404 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



Township of Paspebiac, including Cox himself. 1 The register also 

 shows that most of these settlers were farmers and fishermen, although 

 there was a sprinkling of artificers and tradesmen. Light on the 

 previous condition of these people is derived from their testimony 

 before the commissioners of Loyalist claims in 1786 and 1787. From 

 this source it appears that some of them had been persons of property 

 in Albany and Charlotte counties, New York, at the outbreak of 

 the Revolution, had joined Burgoyne's expedition down the Hudson 

 and later served in various Loyalist regiments, including Jessup's, 

 Peters' and Rogers' corps, and the King's and Butler's Rangers. 

 At the close of hostilities a few of these provincials were quartered at 

 Machiche until they were sent to Chaleurs Bay, where a group of 

 them took part in settling New Carlisle. 2 The families of several 

 other refugees joined the small settlement of French Canadians at 

 New Richmond near the head of Cascapediac Bay, among these being 

 Captain Azariah Pritchard and his household. 3 As Pritchard was 

 one of the most notable Loyalists in the Gaspé Peninsula, it may not 

 be out of place to say something concerning his record. He was one of 

 a number of Connecticut men — among them, his father and brother — 

 who adhered to the cause of the Crown. During the opening months 

 of the Revolution he carried on operations at Milford, in southwestern 

 Connecticut, assisting not less than one hundred and sixty men 

 across the sound to Long Island. In 1777 he was tried by court- 

 martial at New Haven for conveying intelligence to the British, and 

 was acquitted, he tells us, by "bribing the presentor." He then made 

 his escape to Canada, and for three years served as a guide on the 

 eastern side of Lake Champlain, after which he raised a company for 

 the King's Rangers, and although commissioned as a captain continued 

 in the secret service until the close of the war. 4 With other Loyalists 

 he now undertook to found a settlement at Mississquoi Bay, near the 

 northern boundary of Vermont, but finding Haldimand unalterably 

 opposed to the plan, decided to settle at the Bay of Chaleurs along 

 with those he might induce to join him. As remarked above, he first 

 located at New Richmond, but later, apparently, drew several lots 

 at Paspebiac, and probably settled there. His military services were 

 rewarded by a grant of half-pay as captain, which he is said to have 

 received until his death in 1827. "He was to the last," says LeMoine," 



1 Bundle, "L. C, Administration, 1781-1783." (In the Dominion Archives at 

 Ottawa.) 



2 Second Report, Bureau of Archives, Ont., Pt. I, 152, 328-331, 335-338, 344, 

 345, 350; Pt. 11, 923, 1003. 



3 LeMoine, Chronicles of the St. Lawrence, 85. 



* Second Report, Bureau of Archives, Ont., Pt. 1, 349. 



