Lewis Piers was a grand-son of Sir Henry Piers, 1st Bart. of Tristernagh Abbey, Ireland.
The Hon. Thomas Saul was the wealthiest and most enterprising merchant from 1749 to 1760.
The names of Benjamin Gerrish, Charles King, Henry Ferguson, Joseph Fairbanks, William Piggot, William Fury, James Grant, Jacob Hurd, Daniel Shatford, Samuel Sellon, Charles Mason, Lewis Piers and Robert Campbell appear on the lists of the Grand Jury between 1751 and 1754.
The following names appear on the register of early settlers: – Richard Wenman, Thomas Keys, John Edes, John Gosbee, Ralph Coulston, Edward Orpen, John Christopher Laurilliard, Philip Knaut, Peter Burgman, Otto William Schwartz, John Jacob Preper, John Woodin, Andrew Wellner, Christopher Preper, Simon Thoroughgood.
APPENDICES
A
The following is a copy of the advertisement which appeared in the London Gazette, March, 1749:
Whitehall, 7th March, 1749.
A proposal having been presented unto His Majesty for the establishing a civil government in the Province of Nova Scotia, in North America, as also for the better peopling and settling the said province, and extending and improving the fishery thereof by granting lands within the same, and giving other encouragement to such of the officers and private men lately dismissed His Majesty's land and sea service, as shall be willing to settle in said province. And His Majesty having signed his royal approbation of the report of the said proposals, the Right Honorable the Lords Commissioners for Trade and Plantations do, by His Majesty's command, give notice that proper encouragement will be given to such of the officers and private men lately dismissed His Majesty's land and sea service as are willing to accept of grants of land, and to settle with or without families, in Nova Scotia. That 50 acres of land will be granted in fee simple to every private soldier or seaman, free from the payment of any quit rents or taxes for the term of ten years; at the expiration whereof no person to pay more than one shilling per annum for every 50 acres so granted.
That a grant of ten acres over and above the 50 will be made to each private soldier or seaman having a family for every person including women and children of which his family shall consist, and from the grants made to them on the like conditions as their families shall increase, or in proportion to their abilities to cultivate the same.
That eighty acres on like conditions will be granted to every officer under the rank of Ensign in the land service, and that of Lieutenant in the sea service, and to such as have families, fifteen acres over and above the said eighty acres, for every person of which their family shall consist.
That two hundred acres on like conditions will be granted to every Ensign, three hundred to every Lieutenant, four hundred to every Captain, and six hundred to every officer above the rank of Captain. And to such of the above mentioned officers as have families, a further grant of thirty acres will be made over and above their respective quotas for every person of which their family shall consist.
That the lands will be parcelled out to the settlers as soon as possible after their arrival, and a civil government established, whereby they will enjoy all the liberties, privileges and immunities enjoyed by his Majesty's subjects in any other of the Colonies and Plantations in America, under His Majesty's Government, and proper measures will also be taken for their security and protection.
That all such as are willing to accept of the above proposals shall, with their families, be subsisted during the passage, also for the space of twelve months after their arrival.
That they shall be furnished with arms and ammunition as far as will be judged necessary for their defence, with a proper quantity of materials and utensils for husbandry, clearing and cultivating the lands, erecting habitations, carrying on the fishery, and such other purposes as shall be deemed necessary for their support.
That all such persons as are desirous of engaging in the above settlement do transmit by letter, or personally give in their names signifying in what regiment or company, or on board what ship they last served, and if they have families they intend to carry with them, distinguishing the age and quality of such person to any of the following officers appointed to receive and enter the same in the books opened for that purpose, viz.: – John Pownell, Esq., Solicitor and Clerk of the Repts. of the Lords Comrs. of Trade and Plantations, at their office at Whitehall; John Ressell, Esq., Comr. of His Majesty's Navy at Portsmouth; Philip Vanburgh, Esq., Comr. of His Majesty's Navy at Plymouth.
And the proper notice will be given of the said books being closed as soon as the intended number shall be completed, or at least on the 7th day of April.
It is proposed that the Transports shall be ready to receive such persons on board on the 10th April, and be ready to sail on the 20th, and that timely notice will be given of the place or places to which such persons are to repair in order to embark.
