1785 in Canada

Events from the year 1785 in Canada.

Incumbents

 * Monarch: George III

Governors

 * Governor of the Province of Quebec: Frederick Haldimand
 * Governor of Nova Scotia: Edmund Fanning
 * Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: John Byron
 * Governor of St. John's Island: Walter Patterson

Events

 * North West Company strengthened far west trade through such forts as Athabasca and English River.
 * May 18: The city of Saint John, New Brunswick is incorporated.
 * Fredericton opens a Provincial Academy of Arts and Sciences, the germ of the University of New Brunswick (1859).
 * New Brunswick is separated from Nova Scotia
 * Du Calvet proposes Canadian representation in the British Parliament, three members, each, for the Districts of Quebec and Montreal.
 * To a proposed Elective Legislature, it is objected that French Canadians do not wish to change their customary laws, and that there are not enough fit men to compose a Legislature.
 * Isaac Brock takes command of the 49th Foot, which would be the backbone of the British Empire forces in Canada during the War of 1812.
 * Mohawk Chapel, the oldest church in Ontario, was constructed near Brantford, Ontario.

Births

 * January 4: Louis-Théodore Besserer, notary, soldier, politician, and businessman (d.1861)
 * January 30: Charles Metcalfe, 1st Baron Metcalfe, colonial administrator (d.1846)
 * February 4: Frédéric-Auguste Quesnel, politician, lawyer, and businessman (d.1866)
 * February 15: William Crane, merchant, justice of the peace, judge, and politician (d.1853)
 * April 27: Amable Éno, dit Deschamps, political figure (d.1875)
 * September 17: Jacob De Witt, businessman, politician, and justice of the peace (d.1859)
 * November 25: Andrew Stuart, lawyer, politician, office holder, and author (d.1840)
 * December 14: Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay, army and militia officer, seigneur, jp, and office holder (d.1838)

Full date unknown

 * William Abrams, businessman, jp, judge, office holder, and militia officer (d.1844)
 * François Lesieur Desaulniers, farmer and political figure (d.1870)
 * John Heckman, political figure (d.1871)
 * Caleb Hopkins, farmer and politician (d.1880)
 * Peter Robinson, politician, Peterborough, Ontario renamed in his honour (d.1838)

Historical documents
In Commons debate, one speaker says claim Canada and Nova Scotia can supply all West Indies' needs is "groundless," and another totally disagrees

Massachusetts report calls cod fishery in Nova Scotia "inconsiderable;" Newfoundland too dependent on U.S.; and French "no great hand" at it

British Americans warned that British preference for colonies' whalers and trade to West Indies will be lost if U.S. is allowed same advantages

Get-rich-quick hopes of exporting to U.S. "are evaporating in bankruptcy;" Americans are "inhabitants of an exhausted country [never] able to pay"

John Adams says U.S. issues with Britain, whether western posts or other matters, are made worse by states' treatment of loyalists

Prime Minister Pitt receives Commons support to pay £150,000 (raised through lottery) to Loyalists to cover some of their various claims

Charleston, S.C. gives Loyalists 3 extra months beyond what's allowed under peace treaty to regain their property before they must leave

Albany newspaper on punctuality of return of Indigenous-held captives compared to British withholding western posts (Note: "savage" used)

Lower Canada
Petition from "greatest part of the inhabitants" of Canada asks for house of assembly, though spirit of independence is "much to be feared"

John Adams speculates that Carleton, Haldimand, Hamilton and Brant are in London to discuss various issues with British government

Comprehensive ordinance mandates jury trials "in actions of a commercial nature and personal wrongs to be compensated in damages"

Lt. Gov. Henry Hamilton thanked by 80 Montreal merchant and trading firms for jury trial ordinance and facilitating "Trade to the Indian Country"

65th Regiment will relieve 8th in Canada, and join 29th, 31st, 34th, 44th and 53rd regiments

For sale: Mont-Louis seigneury about 100 leagues below Quebec City, considered "best on the river St. Lawrence for carrying on the Cod Fishery"

More than £540 was raised for poor in 1784 to care for 71 people in Hôtel-Dieu, with medical expenses of £187+ and £166+ for food, bedding etc.

