In this issue:

 

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The Board of Refugees and the Dream of a New America   
copyright Stephen Davidson UE
Had the Loyalists been as organized as their Patriot brethren, the course of the American Revolution might have played out quite differently. The rebel colonists came together in institutions as local as village committees of correspondence to something as large as the Continental Congress that represented almost all of Britain’s North American Colonies. Once fighting began, the Patriots then created their Continental Army.
Loyal Americans simply weren’t as well organized.  Assuming that Great Britain would quickly defeat Patriot forces, Loyalists did not see the need to mobilize until later in the revolution, and by then their efforts were too late to be very effective.  Their organizations were created in reaction to Patriot actions rather than being proactive to prevent the spread of the revolution.
A number of loyalist militia units sprang up during the war, but they were usually under the command of British generals who were reluctant to use colonial troops. In December of 1780, the Board of Directors of Associated Loyalists was created. William Franklin, the last royal governor of New Jersey and the son of Benjamin Franklin, served as its president.
The Associated Loyalists was a guerrilla force “established for embodying and employing such of his Majesty’s faithful subjects in North America, as may be willing to associate under their direction, for the purpose of annoying the sea-coasts of the revolted Provinces and distressing their trade, either in co-operation with his Majesty’s land and sea forces, or by making diversions in their favor, when they are carrying on operations in other parts.” Created 4 years after the Declaration of Independence, the Associated Loyalists were eventually disbanded in 1782.
While a great deal of loyalist historiography deals with the military response of loyal Americans, little has been written with regard to the civilian organizations that offered political alternatives to rebellion. The most noteworthy of these civilian organizations was the Board of Refugees that was created in New York in the autumn of 1779. Consisting of delegates from the Loyalists in the rebelling colonies, the board met once a week.
Its first chairman (sometimes referred to as its president) was Daniel Coxe.  On December 7, 1779, he wrote a colleague saying, “I have lately brought about a general representation of all the refugees from the respective colonies, which now compose a board, called the board of refugees, and of which I have the honour at present to be president. We vote by colonies, and conduct our debates in quite a parliamentary style.”
Coxe brought together loyalist delegates for a two-fold purpose: to restore peace to the colonies and to make plans for the new order once Britain had quashed the revolution. In a letter to British Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot, Coxe outlined his vision of the board’s role.
“The Loyal Refugees from the several revolted Provinces of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, the Three Lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South-Carolina, having the approbation of his Excellency Sir Henry Clinton to assemble, and hold mutual intercourse with each other, beg Leave to wait upon … you…
We cannot but persuade ourselves that so numerous a Body of his Majesty’s faithful Subjects will ever meet with your countenance and protection After the severe proofs we have already given of an unshaken attachment to our Sovereign, and Country, we trust it is unnecessary to repeat what our actions have so evidently, and uniformly evinced.
But permit us, Sir, to assure you that the same Principles of Duty which urged us to … great sacrifices we have made, will also actuate us in future, to afford to you, upon all occasions, as well as to his Excellency the Commander in Chief, every aid, and influence in our Power, for restoring Peace, Order and good Government, to these his Majesty’s Colonies.”
There are no records of the discussions of the delegates who comprised the Board of Refugees. However, the man who succeeded Coxe as the president of the board was recognized as “an efficient member“. While others talked, he imagined a plan for the post-revolutionary government of the defeated colonies.
David Ogden, a Loyalist from New Jersey, felt that Britain would inevitably win the war. Had it done so, he would have been one of the founding fathers of a new America -– and would have been hailed as the author of the new order’s constitution.
His proposal demonstrates that loyal Americans could imagine a different kind of colonial government – and it foreshadows the balance of power within the Canadian Federation of 1867.
His “constitution” took the right of taxation from the British Parliament and gave it to Americans.    While each of the 13 colonies would retain their constitutions, each would henceforth have a governor and council appointed by the crown as well as an elected House of Representatives. The latter would have the power to make laws for “internal government” as long as they did not violate those of Great Britain.
The federal government would have a Parliament for all of the English colonies on the continent. It would have a Lord Lieutenant (not unlike the governor generals in today’s Commonwealth) and an upper house comprised of colonial barons (who would be created for this purpose, much like today’s Canadian senators). A House of Commons would be comprised of representatives elected by the individual colonial governments. Thus there would be three branches of the legislature: the Lord Lieutenant, the Lords, and the Commons.
The American Parliament would also supervise and govern the colleges of the colonies given that they “have been the grand nurseries of the late rebellion, instilling into the tender minds of youth principles favorable to republican, and against a monarchical government, and other doctrines incompatible to the British Constitution.” The laws of the American Parliament could only be repealed by “his Majesty in Council“.
But Ogden’s plan could only be considered if Britain was the victor in the ongoing revolution. The leadership of the Board of Loyalists changed again in 1781 when James Rankin of Pennsylvania assumed the chair. Sadly, there are no records of either his contributions or of the actions that were taken by the 25 members of the board in the final years of the revolution.
Sir Guy Carleton was made the commander in chief of the British forces in North America in 1782. Because he had been instructed to promote peace upon his arrival in New York City, he had the Board of Loyalists disbanded. Within a year, the peace treaty ending the revolution came into effect, prompting the evacuation of thousands of loyal Americans to points in Great Britain and the remnants of its North American Empire.
After settling in London, Daniel Coxe was made a member of the board of directors that assisted Loyalist refugees who had found sanctuary in Britain.  He eventually received compensation for his losses in New Jersey.
David Ogden went to England, and was made agent for the New Jersey Loyalists in prosecuting their claims to compensation for losses. His own estate was confiscated, but the British Government provided him with an allowance. In 1790, he returned to the United States and settled on Long Island, where he died in the year 1800, aged ninety-three.
James Rankin, the last of the known presidents of the Board of Loyalists, died at age 73 in London, England in 1803.
In existence for just three years, the Board of Loyalists did little more than leave posterity with a fascinating blueprint for how the American colonies could have been governed in the wake of a Patriot defeat.  It was a dream that would eventually see its fulfillment almost a century later in Canada – a nation whose founding settlers included the Loyalists of America.
To secure permission to reprint this article contact the author at stephendavids@gmail.com.

