# 1795 in Canada

Events from the year 1795 in Canada.

## Incumbents

* Monarch: George III

### Federal government

* Parliament of Lower Canada — 1st
* Parliament of Upper Canada — 1st

### Governors

* Governor of the Canadas: Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester
* Governor of New Brunswick: Thomas Carleton
* Governor of Nova Scotia: John Wentworth
* Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: John Elliot
* Governor of St. John's Island: Edmund Fanning
* Governor of Upper Canada: John Graves Simcoe

## Events

* 1790s – British create protective tariffs to encourage timber production for Navy after Napoléon Bonaparte cuts off Baltic supply of tall trees and hardwood. First in New Brunswick then in Lower and Upper Canada. Montreal merchants expand transport to handle trade.
* A road Act is passed, in Lower Canada, though opposed by country people, who fear a return of the Statue labor of Governor Haldimand's time.

## Births

* September 5: Étienne-Paschal Taché, doctor, politician, and deputy adjutant-general of the militia (died 1865)
* September 30: François Norbert Blanchet, missionary (died 1883)

## Deaths

* May 18: Robert Rogers, army officer and author (born 1731)

## Historical documents

After Battle of Fallen Timbers, Lord Dorchester reports "Western Tribes positively demanded Assistance from the British and from the Six Nations"
After visiting Upper Canada in 1795, Duke de la Rochefoucauld explains Governor General Lord Dorchester's powers and their limitations
Dorchester lays out moves he had to make to keep U.S. Gen. Anthony Wayne from starting war at Detroit, given British diplomatic policy and U.S. politics
Indian Department official strongly recommends that Indigenous leaders not be given liquor when land deals and other business is to be done
Jay Treaty gives such advantage to British traders "that American traders will not be able to maintain a competition with them"
After crossing from British to U.S. lines and going to Cincinnati, William Kenny sends apology to former enslaver Alexander McKee for leaving him

### Lower Canada

"The general failure of the crops this year" has induced Gov. Gen. Lord Dorchester to prohibit their export until December
Agricultural Society offers $40 (or gold medal or silver cup) for "largest quantity of merchantable Fall or Winter Wheat" grown on 1 arpent for 1797
Ships from places of "plague, pestilence or disease" must quarantine; guns may be used to compel, and captains hiding disease commit capital crime
Dorchester should work out with "Law Officers" and Protestant bishop how to make Church lands and Crown land productive and lucrative
Montreal notary offers cash for Lower and Upper Canada land certificates belonging to those "inclined to dispose of the same"
Teenage apprentice in Gazette printing shop dies of head wound from musket ball fired through window; coroner's verdict: willful murder
Apprentice "about fourteen years old, middling stout of his age, with a remarkable flat nose" is missing, but "will be well treated" if he returns
Baby lies next to hole in Lake Champlain ice where sleigh fell through; mother probably threw her to safety; good start to "a heroine's life in a novel"
In addition to schooling for young men and public, "Messieurs Tanswell and Son" offer young women education they cannot receive in schools
Montreal pastry chef offers "sweetmeats, conserves, blancmanges, gellies, and pyes hot or cold for journies, en gras et en maigre"

### Upper Canada

Establishing British Constitution in U.C. offers "best method gradually[...]to disarm the spirit of democratic subversion" where it arose
Thinking it conflicts with his authority, Lt. Gov. Simcoe wants reform of Indian Department, which he finds ignorant and indolent and people distrust
Persons (including those born British subjects) from other countries must have lived in U.C. 7 years to be electable to legislature
Settlers approved by Governor in Council may receive 200–1,200 acres of land, of which 2% must be cleared in first 3 years and 5% in next 4 years
Simcoe links (pg. 349) education to "Children of the principal People[...]to qualify them for[...]leading functions in the Church and State"
Simcoe wants "Protestant Episcopal University" in U.C. (or even in U.S.A.) to raise learned and united clergy favourable to Great Britain
Simcoe wants pro-British newspapers "to counteract the baneful effects of the News Papers of the United States disseminated with great Industry"
Temporary agreement requires U.C. not to tax goods from Lower Canada, but L.C. may tax goods from U.C., returning one-eighth of net to U.C.
Early problems with bringing Pennsylvania Moravian Germans ("a moral, frugal, industrious, exemplary sect") to Upper Canada
Simcoe told that Jay Treaty "will [concentrate] your future measures and [reduce] them to the internal Regulation and security of Upper Canada"
After visiting U.C. in 1795, Duke de la Rochefoucauld alleges Simcoe's ambitions, plans and "maxims of government" at length
Joseph Brant says disposing of some Indigenous land on Grand River is needed "to relieve the distressed Indians[...]not able to help themselves"
Chabondasheam and three other Ojibwe chiefs agree to cede Penetanguishene region to British for £100 in goods
Physician believes sickness in settlements comes from bad air emitted by rotting clearcut trees, and that they (including roots) should be burned
Attempts to grow wild rice in England unsuccessful, so English visitor requests seeds (manoomin; Zizania palustris) from Upper Canada
Joseph Banks reports find of "Indian earthen ware" at abandoned village near Lake Huron, and resembling pottery from Peru and Mexico
Niagara woman's children escorted to New York City by her husband, travelling for one week through winter woods (accompanied by Joseph Brant)
Painting: Niagara Falls

