1738 in Canada explained

Events from the year 1738 in Canada.

Incumbents

• French Monarch

Louis XV^[1]

• British and Irish Monarch

George II^[2]

Governors

• Governor General of New France

Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois

• Colonial Governor of Louisiana

Jean-Baptiste le Moyne de Bienville

• Governor of Nova Scotia

Lawrence Armstrong

• Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville

Events

• Smallpox strikes the Cherokee in the U.S. Southeast, killing almost half the population. Smallpox also reaches tribes in western Canada.
• Esther Brandeau, in the guise of a cabin boy, is the first known Jewish woman to arrive in Canada. Eventually she is deported to France for failing to embrace the Roman Catholic religion.
• Fort Rouge (the fort), built on the Assiniboine River near the Forks.
• Fort La Reine, one of the forts of the Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye western expansion, was built. It was located on the Assiniboine River near where present day Portage la Prairie stands.
• Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye travelled southwest from Fort La Reine to the area of the Missouri River in what is now North Dakota.

Births

• June 25 - Thomas Peters, black soldier and leader (died 1792)

Historical documents

New York colonial officials describe French military assets^[3]

New York lieutenant governor warns against new French settlement and treaty with Senecas for fort that will end trade at Oswego^[4]

Regarding greater settlement of Nova Scotia, Council gives reasons it has not been possible (and it is not because they are military men)^[5]

Settlers with cattle have arrived on Sable Island, and will "Succour, Help and Releive[sic]" any shipwreck victims tossed up there^[6]

Tired of "meeting daily and almost constantly" to address litigious people's "frivolous and undigested Complaints," Council sets sittings^[7]

Lieutenant governor Armstrong tells official to act with "Lenity, Good humour and[...]live as Peaceably and Quietly with all men as possible"^[8]

Many of 8,000 men in Newfoundland fishery are "fresh land-men" who through hard work and weather "become pretty good sailors"^[9]

Newfoundland will begin prosecuting capital offences, sparing testifiers expensive trip to British court and loss of year's fishing^[10]

Newfoundland governor reports opposition to Irish Catholic immigrants for criminality and danger they pose to Protestants in any war^[11]

Cree promise La Vérendrye they will not trade at York Factory, and he builds fort at portage on which people "go to the English"^[12]

Program of events celebrating Pierre Gaultier de la Vérendrye's 1738 arrival in what is now Winnipeg^[13]

Chief factor at Churchill reports that many "Northern Indians" were "put to such Streights in the Winter" that many "perished with Hunger"^[14]

Correspondents discuss apparent but not yet accepted need to find Northwest Passage, and ways to increase enthusiasm for it^[15]

Notes and References

1. Guéganic (2008), p. 13.
2. Web site: 30 December 2015 . George I . 18 April 2016 . Official web site of the British monarchy.
3. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol44/pp126-142 "268 iii Answer to four queries referred by the Lieut.-Governor and Council of New York to Commissioners of Indian Affairs"
4. https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn84024358/1738-10-16/ed-1/seq-3/ "New-York, October 23"
5. https://archives.novascotia.ca/heartland/archives/?Number=Two&Page=120 "Council to Philipps"
6. https://archives.novascotia.ca/heartland/archives/?Number=Two&Page=219 "Proclamation for Settling Sable Island"
7. https://archives.novascotia.ca/heartland/archives/?Number=Two&Page=177 "Proclamation to the Inhabitants of N.S."
8. https://archives.novascotia.ca/heartland/archives/?Number=Two&Page=115 "Armstrong to Mangeant"
9. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.20114/8?r=0&s=1 "In the years 1738, to 1741"
10. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol44/pp59-74 "148 Council of Trade and Plantations to the King"
11. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/colonial/america-west-indies/vol44/pp59-74 498; 498 i 55 and 65 Captain Philip Vanbrugh to Council of Trade and Plantations
12. https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/aj/id/7010 Journal in the Form of a Letter Covering the Period from the 20th of July 1738(...)to May, 1739, Sent to the Marquis de Beauharnois
13. http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/bibliography/6240/1.html "1738; 1938; Souvenir Programme of the La Vérendrye Bi-Centennial Celebration"
14. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.9_02954/61?r=0&s=3 "From Richard Norton, Churchill River, August 17, 1738"
15. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.35076/124?r=0&s=2 Letters X-XIV