Extracts from Public Record Office
(Kew, England)
Document Reference WO12/5101
37th Regiment of Foot
Miscellaneous British Soldiers Discharged at Shelburne or Halifax Between the Years
1783 and 1791
*All soldiers listed are Privates unless otherwise stated
Background notes:
These soldiers' names have been extracted from the muster rolls for the 37th Regiment of Foot (various companies) stationed at Shelburne and Halifax, Nova Scotia between 1783 and 1791. There were several thousand soldiers in the 37th Regiment during this period but I have extracted ONLY those who were identified on the muster rolls as having been discharged.
Therefore, this is a miscellaneous list only and is published here not as part of an on-going research project on the 37th or any other regiment but simply because I came across the documents at the PRO and thought the large number of names of men who very likely settled in the area could be useful for those trying to establish when their emigrant ancestor arrived in Nova Scotia.
Because these names are small extractions from much larger documents, strictly speaking they are not subject to copyright. However, the publication of these names on the Chignecto site is intended for personal research only: if you wish to make any other use of them you are strongly urged to consult the original documents and to apply to the Public Record Office, Kew, for permission:
I am more than happy to try to answer any questions you may have concerning the documents, and can (depending on current workload!) offer limited voluntary research at the PRO. With respect to these particular records, I would advise that you would be extremely lucky to find much more information than is reproduced on this list - early army records contain very little information, and discharge documents (which would in theory at least give you a birth place and enlistment date, and perhaps a description of the soldier) for this period can be quite rare. And, as I have mentioned in other military lists posted to Chignecto, even if you find a soldier whose name matches the one you seek, there is rarely a way of proving "John Smith" in one record if the same as "John Smith" in another, or that he is indeed YOUR "John Smith". Neertheless, I hope that these names will assist you in your searches. Please feel free to contact me on
The names listed have been extracted by me from the original document which in some cases was very faint and/or deteriorating to such an extent that some names were very difficult to decipher. The spellings used are as in the original, even though they may not follow the more standardised spelling we use today. So, inasmuch as it is possible to proof read such non-standard spellings, that has been done.
EXTRACTS FROM PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
(KEW, ENGLAND)
DOCUMENT REFERENCE WO12/5101
37TH REGIMENT OF FOOT
MISCELLANEOUS BRITISH SOLDIERS DISCHARGED AT SHELBURNE OR HALIFAX BETWEEN THE YEARS
1783 AND 1791
*All soldiers listed are Privates unless otherwise stated
Last Name of Soldier / First Name of Soldier / Date of Discharge / Place of Discharge?rerring / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Alcock / Thomas (from 12th Reg't 10 Nov 1790) / 22 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Allwood / Thomas / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Ancoate / George / 29 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Andrews / Richard / 7 Sept 1786 / Halifax
Archer / Thomas, Sgt / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Armour / James / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Armstrong / Thomas / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Bailey / James / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Baldwin / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Baldwin / John, Corporal / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Barns / John / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Barret / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Barry / David / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Bastow / Jonathan (rejected recruit; enlisted 9 Sept) / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Bate / Anthony / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Beach / Benjamin / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Beanland / Henry / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Beeston / James, Corporal / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Billingham / Elam / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Bogg / John / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Bollingsby / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Bond / Francis / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Bott / George / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Bowls / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Bradley / Thomas / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Branch / Daniel / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Bratt / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Brodrick / Edward / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Brown / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Brown / Robert (reduced from Drummer 1 March) / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Bruce / James / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Buck / Richard / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Bumford / Benjamin / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Buntine / Edward / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Burgen / William / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Burke / Thomas (from the 33rd Regiment 25 Aug) / 13 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Butler / James / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Button / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Cameron / Allen / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Campbell / Archibald / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Campbell / Walter / 25 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Cane / Richard / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Carnon / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Carnon / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Carter / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Chambers / Edward / 2 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Chambry / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Champion / William / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Chapman / Henry / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Chapman / William / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Clark / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Coats / Robert / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Cole / William / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Coleman / Murdoch / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Collingwood / William / 6 Aug 1786 / Halifax
