Magaguadavick 4th Sept. 1835
Dear Sir;
My time has been so much taken up with one concern or other since last seeing you that I could not find leisure until now to fulfilling my promise of furnishing some memoranda relating to the antiquities of Charlotte--of which you have done this County the honour to interest yourself----The time is fast approaching when the circumstances connected with its early settlement will be a matter of tradition--unless yourself or some other competent Person should think them worthy of being put into a more Authentic shape--A very few of the first settlers are yet living--and it is from recollection of what I have heard from them as well as from conversation with my Father, (who is long since dead), that I can now furnish any account------------
The first settlement was made by Loyalists from the American States after the war of the revolution or as they persist in calling it rebellion was over--And by disbanded soldiers--my Father had charge of a Party of the latter who were disbanded at Fort Cumberland in the fall of 1783--and sent to colonise a howling wilderness------The most unfit employment they could be put to-----
The delay which took place in furnishing a vessel to convey them and Stores, added much to their difficulties---It was not until the 10th of November that a landing was effected at the mouth of the Magaguadavick where there was neither House nor habitation of any kind to receive them and so glad was the Skipper of the vessel to get rid of such a disorderly & almost mutinous Crew-that He made all sail away the moment He got them landed---He was under some apprehension that they would insist on coming away with him again rather than land in such an inhospitable Shore----That night my Father slept in the open air--and such a heavy fall of snow came that he had some difficulty in removing the bed clothes next morning----
The Soldiers had all kinds of tools furnished them for clearing and cultivating the land & for building houses--likewise bedding and utensils--and three years provisions--the latter was served out by a Commission--some who were entrusted by government with the issuing of those goods, being at a distance from any efficient control embezzled most shamefully----
While the provisions lasted not much land was cleared--little indeed was to be expected from old Soldiers--they preferred loitering around their places where rum was to be had between which, & making a few shingles catching fish-- & hunting occasionally--the time was consumed for this indeed the conduct of Government afforded them a good pretext by neglecting to locate them in their Lands----The delay in this case was shameful and was no doubt the means of disheartning those few who were well disposed to have settled their lands if they could have got them----
It was two or three years before all the lands were regularly surveyed and granted to the first Settlers----
When the Bounty of Government was exhausted it became the signal for a general move--some left the County entirely first settling their lots of land when they could get anything for them--or abandoning them altogether--some of the Lots thus left have been taken possession of by others and became valuable----Those who remained were now forced to apply themselves in earnest to the cultivation of the Land on some other employment that would yield them a subsistence--and the hardship & privation they endured at this period was far greater that their first landing--one great relief they experienced was from the moose--which providentially about this time became more numerous than ever----
Indeed so abundant were they that without any skill in hunting--and almost without trouble any person could procure a sufficiency of moose meat for the supply of their families through the winter--all they had to do was to run on snowshoes over the snow after them, which was so deep generally that the Animals were unable to run away in their own defence----
Those who made a business of hunting used to kill large numbers for their hides & tallow--The white people & Indians vied with each other who should kill the most----It is such to be regretted that in consequence of such improvident Slaughter these valuable animals were driven out of the County--which appears to have been the case--they were not extirpated--for they totally disappeared after one of the most plentiful hunting seasons during which the Indians about the Magaguadavic were computed to have killed from 40 to 50 per man on an average--the next winter, not a single one was to be seen----
One portion of the early Settlers was the Penobscot Operation so called--during the was? there was a British Port of some importance at the mouth of the River of that name (Penobscot)--and a trading establishment also formed-- It was called Bagaduce (now Castine)----Troops were withdrawn the whole establishment broke up and came here--most of them were Scotch----The W. Pagans were among them----
The Scotch were the strongest party at one time in this County & exercised a predominating influence which however has long since declined----
There was also a colony of Quakers, who settled in the Parish of Pennfield as they called it after their great Patron of their Sect--It is a little singular that not one of their descendants now holds to that persuasion--except our worthy member of the Legislature (Woodward) and he happens to be the greatest Dandy in the House----
