“Loyalist Trails” 2007-19: May 13, 2007

In this issue:
“At The End Of The Trail”, UELAC Conference: Did You Know? More about Windsor Area
Conference Event Update: Loyalist Landing on Sunday
Special Guest for the Gala Banquet
“At The End of The Trail” Calendar
Following The Yellow Brick Road…
Index to 1786 McNiff Maps Available
“Black Loyalist” Daylily Available
Their Generation Started It All: A Second or Middle Given Name
Discover our Heritage: Doors Open
UELAC Website Updates: Loyalist Directory: McGillivray, Archibald
Queries
      + Response re UE Proclamation
      + More about Researching Dulmage Families

Articles

“At The End Of The Trail”, UELAC Conference: Did You Know? More about Windsor Area

– Chief Tecumseh was killed at The Battle of The Thames on October 5, 1813.

– Lieutenant Colonel John MacDonnell was Major General Isaac Brock’s aide-de-camp at Detroit.

– Launched in August 1813, the H. M. S. Detroit was the last and largest ship built at the Navy Yard at Amherstburg Ontario. King George III commissioned the “Detroit” to be built in honor of a brief capture of Fort Detroit (City of Detroit). She was to serve as the flagship of the British Fleet. The Detroit along with the entire fleet were captured by U.S. Commandant Oliver Hazard Perry aboard the U.S. Flagship Niagara on September 10, 1813 in The Battle of Lake Erie at Put In Bay.

– The American General, General William Hull, surrendered Detroit to the British in 1812.

– American forces set up their headquarters on the British side of the Detroit River at Sandwich.

Conference Event Update: Loyalist Landing on Sunday

Only 19 days until we meet for our Annual Meeting and Conference.

The all day tour to Amherstburg is now full. There are still a couple of spots left on the half day Olde Sandwich Towne tour and afternoon seminars.

These seminars will feature Ken Turner who will be giving a presentation on “Finding and Protecting Loyalist Burial Grounds and Historic Cemeteries in Southern Ontario” and Dr. Anne Marie Goodfellow debuting her documentary “Crossing Over” which follows the major events in Loyalist Simon Girty’s life until he settled in Upper Canada.

Following Church Service Sunday morning at St. John’s Anglican in Olde Sandwich Towne we will board the bus for Amherstburg to join the Provincial Marines at Fort Malden. Please see more details on our web site at: www.uelbicentennial.org

Special Guest for the Gala Banquet

We are pleased to announce that The Hon. Peter Milliken, M.P.,The Speaker of the House of Commons will be joining us for the Gala Banquet. Tickets are still available for the Banquet for those wishing to attend. Registration information is available at our web site. For additional information, feel free to contact us at {info AT uelbicentennial DOT org}

…Kimberly Hurst UE, 2007 Conference Chair

“At The End of The Trail” Calendar

This 18-month calendar, starting with July 1, 2007, has been produced by London and Southwestern Ontario Branch UELAC in co-operation with Bicentennial Branch UELAC to celebrate a rich history of the area which will be highlighted during “CONFERENCE 2007”.

See more details and some pictures on the web site under Branch Projects at “At The End of The Trail” Calendar by London & Western Ontario Branch

Prints of the sketches, by Jane Hughes of London Branch, as well as the calendars will be sold at the Conference, or they may be ordered. The cost of the calendar is $15.00 and each print is $8.50 (plus mailing costs where necessary). Further information may be obtained from Marvin Recker, U.E. 1460 Norman Avenue, London, Ontario, N6K 2A7. Tel: 519-471-9546. email {mrecker AT mnsi DOT net}.

If you would like to buy one calendar, or more than one for gifts, or for your branch sales table, and pick them up at conference, please send a note to Kim Hurst {Gypsygirl2002 AT aol DOT com} so she can make sure she has sufficient on hand.

