History of New Brunswick

by Peter Fisher

A NARRATIVE.

Of the proceedings of the first settlers at the River St. John, under the authority of the Government of Nova-Scotia.

In the year 1761, a number of persons from the county of Essex, province of Massachusetts, presented a petition through their agent to the Government of Nova-Scotia, for a grant of a Township of twelve miles square at the river Saint John, they received a favorable answer and obtained full authority to survey a tract of that dimension wherever it might be found fit for improvement. In consequence many of the applicants, proceeded in the course of the winter and spring following to prepare for exploring the Country, and to survey such Township: they provided a vessel for that purpose, and on the 16th May, 1762, embarked at Newburyport and arrived in three days at the harbour Saint John (the 19th:) The party amounted to near twenty men, exclusive of two families, who took passage in the same vessel, one of whom shipped a small frame for a dwelling, and boards to cover it, with a small stock of cattle; the frame and stock was landed the day of their arrival; on the third day the house was finished and inhabited.

The exploring and surveying party then proceeded to view the lands round the harbour and bay of Saint John in a whale boat, they brought with them: for they could not travel on the land, on account of the multitude of fallen trees that had been torn up by the roots in a violent gale of wind, nearly four years previous. (The same gale extended as far up the river as the Oromocto, and most of the Country below that place, was equally incumbered with the fallen trees.)—After making all the discoveries that could be made near the harbour, it was the unanimous opinion that all the lands near that part of the Country, were unfit for making any settlements at that time, and in about ten days from their first arrival, they set out to view the country as far as Saint Anns, ninety miles up the river, where they expected to find an extensive body of clear land that had been formerly improved by the French inhabitants. On their way to that place they landed wherever they saw any appearance of improvement: all such small spots, as far up as Milk Creek, were supposed not to exceed one hundred acres, most of which had been very roughly cleared.—On the arrival of the exploring party at Saint Anns, they lost no time in making a shelter for themselves, nearly opposite the river Nashwouk, (as it was then pronounced by the Indians,) but since, with some variation, as there is in the original names of divers other rivers, lakes, and names by which the tribes were distinguished,—and they commenced their survey at the small gravelly point against Government-House, with an intention to survey a Township, to terminate twelve miles below that place, and after surveying the courses of the river about four miles downward, a large company of Indians came down about nine miles from their Priest's residence, with his Interpreter: all having painted faces of divers colours and figures, and dressed in their war habits. The chiefs, with grave countenances, informed the adventurers that they were trespassers on their rights: that the Country belonged to them, and unless they retired immediately, they, (the Indians), would compel them. This gave no small alarm to a few men in the heart of an Indian Country, most of whom had never beheld a wild Indian, but had all their lives heard of their savage cruelties and murders. The reply made to the Chiefs was to this effect; that the adventurers had received authority from the Governor of Halifax to survey and settle any land they should chuse, at the river Saint John—that they had never been informed of the Indians claiming the village of Saint Anns; but as they then declared the land there, to be their property, though it had been inhabited by the French who were considered entitled to it, till its capture by the English, they would retire further down the river.—In answer to this the Chiefs suggested that the whole country belonged to the Indians, they had some time ago, had a conference with Governor Lawrence, and had consented that the English should settle the country up as far as the Grimross: from this acknowledgment of the Chiefs, the adventurers were a little relieved from the shock they received at first, and said, they were unwilling to dispute, and would in a few days, remove their camps towards Grimross. This answer did not appear fully to satisfy the Indians, yet they made no reply. The surveying party removed their camp, according to their promise almost as far down as the lower end of the Oromocto Island on the east side of the river, whence they finished the survey, twelve miles below the first mentioned bounds: and returned to Fort Frederick, 20, 8, 15, where there was a vessel bound direct to Halifax, and took passage in her, with an account of all their discoveries, and surveys, and with a plan of their Township, they had laid out into lots: but they were so unfortunate as to arrive at that place just at that time accounts were received, that the French had sent out a large fleet and a body of land forces, and had taken Saint Johns, Newfoundland, and were almost hourly expected to attack Halifax, where at that time was only one man of war, the Northumberland, and very few troops. The militia called out; public offices shut, and nothing to be seen but bustle and preparation for the defence of the town, that being the situation of Government, the agents and surveyors, for the adventurers were obliged to return without giving any account of their proceedings, or obtaining any confirmation of their former order for surveying a township, or any instructions to govern their conduct in carrying on the intended settlements. This disappointment was, in the autumn of the same year, followed by one still greater. Commissioners were sent to Fort Frederick, to