The Loyal- List: Singer/Songwriters Who Were Loyalist Descendants
By Mike Woodcock UE, Victoria Branch
As a tribute to the legendary Gordon Lightfoot, I want to highlight Lightfoot and “Stompin’ Tom” Connors as notable Canadian singer/songwriters who are Loyalist descendants.
Given that it is November, it’s fitting to remember that Gordon Lightfoot was born on November 17, 1938. One of his most iconic songs, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, commemorates the sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which occurred exactly 50 years ago on November 10, 1975. Lightfoot’s biographer, Nicholas Jennings, wrote, “His name is synonymous with timeless songs about trains and shipwrecks, rivers and highways, lovers and loneliness.”
Another major figure in Canadian country and folk music is “Stompin’ Tom” Connors. Focused primarily on Canada, Connors wrote more than 300 songs covering a wide range of themes, including ice hockey, mine tragedies, labor strikes, and more. His songs have become firmly embedded in Canadian culture. Connors has been described as a Passionist poet in the Canadian tradition of UEL descendants such as Milton Acorn and Stan Rogers.

Invitation to Contribute
You’re invited to help expand the Loyal-List! To add Loyalists or descendants, suggest edits to existing profiles, or provide feedback, please email membership.vic.uelac@gmail.com or use the Feedback portal on the uelcanada.ca homepage.
The Loyal-List is a dedicated project of the United Empire Loyalists (UEL) Association of Canada. It highlights individuals identified through various reputable sources, including the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Wikipedia, published books, and institutions such as the Hockey Hall of Fame. It is recognized as one of the official UELAC initiatives.
Learn more about this inspiring project on the national UELAC website.

Blog: About UE Loyalist History by Brian McConnell UE at UE Loyalist History

By Brian McConnell, UE 10 Nov. 2025
Loyal Then, Loyal Now
“Ut incepit fidelis sic permanet” is the official motto of the province of Ontario in Latin. The literal translation is “Loyal she began, loyal she remains” or “Loyal in the beginning, loyal remaining”. The motto refers to the United Empire Loyalists who settled in what was then the colony of Quebec (later Upper Canada, now Ontario) after the American Revolution, who choose to remain loyal to the British Crown. The motto was added to the Ontario Coat of Arms in 1909.
My UE Loyalist ancestors settled in what became Ontario in 1784 when the official flag was the Queen Anne Union Flag or Loyalist Flag. Read more…

 

250 Years Ago: The Invasion of Canada: Events between Nov 5 and 12

from Lake Champlain
General Philip Schuyler orchestrated the plans for the attack on Canada, launched on 25 August 1775. The first attack on Fort St. Jean on 6 Sept failed. A second on 10 Sept also failed. Schyler became too ill and Richard Montgomery assumed command on 16 Sept.

