From this website
By Miss Baxter~Reporter~ Editor~
It is May 18th, 1783 and the Spring Fleet with about three thousand men, women, and children, has just arrived in the harbour at Portland. Our Reporter, Miss Baxter, is on the dock, having just interviewed Major Studholme, who is in charge of the garrison at Fort Howe. James White, James Simonds, and William Hazen have also recounted their adventures in the preloyalist years at Portland Point. The few locals wave as the Loyalists arrive. Soon their mere trading post will find itself with 5,000 souls braving the harsh winter of 1783-84. Overnight their tiny wilderness outpost will grow to one-third the size of Boston. Preparations have not been made for them. Before they can be landed from the overcrowded ships, brush has to be cut away from Upper Cove (later Market Slip), so the first tents and hurricane houses of sails can arise.
They have been promised land ~ not the promised land! They are entitled 300-600 acres, plus more than a year's provisions or the equivalent in money; an allowance of serviceable clothing and medicine, mill-stones, ironwork for a gristmill, items for a sawmill; nails, spikes, hoe, axe, spade, shovel, plow-irons, musket, powder and ball; also window-glass. Plus the back-breaking life of a pioneer! Luckiest of the migrants are those aboard the Union, who immediately sail upriver exploring in a small sloop, and decide to settle at Kingston Creek. The Loyalists have chosen as Agents on their behalf: Lieut. Col. Ben Thompson, Lieut. Col. Edward Winslow, Maj. Joshua Upham, Rev. Samuel Seabury, Rev. John Sayre, Amos Botsford, and James Peters.
Miss Baxter~
"There are twenty ships in the fleet and it is the 'Union' that is the first to dock. This transport is under Master Consett Wilson, having departed Huntingdon Bay, New York, on April 16th, 1783. Major Studholme and I are speaking to Fyler Dibblee, deputy agent for the 'Union" and hearing his account of his trials and horrific sufferings inflicted by the patriots in Connecticut and on Long Island before embarkation."
Fyler Dibblee ~"This is my wife, Polly Jarvis, of Stamford, Conn. We have five children: Walter, William, Peggy, Ralph and Sally. I am a lawyer and a graduate of Yale. I led the town's militia company and served as Stamford's representative to the Connecticut general assembly. We had a home with its own library valued at 500 lb. British retaliation was quick after the Congressional Congress made its Declaration of Independence. As soon as the King's troops took control of New York City in August 1776, Stamford, Conn. was suddenly on the frontier that separated Patriot and British forces. It was no longer a safe place for a loyalist lawyer and his family to live. So in December of 1776, I had to flee to Long Island to escape the violent patriot mob. Polly and my children were evicted from our fine home and joined me there. Even there my family was attacked by marauding rebels, stealing all we owned, even our clothes and shoes. Almost naked, we were sent to New York City under a flag of truce. We eventually returned to Long Island, settling among other Loyalists at Oyster Bay. We felt we were now safe, as this was near the largest of all Long Island's British garrisons, Fort Franklin. However, in April of 1778, Connecticut patriots invaded our home, and took me away. Six months later I was set free in a prisoner exchange. We then moved to West Hills. My family was sought out and attacked by another group of raiders who threatened to bayonet my children. We were left to perish in the cold but we once again relocated to Hempstead South where Polly gave birth to a son. My family was yet again robbed in a night attack. I petitioned the British government for restitution, to be compensated for my losses, and was made a deputy agent to assist in transporting loyalists from New York to Nova Scotia. My family has two African servants, the only servants on the Union. The ship has 62 men, 39 women, and 108 children to be settled here. I am going to settle in Parrtown, and as magistrate assist in the settlement of these Loyalist families. Everyone on board is in good health, but all are staying on board until suitable lodgings are in place. Meanwhile David Pickett, Israel Hoyt, Silas Raymond, John Marven, John Lyon and others are going to sail upriver to look for a site for settlement. They will report back and if it is suitable all the families are going, including the widowed mother of Silas, Mary Raymond, 86, and widow, Ruth Nicholls and sons, who lost her husband at Bunker Hill."
Printed and Published by Miss Baxter, at the sign of the Bible and Crown, 12s 6d per annum
~We regret to report that Fyler Dibblee, Lawyer of this place, has taken his own life, on Thursday May 6th. Depression over his property losses in Connecticut, and the limited chances for success in his new country are thought to blame. After a winter of despair, Fyler leaves a wife and five children to mourn their loss