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Report of the Commissioners For Locating the Northumberland Emigrants
New Brunswick Archives (RS24 1839 re 5)
This document, obtained from the New Brunswick Archives, addressed to His Excellency
Major General Sir John Harvey, Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick, includes
a “Report of the Commissioners [L.A. Wilmot and James Taylor] For Locating
the Northumberland Emigrants” dated 2 March, 1839. A message in reply
from His Excellency dated 5 March 1839 described in the original document cover
page is not included here.
The following document contains a typed transcription of the original manuscript
followed by scanned image of hand written original manuscript. Page layout,
punctuation and spelling in the typed transcript are as in the original manuscript.
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[RS24 1839 re 5]
Report of the Council
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A copy to be made
May it please your Excellency, We, the under signed, appointed by your Excellency as commissioners for locating the Northumberland Emigrants, on the Great Road leading from Fredericton to Saint Andrews, beg leave to submit a Report of our proceedings for the past year, accompanied by some observations on the progress of the settlement. The Settlers having severely made clearances on their lots in the summer and autumn of 1837 and being desirous of moving their families from Fredericton to the settlement before the winter, 20 acres were broken up, we deemed it most prudent, under all the circumstances, to affect their transportation in April last, in order that they might be on the ground to attend to getting in |
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in their crops, as also to procure employment on the Great
Road leading through the settlement.
This step was not taken by us without a great deal of deliberation, as it became absolutely necessary to incur considerable expense in sending out provisions to support them during the Spring season and while the Roads were almost impassable. From the difficulty of procuring employment for them here, and the consequent probability of them becoming entirely unproductive of earnings, from the extreme anxiety of them all to work on their lots, and from the certainty that the would find a great deal of employment on the Roads during the summer season, we concluded that their removal to the settlement in April was the best course we could adopt; and in the execution of this function we incurred the responsibilities of employing teams and purchasing provisions. The |
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The gross amount advanced by us to the first day of February
is £ 696-8-7; of this amount we have received from the supervisors
of the Saint Andrews Road the sum of £196-13-3, being the amount of
earnings of the Settlers for labour done on that Road during the first summer,
leaving a Balance due us of £499-15-4 yet unpaid.
The amount would not have been so great had it not been for the unpropitious spring of the last year; for so complete was the failure of the crops, not withstanding the most unexampled industry and perseverance of the Settlers, that they were almost entirely thrown upon the public for assistance. Situated as we were, we had either to furnish them with the necessities of life ourselves, or commit them to the overseers of the poor, and as in either case the legislature would be called upon to reimburse the expences of their support, we preferred looking after them ourselves. There |
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There are twenty three families settled on the Road, making in all one hundred and thirteen souls; they have cut down about 200 acres, and have at least 160 – acres fit for crop the ese coming Spring and, we have much pleasure in reporting most favourably of their conduct, and deem them a most valuable acquisition to the Country, and especially to the Road on which they are located. All which is respectfully submitted 2 March 1839 L.A. Wilmot |