“Loyalist Trails” 2017-35: August 27, 2017

In this issue:
Penelope Winslow: The Loyalist “Princess” of Plymouth (Part 3), by Stephen Davidson
August 23, 1775: George III: A Proclamation of Rebellion
Spy Techniques of the Revolutionary War
United Empire Loyalists Keep History Alive at Ancaster’s Cooley-Hat Pioneer Cemetery
Behind the [Podcasting] Scenes with Liz Covart of Ben Franklin’s World
Ben Franklin’s World: Marla Miller, Betsy Ross
JAR: Sergeant Simon Giffin and his journal of the Revolution
The Junto: Roundtable on “How NOT To Write Your Second Book”
Forts of Vincennes, Indiana
Where in the World?
Region and Branch Bits
From the Twittersphere and Beyond
Additions to the Loyalist Directory
Last Post
      + Kathleen Alice Perry, UE
      + Fred Maurice Blayney, UE, PH, MB
Queries
      + Marking a Loyalist Grave or Cemetery

Articles

Penelope Winslow: The Loyalist “Princess” of Plymouth (Part 3)

© Stephen Davidson, UE

This is the final installment in the story of one American woman who could be said to fit the stereotype of a “loyalist princess” — Penelope Winslow of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Having left New York City to find sanctuary in Halifax, the Winslow sisters and their mother quickly joined the members of the city’s upper crust in all their varied social activities.

A letter Penelope wrote in November 1784 reveals, “The dancing parties are kept up with great — Violence, I had like to have said, but Spirit is a better word. Miss Duncan gives a Ball on Monday evening, Miss Brenton on Friday… The last Assembly was amazingly brilliant, the Ladies Dress superb beyond what the New Englanders had seen before.

Mrs. Wentworth stood first in fashion & magnificence. Her Gown & Petticoat of sylvan tissue trimmed with Dalian Flowers & the finest blond Lace, a train of four yards long, her hair and wrist ornamented with real Diamonds. Miss Duncan was elegant in a fawn coloured satin covered with crepe, black velvet waist, pearl sprigs in her hair, no feathers or flowers. She was much admired, as was Kitty Taylor in unadorned White. Miss Parr looked vastly well in cream coloured satin with sable fur. Lady Duncan & Miss Bayley figured in a profusion of waving Plumes & flowers.”

A year later, Penelope wrote, “Feasting, card playing & dancing is the great business of Life at Halifax, one eternal round — the votaries of pleasure complain of being fatigued & want variety of amusements. The new Imported Ladies continue to be the Belles. … The High Sheriff enjoys all the pomp of this pompous Town and you would, by the style & state he take upon himself, swear he was born a Halifaxian {sic} — gives dinners two or three times a week & tomorrow evening all the Noblesse are to be entertained at his house, a Ball and supper superb. Charming doings is it not, don’t you envy the gay circle?”

One person who was not enjoying Halifax’s “gay circle” in 1785 was Penelope’s sister Sarah. Despite their brother’s best intentions, hundreds of acres in the forests of New Brunswick would not be sufficient to support the Winslow women. They needed to have some sort of steady government pension. The only family member capable of securing that financial support was Sarah, so off she sailed to the United Kingdom, leaving “all the pomp of this pompous town” to Penelope.

By April, the younger Miss Winslow had returned to Halifax with the welcome news that in recognition of their father’s service to the crown, the British government had awarded his female dependents a pension that would support them for the rest of their lives.

But Edward Jr. wanted his mother and sisters closer to his new home in New Brunswick. For the third time in her life, Penelope had to leave a “charming circle of ladies” to follow a male relative to places unknown. An April letter reveals the thoughts of this middle-aged woman as she contemplated leaving Halifax.

“My Mother, {Sarah} & myself cannot be of the least advantage in cultivating lands. We are ignorant & unequal to the undertaking, & my brother now seems to be of that opinion & wishes a small house might be put upon his lot … But will not building be too expensive, or can it be done without involving ourselves and friends?”

