Letters and Papers Relating to Canada and the French and Indian War, 1723-1750

LETTERS AND PAPERS RELATING TO CANADA AND THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR , 1723-1750 CONTRIBUTED BY MRS. DARE B. FITLER CANSO ,* MAX 20th , 1723. Dear Wi/ ef This is the first opportunity I have had Since my arrival here of writing you which I Imbrace with pleasure. We arrived here in less than Six Days A had Considering all things a very pleasant pass* the Shortness of which did not a little contribute towards making it so, tho twas my Misfortune to be Sick most of the pass* w*h was no more than I expected & so the easier Dispens’d with, tho God be praised , 1 have been in very good health Since I arrived here which is a blessing I generally Injoy when on Shoare, for which I desire to be very thankful By a vessell from Salem wofa arrived here yesterday we have advice that the Sickness is much abated in N England wcb 1 am very * glad to hear of. I hope that this will find you and family in a perfect State of health , which I pray almighty God to Continue to you & them & hope that it wont be a great while before I shall he so happy as to Injoy your & their Society wot I Esteem the greatest felicity in the world, & what I hope never to be Deprived of more while it pleases God to preserve both our lives. My Sloop has been out upwards 3 weeks & I day ley Expect her in & I hope with a good fare. I Conclude that the Schooner has been out Some time I hope that it wont be long before she is in with a fare, fish being very plenty & a prospect of a very good Season, if yon have not already sent the pork and two bb* beans that I left behind I would have you do it by the first Opportunity for I shall want provisions for my own use, and also some butter for there is not a pound to be got here fresh. Stock is very Scarce. Mr Coffin % is very well & generally very well received both by officers & fishery, tho there is already here a Min ister of the Church of England, who is Chaplain to the Regiment , an honest good humored Gent , with whom Mr Coffin has at present a very good Correspondence web I hope will Continue They have a Separate place of Meeting & both a Midling Congregation. Give my Service to Cap1 Reed & Wife & tell him his Small Sloop arriv’d yesterday from the banks with abl 140 Q1' fish & has lost 2 anchors & that Jones has been sailed ab‘ 10 Days. Give my love to brother ffrost § & Wife, Mr Shurtlefe & Wife & all friends, to whom I shall . G S P ) - . * “ Canseau ," a little fishing village on the lower Nova Scotia corner of the narrow strait separating the Acadian peninsula from Cape Breton and about fifty miles from Louisburg. This place, defended in 1740 by a slight wooden redoubt occupied by eighty Englishmen , was surprised by the French under Captain Duvivier and burned to the ground. It was however the naval base of operations in the Cape Breton Expedition of 1745. t Dorothy Peppemll Watkins, daughter of Hon . William Pepperrell and sister of Sir William Pepperrell , bom 23 July, 1698 ; married ( 1 ) , 26 March , 1719, at New Castle, New Hampshire, John Watkins , son of John Watkins of Charlestown, Mass. , baptized there 28 , 11 mo„ 1698. After the death of John Watkins, whom Savage and other authorities calls Andrew , Dorothy Watkins married the Hon. Joseph Newraarch of New Hampshire. New England JHstoncal and Genealogical Register , vols. xlii , 138 ; xx , 1 ; L. 462, l Rev. Enoch Coffin, 1696-1728, Harvard College , 1714. g Hon . John Frost , 1681 1732, of New Castle, New Hampshire, who married Mary, sister of Sir William Pepperrell, by whom he had seventeen children. She married (2) , 12 August , 1745, Rev. Benjamin Coleman. D , D. , of Boston ; (3) , Judge Benjamin Pres cott of Danvers, Mass. , and died in 1766 in 81st year. New England Historical and Genealogicnl Register , vol . iii , 16 : v , 165, — - ( 1« ) 1924 — Copyright The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania - PGM Vol IX Letters and Papers Relating to 142 write at the first Opportjr that goes direct. Claropit is arrived here but no vessels as yet from England Except a schooner from the West Country I Com mitt you and family to the protection of heaven & pray y° almighty al waies to have you & them in his holy keeping and am with Intense affection & Love Your af [torn ] Husband Rum 5/6 JN° WAT [torn] Moll*8 3/ Pork 5£ to 5:10/ Addressed To Bread 35/ MRS JOHN WATKINS boards 3:10 to 1£ Sheep none In butter none Piscataqua Cheese none