inform the former applicants for grants of lands, that the space they had surveyed would not be granted to them. On receiving this distressing information they sent a petition to the King, stating the expence they had been at, in full confidence, that all the promises and encouragements, they had received from Government, would be confirmed. This petition was sent under cover addressed to the then agent for the Province, most earnestly soliciting his influence in obtaining a speedy answer for their petition. He took a lively interest in their cause, and in a short time, obtained an order to the Governor to grant all such shares in the tract they had laid out, as should from time to time be settled; and the same gentleman advanced a considerable sum for the proprietors, to defray the expence of obtaining such order, and the proprietors, as a mark of their gratitude, and esteem of their patron, gave their town his name, with a small addition to it, and grants were made to all the resident proprietors, in or about the year 1765. The Indians had remained peaceable from 1762 to 1765: in this year they assembled together, and gave threats of immediately commencing a new war against the English; and the inhabitants of all the frontiers of the Province were greatly alarmed, and the commander of Fort Frederick doubled his sentries on the occasion. The pretexts of the Indians were well known to be mostly false and frivolous, and the commandant and inhabitants residing near the garrison, took great pains to persuade the Chiefs to lay their complaints before the Governor, at Halifax, before they engaged in a war that would eventually prove ruinous to themselves, which might be prevented by their stating to Government all the grounds of the injuries they complained of: after little consideration they agreed to the proposal, and soon after set out for Halifax, accompanied by one of the inhabitants. Their business on their first arrival, was, without loss of time, made known to the Governor, who appointed a time and place to give the Chiefs a hearing of their complaints. They on examination, could not in any degree, support their heaviest charges, and in the end, they admitted they had been misinformed. So that the result of their complaints, amounted to nothing more than that the inhabitants had frequently killed some Beavers, Moose, and other animals, but not far from their houses, which the Chiefs alleged was their exclusive property; and that it was of the condition of a former treaty that the English settlers should not be allowed to kill any wild game in any part of the wilderness, beyond the limits of their farms and improvements. The Governor informed them in his answer, that all treaties before that time, should be strictly observed, and that if the inhabitants had in any instance, done anything contrary to such treaties, they should be severely reprimanded and restrained from continuing such practices. The Chiefs replied, that it might be out of their power to pacify their young men, unless the damage before done to them should be paid. This brought on an inquiry of the Chiefs, what the alleged damage amounted to. In their answer they highly overrated as the inhabitants made it clearly appear, from their statement of the number of animals that had been killed. The Chiefs finding themselves detected in having alarmed the country without reason and of having thereby put them in distressing fear and to great expence, appeared ashamed of their conduct, and could only repeat that the Indians of their tribe would insist on being paid the damages for the loss of their wild animals. After a full hearing a final answer was given them; as follows.—That although the grievances that they had stated were by no means sufficient to justify their hostile proceedings; yet to do them ample justice, he would order to be sent them a certain amount in clothing and provisions (amount not remembered) provided they would consider it full satisfaction for the injuries done by the settlers, and send orders to restrain them from hunting wild animals in the woods. The Chiefs accepted that offer, and the Indians remained peaceable, till the commencement of the revolt of the thirteen Colonies, when they were called upon to aid in defence of the Province, or at least to remain neuter. They promised to do either one or the other; for which purpose Government gave them large presents in necessary supplies for their families. They were at the same time, equally solicited by the Americans; and as large or larger presents made by them; and they continued to live mostly at the expence of the two parties during that war. In 1779 the Indians again assembled, and threatened to make war against the English; and went down in as great a body as they could collect, to near Fort Howe, where they were met by a messenger from the Commandant, and a Deputy Agent for Indian affairs, who appeased the Indians, with a promise of presents (commonly so called), which they accepted and the purchase of a continuance of peace; and they returned to their head-quarters at Opage. This was the last threat of an Indian war.

Notes.—Notwithstanding all the obstacles and discouragements before noticed, the number of families at the river Saint John, including a few settlers on the Islands in Passamaquoddy Bay, amounted to between one hundred and one hundred and fifty families prior to the year 1783.

Memo.—The French Priest who had been forty years employed by France, as a Missionary to the Indians, was ordered to leave the province in 1763, being suspected of influencing and instructing the Indians to make extravagant demands on Government as commissions of their remaining peaceable, at the same time all the French families, then in scattered settlements on the north side of the bay were ordered to leave the Province. They all obeyed the mandate: but in a few years, many returned, one after another, and became quiet subjects.