Living near Saint John, the port city that had welcomed thousands of loyalist refugees in 1783, Penelope did not need to concern herself with a diminished social life. Her cousin Benjamin Marston recounted a gathering of the loyalist city’s elite in the year that the Winslow women moved to New Brunswick.

The entertainment was described as “a monstrous great Ball & fine supper to about 36 Gentlemen & Ladies such as Governors, Secretaries, Chief Justices, Chancellors & such kind of people with their wives and daughters. We ate, drank, danced, & played cards till about 4 o’clock in the morning. We had everything for supper.” It was the lifestyle “Princess” Penelope had enjoyed in Plymouth, New York City, and Halifax.

At forty years of age, Penelope enjoyed her last flirtation with a “prince charming”. While living in Saint John, Penelope caught the eye of Benjamin Marston, her widower cousin. Thirteen years her senior and the deputy surveyor of New Brunswick, Marston was continually looking for a government job that would return him to the lifestyle that he had once known in Massachusetts before the revolution.

Having become “smitten” by Penelope, Marston metaphorically became a knight in shining armor for his damsel in distress. If the Winslow women were to receive compensation for their wartime losses, they needed to acquire documents that were only available in Boston. Marston volunteered to become “a mere instrument in procuring so essential a good”.

Within two weeks of arriving in the birthplace of the American Revolution, Marston found the papers required to save his “princess” from the evil enchantment of poverty. Somewhere in the pursuit of Miss Winslow’s financial salvation, Marston’s infatuation with Penelope evaporated. His energies, it seems, were diverted by the even stronger desire to acquire compensation from the British government.

Within two years’ time, the Winslows once again pulled up stakes and settled in Fredericton, the colony’s new capital city. Eight years later, Penelope and Sarah bought their own house. The sisters took what delight was available from the social life of Fredericton’s elite and in being aunts to their brother’s five youngest children. No doubt there was also a sense of pride when Edward Jr. became a judge of the New Brunswick Supreme Court in 1807. Once again Penelope was attached to a man of influence and respectability — just as she had enjoyed the reflected glory of her father forty years earlier in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

This would be as close to “happily ever after” as Penelope’s life would allow. She died at the age of sixty-seven on January 22, 1810. The local newspaper, the New Brunswick Royal Gazette, marked her passing, noting only that she was the sister of the Honourable Judge Winslow.

To her sister Sarah –her confidante and closest friend– Penelope bequeathed £40 (equivalent to about $9,150.00 in today’s dollars). It was hardly a royal fortune, but if she could not be a loyalist “princess”, at least Penelope could be a fairy godmother to a sister who had been her lifelong companion.

The true story of a loyalist woman who had been a member of Massachusetts’ upper crust during the American Revolution is certainly not the stuff of fairy tales. Being a “princess” carried its own sorrows and no happy endings. But in the end, knowing all that Penelope Winslow endured gives us a much richer understanding of the loyalist era.

To secure permission to reprint this article, email Stephen Davidson.

August 23, 1775: George III: A Proclamation of Rebellion

23 Aug 1775, George III proclaimed that colonists “misled by dangerous and ill-designing Men” were in “an open and avowed Rebellion.”

On August 23rd, 1775, King George III issued A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition, also known as the Proclamation of Rebellion. Written in response to the Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill, in April and June 1775 respectively, the Proclamation warned colonists that their hostile reactions to British authority would not be tolerated. The King accused the colonists of “forgetting the allegiance which they owe to the power that has protected and supported them,” and stated that they “have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war against us.” He went on the warn the colonists that British military officers, as well as any subjects of the Crown, were to “exert their utmost endeavours to suppress such rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice.”

Read more.

Spy Techniques of the Revolutionary War

Spycraft during the American Revolution consisted of a complicated system of hidden networks, interpersonal relationships, scientific knowledge, personal cunning, guile and risk-taking.

