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1781 in Canada

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Events from the year 1781 in Canada.

Incumbents

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Governors

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Events

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  • February 2 – Ethan Allen receives a further proposal from Col. Robinson; but sends both to Congress, with a request for the recognition of Vermont. Premising loyalty to Congress, he maintains that Vermont may properly treat with Great Britain, to prevent being subjected to another State, by the authority of a Government which Vermonters have helped to establish.
  • April – Ira Allen is sent to Canada to arrange an exchange of prisoners.
  • May 1 – Receiving proposals for Vermont's independence, Col. Ira Allen temporizes to prevent invasion and enable the farmers to sow seed for another crop.
  • August 20 – As a condition of Vermont's admission to the Union, Congress fixes boundaries which offend both Vermont and New York.
  • George Washington asks Governor Chittenden whether Vermont chooses to be a Province or in the Union.
  • September – British proposals to Vermont include a Legislature of two branches.
  • October 19 – Vermont declines Congress' terms.
  • November 14 – Governor Chittenden answers General Washington that, notwithstanding Vermont's interest in the common cause, the people would rather join British Canadians than be subject to New York.
  • December 18 – Troops sent from New York, to coerce New Hampshire grantees, learn that they will defend their rights.
  • American independence is assured by the British surrender at Yorktown. Gen. George Washington leads the Colonial army against the British.
  • By the Articles of Confederation, Congress controls the western lands.

Historical documents

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American Revolutionary War

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"Rebellion [is] so severely felt by many of His Majesty's well-disposed Subjects in the Neighbouring Colonies, [but we] live in Canada undisturbed"[2]

Papers captured with Henry Laurens include plans for two U.S.-French invasions: one against Newfoundland and Halifax, and one into Canada in winter[3]

"So near to Canada and the only land passage into it" - U.S. commander on upper Connecticut River says his sector is in greatest need of defence[4]

Captured correspondence supposedly for Gov. Haldimand from British agent(s) in Albany is part of Canada–New York "chain of Intelligence"[5]

If U.S. takes Nova Scotia, it will make Britain's main source of ship timber available to Spain and France, and also deprive British of fisheries' sailors[6]

Butler's Rangers officer on fires and fights along Mohawk River, with his 400+ force (including 60 Indigenous fighters) engaging superior enemy numbers[7]

Maj. Gen. Heath informs Washington of "a plan of union maturing between the british government in Canada, and some of the leading men of Vermont"[8]

Despite failure to take it, Washington says "possession or destruction of Detroit is the only means of giving peace and security to the Western Frontier"[9]

"True copy" of Washington letter asking Rochambeau for breeches for soldiers "ashamed of exposing their meagre posteriors to the ladies"[10]

Canada

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Resident of Canada reports British military and government "have the greatest distrust of the Canadians," many of whom (clergy included) are disaffected[11]

Loyalist "Declaration of Independence" says rebels' fear of Catholics has shifted to promising Canadians "greater religious establishments"[12]

Proclamation requires militia to account for all grain, flour and cattle in Quebec for possible quick movement to secure locations in case of invasion[13]

"British Inhabitants of Montreal, in Town Meeting," thank Gov. Haldimand for warning of possible invasion and intend to find its aiders and abettors[14]

Resident doubts wisdom of Quebec City physician who proposes inoculating people with imported smallpox "matter" after testing it on two children[15]

Merchants ask convoy not to leave 5 days early, as "quantity of Furrs and Peltries from the most distant Posts of the Upper Country" will not have arrived[16]

Two Queen's Loyal Rangers officers (and brothers) accused by commandant of selling military provisions and clothing and stealing soldiers' pay[17]

On May 1, ice breaks up at Quebec City, which takes in "the knowing ones who had guaranteed it till the Spring tides;" several walked there day before[18]

"Bad guinea" appears made of copper, looks like good "George III 1777" coin, but is 13 grains too light and leaves red colour when rubbed on stone[19]

For sale "a Likely, Robust, Active, Healthy Negro Lad[...]; he speaks English and French both remarkably well, and has had the Small-pox"[20]

Either of "two likely, healthy Negro Women" is for sale, "as they disagree together;" one is about 30 and one about 18, and both have had smallpox[21]

