On 29 July 1785 Governor John Parr of Nova Scotia granted 76 one acre lots to Black Loyalists outside of Digby. This land became inhabited by about 100 families. It was named Brinley Town (also spelled Brindley Town) for George Brinley who served as Commissary - General for British forces based in Halifax. He gave assistance to the Black Loyalists who went to Brinley Town. He died in 1809 and when his Will was probated it left his Estate to his "coloured wife Mary Brinley" as appears from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/1503, 3 Oct. 1809.
Will of George Brinley
After researching and writing about Loyalist cemeteries in Digby I was asked by a descendant of a resident of Brinley Town about a cemetery for blacks located on the former site. I visited the cemetery, investigated the names of people buried there, and in 2018 added information about some 70 persons to the Black Cemetery on Find a Grave.
Article about Brinley Town in Tri - County Vanguard Newspaper
Brinley Town did not last. The inhabitants were discouraged by their poor treatment and conditions in Nova Scotia. Many left with other Black Loyalists as part of a fleet of 15 ships which departed Halifax on 15 January 1792 for Sierra Leone. One of the leaders,who had been granted a lot in Brinley Town, was Thomas Peters. He became known as a "Founding Father" of the nation of Sierra Leone. In 2022, Peters was named a National Historic Person by the government of Canada.
During my visit to the Black Cemetery on the former site of Brinley Town in July 2018 I made a video which can be viewed below.
The marriage records of the Anglican Parish of Digby indicate on 12 December 1787, Thomas Tucker, a Black Loyalist, married Diana Saunders at Trinity Church. He was a former member of the Black Pioneers who served in the American Revolution and was granted one of the 76 one acre lots at Brinley Town in 1785. Chapter 8 of my book The Loyalists of Digby discusses these and other Black Loyalists who settled at Brinley Town. While many of the original inhabitants of Brinley Town moved away, some only went as far as nearby Acaciaville and Jordantown. Jordantown was named after the Jordan family who had previously resided at Brinley Town. In Acaciaville, a Baptist Church was started which is a member of the African United Baptist Church Association in Nova Scotia.
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