Collins / Samuel / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Cooper / Charles / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Cotton / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Cox / Benjamin / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Craige / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Crooks / James / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Cropper / Robert / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Crosley / Thomas / 24 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Crossley / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Crowther / Abraham / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Crowther / Joseph / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Crump / John / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Cuttler / Benjamin / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Dale / James / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Dane / Joseph / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Darby / John / 3 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Davis / Luke / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Davis / Edward / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Dignal / Thomas / 22 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Dines / Charles / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Dout / George (rejected recruit; enlisted 19 July) / 28 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Dowler / Thomas / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Driver / Joseph / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Drury / Cornelius / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Duffey / Edward / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Durdle / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Dyer / William / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Eatley / John, Sgt / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Ebington / William (reduced from Drummer 1 March) / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Edge / William / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Elliott / Thomas / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Fegan / Richard / 20 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Fiddes / Walter / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Finch / Jesse / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Findley / James / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Fisher / Thomas / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Fisher / Thomas / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Flanagan / Dennis / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Flanagan / Patrick (rejected recruit - enlisted 10 June) / 9 Aug 1789 / Halifax
Fletcher / Thomas / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Fletcher / Joseph / 2 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Forrest / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Fowler / Samuel / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Fowls / William / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Fownes / William, Corporal / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Freemantle / Henry, Corporal / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Freemantle / Henry, Corporal / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
French / Castteton (?) / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Galagher / Roger, Drummer / 16 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Galaspie / Peter / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Galispie / John / 2 Apr 1791 / Halifax
Gellon / John / 24 June 1789 / Halifax
Gibson / William / 29 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Gillespie / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Glover / John / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Golfs (Goffs?) / Edward / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Goodfellow / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Gostage / William / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Gouch / John / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Gough / Richard / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Gowey / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Grant / Alexander / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Green / Ephanias / 26 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Greenhalgh / Thomas / 7 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Greenwood / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Greenwood / John / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Gregory / James / 30 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Grimshaw / John / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Grovenor / Benjamin / 24 Apr 1786 / Halifax
Groves / Samuel / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Hands / James, Drummer / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Hands / Daniel / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Hankerson / Thomas / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Harding / John / 2 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Hardy / William / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Harris / Thomas, Corporal / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Harris / Paul / 9 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Harris / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Hartley / James / 2 Apr 1791 / Halifax
Haurton / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Hawkins / Nathaniel / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Hawkins / John (reduced from Sgt 28 Sept) / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Hayhoe / John / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Heap / Edward / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Hield / James / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Higgerton / Thomas / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Higgins / Arthur / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Hildilch / Samuel / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Hill / Thomas / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Hill / Charles / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Hinton / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Hodgson / William / 9 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Holmes / Richard / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Holt / Hugh / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Houghton / Thomas / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Howarth / Abraham / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Hughes / Harper / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Hughes / James / 2 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Humphries / Joseph / 22 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Hunter / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
James Bracken / James, Sgt / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Jenkins / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Jennings / Thomas, Sgt / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Jonas / George / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Jones / William / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Kay / Joseph (rejected recruit; enlisted 13 Sept?) / 2 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Kilgo / Thomas / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
King / Matthew / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Kitchen / Edward / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Knowls / Samuel / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Lane / William / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Lawson / Thomas (reduced from Drummer 1 March) / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Lead / Michael / 20 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Leonard / Joseph / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Lewis / William, Corporal / 24 June 1789 / Halifax
Lewis / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Lewis / Walter / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Lightbody / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Lloyd / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Lockwood / Samuel / 26 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Loud / John / 26 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Mackrell / John / 26 Jan 1787 / Halifax
Marsh / Joseph / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Mason / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Mason / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Mason / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Mason (two entries for same name) / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Massey / John / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Maze / James / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Mazie / Thomas / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
McCloud / Edward / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
