William Reynolds Cutler, Lawyer

Nova Scotia # 12 on November 26, 1862 letter from Halifax to Arichat, Cape Breton. Addressed to W. R. Cutler Esquire, Barrister, Arichat. manuscript "Per Mail" on front (personal mail?). Barred oval cancellation. Backstamps HALIFAX NOVA SCOTIA NO 26 1862, ARICHAT NO 29 1862. The letter flap has a circular emboss.

William Reynolds Cutler was 41-years old and practicing law in Arichat when he received this letter from Halifax. Probably the letter weighed more than allowed for the 5c intra-provincial rate and was double paid.

The 1871 census for Arichat lists the 48-year old lawyer, William R. Cutler living with his wife, Mary E, 38, and children, William O, 17, Florence I, 15, Melville, 10, Danverpne, 5 and Clement 2.

William Reynolds Cutler

William Reynolds Cutler was born November 3, 1821, the third son of Robert Mollison Cutler, MLA (1784-1883) and Sophia Reynolds (1782-1849). In May 1839 at Guysborough, Nova Scotia, his father signed an indenture with W F Desbarres, Justice of the NS Supreme Court and Solicitor of Chancery, for a 5 year clerkship for William in preparation for the occupation of the law.

William married Mary Elizabeth Hubert (1833-1921) on December 28, 1852 in St. John's Anglican, Arichat. They had 5 children:

Florence Ida Cutler (1855–1947)

William Owen Cutler (1856–1946)

Melleville Fixott Cutler (1861–1936)

D'Aubergne Hubert Cutler (1866–1932)

Clements Gordon Cutler (1868–1956)

William Reynolds Cutler was the first Queens Counsel under the reign of Queen Victoria to serve as Counsel of the Crown on Cape Breton Island.

A.F. Church map of Arichat showing W.R. Cutler residence

William Reynolds Cutler died February 5, 1907 at age 87 and is buried in St. John's Anglican Church Cemetery, Arichat, Richmond County, Nova Scotia.

William Reynolds Cutler was the grandson of Thomas Cutler, born November 11, 1752, in Lexington, Massachusetts. He was proscribed by an Act of Massachusetts for his loyalist sentiments and sailed with the British forces when they evacuated Boston. He settled in Guysborough, Nova Scotia and married Elizabeth Goldsbury, daughter of Colonel Samuel Goldsbury of the British Army. Thomas was Guysborough Town Clerk for many years. He and Elizabeth had one son, Robert Mollison Cutler (1784-1883), who married Sophia Reynolds (1792–1849) in 1809. Robert was MLA for the County of Sydney in the Nova Scotia Assembly.