Widow Marie Anne Chamaillard and brothers advise public that her son Noel Réaume "is become lunatick, and incapable[...]to manage his own affairs"[22]

Mary Edge announces that she and her son ("lately from Detroit") will take over her late husband's "business of a Black and White-smith" in Montreal[23]

Montreal "Tin-man" announces that his apprentice "Bishop Forsyth, who was brought in a prisoner with his parents from Wyoming," has run away[24]

Evening "Mathematical Class" to run through winter with "Euclid's Elements[...]demonstrated either Geometrically or Algebraically," plus trigonometry etc.[25]

François Grefart announces that his wife "has eloped from his House by stealth" and that he "is giving intimation to all not to trust her a sol marqué"[26]

Nova Scotia

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Nova Scotia Assembly to examine "defenceless state of the settlements distant from Halifax," such as plundered towns on or near Minas Basin[27]

Assembly wants Elizabeth Amelia Belcher, "Daughter of the late Worthy Chief Justice Belcher, who is left destitute," to receive £50 per year for life[28]

Prince Edward Island

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Legal actions over land must be sued within 20 years of current assembly session; exceptions for minors, married women, Non compos mentis, convicts, absentees[29]

John MacDonald faces loss of St. John's Island lots for quit-rent non-payment, plus tenant and government trouble, all hampering Island's success[30]

Labrador

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Moravian missionaries at Nain, Labrador report 22 Inuit killed when avalanche came down hill where they had built their "Esquimaux winter hauss"[31]

Elsewhere

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Kitchi Negou and other Ojibwe chiefs sign treaty transferring Michilimackinac Island to Crown for £5,000, recorded on deed and 7-ft. long wampum belt[32]

For "a consideration amounting to about 300 suits of clothing," four Ojibwe and Mississauga chiefs transfer territory just west of Niagara River to Crown[33]

"Before the fatal attack of the small pox[...]in the year 1781, all these nations of Indians [trading to Hudson's Bay] were much more numerous"[34]

Hudson's Bay Company's Fort Albany chief glad that inland post Henley House has no provisions problem, ensuring "success of the upland business"[35]

Acadians are one quarter of Baltimore, Md. population, live in poorest part of town and retain their language and religion, though priests are negligent[36]