  • The siege of Fort Saint-Jean began on 17 Sept.
  • The Americans tried to capture Montreal but were repulsed  at the Battle of Longue-Pointe on Sept 25
  • Fort Chambly, was attacked on Oct 16;  surrendered on Oct 18
  • Fort Saint-Jean surrendered on Nov 3.

Between Nov 12 and Nov 19, 1775

Carleton is holding Montreal but Montgomery is on the opposite shore across the St Lawrence. Americans have also sailed down the Richelieu River to Sorel where they could control the St. Lawrence River.

The British: 

  • Nov. 11. As Montreal is cannot be defended, Carleton leaves by boat for Quebec City.
  • The fleet consists of three British warships and eight smaller ships
  • Nov. 19.  The British fleet is stopped by the American’s at Sorel. Carleton escapes by disguising himself.
  • The rest of the British fleet, carrying about 120 British regulars and a number of prisoners, surrenders.

The Americans:

  • Nov 13. Montgomery’s forces enter Montreal
  • Montgomery established his campaign headquarters in the Château Ramezay
  • He made some diplomatic efforts, such as issuing a proclamation of “liberty and security” to the people of Montreal.
  • He request a Congressional delegation for diplomatic activities
  • He makes plans to advance to Quebec City
  • American forces, under Major John Brown, had established artillery batteries along the St. Lawrence River near the mouth of the Richelieu River at Sorel.

From Maine
Between November 12 and 19 1775, Benedict Arnold continued the expedition to Quebec City.

British Under Lieutenant Colonel Allen Maclean

  • Lieutenant Governor Hector Theophilus de Cramahé was in charge of the civil government and initial defense preparations.
  • Maclean had arrived on Nov 10.
  • He had approximately 200 men of the Royal Highland Emigrants, supplemented by a garrison of around 90 locally raised militia and 400 sailors and marines from the Royal Navy ships in the harbor to defend Quebec City
  • They burned houses which were outside the city walls so they could not be used by the Americans for cover during an attack
  • Nov 14: They did not respond to Arnold’s demand for surrender.
  • Nov. 19. Guy Carleton arrives at Quebec City

The Americans under Benedict Arnold

  • Nov. 13-14. Arnold and his approximately 600 starving men crossed the St. Lawrence River under the cover of darkness.
  • Nov. 14. Arnold and his troops reached the Plains of Abraham, just outside the walls of Quebec City. He sent a negotiator to demand the city’s surrender.
  • Nov. 19.  After hearing rumors of a planned British sortie from the city, Arnold decided to withdraw his small force to the nearby village of Pointe-aux-Trembles

Working with Documentary Masters: Advising the Producers of PBS’s The American Revolution
by Don N. Hagist 13 Nov. 2025 Journal of the American Revolution
When the request came, I was surprised, excited and flattered in equal parts. Would I be an advisor for the upcoming PBS series The American Revolution, produced by Ken Burns? Of course I said yes, despite not knowing what the project would actually entail. I had heard it was in the works, but did not expect to be a part of it.
What did it mean to be an advisor? For me, it meant spending several days in 2023 at a workshop with seven other advisors, producers Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, writer Geoff Ward, and the entire production crew, critiquing an early draft of the twelve-hour series—one two-hour episode at a time, watching and taking notes, then providing feedback on how the story was being told, narratively and visually. These early versions were far from complete; Ken Burns introduced each one with a reminder that of how crude they were… Read more…

An interview with Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, producers of Ken Burns’ The American Revolution 
by Editors 11 Nov 2025 Journal of the American Revolution
The PBS documentary The American Revolution, produced by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, premiers on November 16, 2025. Producers Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt took time out of their busy schedules to talk to JAR about their experiences working on this landmark film, and some of the things they learned about the people and the time period.
A number of questions are asked, each eliciting an answer from either or both Sarah and David. Some of the questions:

  • how did you get involved with the PBS American Revolution documentary?
  • the stages of development of a documentary like this?
  • Has the American Revolution era always been of interest to you?
  • what is PBS doing besides airing the series?
  • There’s a lot of original footage in the series, including historic sites and reenactors. How did you go about finding the locations and the people?
  • Do you have a favorite scene or portion of the series?
  • What was your biggest revelation or surprise?