Ciphers and secret codes were used to ensure that the contents of a letter could not be understood if correspondence was captured. In ciphers, letters were used to represent and replace other letters to mask the true message of the missive. The letter’s recipient utilized a key–which referenced corresponding pages and letters from a well-known book, such as Entick’s Dictionary–to decode the document’s true message. Some spy groups even created their own pocket guide to serve as a cipher’s key. Similarly, some letters were written in intricate secret codes where numbers and special characters replaced letters, a method most notably practiced by the Culper Spy Ring.

Read more.

United Empire Loyalists Keep History Alive at Ancaster’s Cooley-Hat Pioneer Cemetery

The above heading is especially important as it has taken eleven years since the Cooley-Hatt cemetery was discovered during an archeological dig in 2004, to be able to plaque it. This cemetery was rediscovered by Ancaster’s historian, Jim Green, and is believed to be the town’s first burial ground. Many of the earliest settlers of the area were interred at the site from 1794 until the early 1820s when a cemetery was created at St. John’s Anglican Church on Wilson Street.

On August 12th the Hamilton Branch Plaquing Committee headed up by Doug and Sharon Coppins achieved its goal of recognizing and honouring loyalist ancestors, Preserved Cooley and Peter Gordon who are buried in the Cooley-Hatt cemetery, through erecting a Loyalist Burial Site sign.

Another very important early settler buried in this cemetery is Richard Hatt who built a mill in Dundas and is credited with establishing the town of Dundas. Last year the family led by Richard Hatt, the great-great-great-grandson of the original Richard Hatt held a rededication ceremony for the Cooley and Hatt families. Hatt’s wife, Mary Cooley, is buried in the pioneer cemetery, along with several of their nine children. The current Richard Hatt is a member of the Hamilton Branch.

The casings of 99 burial sites have been found and they indicate that over one-third of the burials were children.

Descendants came from Springboro, Ohio, Belleville and Fonthill, Ontario along with local parliamentarians and our members to hear the full story of the cemetery. It has now been 11 years since the city of Hamilton, historians and family descendants have worked together to save this important piece of land from development.

A subdivision was planned for the area. The cemetery was discovered in the middle of the planned development. A dispute ensued that delayed the development for nearly 11 years. The cemetery was in the path of the road and two residential lots. Richard Hatt became involved to preserve and maintain the cemetery. “No graves were to be removed,” he stated. Cemetery markers are to be installed by the city.

Ancaster Ward Councillor, Lloyd Ferguson, along with Flamborough Councillor, Judy Partridge and Hamilton Liberal MPP, Ted McMeekin, all attended the ceremony, and they said saving the cemetery at the location was a matter of taking a strong stand against the developer while also seeking a compromise solution to the issue. “At the end of the day, it is a good example of the developer helping out,” stated Councillor Ferguson.

In 2010, the city and developer reached a deal days before an Ontario Municipal Board hearing was set to begin after the developer appealed to the principal agency arguing the city had waited six years before making a decision. Under the agreement between the city and the developer, the cemetery would be preserved and deeded to the municipality. A 1.5-metre sidewalk constructed from Highvalley Road would provide pedestrian access.

In 2015 Hamilton politicians agreed to a draft condominium plan to construct 23 single-detached dwellings on 2.33 hectares of land at One Legacy Lane, a private condominium road that connects to Limekiln Road.

Doug Coppins said preserving such historical places such as the cemetery is needed to remind people of their past and to educate future generations.

“People don’t seem to realize the history they have”, said Doug. Plaquing pioneer cemeteries is important to preserve history and help neighbouring people to have insight to the history of the area in which they are living.

The Cooley-Hatt cemetery is on Highvalley Rd. in Ancaster. It can be reached to the right off Mohawk Rd. W. and again right off Limekiln Rd. (See press coverage.)

…Pat Blackburn, UE, Hamilton Branch

Behind the [Podcasting] Scenes with Liz Covart of Ben Franklin’s World

I wanted to delve a little deeper into the podcasting world to get a better sense of its inner workings. To do so, I interviewed Liz Covart whose excellent podcast Ben Franklin’s World turns two years old this year.

