History of Halifax City Part 7

In the autumn of the previous year, a difficulty had arisen regarding the importation of some tea, in which Mr. Smith and Mr. Fillis were concerned; and it having been understood that Fillis had said the measures of Government were oppressive, these two gentlemen were ordered to be removed from all offices under Government. The year previous a quant.i.ty of hay belonging to Joseph Fairbanks, intended for the King's service, had been burned. Some one in Halifax sent to Boston a statement charging Fillis and Smith as being privy to the act. They complained to the House of a.s.sembly, then in session, when the following resolution was pa.s.sed: That this House do esteem Mr. Fillis and Mr. Smith to be dutiful and lawful subjects to the King, etc., and that the "House is unanimously of opinion that the said reports are base, infamous and false, and that the authors thereof merit punishment." The garrison having been reinforced by King's troops, the Governor concluded on bringing no further drafts of militia to the town.

1776. This was a memorable year for Halifax. The British forces under General Howe having evacuated Boston, a fleet of three men-of-war and 47 transports arrived in the harbour on 30th March, with troops and a number of inhabitants of Boston. These were followed on 1st April by many more transports, nearly 100 in number, with the remainder of Howe's army and a number of Loyalist refugees. Howe demanded accommodation for 200 officers and 3000 men, and about 1500 loyalists with their families, with supplies of fresh provisions, etc. Rents of houses in the town were consequently doubled and the town soon presented the appearance of a military camp.[44] Many complaints appear against the soldiers for pulling down the fences and demolishing the stone walls on the peninsula. One Christopher Schlegall had been killed in one of the numerous affrays with the soldiers. Three soldiers were arrested and tried for murder, but no convictions occurred. Several persons were called on to give security for their good behaviour in the town.

[Footnote 44: The engravings of the town published in 1777 show the Common, west of the Citadel, and Camp Hill covered with tents, where a large part of the troops appear to have been encamped.]

Among the events of this year was the appearance in one of the Halifax newspapers of copies of treasonable articles from the Rhode Island and Boston papers. The printer was brought before the Council and reprimanded and cautioned against permitting any such publications again to appear in his paper.

The names of the Members of a.s.sembly for Halifax County and Town in 1776 were Wm. Nesbitt and Henry Smith, and Thomas Bridge and Joseph Fairbanks. Mr. Fenton was still Provost Marshall with jurisdiction throughout the province, there being then no County Sheriffs at this time. Henry Newton was Collector of Customs at Halifax, James Burrows, Comptroller, Lewis Piers, Gauger of Liquors, etc.

The Magistrates of the town were John Creighton, John Burbidge, Malachi Salter, Benjamin Green, John Cunningham, George Cotnam, John Newton, Winkworth Tonge, Jos. Desbarres, Charles Morris, Junior, George Smith, J. Gray, Giles Tidmarsh, George Deschamps, Dan. Cunningham, Thomas Proctor and Thomas Bridge.

The death of Chief Justice Belcher occurred this year. Mr. Morris, one of the a.s.sistant judges, was appointed to fill the office of Chief Justice until another should be appointed.

1777. The jail at Halifax was at this time in a very insecure condition.

Criminals were continually escaping from it, several of whom had been found guilty of being in arms against the King. The jailor was infirm and his wife took charge. There were no regulations enforced for visiting the prisoners at night, and the shackles on the prisoners were found not to be sufficient. The Provost Marshall was suspended and Mr.

Bridge appointed to act in his place.

Malcolm McIntyre, Thomas Crow, John Chalk, John Sewlock, Samuel Miller, Robert McMullen, Tulley McKilley, Cornelius...o...b..ien, Thomas Whitteny, John Cribben and John McIntyre, all fishermen of Herring Cove, were this year rewarded for attacking and taking a shallop and apprehending seven persons, being part of the crew of an American privateer which had been driven on sh.o.r.e and destroyed by the armed brig Hope, off Canso, from which they had made their escape in the shallop.

1778. The names of John Hosterman, Thomas Stevens and Edmund Phelan appear as Commissioners of the Poor, John Woodin, Keeper of the Poor House, and Thomas Brown, Schoolmaster at Halifax.

On the 13th July, 1779, the Revenge, privateer, Capt. Sheppard of Halifax, was taken and destroyed by two American armed vessels. In December following, H. M. Sloop-of-War North and the armed sloop St.

Helena, in coming into the harbour from Spanish River, Cape Breton, the night being very dark and a south-east storm, were driven on sh.o.r.e about a league from the light house; both were lost and 170 persons perished.