McElish / Drewry / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
McGonigal / William / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
McGregor / James / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
McLellan / David / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
McLellan / James / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Middleton / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Midgley / John / 7 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Milhouse / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Mills / John / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Milwood / Benjamin / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Monroe / Robert / 14 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Moon / Samuel / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Moorhouse / Thomas, Corporal / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Mortimer / Thomas (rejected recruit; enlisted 14 Oct) / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Morton / John / 6 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Murray / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Neaves / John / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Newbury / James / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Newby / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Norris / John (reduced from Drummer 1 March) / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Nowlan / Dennis / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Oak / Cornelius / 31 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Odlin / Edward / 9 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Palmer / James / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Pardoe / John, Corporal / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Park / Joseph / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Parks / Samuel / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Paterson / Alexander, Sgt / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Perks / Samuel / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Peters / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Pollard / John (rejected recruit: enlisted 13 May, attested 17th May) / 26 Jun 1789 / Halifax
Price / Charles / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Primes / Lanty / 16 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Quin / Francis / 1 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Raynor / Richard / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Reed / Robert / 24 June 1789 / Halifax
Rivers / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Robertshaw / George (rejected recruit; enlisted 30 Sept) / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Robinson / John / 22 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Robinson / Thomas / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Roston / Edward / 11 July 1789 / Halifax
Russell / John / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Russell / Edward / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Sadler / Thomas / 3 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Schofield / James / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Seyorum (?) / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Shephard / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Shuttlewood / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Sidway / John, Drummer / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Smallwood / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Smith / David / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Smith / Benjamin / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Smith / George / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Smith / Christopher / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Smith / Joseph / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Smith / Christopher / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Smith / George / 14 July 1786 / Halifax
Smith / Edward / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Smith / John / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Southwell / Richard / 9 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Southwood / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Spooner / Samuel / 19 Oct 1789 / Halifax
Stanton / William / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Stephens / Christopher / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Stewart / Charles / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Stewart / Robert / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Stewart / George / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Stone / Benjamin / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Stone / Joseph / 23 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Storach / Walter / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Stottard / Richard, Sgt / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Stratton / Samuel / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Suge / Samuel / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Summers / William / 6 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Sutcliff / John / 26 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Sutton / Stephen / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Sutton / Stephen / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Swift / Thomas, Corporal / 6 Feb 1791 / Halifax
Swift / James / 24 Dec 1791 / Halifax
Tarran (?) / William / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Thalow / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Thompson / John / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Tonkis / William / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Towler / John / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Trumlet / James / 18 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Tunkis / Edward / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Turner / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Underhill / Thomas / 24 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Venners / Thomas / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Walker / Joseph / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Walker / William / illeg. (looks like Sept) / Halifax
Wall / William / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Wallis / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Ward / John / 2 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Warren (rejected recruit) / William / 22 Jan 1789 / Halifax
Wass (Waff?) / Robert / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Watson / Thomas / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Watson / Robert / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Watson / Robert / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Watson / William (rejected recruit; enlisted 13 Sept) / 28 Dec 1790 / Halifax
Watson / Thomas / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Watts / Christopher / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Watts / John / 24 Oct 1786 / Halifax
Wells / Thomas / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Wells / Dudley / 24 Oct 1783 / Shelburne
Welsh / John / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Westwood / Joseph / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Whalley / William (rejected recruit; enlisted 5 Dec) / 2 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Wharton / William / 31 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Wheeler / John / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
White / Richard / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Whitehouse / Isaac / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Wihtehead / Samuel / 21 Mar 1791 / Halifax
Williams / John, Sgt / 24 Dec 1786 / Halifax
Williams / Thomas / 6 Jan 1791 / Halifax
Williams / John / 2 April 1791 / Halifax
Winter / William, Corporal / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Wright / James / 24 Dec 1783 / Shelburne
Wyate / James / 28 Dec 1790 / Halifax