RS330-B1A | Records of Thomas Carleton, Lieutenant Governor
Historical Events » Founding of New Brunswick
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Date : August 18, 1784
Prior to 1784, the territory now known as New Brunswick was part of the province of Nova Scotia. At the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, thousands of Loyalist refugees established themselves on the St. John and Saint Croix rivers. In 1784, conscious of their relative isolation from Halifax, the Loyalist and pre-Loyalist settlers petitioned the Colonial Office and court of King George III for separate colonial provincial status. This option would reduce costs of administration for Nova Scotia and create a strong British presence in territory threatened by annexation from Maine.
Thomas Carleton (1753 - 1817) was appointed as the first executive administrator of the newly created colony of New Brunswick in 1784. Carleton served as Captain-General and Governor in Chief of New Brunswick. He was later named the first Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick but only resided in New Brunswick from 1784 to 1803. He served in absentia until his death in 1817.
This document includes a portion of the Royal Instructions given to Thomas Carleton by His Majesty King George III of England on August 18, 1784. In this document, the King specifically instructs Carleton to quickly put in place a Council to help him in governing the new province.
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