Jeremiah Smith Boise DeVeber (abt. 1829 - 1908)

Born about 7 Nov 1829 in St. John, New Brunswick

Ancestors

Descendants

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Preceded by J. Mcgregor Grant

Mayor of Saint John 1885 – 1887

Succeeded by Henry J. Thorne

Biography

Boise DeVeber is Notable.

Jeremiah was born November 7, 1829 in Saint John, New Brunswick. He was a son of Leverett Hubbard Deveber and Elizabeth (Hubbard) Deveber. He was also a grandson of prominent lawyer, judge and politician William Hubbard, Esq. of Maugerville.

He was educated in Saint John and entered his father's mercantile firm.

On July 25, 1852 he set out with some others aboard the steamer "Eastern City" from Saint John to New York intending to continue on the American ship "Epaminondas" for Australia, which was in the middle of a gold rush event. Many young men set out for Australia during this time to partake in adventure and riches.^[1]

By 1856, he was back in North America.^[2][3]

He married Eliabeth Robinson Illsley on October 1, 1856 in Portland, Maine. She was a daughter of Robert P. Illsley and Jane (Forsaith) Illsley of Portland.^[2][3]

He was a Director of the Bank of New Brunswick and the Rivere-du-Loup Railway.

In 1868, he was elected a warden of Saint Paul's Church.^[4] A brother, Rev. William Edwin Nelson Deveber, was the Minister there.

After Canadian Confederation in 1867, Jeremiah became involved in politics. One major issue was the extension of the railway to the Pacific coast. Deveber was involved in a campaign for such an extension in 1872, signing a petition with a number of other merchants of Saint John in support of th inititative.^[5]

On December 1, 1873, he was elected the Canadian House of Commons under the Liberal Party banner as member for Saint John. In the same election, Conservative Prime Minister John A. MacDonald was elected to a second term. MacDonald would be forced out temporarily the next year, due to allegations of corrupion involving railway construction. An election ensued on January 22, 1874, which saw Liberal leader Alexander MacKenzie elected Pime Minister. J.S. Boies Deveber was re-elected in that election as member for Saint John and served until 1878.

He signed a petition in 1876 calling for a public library in the city.^[6]

He signed a petition in 1880 calling for the reinstatement of Sergeant Hayes of the local police force, who had apparently been dismissed for drunkenness and was requesting another chance in the job.^[7]

Jeremiah was then Mayor of Saint John from 1885-1887 and thereafter served as treasurer for Saint John County until his death in 1908.

He passed away in 1908 and was interred at Saint John's Fernhill Cemetery.^[8]

Known Children

• Frances Elizabeth (Deveber) Lee 1858-1943 m. G. Herbert Lee
• Alice Illsley (Deveber) Lawton 1860-? m. William G. Lawton
• Lucretia/Louie Clark (Deveber) Jack 1861-1951 m. Andrew Jack
• Boies Deveber 1864-1928
• Florence Woodbridge (Deveber) Frith 1866-1943 m. H.W. Frith
• Beatrice Deveber 1875-?

Census Records

• 1881 Census, Saint John, New Brunswick
• 1901 Census, Saint John, New Brunswick

Research Notes

• There is a discrepancy between his headstone, which lists his birth date as 1820, and other records which list his date of birth as 1830/1831.
• There is a burial permit on record at the New Brunswick Provincial Archives but no death registration perhaps indicating he died outside New Brunswick.

Sources

1. ↑ Young Men Leave on Steamer, New Brunswick Courier, July 31, 1852. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 14 No 78
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Marriage Announcement, New Brunswick Courier, Oct 11, 1856. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 16 No 565
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q28Q-CRSL : 22 July 2021), Jeremiah S B De Veber and Elizabeth R Ilsley, 30 Sep 1856; citing Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States, multiple sources, Maine; FHL microfilm.
4. ↑ Church Wardens & Vestrymen, The Morning Freeman, April 18, 1868. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 26 No 2033
5. ↑ Petition respecting Inter-Oceanic Railway Company of Canada addressed to Governor General of Canada regarding extension of Railway to the Pacific Ocean dated 9th April, 'The Daily Telegraph', May 4, 1872. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 32 No 500
6. ↑ Petition for a Public Library, 'The Daily Telegraph', Aug 3, 1876. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 39 No 1125
7. ↑ Petition of Ex-Sergeant Hayes, 'The Daily Telegraph', Sept 13, 1880. Transcribed in Johnson, Daniel Vital Statistics From New Brunswick Newspapers, Vol 51 No 732
8. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #123106952, Jeremiah Smith Boies Deveber (1820-1908)

See Also

• Profile, Parliament of Canada. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
• Wikipedia, Jeremiah Smith Boies Deveber. Retrieved May 1, 2023.