t of
their old time friends and neighbors were hostile to the crown.
Massachusetts was practically the cradle of the Revolution, and the
vast majority of its inhabitants were bitterly opposed to the King and
his government. But while Simonds, White and Hazen were Massachusetts
men they now held various official positions under the government of
Nova Scotia and had sworn true allegiance to the King. Very likely
they would have gladly assumed a neutral attitude in the approaching
contest, but alas for them the force of events left no room for
neutrality.

It is clear that at the beginning of the war the people of Massachusetts
hoped for the cordial support of the settlers on the River St. John. This
is probably the reason why the small colony at Portland Point was not
molested during the early stages of the war and that William Hazen was
able on two occasions to obtain the release of the company's schooner
"Polly" after she had been taken by American privateers. But as the war
progressed considerate treatment gave place to acts of vandalism, and the
sentiments of the settlers at St. John towards their old compatriots of
Massachusetts became intensely bitter. Their tenants in the township of
Conway were driven from their homes and obliged to seek refuge up the
river, and those living at Portland Point suffered equal hardships.

When the Loyalists arrived in 1783, it was proposed that the township
of Conway should be escheated for their benefit. James Simonds
protested stoutly against this, representing the expense that had been
incurred in the endeavor to settle the township and the losses and
sufferings of the tenants who were for a long time unprotected against
the depredations of the enemy. He adds, "Instead of our being stripped
of our rights to make amends for the losses of the Loyalists, who were
plundered in New York or elsewhere, we have at least as weighty
reasons as they can possibly offer to claim restitution from
Government for the value of all the property taken from us, our
distress by imprisonment, etc. They had a numerous British army to
protect them, we had to combat the sons of darkness alone. In a word
we had much less than they to hope for by unshaken loyalty and
incomparably more to fear."

The statement of Mr. Simonds is confirmed by Major Studholme who wrote
to Gov'r. Parr, "Messrs. Hazen and Simonds, two of the original
proprietors of Conway, have at different times placed a number of
settlers o