Read more…

Lady Acland Crosses the Lines to Nurse her Wounded Husband
Plaque by Town of Saratoga. Inscription:

LADY ACLAND
ON OCT 9, 1777, TRAVELED DOWN
HUDSON RIVER TO STILLWATER TO
NURSE HER WOUNDED HUSBAND,
BRITISH MAJOR ACLAND, HELD
PRISONER BY AMERICAN FORCES.
WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION 2021

During the American Revolution it was not uncommon for the family of military officers to accompany them to camp. This was the case for Major John Acland, who brought his wife Lady Harriet Acland with him. In the final days of the Saratoga Campaign, British Major John Acland was wounded in battle and subsequently taken prisoner. News that Major Acland was wounded and taken captive quickly reached his wife. Worried about her husband and the severity of his wounds, Lady Acland implored British General John Burgoyne to allow her to cross American lines in order to care for him. Burgoyne describes his account. Read more… [also some images, a portrait by Joshua Reynolds etc]

Book: For King Or Country: Major Philip Van Cortlandt 1739-1814 A Memoir
by  Stephen Le Vine publisher:  Loncastle South 14 April 2025
This book offers a new perspective on a neglected aspect of the American Revolution – the fate of Loyalists who took up arms for their King and how they coped with defeat and, in some cases, exile.
Major Philip Van Cortlandt and his immediate family are the focus of our story. He came from a wealthy and educated background, with ancestors who were the founding fathers of New York. We examine the pressure and challenging decisions they faced during these turbulent times. Driven by his conscience and circumstances, Philip joined the New Jersey Volunteers, who were part of the Loyalists’ Provincial Corps, which fought for the King.
Like many other citizens, he fought against his fellow countrymen and cousins. Because of his actions, he lost his home and lands in New Jersey and New York and the right to live in America.
Many loyalists of the Crown found their families had become divided, with some never reconciling with their loved ones. Philip, with his wife and many children, had to find a new life in a foreign land. This is his story.
Available at book sellers
Comment by Brian McConnell UE: 
    As someone interested in United Empire Loyalists who came to Nova Scotia after the American Revolution and were among descendants of the first Dutch settlers of New York, I was pleased to read “FOR KING OR COUNTRY – Major Philip Van Cortlandt 1739 – 1814 – A Memoir” by Stephen LeVine. Born in New York in 1739, known as a Loyalist sympathizer who became an Officer with the New Jersey Volunteers, Van Cortlandt lost property which he claimed to be compensated and was granted land in Nova Scotia. He and his family resided there for several years before leaving for England.

Book Review: George Washington: His Quest for Honor and Fame 
Author: Peter R. Henriques (Charlottesville, VA: University of VA Press, 2025)
Review by Timothy Symington 10 Nov 2025 Journal of the American Revolution
Famed Washington scholar Peter R. Henriques (author of Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington) turned the content of some recent talks given at Colonial Williamsburg into a brief “interpretive biography” of George Washington. The subtitle implies the focus: “His -Quest for Honor and Fame.” Henriques looks at how Washington was driven to greatness because he wanted to have a life and legacy that would be somehow immortalized through the pursuit of greatness. More than any of the other founders, Washington had hopes that his death would “give birth to honor and glorious memory”
Each chapter covers a period in Washington’s life and examines the forces that drove him. The first two chapters describe the events of his young life (becoming a surveyor, his overbearing mother, becoming a young envoy to the French, starting the French and Indian War, marrying the wealthy Martha Dandridge Custis), ending with his role in the colonial forces fighting the French in 1759. The third chapter, “From Loyal Virginia Gentleman to Rebel Chieftain 1759-1775,” covers Washington becoming a member of the House of Burgesses, and also finally becoming the master of Mount Vernon, looking to make it profitable, and dreaming of a western paradise beyond the Ohio River Valley. While he was starting to gain a sense of community service, his pragmatic and moderate political views were challenged by rising colonial anger towards Parliament. “An intensely ambitious man, he found his initial undertakings blocked and himself treated as a second-class citizen. Read more…

Advertised on 12 Nov. 1775 “WANTED to purchase, Hog’s Bristles, long and good”

“WANTED to purchase, Five Thousand Weight of Hog’s Bristles, long and good.”

