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Scholarship Challenge 2022: Multiplying UE Scholar Opportunities
Thank you for your donations.
The donations received by Friday 15 July have been added at Scholarship Challenge 2022. To date 38 donors have contributed $6,900. With your help – even $10 gets us a little closer – the target is within sight.
The scholars we support help add to the collective wealth of information and growing body of interpretation and understanding of the Loyalist-era experience.
Most Master and Doctoral scholarships are renewable for a second and third year respectively.
Richard Yeomans, a 2020 UELAC Loyalist Scholarship Award Recipient, is a PhD student at the University of New Brunswick. The scholarship this year is Richard’s third.
His doctoral research examines the late eighteenth and nineteenth century legacies of American loyalists in New Brunswick. In particular, his dissertation asks how New Brunswickers employed scientific research for the purpose of regulating the natural resources of the province, and how that knowledge was disseminated through agricultural networks, voluntary associations, and colonial exhibitions until Canadian Confederation in 1867.
Richard continues to investigate how New Brunswick’s unique social and political culture within a larger British Atlantic World was characterised by the loyalist’s belief in constitutional change through time and process, rather than violence and social disruption. This disposition appears throughout the legislative record, influenced a great number of public intuitions, and informed the day-to-day actions of settler society.
Richard is the creator and website manager for atlanticdigitalscholarship.ca, the official website for UNB’s Atlantic Canada Studies Centre. Working under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Mancke, Richard continues to promote a richer and more complex history of New Brunswick.
Read more… about Richard’s background, studies and contributions.

Multiplying UE Scholar Opportunities will run until August 22, 2022 with updates each week.
Please join the challenge by donating – the instructions are there to mail a donation, or to donate online via Canada Helps – and watch our success as we meet the challenge goal of $8088.
Christine E. Manzer UE, Scholarship Committee, Chair.Scholarship@uelac.org

Queen’s Jubilee Pin: Last Chance Offer for Bulk Order, only in Canada
The Monarchist League of Canada
Canadian Heritage is giving us a final 15,000 Pins – and our aim, due to our summer students’ returning to college, is to complete individual and bulk distribution by the end of August. No more pins will be produced!
We have boxes of 70 Pins. If you are planning or intend to plan an event or distribution of the sort as suggested above, now is the time to order a box of Pins.
Pins are available for Canadian addresses only. If you wish accelerated delivery, please contact us by return before ordering.
The only way to do so is by accessing the League Store at https://store.monarchist.ca/en/products and then making a “Fighting Fund donation” in one of the following amounts:

– If delivery is to a postal code beginning with M – $35.70
– If delivery is to anywhere else in Ontario or Quebec – $39.70
– If delivery is to anywhere in Canada other than above – $44.70