Q: How did you come to the podcast world?

A: I came to the podcast world as a listener. I started listening to one or two podcasts about writing and productivity and within a month of listening, I became a “podcast junkie.” I fell in love with podcasts because they allow me to learn something new and feel productive during times I can’t be productive, such as when I walk my dogs, cook dinner, clean my house, and run errands.

I became a history podcaster because I couldn’t find a history podcast I wanted to listen to. In 2012, I wanted a show with well-researched history and with professional historians who offered either a story or conversation about early American history. After lamenting how my dream podcast didn’t exist, I decided to create it.

Read more.

Ben Franklin’s World: Marla Miller, Betsy Ross

Marla Miller, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and author of Betsy Ross and the Making of America, leads us on an exploration of the life and times of Betsy Grissom Ross Ashbury Claypoole, the woman we remember as sewing the first flag of the United States.

During our exploration, Marla reveals what it was like for Betsy and other men and women to work in an 18th-century upholstery shop; How Betsy Ross experienced the War for Independence; And, whether Betsy Ross sewed the first flag of the United States of America.

Listen to the podcast.

JAR: Sergeant Simon Giffin and his journal of the Revolution

by Phillip R. Giffin – August 24, 2017

In the early morning of May 30, 1777, my distant grandfather Sgt. Simon Giffin of Wethersfield, Connecticut left his home and followed the dirt trail over Rocky Hill and down to the Village Green. After three months of training and recruiting he had been called to muster with his regiment, the 9th Connecticut commanded by Col. Samuel Blachley Webb. We know a great deal about Sergeant Giffin. He was a writer of letters and diaries and several of his descendants have been obsessed with genealogy. One extraordinary descendant has provided us with an accounting of some 8,000 of his descendants; another has preserved and kept together Simon’s possessions from the war, including a war diary, regimental record book, musket, sword, powder horns, and uniform buttons.

What could we learn from reading this man’s notebooks and researching his regiment, his fellow soldiers, his hometown, and their war? He was in many respects an ordinary man, if any senior NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer) can ever be considered “ordinary.” Most officers would probably consider them the “backbone of the Army,” the men most responsible for accomplishing a unit’s daily mission. Among the hundreds of surviving soldier diaries from the Revolution, not many have been written by senior NCO’s; one study found only some twenty-nine of 876 diaries were written by sergeants. Another in-depth study of American diaries from the Seven Years War indicates that some two-thirds of the surviving diaries from that war focused on the mundane details of camp life, only a third commented reflectively on their military life.

As a senior NCO, Giffin focused almost exclusively on the daily status and activities of his regiment; he did not spend time or ink reflecting on the scenery, the miseries of the weather or the march, his inadequate diet, clothing, shoes, pay, and food. He never questions his orders, the motivations of his superiors, the men around him, or the enemy. His unit, the 9th Connecticut Regiment, participated in some well-known campaigns and a great many smaller actions, the sum total of which illustrate the difficulties and dangers faced by men fighting the most powerful military machine of its day. And, in all honesty, what great, great grandson could possibly pass up an opportunity to read and research a first-hand account of a grand-father’s experiences in the Revolutionary War?

Read more.

The Junto: Roundtable on “How NOT To Write Your Second Book”

How do you start a new book that’s on a wildly different topic from your last book? Or written in a different style? And how do you write a book while teaching new preps and serving on committees? What if you’re also raising kids and caring for aging family members? If a book could be articles, should it be articles? In a packed conference room on a hot Saturday in July, five incredibly generous, funny, and thoughtful scholars shared their tips and tricks for “How Not to Write Your Second Book,” and the laughter and nods around the room suggested that the comments, questions, and conversation spoke to concerns that are widely shared among mid-career scholars and that had sparked the creation of the SHEAR Second-Book Writers’ Workshop (2BWW).