But by far the best description of Settlers and in all respects the most useful were those Loyalists who out of a sincere regard to the British Constitution & loyalty to their King--risked everything in support of the Royal Crown----Many of them who served in the army during the protracted struggle which took place displayed a degree of Courage Zeal and Activity--far superior to the Royal troops who were sent out to prosecute the war----the services which they rendered in the field were most efficient----But after suffering the mortification of seeing their exertions ineffectual in support of the cause they had espoused & losing the whole of their property they came to these Provinces to begin the world afresh--These were the men to whom Patriotism, Knowledge and Integrity displayed as well in private life as in the Councils of the Government to which they were most judiciously called--Most of the present prosperity of New Brunswick may be traced than to any other cause whatever--if we accept that--most fortunate circumstance of its being blessed with a Patriotic Governor, in the person of General Carleton---One instance of the sagacity and foresight displayed by the Executive at that time was in establishing the seat of Government at Fredericton--instead of St. John (which had been strongly urged) a measure peculiarly calculated to advance the Settlement of the upper County---but which drew down on the Government the execrations of the St. John People, who pursued them with a hatred scarcely ending with his death----A favorite sentiment at that time with some--used to be--"Damn the Irish Governor and his Yankee Council"--the violent opposition he met with in administering his Government, was the cause of his recall and when his Death was announced in the St. John newspapers the only ones existing in the Province it was done in the most laconic manner possible, without mentioning the circumstances of his being as he was at the time of his death Governor of the Province----It was couched in the following terms "Died Lieut. Gen. Carleton" and nothing more--although he deserved an Eutopium if ever man did.----But this is digressing from the point--to return to Charlotte--the want of Judgement & foresight on the part of the first settlers, was exhibited in many instances--but in none more strikingly, than the formation of several towns in places possessing no natural advantages for supporting them--such as Beaver Harbour and LaEtang on St. George's--which furnished no inducement except the excellence of the Harbours--the latter perhaps one of the finest in the world--remarkable for its having two entrances, both of them easily accessible-- for its capaciousness--it being large enough to accommodate the whole Navy of England--and for its complete security----It was in these towns that the People collected themselves for several years--consuming their provisions and spending their Substance--until they found out their mistakes--when they were soon completely abandoned--now there is scarce a House standing where formerly there were one or two hundred----
St. Andrews too stands in much the same predicament-- It had indeed the advantage of being the Shanty town, which is pretty unendurable in a flourishing County like this & one so much given to litigation;--St. Andrews too is delightfully situated--but it has none of the open essentials for making a Commercial place----
The harbour is a bad one--it is exposed to the gales of wind-- and there is not depth of water for large vessels--but what is worse it commands no trade--Being at a distance from the mouth of the River--the conveyance of bulky articles of lumber from those Rivers to the harbour of Saint Andrews in order to be those shipped is attended with great expense--this expense however has been incurred for many years--in consequence of the merchants persisting to load their vessels at St. Andrews in spite of every obstacle--and by that means bolstering up the credit of the plan----This expense of transportation amounting to about one tenth in the value of the commodities, has been borne sometimes by the merchant and sometimes by the lumbermen just as they could manage to shift it off on one another--but still the top fell somewhere and it continued for many years a dead weight on the commerce of the County----
Latterly the merchants have adopted the expedient of sending their vessels to the outposts to load while they themselves continue to reside at Saint Andrews & keep their stores there--but even this is not found to answer the purpose--& they are now beginning to remove their establishments to the mouths of the rivers--so that St. Andrews will soon be nearly abandoned by the mercantile community----
In the manufacture of Sawed Lumber Charlotte County stands unrivalled--there are between 80 & 90 saw mills averaging at a moderate calculation 50,000,000 in a year in perscial jut (?) by means of the excellent streams & rivers which intersect the County in all directions--these sawmills will be abundantly supplied with logs for many years to come, ? furnishing us has been the case hitherto large quantities of Square lumber----
The fishing also in the Archipelago of Passamaquoddy Bay, is the best in the Province, and along with the sawed lumber furnishes the greatest facilities for the West India trade, which is indeed carried on to a great extent---Under another Branch, which some are in the habit of Styling Contraband--but which we call free trade--our Geographical position exposes us to great temptations in this seaport--Thus I have endeavoured to impress? you with an idea of the resources & importance of this Section of the Province--If I have been rather frolix?--impute it to that laudable partiality, which it is natural for any one to feel for their native place & which would prompt me to convey as favourable an impression as was possible--should you from the jumble of matter thus laid before you find any thing in the shape of information or amusement----It will gratify me--you must be at pains of selecting the wheat from the chaff-- and I can only regret there is so little to reward your pains in that respect as also to recompense the charge of postage with which I fear you will have to be saddled for although there is a continual sum of possible people from this quarter to the Land Office--yet it is next to impossible to get a letter there by private conveyance for they keep their motions secret from one another for fear--of being circum? in their designs.
I expect to visit the office once more myself this fall--but it will some time first--When I do--I shall not fail to call on you--in the mean time--with most profound respects to Mrs. Saunders--
I remain
Your most obed't
Humble Serv't
Pat'k Clinch
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