tobacco 10* to 12d [ Louisburg, May, 1746] . - P Pursuant to His Majesty’s orders to me to Raise a Regiment forthwith for the Defence of this Island find it Necessary that Lieu‘ Andrew Watkins * Should goe to New England Recruiting therefor. These are to Certify whom it may concern that it is with my Leave & Consent that y* Sa Lieu1 Watkins proceed accordingly by ye first oportunity. Dated at Louisbourg May 30th in ye Nineteenth Year of His Majesty’s King George y* Seconds Reign Anno Domini 1746 S \VM PlsePERELL Consent4 P. WARREN Indorsed : Louisbourg 30 May 1746 Sir Wm Pepperrell’s Leave of Absence for A Watkins to go to New England on Recruiting Service G . KITTERT JULY YE 31*' 1746 My Dearest I hope this will find you safe arrived in Boston where I wish you all the happiness & pleasure you can desire in that agreeable town & hope I shall shortly have the satisfaction of a line from your dear band to inform me of your health & prosperity as for my selfe I desire to acknowledg with gratitude I enjoy a good measure of health & strength so that I am able to take some care of my family which I esteem a great privelege & would beg grace to im prove in a right manner. I hope my dear that as you will advise ‘ in the affair of the Canidy expe dition you will be directed for the best but beg you will not be prevailed with to give your promise to go for I cannot bare the thought of parting with - ’ * Andrew Watkins, son of John Watkins by his wife Dorothy Pepperreil , born at New Castle, New Hampshire , 14 June, 1722 ; died in December, 1757 ; married at Boston, MASS. , his cousin, Jane Frost, daughter of Hon. John Frost , by his wife Mary, sister of Sir William Pepperreil , horn at New Castle, 10 May, 1725 ; died 7 June, 1790. Andrew Watkins was commissioned 2 February , 1744, Lieutenant, Fifth Company First Regiment , Massachusetts Troops , John Klnsl&gh, Captain , Hon. William Pepper rel Commanding ; was subsequently Captain . 1924 Copyright The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania PGM Vol IX Canada and the French and Indian War , 1723-1750 . 143 you to proceed on such a dangerous enterprise, I cannot enlarge having company to entertain whom I would not offend , farewell dearest Creature Your faithful & loving wife MARY PEPPERRELL* My Servis & love as you think proper t KITTERY MARCH: 16,h 1747 LIEUT. WATKINS Sir I am favour’d with yours of the 2d Inst wherein you acknowledge the receipt of several from me and the Cloathing sent by Mr Lunt , Mr Harris & Mr Preble You must send Cap* Blayney a particular aoco’ t of what each man has of the Cloathing it is very Surprising to me that you could get none of the recruits carry’d from Boston, and that Mr Apthorp & Handcock would carry them in the Vesels they had hired to carey the King’s Stores if there was room, but that Govr Shirleys must go first because he spoke to them first Pray why had not you Spoke to them as soon as he did I dont know of any Service you have done for the Regiment that hinder’d you from Speaking to them I desire yon to deliver the Inclosed to Mr Apthorp, and if you cannot get a Passage Speedily for the Kecruits let me heare from y* and I will in deavor to hier a Vesel here & send to Boston to carey them to Louisbourg, and do you get reddy to go wtb them. If Serg* Packard will not come to Boston, get. a Warrant and bring him to Boston & send him to his Post at Louisbourg if he has not been on business for the Regiment he ought to have no Subsistence, and there will be no Subsistence for any non Commissioned officer in this Country after the middle of Next month until he gets to this Post at Louisbourg I cannot think how you Spend your time that when BO many Vesels are gon to Louisbourg you cannot get Passages for a few men. Your Friend and Servant I am , . . . . . - S P . WM PEPPERRELL! Addressed G . To Lieut Andrew Watkins att William Tyler , Esqr Neare the Swing Bridge In Boston SEPTEMBR YE 7tl1 1747 take a copy of the Inclosed letter to Doctr Kirkland & do you keep yB Copy and deliver y® letter to him after you have Sealed it gr y f m Pepperell Dr to L* Bull for in listing and attesting 2 men / viz / To Inlisting & Attesting W“ Millett L d 2 12 6 - . - To Inlisting & Attesting Andrew Farnando Ditto time both into Sr W “ Pepperell’s Regem1 } 2 12 6 Total Testis 8 — 5: 5: 0 Please Pay y® above and Charge it to ye Recruiting account your Humble Servant C BLAYNEY . •Mary Pepperrell , daughter of Grove Hirst, of Boston, and granddaughter of Chief