John Dunbrack was born (c.1756) in Scotland and arrived in Halifax as a young man (about 1773) with his parents, and a sister (Jean). John was a carpenter by trade and an early settler of Nova Scotia. "He is known as the first settler in Meagher's Grant, coming through by the way of Truro and down the Musquodoboit River in a canoe, first settling at Gibraltar and then Meagher Grant.1 He had the first frame house in Musquodoboit." **

He married Catherine MacDougall in Halifax on July 25, 1780. In Halifax they were allotted a piece of land on the waterfront. It is not clear if John, his parents, and siblings came from Scotland directly or via North Carolina. John was an acquaintance of Captain Martin Meagher, a resident of Pender County, North Carolina, who left just prior to the Revolution because of his Loyalist principles. In 1783 they were allotted adjoining water lots in Halifax near the Navy Dockyard on Halifax Harbor, where are now the Historic Properties. In 1786 John petitioned the Crown for and was granted five hundred acres of and abutting and to the south of the 5,000 acre tract of land granted to Captain Martin Meagher for his service to the Crown, later to be named "Meagher's Grant". On this petition he stated he had a wife, three children, and four servants. The land granted to him was called “Gibraltar” and was located just south of Meagher's Grant. In the following years John purchased considerable acreage in Meagher's Grant where he farmed and raised his family. He was said to have built the first frame house there. Several generations followed.

According to Church's map of Halifax County 1860, Peter Dunbrack lived on the home place between the homes of D. Byers and S. Dickey on the old road to Musquodoboit Harbour. Richard Dunbrack (Dick), Peter's son, was living in the old house when it was destroyed by fire. In 1980, this property was being used by Ivan and Ross Dickie as pasture land.*

Catherine MacDougall's brother, Alexander, married Catherine MacDonald of Kennetcook, daughter of Capt. Ranald MacDonald. Ranald (or Roland) McDonald came to Meagher's Grant in 1777, while John Dunbrack had come to Meagher's Grant before that date. This Ranald is believed to be the son of Allan and Flora MacDonald of Kingsbury. Flora MacDonald is known as the “The Scottish Heroine” for providing safe passage to Bonnie Prince Charlie from Skye.

In Meagher's Grant, John and Catherine were neighbors of Miles MacInnes, the Cruickshanks, and the Dickeys. Catherine died May 1, 1812, age 55. She is buried in St. James Cemetery, Meaghers Grant.

Two years later, John married as his second wife, the widow Sarah Bacon (1768-1834), sister of his first wife.

John Dunbrack died March 1, 1824 in Halifax at the age of 68 years. He was buried with his parents in St. Paul's Cemetery in Halifax, where the gravestone reads

“To the memory of John Dunbrack, one of the first settlers of Musquodoboit who departed this life the first of March 1824 in the 69th year of his age.”

* From Musquodoboit Pioneers A Record of Seventy Families, Their Homesteads and Genealogies 1780-1980 by Jenny Reid.

** From Early Settlers of Meagher's Grant by A. B. Lay 1922.

Obituary, The Free Press, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, Tues. A.M., 2 Mar 1824

DIED on Monday last, in the 69th year of his age, Mr. JOHN DUNBRACK of Musquodoboit. His funeral will take place on Thursday next, at 2 o’clock, from Mr. Charles Dunbrack’s, No 98 Grafton St, when the friends and acquaintances of the family are requested to attend.16

Will of John Dunbrack (1756-1824) from the Public Archives of Nova Scotia

In the Name of God Amen

I, John Dunbrack of Musquodoboit in the County of Halifax in the Province of Nova Scotia, Farmer, well knowing that all men must die at some time, the uncertainty of which time renders it necessary to be prepared in all respects for the venet, and now being of sound disposing mind and memory (for which I feel grateful to God) do revoke and make void all Wills and Testamentary Dispositions at any time heretofore made by me adn do make ordain, publish, and declare this to be my Last WIll and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say,---

First, resign my Soul in to the Hands of Almighty God, vesting my hope for Salvation in the glorious works of our blessed Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and my Body to the Earth to be buried in a decent Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors herine after named, and as to such Worldly Estate and Effects that I may die possessed of, I give, devise and bequeath as follows -- to wit:

I give, devise and bequeath unto my beloved Friend, the Widow Sarah Baccon the annual Sum of Twenty Pounds Lawful money of this province to be raised out of my Estate in the following manner, From Springfield Farm Five pounds, - from off the Farm on which I reside Twelve pounds. - Also the Interest of Fifty Pounds to be paid to her every year during her natural Life. I also give her a Room and Bedroom in my House, One Cow and one third part of my Household furniture so long as she shall remain a Widow. -

I give, devise and bequeath unto my well beloved Son John, all my Farm I now reside on with him - One Half of the Stock, that is to say Cattle, Sheep, Hogs, etc. with all the Farming Utensils, Buildings and improvements thereon and two parts of the Household Furniture. -

I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved Son Charles my Farm known by the name of Springfield with one fourth part of my Stock that is to say Cattle, Horses, and Sheep. -

I also give, devise and bequeath unto my Sons James, John, and Charles my Lands known by the names of Gibralter and Linds Lot to be equally the property of each. -

and bequeath unto my Son James one fourth part of my Stock that is to say Cattle, Horses, and Sheep. -

I likewise give, devise and bequeath unto my two daughters Ann and Jannet a Lot of Land containing Seventeen Acres bounded all round by Christopher Dilman’s Lands, also the Sum of Fifty pounds to be Equally divided between them, share and share alike. -

And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my Sons James and John Dunbrack to be the Executors of this my Last Will and Testament.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my Seal at Halifax the first day of April in the Year of Our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and fourteen and of His Majesty’s reign the 54th.

(Signed) John Dunbrack

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Testator John Dunbrack as and for his Last Will and Testament in presence of us and at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto -

James Moody
Charles Dunbrack

(Probated 13 Mar 1824: Reel 510 Probate Acts, Vol. 4, Index 1821-1835, p. 22).16