Abraham Cunard
Encyclopedia
Abraham Cunard was a United Empire Loyalist carpenter, timber merchant, and ship owner from Halifax
, Nova Scotia
, best known as the father of shipping magnate Samuel Cunard
.
Abraham Cunard was a descendant of Thones Kunders, a German Quaker who immigrated to Pennsylvania
in 1683. Abraham Cunard enjoyed youthful success as a timber merchant and shipowner, but his entire fleet was confiscated by rebels in the American Revolution
and Cunard came to Halifax with the Loyalist migration in 1783. He worked as a foreman carpenter with the British Army. In 1799 he was appointed master carpenter of the Royal Engineers at the Halifax garrison by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the commander-in-chief in British North America. Cunard held his post until he retired in 1822.
Cunard also pursued a private business career, building and buying wharves, warehouses and considerable land holdings. In July 1812, he founded the firm of A. Cunard and Sons to enter the timber and West Indian trade. Cunard acquired valuable timber holdings in Nova Scotia’s Cumberland County
and later in Hants County
where one of his employees was Jacob Hall, father of William Hall, the Victoria Cross winner. Cunard provided timber to the Royal Navy's Halifax Naval Yard
and to export markets in Britain and the West Indies. He also owned ships and traded to the West Indies as well as acting as an agent for other shipowners.
In the War of 1812, Cunard prospered, purchasing captured ships and cargoes and supplying British forces with risky but rewarding wartime trading. One of his ships, the schooner Margaret was captured by American privateers in 1814 but recaptured and returned to Cunard.
In 1783, Abraham Cunard married Margaret Murphy (1758-1821), another Loyalist whose family had immigrated to South Carolina from Ireland in 1773. They had had nine children, two girls and seven boys. His sons, William, Samuel
, Edward, Joseph
, John, Thomas and Henry followed into the family firm as well as founding their own ventures. Abraham's son Joseph Cunard
became a major timber merchant and politician in New Brunswick
. However it was Abraham's second son Samuel Cunard
who emerged as the leader in the family firm. Using his father’s company as a base, Samuel Cunard launched his own shipping empire after his father’s death which eventually became the famous Cunard Line
.
Abraham Cunard retired in 1822 and moved to the family’s country home at Rawdon, Nova Scotia in East Hants County
. His wife Margaret died in 1821. Abraham died in 1824. His is buried with his wife at the St. Paul’s Church graveyard at Rawdon.
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, best known as the father of shipping magnate Samuel Cunard
Samuel Cunard
Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British shipping magnate, born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line...
.
Abraham Cunard was a descendant of Thones Kunders, a German Quaker who immigrated to Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
in 1683. Abraham Cunard enjoyed youthful success as a timber merchant and shipowner, but his entire fleet was confiscated by rebels in the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
and Cunard came to Halifax with the Loyalist migration in 1783. He worked as a foreman carpenter with the British Army. In 1799 he was appointed master carpenter of the Royal Engineers at the Halifax garrison by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, the commander-in-chief in British North America. Cunard held his post until he retired in 1822.
Cunard also pursued a private business career, building and buying wharves, warehouses and considerable land holdings. In July 1812, he founded the firm of A. Cunard and Sons to enter the timber and West Indian trade. Cunard acquired valuable timber holdings in Nova Scotia’s Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at...
and later in Hants County
Hants County, Nova Scotia
Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
where one of his employees was Jacob Hall, father of William Hall, the Victoria Cross winner. Cunard provided timber to the Royal Navy's Halifax Naval Yard
Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax
Royal Naval Dockyard, Halifax was a British Royal Navy base in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1759 to 1905. The Halifax Yard was the main year round base of the Royal Navy's North American Station when first established in 1759 during the Seven Years' War....
and to export markets in Britain and the West Indies. He also owned ships and traded to the West Indies as well as acting as an agent for other shipowners.
In the War of 1812, Cunard prospered, purchasing captured ships and cargoes and supplying British forces with risky but rewarding wartime trading. One of his ships, the schooner Margaret was captured by American privateers in 1814 but recaptured and returned to Cunard.
In 1783, Abraham Cunard married Margaret Murphy (1758-1821), another Loyalist whose family had immigrated to South Carolina from Ireland in 1773. They had had nine children, two girls and seven boys. His sons, William, Samuel
Samuel Cunard
Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British shipping magnate, born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line...
, Edward, Joseph
Joseph Cunard
Joseph Cunard was a merchant, shipbuilder and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1828 to 1833....
, John, Thomas and Henry followed into the family firm as well as founding their own ventures. Abraham's son Joseph Cunard
Joseph Cunard
Joseph Cunard was a merchant, shipbuilder and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1828 to 1833....
became a major timber merchant and politician in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. However it was Abraham's second son Samuel Cunard
Samuel Cunard
Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British shipping magnate, born at Halifax, Nova Scotia, who founded the Cunard Line...
who emerged as the leader in the family firm. Using his father’s company as a base, Samuel Cunard launched his own shipping empire after his father’s death which eventually became the famous Cunard Line
Cunard Line
Cunard Line is a British-American owned shipping company based at Carnival House in Southampton, England and operated by Carnival UK. It has been a leading operator of passenger ships on the North Atlantic for over a century...
.
Abraham Cunard retired in 1822 and moved to the family’s country home at Rawdon, Nova Scotia in East Hants County
East Hants, Nova Scotia
East Hants is a municipal district in Hants County, Nova Scotia.With its administrative seat in Milford Station, the district occupies the eastern half of Hants County from the Minas Basin to the boundary with Halifax County, sharing this boundary with the West Hants municipal district...
. His wife Margaret died in 1821. Abraham died in 1824. His is buried with his wife at the St. Paul’s Church graveyard at Rawdon.