That for the benefit of the settlement, the same conditions which are proposed to private soldiers and seamen shall likewise be granted to Carpenters, Shipwrights, Smiths, Masons, Joiners, Brickmakers, Bricklayers, and all other artificers necessary in building or husbandry, not being private soldiers or seamen.
That the same conditions as are proposed to those who have served in the capacity of Ensign shall extend to all Surgeons, whether they have been in His Majesty's service or not, upon their producing proper certificates of their being duly qualified.
By order of the Right Hon. the Lords Comrs. of Trade and Plantations.
(Signed) Thomas Hill, Secretary
B
The following notices appear in the Gazettes and Magazines of the day:
London, Saturday, July 1, 1749.
Three vessels came up the river with about 300 German Protestants, who were ordered to remain at Lambeth and Vauxhall till they can be conveniently shipped to Nova Scotia.
Friday 21st July, 1749.
A great number of German Protestants from the Palatinate attended the Baron Munchausen, Chief Secretary for Hanover, with a petition soliciting a passage to Nova Scotia.
Wednesday, 12th April, 1749.
A great number of disbanded soldiers, discharged sailors, poor artificers, labourers, etc., who have accepted of His Majesty's grant of lands in Nova Scotia, attended at the Plantation Office in Whitehall, and received orders for admission, with their families and effects, on board the transports.
Whitehall, April 18, 1749.
Lieut. – Col. Cornwallis made Colonel and Commander of the Forces destined for Nova Scotia, with a salary of £1000 per annum.
May 9, 1749.
Hon. Edward Cornwallis to be Captain General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the Province of Nova Scotia or Acadia.
C
Extract from a letter in the Gentleman's Magazine for 1749:
Boston, 10th July, 1749.
We have advice that two French men-of-war of 80 guns, and 20 transports, with a Governor and troops for a garrison, have arrived at Louisburg. The French Government offered Governor Hobson to transport his garrison to Chebucto, which was accepted, and orders came to discharge the vessels taken up here for that service. Col. Cornwallis, Governor of Nova Scotia, arrived at Chebucto on 21st June98 in the Sphinx, and Capt. Rouse in a sloop of war, and fifteen transports with 2000 adventurers on board, whose first settlement will be at or near Chebucto, where the Governor intended to keep the transports till next year for the convenience of the people, especially the women and children, until houses are built. The same encouragement that has been given to the British disbanded soldiers is given to Governor Sherley's and Col. Pepperell's regiments. Rum was sold at Louisburg for 9d. per gallon, and molasses extremely cheap. The French lost a great number of men in their passage to Louisburg by the small pox, yellow fever, etc., but the transports at Chebucto lost only one child.
D
The following account of the expenditure on the settlement for the year 1749, was submitted to Parliament by the Lords Commissioners of Trade and Plantations:
(Signed) Christopher Kilby
Account submitted to Parliament by the Lords Commissioners the following year:
Cr
Christopher Kilby
The charge for contingencies, and the last charge of £10,417 15. 3., probably embrace the expenditure on Government buildings – the two churches of England, St. Paul's and St. Matthew's; also the fortifications and other government works then in progress.
E
The following extracts are from the letters of a French officer after the siege of Louisburg:
"The eyes of all Europe are fixed on this formidable armament; they have assembled an army of 22,000 men, 1600 brought from Europe, the remainder provincial militia, with a large train of artillery and munitions of war, 22 line of battle-ships and 200 transports. Yet Admiral Holburn, who appeared off Louisburg with 22 sail of men-of-war, took it into his head that our numbers were equal to his own, and has made his way back to Halifax. They will ask him there, why did you run away? Oh! says he, a superior force venit, vedit, fugit. It is vexatious that the first squadron which France has equipped since 1703 should be shackled with orders only to keep a look out. If ever there was a certainty of firing gunpowder to the renown of the white flag, it was on the 19th August, when Holburn appeared off Louisburg."
