In this issue:


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Black History Month / African Heritage Month

Each February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and celebrations that honour the legacy and contributions of Black people in Canada and their communities.
The 2026 theme for Black History Month is: “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.” At Canada.ca, read more…

In Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia, the theme for African Heritage Month is “Strength in Unity – Moving Forward with Purpose, Prosperity, Power and Progress” which addresses the collective power that emerges when African Nova Scotians and people of African descent come together with shared vision and intention. Unity is not passive, it is an active force that strengthens our communities, advances justice, and creates pathways for opportunity and growth. Read more…

Milkish Creek is the story of a Black settlement on the southern tip of New Brunswick’s Kingston Peninsula established on the arrival of the Loyalists.
In 1785, a 2,600-acre plot of land was allotted to black settlers in Milkish Creek, on the Kingston Peninsula. It was the largest of three plots allotted to black settlers in New Brunswick at this time. These plots were created to honour the Philipsburg Proclamation of 1779, which guaranteed freedom and liberty to all slaves who “deserted the Rebel Standard” during the American Revolution. A list at the New Brunswick Museum seems to suggest that over a hundred black refugees lived in Milkish in 1784. By the end of 1785, at least thirty-seven black men had the right to land possession there. A 1787 petition also notes that at least twenty lots were improved while provisions lasted.
And — after highlighting particular Black Loyalists— concludes:
Most of those who petitioned for land in Milkish likely left New Brunswick entirely on the Sierra Leone Expedition of 1791. Others continued to work as wage labourers or secured land in other parts of the province, such as Willow Grove.  Read more…

