1799 in Canada

Events from the year 1799 in Canada.

← 1798 1797 1796 1799 in Canada → 1800 1801 1802
Decades:	1770s 1780s 1790s 1800s 1810s
See also:	History of Canada Timeline of Canadian history List of years in Canada

Incumbents

• Monarch: George III

Federal government

• Parliament of Lower Canada: 2nd
• Parliament of Upper Canada: 2nd

Governors

• Governor of the Canadas: Robert Prescott then Robert Milnes
• Governor of New Brunswick: Thomas Carleton
• Governor of Nova Scotia: John Wentworth
• Commodore-Governor of Newfoundland: John Elliot
• Governor of St. John's Island: Edmund Fanning
• Governor of Upper Canada: John Graves Simcoe then Peter Hunter

Events

• David Thompson marries Charlotte Small
• North West Company establishes a fur post at Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. The nearby Hudson's Bay Company fur post which is also established at this time is called Acton House.
• Alexander Mackenzie resigns from North West Company
• George Vancouver's Journeys to the North Pacific Ocean published in London
• Handsome Lake, a Seneca chief, founds the Longhouse religion
• Russian-American Fur Company chartered; launches aggressive policy in Aleutians and on Northwest Coast.
• American competition for West Indies trade kills Liverpool, Nova Scotia's merchant fleet.
• Alexander Baranov establishes Russian post known today as Old Sitka; trade charter grants exclusive trading rights to the Russian American Company.
• Vermont answers Indian chiefs, in Canada, that their claims were extinguished by treaties of 1763 and 1783 between France, Great Britain and the United States.
• Two cases are filed challenging slavery in New Brunswick: R v Jones and R v Agnew.

Births

• September 8 – Sir William Young, Premier of Nova Scotia (d.1887)
• October 30 – Ignace Bourget, bishop of the Diocese of Montreal (d.1885)

Full date unknown

• Joseph Cunard, merchant, shipbuilder and politician (d.1865)

Deaths

• January 15 – Alexander McKee, agent for the Indian Department (b.1735)

Full date unknown

• Philip Turnor, HBC inland surveyor (b.1751)

Historical documents

Lumber is rafted from Upper Canada to Montreal for shipment overseas, and carrying grain or potash, which can be kept as dry as in boats

Joseph Brandt gets intelligence from Delaware about French attempts to recruit "Southern and Western Indians" to invade Canada

"It is evident to every honest man, that it must be the wish of the people of the provinces, to be at peace with the people of the States"

President Adams' remarks on "first instance of" British impressment of U.S. sailors, and his orders to U.S. Navy to resist such action by force

Prince Edward to replace Robert Prescott as General and Commander in Chief of the Forces in British North America, occupying Halifax headquarters

Map: British North America from Atlantic Ocean to Rocky Mountains and Hudson Bay

Lower Canada

While hoping fever in L.C. is in decline, Gazette publishes "Rules of Prevention and Suppression of Epidemic[...]for the use of the Poor"

After recounting legal history of slavery, Montreal petitioners ask that "whenever any Panis or Negro Slave" escapes, they shall be jailed and returned

"[With] our Mother Country [opposing] the enemies of religion, rational liberty and good government, [it is] our duty to aid according to our abilities"

Auction sale: "937 Ship Timbers, 130 Oak Knees, 3,461 feet Pine Plank, and 8,346 feet Oak [plank, enough for 2 vessels of about 150 tons each]"

Call for bids to build court house, including masonry, carpentry, labourers, and Pointe-aux-Trembles, Beauport and Ange Gardien, and Cape stone

Visitor admires Catholic churches' "historic scripture paintings," providing rich, instructive scenes that Protestants stripped from their own churches

Gazette print shop offers for sale "Patent Piano Fortes with French frame,[...]German Flutes, Fifes, Clarinets and Hautboys and Reeds [for same]"

For sale: "About 50 Boxes Lemons and Oranges, just arrived[...]from Fayal [Azores]. The vessel having a short passage, they are in excellent order"

Quebec City furrier advertises "Gentleman's and Lady's Muff and Tippets" in wolf, bear, wolverine, fox, lynx, marten and other kinds of skin

Owner of mineral spring in "St. John Suburbs" of Quebec City publishes Dr. Nooth's certificate that waters may be remedy for various diseases

Upper Canada

"Dreading revolutions," Britain encourages U.S. farmers and labourers more than clergy and teachers, limiting new congregations and schools

Persons occupying land without "any Authority, Licence, or Title" must vacate it, and failing to do so will disqualify them from land grants

Widow whose eldest son left country wants late husband's deed put in her and other children's names in case son returns to claim father's land