1780. This year the following gentlemen were in the Commission of the Peace at Halifax: William Nesbitt, Winkworth Tonge, John Burbidge, Benjamin Green, John Cunningham, John Newton, Isaac Deschamps, William Russell, W. Phipps, J. F. W. Desbarres, Charles Morris, junior, George Smith, Enoch Rust, Joseph Gray, Giles Tidmarsh, John Fillis, George Deschamps, Daniel Cunningham, Thomas Proctor, Thomas Bridge, George Sherlock and John George Pyke.

A public slaughter house was erected this year in the town and John Woodin, senior, made keeper.

March 12, 1780. John O'Brien advertizes as keeper of the tavern known as the Golden Ball, formerly kept by Edward Phelan. The Golden Ball was situate at the corner of Hollis and Sackville Streets, opposite the building now called Variety Hall, occupied by W. Harrington. The hotel called the Pontac, at the corner of Duke and Water Streets (now Roger Cunningham's corner) was at this time kept by one Willis. It was here the Town a.s.semblies, Public b.a.l.l.s and Entertainments were held.

The Court House stood at the north-east corner of Buckingham and Argyle Streets, where the store of Messrs. Northup & Sons now is. Chief Justice Belcher presided here when first appointed. This building was, some years after, burned down and the lot on which it stood, sold.

On the 15th January, this year, the town was illuminated and there were great rejoicings throughout the day for the success of the British troops in Georgia.

The Governor being informed from England that a large armament was fitting out at Brest, it was resolved in Council that the town militia should be called out for duty and a portion of the country militia got ready to march to Halifax if required. General McLean, then in command of the Garrison, was directed to put the fortifications in working order. The Halifax militia was employed in the erection of bomb batteries. Drafts of militia from the country came down and were employed for three weeks on the works.

At this period the means of communication between this country and England had been very uncertain. The intercourse of Halifax with the old colonies having been cut off, Governor Sir Richard Hughes urged on the British Government the necessity of a line of packets being established between Halifax and England. Several privateers, during this and the following years, were fitted out at Halifax to cruise in American waters. The Revenge, Capt. James Gandy, and the Liverpool, Capt. Young, the former mounting 30 and the latter 8 guns, sailed for Halifax early this spring. They were accompanied by the Halifax, Robert E. Foster, master, owned and fitted out by Alexander Brymer, one of the princ.i.p.al merchants of the town.

The 18th of January being the Queen's birthday the citizens and militia had a Ball at Willis' rooms in the Pontac.

In May, the Revenge brought in a richly laden Snow, bound from Cadiz to Chesapeake Bay, the Blond Frigate and an armed sloop both brought in American prizes.

For several years two large ships, the Adamant and St. Lawrence, were regular traders between Halifax and Great Britain. They were regular in their trips, spring and fall, and the merchants of Halifax depended chiefly on them for their supplies of British merchandize.

A government armed vessel called the Loyal Nova Scotian, and several other small vessels, were kept to cruise off the mouth of the harbour to prevent surprise from the pirates and privateer cruisers which infested the coast. Several were captured and brought into Halifax during this and the two following years.

In May, 1779, an election for the County took place in Halifax. John George Pyke and Francis Boyd were the candidates. Pyke was returned.

General McLean left Halifax in June with a force for the reduction of Pen.o.bscot. In August, a squadron, consisting of several men-of-war and some merchant vessels, among which were the Adamant and St. Lawrence, sailed from Halifax for his relief. The town continued to be infested with Press Gangs for the ships of war. The inhabitants complained to the Governor and Council. Several riots on the wharves having occurred in consequence of the press, proclamation was issued demolishing all impressments except under the sanction of the Governor and Council.

October 26th, 1780. The committee of the House of a.s.sembly, at this date, reported the sum of 1500 to be granted for the erection of a "proper and convenient building in the town for a public school, and a sum not exceeding 100 per annum for a master, and 50 for an usher when the number of scholars shall exceed forty." The trustees were to be five in number, to be appointed annually by the government, and the 1500 was to be raised by lottery. This lottery was carried into effect, but the building does not appear to have been erected. How the proceeds of the lottery were disposed of is not mentioned. The Halifax Grammar School had its origin from this proceeding. It was established in the old building at the corner of Barrington and Sackville Streets, from which it has only lately been removed to the private residence of the Rev.