The panelists’ remarks inspired a lively Q&A. Here are a few of our favorite tips:

  • Read widely! Look for models of what you want to do and what you don’t want to do. Think about yourself not only as a historian, but also as a writer. Go into the archives thinking about the different kinds of details you might need to write in a more narrative style. What was playing at the theater down the street? Who else was in the room? Was it raining?
  • Work on chapter organization and outlines in little bits of found time (perhaps during meetings that do not require your full attention) and try outlining in multiple ways. How would a thematic organization look different from a chronological structure? Think about story-boarding instead of outlining.
  • Consider the balance between institutional needs and personal needs. Think about promotional requirements, and be smart about how you describe the work that you are doing to the people who will evaluate you for promotion.

The panel ended on a powerful note as Cathy reminded us of the importance of finding joy in our work, and as Tamara called on us all to remember: if your major professional concern is how to write your second book, chances are that you are one of the lucky ones in a tenured position. She smiled, “Never stop pinching yourself. What’s the worst that can happen? You don’t get to full? Big deal.” Words of wisdom for us all.

Read the full introduction.

Forts of Vincennes, Indiana

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the French, British and American nations built and occupied a number of forts at Vincennes, Indiana. These outposts commanded a strategic position on the Wabash River.

The first trading post on the Wabash River was established by the Sieur Juchereau, Lieutenant General of Montreal. He, with 34 Canadians, founded the company post 28 October 1702 for the purpose of trading buffalo hides.

Fort Vincennes

François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, acting under the authority of the French colony of Louisiana, constructed a fort in 1731-1732.

Fort Sackville

British Lt. John Ramsey came to Vincennes in 1766. He took a census of the settlement, built up the fort, and renamed it Fort Sackville. Following the French and Indian War, the British and colonial governments could not afford the cost of maintaining frontier posts.

British neglect came to an end on June 2, 1774, the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act, which enlarged the boundaries of the Province of Quebec to include the Ohio Country and Illinois Country, from the Appalachian Mountains on the east, south to the Ohio River, west to the Mississippi River and north to the southern boundary of the Hudson’s Bay Company owned region of Rupert’s Land. Lieutenant Governor Edward Abbott was sent to Vincennes without troops. Making the best of it, he rebuilt Fort Sackville. Abbott soon resigned, citing lack of support from the crown.

In July 1778, Father Pierre Gibault arrived with news of the alliance between France and the new United States. The Canadien residents took control of the unoccupied Fort Sackville, and George Rogers Clark sent Leonard Helm to command the post. In December, a British force consisting of The King’s 8th Regiment and Detroit Volunteers under Lieutenant-Governor Henry Hamilton retook Fort Sackville, and Captain Helm.

Fort Patrick Henry

Lieutenant Colonel George Rogers Clark marched 130 men through 180 miles of wilderness to Vincennes in February 1779. As he entered town, the French settlers and native peoples joined his force to re-capture Ft. Sackville. Clark had Hamilton’s native allies tomahawked to death as an example and sent Hamilton and his men to jail in Williamsburg, Virginia as prisoners. He renamed the post Fort Patrick Henry.

Fort Knox I

The new United States government built a new fort a few blocks north of the old one and named it Ft. Knox (usually referred to by local historians as Ft. Knox I)

Fort Knox II

In 1803, the federal government approved $200 to build a new fort, and the War Department bought land for the new fort about three miles north of Vincennes, at a Wabash River landing called Petit Rocher, which offered a good view up the river.

Late in 1811 Ft. Knox II had its most important period when it was used as the muster point for Governor Harrison as he gathered his troops, both regular U.S. army and militia, prior to the march to Prophetstown and the Battle of Tippecanoe.

In 1813, as the War of 1812 increased the chances of attacks by Native Americans, it was determined that the site outside town was too far away to protect the town. Ft. Knox II was disassembled, floated down the Wabash, and reassembled just a few yards from where Ft. Knox I had been.

Read a more detailed history.

Where in the World?

