Joseph Fairbanks (September 17, 1718 – July 10, 1790) was a merchant and political figure in Nova Scotia. He was a member of the

1st General Assembly of Nova Scotia The General Assembly of Nova Scotia was established by a proclamation of the Governor in Council on May 20, 1758. A writ for the election of the 1st General Assembly of Nova Scotia was issued by May 22, returnable at the convening of the assembly o ...

and later represented Halifax Township in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly from 1776 to 1785. He was born in Sherborn, Massachusetts, and moved to Halifax in 1749. In that year, he married his second wife, Elizabeth Wooton. He married Lydia Blackden in 1756. He served as lieutenant during the first siege of

Louisbourg Louisbourg is an unincorporated community and former town in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. History The French military founded the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1713 and its fortified seaport on the southwest part of the harbour, ...

in 1745. In his last will and testament he freed his slave.p. 84
/ref> He died in Halifax at the age of 87 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground (Halifax, Nova Scotia).

References

* ''A Directory of the Members of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia, 1758-1958'', Public Archives of Nova Scotia (1958) 1718 births 1796 deaths American slave owners Nova Scotia pre-Confederation MLAs People from Sherborn, Massachusetts People from Halifax, Nova Scotia {{NovaScotia-MLA-stub