London fund of £40,000 "ready for immediate advancement" in loans of £200 or more based on security of borrowers' life insurance policies

Quebec City barrister offers to assess security of funds anyone wishes to lend for 1-2 years or provide in form of annuity

For sale: "Negro-wench" (26; "understands thoroughly every kind of house-work") with her child, "stout Negro-boy" (13), and horse, cariole and harness

Elizabeth McNiell offers $6 for return of "Negro Man named Cuff [who] has some scars on his temples and a scar on one of his hands"

After death of child hit by log thrown off cliff into lower-town Quebec City, people should not drop sticks and stones there (Note: wound described)

Noting "disadvantages" of young women seeking "a polite and liberal Education," teacher will show they can shine in "Literary World" as much as males

Montreal's "variety of amusements" include private concerts for "the Cream of the Town" that lead to jealousy and duelling

William and Charlotte Goudges apologize for injuring "the Character of Miss Peggy Shankle[...]by wrongfully accusing her of stealing"

Upper Canada
Petition calls for district west of Montreal that, though under government of Canada, will have British laws and regulations Loyalists favour

Lt. Gov. Henry Hope suggests Loyalists' rations continue until 1786 harvest because they have planted all this year's grain crop

Six Nations superintendent says 1,000 are living on Grand River "in a very promising state," though settlers among them are disorderly

John Deserontyon's disappointment at Haldimand and Brant, and "Love & Care" for his women, children, and Loyalists ("whose Cause is ours")

Gov. Haldimand recommends indulging Haudenosaunee because U.S. is trying to woo them back, but "Western Indians" require less indulgence

Montreal merchant, owner of islands opposite Cataraqui "granted to his ancestors," advises settlers not to clear or build on his land

Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur describes Niagara Falls, including long, difficult descent to rocks below Horseshoe Falls

Nova Scotia
"Thoughtfull" warns in letter-to-the-editor that lack of paper money will lead to province's "wretchedness" in trade and agriculture

As West Indian merchants seek commerce with U.S., "it is highly necessary we should [compete] at all points" (timber, fish, cattle etc.)

One ship in port has 123 barrels of oil from whaling off Brazil, and another's owner to be first "gentleman" to take province's produce to England

Too little relief for Loyalists is caused by "poverty" rather than lack of will, and delay in getting each claim's exact information

British commissioners have arrived "to enquire into the Losses and Services" claimed by Loyalists unable to be present in England

Halifax official has "abundance of distressful stories" from N.S. and N.B. of danger of starvation from "shortness of provisions"

"Lawless outrage" - £20 reward offered for information leading to conviction of person(s) who destroyed gates of turnpike on Sackville Bridge

Fewer suspects to be jailed when cases of "simple Larceny" or not involving life or limb are tried in special Justice of the Peace courts

Shelburne Chamber of Commerce unanimously agrees to establishment of loan bank

Shelburne-Annapolis link to be funded by subscription, with 50 acres along road to "be allowed" for every pound subscribed (£20 limit)

Description of timber, fishery and livestock around what is now Digby County, where "the Settlers are generally Poor but industrous"

1,500-acre Windsor-area farm for sale, with brew and bake houses, grist mill, granaries and orchards; livestock and "farming utensils" also for sale

Surveyor informs Gov. Parr that Blacks have settled on 1-acre lots near Digby, and should not be forced to move and "begin anew"

Black preacher John Marrant publishes his life story before leaving London for Nova Scotia, where he will found Methodist church in Birchtown

Edward Winslow describes his "three black servants or slaves" (editor's footnote), Caesar, Frank and Juba

Recently "was tried and convicted Anthony Johnston, and Henry Graham, two Negro Men for a Rape," and also "a Negro Woman" for theft