A Loyalist Rogues Gallery: Part Three
copyright Stephen Davidson UE
Lorenzo Sabine did a great service to history when he published his 1864 compilation of Loyalist biographies. However, he sometimes leaned a little heavily on primary sources that had a Patriot bias.
One example would be his description of Thomas Ward of Newark, New Jersey. Sabine said that Ward “lived by plundering” and that he associated with “Negroes and vile creatures of his own race”. Although he does admit that Ward commanded a blockhouse on the Hudson River, he failed to include that the fact that the Loyalist had once bravely withstood the attack of nearly 2,000 rebels equipped with cannons.
In fact, so great was Ward’s contribution to the Loyalist cause that those in his company who settled in Quebec and New Brunswick referenced his name in their claims for compensation, knowing that Ward’s name would carry weight.
Alexander Sharp received a wound to his stomach during his service with Ward in 1780 making him “almost incapable of getting his living”. Before settling in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Sharp served as a spy for the British and was imprisoned on three different occasions. William Harding’s service included capturing rebels, and making off with 15 head of cattle while “with the Loyalists under Major Ward”.
At the Montreal compensation hearings, Joseph Allan testified that after escaping from a rebel jail in 1780, he joined Major Ward. He commanded a company in Bergen County for two years before joining the evacuation to Nova Scotia. He later settled along the Bay of Quinte. Nicholas Peterson joined the British in 1776 and served at “outposts with other Loyalists under Major Ward”, including the blockhouse at Bergen Point. Peterson settled in Sorel.
The historian Todd Braisted has written extensively about Thomas Ward, noting among other things that he formed the Loyal Refugee Volunteers in New Jersey’s Bergen County in November of 1779.
The Patriot press always described Ward in the most negative of terms. In November of 1780, 100 Loyalists under his command were noted as going on a “picarooning expedition” to Newark, New Jersey in which they took “most of the livestock” and two prisoners. (“Picaroon” is an old word for “pirate”.)
However, the Royal Gazette, New York City’s Loyalist newspaper, cheered on Ward and his men. In August of 1781, Ward sent out a party of men on horseback to New Bridge, New Jersey where they “captured three notorious rebels … drove off their stock, and returned to the party without firing a shot“.
At month’s end, rebel historians noted that the inhabitants of Hackensack recaptured cattle from “Thomas Ward’s plunderers” and scattered the robbers.
In July of 1780, Ward and his men withstood the attack that 2,000 Patriots made on their Bergen Point blockhouse. The following contemporary account of the battle appeared in a Loyalist newspaper a day following the attack:
“Yesterday morning about nine o’clock, Generals Wayne and Irwin, with the 1st and 2d Pennsylvania brigades of infantry, Colonel Moyland’s cavalry, and Proctor’s artillery, the flower of Washington’s army, consisting of about 1800 troops, with 6 six pounders, and one howitz, appeared in view of Col. Clavier’s refugee post, on the Jersey shore, which was then commanded by Captain Thomas Ward; about 10 o’clock they advanced with their cannon, within 100 yards of the Refugee work, and commenced a tremendous cannonade which lasted till half past 11; they attempted to storm the abbatis, but were repulsed with the loss of about 90 killed and wounded among which are five officers.
The loss of the Refugees is 4 killed, and 8 slightly wounded; no veterans could have behaved better on this occasion than these few Loyalists. And his Excellency the Commander in Chief, has expressed his thanks and approbation to this loyal band, for their spirited and gallant behaviour.”
A second newspaper added:
“Thus the chosen Band of Washington’s Army were repulsed by a few determined Loyalists: and we have Reason to believe the Loss of the Rebels much greater than has yet been ascertained and to add more to the Spirit of the Refugees, a Party, under the Command of the brave Captain Ward, pursued the Rear of the retreating Army upwards of 4 Miles, retook 20 Head of Cattle that were carried off from the well affected Neighbours, killed one Rebel, and made Prisoner of General Wayne’s Servant, and another.“
The brave Loyalists received special notice from the British command.
“The Commander in Chief admiring the Gallantry of the Refugees, who in such small Numbers defended their Post against so very considerable a Corps, and withstood both their Cannonade and Assault: desires his very particular Acknowledgement of their Merit may be testified to them. His Excellency requests you will give in a Return of the numbers present at this spirited Defence, that he may give Directions for uniform Cloathing and Hats being given them from the Inspector General’s Office.“
When rebels attacked the same blockhouse two years later, they were also forced to retreat with heavy losses. (Bergen Point is today’s Bayonne, New Jersey.)
Braisted notes that Ward and his Loyal Refugee Volunteers finally abandoned their blockhouse in October of 1782 “and became the first Loyalists to set sail for a new life in Nova Scotia”. The historian Wallace Hale discovered that Thomas Ward received a pension of £60 annually, and a grant of 500 acres of land in Nova Scotia, “where he settled with his wife and a child.”
As other sources document, the Wards sailed for Annapolis Royal aboard the Amphitrite shortly after leaving their blockhouse. The 360 passengers also included Ward’s fellow combatants William Harding and Alexander Sharp who were mentioned earlier. The ship’s manifest lists four Ward children above 8 years of age and 4 who were under the age of 8. On October 20, 1782, Ward was one of five Loyalists who penned a letter of appreciation to their ship’s captain.
“The Loyal Refugees who have emigrated from New York to settle in Nova Scotia, beg your acceptance of their warmest thanks for the kind and unremitted attention you have paid to their preservation and safe conduct at all times during their passage.
Driven from their respective dwellings for their loyalty to our King, after enduring immense hardships, and seeking a settlement in a land unknown to us, our distresses were sensibly relieved during an uncomfortable passage by your humanity, ever attentive to our preservation. Be pleased to accept our most grateful acknowledgment, so justly due to you and the officers under your command, and be assured we shall remember your kindness with the most grateful sensibility.”
Thomas Ward’s name then disappears from the historical records for the next 40 years, resurfacing in Nova Scotia’s census of 1827. It registered him as a farmer in Wilmot, Annapolis County. Listed as Baptists, there were four males and four females in the family at that time.
The historian Sabine would have put Thomas Ward in a Loyalist Rogues Gallery; but the evidence of the years of war puts him more accurately in a Loyalist Hall of Fame.
Further stories of Loyalist “robbers and marauders” will be reviewed in next week’s Loyalist Trails.
To secure permission to reprint this article contact the author at stephendavids@gmail.com.