References

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  1. ^ "Kings and Queens of Canada". aem. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Quebec, October 18; Whilst the fatal Effects[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 841 (October 18, 1781), pg. 2. Accessed 15 December 2022
  3. ^ "Articles of Intelligence from London News-papers" (October 13, 1780), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 811 (March 22, 1781), pg. 2. (See also late June letter from Washington "that an Expedition into Canada must be utterly impracticable") Accessed 14 December 2022
  4. ^ Jacob Bayley to George Washington (May 24, 1781; note: URL "stable but non-permanent"), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 19 December 2022
  5. ^ James Clinton to George Washington (May 30, 1781; note: URL "stable but non-permanent"), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 17 December 2022
  6. ^ Robert Morris to John Jay (July 4, 1781), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 18 December 2022
  7. ^ "Quebec, November 22," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 846 (November 22, 1781), pgs. 2-3. (See also in Land Petitions of the Niagara Settlers "Welch to Whitten" (scroll down to "Westbrook, Anthony") petition of veteran of this campaign who was captured and suffered in prison) Accessed 15 December 2022
  8. ^ William Heath to George Washington (December 4, 1781; note: URL "stable but non-permanent"), U.S. National Archives. (See also Washington's reasoning that Vermont conspirators are playing "merely political" rather than "guilty" game) Accessed 19 December 2022
  9. ^ Letter of George Washington (December 18, 1781; note: URL "stable but non-permanent"), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 19 December 2022
  10. ^ "April 24; The following[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 843 (November 1, 1781), pg. 1. Accessed 15 December 2022
  11. ^ "Mr Hoppins's Narrative" (July 4, 1781), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 18 December 2022
  12. ^ "A Declaration of Independence by the Loyalists" taken from The (New York) Royal Gazette (November 17, 1781), The On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies. Accessed 16 December 2022
  13. ^ "By His Excellency Frederick Haldimand[....]" (January 15, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 802 (January 18, 1781), pg. 1. Accessed 14 December 2022
  14. ^ "To His Excellency Frederick Haldimand[....]" (January 29, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 806 (February 15, 1781), pg. 1. (See also similar addresses below this one) Accessed 14 December 2022
  15. ^ "To the Printer of the Quebec Gazette" (November 30, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 848 (December 6, 1781), pgs. 1-2. Accessed 15 December 2022
  16. ^ "Quebec, November 1," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 843 (November 1, 1781), pgs. 1-2. Accessed 15 December 2022
  17. ^ Queen's Loyal Rangers: Complaint Against the French Brothers (January 20, 1781), The On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies. Accessed 16 December 2022
  18. ^ "Quebec, 3d. May," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 806 (May 3, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 14 December 2022
  19. ^ "Quebec, September 27; The public[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 838 (September 27, 1781), pg. 2. Accessed 14 December 2022
  20. ^ "Advertisements; To Be Sold[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 848 (December 6, 1781), pgs. 1-2. Accessed 15 December 2022
  21. ^ "Advertisements; Mr. R. Gray[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 850 (December 20, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 15 December 2022
  22. ^ "Marie Anne Chamaillard[....]," The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 843 (November 1, 1781), pg. 3 (right column). Accessed 15 December 2022
  23. ^ "The Widow of Samuel Edge[....]" (July 11, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 828 (July 19, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 14 December 2022
  24. ^ "Four Guineas Reward" (October 29, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 844 (November 8, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 15 December 2022
  25. ^ "Mathematics" (October 22, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 842 (October 25, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 15 December 2022
  26. ^ "The subscriber begs leave to inform the public[....]" (July 30, 1781), The Quebec Gazette, Nomb. 830 (August 2, 1781), pg. 3. Accessed 14 December 2022
  27. ^ "A Motion relating to the defenceless state[....]" (June 16, 1781), Journal and Votes of the House of Assembly, For the Province of Nova-Scotia pg. 131 (PDF pg. 6). (See also (on same page) report of division and poor discipline affecting King's County militia) Accessed 14 December 2022
  28. ^ "Vote to Miss Belcher" (June 29, 1781), Journal and Votes of the House of Assembly, For the Province of Nova-Scotia pg. 143 (PDF pg. 18). Accessed 14 December 2022
  29. ^ "An Act for the Limitation of Actions, and for avoiding Law-suits" (1781), George III, 21st Year, Chapter 17, The Statutes at Large, of Prince Edward Island[...]1773 to 1833, inclusive (1834), pgs. 79-85. Accessed 24 February 2023
  30. ^ "Letter from John MacDonald to Helen MacDonald, 26 June 1781, Halifax" MacDonald Family Letters, 1779-1801, Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives. Accessed 13 December 2022
  31. ^ Excerpt of Moravian missionaries' letter, quoted in Avalanches; Date: Winter, 1781/82 Geological Hazards, Newfoundland & Labrador Department of Industry, Energy and Technology. Accessed 17 December 2022
  32. ^ Michilimackinac Island, No. 1 (May 12, 1781), Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. Access 15 December 2022
  33. ^ Niagara Purchase No. 381 (May 9, 1781), Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. (See also table of Six Nations and other nations clothed by Indian Department, and Land Petitions of the Niagara Settlers "Seager to Secord" (scroll down to "Secord, Peter Senior") for petition of "First Settler" on this transferred territory) Access 16 December 2022
  34. ^ Edward Unfreville, The Present State of Hudson's Bay (1790), pg. 203. (See also Alexander Mackenzie's assessment of consequences to trade) Accessed 14 December 2022
  35. ^ "From Mr. Thomas Hutchins Chief at Albany Fort; To Mr. John McNab, Master at Henley House" (October 25, 1781), Henley House - Post Journal 1782 PDF frame 27. Accessed 15 December 2022
  36. ^ Abbé Robin, "Letter VIII" (translation; September 14, 1781), New Travels through North-America (1784), pgs. 43-4 (Images 48-9). (See also illustration "Femme Acadienne") Accessed 9 December 2022
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