1805 in Canada explained

Events from the year 1805 in Canada.

Incumbents

George III[1]

Federal government

4th (starting January 9)

4th (starting February 1)

Governors

Robert Milnes then Thomas Dunn

Thomas Carleton

John Wentworth

Erasmus Gower

Joseph Frederick Wallet DesBarres

Peter Hunter (until 21 August)

Events

Births

Full date unknown

Deaths

Historical documents

Settler writes to Scottish Highlands friends "I never knew what actual freedom or the spirit of equality was till I came to Canada"[3]

"This country derives little credit from the young men it sends abroad into the world;" Why?: "too little restraint in the bringing up"[4]

Canadian Regiment of Fencible Infantry is recruiting in Lower and Upper Canada for service "in America and not elsewhere;" enlistment bounty: £5 -/6[5]

U.S. Secretary of State James Madison purchases George Heriot's The History of Canada from its first discovery[6]

Lower Canada

Call for road to be built from Quebec City through "New Settlements" to U.S.A., which will allow more trade and encourage population growth[7]

"Vendor or Lendor" has preference over any other creditor when they provide grain (seed or "bread") or potatoes to grower suffering poor harvest[8]

Ceremonial presentation of colours to Quebec City militia battalion is "grand and impressive beyond any thing usually witnessed in this country"[9]

Montreal merchants call for laws to raise water level in Lachine Rapids, regulate pilots there and stop theft of lumber when rafts are wrecked[10]

No sale of goods or alcoholic drinks on Sundays, except that latter can be sold to sick people and to travellers at meals[11]

Post office calls for proposals to carry mail between Montreal and Burlington, Vt. on 100-mile route; £100 security required from contractor[12]

Editorial describes "folly [and] depravity" of young criminals, especially where "the soil [and] far extended commerce" offer so much opportunity[13]

Orchardists in Parish of Montreal must tie cloth around trunk of each apple tree and cover it with tar to stop spread of inchworms[14]

Surveyor will teach branches of mathematics as applied to mensuration, gauging, navigation, gunnery, fortification, architecture, surveying etc.[15]

Dr. S. Solomon's Guide to Health offers remedies for diseases under several headings, including Dancing, Heavy suppers, Timidity, and Virgins[16]

Quebec City theatre to be built for "several Young Men [who] possess strong Theatrical qualifications, particularly in the comic cast of Characters"[17]

Opera by "Mr. Quesnel of Boucherville[...]is perhaps the first piece of the kind that has been written and performed in this province"[18] ----------------- New "Bottled Beer Business" will sell 3 kinds (brewed in St. Roch) ranging in price from 8/6 to 10/6 per dozen, with 3/- paid when bottles returned[19]

Benjamin Rush reluctantly allows his daughter to marry British army officer she met while visiting her married sister in Montreal[20]

Upper Canada

Profile of U.C. includes produce, trade, York and various townships, towns and waterways[21]

"Indenture" of original 1787 Toronto Purchase agreement transferring Mississaugas' land to government has borders not corrected until 2010 settlement[22]

After watching "old drunken Indian and his squaw" be refused liquor, visitor hears "greatest part" of Indigenous people's presents is traded for liquor[23]

Creditor is to maintain their jailed debtor at 5 shillings per week if such debtor swears they are not worth £5[24]

Methodist women ensure conversion at Hay Bay, Upper Canada revival meeting[25]

"The authority, the love of a husband even out does that of a parent" - immigrant visits parents on Long Island, N.Y., but feels pull to return home[26]

"This heroine" - Pitcairn Township (near York) woman chases bear that had carried off neighbour's sow into forest and shoots it through head[27]

English traveller finds Niagara Falls' roar and mist make them seem closer than they are, and learns constant earth tremor shakes window glass[28]

"Aspect terrible" - Perhaps 150-foot snake chases rowboat crossing Lake Ontario from Kingston[29]

Nova Scotia

Fishery revival to come following order to West Indian governors to largely close ports to U.S. imports and charge them same duty "these colonies" pay[30]

With Nova Scotia–U.S.A. trade ended (except in case of grain crop failure), N.S. feels Lower Canada should remove extra duty L.C. puts on trade[31]

During war, £90 will not buy what £50 could pre-war and 5% income tax and 10% depreciation in "Government Bills" depress wealth[32]

Signs of "poverty & distress among the people when we See So many of [them] go off and leave their Creditors without making any provision to pay them"[33]

Units of Royal Newfoundland Regiment, "a very fine body of" about 550 men, arrive in Halifax[34]

