Winckworth Tonge
Encyclopedia
Winckworth Tonge was a soldier, land owner and political figure in Nova Scotia
. He represented Cumberland County
from 1759 to 1760, King's County
from 1765 to 1783 and Hants County
from 1785 to 1792 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
.
He was born in County Wexford
, Ireland
and, in 1743, served as a volunteer in the expedition against the Spanish American settlements led by Captain Charles Knowles. He joined the 45th Foot, served at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island
from 1746 to 1749 and then went with the regiment to Halifax, Nova Scotia
. In 1758, he took part in the siege of Louisbourg and, in 1759, served with General Wolfe
at Quebec City
. After he retired from the army, he received grants of land in Nova Scotia. Tonge married Martha Grace Cottnam. He served as colonel in the local militia and as justice of the peace
. He was also justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for Hants County and provincial superintendent of roads, bridges, and public works. In 1773, he was named naval officer for Nova Scotia. After suffering losses at the hands of American privateers, he had to sell most of his property later in his life. He died in 1792 at Halifax.
His son William Cottnam
went on to become a judge and member of the legislative assembly.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. He represented Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Nova Scotia
Cumberland County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The name Cumberland was applied by Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Monckton to the captured Fort Beauséjour on June 18, 1755 in honour of the third son of King George II, William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, victor at...
from 1759 to 1760, King's County
Kings County, Nova Scotia
Kings County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.Kings County is located in central Nova Scotia on the shore of the Bay of Fundy with its northeastern part also forming the western shore of the Minas Basin....
from 1765 to 1783 and Hants County
Hants County, Nova Scotia
Hants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
from 1785 to 1792 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
Nova Scotia House of Assembly
The Nova Scotia Legislature, consisting of Her Majesty The Queen represented by the Lieutenant Governor and the House of Assembly, is the legislative branch of the provincial government of Nova Scotia, Canada...
.
He was born in County Wexford
County Wexford
County Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and, in 1743, served as a volunteer in the expedition against the Spanish American settlements led by Captain Charles Knowles. He joined the 45th Foot, served at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
from 1746 to 1749 and then went with the regiment to Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. In 1758, he took part in the siege of Louisbourg and, in 1759, served with General Wolfe
James Wolfe
Major General James P. Wolfe was a British Army officer, known for his training reforms but remembered chiefly for his victory over the French in Canada...
at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. After he retired from the army, he received grants of land in Nova Scotia. Tonge married Martha Grace Cottnam. He served as colonel in the local militia and as justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
. He was also justice of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for Hants County and provincial superintendent of roads, bridges, and public works. In 1773, he was named naval officer for Nova Scotia. After suffering losses at the hands of American privateers, he had to sell most of his property later in his life. He died in 1792 at Halifax.
His son William Cottnam
William Cottnam Tonge
William Cottnam Tonge was a judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He represented Hants County from 1793 to 1799 and from 1806 to 1811 and Newport township from 1799 to 1806 in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly....
went on to become a judge and member of the legislative assembly.