1770s

by

From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:

During the 1770s, the weekly newspaper of Halifax kept Dartmouthians informed of the growing discontent in the American colonies leading up to the Revolution. Captain Preston, involved in the so-called Boston massacre of 1770, was soon to have his name applied to a new township here. Another connection is, that one of the East Indian Company ships, raided by the “Boston Tea-Party” of 1773, was called the “Dartmouth”.

When the British army under Lord Howe abandoned Boston, and sailed to Halifax with hundreds of refugees in 1776, there were more troopships on our side of the harbor. Records of the 65th Regiment in April of that year contain orders that, “Soldiers are not to go on shore on the Dartmouth side with their arms, unless under the command of a Captain. Whenever weather permits, officers will air their men on the Dartmouth side, taking care that the soldiers do not commit depredations”.

Many 1750 grantees evidently were neglecting their Dartmouth holdings, because in 1779 the Government issued a proclamation threatening prosecution “to plunderers, particularly French-Acadians, who have cut down and carried away timber and grass growing on granted lands on the east side of the harbor without any leave from the proprietors”.

James Quin seems to have complied with conditions of a Crown grant. At least he built a house. Part of his land extended easterly to Lake Banook. When he died, there was a Court application for his estate made in 1773 by a sister Catherine O’Brien. The declaration of Mrs. O’Brien was that the woman alias Mrs. Quin, had carried away most of the household articles, but that she had no right to Quin’s property.

Related posts:

  1. 1755 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Initially there were about 30 men at the Eastern Battery at Imperoyal, but in the autumn of 1755, military records tell us that a considerable number of soldiers spent the winter on this...
  2. 1758 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: The first Nova Scotia election was held in 1758*. In that year, inhabitants of the various settlements went to the polls and named representatives to the first House of Assembly at...
  3. 1811 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In 1811 John Prescott, probably a brother of Samuel at the Woodside brickyard, purchased Maroon Hall. He called the place Mount Cleverley after the maiden name of his wife. For the...
  4. 1754 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: During 1754, gangs of soldiers are busily engaged cutting a road from Dartmouth to the new settlement at Lawrencetown. (This is probably the beginnings of Old Ferry Road from Parker’s wharf...
  5. 1749 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Even before Dartmouth was settled, the authorities at Halifax planned for a sawmill and a guardhouse to be constructed on the eastern side of the harbor. It was Major Gilman who...
  6. Hay Party (aa.) Admiral Graves to Mr. Stephens, Boston, 18 May.—I find that the rebellion begun in Massachusetts Bay has spread itself to New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. There is too much reason to apprehend the infection is general, since even Nova...
  7. George III: September 1775 (m.) Adml. Graves to Mr. Stephens (Boston, 19 Aug.).—Proceedings of the vessels of the squadron detailed. I enclose a copy of an affidavit sent me by Gov. Legge, which I do purposely to assure you that only what relates to...
  8. 1752 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: Furnished in the minutes of Cornwallis’ Council for February 3, 1752, is when John Connor was given exclusive rights to operate a ferry service. The preamble points out that great inconvenience...
  9. 1833 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: The stagecoach from Pictou on August 24th, 1833, carried among its passengers a man whose name is still familiar to thousands of bird-lovers throughout North America. He was John James Audubon,...
  10. 1837 From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin: In March of 1837 the harbor was encumbered with ice, and the rural roads were completely blocked with snow. For a time this cut off Halifax and Dartmouth from their source...