DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON

By

Actor and former professional wrestler Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson was born on 2 May 1972 in Hayward, California and is a seventh generation descendant of a Black Loyalist mentioned in the Book of Negroes who settled in Amherst, Nova Scotia. He holds dual American and Canadian citizenship.  

'The Rock'

The Rock is descended from James Bowles who arrived in Annapolis Royal from New York on board the ship named Joseph on 9 November 1783. His name appears in the Book of Negroes, spelled as James Bowels of age 28. It was a ledger of approximately 3,000 Black Loyalists made by the British before their evacuation from New York in 1783 which included names, ages, and origins.

Record in Book of Negroes 

During the American Revolution, James was a member of a unit called the Black Pioneers which served with the British. The force was a crucial, predominantly Black Loyalist military unit, formed in 1776, comprising formerly enslaved people who escaped to British lines for promised freedom. They served primarily as engineers, scouts, and laborers, building fortifications, clearing land, and constructing roads for the British Army under often dangerous conditions. 

It is believed James Bowles was born about 1755 possibly in Charleston, South Carolina or elsewhere in the south.  On 7 November 1775 the Dunsmore Declaration was issued by the Royal Governor of Virginia, John Murray, which provided that enslaved and indentured people belonging to rebels could obtain their freedom if they were willing and able to bear arms for the British.  It is estimated this drew up to 2,000 Black persons to flee their owners. Sir Henry Clinton, the Commander - in - Chief of British forces in North American went further in encouraging this by making the Philipsburg Proclamation on 30 June 1779 which declared that any enslaved person owned by a rebel who fled to British lines would receive protection, freedom, and the opportunity to reside in British controlled territory. 

The son of James Bowles, Cornelius Bowes, successfully applied for a grant of land under a plan for those who served with the British during the American Revolution and received 300 acres near Amherst, Nova Scotia in 1814. 

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has mixed ancestry. His father Wayde Douglas Johnson, born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, was of Black Loyalist and Irish ethnicity.  His mother, Ata Maivia, was Samoan and her father was the legendary Samoan wrestler and high chief Peter Maivia.



Further Reading:

Book of Negroes online at Nova Scotia Archives, accessed 17 February 2026

The Birthplace of the Book of Negroes by Brian McConnell, UE, published June, 2025




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

Popular posts from this blog

THE LOYALIST DIRECTORY

By
Image
The   Loyalist Directory  serves  as a key resource for genealogists and history enthusiasts to research ancestors who remained loyal to the British Crown and settled in Canada after the American Revolutionary War. It is a growing online database maintained by the UELAC. It is built from submissions and historical research.  There are over 7000 entries. I regularly refer to it to assist with my research.  First Page of Loyalist Directory You begin by entering a name you wish  to find. After I proved my ancestor James Humphrey, I submitted his information to  the Loyalist Directory. When his name is entered in the search field it appears. J ames Humphrey in Loyalist Directory   Some of the names in the database include links to copies of the Application for a Certificate of Loyalist Descent. These commonly include birth, death, and marriage dates for them and their families and basic biographical details like places of residence and service in...
Read more

THE LOYALIST TOWNSHIPS

By
Image
My ancestor James Humphrey who served with Jessup's Rangers during the American Revolution was granted land after the conflict to settle in  Edwardsburgh  Township.  There is a monument to him and other United Empire Loyalists at  Johnstown , within the township, which I visited as appears in a YouTube video near the bottom of this page.  Other Rangers received lands in  Augusta  ,  Elizabethtown , and  Ernestown   Townships.  These were four of the initial thirteen Loyalist Townships created in Upper Canada, now Ontario.  The Loyalist townships in Ontario  The original Loyalist townships created in Ontario for Loyalists were established beside the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The first survey marker was placed on 27 October 1783.  Eight of the townships were along the upper St. Lawrence River and five along the Bay of Quinte. They were given names associated with King George III and his children. Together wit...
Read more

WELCOME

By
Image
Greetings!  My 5th great grandfather was  James Humphrey, UE, a Private in Jessup's Rangers during the American Revolution who afterward settled with his family near Johnstown, Ontario.  I am an historian who has authored seven books and over forty articles about United Empire Loyalists. As well I volunteer with the  United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada . Monument to James Humphrey at  Johnstown Here I share some of what I have learned relating to the history of the United Empire (UE) Loyalists  in the hope it is useful to others and encourages their interest . I begin with an interactive map that I prepared. It includes details with links to images and videos about places, people, and events. "                                                                       ...
Read more