Captain of ship out of N.S. tells of being captured by French fleet in West Indies and avoiding burning by claiming to be U.S. ship[35]

With aid of British consul in Boston, Salem, Massachusetts party successfully gets release in Halifax of fishermen impressed on board frigate[36]

People lacking Episcopalian schoolhouse or church are open to "stro[l]ling fanatical teachers" turning them against established church and government[37]

Privateer out of Liverpool "has about 30 Negroes and to the value of about £3,000" and will "dispose" of them as soon as possible[38]

Liverpool has "rumpus" over feared press by warship; 3 Black men go into hiding and officer struck with cutlass before misunderstanding is cleared up[39]

Ice damages flume at Simeon Perkins' sawmill, halting production which had yielded him $4/day and possibly preventing loading of brig for Newfoundland[40]

As ship departs, Perkins is less sad seeing his son leave than watching another man say goodbye to his son who will go seafaring and rarely come home[41]

New Brunswick

N.B.'s resources listed; loyal population ignored by government but not privateers, and quit-rents "in this moment of their depression" are ruinous[42]

Edward Winslow says "broken" Council president will not be recalling General Assembly, affecting trade and causing "gloom sulkiness + despondency"[43]

Grammar school is to be set up in Saint John plus two schools in each county, rotating schools to different parish each year[44]

Hudson's Bay Company

In letter to Moose Factory, Fort Albany chief calls "Canadians[...]indefatigable to push on in the (HBC's) territories"[45]

Letter from Moose Factory to Fort Albany reports threats and abuse by Canadians against HBC employee "Quatchimay" and his wife and women fishing[46]

Painting: "East View of Moose Factory"[47]

Fort Albany replies to Moose Factory request for help that its trade (much larger at "20,000" as opposed to "7000") requires every man it can get[48]

Painting: "A South East View of Albany Factory: A Winter View"[49]

Jobs that are done at Churchill for its success and survival; it has poor location and shaky construction from use of Prince of Wales Fort ruins[50]

Six-day sea voyage in bateau from Churchill toward York Factory and back with load of liquor[51]

Northwest Company trader going to Cross Lake with Indigenous people reverses travel-direction marks they leave for traders at "English House"[52]

Northwest coast

U.S. claim to North America's northwest coast defied by Russian traders as near as Haida Gwaii and likely to try to usurp even Spanish-claimed lands[53]

John Jewitt rescued from two years of slavery in Nootka Sound by brig captain out of Boston holding Chief Maquinna hostage[54]

"Natives came out of their houses with lighted sticks, beating upon a plank[...]and singing to the moon" - Indigenous people observe lunar eclipse[55]

Elsewhere

"To make the Island more generally known" - Brief profile of Prince Edward Island[56]

Louisiana governor suggests putting military posts on Wisconsin and Missouri rivers to control importation from Montreal and Assiniboine River[57]

Map: Louisiana, including adjacent British and Spanish territory[58]

Fire destroys most of Detroit, "seat of government of the Michigan Territory, [with] upwards of 300 houses, built of wood, in a compact manner"[59]

Moravian missionaries in Labrador claim Jesus has melted "the hard hearts of the Esquimaux, harder by nature than the rocks they inhabit"[60]

Chipewyans hold on to their religion (called "a state of the darkest superstition and ignorance") and believe they are superior to whites in knowledge[61]

"How dreadfully afflicting my situation" - Disabled man is lost for 40 days on Manitoba prairies[62]

