Hello Glenn,
As you may know from my web page, the Noiles are a French Canadian -origin family. Louis George de Noyelles, living in or near Fort Louisburg, Nouvelle-France, became George Noiles, and escaped the expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia - due to factors, marital, business, or financial, which are undiscovered at this time. George and his family did not give up their Catholic faith, however, and many of their descendants retain that today.
George Noiles was certainly very prominent in business, and owned much of the land and business interests in Fenwick, Nova Scotia, for a considerable period of time. This is outlined in Myrtle Chappell's book, 'Fenwick 1778-1978'. She knew many Noiles personally, and tells interesting stories of the family. A most colourful family it was, no doubt still is, judging by the emails I receive from living descendants.
This leads to his gg grandson Edward Noiles marrying another French-origin girl, Sarah Benoit, aka Sarah Bennett, in 1867, at Botsford Parish, Westmorland, New Brunswick.
Another trait of the early Noiles family is that they married closely in terms of blood ties. Many Noiles-Noiles marriages are recorded.
This trait appears in the life of Edward, as his parents were Peterman Noiles born in NS 1817, who married first Luce Benoit, later recorded as Lucy Bennet, born July 4, 1816 in Tracadie, Gloucester, New Brunswick ( still today a French-speaking town). This is near the location of Edward's birth. Peter and Lucy moved to Westmorland, where Edward was born, according to records in Botsford Parish. Lucy Benoit Bennet, his mom, was a great aunt of his wife Sarah Benout Bennet.
After Luce died, Peterman returned to NS and married second Sarah Harvie (Harvey) in May, 1857, in Nappan, Nova Scotia.
It is this sequence which connects me with the Noiles family, as my Ripley ancestors were in Nappan in that time frame.
However, the records are spotty for the Noiles family. I rely chiefly on family feedback. Peterman and Sarah had two children which I have recorded in my Roots web tree, but probably several more.
Noiles events - births, marriages, etc., are often recorded as Niles. The most reliable birth registers contain this misspelling often. This has been a source of great confusion for those of us tracking them down. However, it seems certain that there was no link between the Noiles family of Acadian origin, and the Niles family of US origin, often Loyalists arriving in Canada after 1783. I've spent many hours tracking this down, as many family members are interested in possible links.
The Niles (of the US) were Church of England, some Methodist, with no Catholic links, whereas the Noiles were Roman Catholic - to point out one main distinction. If you find a Catholic parish or record, you probably have a Noiles. If you find Church of England or Methodist, you probably have a Niles. Go back a couple of generations, and you find that the Niles were Lutheran, as they were originally of German origin.
Myrtle Chappell in her book talks extensively about Church life in Fenwick, but the Noiles never went to her churches - although the Noiles kids did go to the local elementary school; she even has photos of Noiles kids at the school. Probably there was no separate school. There is no mention in her book of the French language, and the Noiles family may have lost that ability. In fact, she even speaks of rumours that George was of German origin; no doubt George encouraged such rumours in his day, to avoid the anti- Acadian prejudice. However, the Niles family of Germany, some of whom went to the States, and possibly some to Canada as well, were Lutheran, according to birth and marriage registers.
Anyone who wants to track this down in perfect detail will have to find the Roman Catholic parish church records in the area. I don't think ayone has done that yet.
I will post this information convering Edward and Sarah on my Roots web site over the next few days.
Thanks for the message. Keep in touch.
Richard Ripley