1802 in Canada

Events from the year 1802 in Canada.

Incumbents

• Monarch: George III<ref name="rh">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Federal government

• Parliament of Lower Canada: 3rd
• Parliament of Upper Canada: 3rd

Governors

• Governor of the Canadas: Robert Milnes
• Governor of New Brunswick: Thomas Carleton
• Governor of Nova Scotia: John Wentworth
• Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: Charles Morice Pole
• Governor of St. John's Island: Edmund Fanning

Events

• The Tlingit start resisting Russian incursions into their territory.
• First Nations massacre Russians at Old Sitka; only a few survive.
• Alexander Mackenzie is knighted for his efforts in 1802 and becomes a member of the XY Company.
• Saint Mary's University is founded at Halifax.

Births

File:Samuel Harrison small.jpg

Samuel Bealey Harrison

• January 9 – Catharine Parr Traill, writer (d.1899) <ref>"Catharine Parr Traill | The Canadian Encyclopedia". www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.</ref>
• March 4 – Samuel Harrison, farmer, lawyer, mill owner, politician, judge and 1st Joint Premiers of the Province of Canada (d.1867)
• May 2 – Étienne Parent, journalist (d.1874)
• July 9 – Edmond Baird, cabinet-maker and upholsterer (d.1859)
• October 31 – Charles Dickson Archibald, lawyer, businessman and politician (d.1868)

Full date unknown

• Henry Sherwood, lawyer, local politician and 4th Premier of Canada West (d.1855)

Deaths

• April 3 – Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave, soldier, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada (b. 1727)

Historical documents

War with France, Spain and Batavia is over following U.K.'s ratification of Definitive Treaty of Peace<ref>"By the King, a Proclamation, Declaring the Conclusion of the War" (April 26, 1802), The Quebec Gazette, Cahier 1 (August 5, 1802), pg. 4. Accessed 13 May 2024</ref>

U.S.A. is to pay U.K. £600,000 for benefit of British claimants of debts owed them from before American Revolution<ref>"From the London Gazette; Notice to Claimants under the Convention with the United States of America" (September 11, 1802), The Quebec Gazette, Cahier 1 (September 23, 1802), pg. 1. Accessed 13 May 2024</ref>

"Missionary" tells "Indian" "[we] know much more of that Great Power above than you in your present State of Ignorance can possibly do"<ref>"Dialogue I; Indian" The knowledge and practice of Christianity made easy to the Meanest Capacities, or, An Essay towards an Instruction for the Indians (1802), pg. 2. Accessed 8 May 2024</ref>

Lower Canada

Hemp committee for District of Quebec publishes extensive instructions for growing hemp, saying it "is not so difficult as is imagined"<ref>"Notice" (May 11, 1802), The Quebec Gazette, Cahier 1 (May 27, 1802), pg. 4, continued in Cahier 2 pg. 1. Accessed 10 May 2024</ref>

Montrealers petition Assembly over problems with "Apprentices, Journeymen and Servants" taking advantage of various benefits then leaving prematurely<ref>"A Petition of several Inhabitants(....)" (February 19, 1802), pgs. 104, 106, 108, l'Assemblée nationale du Québec, Bibliothèque, Québec. (See also similar petition from Quebec City) Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

"Several attempts to break open shops and cellars, a thing so unusual in this Country, are said to have been made"<ref>"Caution" (October 18, 1802), The Quebec Gazette, Cahier 1 (October 21, 1802), pg. 3. Accessed 13 May 2024</ref>

New bilingual weekly British-American Register is to "instill into the minds of individuals sound Principles, a love of learning, of order and propriety"<ref>John Neilson, "Prospectus" (December 19, 1802), Séminaire de Québec, Bibliothèque. (See also first issue) Accessed 8 May 2024</ref>

"Choir of the [new] English Metropolitan Church" of Quebec City wants 12 boys and 8 young men who "will be taught singing by note gratis"<ref>"Wanted" (February 2, 1802), The Quebec Gazette, February 4, 1802 pg. 2. Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

Upper Canada

Lease 200 acres of crown and clergy reserve land for 21 years at 10/- or 3 bushels wheat per year for first 7 years and higher for later 7-year periods<ref>Crown and clergy reserves available for lease (October 16, 1802), University of Alberta. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

Nova Scotia

Author compiles opinions on "Negro Slavery" because its legality "has long occupied the attention both of the learned and unlearned among us"<ref>Anonymous, "Preface" Opinions of several Gentlemen of the Law, on the subject of Negro Servitude, in the province of Nova-Scotia (1802). Accessed 8 May 2024</ref>

Slave owner bequeaths to family enslaved "Negro Woman," "Prince," "Diana," "Jack," "Samuel," "James" and "Cloe" (last 4 valued at 90 (pounds?))<ref>"Benjamin Belcher of Belcher Street (near Port Williams), estate inventory" (1802), Nova Scotia Archives. Accessed 15 May 2024</ref>

