| David Fanning | |
|---|---|
| MLA for Kings County, New Brunswick | |
| In office 1791–1801 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 October 1755 Amelia County, Virginia |
| Died | 14 March 1825 (aged 69) Digby, Nova Scotia |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Carr |
| Occupation | Farmer, Author, Colonel, Politician |
David Fanning (October 25, 1755 – March 14, 1825) was a Loyalist leader in the American Revolutionary War. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1791 to 1801 representing Kings County.
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Fanning was born 25 October 1755 in Amelia County, Virginia. His father was David Fanning, and he grew up in Johnston County, North Carolina.
In April 1782, he married Sarah Carr.
Fanning claimed to have been originally a Patriot. However, he said that mistreatment by Patriots caused him to change sides. In the latter part of the war, he was commissioned colonel of a regiment of Loyalist militia.
After the recognition of American independence, Fanning moved to Florida and then the Bahamas before settling in the newly created British colony of New Brunswick. He was elected to the 2nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly in 1791. Fanning represented Kings County, New Brunswick until 1801.
Fanning remains a controversial figure in history. In 1790, he wrote The Narrative of Colonel David Fanning, which ironically would first see print in 1861 in Richmond, Virginia, then the capital of the Confederate States of America. In 1800, he was accused of rape. He was found guilty and sentenced to death despite contradictions in the evidence against him. He was pardoned but exiled from the province and expelled from the provincial assembly.
Fanning settled in Digby, Nova Scotia where he later died in 1825.