Business Contract under which William Hazen, James Simonds,
James White and their associates engaged in business at the River St.
John was signed on March 1st, 1764. The members of the company
immediately proceeded to engage their workmen and a very interesting
illustration of the way they set about it has been preserved in an old
indenture dated 13th March, 1764, in which James Simonds, "trader,"
made agreement with one Edmund Black of Haverhill, "bricklayer," to
pay the said Black L16. 16s. for eight months labor at brickmaking,
fishing, burning lime, or any other common or ordinary work at
Passamaquoddy, St. John, Annapolis Royal or any other part of Nova
Scotia, in the Bay of Fundy. In addition to his pay, at the rate L2.
2s. per month, Mr. Simonds agreed to furnish Black with "suitable
victuals and drink and lodging."

The exact date of the arrival of Simonds and White, and their party at
St. John is put beyond doubt by the following memorandum in Mr.
White's handwriting, found by the author among a collection of old
papers: "Haverhill, New England, 1764. Set off for River St. John,
Nova Scotia, 1st day of April--Arrived 16th April."

By the second business contract, entered into by William Hazen,
Leonard Jarvis and James Simonds on the 16th April, 1767, it was
provided that "all trade and business in Nova Scotia shall be done and
transacted by James Simonds and James White and whatever business is
to be transacted at Newbury-Port shall be transacted by William Hazen
and Leonard Jarvis." The remittances of Simonds & White consisted for
the most part of fish, furs, lime and lumber and were at first sent to
Newburyport, but it was soon found to the advantage of the company
that remittances should be made to Boston where Leonard Jarvis went to
dispose of them and to forward supplies needed at St. John. This was
the commencement of St. John's trade with Boston. There was no market
for the Spring catch of Alewives (or Gasperaux) at Newburyport, so
they were usually sent to Boston. Seven eighths of the furs and a
large proportion of the lime and lumber were also sold in Boston.

As might reasonably be expected the first outlay of the company was
comparatively large while the returns were small, but as time went on
the remittances from St. John gradually increased and the outlay for
supplies slightly diminished. During the earlier years of the
partnership attention was given to deep water fishing, and large
quantities