Where are Hamilton Branch members Ruth Nicholson & Pat Blackburn?

To participate, submit a photo of yourself in UELAC promotional gear at a place of some note and tell us where it is (if you are a member of a branch, please indicate that as well). Send your submission to the editor at loyalist.trails@uelac.org.

Region and Branch Bits

From the UELAC branches, news and events of interest to others.

  • Bicentennial Branch is hosting their annual luncheon meeting on Saturday September 16, 2017 at Noon. The guest speaker is Jennifer DeBruin UE (St. Lawrence Branch) whose topic is “In Search of Home”. Meeting at Church of the Epiphany, 96 Main St. W, Kingsville, Ontario. For reservations, please R.S.V.P. by September 9th, 2017 by email to info.bicentennial@uelac.org giving your name, telephone number, number of guests and any food allergies. Or call (519) 995-3529 (Leave Message)
  • Bicentennial Branch is also participating in the the Family History Fair organized by Chatham-Kent Public Libraries in partnership with the Kent Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) at the Chatham Branch on Saturday, September 9 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Details and program.

From the Twittersphere and Beyond

  • List of Battles of the American Revolution showing basic statistics: name, date, duration, size of forces (Colonial, British), Victor, Commander (Colonial, British)
  • Today in History: Lars D.H. Hedbor @LarsDHHedbor (see his page for associated photos):
    • 26 Aug 1779 3500 American forces depart Ft Sullivan to complete destructive sweep through Haudenosaunee in New-York.
    • 25 Aug 1780 The “Swamp Fox” Francis Marion rescues 150 prisoners, only 3 of whom opt to return to the American Army.
    • 24 Aug 1775 USS Hannah, first ship of the Continental Navy, acquired.
    • 23 Aug 1775 King George III declares American Colonies to be in “open and avowed rebellion,” demands suppression.
    • 22 Aug 1777 British Colonel Barry St. Leger abandons Fort Stanwix for Canada as Arnold’s forces approach.
    • 21 Aug 1775 Quartermaster-General in Cambridge issues broadside requesting provisions.
    • 20 Aug 1776 Washington asks Gen, John Sullivan to relieve the ill Gen. Nathaniel Greene in defense of Long Island.
  • A Re-enactment of a Wealthy Woman Getting Dressed in 18th-Century England. Costume curator Pauline Rushton explores what it was like for women to get dressed in the 18th century. “Getting ourselves dressed in the morning is one of the everyday things we all take for granted, along with brushing our hair and our teeth. But what would it feel like to have someone else dress you every day? In the 18th century, provided you had enough money and could afford to pay servants, that would be the norm, especially if you were a woman. In any case, clothes could be so complicated that you wouldn’t be able to get into them easily without someone else’s assistance. Ideas about privacy and intimacy were different then too — it was normal to be touched by a servant if they were helping you wash or dress. (Video embedded in the article)
  • Cast Bronze French 34th Regiment Coat Button
  • Cast Pewter 3rd Foot Guards Scots Guards Coat Button
  • A fine American Revolutionary War period English officer’s pistol, by “Griffin & Tow”, ca. 1770s
  • Townsends: What did people eat? The Same Food Every Day? – Q&A around diet.
  • A family trip through Canadian history – visited Loyalist country and even perhaps a Loyalist ancestor in PEI.

Additions to the Loyalist Directory

As time permits, we add information to the Loyalist Directory. The latest additions and updates are as follows:

  • Lyon, Reuben – from Stephen McDonald

Last Post

Kathleen Alice Perry, UE

April 24, 1920 — August 18, 2017. Kathleen was a loving mother, wife, very proud grandmother, and an accomplished and well-regarded artist.