William England UEL, By Denis Fortier
William England was a veteran of the Seven Year War (60th Regiment) who lived in Kingsbury New York at the start of the Revolution. He joined General Burgoyne’s army at Skenesborough in July 1777. He served in McAlpin and Jessop’s Corps till the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1883.
While William was fighting on the British side, his wife Mary was left behind with their three young children. After over a year on her own, she was now a ward of the State (their land having been confiscated by the rebels). She appeared in front of the Commission on Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies to ask for permission to go to Canada to join her husband. Her request was accepted and it was recommended that she be sent to Canada “with a Flag”. This meant being escorted to the line with a flag of truce and being transferred peacefully to the other side.
Unfortunately crossing the line for Mary did not mean re-unification with her husband as William was a Sergeant with the British troops. Instead she had to join a refugee camp set up for families of Loyalist soldiers. Mary England lived for 6 years in the refugee camp at Machiche! Mary can be found on 12 muster rolls between 1778 and 1785, the family growing to 5 children while at the Refugee Camp.
Sergeant England was appointed in Jan 1781 to maintain order amongst his compatriots at the Machiche camp and keep them isolated from local inhabitants.
At the closing of the camp at the beginning of 1784, the England family stayed and settled in Machiche with their five children. No doubt impressed by his military conduct, Conrad Gugy hired William England for his sawmill and flour mill in the Fief Frederick. One of the muster roll listed William’s profession as sawyer, so he likely had relevant sawmilling experience. In 1786, William receive a land concession “adjacent to the two acres reserved for the mill, bordered to the West by the Grand River Yamachiche, and to the other side by the arm of the stream that feeds the mill, about 300 acres in area”.
Read more about William England by Denis Fortier.

THE KING’S COLOUR: Despicable: Major General James Wilkinson. War of 1812
by Stuart Manson July 2022
The July 2022 issue of The King’s Colour has been published.
Titled “A Despicable Character: Major General James Wilkinson.” During the War of 1812, Major General James Wilkinson commanded a U.S. invasion of eastern Upper Canada: In the autumn of 1813, his huge water-borne army departed from Sackett’s Harbor, NY, and descended the St. Lawrence River. Its objective was Montréal. Well before reaching that metropolis, however, on November 11th Wilkinson’s army was soundly thrashed by a smaller force of British, Canadian, and Indigenous troops at an engagement known as the Battle of Crysler’s Farm.
The Broadside can be accessed on The King’s Colour page.
Visit Stuart’s website for more details about Stuart and his services.

The Sick suffered much for Want of good female Nurses
by J.L. Bell 2 July 2022 in Boston 1775
The creation of the Continental Congress’s nursing policy. Congress established its standards for an army medical department in July 1775. In November 1776, the Congress sent two delegates—Richard Stockton of New Jersey (shown above) and George Clymer of Pennsylvania—to northern New York to assess the Continental forces in the aftermath of the collapse of the invasion of Canada. Read more…

National Trust for Canada: Historic Places
Today we launch Historic Places Days 2022! From July 8-31, we are so excited to be working with communities to celebrate the dynamic and diverse stories of Canada, from coast to coast to coast. Historic Places Days is a 3 week festival (in person/online) that features over 500 historic places, 250 #Visitlists, and over 170 special events.
We know that historic places create a sense of belonging, and these places resonate when their stories are told by passionate people who create special experiences and connections for their visitors. Stories of resilience, stories of commemoration, stories of reconciliation.

