Abraham, Plains of. See Plains of Abraham.
Academy of Arts. See Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
Acadia. The name Acadia or "la Cadie" is found as early as Nov. 8, 1603, in the commission of Henry IV appointing Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts, lieutenant-general in La Cadie, extending from the fortieth to the forty-sixth degree of north latitude. The limits were afterwards reduced, and the boundaries of Acadia became a cause of contention between France and England. France claimed that the English possessions were restricted to the peninsula of Nova Scotia, and that the territory now known as New Brunswick had not been ceded to England. The first settlement in Acadia was on the Island of St. Croix in 1604, but the following year it was transferred to Port Royal, and abandoned in 1607. Three years later the Sieur de Poutrincourt established a new settlement at Port Royal, which was destroyed by Argall in 1613. In September, 1621, James I granted the territory of Acadia, under the name of Nova Scotia, to Sir William Alexander. This grant was renewed in July, 1625, by Charles I. A small Scottish settlement was established at Port Royal by the grantee. Acadia was restored to France by the treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye in 1632, and during the same year new settlers were brought from France. Acadia was finally ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Index: Ch Its resources and limits, 18; English king indisposed to restore, 213. F Attempt to form settlement in, 6; seized by English under Kirke, 22; subsequent vicissitudes, 268-272; seized under orders from Cromwell, 268; settlers disposed to trade with New England, 270; Port Royal (Annapolis) made capital, 270; visited by Meulles and Saint Vallier, and census taken, 271; Port Royal and other posts captured by Phipps, who establishes government, 274; passes again under French control, 316. Bib.: Champlain, Voyages; Lescarbot, New France; Denys, Acadia; Parkman, Pioneers of France; Rameau de Saint-Père, Une Colonie Feodale; Calnek and Savary, History of the County of Annapolis; Moreau, Histoire de l'Acadie; Hannay, History of Acadia; Campbell, History of Nova Scotia; Murdoch, History of Nova Scotia.
Acadia College. Situated at Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Founded by the Nova Scotia Baptist Education Society, 1838. Application made to the Nova Scotia Assembly for incorporation as "The Trustees, Governors and Fellows of the Queen's College." The corporation created with university powers, 1840. At the next meeting of the Legislature its name changed to Acadia College. Power of appointing governors transferred from the Education Society to the Baptist Convention of the Maritime Provinces, 1851. Final changes in the Act of Incorporation, 1891. Index: H Founded by the Baptists, 1838; first known as Queen's College, 81; defended by James W. Johnstone, 83. Bib.: Canada: An Ency., vol. 4.
Acadian. Newspaper published at Halifax. Index: H Formerly Weekly Chronicle, 6; purchased and edited by Joseph Howe, 6; sold by Howe, 6.
Acadians. The first permanent settlers were those who came with De Razilly in 1632, and from these the Acadians of to-day are descended. Other French immigrants were brought by d'Aulnay de Charnisay from 1639 to 1649, and by La Tour and Le Borgne in 1651 and 1658 respectively. There were also small immigrations at divers later dates. The first general nominal census was taken in 1671, and gave a population of 392 souls. In 1686 there were 885 persons in Acadia. Seven years later the inhabitants numbered 1018. When Acadia was ceded to Britain in 1713, the Acadian population was 2500. Although from 1713 to 1745 a number of families had escaped to the new French colonies of Isle Royale and Isle St. Jean (now Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island), still in 1749, when the British settled Halifax, there were about 12,500 Acadians in the province. Another large influx of population to the same colonies, and to the St. John River, took place between 1749 and 1755, yet there remained in the latter year in the peninsula and in the Isthmus of Chignecto some 10,000 inhabitants, of whom nearly 7000 were deported in 1755. The rest escaped to the woods; some went to Miramichi, and later to Baie des Chaleurs; others crossed over to the Isles Royale and St. Jean, and quite a number found their way to St. John River, and from thence to the province of Quebec. The whole population of Acadians in the peninsula, the Isthmus of Chignecto, the St. John River, Isle Royale, and Isle St. Jean, at the time of the expulsion, is computed at 16,000. Bib.: Murdoch, History of Nova Scotia; Campbell, History of Nova Scotia; Haliburton, Historical and Statistical Account of Nova Scotia; Hannay, History of Acadia; Raymond, St. John River; Gaudet, Acadian Genealogy (Report on Dominion Archives, 1905, vol. 2).
Acadians, Expulsion of the. Governor Lawrence in 1755, with the advice of his Council and of Admirals Boscawen and Mostyn, but apparently without consulting the home government, decided that the Acadians must be deported from Nova Scotia. The reason for this decision was the obstinate refusal of the Acadians to take the oath of allegiance, and the conviction of the governor that the safety of the colony depended upon their expulsion. In September, 1755, all preparations having been made with the utmost secrecy, Monckton at Beauséjour, Winslow at Grand Pré, Murray at Piziquid, and Handfield at Annapolis, seized the inhabitants and held them prisoners until the arrival of the transport and provision ships. These having been delayed, the final embarkation did not take place until late in December. The Acadians were distributed among the British colonies along the Atlantic seaboard. Some hired vessels in 1763, and sailed to Miquelon, and in 1767 and following years returned gradually to their old Acadian home. Others came directly to Nova Scotia in 1766, there being no longer any reason for their exclusion, while others went north to Quebec or south to Louisiana. The present Acadian population in the three Maritime Provinces is over 150,000, and these are the descendants of the few families who escaped deportation, and of those who returned from exile. Index: See references under Acadia. Bib.: Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe; Richard, Acadia; Casgrain, Un Pélérinage au Pays d'Evangéline; Une Seconde Acadie; Les Sulpiciens et les Prêtres des Missions Etrangères en Acadia; Documents Inédits sur l'Acadie, 1710-1815; Archibald, Expulsion of Acadians (N.S. Hist. Soc. Coll., 1887); Selections from the Public Documents of Nova Scotia, ed. by Akins; Calnek and Savary, History of the County of Annapolis.
Accommodation. First steamboat on the St. Lawrence. Built by John Molson at Montreal. Arrived at Quebec from Montreal, Nov. 5, 1809, making the run in 36 hours. The vessel measured 85 feet over all, had 16 feet beam, and was equipped with an engine of six-horse power. See also Molson; Steamships. Bib.: Semi-Centennial Report of Montreal Board of Trade, 1893.
Adams. Bk United States brig on Lake Erie, 178; surrendered to British, 256; name changed to Detroit, 274; captured by Americans at Fort Erie, 289; burnt, 290. Bib.: Lucas, Canadian War of 1812.
Adams, John. Came to Nova Scotia from Boston. Appointed member of the Council, 1720. After the death of Lawrence Armstrong, administered the government during 1739 and 1740. Returned to Boston, 1740, as blindness prevented him from attending to his duties.