Amicitia Crescimus
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
This is the 70-foot ferry Sherbrooke launched at Dartmouth in 1816. Inside the housing on the deck, a team of eight horses harnessed to iron stanchions traveled around a cog-wheel which turned a crank. The crank then moved the single propeller located under the middle of the boat. As auxillary power, sails were hoisted whenever the wind was favorable. This type of ferry was common at the time.
See. 3, Geo. IV. Cap. 32, Sec. 8
An ACT to extend the provisions of an Act, passed in the first year of His present Majesty’s Reign, entitled, An Act in addition to, and amendment of, an Act, entitled, An Act for preventing Trespasses, to the town of Pictou, and the Town Plot of Dartmouth.
Preamble:
WHEREAS, it has been found necessary to provide some more effectual means for preventing Swine and Goats from going at large in the streets, lanes, and highways, of the said Towns :
Act 1st Geo. III. extended to Pictou and Dartmouth:
I. Be it therefore enacted by the Lieutenant-Govenor, Council and assembly, That, from and after the publication hereof, the said Act, passed in the first year of His present Majesty’s reign, entitled; An Act in addition to and amendment of an Act, entitled, An Act for preventing Trespasses, and all the several matters and things therein contained, shall be, and the same is hereby extended to the Town of Pictou, including all the streets, lanes, and highways, from David Patterson’s East line on the West, to the West line of the lot formerly Alpin Grant’s on the East of the said Town; and to the Town Plot of Dartmouth, bounded on the North by the Common, on the South and West by Halifax Harbour, and on the East by Mill Brook, and after the payment of the third part of the value of all such Swine or Goats as may be forfeited by the said Act to the prosecutor, the remainder shall be paid to and for the use of the Poor of the said Towns respectively, within the said limits.
“An act to extend the provisions of c15 of 1761 relating to Trespasses, to the Town of Pictou and the Town Plot of Dartmouth”, 1818 c23
““It is acknowledged, that the Earl of Sterling had made some attempts to settle the Province of Nova Scotia, according to the grant thereof in 1621, and no doubt was at great expence, but being discouraged, about the year 1630, actually sold it to the French, by which unwarrantable proceeding Latour and others possessed themselves of it, and probably facilitated the cessions of it two years after and laid the foundations of all the troubles that England have since met with, relative to it.”
“For the legality of their title the province urges, that Great Britain hath a title to the country prior and superior to any other European state; that the French hath diverse times wrested it from the possession of the English, and the English have as often recovered it from the French; that in the year 1690, in time of war the French were drove from this part of Accady, as well as from that part distinguished by the name Nova Scotia, by the forces of the Massachusetts Bay; that in the year 1691 the French not having reinstated themselves, it was incorporated together with other lands and made part of the province of Massachusetts.
It does not indeed appear that the French ever had a possession of this country after 1690.—Monsieur Villeban took possession of St. Johns again, but went no farther westward…”
“If the province then are acquired a title, how hath it been [. . .]. The only [province] is that this territory was reconquered by the French, and afterwards recovered by General Nicholson, and by the treaty of Utrecht ceded to Great Britain, and by this means the right which would otherwise [. . .] in the province, is vested in the crown. It is acknowledged, that the commission of Subercase, French governor of Accady, included all the country to Kennebeck; but supposing an actual exercise of jurisdiction, which is not admitted, yet a full answer is given to this objection by the attorney and solicitor general in his late majesty’s reign, viz. That the conquest was only a suspension of the property; that the ancient right both of the province and private persons were revived and restored, jure postliminii.”
“From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 8 August 1811,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-5670
“We had made two propositions for consideration and discussion. One the line of forty five degrees; the other a line through the middle of the lakes. And for the bounds between Massachusetts and Nova Scotia a line from the mouth of St. Croix to its source, and from its source to the Highlands. I was for insisting on the river St. Johns as the true river St. Croix, and for this construction there not wanting, at least plausible arguments; but both of my colleagues tho’t it would be too hazardous to contend for a river which was not named in the charter of Massachusetts against a river that was named in it and I readily acquiesced.”
“From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 21 April 1811,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-5633
“I requested him, between him and me, without saying any thing of it to the ministry, to consider whether we could ever have a real peace, with Canada or Nova Scotia in the hands of the English? and whether we ought not to insist, at least upon a stipulation, that they should keep no standing army, or regular troops, nor erect any fortifications upon the frontiers of either.”
“From John Adams to Boston Patriot, 6 September 1810,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-5559
“In the War of 1812, several United States naval officers were taken prisoners and sent to Halifax for safe keeping. They were generally quartered on the eastern side of the harbor, and those of them who were on parole were lodged in the farmhouses in or near Preston and Dartmouth.
They were allowed perfect liberty of action, except in the matter of crossing the ferry to Halifax, the town being the only point from which they could hope to escape.