In some of his subsequent letters he appears to give a very accurate account of the siege, and some facts relative to the war not to be found in any history of that period. In speaking of the landing of Wolfe at the head of the Highlanders and the American Light Troops —
"It is the interest of the conquered not to diminish the glory of the victor, and besides it is our duty to do justice even to our mortal enemy, for which reason I confess that the English on this occasion behaved with such valor as before the event must have appeased temerity. Yet it must be allowed that at the same time the difficulty of the enterprise does them infinite honor, it saves ours; who would have forseen that they would have ventured to have climbed rocks till then rendered inaccessible, under a heavy fire from our batteries, notwithstanding their boats were every moment knocked to pieces in the surf, which drowned great numbers."
In speaking of the capitulation he says:
"Though reduced to the last extremity we demanded far more advantageous terms than we had reason to expect. After a consultation between Admiral Boscawen and General Amherst, an unconditional surrender was demanded. Dracourt, the Governor, extremely exasperated at those terms, resolved to hold out, but was compelled to give in on receiving a most peremptory petition on the part of the inhabitants, presented by M. Prevost. The capitulation was signed on 15th July, 1758, after a bloody siege of two months. On the day following, our troops were drawn up, and the colors and arms surrendered to General Whitmore, who took command of the town. The evening before the English took possession of the town, we suffered our soldiers to plunder the magazines, and the priests spent the whole night in marrying all the girls of the city to the first who would have them. No one here can perceive, at least by any personal inconvenience, that we are in a conquered town. The garrison has embarked with as much tranquility as if it had been going on a voyage of pleasure. Every soldier has taken away whatever belongs to him without suffering the least injustice. M. De Dracourt has received all the honors which a person of his rank deserved; Admiral Boscawen has shown all the respect to Madam De Dracourt as were due to her merits. This lady has performed such exploits during the siege as must entitle her to rank among the most illustrious of her sex, for she fired three cannon every day in order to animate the gunners. After the surrender she interested herself in behalf of all the unfortunates; in this number M. Maillet de Grandville was a striking instance of the instability of fortune. He left France at the age of 17, arrived at Quebec in indifferent circumstances; by his industry and application to business, he accumulated a vast fortune which enabled him to purchase the Lordship of St. Louis, which cost him 80,000 livres; but now, by the taking of Louisburg, he is left quite destitute with a numerous family."
F
Halifax, July, 1752.
A list of the families of English, Swiss, etc., which have been settled in Nova Scotia since the year 1749, and who now are settlers in the places hereafter mentioned.
North Suburbs of Halifax.
Swiss and Germans in the North Suburbs.
South Suburbs.
Примечание 199
Примечание 2100
Примечание 3101
Within the Town of Halifax.
Примечание 1102
Примечание 2103
Within the Pickets104 of Halifax.
On Several Islands and Harbors, Employed in Fishery.
Laborers Employed in His Majesty's Works on George's Island.
At the Block House and the Isthmus.
The foregoing is copied from a book in the Crown Land Office, having been in the Surveyor General's office, apparently, since 17th May, 1779, as the blank leaves contain memoranda of different warrants of survey from that date to June, 1781. Copied 4th December, 1862.
G
From the Gentlemen's Magazine, Vol. 20, 271
Halifax, Nova Scotia, December 7, 1749.
Dear Sir, – I have at various times given you the last account I was able of the state of affairs in this Colony. The summer was beautiful beyond description and even the conception of those who are always confined within the liquid walls of Britain. As to the winter, which you know I always dreaded, I do assure you I have felt severer weather in England. The people acquainted with this climate say that it began this year sooner than was ever known in the memory of man, and assure me likewise that it will not be more severe than it has been already; if so, there is no danger to be apprehended from it. This you will readily grant when I tell you, notwithstanding the tenderness of my constitution, to which you are no stranger, that I have not added a single thing, not so much as a great coat, to my dress since I have been in this Province. When I look back upon the 21st June, the day of our arrival, I am astonished to see the progress made; there are already about 400 habitable houses within the fortifications and not less than 200 without. So surprising is the growth of this colony, so great the happiness of being ruled by one who has no other interest at heart but that of making thousands happy.
