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Key Events in the History of Nova Scotia: 1801.
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[Backward In Time (1800)]
[Forward In Time (1802)]
§Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was sworn in as President of the United States and was to serve from 1801 to 1809. The population of the United States is now seen to be 5,320,000.
§Great Britain and Ireland come together under one legislative body. In June, a 100 Irish members became part of the house of commons; and, 28 temporal and four spiritual peers took their seats in the House of Lords.
§Addington replaces Pitt. (Pitt resigned at the termination of the Second Coalition, February, 1801.)
§The citizens of Halifax suffer from the small pox. "Out of a population of about 7000 persons, 182 had died of this disorder between September, 1800, and February, 1801." (Murdoch)
§29 Jan: In Liverpool: "... Consultation about the Small Pox is held at the Court House. ... General Inoculation ... some against it. [Several houses are designated "Pest Houses" where those suspected of small pox are to be placed; a white flag is to be hung at all infected places.]." (Perkins.)
§"On the 4 February, the stables, coach houses and offices at Sir John Wentworth's villa, the 'Lodge,' were burned, and on the 8th a fire occurred in front of Government House, by which many houses and stores on Hollis Street were destroyed." (Murdoch.)
§The very first nation wide census is carried out in Great Britain. Looks like there was also a count in Nova Scotia in this year, 1801. At Halifax there are about 1200 families and a 1,000 houses. The total count at Halifax was 6627: 6334, Whites; 293, Blacks. The population of Cape Breton was 2513. The major concentrations were at Sydney (801), Louisburg (192) and Arichat 1520).
§April, 1801: Nelson captured the Danish fleet at Copenhagen. On May 25th, Perkins becomes aware of the battle, "They [two men from Halifax] report that Lord Nelson has taken & destroyed seven Sail of the Line of Danish ships, & drove the inhabitants out of Copenhagen ..."
§In 1801, Governor Wentworth complained that there is "not one ship of war left ... to protect the coast and the trade."
§June 9, 1801: In Nova Scotia, the 8th Assembly (second session) met. "£250 voted for a light house at Digby gut. £200 to buy hemp seed. ... and £150 for distressed Indians."
§16 June: "... Mr. Sutherland [Eric], an officer of the Loyal Nova Scotia Regiment, came to town from Annapolis, in pursuit of deserters." (Perkins.)
§June 19th: The same sort of thing that has happened in the last couple of years in June: "A general fast." (Haliburton.)
§22 July: "... Capt. Dean will not succeed in making prizes of the vessels he has brought in, as the Americans are in favour of Great Britain, and all prize causes will be determined much on their side. No news of the Rover. I think privateering is nearly at an end." (Perkins.)
§5 Sept: "... Two brigs in sight. One soon comes in, and proves to be the privateer Rover, returned from an unsuccessful cruize, having taken nothing. In the afternoon the other brig comes in, and proves to be the Princes Amelia, government brig, Capt. Moat [Mowatt], and it is said General Bowyer [Lieutenant-General Henry Bowyer, Commander-in-Chief in Nova Scotia] & his suite are aboard." (Perkins.)
§"A man and woman, of bad character, were said to have taken up their abode on the isle of Sable, for the purpose of plundering if not causing shipwrecks. The lieutenant governor sent Mr. Seth Coleman there with power to remove them." (Murdoch.)
§October 6th, first party to settle on Sable Island sail from Halifax. This party apparently consisted of three families. "Mr. Seth Coleman reported that houses of wood might be erected there, and it was proposed to have cannon placed at each end of the island for signals." (Murdoch.) Fourteen persons were left on the island. This move saved lives (42 by 1804) and property.
§25 Oct: "... The Brig Rover, a letter of mark, with eight guns, Joseph Freeman, Commander, sails for the West Indies. The schooner Ratler, Enos Collins, Commander, with some guns, also sails for the West Indies." (Perkins.) In the meantime, at London, England, Preliminary Articles of Peace are signed.
§21 Nov: "... This evening an express arrives from Halifax from the owners of the Privateer ship General Bowyer [then just calling by at Liverpool], informing that a packet was arrived from England last Thursday with news of a general peace in Europe. Preliminaries signed the 10th October, and the owners of the General Bowyer have ordered her home to Halifax." (Perkins.)
§First boat load of Scots arrive Spanish Bay, Cape Breton.
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[Backward In Time (1800)]