Cornelius Cooper, a “Brush Maker, from Philadelphia,” experimented with various marketing strategies when he relocated to Providence and placed advertisements in the Providence Gazette in the fall of 1775.  In an advertisement that ran for several weeks, he announced that the “makes and sells, Wholesale and Retail, Sweeping, Hearth, Cloaths, Shoe and Buckle-Brushes, and every other Article in the Brush Way.”  In other words, he produced every sort of brush for any sort of purpose that his customers needed.  He also made a pitch for local consumers to “Buy American,” asking that “every Friend to America, both in Town and Country, will encourage him occasionally” by making a purchase from his shop.  Only in the nota bene that concluded his advertisement did Cooper issue a call that “People will be careful to save their Hogs Bristles,” an essential material for making brushes, “for which he will give a good Price in Cash.” Read more…

Battle of Ridgefield Archaeology Project Blog Entry #3: Buck and Ball
Stephen Bartjus 11 Nov 2025 Ridgefield Historical Society
This summer the Heritage Consultants archaeologists found a substantial number of military artifacts in one concentrated area close to where the Battle of Ridgefield began to subside. Among the items found were two Continental Army buttons with “USA” engraved on the front. A few feet away from one of them, five .65 diameter musket balls and four .30 diameter balls were found lying together beneath the ground. (The measurement refers to fractions of an inch, ‘so .65 is 65 percent of an inch.)
The musket balls were probably carried by an American soldier as ammunition for his Charleville musket, the most common firearm used by American troops. The smaller balls were buckshot and would have been loaded into a musket with one large ball. The result was called a “buck and ball” load and its effect was to combine the impact of a musket ball with the wide pattern of buckshot. Soldiers could hit a formation of troops 150 yards away with a buck and ball. Read more…
Notes by Ken MacCallum UE

Samuel Wild Mitchell – Filicide, December 1804
by Sarah Murden 20 Nov 2025 All Things Georgian
This was a case covered by many of the newspapers of the day due to its horrific nature and its subsequent trial at the Old Bailey, and yet it seems to have been lost to history, so let’s begin at the beginning.
Samuel Wild Mitchell was born in 1751, just a year after his parents, James Mitchell and Elizabeth Wild’s clandestine marriage and was baptised at St Botolph church, Aldgate in the City of London. At the age of aged 21, he married Hannah Kelley, with whom he had a son, named for his father, born 1772, and a daughter, Mary (born 1774) and another daughter.
By 15 September 1794, Mitchell was a widower when he married for a second time, his new bride being Elizabeth Crow, also widowed, the couple marrying at Saint Leonard church, Shoreditch, Hackney. Mitchell signed his name, whilst Elizabeth made her mark with the usual X. A witness to their marriage was Edward Delaforce, a journeyman, broad-silk weaver; his was a name that would appear again,  later in the story.  Read more…

The Loyalist Gazette Fall 2025 Issue is in the Mail
The paper copy has now been printed and was delivered to Canada Post on Wednesday 12 November. For those who had requested it by mid-October, your copy is wending its way to you through the postal system.
“The Loyalist Gazette Fall 2025 issue contains fascinating articles focusing on the Pacific Region of Canada. As well there are other historical items and UELAC information which readers will find of great interest.
With this issue we complete a cross Canada series of articles about Loyalist descendants that begun in the Fall of 2023 with Atlantic Canada and now ends with the Pacific Region of British Columbia and the Yukon.
….Brian McConnell UE, Chair, Loyalist Gazette Committee ”
News has been received of a very successful Dominion Conference held during July in the Loyalist City of Saint John and this issue includes some of the details. The issue also contains reports on the Dorchester and Sue Morse-Hines Award winners, the new Honorary Fellowships appointee, as well as Education and Outreach, and Scholarships.
Also the following articles:

  • Pierre Berton: Son of the Yukon and Loyalist Descendant
  • Erle Montgomery Craig, Enterprising Vancouver Builder
  • Greenlaw & Nason, Loyalists and their Baldwin Descendants in British Columbia
  • Migration of Descendants of Dr. John Dease UE to British Columbia

The digital copy is available to all current members including those getting a paper copy – just log in at uelac.ca and you will find it in the Members’ section.

