DELANCEY TOWN, BAHAMAS

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Delancey Town 
is an old neighborhood in Nassau, Bahamas, named after Stephen DeLancey, a prominent United Empire Loyalist and former Chief Justice of the Bahamas (1790–1797). After the American Revolution, he left New York and first settled in Nova Scotia.

Delancey Town (photo about 1890)


It is located near the western cemetery
and a street in the area, Delancey Street, 
retains the name.

There is also a community called Delancey 
Town on the island of South Eleuthora in
the Bahamas. 

After the American Revolution,  Loyalists, 
both black and white,  arriving in theBahamas massively boosted the
population.  Between 1783 and 1788, it 
is estimated 5,000 to 7,000 came. This 
doubled the white population and tripled
the black.

When Stephen DeLancey moved to the
Bahamas in 1790 to become Chief Justice,
he also managed a 900 acre cotton 
plantation on North Caicos and had 18 
black slaves. The plantation was known as Greenwich.

Stephen DeLancey was born in 1748 at 
West Farms, New York.  He studied law, 
moved to Albany, where he was clerk for the city and county.  In 1783,
he came to Nova Scotia where he was elected to serve in the House of 
Assembly from 1784 to 1789,
representing the Town of Annapolis Royal.  He was succeeded by his brother,
James DeLancey , another leader among United Empire Loyalists.

In 1797, Stephen DeLancey was made Governor of Tobago, a post he held until his death on 6 December 1798 at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire. With his wife Cornelia Barclay, he was survived by two children, William and Susan.

In the Bahamas, the surname Delancey
has continued to be present as evidenced by:

  • Justice Constance Delancey: Sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice of the Bahamas in late 2024.
  • Alistair Delancey: Appointed as the Director of Operations for Royal Caribbean’s Royal Beach Club Paradise Island.
  • Chad Delancey: A professional baseball player born in Nassau.



Further Reading:

Homeward Bound by Sandra Riley




Historian & Author; Member of United Empire Loyalists ' Association of Canada, Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia, Ulster Historical & Genealogical Guild (Life)

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