
This blog mentions Charles C (Chapman) Prowse, who established some of the first orchards in the interior of BC in the early 1900's. Charles is the son of George Roger Prowse, who is Alexandra's @alexandra.l.collard GG Uncle.
The blog also contains a link to information that mentions William Prowse b.1794, who emigrated to Charlottetown PEI in 1823. His son Samuel became a well-known politician in Canadian history. William also had a son named Joseph Jarvis Prowse. One of our Facebook members, Steve Woodhead, is working on a tree with Robert Prowse 1760-1845 and Mary Jarvis 1760-? at the top of it and that couple have a son, William born 1794, so I think we may be on the verge of connecting Steve's branch to the PEI Prowses!