Loyalist Settlement in Great Abaco
- When
- 1783–1799
- Where
- New York City (publication site); Abaco Islands, Bahamas; Abaco settlement; Cherokee Sound, Great Abaco
- Episodes
- 4
In 1783, following a call published in New York's Royal Gazette, roughly 1500 Loyalists left New York and settled Abaco in the Bahamas, becoming the islands' first European settlers as the American War of Independence ended.
Episodes
- Call for Settlers Published in New York
A 1783 call for volunteers to help settle Abaco appeared in the Royal Gazette in New York City.
- Loyalists Leave New York for Abaco
About 1500 Loyalists departed New York and moved to Abaco in August 1783, becoming the islands' first European settlers.
- Sea Island Cotton Cultivation
Settlers sowed sea island cotton in 1785; crops succeeded in 1786 and 1787 but failed to caterpillars in 1788.
- Carolina Loyalists Found Cherokee Sound
In the 1790s, Loyalists from the Carolinas arrived via Florida and founded the isolated settlement of Cherokee Sound.
Background and detail
Background. The Abaco Islands lie in the northern Bahamas, east of the United States mainland, with Great Abaco and Little Abaco as the main islands. The first European settlers of the islands were Loyalists fleeing the American War of Independence, who arrived in 1783, as was also the case on Cat Island.
Recruitment and Departure. In 1783, a call for those wishing to help settle Abaco was published in the Royal Gazette in New York City. In response, about 1500 Loyalists left New York and moved to Abaco in August 1783, the same year Great Britain established a treaty.
Aftermath. The settlers turned to agriculture: sea island cotton was sown in 1785, and although 1786 and 1787 produced good crops, the 1788 crop was blighted by caterpillars. In the 1790s, a further group of Loyalists from the Carolinas arrived via Florida, founding the isolated settlement of Cherokee Sound.
People involved
- Loyalists from New York · Settlers who left New York for Abaco in August 1783
- Loyalists from the Carolinas · Later settlers who arrived via Florida in the 1790s and founded Cherokee Sound
Sources
- Abaco Islands Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-16
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.