Upper Rawdon is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Municipal District of East Hants, which is in Hants County, Nova Scotia. This community was originally part of the Rawdon Township, which also included present day South Rawdon, Nova Scotia, Rawdon Gold Mines, Nova Scotia and Centre Rawdon, Nova Scotia.
The first settlers in the Rawdon Township, Nova Scotia were United Empire Loyalists who had to flee their home in Ninety Six, South Carolina. The Rawdon loyalists as well as members of the 2nd American Regiment, were relocated from South Carolina to Rawdon, Nova Scotia after the American Revolution.
The community is named after Francis Rawdon-Hastings, 1st Marquess of Hastings or "Lord Rawdon". While in South Carolina, during the American Revolution, Lord Rawdon and his regiment, the Volunteers of Ireland (Also known as The 2nd American Regiment) rescued the Rawdon loyalist. He rescued the Rawdon Loyalists from being killed by American Patriots in the Siege of Ninety-Six, South Carolina during the American Revolution.
One of the most prominent Loyalists to survive the Siege of Ninety-Six to settle Rawdon was Captain John Bond.
Some of the troops that assisted Lord Rawdon in the Siege of Ninety-Six were from the 84th Regiment of Foot (Royal Highland Emigrants) as well as the 2nd American Regiment. After the American Revolution many of the troops of the 84th Regiment and 2nd American Regiment settled in the neighbouring Township of Douglas (i.e., Kennetcook, Nova Scotia and the surrounding area).
Abraham Cunard, the Loyalist merchant and father of shipping magnate Samuel Cunard, retired to the Cunard's country home in Rawdon and is buried at the St. Paul's graveyard in Centre Rawdon.[1]