Dyer, Robert William

Robert William Dyer was born in England in 1808. An Anglican priest, Dyer and his wife Elizabeth and their children William, Henry, Joseph, and Isabella arrived in Prince Edward Island, possibly from Newfoundland, in 1859. Rev. Dyer was responsible for establishing the second Church of England parish west of St. Eleanors. For close to 26 years he ministered to the communities of Cascumpec (later Alberton), Tignish, Kildare Capes and the surrounding areas. In the early years this ministry took place in the homes of communicants, school houses and temperance halls but eventually churches were built in these locations culminating in the consecration of the original St. Peter's in Cascumpec in September 1869. Rev. Dyer resigned his charge in 1886 and died a short time later on 4 February 1887.