[submitted by Bernice Flett UE]

Following The Yellow Brick Road…

Early this month I had the pleasure and honour of visiting the following Branches in Western Canada: Chilliwack, Vancouver, Victoria and Edmonton. It was a wonderful trip, I met many members, thoroughly enjoyed the events and the scenery, and was certainly spoiled during my stay. Thank you!! Special thanks to Carl Stymiest, Shirley Dargatz, Wendy Cosby and Marilyn Lappi. I also want to congratulate one more time Vancouver Branch on the occasion of their 75th anniversary and Edmonton Branch on the occasion of their 20th anniversary.

…Peter W. Johnson UE, President, UELAC

Index to 1786 McNiff Maps Available

An Index to the 1786 McNiff Maps of the Townships of Lancaster, Charlottenburgh, Cornwall, Osnabruck, Williamsburgh and Matilda. (the Loyalist Maps) is now available. It has been complied by by Edward Kipp & George Anderson, May 2007, ISBN 978-0-9733749-4-0

This CD-ROM contains the following:

– a master alphabetic index to the McNiff Maps.

– a concession and lot index for each township.

– copies of the maps by township.

All files are in PDF format.

Published by and available from:

Edward Kipp

6242 Paddler Way

Orleans, Ontario, Canada

K1C 2E7 geocities.com/ekipp@rogers.com/

The Price is: Canadian: $25.00 per CD plus $2.00 S/H

To order make your cheque or money order payable to E Kipp

For more information, e-mail {ekipp AT rogers DOT com}

“Black Loyalist” Daylily Available

This spring,The Potting Shed, now of Dunnville, will release its fifth and final Loyalist hybrid daylily for us. This will complete the series that included Sgt. Robert Campbell, Col. John Butler, Thayendanegea, and UE-Mark of Honour. The sale of these hybrid daylilies raised funds for the Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University, the Let Loose Our Library-UELAC 2006 campaign and the 2014 Project.

Because Jack Kent, the developer of the daylily, described it as his darkest red, almost black in colour, this final hybrid will be called BLACK LOYALIST. The edge is also slightly ruffled. Priced at only $25.00, the proceeds from the sale of these plants will be donated to a UELAC project yet to be named.

As in the past there is a limited number of plants available. If you prefer a more immediate or a different pickup other than the proposed UELAC Annual Meeting in Windsor, let me know.

…Fred H. Hayward {fhhayward AT idirect DOT com}

Their Generation Started It All: A Second or Middle Given Name

As you look over the records of your loyalist ancestors and their descendants, you will notice something very striking. While it is extremely unlikely that you will find any adult loyalist with a middle name, you will find that they tended to give middle names to their children who were born after the American Revolution. The grandchildren of adult loyalists almost always have middle names. For whatever reason, the custom of giving middle names began with the generation that weathered the War of Independence as adults. It is a “fad” that the loyalists brought to present day Canada.

Middle names were virtually unheard of in English speaking communities before 1700. It is said that only four people in all of England had middle names in 1600 — which is not strange considering that English Common Law forbade them! Edward Coke’s Law Commentary has this quote: “a man cannot have two given names of baptism; on bills of sale that purchaser shall be named by the name of his baptism and his surname.”

Germans gave their children a saint’s name or a biblical name as their first or “Christian” name, and commonly addressed their children by their middle names (or “call names”). ( Johan Sebastian Bach is a classic example.) This custom began among the nobility and only later became common practice. Some historians theorize that when a German prince became the king of England, the custom of using middle names entered English culture. Others say that it was the German and Dutch immigrants who brought the custom of middle names to North America, but this does not fit easily with the fact that loyalists embraced this custom so quickly after their arrival in British North America.

Middle names first appeared in Massachusetts in isolated cases sometime around 1760. Except for a few very rare exceptions, middle names were not common in Virginia until the 19th century. It is interesting to note that of the 56 signatures found on the Declaration of Independence, only three had middle names. No second names were recorded in the American Federal Census of 1790.

Given all of this background, I reviewed the names of my ancestors as well as the naming practices of other loyalist refugees. The loyalists did not use Biblical or saint’s names, preferring to give their children the names of good friends, siblings or parents. Names which loyalists were the first to use as middle names have been passed on through the generations like family heirlooms. Here are some examples.

