• John Blythe •
Birth Name: John Blythe
Date of Birth: Early 1820s
Date of Death: 1899
Birth Location: Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Parents: Unknown
Spouse: Unknown (Marilla Cuthbert was her beau)
Children: Gilbert
Location: Avonlea
Hair colour: Brown
Eye colour: Hazel (?)
Occupation: Unknown
In Books: Anne of Green Gables (1908), Anne of Ingleside (1939) - mentioned
Quote: "You'll have Gilbert in your class after this," said Diana, "and he's used to being head of his class, I can tell you. He's only in the fourth book although he's nearly fourteen. Four years ago his father was sick and had to go out to Alberta for his health and Gilbert went with him. They were there three years and Gil didn't go to school hardly any until they came back. You won't find it so easy to keep head after this, Anne." (Chapter 15, Anne of Green Gables)
"John Blythe was a nice boy. We used to be real good friends, he and I. People called him my beau...[w]e had a quarrel. I wouldn't forgive him when he asked me to. I meant to, after awhile--but I was sulky and angry and I wanted to punish him first. He never came back--the Blythes were all mighty independent. But I always felt--rather sorry. I've always kind of wished I'd forgiven him when I had the chance." (Chapter 37, Anne of Green Gables)
"She and Gilbert had come up for the funeral of his father and Anne had stayed for a week". (Chapter 1, Anne of Ingleside (1939))
Background: John Blythe was Marilla's good friend, until they quarreled and Marilla refused to forgive him. They were such good friends that the townspeople considered him to be Marilla's beau. However, most people have forgotten this, including Marilla herself. Gilbert appears strikingly similar to his father, and the Blythes are considered "mighty independent". When he was sick, Gilbert went with him to Alberta for three years for his treatment. Anne and Gilbert's son, Shirley, reminds Gilbert of his father, "a good, sturdy, sensible lad". Anne and Gilbert attended his funeral.
Last updated: June 16, 2008
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