They were all quiet, gentlemanlike men, and were cordially entertained and much liked by the farmers and their families, and they were not slow in making love to the girls, in some cases engaging to marry them.
Naturally, however, they chafed at their internment, and when peace was declared were glad to leave. The Preston farmers’ daughters waited in vain for them to return to marry them; the faithless foreigners never fulfilled the promises they had made “in the rosy twilight or under the glow of the inconstant moon.”
Eaton, Arthur Wentworth Hamilton. “Chapters in the history of Halifax, Nova Scotia” [n.p. 1919 https://archive.org/details/1913t19chaptersinhistor00eatouoft/mode/2up
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
Among famous men in our neighborhood about this time was James Gordon Bennett, who later founded the New York Herald. Some biographies state that he emigrated from Scotland in 1819, and first earned a scanty livelihood on Halifax journals. But he assuredly came earlier, for he taught school just outside Dartmouth as early as 1816, and remained at least two years.
In January 1819, the first use was made of the snow-covered trail from Cobequid Road to Dartmouth. Newspapers of that date reported that several sleds with produce for Halifax, were coming in by the new road and down over the Dartmouth Lakes. The landing-place is thought to have been at Banook Avenue, because that street was long known as “the winter road”.
Letters advocating the commencement of the Canal project appeared frequently that winter. One writer suggested that a large dam be constructed “at the end of the swamp behind the church”. In his opinion such a dam would raise the level of the two lakes so that there would be water communication to Lake Charles without need of any locks. A series of locks from the dam to the harbor would then complete the Dartmouth end.
(Evidently most of the land eastwardly from Christ Church was, at that time, still in its primitive state).
Another correspondent pointed out that as the passes from lake to lake were fairly level, a sort of ship-railway could be made so that boats of 8 or 10 tons could ply with cargoes directly from Halifax harbor to the Bay of Fundy.
“’Tis in vain we have elegant public buildings if the Canal project is not made effective, and the trade of Halifax will decline to a very low ebb”, concluded the writer.
(This was a reference to costly Province House which had just been completed and opened for the session of 1819).
About that time another petition to the Lieutenant-Governor from John Skerry and William H. Worthy stated that as the Roman Catholics in Dartmouth were then very numerous, they found it both inconvenient and expensive to attend church at Halifax. The petitioners therefore made application for any vacant town-lots which His Lordship would deem sufficient for the purpose of a church, a priest’s house and a churchyard.
Lord Dalhousie replied as follows:
“I am fully disposed to comply with the request of this petition, but having made inquiries as to the number of Catholics on the Dartmouth side, I do not find that there are anything like a congregation and besides that I do not wish to see at present any new establishment to take away from the highly respectable church of Bishop Burke”.
In May, a vein of limestone was discovered on Mr. Silver’s farm at Preston by W. H. Worthy of Dartmouth brickyard. He thought there was not the least doubt but that coal existed under the bed of Salmon River below the lime-quarry.
Road grants that year included £140 for the road from Kennedy’s towards Fletcher’s. John Munro was Commissioner. The sum of £10 was voted for the winter-road to Dartmouth Lakes with John D. Hawthorn listed as Road Commissioner.
The latter amount was in response to a petition signed by Charles Reeves, John Kennedy, Jacob Kuhn, John Hawthorn, James Bissett, Robert Hartshorne, Seth Coleman, Andrew Malcom, Joseph Findlay and Frederick Major, wherein they stated:
“That your petitioners at a great deal of labor and expense to the amount of £30 paid in cash, have opened a complete road between Lake Charles and Dartmouth Lakes being a distance of about one mile, which work has been done in the last 3 years; that this road is now very much traveled, and all teams from Cobequid travel on this road; that your petitioners ask for no remuneration but that the sum of £30 will make a very excellent road.”
Andrew Malcom lived in town-block “H” on escheated land herenow stands the Dartmouth Fire Station. Evidently this location was then considered as being out in the suburbs, as is inferred from his petition of 1819:
“To His Excellency the Rt. Hon. George, Earl of Dalhousie,
The petition of Andrew Malcom respectfully sheweth that your petitioner from Thurso, County of Caithness, Scotland, has been in Dartmouth this 2 years last past, and has lately been Granted a Town lot in Dartmouth from your Lordship, on which he has already built a house and fenced it in, and owing to the lot your Lordship was Pleased to Grant, being in the Back part of the Town he is now desirous of obtaining another lot, nearer the most Public part of the Town, for the purpose of erecting a shop to carry on the Cart and Plough Manufactory and such improvements as will be satisfactory to your Lordship,
“And as in duty bound your Humble Petitioner will ever Pray
(Sgd.) ANDREW MALCOM”.
At Kensington Palace in London that year was born on May 24th, the Princess Victoria, daughter of the Duke of Kent.