Loyalist Projects:  UE Loyalist History Blog
Nova Scotia Branch Project, by Brian McConnell UE
Ongoing (started 1 Sept 2025)
My 5th great grandfather was James Humphrey, UE, a Private in Jessup’s Rangers during the American Revolution who afterward settled with his family near Johnstown, Ontario.  I am an historian who has authored 6 books and over 40 articles about United Empire Loyalists. I belong to the Nova Scotia Branch UELAC. As well I volunteer with the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada itself.
Here I share some of what I have learned relating to the history of the United Empire (UE) Loyalists in the hope it is useful to others and encourages their interest.
Blog posts are referenced in Loyalist Trails when they are posted.
See the entry in the Projects section.
The blog is available here https:// uelhistory.blogspot.com/ 

Branch projects, by a branch as a whole or by a person or a small group within a branch help to preserve and promote our Canadian history, with a particular focus on the Loyalist time frame of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Loyalist heritage takes many forms from actual buildings of the time to family histories. Read more…

UELAC Loyalist Directory: New Contributions

Entries which have been added, or revised, this week.

Thanks to Lynton “Bill” Stewart UE who has contributed many Loyalists based on records from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and other sources.

  • Joseph Taylor from Boston helped finance Rhode Island Loyalists, and had shares in two Privateers and settled in Halifax
  • Lieut. Samuel Tarbell from Groton, Massachusetts Bay, served in the King’s American Dragoons and resettled in Ciceboo, Annapolis Co., NS
  • Gerrard Tyler from New Ashford, Berkshire County, Massachusetts Baywas in the “King’s Works” at Sorrel and St. John and resettled in Fredericksburgh
  • Patrick Wall from Boston, a merchant taillor, was imprisoned in Boston, was Confined to Sudbury for 4 months, and then was then confined back in Boston. In November 1777, he was allowed to go with his family to New York. He resettled in Shelburne NS
  • Edward Winslow Sr.   from Plymouth, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay, great-grandson of Edward Winslow, of the Mayflower, married 1741 Hannah Howland and they resettled in Halifax.
  •  Lt. Col. Edward Winslow Jr. from Plymouth and Boston, Massachusetts Bay fought with the British Regulars at Lexington. He served the Army as a paramilitary during the siege of Boston. In 1776, he went with the British Troops to Halifax, NS. On July 30, 1776 he was commissioned Muster Master General of the Loyalist Forces in North America. He married Mary Symondsand they had twelve children
  • Samuel Mallows from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, \joined the Army as a Wagoneer on Long Island in 1776. After that, he joined Major Ward’s Refugees, and was with him at the defense of the blockhouse at Slongo, New Jersey, where he lost his horses. He resettled in St. John NB
  • Alexander McNaughton first did duty at Castle William and Mary, where the governor was besieged. He went to Boston with the Governor and joined the Army. He was with the 84th regiment when they were disbanded Nova Scotia in 1783. He resettled in Douglas, NS
  •  Samuel Richardson from Breadport NH served with Burgoyne’s Army under Captain Twiss as a miner until 1780; then Major James Rogers Corps till December 1783. He resettled at     Sorel, Quebec
  • Asa Porter from Haverhill NH married Mehitable Crocker in 1764. In 1776, he was imprisoned in Exeter, New Hampshire, for 17 months. They resettled in Brome, Quebec. He died in 1818 back in Haverhill.
  • Eleazer Sanger from Keene NH served in Delancey’s 2nd Battalion under Col. Ludlow. He married Hannah Stanwood in 1744. They resettled in Beaver Harbour, NB

From Mike Woodcock UE an entry for Thomas Gill who served with the Maryland Loyalists resettled on the River Nashwack near Maugerville New Brunswick in 1784.

