After the French and Indian war, the British government wanted to replace the French speaking, Roman Catholic population in Nova Scotia and the other Canadian territories with Protestants and people who spoke English. In order to accomplish this, the British governors of Nova Scotia offered grants of free land to settlers. Approximately 2000 New England families who became known as the "Planters" migrated to Nova Scotia.

Three members of this family, Obadiah II, Joseph, and Elias were part of this migration. Obadiah and Elias married into the Rice family of Marlborough, Massachusetts, many of whom also migrated to Nova Scotia.