Featured: Hatfield House, Tusket, Nova Scotia (here)
The story began over 200 years ago when Abigail Price had this home built in 1793. The land was granted to her in 1808. She sold part of the property in 1813 then sold the remaining property in 1816. On the deed they referred to her as a widowed black woman. Local history shows that she signed an X over her name on the deed, which meant that she could not read or write. Abigail predates photography. It was rare for land to be granted to a woman at that time. It is suspected that ship carpenters helped to build the home with sturdy hand-carved beams that showed their craftsmanship, still visible today. She may have arrived in Shelburne as a freed slave in the late 1700’s. Her name is on one of the ship’s muster lists. How she got to Tusket remains a mystery, to this day. Read about the restoration/renovation project

NOTE: If you spot an Historic Place which is associated with Loyalists, please send a note so we can feautre in Loyalist Trails through July

Old Holy Trinity Church Cemetery headstone for Mary G. (Teed) Gillis UE
By Brian McConnell UE, President, NS Branch, UELAC
At the rear of Old Holy Trinity Church Cemetery in Middleton, NS is a headstone for Mary G. (Teed) Gillis, U.E., and her husband Donald. She was an Honorary VP of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada and played a large part in saving the historic church from demolition. She was born in Saint John, New Brunswick of United Empire Loyalist descent on three sides and English on the other. Watch a short video
NOTE: As an Honorary Vice-President of UELAC, Mary is listed in the UELAC Honours and Recognition section, under Honorary Officers. In her description, she notes that she volunteered as a guide for Old Holy Trinity Church. See her “Last Post” from June 2011 there as well.

Victoria Branch New Project: Loyal List for Vancouver Island
The year 2022 marks the 95th Anniversary of the founding of the UELAC Victoria Branch
At its initial formation on February 4, 1927, the branch was named the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Vancouver Island. A later iteration was the United Empire Loyalists of British Columbia Branch. While the Victoria Branch is the official name on the current branch charter, the branch serves all of Vancouver Island.
As an anniversary project the Victoria Branch is creating a list of Loyalist descendants who made their way West to Vancouver Island in the early days after the founding of Fort Victoria in 1845.
The idea for this project was first proposed by the Branch President Mike Woodcock, UE and is now under development and will be called the ‘Loyal List’.
The ‘Loyal List’ project will include the creation of an online interactive database listing the early arrivals of Loyalist descendants to Vancouver Island and thereby showcase interesting UEL descendant “firsts” for Vancouver Island including the first UEL descendant arrivals, their marriages, births, deaths, etc.
The first version of the ‘Loyal List’ will be available this September with an initial focus on UEL descendants whose personal information was collected in the 1881 and 1891 Canada censuses for Vancouver Island. Read more…

George Washington’s Quill: His First Professional Years 1748–1755)
by Samanta Pomier Jofré 15 July 2022
Documents in the first volume of the Colonial Series tell a coming-of-age story that showcase George Washington’s rapid transformation from 1748 to 1755. GW began his career working as a professional surveyor on the frontier, then the fringe of his society, but in less than five years became one of Virginia’s most distinguished soldiers. What started as quiet adolescence in the country with a comfortable occupation turned into the tale of a young man confronting the dangers of a military career while caught in the middle of a burgeoning conflict and political intrigues. Read more…

JAR: Insurrection and Speculation: A Farmer, Financier, and a Surprising “Sharper” Seeded the Constitution
by Scott M. Smith 14 July 2022
The January 6, 2021 assault on the Capital rocked America, but it was by no means the largest, or even the most threatening, armed rebellion in the post-Revolutionary War era. In 1786 and 1787, Daniel Shays, a middle-class farmer and decorated Continental Army captain, was one of several leaders of as many as four thousand men against the state of Massachusetts, whose fiscal policies were dictated by the demands of the coastal elite. The Shaysites believed they were well within the rights enumerated in the Declaration of Independence to alter or abolish any form of government that had become destructive of the consent of the people. After an army of mercenaries hired by James Bowdoin, the governor of Massachusetts, decisively routed the rebels, the Founding Fathers scapegoated Shays, in particular, in order to incite the citizenry to replace the weak Confederation Congress (1781-88) with the powerful tripartite national government that has endured to this day.
Born in 1747 to landless Irish immigrants, Daniel Shays toiled as an itinerant farm worker around Pelham in western Massachusetts. When war appeared imminent, he enlisted in Woodbridge’s militia which quickly became part of the 5th Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army. Joining his father and brother, Shays fought at Lexington and Bunker Hill, rapidly gaining his lieutenancy. Read more…