Countdown to Lexington and Concord: Notices in a Loyalist Newspaper. Part Four of Five
copyright Stephen Davidson UE
The March 23, 1775 edition of Rivington’s Gazette carried items noting business relocations, the report of a fire, retractions, and real estate for sale. But in among such small items was a note that John Murray of Ireland (who was living in New York City) was “loyal to the king“. What would prompt a man to so boldly reveal his political views during a time when Loyalists were being persecuted?
Murray survived the revolution that was ignited at Lexington and Concord just months following his published declaration. At 63 years of age, he was among the loyalist refugees who found sanctuary in Saint John, New Brunswick. His tombstone, found in the city’s old burial ground, notes the dates of his birth (1720) and death (1794).
The New York Gazetteer (later Rivington’s Gazette) recounted the story of conflict between the Patriots and Loyalists of nearby Dutchess County. On March 22nd, Philip John Livingston, the county sheriff, cut down a liberty pole – a symbol of resistance to British rule– that had been erected the day before outside the home of John Bailey near Poughkeepsie, New York.
The historian Jonathan C. Clark fleshes out the all too brief account given in the Gazetteer.
“Zephaniah Platt and a few other firm “friends of Liberty” had gotten together with John Bailey at his house. There they rigged up a flagpole and ran their new flag to the top. …On one side appeared the words ” Congress and Liberty, ” on the other side “The King.” The very next day, while Platt, probably along with Bailey and a few other men, stood guard under the flag, a very determined Sheriff Livingston … had brought with him a judge, two justices of the peace, a constable and several deputies. When he reached the flagpole he ordered it immediately cut down as “a public nuisance”.
After that was accomplished Sheriff Livingston, his sword drawn, marched over to Zephaniah Platt, accused him of treason and threatened to arrest him on the spot. Platt…would take no guff from a Tory-minded sheriff, even if that sheriff had the law on his side. When Livingston threatened to arrest him, Platt picked up a club and promised the sheriff he would ”knock his brains out” if the sheriff so much as laid a finger on him. This time, push did not come to shove. Livingston backed off, and returned with his posse to the village of Poughkeepsie.”
The British authorities must have appreciated Livingston’s strong convictions for later during the revolution they appointed him as the superintendent of rebel estates within the British lines in New York. In other words, the former sheriff could sell or give abandoned and confiscated rebel homes to loyalist refugees during the occupation of New York. Livingstone issued a notice in 1780 encouraging New Yorkers who had petitioned for houses and land belonging to rebels to see him at Hell’s Gate and “receive answers to their petitions“.
Much as loyal refugees must have appreciated Livingston finding them houses in New York City, he was roundly condemned in 1783 when it was discovered that he was among fifty-five highly placed Loyalists who had signed a petition asking Sir Guy Carleton to give each of the signatories 5,000 acres of land in Nova Scotia. Six hundred loyalists filed a memorial protesting the petition of the “Fifty-Five”, and nothing more came of the matter. It’s not every man who in one lifetime could raise the ire of both Patriots and Loyalists.
As it was a weekly newspaper, the edition of Rivington’s Gazette that most closely followed the events in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts was the April 20th edition – published the day after the battles.  There is no mention of the historic clashes between British troops and colonial minute men as it would have taken more than a day for the news to travel the 212 miles from Lexington to New York City. Consequently, the April 20th edition becomes a time capsule of the colonial events just before the first musket was fired in rebellion against the crown.
The newspaper featured an illustration – a woodcut depicting James Rivington being hanged in effigy by the Patriots of New Brunswick, New Jersey. Having hired an artist to make the illustration, Rivington must have been sending a message to his rebel enemies that he was amused rather than intimidated by their mock execution.
The Gazette also carried two long lists of names of Loyalists who declared their ongoing support of “the king and constitution“. It was a show of strength and solidarity just as the storm clouds of war were gathering on the horizon. 312 “freeholders and inhabitants” of Westchester County gathered in White Plains, just outside of New York City, to make their declaration.  The second list gave the names of 143 men (all of whom were more than 21 years old) who had become members of the Redding, Connecticut Association of Loyalists.
Loyal Americans were standing up for their king just as their Patriot neighbours were taking up arms. However, not all of the men named on the lists published in the Gazette remained Loyalists over the course of the revolution.
One example is Stephen Betts, who at first was a member of Redding’s loyalist association, but within two years’ time had sided with Connecticut’s Patriots. He was a first lieutenant with the 7th Connecticut Regiment from July 6 to December 23 in 1775, and then a first lieutenant with the Continental Infantry for all of 1776. Somehow, he also found time to serve as a representative for the Connecticut legislature in October 1776.
Redding’s representatives appointed Betts to a committee to “take care of the families of those soldiers that were in the service of their country“. He served in this capacity until taken prisoner by British forces on their way to Danbury in April of 1777– an event ever afterwards known as Tryon’s Raid. The thirty-eight year old Stephen Betts was released after nearly half a year’s imprisonment and sent home on September 18th, 1777.
In 1779, Betts was one of three men appointed to provide clothing for patriot soldiers. That summer, the county convention met at Stephen Betts’ home to prevent further depreciation of patriot currency and to determine what to do with Loyalists who still lived in the county.
Only a few details of Stephen Betts’ life after the first American civil war have survived in the intervening centuries. He seems to have become prosperous in business matters in addition to his political accomplishments and his distinguished service in the revolution.  The Loyalist-turned-Patriot died at the age of 80 in 1819. His grave can be found in the churchyard of Redding’s Episcopal Church. The graves of his sister, brother-in-law, and other former neighbours are found among the Loyalists buried in Kingston, New Brunswick.
This series on the countdown to Lexington and Concord concludes in next week’s Loyalist Trails.
To secure permission to reprint this article contact the author at stephendavids@gmail.com.

The Loyal- List: Celebrating Wetlands on World Wetlands Day
By Mike Woodcock UE, Victoria Branch
This edition of The Loyal-List marks the United Nations General Assembly’s proclamation (30 August 2021) of 2 February as World Wetlands Day, a date dedicated to raising awareness about the accelerating loss of wetlands and promoting their conservation and restoration.
In this conservation spirit, we highlight connections between notable United Empire Loyalists (and their descendants) and wetlands. If you know of other interesting Loyalist links to wetlands—poems, paintings, projects, or historical events—please share them.