From my soul I wish that all other governors would copy such an amiable example of imitation; he does not, like most others gripe and squeeze to accumulate a fortune; on the contrary, he derives no profit to himself from anything, but, with the most unexampled generosity, gives all places and commissions gratis to the most deserving, nor suffers his officers to take any fees at present. You know what an English rabble is (and the greatest part of this colony was such.) You know they are generally tumultuous, refractory, full of discontent and murmuring, capricious in demanding favors, not long satisfied with present concessions, and not seldom abusing them by restless importunity for more. Such generally is the rabble of mankind, and such were many of the settlers of this province, but by his prudent management and proper generosity, by his condescension, candor and affability, the Governor has charmed the tiger's fury and turned a sad tumultuous rabble into a tractable and quiet people. They now work with ten times the alacrity they did at first, are patient under disappointments, and when they meet with a repulse, they conclude their petitions to have been unreasonable, from a firm persuasion that His Excellency has their true interest at heart; they cannot ask with reason, but what he grants with pleasure.
Yours, etc., etc.,* * * * * *
H
Copy of Minutes of Council of 12th June, 1752, Regarding the Erection of a Light House at Sambro
At a Council holden at the Govrs. House at Halifax, Fryday, June 12th, 1752.105
Resolved, That, Whereas a Light house at the Entrance of the Harbor of Halifax, would be greatly beneficial to the Trade, Navigation, and Fishery of this Colony, and might be the means of preserving the Lives and properties of many of his Majesty's Subjects, and whereas altho' many persons might willingly contribute towards so good a Work without any Expectation of a Reimbursement, yet probably many may more readily be concerned therein, when attended with any hopes of promoting their own Interest at the same time.
A Lottery, according to the following Scheme, be set on foot for raising a sum of £450 towards building a Lighthouse at or near Cape Sambrough, (whereby, besides the advantages before mentioned,) a considerable number of Settlers will be usefully employed for some time, and a great & lasting Benefit to the province be gained, by a voluntary Tax upon those persons (amongst others) who at present contributed nothing towards the Expence of the Government whose protection & favour they enjoy.
Scheme of a Lottery for raising £450 towards building a Lighthouse at or near Cape Samborough: —
The number of Tickets to be 1000 at £3 each, £3000.
The number of Benefit Tickets to be 200, vizt.:
Fifteen per cent. to be deducted from the fortunate Tickets, and the remainder to be paid, without any other Deduction, to ye possessors of the sd. Tickets, as soon as the drawing shall be over – To be drawn publickly in the Town House, at Halifax under the Direction of managers to be appointed by his Excelly. the Govr. as soon as all the Tickets shall be disposed of, and in case the said Tickets shall not be all disposed of, before ye 31st Augt. next, the money recd. for any sold to be repaid to the possessors thereof on Demand.
ED. CORNWALLIS.
FOOTNOTES:
I
Governor Cornwallis 106 to Duke of Bedford
(COPY.)
Chebucto, 22nd June, 1749.
My Lord Duke, —
I arrived here yesterday, – this morning a Sloop arrived from Mr. Hopson, which I am obliged to send to Boston in case any ship should be going thence to England. I would not neglect an opportunity of writing to your Grace. I met the "Fair Lady" storeship at sea the eleventh, after we had been from England four weeks, who told me the Transports arrived at Spithead the day before he sailed, and were to sail in three days after him, we were then off the island of Sable, and except the first eight days had met with contrary winds all the passage, besides we had steered our course for Cape Race but was forced off the banks by a gale of wind from the North West so that I had reason to think the Transports might be soon at Chebucto – we had nobody on board that knew anything of the coasts nor of the Bay of Funday, so were to cruize off the coasts till we met with a pilot, we made the Coast of Acadie the 14th, but met with no pilot till the 20th, when we met with a sloop from Boston to Louisburgh with two pilots on board, for the use of the Governor, – the wind not serving for the Bay of Funday, and the officers assuring me in case of foggy weather (not unusual upon those coasts) we might be a fortnight getting to Annapolis. The wind was fair for Chebucto, so I thought it advisable to go in there rather than risk the being some weeks, perhaps, after the settlers arrived. I could save the garrison of Louisburgh the bad and long navigation to Annapolis, so I sent to Governor Hopson that I was going for Chebucto and desired him to transport the garrison thither, imagining he had transports ready; by his sloop that came in this day I find him in great perplexity, the French arrived, and he no transports. – The Council of War it seems were of opinion that the orders from the Secretary at War did not empower him to hire transports, but to wait my arrival and that I was to send the transports that brought the settlers here. As I cannot know when the transports will arrive, in what condition, nor how many I can spare, I think it absolutely necessary for the service to send the sloop to Boston with orders to Apthorp and Hancock, who Mr. Hopson has recommended as the persons who have been always employed on the part of the Government, to hire vessels with all expedition for the transportation of these troops from Louisburgh to Chebucto. I send a letter by the same sloop to Colonel Mascarene in case he should meet at sea any vessel going to Annapolis. I likewise send a Frenchman that knows the country over land, by Minas to Annapolis. I have ordered Colonel Mascarene to come here with a quorum of the Council as soon as possible that I may open my commission, take the oaths and appoint another Council, according to His Majesty's instructions.
