Part 47 (1/2)
THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS.
The vanguard of the Loyalists now began to make its appearance.
Captain Simon Baxter has a fair claim to be considered the pioneer Loyalist of this province. He arrived at Fort Howe with his family in March, 1782, in distressed circ.u.mstances, and was befriended by William Hazen and James White, who recommended him to the favorable consideration of the authorities at Halifax. Captain Baxter was a native of New Hamps.h.i.+re. He was proscribed and banished on account of his loyalty, and had several narrow escapes at the hands of his ”rebel countrymen.” On one occasion he was condemned to be hanged, but upon being brought out to execution contrived to escape from his persecutors and fled for safety to Burgoyne's army. His early arrival at St. John proved of substantial benefit to him, for on the 15th of August he obtained a grant of 5,000 acres, ”as a reduced subaltern and as a refugee,” in what is now the Parish of Norton, in Kings County.
His sons, William and Benjamin, received 500 acres each, along with their father. The important services of Major Gilfred Studholme were also rewarded at this time by a grant of 2,000 acres on the Kennebecasis river, just above Captain Baxter's land. Two years later Major Studholme obtained a grant of a tract nearly three miles square, at Apohaqui, to which he gave the name of Studville.
It was not without fore-thought and serious consideration that the Loyalists came to the River St. John. Several a.s.sociations were formed at New York, in 1782, to further the interests of those who proposed to settle in Nova Scotia. One of the a.s.sociations had as its president, the Rev. Doctor Seabury,[136] and for its secretary, Sampson Salter Blowers.[137] It was under the arrangements made by this a.s.sociation that a great many of the Loyalists of the Spring fleet came to the St. John river. The doc.u.ment, which is published below, is well worthy of preservation by the descendants of those devoted men and women, who were induced by unshaken loyalty to seek refuge in a wilderness under its provisions.
[136] Dr. Seabury was consecrated first Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, November 14th, 1784.
[137] Sampson Salter Blowers was appointed chief justice of Nova Scotia in 1809. He died in 1842 in his 100th year having outlived all his contemporaries. He was a man of wonderful vitality and is said never to have worn an overcoat.
ARTICLES.
Of the Settlement of Nova Scotia, Made With the Loyalists at New York, at the Time of the Peace of 1783.
”The reverend Doctor Samuel Seabury, and Lieutenant Colonel B.
Thompson, of the Kings American Dragoons, having been appointed by the Board of Agents to wait on His Excellency Sir Guy Carleton, Commander in Chief, in behalf of the Loyalists desirous of emigrating to Nova Scotia, they read the following rough proposals, as articles of supply for the settlers in Nova Scotia:--
1st.--That they be provided with proper vessels and convoy to carry them, their horses and cattle, as near as possible to the place appointed for their settlement.
2nd.--That besides the provisions for the voyage, one year's provision be allowed them, or money to enable them to purchase.
3d.--That some allowance of warm clothing be made in proportion to the wants of each family.
4th.--That an allowance of medicines be granted, such as shall be thought necessary.
5th.--That pairs of millstones, necessary iron works for grist mills, and saws and other necessary articles for saw-mills, be granted them.
6th.--That a quant.i.ty of nails and spikes, hoes and axes, spades and shovels, plough irons, and such other farming utensils as shall appear necessary, be provided for them, and also a proportion of window gla.s.s.
7th.--That such a tract or tracts of land, free from disputed t.i.tles, and as conveniently situated as may be, be granted, surveyed and divided at the public cost, as shall afford from 300 to 600 acres of useful land to each family.
8th.--That over and above 2,000 acres in every towns.h.i.+p be allowed for the support of a clergyman, and 1,000 acres for the support of a school, and that these lands be unalienable for ever.
9th.--That a sufficient number of good musquets and cannon be allowed with a proper quant.i.ty of powder and ball for their use, to enable them to defend themselves against any hostile invasion; also a proportion of powder and lead for hunting.
”His Excellency the Commander in Chief, in reply, was pleased to say that in general he approved the above Articles, and that at least the terms of settlement should be equivalent to them. He was pleased to say further that he should give every encouragement to the settlers in Nova Scotia, and that he would write to the Governor of the Province respecting the matter. He advised that some persons might be sent to examine the vacant lands and see where the settlement could be made to the best advantage.
”We whose names are hereunto subscribed do agree to remove to the Province of Nova Scotia, on the above encouragement, with our families, in full reliance on the future support of Government, and under the patronage of the following gentlemen as our agents, they having been approved of as such by His Majesty's Commissioner for restoring Peace, etc:--Lieut. Col. B. Thompson, K. A. D; Lieut. Col. E. Winslow, Gen. Muster-master provincial forces; Major J. Upham, K. A. D; Rev. Dr. Samuel Seabury, Rev. John Sayre, Captain Maudsley, Amos Botsford, Esq., Samuel c.u.mmings, Esq., Judge John Wardle, Esq., James Peters, Esq., Frederick Hauser.”
These terms were liberal and were afterwards considerably extended.
The Loyalists were allowed not only full provisions for the first year, but two-thirds of that allowance for the second year, and one third for the third year.
In accordance with the prudent advice of Sir Guy Carleton, it was decided to send agents to Nova Scotia immediately to explore the country and report upon it. The agents chosen were Messrs. Amos Botsford, Samuel c.u.mmings and Frederick Hauser. They were furnished with the following
INSTRUCTIONS.
”That on their arrival in Nova Scotia they apply themselves to discover whether a Tract or Tracts of Land free from all disputed t.i.tles, either with the Indians or former Grantees, can be found sufficient to accommodate the Loyalists and their Families who shall remove thither.
”They will examine the soil, timber, game, limestone, rivers, bays, creeks, harbors, streams and ponds of water with regard to mills, fis.h.i.+ng, trade, etc. They will examine the face of the country whether it be hilly, stoney, sandy, clayey, etc.
”They will enquire what lands in the neighborhood are granted and to whom, whether the grants be forfeited, or whether they may be purchased and at what rate; and whether advantageous terms may not be made with the present proprietors.