Notable UEL Descendant Contributions and Wetland Stories
William Purdy (1830s): Intentionally flooded about 1,050 acres of tamarack forest and marsh to power mills, creating Lake Scugog. This nineteenth‑century transformation—celebrated then as progress—illustrates large‑scale habitat alteration and settler priorities that often favored industry over ecological integrity.
Titus Smith (1835): In a lecture promoting a providential view of nature, Smith urged reasonable use and careful conservation of forests and resources. His critique of settler exploitation and emphasis on aligning human activity with natural rhythms offers early conservation thought relevant to wetland stewardship.
E. Pauline Johnson (1895): Her poem “Marshlands” blends English poetic forms with Mohawk themes to capture the mood and life of marsh landscapes—an evocative example of nature writing rooted in wetland experience.
Douglas Grant Lochhead (High Marsh Road, 1980): This collection of 122 short poems chronicles daily walks across the Tantramar Marshes (southeastern New Brunswick), recording tidal salt‑marsh observations and migrating flocks—literary testimony to place‑based wetland knowledge.
John Allen Livingston: Naturalist, broadcaster, and author (Hinterland Who’s Who; The Nature of Things) whose public work and writing helped shape environmental thinking about habitats, including wetlands.
William F. Ganong: Early New Brunswick naturalist and botanist whose fieldwork on regional rivers, coasts, and flora informs understanding of wetland plant communities and regional ecology.
Hiram E. McCallum: Civic leader who championed water quality in Toronto’s Eastern Beaches; as alderman and later mayor he supported infrastructure improvements—including a mid‑20th century sewage treatment project—that benefited urban waterfronts and nearshore wetlands.
Bill Lishman: Conservationist and filmmaker who pioneered avian imprinting and aircraft‑assisted migrations. His work (including the first aircraft‑assisted goose flights and contributions to whooping crane migration routes) connected people, technology, and wetland‑dependent bird conservation.
James A. Richardson & Sons is a major donor to Ducks Unlimited Canada for the preservation of wetlands. Ten years before Confederation, James Richardson founded a grain merchandising business in Kingston, Ontario. James A. Richardson is the son of James A. Richardson and also the great-grandson and namesake of the founder. As a dedicated conservationist, Richardson is involved with Ducks Unlimited Canada, the International Wetlands and Waterfowl Research Institute and the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Invitation to Contribute
We invite you to help expand The Loyal-List! Please contribute information about Loyalists or their descendants, suggest edits to existing profiles, or provide feedback via email at membership.vic.uelac@gmail.com or on the UELAC homepage.
The Loyal-List is a project of the United Empire Loyalists (UEL) Association of Canada, compiled from reputable sources, including the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Wikipedia, and various published works. Learn more about this inspiring project on the national UELAC website.

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

Dutch Loyalists – 27 January 2026

Abraham Van Buskirk has been called the first Mayor of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, in the 1780s when, with the arrival of thousands of United Empire Loyalists, it became the third largest community in North America. His ancestors came from the Netherlands to settle in New York when the Dutch called it New Amsterdam.  Abraham was a doctor before the American Revolution. He served as an officer with the New Jersey Volunteers, as did his son Jacob who also settled at Shelburne. Read more…

Brinley Town – 29 January 2026

On 29 July 1785, Governor John Parr of Nova Scotia granted 76 one acre lots to Black Loyalists outside of Digby. This land became inhabited by about 100 families.  It was named Brinley Town  (also spelled Brindley Town) for George Brinley, who served as Commissary – General for British forces based  in Halifax. He gave assistance to the Black Loyalists who went to Brinley Town.  He died in 1809, and when his Will was probated it left his Estate to his “coloured wife Mary Brinley” as appears from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/1503, 3 Oct. 1809. Read more…

Oldest Black Slave & Loyalist – 30 January 2026

While researching Loyalists in Nova Scotia,  I came across this unique obituary for a 106 year old Black Woman who was born into slavery in Tusket, Yarmouth County. It appeared in The Halifax Herald on 2 Feb. 1898 at page 8.

