Black Loyalist

Cato Ramsey aged 45, travels in to Nova Scotia on the Providence with his wife China Godfrey and children James, Betsey and Nelly Ramsey. Cato was owned by Dr George Ramsey and later by his son John Ramsey while his wife and their three children were owned by Matthew Godfrey in Norfolk County. When Cato first appears in Dr Ramsey's tithables in 1757 it is in the same area of Norfolk (the South Side of Tanners Creek) as Mathew Godfrey his wife China appears in Godfrey's list in the same year.

Cato, his wife and the children all run at the same time and they travel together. In the Birchtown Muster Cato's occupation is listed as 'farmer' but the war he appears to have worked as a seaman aboard British privateers. It is interesting to note that China is called 'Jane' here and has taken the last name Ramsey. She is listed with her husband, Nelly and Betty (Betsey). James is listed by himself and in a different Company in the Muster. China and James are named in Godfrey's claim of losses to the British.

There is an interesting notice from the Royal Gazette in New York in July 17, 1782 that suggest that Cato Ramsey was with Luke Wilson on board a loyalist privateer, The Fair American, which had been involved in a fire-fight off Baltimore in June 1782 viz: “Ten Guineas Reward. RUN AWAY from their master’s service, and are known to be lurking about this city the four following Negroes, viz, CATO RAMSEY, a stout able bodied man, formerly lived with Mrs. Willoughby Morgan, in Dover-Street. DANIEL FISHER, a tall stout man somewhat marked with the Small Pox, and of a yellowish complexion ‘tis said he lives on Staten Island where he has a wife and children. LUKE WILSON, a short man, has a wife somewhere in town, and is well known among the blacks. – The above three Negroes were all of them out in the privateer brig Fair American on her last cruise. SAM, a short chunky man, about twenty five years of age, and has often been seen at Ellis’s Island. --- Whoever will secure the above Negroes, and gives information to the Printer, that they be had again, shall receive the above reward, or in proportion for either of them.” This notice is ambigous as the the status of the men, but it implies they are regarded as freemen, and that they have deserted from indentured service. The reference to Mrs Willoughby Morgan is interesting; she was wife to the master of the privateer, Fair American.