JAR Book Review: Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778
Review by Timothy Symington 11 July 2022
Author: byRicardo A. Herrera (Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press, 2022)
Ricardo A. Herrera’s new book, Feeding Washington’s Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778, is an intense and richly-detailed chronicle of the operation that staved off the army’s hunger. Herrera dispels the Valley Forge myth, showing that the Continental Army was not passively suffering during the winter. They were deeply involved with a series of operations that is now known as the Grand Forage. It demonstrated George Washington’s ability to wisely choose the best commanders to carry out his plans, while also showing Washington’s development as a military strategist and risk-taking planner. As the Americans were doing what they needed to do to feed their army, the British under Gen. Sir William Howe acted ineptly and lost the opportunity to end the rebellion.
How much food does an army need? What else besides food is important? Herrera does an excellent job in answering these questions. The success of a campaign is not based solely on either military strength or brilliant leadership. People often do not realize that an army on the march needs food and supplies to keep it going. Finding forage is only one problem. Read more…

List of Loyalist Certificates Updated with those issued in 2022 until June 21
The list of UE Certificates issued since late in 2012 — showing the Loyalist ancestor, name of descendant (when permission is granted), branch and date — has been updated with the certificates issued in 2022 between 9 April and 21 June.
The list can be seen at Loyalist Certificates Issued
These have also been added to the appropriate Loyalist in the Loyalist Directory.

UELAC Loyalist Directory: New Contributions
Entries which have been added, or revised, this week, with thanks:

  • Denis Fortier submitted information, including a detailed biography, about Benjamin Eastman from Arlington Vermont, served in Jessup’s Loyal Rangers and resettled in Cornwall ON area, and also
    • Sgt. William England from Kingsbury NY, served with His Majesty’s American Volunteers and resettled at Yamachiche, Quebec, and
    • Cpl. David Hunter from Ballston, Albany, New York, served in Jessup’s Loyal Rangers and resettled in Edwardsburg (RT#6) then South Gower
  • Debra Honor added data for Walter Scott, from Stillwater, Saratoga Co., NY who resettled at Christie’s Manor, Quebec, and for
    • Lieut. Edward Hazel from the Virginia Colony, served in the Detroit Volunteers under the British Indian Department and resettled in the Western District in what is now Mersea Township, Essex County, and
    • Pvt. Robert Howey from New Jersey, served in the 3rd and 4th Battalion of New Jersey Volunteers and resettled in Gainsborough, Lincoln, Upper Canada (Home District)
  • Anne Redish contributed information to help with three members of the Losee family who served in King’s Rangers and Jessup’s Loyal Rangers, then settled in Matilda Twp, Upper Canada.:

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

Upcoming Events:

St. Lawrence Branch Exhibits: July 17

July 16 and 17, we will have a display at the Battle of Crysler’s Farm Re-Enactment at Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg.
A plaque above the tombstone of John Marselis will be unveiled at 11 am on July 17 as part of the program for Military Reenactment Weekend at Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg, Ontario. (See article above about John)

Victoria Branch – BC Loyalist Day Picnic – July 22

At Willows Park, Oak Bay, BC to celebrate BC Loyalist Day and Victoria Day’s 95th anniversary
Attending? If so please notify social.vic.uelac@gmail.com
See flyer with Photo: Loyalist Day Tea, May 18, 1938 at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walter E. Adams, 1790 Beach Drive

From the Twittersphere and Beyond

Last Post: Anderson, David G.
Saturday, September 7th, 1946 – Thursday, July 7th, 2022
Suddenly at his home, on Thursday, July 7, 2022, David Garnet Anderson of Williamstown; age 75 years. Husband of Delande Anderson (née Plantain). Father of Nara Munro (Andrew) and Winston Anderson. David was a local historian who was always generous with his time and knowledge; he was awarded the 2014 South Glengarry ‘Citizen of the Year’ award. More details at Munro & Morris.

 

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