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failed to attend and take the customary oath for two sessions after their election should forfeit their seats for non-attendance, a new election was held in 1768, when Richard Shorne and Phinehas Nevers were returned. The House of Assembly was dissolved two years later, and at the ensuing general election^[1], Charles Morris, jr., and Israel Perley were chosen to represent the county of Sunbury. The former took his seat, but Mr. Perley appears never to have done so, and in 1773 James Simonds was elected in his stead. Mr. Simonds was in attendance at the session held in October, 1774, being the first resident of the county to take his seat in the legislative halls of Nova Scotia. At the time of the division of the province in the year 1784 the other member for the county was William Davidson.

Just why the new county was called Sunbury no one seems to know. The name was given by Governor Montagu Wilmot and his Council, but for what reason or upon whose suggestion does not appear.

About this time public attention began to be largely directed to the vacant lands on the river St. John with the result, as already pointed out, that the Nova Scotia government was beset with applications for grants.

Among the more ambitious projects set on foot was that of an association or society, composed of more than sixty individuals who designed to secure and settle well nigh half a million acres of land. The association included a Royal governor,^[2] a number of army officers and prominent civic officials, at least three clergymen and several well to do private gentlemen. A very wide field was represented by the association, for among its members were residents of