COLONIAL

Introduction by Janice Fralic-Brown

"According to all the usual "primary" sources of information, my father's mother's ancestors arrived on Cape Breton Island in the late 1700s from thin air.  Lots of anecdotal evidence regarding their origins, but not much "hard" proof.  One of those ancestors was black, and there is even less written documentation on blacks in this period.  So I turned to the Colonial Correspondence of the era on the off chance that I might find some clues or even a name that would tell me when my ancestors arrived, if not where from.

As I started reading the documents I quickly realized that other people may find this information useful.  While everything in the Correspondence is potentially interesting to a variety of researchers, I have decided to concentrate on transcribing lists (such as accounts of money paid to workmen for Public Works or memorials/petitions from groups of inhabitants to the Crown) naming the early settlers and their activities in the Province of Cape Breton, from 1785 to 1820 (when Cape Breton was a separate colony).  Anyone else who has copies of any of these documents and would like to contribute them to this site is more than welcome to do so, even if they are not the types of documents I am concentrating on.

If you have any questions, criticisms or suggestions regarding this project, you can contact me at fralic@ns.sympatico.ca.  Please remember that I am trying to copy exactly what I see, including spelling and grammar.  I hope this will prove a useful tool for genealogists with roots in Cape Breton."

The Documents

Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, V. 103, pp. 78-83	Account of the Number of Rations to be paid for by Lieutenant-Governor DesBarres, for the like number stopt[sp?] and to be stopt [sp?] out of the Pay of Workmen employed on the Island of Cape Breton, Viz
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, V. 103, p. 132	Account of Boards, Plank and Shingles delivered to Inhabitants of Sydney
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, V. 104, pp. 205-207	Address to Lieutenant-Governor DesBarres from the Acadians at Isle Madame, 18 March, 1786
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, V. 104, p. 223	Return of the Refugee Loyalists Victualled by Government now Residing at Louisbourg and Gabbarus Bay
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, Vol. 104, pp. 430 - 433	Account of monies paid to Persons for Public Works, Island of Cape Breton, 1786
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton:    CO 217, Vol. 104, pp. 434-436	Account of Money Paid by Lieutenant Governor Des Barres for His Majesty’s Service in the Settlement of …Cape Breton, 1786
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 104, pp. 442-443	Amounts Paid by George Rodgers for Contingent Disbursements [1786]
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 105, p. 79	Voucher for Services Paid for by Patrick Romey Nugent during the government of DesBarres, 1786
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 105, p. 163, 165	Copy of the Friendly Society’s Certificate in Justification of Chief Justice Gibbons, with an Added Affadavit from one of the Grand Jurors, 28 February 1788
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 105, p. 180-181	Inhabitants of Cape Breton : Complaints against the Officers of the Government, Particularly the Attorney General, transmitted July 1788
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 106, p.73	Pay List of His Majesty’s Treasury Brig Relief from December 13th 1788 to May 13th 1789
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 106, p. 258	Account of Sundry Services and Supplies for Public Works, Sydney, Sept 1st 1788 to July 30th 1789
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 107, p. 41	Account of Convict Expenses Aggregated to the 29th of September 1789
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 107, p. 100	General Account for Repairs done to the Government Houses and Public Buildings at Sydney, Cape Breton, 24 March 1790
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 107, p. 273	Return of Militia for the Island of Cape Breton 1 August 1790
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 108, pp. 126-133	Extracts from Various Accounts Submitted by Lieutenant Governor Macarmick, Nov. 4, 1790 - June 26, 1791
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol. 108, pp. 207 - 210b.	Extracts from Minutes of Council regarding Confirmation of Land Grants, from 6th February 1792 to 1st March 1792
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V. 108, p. 251	List and Description of Six Persons the most Respectable for Property and Character [ca.1792]
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V. 108, pp. 272-273	List of Persons Who are to Pay Their Fees for Grants of Land Assigned to them in Council, 24 February, 1792
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V. 108, p. 324 – 326b	Account of Fees Due to Abraham Cuyler from 1st October 1789 to 24th June 1790, according to his Memorial
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol.109, pp. 36-38b	Letter to Secretary of State for the Home Department regarding Settlers' Ability to Receive Grants of Land in Cape Breton, 20 March 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V. 109, pp.40-41	Return of Persons on the Records of the Island esteemed by His Majesty's Council having equitable claim to Grants of Land; Cape Breton, Sydney, 19th March 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, Vol.109, pp. 42-43	List of Grants Passed in the Island of Cape Breton by Lt. Gov. DesBarres, 19th March 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.109, pp.45-46b	List of Grants Passed in the Island Of Cape Breton by Lieut. Govr Macarmick : 19th March 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V. 109, p.97	Accounts Paid to John Rundle, Coroner, from Tremain & Stout by order of Governor Macarmick, Sydney, June 24th 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.109, p.130	Return of Men and Resources in Island of Cape Breton, 26th July 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.109, pp.165, 166	Letter from Lt. Gov. Macarmick to the Lords of His Majesty's Treasury, Along with a list of "Refugees from the United States of America" and the Fees owed by them to various Officers of the Cape Breton Council in regard to Land Grants, 28th December 1789: included in a pack of mail sent 25th October 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.110, pp. 51, 53, 57, 59.	Accounts of Funds Disbursed for Contingencies from the 24th of June 1793 to the 26th of December 1793; in packet of letters sent 12th of March 1794 by Lt. Gov. Macarmick
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.110, p. 60.	A Pay List of the Officers and Crew belonging to His Majesty's Treasury Schooner Lady Apsley for the Quarter commencing the 23rd Sept. and ending 26th Dec. 1793
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.110, pp. 89, 90.	Account of Coals Ship'd at His Majesty's Coal Mines SPanish River by permission of His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Macarmich Commencing the 25th October 1793 & Ending the 31 December following
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    CO 217, V.110, pp. 141-143.	To Tremain & Stout.... For Sundry Expenses incurred and paid for by order of His Excellency Lieutenant Governor Macarmick for Guns, Carriages and placing them on their Stations and for other Preparatory measures....[1793]
Colonial Correspondence, Cape Breton;    RG 1, Vol. 326, Doc. 76	Names of Persons who have Obtained Permissions to Occupy and Improve Land in the Island of Cape Breton from Mr. President Mathews