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DURING THE WAR OF 1812, MANY SLAVES STRUCK A BLOW FOR FREEDOM
BY SEEKING REFUGE WITHIN THE BRITISH LINES OR BY FLEEING TO THE BRITISH
WARSHIPS, MANY WERE ATTRACTED BY VICE ASMIRAL COCHRANE'S PROCLAMATION OF
APRIL 2, 1814 THAT FREED SLAVES WHO FOUGHT AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. AVAILABLE
RECORDS DISCLOSE THAT SEVERAL HUNDRED REFUGEES REACHED HALIFAX ON THE FOLLOWING
SHIPS, HMS ARAB, LORD COLLINGWOOD IN 1814, THE EREBUS, HMS BRUNE, HMS CEYLON,
HMS NYMPH, BORER, ESPOIR, COROMANDEL AND NARCISSUS IN 1815 AND HMS CERES
IN 1816. THESE FREED REFUGEES TO NOVA SCOTIA CALLED THE CHEEAPEAKE BLACKS,
NUMBERED 1619 ON DECEMBER 30, 1816, OF WHICH 504 SETTLED IN THE COMMUNITY
OF UPPER HAMMONDS PLAINS. REFLECTION OF THE COMMUNIES HISTORY STIRS MEMORIES
OF THE HARDSHIPS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND DEDICATION OF THE FOUNDING SETTLERS
- BLACK REFUGEES OF THE WAR OF 1812 FACED WITH DEPLORABLE LIVING CONDITIONS
AND NUMEROUS OBSTACLES. THE RESIDENTS OF UPPER HAMMONDS PLAINS ROSE ABOVE
THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF LIFE, AND LEFT BEHIND A PROUD LEGACY FOR THEIR DESCENDANTS.
THE ORIGINAL FAMILY NAMES OF UPPER HAMMONDS PLAINS IN 1815 ARE AS FOLLOWS:
ALEXANDER, ARNOLD, BAILY(BAILEY), BASAMA, BAPTIST, BEEN, BINGLEY, BOULLEN,
BROOKINBERY, BROWN, BUTLER, CAROLINA, CARTER, COCHRAN, COOPER, COPY, CUNARD,
DAVIS(DAVID), DAYS, DEBROKER, DEYOUNG, DRAKE, EDWARDS, ELLISON(ALLISON),
FITZHUS, FORESTER, FOX, FRANSIVA, GIGGY, GINGHAM, GLOSTING, GOFFINGAN,
GOODRY, GRANT, GRIFFIN, GLASGOW, GRIMES, HAMILTON, HARDING, HARRISSON,
HORSEMAN, HOPE, JACKSON, JENKINS, JESSAMA, JOHNSON, JOHNSTON, KING, LACROSS,
LAFONTUNE, LAMO, LARAMA, LEE, LEWIE, MANIGO, MANTLEY, MARSHMAN(MARSMAN),
MATHEWS, MAXWELL, MCCARTY, MCCLEW, MCINTOSH, MCNEISH, MEROY, MERSY, MITCHELL,
MOT, MOVILE, MURRAY, NEWTON, PALMER, PARKER, PASCO, PEIR(PIER), PENCIL,
PETION, POLLODORE, RANOLE, RANTHAM, ROGERS, ROSS, ROWE, RUSHLEY, RYAN,
SANDERS, SMITH, SOLMIT, STEWART, STEWBAND, STUBBERFIELD, TAYLOR, THOMAS,
TYSON, VERRICE, WALLACE, WATKIN, WATTS, WEARING, WEBB, WILEY(WHILEY), AND
WILLIAMS.
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