History of Halifax City

by Thomas B. Akins

Governor Parr in his letter to England of November 20th, 1783, says, "upwards of 25,000 Loyalists have already arrived in the Province, most of whom, with the exception of those who went to Shelburne, came to Halifax before they became distributed throughout the Province."

Again in his letter of 15th January, 1784, he says, "In consequence of the final evacuation of New York,[47] a considerable number of refugee families have come to Halifax, who must be provided for at the public expense. They are in a most wretched condition, destitute of almost everything—chiefly women and children, all still on board the vessels, and I have not been able to find as yet any place for them, and the cold is setting in very severe."[48]

On the 20th October, 1784, an advertizement appeared in a Halifax paper, for sale, "All that land near the entrance of the harbour and opposite to Cornwallis' Island, called Mauger's Beach, containing by particular grant 5 acres according to the plan attached to the grant." This beach had been formerly occupied for curing fish, and had buildings erected thereon for that purpose.[49]

The Penal Statutes had been repealed in 1783. The Roman Catholics in the town, chiefly emigrants from Ireland, having become numerous, purchased a piece of ground in Barrington Street, where they built a Chapel, which was dedicated to St. Peter. The frame was erected on 19th July, 1784, and many of the inhabitants, both Protestants and Roman Catholics, attended the ceremony. This building stood in from the street, directly opposite the head of Salter Street. It was painted red, with a steeple at the western end. It was removed in or shortly after Bishop Burke's time, on the completion of the new stone church, now St. Mary's. The Rev. Mr. Jones was the first officiating priest. The Rev. Edmund Burke, who came from Canada, officiated at St. Peter's for many years before he was appointed Bishop.

A number of emigrants arrived in Halifax this year from England. Three hundred passengers came in the Sally transport, in a great measure destitute of clothing and provisions. Fresh provisions became very dear, and the merchants of Halifax had flour up to £3 10s. per cwt. The Governor and Council, in consequence, ordered the admission of provisions from the United States to afford relief to the inhabitants.

The House of Assembly was dissolved this year; it had sat fourteen years without being dissolved, in consequence of the American troubles. The only alteration in the Halifax representation was the return of Capt. William Abbott for the County. Mr. Francis Green, second son of old Councillor Green, was again chosen Sheriff of Halifax in 1784.

1785. January 3rd, Mr. Sampson Salter Blowers, a barrister from Boston who came among the Loyalists, was appointed Attorney General in the place of Mr. Gibbons, who had received the appointment of Chief Justice for the Island of Cape Breton, then a separate province.

The Orphan house being no longer in use, was ordered to be let on a lease for one year.[50]

In September, 1785, a number of whalers from Nantucket came to Halifax; three brigantines and one schooner, with crews and everything necessary for prosecuting the whale fishery, which they proposed to do under the British flag. Their families were to follow. A short time after they were joined by three brigantines and a sloop from the same place.

On the twentieth of October following, the Chief Land Surveyor was directed to make return of such lands as were vacant at Dartmouth to be granted to Samuel Starbuck, Timothy Folger, and others, from Nantucket, to make settlement for the whalers. The Town of Dartmouth had been many years previously laid out in lots which had been granted or appropriated to individuals, some of whom had built houses, and others though then vacant, had been held and sold from time to time by their respective owners. Most of these lots were reported vacant by Mr. Morris, the surveyor, and seized upon by the Government, as it is said, without any proceeding of escheat, and re-granted to the Quakers from Nantucket, which caused much discontent, and questions of title arose and remained open for many years after.