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Introduction: Terrence M. Punch
The life of John Halliburton illustrates well the role played in human destiny by the ramifications of major world events. A young Lowland Scot, the son of a schoolmaster, came to North America towards the end of the Seven Years War (1756-1763) as a naval surgeon. Setting up in practice afterwards in Newport, Rhode Island, he married into the prominent Brenton family. By the outbreak of the American Revolution the young couple had five children.
Events caught up with the family and, like many another, their loyalty to the Crown cost them their home and their peace of mind. The rebels banished him from Rhode Island and he was spared thanks to the petition of neighbours. He was passing intelligence to the British military in New York until one of his correspondents allowed information to fall into the hands of a rebel spy posing as a British officer. The latter tried to blackmail Dr. Halliburton and, when he refused to pay up, was obliged to flee to Long Island in an open boat in February 1782. Halliburton's demands for compensation led to his appointment in charge of the hospital in Halifax, where he would live for the rest of his life.
The Halliburton family married well into the upper echelons of colonial society in Nova Scotia and with senior officers of the army and navy. The only surviving son became Sir Breton Halliburton, Chief Justice of Nova Scotia, to whom is attributed the quip, "Between Thomas Chandler Haliburton and I there is an T of a difference." The author of this genealogy is a "one-1" Haliburton and kindred of T. C. Haliburton, author of the Sam Slick stories.
Another circumstance that affected many families so well known in our provincial past is shown in this genealogical account. This family, so engaged in the life of Nova Scotia for so long, bore a surname that has vanished from our midst. Even progeny through the daughters has become scarce in our region. We must seek almost all of them in England, the United States or Australia. This history therefore circles the globe and shows once again how Nova Scotians are a widespread folk.
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