The 6th General Assembly of Nova Scotia represented Nova Scotia between November 1785 to 1793.
The Assembly sat at the pleasure of the Governor of Nova Scotia, Edmund Fanning until 1786, and then under Governor John Parr.
Sessions In 1785, the Speaker of the House was Sampson Salter Blowers In 1789, the speaker was Richard John Uniacke. A writ for the election of the 6th General Assembly of Nova Scotia was issued on 21 October 1785, returnable by 1 December 1785. The assembly convened on 5 December 1785, held seven sessions, and was dissolved on 22 January 1793.
Governor and Council At the convening of the assembly: Governor: John Parr Lieutenant Governor: Edmund Fanning
After April 1786: Governor-in-Chief of British North America: Guy Carleton Lieutenant Governor: John Parr -died 25 November 1791 Administrator: Richard Bulkeley -served as acting governor Lieutenant Governor: Sir John Wentworth -named 14 May 1792
Technically, Gov. Carleton was appointed not as governor general, but as Governor of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and St. John's Island (four simultaneous appointments). Since a governor only has power when actually in their jurisdiction, the three additional appointments were effectively meaningless, with Lt. Gov. Parr serving as acting governor.
The members of the Council are currently under research.
House of Assembly
Officers Speaker of the House: Sampson Salter Blowers of Halifax County -appointed to Council 3 January 1788. Richard John Uniacke of Halifax County -elected 5 March 1789. Clerk of the House: James Boutineau Francklin Sergeant at Arms: Adolphus Veith -appointed 10 March 1790
Division of seats The customary assignment of seats was continued: 4 seats assigned to Halifax County, 2 seats to the other counties and to Halifax Township, and 1 seat to the other townships, for a total of 39 seats.
Sunbury County, Sackville Township and Cumberland Township were no longer represented, as they had become part of the Province of New Brunswick in 1784. Digby Township, Shelburne Township, Shelburne County, and Sydney County had been newly established and were granted representation.
Members Electoral DistrictNameFirst elected / previously electedNotesAmherst TownshipWilliam Freeman1783election declared invalid 9 December 1785, not an inhabitant.Charles Hill (1786)1786by-election, took seat 8 June 1786.Annapolis CountyThomas Henry Barclay1785David Seabury 1785election declared invalid 8 December 1785, re-elected, took seat 10 June 1786, election again declared invalid 15 June 1786.Alexander Howe (1786) 1786declared duly elected, took seat 15 June 1786.Annapolis TownshipCol. Stephen De Lancey 1784appointed to office in the Bahamas, seat declared vacant 6 April 1789.A website () claims he was named to Council in 1786, but this appears to be a case of confusion with his brother James.James Delancey (1790)1790by-election, took seat 26 February 1790.Barrington TownshipJoseph Aplin 1785took seat 21 December 1785, seat declared vacant 6 April 1789, having been out of the province for two years.Gideon White (1790)1790by-election, took seat 1 March 1790.Cornwallis TownshipBenjamin Belcher1785took seat 8 December 1785.Cumberland CountyJohn Butler Dight1785Christopher Harper1785seat declared vacant 7 December 1785, not an inhabitant.Philip Marchington (1786)1786by-election, took seat 8 June 1786.Thomas Watson 1785improperly elected due to error in the writ. He petitioned on 14 June 1786 to take Harper's seat, but Marchington had already been seated.Digby TownshipThomas Millidge1785took seat 10 June 1786.Falmouth TownshipJeremiah Northup 1775apology for non-attendance accepted on 16 June 1791.Granville TownshipBenjamin James1785Halifax CountySampson Salter Blowers 1785appointed to Council 3 January 1788.Charles Morris (1788)1785by-election, 22 February 1788, took seat 12 March 1789.Richard John Uniacke1785John George Pyke1779Michael Wallace1785Halifax TownshipJohn Fillis1785William Cochran1785Hants CountyBenjamin DeWolf1782Winckworth Tonge 1785died 2 February 1792.George Henry Monk (1792)1792by-election, took seat 18 June 1792.Horton TownshipGurdon Denison 1785apology for non-attendance accepted on 23 June 1791.Kings CountyJonathan Crane1784Elisha Lawrence 1785resolved 6 April 1789 seat to be declared vacant if he did not attend the next session, but he did attend.Liverpool TownshipEphraim Dean1785died on 27 January 1787.George William Sherlock (1787)1787by-election, 14 March 1787, took seat 25 October 1787. Election declared invalid 13 November 1787, reelected 11 December 1787, took seat 5 March 1789.Londonderry TownshipJames Smith 1785seat declared vacant 6 April 1789 as a public defaulter.Robert McElhinney (1790)1790by-election, took seat 25 February 1790.Lunenburg CountyDettlieb Christopher Jessen1785John William Schwartz1773Lunenburg TownshipCasper Wollenhaupt1783Newport TownshipJohn Day Jr. 1785resigned 8 June 1791, appointed sheriff of Hants County.William Cottnam Tonge (1792)1792by-election, took seat 8 June 1792.Onslow TownshipCharles Dickson 1776took seat 12 December 1785.Queens CountySimeon Perkins1765Benajah Collins 1784took seat 17 June 1786.Shelburne CountyAlexander Leckie 1785took seat 17 December 1785 after election was contested and declared valid.Charles McNeal 1785took seat 17 December 1785 after election was contested and declared valid.Shelburne TownshipIsaac Wilkins 1785took seat 17 December 1785 after election was contested and declared valid.Sydney CountyJames Michael Freke Bulkeley 1785took seat 8 June 1786.James Putnam 1785took seat 8 June 1787.Truro TownshipMatthew Archibald1785Windsor TownshipJohn McMonagle1785Yarmouth TownshipSamuel Sheldon Poole1785
Note: Unless otherwise noted, members were elected at the general election, and took their seats at the convening of the assembly. By-elections are special elections held to fill specific vacancies. When a member is noted as having taking their seat on a certain date, but a by-election isn't noted, the member was elected at the general election but arrived late.
References
External links David Allison; "History of Nova Scotia", Bowen, Halifax, 1916. Journal and proceedings of the General Assembly of the province of Nova-Scotia ... summoned ... Halifax, the 5th December, 1785 ... (1785)