Funds needed by King's College for "an useful and extensive Library[...]highly conducive to the Success and Prosperity of this infant University"<ref>"Library, King's College, Nova Scotia" (London, June 1, 1802). Accessed 8 May 2024</ref>

New Brunswick

Member Ward Chipman finds Legislative Assembly disabled by members "as ignorant, as abandoned and wicked, [as should never] be again chosen"<ref>"Letter from Ward Chipman to Edward Winslow, 3 March, 1802" University of New Brunswick Library. Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

With so many in Europe coming to Nova Scotia and Lower and Upper Canada, New Brunswick needs to state its qualities and "use[...]to the Empire"<ref>"Letter from Edward Winslow to Amos Botsford, 16 October, 1802" University of New Brunswick Library. (See similar letters here and here and appointment of 11 commissioners to investigate immigration of "labourers, servants and settlers") Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

Males 16–50 (except Quakers) must enroll in militia and muster with musket or fuzee, bayonet, cartouch box, 1 lb. gunpowder and 2 lbs. bullets<ref>An Act for regulating the Militia (March 5, 1802), British North American Legislative Database, 1758-1867. Accessed 7 May 2024</ref>

Queensbury Parish includes "a number of Poor People[...]desirous of giving their Children a small Share of Learning" and seeking Assembly's help<ref>Sylvanus Brown and 3 others, petition of Queensbury Parish residents (February 3, 1802), Legislative Assembly: Sessional Records (RS24), Provincial Archives of New Brunswick. Accessed 15 May 2024</ref>

As prosecutor in court-martial, Edward Winslow is instructed by Lt. Gov. Carleton to "not only be firm and decisive, but [also] temperate and discreet"<ref>"Letter from Thomas Carleton to Edward Winslow, 12 February, 1802," pg. 3 University of New Brunswick Library. Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

British immigrant, though "farming for Maintenance to his family," owns under 1 acre and petitions for 150 acres between Maquapit and Grand Lake<ref>"Petition of James Hunter, 2 February 1802, Queen's County" University of New Brunswick Libraries. Accessed 14 May 2024</ref>

Hudson's Bay Company

Abitibi House says its "lavishness of Spiritous Liquors (the chief article that gains the Natives affection) is nothing" compared with Canadians' supply<ref>Letter to chief factor at Moose Factory (October 20, 1802), "Moose - Post Journal; 1802-1803" frame 17, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

With "Mr. Best being constantly in Liquor," parcels containing "Liquor and Wine" are missing at Osnaburgh House; "Mr. Best must go home next Year"<ref>"[October] 19th [1802]," "Albany - Post Journal; 1802-1803" frame 11, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

"Capt'n. Monk and all his Gang [of Indigenous people] have been in much distress, the half of them are sick and[...]unable to hunt a long time"<ref>"[December] 27th [1802]," "Albany - Post Journal; 1802-1803" frame 16, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

Returning from Henley House, Fort Albany men bring "fine Wood for Boat building, fine Elm heels for Battaux, and a quantity of Ash for Floor timbers"<ref>"[October] 2nd [1802]," "Albany - Post Journal; 1802-1803" frame 8, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

After forcing its way through Hudson Bay ice, bow of brig sailing to Churchill is lifted by rope running from masthead to pack ice to repair damage<ref>"Rem[ar]ks Wednesday Aug[u]st 18th [1802]," Ships' Logs - Ceres (Brig) frame 74, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 16 May 2024</ref>

Brig on Hudson Bay is struck by lightning, starting fire in cabin and hold and knocking men down - unhurt but "felt as if they had been Electrified"<ref>"[August] 8th [1802]," "York Factory - Post Journal; 1801-1803" frame 35, Archives of Manitoba. Accessed 17 May 2024</ref>

Elsewhere

Church of England liturgy is "the fixed Form of Worship" in Prince Edward Island, but "dissenting [Protestants] shall have free Liberty of Conscience"<ref>"An Act for the better and more effectual Establishment of the Church of England in this Island" (1802), The Statutes at Large of Prince Edward Island (1834), pgs. 260–2. Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

U.S. population is 5,172,000, with about 40% living in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts; enslaved in those states: 347,000, 1,600 and none<ref>"An Abstract of the Population of the United States," The Quebec Gazette, January 28, 1802 pg. 4. Accessed 9 May 2024</ref>

Thomas Jefferson hears Alexander Mackenzie is going to "North West Country [with smallpox] Vaccine Virus for the benefit of the unfortunate natives"<ref>"To Thomas Jefferson from Caspar Wistar" (June 8, 1802), U.S. National Archives. Accessed 15 May 2024</ref>

Of 161 Moravian missionaries who are stationed in various places, 25 are in Labrador (in 3 settlements)<ref>"6. The number of Brethren and Sisters employed[....]," 1801-1805, vol. 03: Periodical accounts relating to the missions of the Church of the United Brethren established among the heathen, pg. 160 (frame 176 of 562), Memorial University of Newfoundland. Accessed 13 May 2024</ref>