- Source: Sebastian Zouberbuhler
Sebastian Zouberbuhler (c. 1710 – January 31, 1773) was a merchant, justice of the peace and politician from Nova Scotia. Born in Switzerland, he emigrated to North America and worked as an agent and merchant, recruiting German Protestants to immigrate to North America. During Britain's occupation of Louisbourg, he traded goods and invested in the settlement. When Louisbourg was returned to France he moved to Halifax to continue his business.
In 1753 he was appointed as a justice of the peace for Lunenburg; the community negatively reacted to the appointment of a Halifax merchant in a justice role, and his decision to licence taverns increased his unpopularity. Later that year the town suspected Zouberbuhler of possessing a letter that confirmed that the town did not receive an allotment of supplies. Zouberbuhler hid from the mob, and a subsequent investigation concluded that he never possessed such a letter. In 1759 he was elected to represent the town in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and a few years later was appointed to the Nova Scotia Council. He died in 1773 in Lunenburg.
Early life
Sebastian Zouberbuhler was born in Switzerland in 1709 or 1710, the son of a reverend named Bartholomew. In November 1734 Zouberbuhler went to Charles Town, South Carolina, to survey land for a new settlement, choosing land along the New Windsor tract. While in South Carolina, he borrowed a large sum from another Swiss named Samuel Augspurger, promising to repay the money later when he sold land he claimed to have. Zouberbuhler pledged to the South Carolina colony that he would bring 100 families to Fort Moore within eighteen months, and 200 families afterwards. Zouberbuhler recruited 50 families and left for North America in August 1736 under his father's direction. He was granted an extension for one year to find more families and returned to Switzerland to continue his recruitment; the Swiss government objected to emigration agents' work, and Zouberbuhler could not fulfil his promise.
Zouberbuhler returned to North America and worked as an agent for Samuel Waldo, who speculated in land throughout South Carolina and Massachusetts. In 1743, Zouberbuhler and Waldo were found guilty by a committee of the Massachusetts General Court for neglecting German Protestants for whom they helped settle in present-day Maine.
During the 1745 siege of Louisbourg, Zouberbuhler was a captain in the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment. During its British occupation, he invested his and Waldo's money to trade lumber, cattle and coal in Louisbourg. After the settlement was returned to the French, he moved to Halifax in 1749 or 1750. He still traded in Louisbourg by representing Joshua Mauger's businesses, selling ships to French residents, and importing coal into Halifax. He frequently collaborated with government officials, increasing his power and influence in the colony.
In 1752, a clerk for the Inferior Court and Quarter Sessions submitted a complaint to the court and the governor of Nova Scotia. His concerns included the treatment he received from the court's justices and not being paid enough to cover the expenses he accrued from his role. Zouberbuhler and other merchants signed a memorial supporting the clerk and questioning the conduct of the justices in numerous cases.
Lunenburg
In 1753, Zouberbuhler was appointed as a justice of the peace and judge of quorum for Lunenburg, and was also given the rank of captain for the town's militia. The residents were suspicious of a Halifax merchant in these justice roles. His popularity decreased further when he recommended licencing one or two taverns to regulate the rum trade and stop smuggling.
In December 1753, a rumour spread that Jean Pettrequin received a letter that stated that the British government allotted supplies for the town but they had not arrived. Townsfolk seized Pettrequin to search for the letter and held him in a blockhouse. Patrick Sutherland brought Zouberbuhler and other government officials to investigate the situation, in which he freed Pettrequin. The mob seized Pettrequin again. Various rumours spread about the location of the letter, one of which was that Pettrequin sold it to Zouberbuhler for a lump sum of money or the guarantee of a pension for the duration of Zouberbuhler's life. While interrogated by the mob, Pettrequin stated that Zouberbuhler had the letter.
Later that night, a sergeant in the town's militia told Sutherland about Pettrequin's statement. Sutherland arranged for Zouberbuhler to be protected in the fort and Zouberbuhler hid from the mob in a blockhouse, protected by soldiers assigned by Sutherland. A delegation from the mob met with Sutherland, demanding either the letter or the release of Zouberbuhler into their custody. Zouberbuhler told the delegation that he had never seen the letter and did not have it, but the mob did not believe him. After several hours of negotiation, Sutherland assured the delegation that Zouberbuhler would remain in the town until the acting governor of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence, could investigate the matter. This did not quell the mob, and they dispersed when a battalion of soldiers restored order. The battalion's commander investigated the matter and concluded that Zouberbuhler never possessed the supposed letter.
Political and later life
In July 1758, Lawrence appointed Zouberbuhler to preside over a special court that would naturalise willing residents of Lunenburg that had resided there for at least seven years. Later that month, Zouberbuhler ran to be a representative for Lunenburg for the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. Almost all of the townsmen of English descent and some naturalised citizens voted for him, but he was unsuccessful. The following year, he was successfully elected as one of the representatives for the Lunenburg Township. He was re-elected in 1761.
In August 1762, Zouberbuhler was one of six men tasked by Nova Scotia acting governor Jonathan Belcher to assign tracts of land that were added to the Lunenburg township. In 1763, Mauger tried to prevent Belcher's permanent appointment as governor of the colony. When this failed, he secured the appointment of his friends, including Zouberbuhler, to the Nova Scotia Council. Zouberbuhler attended council meetings sporadically in the first two years of his appointment, and less frequently in the subsequent eight years. He was one of six appointments to the Council between 1760 and 1830 who did not reside in Halifax.
During this time, Zouberbuhler continued his business in the Lunenburg timber trade. He also purchased land in Halifax and Lunenburg County, including 125,000 acres with five other people, including Alexander McNutt, between Annapolis Basin and St. Marys Bay. He tried using his position as a councillor to obtain an additional 20,000 acres, but this was blocked by the Board of Trade and he only bought 5,000 acres. He gave a large donation to build a school in Northwest, Nova Scotia, which began construction in 1771. Shortly before his death, he transferred his two parcels of land to James Boutineau Francklin.
Personal life and death
Zouberbuhler supported initiatives to promote the Church of England in Lunenburg, including advocating for a Church of England minister who could speak German and opposing the activities of Calvinist and Lutheran preachers. He died, probably of gout, in Lunenburg on January 31, 1773. Most of his property and assets was given to his daughter, Catherine Silver. In a codicil to his will, Zouberbuhler stated that a portion of his assets would be given to Samuel Augsperger to repay his loan from the 1730s. The codicil was set aside after it was declared that the statement was made when Zouberbuhler could no longer make legal decisions.