Mention of "the lamented death of our illustrious Hero, Lord Nelson"[63]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 31 December 2015 . George III . 18 April 2016 . Official website of the British monarchy . Royal Household.
  2. Web site: Biography – HEAD, Sir EDMUND WALKER – Volume IX (1861-1870) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography . 2023-05-10 . www.biographi.ca.
  3. "Appendix T," Observations on the Present State of the Highlands of Scotland, with a View of the Causes and Probable Consequences of Emigration (1805), pg. li (frame 298), University of Alberta Libraries. Accessed 18 July 2024
  4. "We hear that by a late order[....]," The Quebec Mercury (November 4, 1805), pg. 350 (centre column), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  5. "Attention," The Quebec Gazette, July 18, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 3, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 8 July 2024
  6. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/02-09-02-0307 Abstract of letter to James Madison
  7. "To the Public" (December 27, 1805), The Quebec Mercury (December 30, 1805), pg. 415, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  8. https://bnald.lib.unb.ca/legislation/act-relief-poor-loan-seed-wheat-corn-and-other-necessary-grain-25th-march-1805 An Act for the Relief of the Poor in the loan of Seed Wheat, Corn and other necessary Grain
  9. "Quebec, 6th June, 1805," The Quebec Gazette, June 6, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 2, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 5 July 2024
  10. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.9_00938_14/97 "A Petition of sundry Merchants(....)"
  11. https://bnald.lib.unb.ca/legislation/act-prohibit-sale-goods-wares-and-merchandise-wine-spirits-and-other-strong-liquors An Act to prohibit the sale of Goods, Wares and Merchandise, Wine, Spirits and other Strong Liquors, on Sundays
  12. "Wanted," The Quebec Gazette, August 15, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 3, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 8 July 2024
  13. "Quebec, 28 September," The Quebec Mercury (September 28, 1805), pg. 310, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  14. https://bnald.lib.unb.ca/legislation/act-preservation-apple-trees-parish-montreal-25th-march-1805 An Act for the preservation of Apple Trees in the Parish of Montreal
  15. "Pro Bono Publico" (October 26, 1805), The Quebec Mercury (October 28, 1805), pg. 344, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  16. "Curious and Interesting," The Quebec Mercury (September 28, 1805), pg. 312, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  17. "Canadian Theatre" (March 21, 1805), The Quebec Gazette, March 21, 1805, Cahier 2 pg. 1, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 5 July 2024
  18. "Theatre," The Quebec Gazette, January 31, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 4, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 5 July 2024
  19. "The subscriber intending to commence[....]" (April 11, 1805), The Quebec Gazette, April 11, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 4, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 5 July 2024
  20. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-5071 Letter to John Adams from Benjamin Rush
  21. D'Arcy Boulton, Sketch of His Majesty's Province of Upper Canada (1805), pgs. (ix)–xi Accessed 24 June 2024
  22. https://digitalarchive.tpl.ca/objects/287999/the-toronto-purchase?idx=42 "The Toronto Purchase"
  23. "12th Month. 3d," Robert Sutcliffe's journal, quoted in Records of Niagara; In the Days of Commodore Grant and Lieutenant-Governor Gore; 1805–1811 (1931), frame 17, Niagara Historical Society. Accessed 12 July 2024
  24. https://bnald.lib.unb.ca/legislation/act-relief-insolvent-debtors-passed-2d-march-1805 An Act for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors
  25. http://www.yorku.ca/scottm/journals/1805sep29.htm (Sunday 29 September 1805)
  26. Ann Smith Macdonell, Diary of a journey from Etobicoke to Long Island, and part of the return 30 May - 25 Nov. 1805 frame 66, Toronto Public Library. (See also map of Toronto purchase with Etobicoke Creek in SW corner) Accessed 26 June 2024
  27. "York:--August 10," The Quebec Mercury (October 7, 1805), pg. 319, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 4 July 2024
  28. "11th Month. 30th," Robert Sutcliffe's journal, quoted in Records of Niagara; In the Days of Commodore Grant and Lieutenant-Governor Gore; 1805–1811 (1931), frame 15, Niagara Historical Society. Accessed 12 July 2024
  29. "From the Rutland [Vermont] Herald; Extraordinary Snake in Lake Ontario; Extract of a letter[....]" (June 30, 1805), The Quebec Mercury (October 28, 1805), pg. (337), Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. (See also disbelieving comment on sighting (pg. 366, 1st column)) Accessed 4 July 2024
  30. "Papers relating to the West India trade with the Continent of North America; Paragraph inserted in the Nova Scotia Royal Gazette Jany. 3," The Quebec Gazette, February 28, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 1, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. (See also James Madison's opinion that restraining prosperous West Indies "to foster unproductive" North American provinces is bad idea, and petition to Jamaica House of Assembly referring to "perpetual sterility" of N.S. and New Brunswick and trade with Canada "shut up[...]for more than half the year") Accessed 5 July 2024