"From unavoidable events," woman wants to sell Yonge Street lot granted her, but must get permission, which also includes 200-acre grant elsewhere

Woman's husband's land was taken in 1778 and he imprisoned, she escaped to U.C. where she is "old & infirm & very poor;" petition for land rejected

York, "beautifully situated" and "increasing very rapidly," has beach "considered so healthy by the Indians, that they go there whenever indisposed"

Dereham and Norwich townships, between Thames River and Lake Erie, are to be divided and sold in 3,000-acre lots, with bidders paying 50% down

Joseph Brant says Lt. Gov. Simcoe's obstruction of land rights promised Six Nations when Haldimand gave them Grand River causes "much anxiety"

Brant glad high Indian Department official is willing to send provisions to at least 90 "distressed" Indigenous people on Grand River

Brant wishes to sell 69,120 acres to government for transfer to Count de Puisaye, or "it would appear that our former freedoms is taken from us"

Visitor to Kingston profiles Molly Brant as "a faithful and useful friend in Indian affairs, [and who] receives a pension and compensation for losses"

Town wardens can take into apprenticeship any child whose parent has died or abandoned them, though children age 14 and older must consent

Nova Scotia

Doctors' offer to inoculate Haligonians against smallpox turned down, but any wanting their children inoculated are to be permitted (away from town)

Loyalist Thomas Henry Barclay arrives at Halifax from Annapolis en route to New York City to be Consul General for the Eastern States of America

"God is marvellously visiting" - Ministers in N.S. tell of great revival of Protestantism, with scores of baptisms and one church lengthened

Wilmot minister notes "wild spirit of Enthusiasm [in] greater part of the people in this neighbourhood" and "swarm of lay teachers" upholding it

Rev. Houseal, "Missionary to the Germans," dies at age 71 after 47 years of ministry to "Dutch" (Deutsch) of Maryland and then Halifax

Reward of £300 offered by government, plus another £300 from admiral commanding, for information on persons trying to burn Halifax dockyard

Digby man offers $20 reward for return of "Negro" Frances Zebb (28) who "has lost all the Toes off one of his Feet, and walks somewhat lame"

Newfoundlander John Richards and Irishman Edward Power deserted Royal Newfoundland Regiment in Halifax; 10 guinea reward for each

Call for proposals to deliver materials for new government buildings, including 30,000 square feet of "free-stone" and 80,000 bricks

Inspector of hospitals will no longer pay for articles he has not ordered or received

Day labourer, "a very poor man" unable to support 6 children under 12 years old, wants 500 acres outright or by occupation until he can pay for it

Day labourer asks for land grant to help support half-siblings he has taken charge of since his father died and mother remarried

Louisbourg veteran, 35 years in N.S., has spent last 17 years on land abandoned by rebel but pays latter's mother £3/yr., and wants that land granted

Windsor Township gristmill for sale or lease has barley shelling mill and oat kiln on 300-acre farm with soft and hard wood and freestone quarry

Margaret Doucett of Clare claims to have cured cancer "with the most trifling pain to the Person afflicted"

New Brunswick

Ward Chipman and S.S. Blowers agree that slavery has no basis in either statute or common law, but that it persists because courts favour enslavers

"Principal Mechanics of Fredericton" resolve that work day will amount to 10 hours, 6am–6pm with breakfast and dinner breaks

To keep out "Desolating Disorders," persons coming from U.S. places with yellow fever or other disease must have JP's written approval to land

Miramichi fishers ask Assembly to amend law allowing large nets in lower river and bay that kill so many fish that they can't support their families

Indigenous man Lewis Joseph granted land on Grand Lake to make harbour for his vessel carrying coal for government

Saint John mayor asks those "who wish to become Freemen of this City" to take "Oath of a free Citizen" before aldermen at city hall

Young ("about 19") Black woman and child for sale; she "is well acquainted with a Dairy, and understands all kinds of House-work"

Because of "jibing the sail," five men drown in mail boat that is upset while crossing to Saint Andrews

Hudson's Bay Company

HBC canoeists at Edmonton House refuse to work, some demanding higher wages, even when chief factor explains punishment they must expect

Ship supplying Fort Albany runs aground, leaving that post without any shot, which they try to make until supplied by other posts

Albany post cow led out "to endeavour to entice home the Cattle," but only old bull comes - "the rest are as wild as ever"

Elsewhere

Moravian missionaries pray "Esquimaux nation" in Labrador will be as "generally desirous of hearing the Gospel" as people in Antigua and St. Kitts

HMS Zenophon (22 guns) assigned 23 ships to convoy from England "for the Davis's Straights and Greenland trade"