Benajah and Sarah Northrup had nine children born between 1771 and 1791 who did not have middle names. However, the four children born between 1795 and 1800 in New Brunswick did.

John and Hepzibeth Lyon had their first child in Connecticut in 1762. Their seventh and last child, William Henry, was born in 1782 while the family was in a refugee camp on Long Island. This indicates that the granting of middle names began before the end of the war. The Lyons’ son John, a teenager during the Revolution, gave seven of his eleven children middle names; his sister Ruth gave all eight of her children middle names.

Frederick and Nancy Dibblee had nine children. They began to give middle names with the birth of their third child in 1790. (The birth of their first child (who had no middle name) actually delayed their departure from New York in the spring of 1783, and they had to wait to arrive in New Brunswick with the summer fleet.)

Fyler and Polly Dibblee had six children but only Sally Munday, the couple’s fifth child (born 1774), carried an uncle’s surname as a middle name. All six of the Dibblee children (who, during the Revolution, ranged from infants to teenagers) gave the majority of their own children middle names. Sally gave nine of her ten children a second name.

What these and other families’ naming practices indicate is that the granting middle of names was just beginning during the years of the Revolution. Once loyalists settled into their new homes, they were more likely to give their newborns middle names. Those who were children during the Revolution — or just after– were much more likely to bestow middle names upon their offspring. Grandchildren of the loyalist generation were exceptions if they did not have middle names. What is lost to us is what prompted this explosion of middle names. Whatever the reason, this “fad” of the loyalist generation is with us still.

…Stephen Eric Davidson (whose middle name honours his father)

Discover our Heritage: Doors Open

In 1984, the opportunity for free admission to museums as well as buildings that were generally closed to the public began with Doors Open. It would take sixteen years for the idea to catch on in Canada.

At the turn of the millennium, or 2000 to be exact, the first Doors Open Event was held in North America. Now in its eighth year, Doors Open Toronto will open over 150 buildings with free admission on Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27. Some, like Applewood, the Shaver Homestead, are only open on the Sunday, but it would be a great time to visit Black Creek Pioneer Village or Fort York with the family and friends. Click here for further information.

In 2002, the Ontario Heritage Trust began Doors Open Ontario across the province. If you go to doorsopenontario.on.ca you can discover when and where the event will occur near you. Doors Open generally take place in Ontario between April 15 to October 31. Those who attend the OGS Conference in Ottawa might also be able to visit museums, archives, heritage sites as part of the Ottawa Doors Open program running June 2 – 3.

…Fred H. Hayward

UELAC Website Updates: Loyalist Directory: McGillivray, Archibald

Loyalist Directory: information about these Loyalists has been added to the directory this week:
– McGillivray, Archibald: from Brian Stanger (certificate application, a PDF, see certificate application)

Queries

Response re UE Proclamation

I am NOT a historian but my understanding is that the resolution that was passed by the Council in Quebec and was presented to the King, not necessarily for him to approve of the U.E. mark of honor since it was already passed by the council. The Quebec Act of 1774 was the legislative authority that provided for the administration of what was then the province of Quebec. Best I can tell King George III made a proclamation to that effect of what was passed in Quebec at the start of the Revolution. King George III/Great Britain set up a commission to give land to those that remained Loyal a few month prior to signing the treaty.

More about Researching Dulmage Families

In 1709 they fled from King Louis XIV (Catholic) who was doing a purge of the protestants, to Britain and Ireland and ended up at the Southwell Estates in Ireland – then emigrated to the new world about 50/60 years later – the original families still interconnected……. Barbara Heck designed the first Methodist church-building in the new world…

…Gail Frey {gailfrey AT hotmail DOT com}

Addenda/Corrections

“To My Heirs Forever…” would be Eula Carscallen Lapp’s book “To THEIR Heirs Forever” and of course Queen Victoria wasn’t born until 24 May 1819, long after the end of the Revolution – the ruler was, of course, George III, Victoria’s grandfather.