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So far, I have the following.
Thomas
PETER B. THOMPSON b. ca. 1758, d. 29DEC1818 age 60 years, m. PHYLLIS _____.
Patricia Wood wrote (New Brunswick GenForum #4093, 4MAR2009):
“According to additional information I have been able to find online he served in DeLancey’s 1st battalion during the American Revolution. He became indentured to Charles McPherson (a Lieut. in DeLancey’s) and they both arrived in Canada 1784 on the ship "Camel". Peter had a 100 acre land grant that year, but other sources say he was operating a tavern in Saint John by the 1790s. The same source said he died about 1798.
“My 3rd great grandfather was named William Thompson. He was a black man born c1796 in Canada. His marriage record says he was the son of Peter Thompson. William was orphaned as a small child which would fit with the death date of the above Peter.”
“An entry found on Google books refers to a Peter Thompson. The book was ‘The Blacks in Canada’ by Robin W. Winks, page 52. An excerpt from that page:
‘In 1793 Peter Thomson, then a slave belonging to Charles McPherson of Saint John, purchased his freedom for 30 (pounds), and when he died in debt from his tavern five years later, McPherson was one of two guarantors for those debts.’”
Possibly the same Peter Thompson who was allowed the unusual privilege of being licensed to operate a tavern in the City of Saint John. At least until 1840, Blacks were not allowed to conduct business in Saint John. Nevertheless, by 27MAR1810, Peter Thompson and Lawrence Broughton “black men, all of Saint John”, were able to post a bond on behalf of George Mosely who had been granted administration of the estate of William Holmes of the City of Saint John who died intestate.
Elsewhere, however, Patricia Wood gives William Thompson b. ca. 1796 as m. Berthier Co., Quebec 1818 and as the s/o Peter/Pierre and Marie (Boucher/Bouley) Thompson. William d. 1828 age 32 years. It has been suggested that he was connected to the 8th (King’s) Regiment of Foot which was in Quebec from England in the War of 1812.
The Saint John, “Newspaper City Gazette’, of 30DEC1818 notes:
d. Yesterday, Peter THOMSON, man of color, age 60.
and the issue of 10FEB1819 has:
Est. Peter THOMSON, man of color of this city; Admin.: Phillis THOMSON, Charles McPHERSON.
This is also in, “Early New Brunswick Probate Records: 1785-1835”, by R. Wallace Hale, 1989, Heritage Books, Bowie, Maryland, p. 454, where Charles MacPherson is a grocer, and fellow bondsmen are Peter McCallum, also a grocer, and John McNaughton, a blacksmith. An inventory dated 26AUG1819, made by Obadiah Akerley, Robert Stewart and Andrew Hutchinson placed a value on Peter’s estate of £725; a considerable sum.
Dan Johnson’s abstracts at the PANB has another entry for the same paper dated 24JUN1829:
Est. Peter THOMSON, man of color, of (St. John) city.
This is also in Hale, with Peter as Peter B. Thompson. Why the need for a 2nd administration at such a late date is unclear, unless this is when Phyllis died. On 6NOV1829 administration was granted to Henry Hennigar and Gilbert Drake, with William Hughson and Leveret H. DeVeber as bondsmen.
I suspect that Peter and Phyllis are the ancestors of Thompson’s later found in the Loch Lomond area of Saint John Co. This is not absolutely certain, as there were other Thompson-Thomson Blacks in 1783, but they seem bound for Shelburne, NS at the time.
Charles McPherson was apparently attached to the 1st Battalion of DeLancey’s as a lieutenant; a captain after 1781. I am not totally convinced that Capt. Charles McPherson and the Charles McPherson in Saint John are the same; especially as the former was granted land in Nova Scotia on the Minas Basin. He is said to have been a Highlander who arrived in New York with a Scottish regiment. Again, it is not clear whether two Charles’ are not being conflated. The Charles McPherson in Saint John did come from Perthshire, Scotland about 1773 (so, not likely with a Scottish Regiment), arriving on a British man-of-war. He settled at Kingsbridge, New York in 1776, and arrived in NB in 1783. While he may not have been in a Scottish Regiment, his residence in New York does make him more likely as a officer in DeLancey’s; yet his obituary makes no mention of such service.
Charles McPherson was involved in administrating several estates, and it is not clear if he did these for profit or friendship.
Charles McPherson was involved in several petitions, particularly in Kings Co., NB, particularly in 1785; one of these with a John Thompson. He had several grants in Parrtown (Saint John) in 1784, including one on behalf of the Church of Scotland. He received 200 acres in Salmon River, Kings Co., NB in 1786; 50 acres on Darling’s Island in Kingston Parish, Kings Co., NB in 1787; and possibly was the same granted 250 acres in Hampton Parish, Kings Co., NB in 1812. He had a Coffee House (sold to William G. Cody in 1803) at the corner of King Street and Market Square. He d. at his home (formerly owned by Benedict Arnold) at King Street and Cross Streets 26JUL1823 age 70 years.
The following also appears to be excerpted from the, “Royal Gazette”:
To BE SOLD AT
Public Auction
At the EXCHANGE COFFEE HOUSE, in this city, on MONDAY next, at 12 o’CLOCK at noon:
FORTY SIX hogsheads of London Porter; 2 hogsheads, 4 casks and a box of bottled Ale; 3 crates and a box of bottled Porter; 10 barrels of damaged Porter; 9 boxes of Pipes; 67 rolls of Paper Hangings; a variety of Dry Goods; Glass, Crockery and Tin Ware; Scale, Beam and Weights; sundry Household and Kitchen Furniture, such as Desk, Chest of Drawers, Beaufait, Tables, Chairs, Benches, Looking Glasses, Clock and Case, Beds and Bedsteads, Pictures, Glass Lamps, Sconces, Andirons, Grid Irons, Kettles, Baking and Fish Pans, etc. etc.
ALSO, a NEGRO MAN and BOY; a Sloop rigged vessel, with mast, bowsprit, sails, etc. a Waggon, Birch Boards, empty Gin Casks, and a variety of other articles to tedious to mention. Late the property of CHARLES McPHERSON, Inn-holder, seized and taken in execution by
W. S. OLIVER, Sheriff
St. John, July 4, 1786
- Royal Gazette, July 4, 1786
Thus, Charles knew what it meant to be in debt. The following:
Abraham Dalton, 18, likely boy, B, (Charles McPherson). Formerly slave to David Dalton, North Castle; left him about 4 years past. GBC.
Jenny Cole, 36, ordinary wench, B, (Charles McPherson). Formerly slave to David Dalton, North Castle; left him about 4 years past. GBC.
Henry Cole, 33, ordinary fellow, B, (Charles McPherson). Formerly slave to to James Gosbeck, Esopus, New Jersey; left him in the year 1777.
were on the ship, ‘Elizabeth’, bound for Saint John in 1783.
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