We have taken pains to transcribe a number of original historical documents so that you can develop a sense of what life was like for the Black Loyalists. We have taken particular pains to transcribe those personal accounts that exist of their lives.

We freely encourage anyone who finds these transcriptions useful to include them in their own sites or cite them in their research papers, although we request that you include a link to this site if you do so. We hope that making primary sources available in this manner will encourage scholoarship in this fascinating field.

Personal Accounts

Boston King's Memoirs

A particularly facinating story of the life of one Black Loyalist's experiences in slavery, military service, and as a religious leader.

David George's A Life

Tells the remarkable story of David George, the celebrated founder of the African Baptist Church in both Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone.

John Marrant's Journal

Tells the story of Marrant's ministry as a Calvinist Methodist in Nova Scotia, and the many trials he faced while preaching here.

John Clarkson's Clarkson's Mission to America

This chronicle tells the story of John Clarkson's voyage to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to recruit settlers for the Sierra Leone Colony. Includes many descriptions of Black Loyalist life at the time and letters from some of the participants.

Benjamin Marston's Journal

An invaluable resources for understanding the circumstances of Shelburne's settlement. In particular, it contains descriptions of the events around the founding of Birchtown and leading up to the Shelburne Riot.

Excerpt from William Booth's Diary

From the diary of one of Shelburne's commander comes one of the only surviving descriptions of Birchtown and it's secular leader, Colonel Stephen Blucke.

Excerpt from William Dyott's Diary

A brief excerpt describing Birchtown a a 'wretched place'.

Letters

Blucke: Interventon Letter

A short letter petitioning the chief magistrate to release one Thomas Foster from prison.

Letter to Marston Suggesting Cuttting out of Annapolis Road

Marston's Description of Shelburne

Renaming Port Roseway Shelburne

Request for Extension of King's Bounty

Instructions for Military Post at Port Roseway

Letter from Lady Huntingdon to John Marrant

Letter from John Marrant to Lady Huntingdon

Invitation to Marrant to visit Liverpool

Letter from Margaret Blucke to Marrant requesting information about Stephen Blucke

Official Documents and Proclamations

Lord Dunmore's Proclamation - Nov 1775

Virginia Congress's Response to Dunmore's Proclamation - Dec 1775

Treaty of Paris - 1783

Carleton's Orders regarding the Black Loyalists.

List of Black Indentured Servants from 1784 Audit of ng's Bounty

Muster list for Colonel Blucke's Company in Birchtown, July 1784

Fine against Colonel Blucke for Defamation?

Sale of land to Jacob Aaron by Ishmael York.

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