HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Rawdon is a former township in the
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
province of
Nova Scotia Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
. The township was the eventual destination of
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...
fleeing the
Siege of Ninety Six The siege of Ninety Six was a siege in western South Carolina late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fort ...
during the American Revolutionary War. In 1861, along with the township of Douglas, Nova Scotia, the Rawdon township became part of the newly formed Municipal District of East Hants, along with neighbouring townships. The Rawdon township area is now the site of the present-day communities of Upper Rawdon, Centre Rawdon, South Rawdon, and Rawdon Gold Mines.


History


Rawdon township

The first European settlers in the Rawdon Township, Nova Scotia were
United Empire Loyalists United Empire Loyalist (UEL; or simply Loyalist) is an honorific title which was first given by Guy Carleton, 1st Baron Dorchester, the 1st Lord Dorchester, the governor of Province of Quebec (1763–1791), Quebec and Governor General, governor ...
who had to flee their homes in
Ninety Six, South Carolina Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States, located approximately 9 miles northeast of the county seat, Greenwood, South Carolina, Greenwood. As of the 2020 census, the town had a population of 2,076, making it the ...
. They first went east, taking refuge behind British lines in Charleston. About 501 Rawdon loyalists, as well as members of the 2nd American Regiment, were relocated from South Carolina to Nova Scotia in 1782 after the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
. They named their community after Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings or "Lord Rawdon", who had rescued them from the 1781
Siege of Ninety-Six The siege of Ninety Six was a siege in western South Carolina late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fort ...
. The British had garrisoned a fort in this settlement because of its strategic location in western South Carolina, and as support for the many Loyalists in the area, most Scots-Irish immigrants. Stationed in Charleston after its fall, Lord Rawdon and his regiment, the Volunteers of Ireland (also known as The 2nd American Regiment), rescued the Rawdon Loyalists, who were severely outnumbered by about 1500 American Patriots. One of the most prominent Loyalists to survive the siege and settle in Rawdon was Captain John Bond, who was then part of the militia.Troxler, Carole W. "A Loyalist Life: John Bond of South Carolina and Nova Scotia"
''Acadiensis'' XIX, 2 (spring/printemps 1990): 72-91
Some of the troops who assisted Lord Rawdon in the
Siege of Ninety-Six The siege of Ninety Six was a siege in western South Carolina late in the American Revolutionary War. From May 22 to June 18, 1781, Continental Army Major General Nathanael Greene led 1,000 troops in a siege against the 550 Loyalists in the fort ...
were from the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants), as well as the 2nd American Regiment. After the American Revolution, many of the troops of the 84th Regiment and 2nd American Regiment settled in the neighbouring Township of Douglas (i.e., Kennetcook, Nova Scotia and the surrounding area). (The 1st and 2nd Battalions of De Lancey's Brigade fought successfully from within the fort until the siege was lifted by Rawdon. The soldiers of the De Lancey's Brigade settled Woodstock, New Brunswick.) Abraham Cunard, the Loyalist merchant and father of shipping magnate
Samuel Cunard Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet (21 November 1787 – 28 April 1865), was a British-Canadian shipping magnate, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line, establishing the first scheduled steamship connection with North America. ...
, retired to the Cunards' country home in Rawdon. He is buried at the St. Paul's graveyard in Centre Rawdon. In 1861, Rawdon Township became part of the newly formed Municipal District of East Hants, along with neighbouring townships.


Upper Rawdon

Upper Rawdon was once known for the "Rawdon Picnic", a church fundraiser that happened on
Canada Day Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is the national day of Canada. A Public holidays in Canada, federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, with the passing of the B ...
(Known as "Dominion Day" at the time). The picnics included baby parades, beauty contests, tug of war contests, carnival rides, church suppers and square dancing. The last Rawdon Picnic was held in 1975.


Centre Rawdon

Abraham Cunard, the Loyalist merchant and father of shipping magnate
Samuel Cunard Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet (21 November 1787 – 28 April 1865), was a British-Canadian shipping magnate, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line, establishing the first scheduled steamship connection with North America. ...
, retired to the Cunards' country home in Rawdon. He is buried at the St. Paul's graveyard in Centre Rawdon. Samuel Cunard's Forefathers,” Part 4, ‘’Blue Pete.Com’’
/ref>


References

* Moss, Bobby G. ''The Loyalists in the Siege of Fort Ninety-Six'' (1999). South Carolina: Scotia-Hibernia Press (has been digitized by University of Wisconsin) * Troxler, Carole W. "Origins of the Rawdon Loyalist Settlement," ''Nova Scotia Historical Review'' 8, 1 (1988): 62–76. * Troxler, Carole W. "Community and Cohesion in the Rawdon Loyalist Settlement," ''Nova Scotia Historical Review'' 12 (June 1992): 40–66.


External links



Early Settlement of Rawdon - The East Hants Historical Society {{NSEastHants Former populated places in Nova Scotia