106 YEARS OLD
Death of one born in slavery in Yarmouth County – Her father came Over with Loyalists  – And her mother was Purchased Here
(Special Correspondent Yarmouth Times)

TUSKET, Jan. 30 – Passed peacefully away at her own home on Starr’s Road on the evening of the 29th January 1893, Hester McKinnon, aged 106 years. Hester was the daughter of William and Dinah Berry from whom sprang the entire race of Berrys at present residing on the back road leading to Hebron. William Berry, Hester’s father, was a slave belonging to James Lent, Sr., who was one of the first settlers of Tusket Village and was also known as Judge Lent as he administered the rights of justice in those olden times. Read more…

First Deed to a Black Loyalist – 30 January 2026

David George was a Black Loyalist and Baptist Preacher who arrived with the British in Halifax, Nova Scotia in December, 1782.  He went to Shelburne in June, 1783 to preach to Black Loyalists there and was conveyed land in the town.  The Deed to him dated 6 April 1785 may be the first Deed made to a Black person in Nova Scotia.  It was recorded on 7 May 1785 in the Land Registry in Book 2 at Page 183 as Document No. 54 and as appears below stated… Read more…

250 Years Ago: The Invasion of Canada: Stalemate: End of January 1776 
At the Siege of Quebec was characterized by a stalemate following the failed American assault on December 31, 1775

Reinforcement Logistics. Small groups of American reinforcements continued to trickle into the camp from Montreal and the southern colonies, though they barely replaced those lost to disease. On the British side, Carleton maintained his policy of patience, awaiting the eventual arrival of the British fleet.

Carleton Communicating with General Sir William Howe
In January 1776, the overall Commander-in-Chief of British forces in North America (specifically the “Atlantic” department) was General Sir William Howe who was in Boston.
Winter conditions made communication between General Guy Carleton in Quebec and General William Howe in Boston extremely difficult.
Because sea travel to Quebec was impossible until the spring thaw (typically May), dispatches had to move overland via the overland wilderness routes.

Primary Courier Route: The most direct, though grueling, land route between Quebec and Boston followed the Kennebec and Chaudière Rivers. This was the same “wilderness” path Benedict Arnold had used for his invasion.
In late winter 1776, an express mail courier named Mr. Hough famously traveled this 400-mile route (800 miles round-trip) between Quebec and Boston in just over five days.
Alternate Coastal Relay: Some dispatches were carried by snowshoe or horse to the Atlantic coast (often to Halifax, Nova Scotia), where they could be picked up by British naval vessels to be delivered to Howe in Boston or sent onward to London.

Carleton’s initial report of the December 31 victory reached Howe with significant delay due to the “impassable” nature of the winter terrain.
February 11, 1776: This is the date historians generally cite for when General William Howe and the British forces in Boston received official confirmation of the American defeat on December 31, 1775.
The Content: Carleton officially reported minimal British casualties (5 killed, 14 wounded) and the capture of over 400 Americans.
Howe’s Isolation: At the same time, Sir William Howe was facing his own logistical nightmare in Boston, which was under siege by George Washington. Howe was eventually forced to evacuate Boston for Halifax in March 1776, just as the first spring relief ships were being prepared for Quebec.

Book: The Killing of Jane McCrea
Author: Paul Staiti (Yardley, PA: Westholme Publishing, 2025).
Review by Michael Barbieri 26 January 2026 Jurnal of the American Revolution
My introduction to the Jane McCrea story came fifty years ago as part of a Revolutionary War reenactment weekend. The organizers chose my group to be part of the opening of the battle demonstration: we had to rescue a fair maiden from the clutches of her captors. Whether or not we got there in time to “save her life” is gone from my memory these decades later but, that failure could fit nicely within the premise of Paul Staiti’s new book.
Most people who have read much about the 1777 Burgoyne campaign have, at least, a passing familiarity with Jane McCrea’s story, how Jane and her lover came from opposite sides of the conflict—she from the patriot side while her betrothed served in a Loyalist unit. How their plans called for the two to join and be married when Burgoyne’s army reached the Fort Edward area where Jane had situated herself. How some Indians operating in advance of Burgoyne’s force found her and began to return to Burgoyne’s lines but, along the way, killed her. How her death almost immediately became legend.
The problem with the story, like so many legends, is that it has become dramatically muddled. Read more…