If you are willing to submit some information, send a note to  loyalist.trails@uelac.org All help is appreciated.                     …doug

Events Upcoming

Kawartha “The Building of the Murray Canal” Sun 16 Nov 2:00 ET

The Murray Canal connects Bay of Quinte to Lake Ontario as a regional transportation link during and after the steamboat era and now part of the Trent-Severn Waterway. Experience the politics of the 1800s in moving big projects forward, with many bidders, several routes and intense lobbying – just like today. Join the meeting via zoom – Meeting ID: 870 6876 2902 Passcode: 636178

Nelles Manor Museum, Grimsby ON: Tea Workshop Sat 22 Nov @1:00 

With Katie Cyr, Tea Sommeiler. Enlighten your senses & knowledge of teas and tisanes through an interactive tea blending workshop! Read more and tickets…

Kingston and District Branch: “Untangling Township Papers” Sat. 22 Nov 2:00 ET

    The in-person part of this hybrid meeting will meet at 1:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall, 137 Queen Street (doors open at noon; zoom meeting at 12:30);  Author and lecturer Jane E. MacNamara speaks on “Untangling Township Papers”.  Start finding the story of your ancestor’s Ontario property!  Township Papers are a highly organized series of records based upon the very hectic and disorganized activities of the (especially early) Crown Lands Department.
Further information and the Zoom link visit Kingston Branch.  All are welcome!

From the Social Media and Beyond

  • Clothing and apparel
    • Absolutely’Marie Antoinette Style’ L Pierrot (similar to one in portrait on left) & petticoat, 1790. R Rare robe en chemise (muslin dress), 1785-90, & bergère (straw hat), 1760-80, portrait on right 1783.  image
    • On display at ‘Marie Antoinette Style’ fashion plate (etching) showing an Amazone- style redingote,
    •  Nothing has changed  – #Egyptian flip flops : a pair of sandals made of woven reed and palm leaves. Dating around 1000 BC. It has been remarkably preserved because of Egypt’s arid desert climate. On display at National Museum Copenhagen.
    • For the next few weeks we will be focusing on some important items from our #Underwear collection. This pair of half-boned stays, c.1785 – 1788 is made from brown cotton and lined with linen, they are boned with whalebone.
    • Brunswick, unknown maker, watered silk & linen, 1765-75.
    • French fans, second half C18th. R Toile de Jouy, plate-printed cotton, France, late C18th.
    • Embroidery sample for the train of a court dress, 1780-1792. R Close up  (back view) of à la polonaise style. image
  • Food and Related: Townsends