### Nova Scotia

Lt. Gov. Wentworth says prosperity is increasing, provincial revenue will probably not need further duties and public debt will be extinguished
Agriculture Society offers prizes totalling £100 to farmers raising most or heaviest quantity of wheat, flax seed, turnips, oxen, sheep and bulls
Prohibition on further export of "Wheat and other Grain, Flour, Peas, Beef, Pork, and other Provisions" for 5 months
Inspector-General of Mines wants both "Country Gentlemen [and] the Poor-Man" to watch for coal, gold, silver, copper, lead and other minerals
Squadron commander at Halifax offers "exemption from all punishment" to deserters who return to service and possible recovery of forfeited wages
Being exempt from militia service, Quakers ages 21-50 must work 4 days each year on highways or pay 3 shilling per day fine
Loyalist with 200 acres in Shelburne County wants marshy tract where he can harvest hay for cattle that will support sawmill he plans to build
Petition submitted on behalf of group planning grist and sawmill, who as Protestants are wanted because district is more than two-thirds Roman Catholic
After militia fail to come to their aid, local inhabitants fire on its crew to drive off French privateer and rescue two ships taken by it
"This morning his Majesty sloop of War 'Lynx', Capt. Hall, with two Mast-Ships under convoy, arrived here from New-Brunswick"
Man is lost going from Chester to Windsor despite warning of "extreme badness of the road" and "changeableness and extremity of the weather"
Night school open to teach youth "Arithmetic, Vulger, Decimal and Logarithmic,[...]Trigonometry, plain and spherical" and many other subjects
Dancing school opened in Halifax "where Young Ladies and Gentlemen may be taught Minutes [sic], Country Dances, Cotillions and Hornpipes"
The Beaux' Stratagem comedy to be presented for one night only; box seats 5 shillings, pit 3s
"Umberella; Whoever has got one, on which[...]Theft is written in large Characters, is requested to return it to the Owner at Prince Edward Coffee-House"

### New Brunswick

Letter to the editor reminds voters in House of Assembly election that "recent experience" shows men lacking "the shadow of capability" can win seats
At polling place to elect new Legislative Assembly, James Glenie enlightens Sunbury freeholders on work of suddenly dissolved previous Assembly
Address to Lt. Governor by Legislative Assembly notes that Saint John, St. Andrews and adjacent coast are not protected by guard ships on station
Posing as French privateer, schooner Solide, "a piratical vessel fitted out of Charleston" South Carolina, is taken by British sloop-of-war Lynx
Man says his wife "has, for this four years past, followed an excess of drinking, [and] left my Bed and Board, and her Family in great distress"

### Western interior

North West Company voyageurs are "equal to any thing" and "patient, emulous; indefatigable, and capable of performing seeming impossibilities"
Unlike other Indigenous peoples, Cree receive praise from Roderick Mackenzie as "good hunters, hospitable and brave"
John MacDonell gives "Grand Diable" keg of liquor and "a Chiefs Clothing" for sending so many to trade and "giving the Fort a good name"
"The Brigade" finds many bison carcasses along Assiniboine River; "7360 Drown'd & mired along the River and in it; three to five files deep" on shore

### Hudson's Bay Company

Eleven York Factory men sent 100 miles (160 km) with 5 months' provisions to fell trees and saw planks, as "the Carpenters are at a stand"
York chief factor's nephew "dreadfully mutulated" when fireworks he has in shirt pockets ignite at Guy Fawkes Night bonfire
Children at Moose Factory taught reading and writing mornings and evenings, and boys work at clearing snow, setting snares, assisting men, etc.

### Elsewhere

Moravian missionaries at Hopedale, Labrador "speak to the heathen, that [they] hearken [and] be translated[...]from the power of Satan to God"
British officer reports Spanish evacuation of Nootka and turnover to British forces
Chiefs of Seven Nations of Canada write to George Washington regarding return of their land in New York State
St. John's Island (Prince Edward Island) legislature prohibits geese running loose in Charlottetown, and that such geese will go to public auction
Dresses worn by Queen Charlotte, Princess of Wales, her bride's maids and various ladies are part of news coverage of Prince of Wales' wedding