She was born in Cereal Alberta and grew up on the family farm with her three sisters; Millie Coleman, Jean Noyes, and Hazel Litzgus. Kathleen’s first job was with the Alberta Government Telephone Company (AGT) in Lloydminster. When she won a scholarship to attend the Alberta College of Art in Calgary, AGT transferred her there. Kathleen had already attended the Banff School of Fine Arts (1941 and 1945) where she had studied with teachers such as A.Y. Jackson, Dr. W.J. Phillips, and H.G. Glyde. She attended a birthday party for A.Y. Jackson that was hosted by Dr. Margaret Hess. Her passion for painting continued for her entire life.

Kathleen married W.F. Gordon Perry in 1945. They were together for 67 years during which time they raised three children; Kathlyn (Stuart Young), Chrysten (Chris Bennett), and Brent (Cheryl Thom). By the time Gordon had retired from the RCMP as a Superintendent, they had lived in many Canadian cities as well as Fiji, Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Mexico, and Phoenix. When they settled in Calgary, they both were active members of the Calgary Branch of the UELAC.

Kathleen’s Loyalist ancestor was Christopher John Hanes/Heinz who married Catherine Empey. They were Kathleen’s 3rd great grandfather and grandmother. They settled on Lot 27, 2nd Concession, Osnabruck Township. Christopher had fought for 7 years with the 1st Battalion of the King’s Royal Regiment (KRR) of New York.

If friends so desire, a memorial donation may be made in Kathleen’s name directly to the Alberta Society of Artists (1235 26 Ave S.E., Calgary, T2G 1R7).

…Linda McClelland, UE, Calgary Branch

Fred Maurice Blayney, UE, PH, MB

Passed away peacefully at Luther Village, Waterloo on Thursday, August 24th, 2017 at the age of 97. Fred was the beloved husband of the late Dora Mae (Nixon). He is survived by his sister Joyce MacTavish and remembered by several nieces and nephews. Dear friends of Gay and Greg Bennett and their children. He was predeceased by his sister Kathleen Barkley.

Together with his wife Dora Mae, they owned and operated Blayney Pharmacy in Waterloo and later Fred was a member of the pharmacy team at St. Mary’s Hospital.

Fred and Dora Mae were very active in giving back to the community. They were founding members of the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, organized and raised money for UNICEF, members of First United Church, Waterloo since 1952 where Fred sang in the choir and were strong supporters of the Joseph Schneider House. Fred was involved with Kiwanis – Probus Club and was a United Empire Loyalist. Fred and Dora Mae were renowned for their Canadian antique collection and travelled widely throughout their marriage.

Friends are invited to share their memories of Fred with his family during memorial visitation at First United Church, 16 William St. W., Waterloo on Thursday, August 31, 2017 from 1 – 2 p.m. A Memorial service will follow in the sanctuary of the church at 2 p.m. Reception to follow in the church hall. Interment will take place at 10:30 a.m. prior to the Memorial service at the Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe, Norfolk County. Condolences for the family and donations to First United Church may be arranged through ERB & GOOD FAMILY FUNERAL HOME , 171 King Street South, Waterloo at www.erbgood.com or 519-745-8445.

A member of the Grand River Branch UELAC, Fred was a descendant of Isaac Gilbert and got his Loyalist Certificate in 1990. He and his wife, Dora Mae, were active members of the Branch as long as health permitted. He served as Secretary of the Branch for at least one year and faithfully attended meetings with Dora Mae after that.

…Ellen Tree, UE, Grand River Branch

Queries

Marking a Loyalist Grave or Cemetery

Several branches including Col. John Butler, Grand River, Hamilton, New Brunswick and undoubtedly others have undertaken formal projects to mark the cemeteries where Loyalists were buried – see Branch Projects for some examples.

Individuals have undertaken to mark the grave, sometimes the cemetery, where a Loyalist ancestor is buried. As a proven (ie received a Loyalist Certificate) Loyalist or Loyalist descendant, the UEL Loyalist Plaque/Grave Marker is available.

Stephen McDonald wonders if other individuals have undertaken to mark a cemetery or a grave in a noticeable way for a listed but not yet proven Loyalist? Ideas, suggestions, sources of plaques etc. – any would help.

…Stephen McDonald