I can give Your Grace little information as yet as to this country – the coasts are as rich as ever they have been represented. We caught fish every day since we came within fifty leagues of the coast, the harbor itself is full of fish of all kinds; all the officers agree the harbor is the finest they have ever seen – the country is one continual wood, no clear spot to be seen or heard of. I have been ashore in several places – the underwood is only young trees so that with difficulty one might walk through any of them; D'Anville's fleet have only cut wood for present use, but cleared no ground, they encamped their men upon the beach. I have seen but few brooks nor have as yet found the navigable river that has been talked of – there are a few French families on each side of the bay about 3 leagues off; some have been on board. As to the disposition of the French or Indians I can give Your Grace no account till I see Colonel Mascarene, when I shall write more fully and continue from time to time to acquaint Your Grace of our proceedings. I wish the French may not be uneasy at waiting so long on board for the evacuation of Louisburgh as it may be some time before Mr. Hopson will get transports – it will, I fear, retard the settlement.
I am &c.,ED. CORNWALLIS.
P. S. – I expect the transports daily.
His Grace the Duke of Bedford.
(From the Duplicate.)
We came to anchor in Merliguiche Bay, where I was told there was a French settlement. I sent ashore to see the houses and manner of living of the inhabitants – there are but a few families with tolerable wooden houses covered with bark, a good many cattle and clear ground more than serves themselves – they seem to be very peaceable, say they always looked upon themselves as English subjects, have their grants from Colonel Mascarene, the Governor of Annapolis, and showed an unfeigned joy to hear of the new settlement. They assure us the Indians are quite peaceable and not at all to be feared – there are none hereabouts.
I have, &c.,ED. CORNWALLIS.
(From the Duplicate.)
This Frenchman will be there in three or four days – 'tis 25 leagues from hence to Minas, and the French have made a path for driving their cattle over here.
Governor Cornwallis to Duke of Bedford. 107
Chebucto, July 23rd, 1749.
My Lord, —
My last to Your Grace was of June 22nd, a duplicate of which is enclosed, – the 27th, the transports appeared off the harbor and in a few days most of them got in. As their passage had been extremely good and none of them had in the least suffered, I found they would be ready to sail the moment the settlers should be put ashore. I despatched a sloop to Boston to countermand the order I had given, and sent to Mr. Hopson to let him know I would send in a few days transports to bring away his garrison. Mr. Hopson had wrote me that he had agreed with Desherbier, the French Commissary, to make use of the French transports upon condition that in case the English ships should arrive before they were all on board he should be at liberty to disembark them. I sent him one the 1st of July and four more, the largest of the fleet, the 5th. I own I was much disappointed in finding Mr. Hopson unprovided with transports as I never had the least intimation that he was to wait for the ships that should bring the settlers. I have an account from Boston of July 3rd that my second order got there soon enough to prevent all but one from sailing, but as they were all hired this will cause some expense; they write me it will not be much.
July 8, I received from Mr. Hopson copies of letters from Governor Shirley and Colonel Mascarene giving an account of the French having begun a settlement and a fort at the mouth of the St. John River. As my instructions direct me to prevent all such encroachments, and particularly mention that River as of the greatest consequence, I next day sent Capt. Rous of the Albany with a small sloop to attend him with orders to the commanding officers at Annapolis to furnish him with troops if demanded. Copies of my letter to Capt. Rous and one to the commander of St. John's, I send You Grace enclosed. I hope what I have done in this affair will meet with Your Grace's approbation. July 12th I heard from Governor Shirley, that he had sent the Boston to Annapolis to receive my instructions about the affair of St. John's. I sent Capt. Pearse the same directions I had given to Capt. Rous, and a copy of the declaration asserting His Majesty's rights. As to Port Mouton which is mentioned in these letters, I believe it was a mistake occasioned by the French having put in there in their way to St. John's.
