John Parr

After a lengthy career in the army, John Parr became governor of Nova Scotia in 1782. He took up his post just before some 30,000 Loyalists entered the maritime colonies after the American Revolution. Parr was forced to deal with their resettlement and shortly found himself caught between the pretensions of the newcomers and the claims of older settlers, a situation that endured until the end of his administration. On the whole he acquitted himself well, though he won little popularity or admiration for his efforts.