Lieut. Clinch, according to family tradition, was born in Ireland and educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He came to America before the outbreak of the Revolution, was gazetted lieutenant in his regiment May 15, 1776, and shortly afterwards appointed adjutant. He settled at St. George, N. B., after his regiment was disbanded, and among his neighbors were Capt. Philip Baily and a number of officers, non-commissioned officers and private soldiers of the regiment. The difficulties with which they were confronted on their arrival at St. George are thus described by one of Mr. Clinch’s sons:—
“My father had charge of a party of soldiers, who were disbanded in 1783 and sent to colonize a howling wilderness—the most unfit employment they could be put to. The delay which took place in furnishing a vessel to convey them and their stores added much to their difficulties. It was not until the 10th of November that a landing was effected at the mouth of the Magaguadavic, where there was neither house nor habitation of any kind to receive them; and so glad was the skipper of the vessel to get rid of such a disorderly and almost mutinous crew, that he sailed away the moment he got them landed. He was under some apprehension that they would insist on coming away with him again rather than land on such an inhospitable shore. That night my father slept in the open air and such a heavy fall of snow came that he had some difficulty in removing the blankets next morning.”
Peter Clinch, in 1793, raised a company for the King’s New Brunswick Regiment which he commanded. He was for some years a representative of Charlotte County in the New Brunswick legislature, and a man prominent in public affairs up to the time of his decease in 1816.
Lieut. Sam’l. Denny Street was born and educated in England and admitted an attorney and solicitor at law in the court of Westminster. He came to America in 1774, and enlisting as a volunteer was soon gazetted a lieutenant in the Royal Fencible American Regiment. He obtained for General McLean the pilots who accompanied him on his successful expedition to Penobscot, and was himself sent on several occasions from Fort Howe to Penobscot on confidential services. On the 25th of April, 1781, he was so unfortunate as to be betrayed by his guide, and was captured near Machias with six of his men. He was sent to Boston and put aboard the prison ship. Anxious to retain the services of so useful and enterprising an officer, Gen’l McLean on two occasions offered two “rebel” officers of superior rank in exchange, but in each instance the offer was declined, and it was learned afterwards that the failure was due to a memorial forwarded from Machias by Col. John Allan representing that Lieut. Street was too dangerous a man to be set at liberty.
After several months of irksome confinement Lieut. Street contrived, with the help of a fellow prisoner, to seize the “rebel sentinel” as he was pacing the deck one sultry night in August, without arousing the guard, who was asleep. Having bound and gagged their man and possessed themselves of his weapons, they released the other prisoners, and with their assistance surprised and disarmed the guard consisting of a corporal and twelve men. One of Street’s men now swam ashore and brought off a boat in which they all embarked. The guard were landed 338 on a small island. Street and his party landed on the mainland and pushed through the woods to Marblehead, but the day coming on they were so unfortunate as to fall in with a detachment of American troops by whom they were captured and conveyed to Boston jail. Street was now measured for irons but information having reached General McLean on this head he threatened to retaliate upon the American prisoners at Halifax and the project was abandoned.
After enduring for some time the prison fare, which Street describes as “putrid and offensive,” he made another unsuccessful attempt to escape. He was now sent once more aboard the prison ship. He contrived one dark night to lower himself from the cabin window, and with the tide at flood swam off undiscovered. After swimming a mile up the harbor he landed on shore and sought refuge at the house of an Englishman whom he knew and by whose timely aid he returned in safety to the garrison at Fort Howe.
Samuel Denny Street was the first lawyer to practice his profession in this province. At the peace in 1783 he was employed as Major Studholme’s assistant in the settlement of the Loyalists on the St. John river. His descendants have filled conspicuous positions in the history of the province, both political and judicial. One son, George Frederick Street, was a judge of the supreme court, another, John Ambrose Street, was attorney general of the province and leader of the government and still another, William H. Street, was mayor of the city of St. John.
Lieut. Ambrose Sharman filled a dual position, being surgeon of the garrison as well as a lieutenant. While he was at Fort Howe he had a variety of patients in addition to those of the garrison; for example, in 1778, he rendered a bill amounting to £5. 16.8 “for attendance & medicines to Pieree Thomas & four other sick Indians;” and again, August 4, 1780, he presents his bill to James White “To inoculating self and family for smallpox, £9.”
After the Royal Fencible American Regiment was disbanded, Dr. Sharman settled in Burton, Sunbury county, along side his brother officer, Samuel Denny Street. Ten years later he was drowned while crossing the river to attend a sick call. Three of his orphan children were provided for and educated by Mr. Street, who also named his seventh son John Ambrose Sharman, in honor of his former friend and comrade.
In a former chapter some account has been already given of the first religious teachers on the River St. John. A few words may be added concerning the celebrated “New Light” preacher, Henry Alline, who was at Maugerville in 1779 and again in 1780, and 1782. A great deal has been written concerning this remarkable man, and widely divergent opinions have been expressed as to the value of his labors, though few are found to gainsay his sincerity, ability and zeal. Rev. Jacob Bailey, the S. P. G. missionary at Cornwallis and Annapolis, terms him “a rambling teacher, who has made great commotions in this province.” Mr. Bailey was a tory of the olden time, and strongly deprecated anything that chanced to be at variance with the sober ways of the Church of England, which were then in vogue. In an old paper written about 1783, still preserved by his descendants in Nova Scotia, we find the following from Mr. Bailey’s pen:—