I shall now lay before Your Grace our proceedings at Chebucto.
Colonel Mascarene arrived here on the 12th with five of the Council; next day I opened to them His Majesty's commission, and took the oaths; the day following I nominated the members of a new Council:
Примечание 1108
I have added since, Mr. Steel.
As, perhaps, no copies were taken of the plans sent me of the harbor, I send along with this a copy of Durel's plan. Your Grace will see that the place I have fixed for the town is on the west side of the harbor – 'tis upon the side of a hill which commands the whole peninsula and shelters the town from the north-west winds. From the shore to the top of the hill is about half a mile, the ascent very gentle, the soil is good, there is convenient landing for boats all along the beach and good anchorage within gunshot of the shore for the largest ships. In Durel's plan the two points that make the entrance to Bedford Bay are marked as the places proper to fortify, which is likewise taken notice of by Mr. Knowles. Their view must then have been to have the settlement within that bay. This would have been subject to great inconveniences. In the first place, it would be too far up for the fishermen, it being about five leagues from the entrance of the harbor to these points, and the beach all along as proper for curing their fish as can possibly be imagined, so that no fisherman would ever have thought of going within these forts – indeed no ships would choose to go so far, as no finer harbor can be than that of Chebucto, which reaches from these points to Sandwich River,109 so that notwithstanding of any forts upon these points an enemy's fleet might lie secure and indeed block up all ships within the bay. The proper places to fortify for the defence of the harbor seem to be Sandwich Point and the bank opposite to it. George's Island lies likewise very convenient for a battery to defend both the harbor and the town. It contains about ten or twelve acres. It was there I landed the settlers from on board the ships sent to Louisbourg – I have now a guard there and stores, and propose to build a magazine upon it for powder.
As there was not one yard of clear ground, Your Grace will imagine our difficulty and what work we have to do. However, they have already cleared above 12 acres and I hope to begin my own house in two days; I have a small frame and planks ready.
The Indians are hitherto very peaceable, many of them have been here with some Chiefs; I made them small presents, told them I had instructions from His Majesty to offer them friendship and all protection and likewise presents which I should deliver as soon as they should assemble their tribes and return with powers to enter into treaty and exchange their French commissions for others in His Majesty's name.
Three of the French Deputies have been here to know what is to be their condition for the future; I gave them copies of His Majesty's Declaration and copies of the Oath of Allegiance which I told them they must take without any condition or reservation, but in the same manner as His Majesty's English subjects; – they pretend their only difficulty is from fear of the Indians in case of a French war. I have ordered all the Deputies to come here and expect them in a few days. I think 'tis necessary to show them that 'tis in our power to master them or to protect them, and therefore I design to send as soon as possible two companies to Minas with orders to build a barrack and stay there the winter. I shall also send an armed sloop into the Bay of Minas to prevent all correspondence with the French by sea; another company I shall send to the head of the bay where the road to Minas begins. I propose, likewise, a blockhouse half way for the conveniency of travellers, and then to employ all the men I can get together, soldiers and inhabitants, to clear the road from hence to Minas; 'tis about 30 miles in a direct line – whether this can be executed before winter I cannot say. Had the garrison of Louisbourg been arrived, they would have been of infinite advantage; at present I have only one company of Hopson's, one of Warburton's and 60 of Gorham's Rangers.110
A list of the civil officers I shall be able to send Your Grace by the next ships that sail, with an account of what further progress we shall have made.
I am, &c.,ED. CORNWALLIS.
To His Grace the Duke of Bedford.
J
Names of the Members of the Sun Fire Company of Halifax in the Year 1819
John W. Pyke.
John Tremain.
Michael Tobin.
Stephen W. DeBlois.
Charles Hill.
John Owen.
Richard Tremain.
Henry Taylor.
J. E. Butler.