Doctor Gilpin, the Head Master. This building was originally occupied as a place for the meeting of the Legislature, and was previously at one time used as a Guard House. It appears to have undergone very little alteration since 1780, until sold a year or two ago. It is one of, if not the oldest building in the city, except St. Paul's Church, and the old Dutch Church on Brunswick Street. The Rev. William Cochran, afterwards Vice-President of King's College, was the first head master.

He was succeeded by the Rev. George Wright, who was Garrison Chaplain and minister of St. George's. On his death, in 1819, the Rev. John Thomas Twining received the appointment. He retired from the school in 1848, when the Rev. Edwin Gilpin, succeeded him.

CHAPTER V.

At the commencement of the year 1781 many of the Loyalist refugees who came to Halifax after the evacuation of Boston by the British Army, had left the town, and the price of provisions was beginning to come down.

The constant influx of strangers, however, from the revolted colonies, with the prisoners taken in the prizes brought into the port by the privateers and ships of war, tended again to augment the population.

Captains of men-of-war, when vessels were in port, in order to fill up their complements of men, undertook to impress in the streets of the town without authority from the civil magistrate. On the 6th January an armed party of sailors and marines a.s.sisted by soldiers and commanded by naval officers, seized in the streets of the town, some of the inhabitants and several coasters belonging to Lunenburg, who had come up in their vessels to sell their produce; bound their hands behind their backs, carried them through the streets and lodged them in the guard houses, from which they were conveyed on board the ships of war in the harbour. The Grand Jury were in session at the time and presented the outrage to the Sessions, who requested the Governor, Sir Richard Hughes, to interfere. The Governor issued his proclamation declaring all such impressments, without the sanction of the civil authority, to be illegal and an outrageous breach of the civil law, and calling upon all magistrates, etc., to resist such proceedings and to bring the offenders to justice. It does not appear, however, that the proclamation was sufficient to procure the release of the unfortunate coasters. The names of the Grand Jury on this occasion were William Meaney, William Graham, Robert Kitts, Peter McNab, John Boyd, William Mott, William Millett, junior, John Moore, William Carter, James Creighton, John Cleary, Richard Jacobs and Charles Hill.

On the 13th January, this year, died Malachi Salter, Esq., aged 65 years. He was one of the first members of a.s.sembly for the town. His colleague in the representation was Joseph Fairbanks. Mr. Salter came from Boston to Halifax, very soon after the town was commenced, and carried on business as merchant. He is said to have visited Chebucto Harbour while engaged in the fishery, several years before the arrival of Cornwallis in 1749. The old building at the corner of Salter and Barrington Streets, formerly the residence of the late Hon. William Lawson, afterwards owned by John Esson, was originally built by Mr.

Salter, and was his residence for many years. This is one of the oldest houses now remaining in Halifax. It received improvements, and was enlarged by Mr. Lawson, about 60 years ago.

The School Lottery, before mentioned, was carried on this year. It was divided into two cla.s.ses. The first to consist of 5000 tickets, at 20s.

each, was advertised on the 25th September. The highest prize was 2000.

The prizes in all came to 4,250, leaving a balance of 750 for the purposes of the school.

The most exciting occurence of the year was the arrival of the Charleston Frigate, the sloop Vulture, and the armed ship Vulcan, in July, after a sharp conflict with a French Squadron. The Charleston had left the harbour a short time before in convoy of some transports, and while out had taken several prizes, which had been sent in a few days previously. On the 10th July, the Charleston discovered near Spanish River, Cape Breton, two French Frigates, of 40 guns each. Captain Francis Evans, of the Charleston, having thrown out signals for the transports to make for a port, bore down upon the enemy. The Little Jack, convoy to the Quebec fleet, being in company, supported the Charleston and the Vulture. Some time after the action began, Capt.

Evans being killed by a cannon shot, Lt. McKay, the succeeding officer of the Charleston, under the direction of Capt. Dennis George,[45] of the Vulture, continued the action with the greatest coolness and bravery. Nor was the Vulcan, armed ship, in the least deficient in giving signal proof of the resolute determination of the troops on board, under command of Capt. Ewatt, of the 70th Regiment. But notwithstanding the superiority of the French, after an obstinate resistance they were enabled to sheer off and bear away, and Capt.

George conducted his much-shattered little squadron into Halifax Harbour. The Little Jack stuck to one of the French Frigates of 42 guns, but was afterwards recaptured. On the 31st, the remains of Captain Evans, were interred with military honors, under St. Paul's Church, where his monument is still to be seen on the east side of the chancel.