"To Be Sold; A stout Negro Girl about Nine Years old, for further Particulars enquire of the Printer"

"Negro Man" John Gibson alias John Boocher sought by Halifax man offering $10 reward

Report that statehood convention is being organized in Maine, where people prefer Nova Scotia to Boston as trading partner

Learn dead reckoning and finding latitude and longitude by celestial means without spending time on theory of "little Use to seamen in General"

Mrs. Mollierre announces school where girls can learn French and mantle-making business; also offers French lessons for ladies

"A Wom[a]n with good Breast of Milk, Wants a Nurse Child. Enquire of the Printer"

"The cultivation of social love" - Minister encourages Masons to pursue their tradition of charity and benevolence

William Ellis and 13 others of Windsor thank 54th Regiment leaders for treating their soldiers so well that they never abused townspeople

Nova Scotia official Edward Winslow tells his wife they can finally prepare to move to New Brunswick, where he will work in provincial government

New Brunswick
New Brunswick Loyalist (from Virginia) praises N.B. geography, timber resources, shipbuilding, fishery and grazing, and their prospects

Saint John, N.B. charter grants only white residents liberties of "freemen" and restricts Black economic activity as mayor sees fit

Miramichi too underpopulated to make government job there pay, so Benjamin Marston considers "going into the Commission business" to sell goods

Bills of sale of enslaved Black man Josiah Cutten show Montrealer buys him for £32/10 and "gray Horse" in February and sells him for £50 in March

Rules established for firefighters' organization in Parrtown, Saint John (Note: few pages are missing)

60-year-old John Hall, 18-year Irish Black resident, petitions for land he was cheated of by neighbour's fraud; Council says pursue claim in court

Although veterans are granted 20 acres of land and sergeants 30, Sgt. Thomas Peters of Black Pioneers and 13 comrades receive 1 acre each

"I have been this winter almost [sic] at Deaths door" - William Fisher, former servant, has received no land or provisions since being freed

Prince Edward Island
Privy Council finds confiscation of John Macdonald's and other Proprietors' land was illegal and "Purchasers[...]are liable to heavy damages"

Quakers allowed to affirm instead of swear oath in court, but not allowed to give evidence in criminal prosecutions

Cape Breton
Painting: "Founding of Sydney, 1785;" reproduction of William Booth's watercolour (August 1785)

Males may get sentence of up to 1 year in coal mines in addition to receiving burn in hand for grand larceny and whipping for petty larceny

Persons owed £5 or less can seek summary judgment against their debtors in weekly court of commissioners appointed to hear such cases

All sales of game (venison, moose, bear, hare, rabbit, partridge, pigeon, duck or other waterfowl) in Sydney must be at public market

Newfoundland
Bill to temporarily restrict U.S. trade to Newfoundland to bread, flour and livestock, and that only in British-built and -owned ships

Admiral John Campbell reports more than 50 merchant ships have sailed from Newfoundland to "Lisbon, Oporto, Alicant, &c."

Three lives and 7,000 quintals of fish lost as ship from Newfoundland founders on Caparica shore near Lisbon; rest of crew saved "with great difficulty"

Report from Boston that British frigates fired on U.S. fishers on Grand Banks

George Cartwright finds "incredible" slaughter of penguins and other birds happens on Funk Island, and fears they will be nearly wiped out

Elsewhere
Cartwright finds convicts brought to Labrador from Newgate Prison "so intolerably idle that nothing but severity can induce them to do their work"

Master of Hudson's Bay Company sloop hears Inuit have many wolf and deer skins and are "very glad" to know there will be annual trade

Census (by or for Daniel Claus) lists Indigenous nations, mostly between Lake Huron and Lake Winnipeg

Loyalist says that situation is "very unpleasant" in New York because of "Imposts, Rents, enormous Taxes &c we poor Tories have got to pay"

Congress to compensate Canadians Pierre Ayotte, James Livingston and Thomas Walker for services to Continental Army and revolutionary cause