Fonds MS 124;1955.032;1978.058;1986.070;1986.122;1987.047;1995.059 - J.P. Burnyeat fonds

John Purvis Burnyeat was born in Truro, Nova Scotia in 1855. Both his parents died young, therefore most of his childhood was spent with his aunt and uncle, Sir Adams and Lady Archibald of Halifax. He attended a private elementary school in Halifax and high school in Truro. In 1870, he began working with the Intercontinental Railway Survey as a chainman. By 1872, he had become a leveller, and by 1875, was a clerk in the engineer's department at Moncton, N.B. He remained there until 1881 when he was transferred to the Canadian Pacific Railway in B.C. He was engaged as assistant on surveys from Port Moody-east. After completing the location work, he was placed in charge of the section from Hope to Yale. He was then transferred to Kamloops, and further on to Chase in 1884. He was employed in various capacities in connection with this construction until 1888. Burnyeat married mary Gordon in Yale in 1882. She was the second daughter of Mr.& Mrs. Andrew Mitchell of Halifax. After completion of the CPR, Burnyeat entered into the private business realm as a land surveyor and civil engineer in Kamloops. In 1890, he moved to Vernon and continued in his practice of surveying, practically up to the time of his death. From 1890-1894, he was in partnership with John A. Coryell. He made extensive surveys through the Osoyoos Division of Yale District and the Similkameen. For a number of years, Burnyeat was the Okanagan's provincial road superintendent and engineer, but he relinquished this position in order to devote more time to his private business. During his professional career, Burnyeat lad out numerous roads throughout the Vernon District. In 1892, he was nominated for the executive of the Provincial Land Surveyors' Association. From the date of his wife's death in 1921, Burnyeat's health declined rapidly. In an effort to regain his strenght, he visited a daughter in California, where he remained for some months. Although he returned from California somewhat improved, he was unable to continue his surveying work. He died Sept. 23, 1923 at the age of 69, survived by two sons and a daughter.