  • This week in History
    • 9 Nov 1733 Phillip Schuyler was born in Albany, NY. Schuyler was commissioned as a Captain in the NY provincial forces. He saw action in 1755 at the Battle of Lake George and 1756 near the British posts at Oswego. Schuyler resigned his commission in 1757. image
    • 12 Nov 1751 Margaret Corbin was born in Franklin Co., PA She would follow her husband to war and cook, clean, and tend ill or wounded soldiers. At the Battle of Ft. Washington, Corbin manned a cannon after her husband was wounded. image
    • 9 Nov 1775 Lechmere Point, Boston. American riflemen under Col Wm. Thompson defeated a British foraging party of 500 men, inflicting two killed and suffering two wounded. Redcoats retreat with 10 cows for their efforts.  image
    • 9 Nov 1775 Boston, MA British commander Gen Wm Howe declines to follow Lord North’s recommendation to evacuate Boston for NY. The American ring had not fully closed & he lacked transport for Loyalists wishing to escape. image
    • 10 Nov 1775 Lord George Germain becomes Secretary of State for the Colonies, principally because of his hardline support for crushing the nascent rebellion. image
    • 10 Nov 1775 amidst the fervor of revolutionary Philadelphia, the Continental Congress took a decisive measure that would become a hallmark of American valor.
      They resolved to establish two battalions of marines—comprising two hundred fifty personnel—to bolster the nascent Continental Navy.
      These were not ordinary soldiers or sailors but a hybrid—vigilant marksmen stationed in the rigging of warships, muskets discharging with thunderous force to defend vessels against the enemy, and, as pioneering amphibious troops, storming shores to further the cause of liberty.
      Command of these elite troops fell on Captain Samuel Nicholas, a patriotic Philadelphian of unwavering determination, who was appointed the inaugural commandant of the Corps. Nicholas transformed Tun Tavern—a humble local establishment, infused with the aroma of tobacco smoke and ale—into his recruitment center. There, patriots from various walks of life—including artisans and farmers—gave their oaths, while around them revelers ate and drank. This modest inn became the birthplace of a force that would demonstrate enduring strength.
      Their initial test by combat arrived promptly: on New Providence in the Bahamas, where Nicholas’s marines executed the pioneering amphibious landing in United States military history. Scaling cliffs under the light of the moon, they captured Fort Nassau, seizing vital gunpowder to support the Revolution—a triumphant display of valor and accuracy that foreshadowed further victories.
      Two and a half centuries later, as we commemorate this 250th anniversary, the United States Marine Corps remains an enduring symbol of that spark. From the decks of wooden frigates to distant shores, the spirit forged in 1775 persists: Semper Fidelis, always faithful—a guiding light of bravery illuminating the path of liberty for successive generations.  image
    • 12 Nov 1775 Hearing of England’s rejection of the Olive Branch Petition, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband John, “Let us separate…. Let us renounce them… Let us beseech the almighty to blast their councils and bring to Nought all their devices.” image
    • 13 Nov 1775, Continental Army Brigadier General Richard Montgomery enters Montreal, Canada, without opposition. Carleton had withdrawn his forces to Quebec, where he would await reinforcement from Britain. image
    • 13 Nov 1775 Gen Benedict Arnold leads his command across the St Lawrence River in a night crossing and lands near Quebec. image
    • 14 Nov 1775 Col Benedict Arnold’s forces arrive on the Plains of Abraham outside Quebec. Arnold demands garrison’s surrender. Lt Col Allen Maclean refused. Short on supplies & lacking artillery, Arnold goes to Pointe-aux-Trembles to await reinforcements. image
    • 14 Nov 1775 King George III notifies Lord North that he has contracted 4,000 professional German soldiers for Great Britain, mostly from Hessen. He originally wanted to hire Russian infantry from Catherine the Great, but she rebuffed his request.  image
    • 12 Nov 1776, NYC, The British fleet sailed for England. It consisted of the empty transports that had brought General Howe’s army from England.  image
    • 12 Nov 1776 Fort Lee, NJ. Gen George Washington and Gen Nathanael Greene confer without a decision over the value of maintaining a garrison at Fort Washington, with the British in complete control of NYC and the North (Hudson) River.  image
    • 14 Nov 1776 London The St. James Chronicle reports “The very identical Dr. Franklyn [Ben Franklin], whom Lord Chatham (pro American politician) so much caressed, and used to say he was proud in calling his friend, is now at the head of the rebellion in North America.” image
    • 15 Nov 1776, Island of New York. British engineers begin building artillery positions to provide fire cover for forces crossing the Harlem River as preparation for an attack on Fort Washington. image
    • 15 Nov 1777 The Articles of Confederation were adopted. After debating for 16 months, the Continental Congress agreed to adopt the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union. On March 1, 1781,the last of the 13 states, Maryland, ratified the agreement. image
    • 8 Nov 1778 Col Ichabod Alden commanding 7th Mass. Regt at Cherry Valley learns of a Loyalist & Iroquois attack. He foolishly dismisses the threat, taking no precautions. image
    • 10 Nov 1778 Raiding party led by Chief Joseph Brant & Loyalist Capt Walter Butler ambush an American patrol whose captives provide useful intelligence about defenses of Cherry Valley, NY.  image
    • 11 Nov 1778 Cooperstown, NY Cap.t Walter Butler’s Loyalists & Chief Joseph Brant‘s Iroquois kill more than 40 Patriots, & take 70 prisoners, in the Cherry Valley Massacre. Col Ichabod Alden of 7th MA was killed in the attack. image
    • 13 Nov 1780 Gen William Woodford, taken on a British prison ship to New York City from Charleston, South Carolina, died in captivity in New York City, and was buried at Trinity Church. image
    • On this day in history, 10 November 1782, the last battle of the American Revolution is fought as American militiamen attacked Shawnee villages near Chillicothe in the Ohio Country, in retaliation for attacks by Loyalists and Indians against the villages of  Sandusky,  also in the Ohio Country,  Lexington in Kentucky  County and other towns in the same territories.
      General George Rogers Clark and over a thousand militiamen on horseback attacked and burned several Shawnee villages and defeated them decisively.
      Contrary to the understanding of many Americans, the surrender of British General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, in October of 1781 did not end the Revolutionary War. It was a pivotal point, but hostilities continued for two more years and a preliminary peace treaty was not signed until 30 November 1782, more than a year after Cornwallis’ surrender.
      The Treaty of Paris – the official peace treaty was not signed until 3 September 1783 and was then ratified by Congress on 14 January 1784. image
    • 14 Nov 1832 Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence, died. He was the longest lived of the signers and the last to die. Carroll was the only Catholic to sign the document.  image

 

 

Published by the UELAC
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