  31. "Halifax, February 23," The Quebec Gazette, April 18, 1805, Cahier 2 pg. 1, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 5 July 2024
  32. https://archives.acadiau.ca/node/869 Journal of Rev. John Wiswall
  33. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611057&seq=204&start=3 "Thursday, Sep. 26th (1805)"
  34. "Halifax, July 2," The Quebec Gazette, July 18, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 2, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 8 July 2024
  35. "(The following full confirmation[....]," The Quebec Gazette, August 15, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 2, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 8 July 2024
  36. "Salem August 6," The Quebec Gazette (from Salem Gazette), August 22, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 4, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. (See also "Philadelphia, August 9" (pg. 2) and "New York, September 4" (pg. 2) regarding ongoing impressment generally, and also British admiral's accusation (pg. 2) that U.S. captains collude with Spanish against British trade and navy) Accessed 8 July 2024
  37. https://archives.acadiau.ca/node/869 Journal of Rev. John Wiswall
  38. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611057&seq=190&start=3 "Friday, Aug. 9th (1805)"
  39. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611057&seq=181&start=3 "Saturday, June 29th (and June 30th, 1805)"
  40. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611057&seq=151&start=3 "Thursday, Feby. 14th (1805)"
  41. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3611057&seq=168&start=3 "Monday, May 6th (1805)"
  42. "An Old Planter," Observations on a Memorial Delivered(...)by a Committee of the Assembly of Jamaica(....) (June 26, 1805), University of New Brunswick Library. Accessed 3 July 2024
  43. https://web.lib.unb.ca/winslow/fullimagerecord.cgi?id=1834&level=2 Letter of Edward Winslow
  44. https://bnald.lib.unb.ca/legislation/act-encouraging-and-extending-literature-province-passed-5th-march-1805 An Act for encouraging and extending Literature in this Province
  45. Letter of John Hodgson (September 21, 1805), "26 [September 1805]," Moose Factory - Post Journal; 1805-1806 frame 7, Archives of Manitoba. (See also later entry (October 10, frame 9) with comment that Canadians will intercept trade with "more force both with respect to numbers + experienced hands") Accessed 17 July 2024
  46. Letter of John Thomas (October 24, 1805), "1805; October 24," Moose Factory - Post Journal; 1805-1806 frame 11, Archives of Manitoba. (See also Fort Albany chief's reply (frame 13, righthand page) that abusers "put themselves out of the protection of the Law") Accessed 17 July 2024
  47. William Richards, "East View of Moose Factory" ("between 1804 and 1811"), Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 July 2024
  48. Letter of John Thomas (1805), "1805; November; 14," Moose Factory - Post Journal; 1805-1806 frame 13, Archives of Manitoba. (See also Moose Factory comment (frame 14) that men were requested because Canadians ("15 stout hands") outnumber them, and later tells Albany how disappointed they are (frame 17)) Accessed 17 July 2024
  49. William Richards, "A South East View of Albany Factory: A Winter View" ("between 1804 and 1811"), Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 July 2024
  50. "28th [August 1805]," Fort Churchill - Post Journal; 1805-1806 frames 4–7, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 July 2024
  51. "11th–17th [September 1805]," Fort Churchill - Post Journal; 1805-1806 frames 8–10, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 July 2024
  52. "Tuesday 24 [September 1805]," Journal for 1805 & 6; Cross Lake images 8–9, University of Saskatchewan Libraries. Accessed 12 July 2024
  53. "North West Coast of America," The Quebec Gazette, September 19, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 6, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 10 July 2024
  54. "19 [July 1805]," Journal, Kept at Nootka Sound, by John R. Jewitt (1807), pgs. 46–8 (frames 52–4), UBC Library. Accessed 12 July 2024
  55. "16 [January 1805]," Journal, Kept at Nootka Sound, by John R. Jewitt (1807), pg. 37 (frame 43), UBC Library. Accessed 12 July 2024
  56. https://www.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.42083/10 A Description of Prince Edward Island(...)and a Few Cursory Observations Respecting the Climate, Natural Productions, and Advantages of Its Situation in Regard to Agriculture and Commerce(....)
  57. https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/02-10-02-0118 Letter to James Madison
  58. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4050.ct000654/ "Louisiana"
  59. "Albany July 8," The Quebec Gazette, July 25, 1805, Cahier 1 pg. 2, Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. Accessed 8 July 2024
  60. Letter from Nain (August 31, 1805), 1801-1805, vol. 03: Periodical accounts relating to the missions of the Church of the United Brethren established among the heathen, pg. 451 (frame 481 of 562), Memorial University of Newfoundland. Accessed 12 July 2024
  61. John MacDonell, "Theology" Description of Lake Athabasca and the Chipweans, ca. 1805[....] Accessed 15 July 2024
  62. John Pritchard, "First Letter" (December 20, 1805), Glimpses of the Past in the Red River Settlement; From Letters of Mr. John Pritchard; 1805–1836 (1892), pgs. 5–15, University of Alberta Libraries. Accessed 18 July 2024
  63. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015006981842&seq=11 "Preface to the Fourteenth Volume"

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