He was a young man of great promise, and his premature death was a loss to the service, and shed a gloom over the town, in which he had made many friends.

[Footnote 45: Afterwards Sir Dennis George, Baronet. He was father of the late Sir Rupert D. George, Secretary of the Province for many years, and of Sir Samuel Hood George, who was for a short time member of a.s.sembly for the County of Halifax. Capt. George married Miss Cochran, of Halifax.]

This year (1781), Lord Charles Montague, who had been Governor of one of the West India Islands, arrived at Halifax, with 200 of his disbanded corps from Jamaica. This n.o.bleman died at Halifax, from the effects of fatigue, in travelling over land from Quebec to Halifax, in winter. He was buried under St. Paul's Church, where a monument to his memory is to be seen near that of Capt. Evans. He was a younger son of Robert, Duke of Manchester.

1782. The continual intercourse at this time carried on with the revolted colonies, rendered it necessary that a more strict system of inspection should be adopted with respect to vessels and pa.s.sengers entering and leaving the port; accordingly Capt. Thomas Beamish was appointed Port Warden. His duty was to grant pa.s.ses to all vessels and boats leaving, and to visit all those entering the harbour. No vessel or boat was allowed to pa.s.s George's Island, in the night time, or leave the harbour without sending a boat to the island, and also producing a pa.s.s from the Port Warden; and all vessels coming in were to be hailed from the island, and ordered to send their boat on sh.o.r.e to the Market Slip, or public landing, to be examined by the Port Warden before landing in any other part of the town. The Port Warden's office was in the old building which formerly stood at the corner now known as Laidlaw's Corner on Water Street, just above the Steamboat Wharf. At this time the water came up as far as the spot on the wharf, where Bauld and Gibson's store or shop now stands.

The Governor, Sir Andrew Snape Hammond, went to England this year, and was succeeded by Governor Parr. He received a very flattering address from the inhabitants of the town. Hammond was esteemed a good Governor, and had gained the good will of the people by his courteous manners and desire to meet, as far as possible, the wishes of the inhabitants in all munic.i.p.al matters.

This summer 57 transports with troops, and the Renown, a fifty gun ship, put into Halifax on their way to New York and Canada. In October the Renown sent in a prize, laden with a rich cargo of silks, etc. The naval ships Adamant and St. Lawrence made their trips this season in 35 days.

Among the occurences this year was the conviction and sentence of a man named William McLean, for street robbery, and the murder of a Mrs. Ann Dunbrack in July, by persons unknown. The grand Jury recommended McLean to mercy, but the Governor and Council saw no reason to grant a reprieve, and he was executed. Street robberies were at the time of frequent occurence in the town.

Articles of peace between Great Britain and the United States of America were signed in November of this year, and with France in January following.

The princ.i.p.al public amus.e.m.e.nts in the town during the year were subscription a.s.semblies, held at the Pontac, and at Mrs. Sutherland's Coffee House, every fortnight. The latter establishment was in Bedford Row, opposite the Commissary offices. The national societies dined together, and levees were held and parties given at Government House on all public holidays. The Garrison consisted of the 70th, 82nd and 84th Regiments, with Baron de Seitz's[46] Germans. Night riots were frequent, and continual complaints appear to have been made before the Sessions, of signs being removed from shops, and windows broken.

[Footnote 46: Baron de Seitz died at Halifax in the following year. He was buried under St. Paul's Church with military honors, with his full uniform, sword and spurs, according to the ancient custom in Germany when the last Baron of the race dies. His monument, a quaint old German performance, may be seen in the east gallery of St. Paul's, with his armorial bearings, etc. Among his effects advertized for sale was his diamond ring and coach with 3 horses.]

The views of the town and suburbs at this time show the fortifications at Citadel Hill, Fort Needham and Point Pleasant. They were supposed to have been taken by one Colonel Hicks, and were engraved and published in London. These views were mere outlines. Copies of them are to be seen at the Provincial Museum, where there are also a series of views, very neatly executed in copper plate, of the Government House, St. Paul's Church and other parts of the town. These latter were published about 1776, some six or seven years before those of Colonel Hicks.

Governor Parr and family came out in the ship St. Lawrence, and a.s.sumed the government in October.

Benjamin Green, Esq., son of the Hon. B. Green, one of the first members of Council, was elected member of a.s.sembly for the town in February, without opposition. Mr. William Shaw was at the time Sheriff of the County.