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 circumstances, 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 Hampshire. 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 associations were formed at New York, in 1782, to further the interests of those who proposed to settle in Nova Scotia. One of the Associations 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 Association that a great many of the Loyalists of the Spring fleet came to the St. John river. The document, 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.
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 quantity 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 glass.
7th.—That such a tract or tracts of land, free from disputed titles, 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 township 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 quantity 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 Cummings, 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 Cummings 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 titles, 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, fishing, 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.
“They will endeavor to ascertain as near as they can what will be the difficulties and obstructions in forming new settlements, and what will be the probable advantages.
“They will keep a journal of their proceedings and register their observations, noting well the distances from the principal settlements already made, and from noted rivers and harbors, as well as the obstructions in travelling and transporting.
“Such lands as may be obtained will be distributed and divided among the proposed adventurers in as just and equitable a manner as the nature of the case will admit, and the Agents will make reports of their proceedings from time to time, as early as may be, to the Secretary of the Agency in New York.”
Amos Botsford, Samuel Cummings and Frederick Hauser arrived at Annapolis Royal on the 19th October, 1782, in company with 500 Loyalists, who sailed from New York in nine transport ships. Rev. Jacob Bailey, who was then living at Annapolis, describes their arrival in one of his letters:
“On Saturday morning early, we were all surprized with the unexpected appearance of eleven sail of shipping, sailing by Goat Island and directing their course towards the town. About nine, two frigates came to anchor, and at ten the remainder, being transports, hauled close in by the King’s wharf. On board this fleet were about 500 refugees, who intend to settle in this province. They are a mixture from every province on the continent except Georgia. Yesterday they landed and our royal city of Annapolis, which three days ago contained only 120 souls, has now about 600 inhabitants. You cannot be sensible what an amazing alteration this manoeuvre has occasioned. Everything is alive, and both the townspeople and the soldiers are lost among the strangers.
“All the houses and barracks are crowded and many are unable to procure any lodgings; most of these distressed people left large possessions in the rebellious colonies, and their sufferings on account of their loyalty and their present uncertain and destitute condition render them very affecting objects of compassion. Three agents are dispatched to Halifax to solicit lands from government.”
The agents on their return from Halifax, at once set out to explore the country in the vicinity of Annapolis; they then crossed the Bay of Fundy and arrived at St. John about the end of November. In the report, which they subsequently transmitted to their friends in New York, they write:—