Archibald Harvie was baptised the 13 of March in 1743 at Dalry, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was the son of James Harvie of Dogartland, and came to Nova Scotia with his father, brother James, sister Margaret, mother Margaret and cousin John in May of 1760 aboard the sloop, Sally. Archibald and James his brother were not yet of legal age and did not qualify for a full share of 1000 acres in the first division for the new township of Newport. So when the Crown grant draw of 1762 was held, Archibald drew Newport Farm lot C, 3rd Div. No. 2, jointly with his brother James on February 18th.
Details of Archibald's life are to say the least, exceedingly sketchy. He married Amy Mosher, whose parents had accompanied the Harvies on the Sally from Rhode Island. They had eight children together. In a petition dated 19 July 1783 to Governor Parr, Archibald described his circumstances and desire for a share of ungranted land in the county.
"That the memoralist Archibald Harvie came to Newport with his father James Harvie in the year 1760 and resided with him until he married in the year 1766 and since resided on a hired farm but his family increasing having six sons and two daughters, he hopes he may be considered as entitled to a grant of land."
Archibald apparently lived as a farmer, as did most of the settlers at Newport. Why Archibald was residing on a rented (hired) farm is not clear. He had drawn 500 acres in the 1762 division of land. Perhaps the land had been sold to his brother James, or was not in a convienient area, on the other side of the Kennetcook River from the Newport settlement. Archibald and James may sold their original grants to their cousin John. There was much trading and selling of plots during the first years of settlement. The volumes of land transactions that cover the period from 27 August 1763 to 1 June 1802 record two separate land transactions between the sellers being James and Archibald Hervie (sic) (jointly) and the buyer being John Hervie (sic). Archibald or his son also purchased land from Peter Shey and Jerimiah baker sometime between 1810 and 1817. They were original grantees, and their lands lay between the Kennetcook and Cogmagun rivers.
Archibald may have been doing a bit of moonlighting as well, in order to make ends meet. On the 11 June, 1778 Archibald along with John Turner Jr., Benjamin Belcher, John Beckwith Jr. and John Robinson applied submitted petitions requesting licences to sell spiritous liquors in Kings County. There unfortunately is no record of whether their licences were granted, business entered into, and profits or losses realized. However it is known that Archibald's brother James Harvie, was involved in what was probably a barroom brawl in 1775, and was arrested and fined along with James' brother in law Stephen Wilcox, for disturbing the peace. Did this perhaps occur in Archibald's establishment? Research into the history of taverns in Newport township might help shed more moonlight on the subject.
Archibald was residing in the township when he attended the Township meeting on 13 Nov. 1797. He was among the group which requested a meeting regarding the boundaries of the township. In 1807 he applied for a subsidy for clearing two acres of land at Newport. He was assessed 1 shilling in the Newport poll tax of 1795. He served as tax collector on 1 Dec. 1789. Records of his death and burrial have not been located.
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