Justice Samuel Sewail. f A true Copy taken & examined by Benj'n Watkins of Salem, Jany 15, 1823, from the Original tetter in the hands of And* W . Belt , Esq* , of Portsmouth, N , Hampshire . J Sealed with excellent impression of Pepperrell arms. 1924 Copyright The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania PGM Vol IX Letters and Papers Relating to 144 . To BenjD Green Esqr Reverse side Please to pay unto Lieut Andrew Watkins the within mentioned Sum W" Bull Lieut Bulls Order on Sir Wm Lieu1 Bulls Order on y* Reget Pepperrell [1747] Invoice of Sundries shipt on board the Beaufort Transport for Louisburg for Account & Risque of Lieut Andrew Watkins. In a Case directed to Lieuu Richmond and Watkin3. .. a Sword £5 a Belt 8 . . . £5" 8" £2" 12" 6 a Sash . 5" 12" 7 yds rich Gold clouded scollopt Lace 16/ . 14/ . . 4" 18" 7 yds narrower ditto a silver hat Lace 11/9 Button & Loop 1/3 -" 13" 13" 15" 6 . . 4" 4" at 28/ , , . 4 yds best Scarlet Cloth part of the Charges of the Case & Waterage . . 0" 4" 6 — ...... . .. . - P . 23" 12" - Errors Excepted. BOSTON JUNE 6th 1749 S LIEUT WATKINS G Sir I am favour*1 with yours of the 2011‘ of Last month, and find that Col0 Mercer would not receive but one thousand of the dollars I sent and that the remainder you had thou of disposing of for good bills of Exch* woh I like much, provided they will featch five Shillings SteiJ ap° and the bills so good that there will be no danger of these being Protestd be pleas'1 to take Ben}* Green Esqr* advice, and assist him in any of my affairs, my Compliaments to I am all inquiring Friends Your affectionate Uncle WM " EPPEKELL I do believe • Mr White has sold the Schooner we have no late news Boston June 6 th 1749 A Letter from Sir Will” Pepperrell Bar1 to Andw Watkins LOUISBOUKG 4th JULY 1749 Honrd Sir Yours of June 21 & 6lh I Received ye Latter two Days since, & Agreeable to what you wrote, I have got Bills of Mr Bennett , who I gave 5 pr c‘ for Drawing, he said he has had 7 pr c* from Boston but 5 I know he has had many a time here & as y* Bills are not Drawn for Value Recd of me Please to give me Cred1 for as many Dollars. I send you by Cap1 Treferrin y* Coullers & Regiu Books & y* Remainder of y * Cloathing & Stoars belong* to ye Regi‘ Which I have had Considerable Trouble about, If there should be any of y* 1924 Copyright The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania PGM Vol IX Canada and the French and Indian War , 1723 -1750 . 145 P stoars A*r wanting I cant help it for most of them weare stowed before 1 had y* key of y* Stoar, which I had sent me from Lieu* Suttis Just before he went to Jeburter ( which is about ten Days since) I Recd of Lieu* James Gordon two hundred & forty Dollars A** 4/s which Money is to pay ye Serg** & Soldiers that where in New England Recruiting as will appear by y* Acco* you have sent you y® Dollars 1 put with ye others to Purchise y® Bill Except sum I pd here for Packing A Transporting y* stoars A®*1 & a few I maid use of which I shall give a bill for when I settle about them which I Expect will be in three weeks. I should have gone home in this sloop. Only I have a mind to call at Jeburter to see where I shall have ye Bounty with y ° other Disband 3 officers j inclos'd Is y ® Bill of Lading & one of Exchange. Please to Present my Compliments to all friends. I remain Sir y' Dutif 1 Kinsman To Sir W “ A Hum”1 Serv* ANDW WATKINS Pepperrell Bar* A Letter I sent from Louisbourg to Sir W“ Pepperrell. But I Arrivaing before him took it up my self: date July 4, 1749 from And* Watkins Andrew Watkins Dr to Jn“ Watkins 1744 To sundrys on former acc* . . 1746 To sundrys sent you to Louisburg To sundrys sent you by Capt Williams 1747 To a parcel shoves A Charges thereon To Cash at sundry Times Lent To 1 bottle Houghtons Elipm .. . To 2 pear English soules 1749 To a Barril Cyder racked of A Baril . . 1750 To sundry good in april To 7 b1" Cyder a 40/ To a Chear Lacklin To Due on a Salmon . . . G S . . £24" 3" 3 . . 29" 13" 0 . . 4" 5" 0 ... . 170" 16" 0 . . 2" 9" 0 .. .. .. . . . . .. .. .. ... 0" 6" 0 2" 6" 0 " 0" 0 23" 2" 6 31" 10" 0 22" 0" 0 1" 0" 9 6 £317" 11" 0 D° Cr 1748 By Cash . . . . . By Cash . Octobr By Cash By Cash of Nero Sipyo woh was gave him tho mistake ... .. . . . 0" 13" 4 . . 50" 0" 0 . . 72" 0" 0 2" 14" 0 125" 7" 4 Due to Jn* Watbina Sett’d y* Balance of this Acc* by a Note of hand 1924 Copyright The Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania " 4" 2 £192 AHDW WATKINS PGM Vol IX