1791. Governor Parr died on 25th November this year, in the 66th year of
his age, and the ninth of his government. He was buried with military
honours, under St. Paul's Church, on the 29th of the month. The
procession moved from Government House to St. Paul's Church, in the
following order:--All the Lodges of the Freemasons, (His Excellency
having been the Grand Master,) the 20th regiment as the firing party,
the Church Wardens, the Physicians of deceased, the Clergy, the Bishop,
the body covered by a pall adorned by eight escutcheons, Pall-bearers,
Hon. A. Brymer, Major Boyd, the Commissioner of the Dockyard, the
Admiral, the Hon. S. S. Blowers, Hon. Thomas Cochran, Major Rawlinson,
the General, the relatives and servants of deceased, particular friends,
the Sheriff of the county, members of Council, viz., Morris, Bulkeley
and Newton, Judges Brenton and Hutchinson, the treasurer of the
province, the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Custos of the county and
Justice Binney, Magistrates of the town, the bar, staff of the army,
officers of the navy and army, officers of militia, gentlemen of the
town, and the whole garrison all under arms, lining the streets. Minute
guns were fired by the men-of-war in the harbor and by the Royal
Artillery, during the procession. The service was performed by the
bishop, Dr. Charles Inglis, and the body was buried under the middle
aisle.
During the autumn and winter, a number of black people from different
parts of the province were brought to Halifax, to be removed to Sierra
Leone. Michael Wallace was agent, who on 5th December, advertised for
1000 tons of shipping, for the purpose. Ships "Venus," "Parr,"
"Eleanor;" Brigs "Betsy," "Beaver," "Mary," "Morning Star," "Catherine,"
"P. W. Henry;" Schrs. "Liberty," and "Two Brothers," the whole commanded
by Lieutenant Clarkson, having on board the colored people, all sailed
for Sierra Leone on 15th January, 1792. The hire and damages amounted to
£3965 8s. 0d. sterling. This expense was borne by the Sierra Leone
Company. These colored people were chiefly those who came from the old
provinces with the Loyalists. They formed a colony in Africa, called the
"Nova Scotia colony,"[56] which still exists, and about 15 years since
several old negroes were living who recollected the removal from
Halifax, when children. The fleet arrived at their destination after a
passage of 40 days. The number embarked was 1139. The day of arrival was
28th March, and the 28th March in every year is still kept up by the
adherents of the Lady Huntingdon Congregation at Sierra Leone, as the
anniversary of the arrival of their fathers in the colony.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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