Of two Dartmouth weddings performed by Rev. Charles Ingles in 1819, one was that of Maria Marshall daughter of Benjamin Marshall to W. H. Berton; and Elizabeth Prescott of Maroon Hall to Henry Y. Mott, a neighbor, already mentioned.
In August, Captain Joseph Findlay and the Team-Boat crew interrupted a trip in mid-harbor to aid in rescuing the occupants of a sail-boat from the Dockyard which had upset in a squall.
The third anniversary of Team-Boat establishment was celebrated in October by the members dining together at their new Inn in Dartmouth. The report stated that the “dinner and wines were excellent, a number of very pleasing songs were sung, and the day was spent in the utmost harmony”. H. H. Cogswell presided.
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
In January, 1818, flags half-masted on Citadel Hill announced the London death of Princess Charlotte, who had died in childbirth the previous November. As a daughter of the Prince who later became George IV, it was confidently expected that this beloved lady would one day be Queen of England. The name is noted because Portland Street in Dartmouth, was for many years afterwards called Princess Charlotte Street in her honor.
That winter was again severe. Teams crossed back and forth over Bedford Basin for a much longer period than in the preceding year. In February, ice in the main harbor became clogged and so compact that teams and pedestrians passed over without danger for nearly two weeks.
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
1817 witnessed the beginning of the first building in Dartmouth to be used exclusively for church purposes. Prominent Anglicans had already obtained a Crown grant of Block “G” where now stands Christ Church. The land was granted in trust to Thomas Boggs, Richard Tremain and James Creighton.
The Earl of Dalhousie, Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia, laid the corner-stone of the new edifice on Wednesday, July 9, of that year. Rev. Charles Ingles was the first rector. His wife was Hannah Hartshorne, daughter of Lawrence, senior. His mission extended from Bedford to Seaforth. Until later on, when it was formed into a separate parish, Christ Church was a chapel-of-ease to St. John’s Church at Preston.
From The Story of Dartmouth, by John P. Martin:
During the summer of 1816, the construction of the new team-boat, or horse-boat, continued in progress. The machinery necessary to revolve the propeller seems to have been imported from New York firms experienced in rigging similar such boats. The launching took place on Monday, September 30, and the place was somewhere in Dartmouth Cove. The only previous record of a ship being built in Dartmouth was that of the “Maid of the Mill”, launched in August 1801.
Among the gay crowd at high-tide that September day, there were evidently many brightly dressed ladies mingled with their companions along the shore, and others who came over from Halifax in small boating-parties. Perhaps a military band also enlivened the air.
One enthusiastic spectator has left us his impression of the scene in a letter to the “Acadian Recorder” the following week:
Sir,—I have been present at many Launches but never witnessed one, take it “all in all”, with so much pleasure as that on Monday last. Dartmouth Cove is in itself picturesque, the assemblage of beauty on the shore, the boats plying in the Cwe and the novelty of the team-boat, formed a scene worthy of the pencil of the first masters in painting; the public spirit and disinterestedness of the gentlemen who have so promptly come forward—the pen of the poet—that both may be found is the earnest wish of … K. I. „
The 25 shareholders of the Company included the enterprising Samuel Cunard. The President was Hon. H. H. Cogswell and the Secretary was Charles R. Fairbanks, a rising young barrister.
The first trip of the team-boat was made on the 8th of November. Dr. Akins’ History says that it was considered an immense improvement, and the additional accommodation for cattle, carriages and horses was a great boon to country people traveling to market at Halifax.
This is the 70-foot ferry “Sherbrooke” launched at Dartmouth in 1816. Inside the housing on the deck, a team of eight horses harnessed to iron stanchions traveled around a cogwheel which turned a crank. The crank then moved the single propeller located under the middle of the boat. As auxiliary power, sails were hoisted whenever the wind was favorable. This type of ferry was common at the time.
The road from Dartmouth to Bedford apparently was made available for vehicular traffic about 1816. Up to that time there existed only a trail or pathway over which cattle evidently were driven around the Basin to be sold in the market at Halifax by farmers from the eastern sections and Tufts’ Cove area.
This is inferred from a request signed by 33 rural residents presented to the House of Assembly that spring asking for financial assistance. The petition stated that the footpath, which had been brought into the shape of a road by small sums previously granted, was found to be very useful. In consequence they had subscribed irnong themselves the sum of £124 for the further progress of the road during the ensuing summer.
The Legislature responded favorably to the request, and agreed- to an appropriation of £130 for this work.
The winter of 1816-1817 was exceptionally cold. Teams crossed over Bedford Basin all winter and the Eastern Passage was closed in with ice until April. Much distress prevailed among the laboring classes. Inmates at the Halifax Poor House numbered nearly 200. Potatoes were scarce, and in some parts of the Province flour was not available at any price.