Podcast: How France and Spain Helped Win the American Revolution
by John Ferling January 2026 at Ben Franklin’s World
When we think of the American Revolution, it’s easy to focus on famous battles like Saratoga or Yorktown, iconic leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and foundational documents like the Declaration of Independence. But International alliances—especially with France and Spain—played a critical role in securing the United States’ independence.
John Ferling, Professor Emeritus of History at West Georgia University, joins us to explore the American Revolution’s global dimensions.  Ferling reveals how European rivalries, diplomacy, and behind-the-scenes decisions influenced the war’s outcome and nearly derailed the American cause more than once. Listen in…

A Strategist in Waiting: Nathanael Greene at the Catawba River, February 1, 1781
by Robert Ford 29 January 2026 Jurnal of the Ameican Revolution
The Race to the Dan is the name given to the campaign of maneuver and retreat that followed the Battle of Cowpens on January 17, 1781. The major event in the campaign was the single confrontation of the opposing armies at the fords of the Catawba River on February 1. In the traditional view of the engagement at the Catawba, the American commander, Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene, coldly committed the militia to a hopeless defense of the river while he quietly extricated his Continentals from danger. An examination of the traditional view of the battle and Greene’s conduct in dealing with his militia subordinates suggests a different interpretation.
Brig. Gen. Daniel Morgan had defeated a detachment of 1,000 British soldiers at the Battle of Cowpens. Morgan realized he did not muster the strength to contest the main British army under Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis that was waiting nearby. Morgan took his 1,000 men and 600 British prisoners north, then northeast, ultimately heading for safety and supplies in Virginia.  Read more…

Advertising a Revolution: An Original Invoice to “The Town of Boston to Green and Russell”
by George Bresnick 27 January 2026 Journal of the American Revolution
The year is 1764, and smallpox is sweeping the town of Boston. One of Paul Revere’s children is stricken, and the family chooses to quarantine in their home until the child recovers. The local newspapers document new smallpox cases. Incoming vessels with smallpox victims on board are impounded, and the passengers and crews are immediately quarantined. The newspapers run advertisements urging citizens to get inoculated against smallpox, as advocated by Dr. Joseph Warren, a prominent Boston physician in the town and early proponent of public health measures to contain the disease. As a precaution, residents of neighboring towns are sternly warned not to enter Boston seeking inoculation, or risk prosecution. Even deadlines for submitting tax abatement requests are extended for people unable to register because of the quarantine restrictions.
Within one year, smallpox is reduced to a sidebar, and the newspapers of Boston are filled with diatribes against the new Stamp Act passed by a Parliament in London. The Boston town meetings have metamorphosed into a growth medium for political discontent, and are now featured prominently in the newspapers. In 1764, The Boston Post Boy and Advertiser, one of four local newspapers, published the proceedings of Boston town meetings as small inserts on inside pages. By 1765-6, the town meeting reports occupied up to two columns of print, sometimes appearing even on the first page. What happened to provoke such a dramatic change? Read more…

Advertised on 29 Jan. 1776 “CASH GIVEN FOR Clean Linen Rags.“

“CASH GIVEN FOR Clean Linen Rags.”

Nathaniel Patten’s advertisement in the January 29, 1776, edition of the Norwich Packet was neither as lengthy nor as visually stimulating as some of his previous advertisements, but that may have been because he had a different purpose in running it.  The “BOOKBINDER and STATIONER, at the East End of the Green,” did not provide a list of titles that he sold in this notice.  Instead, he announced, “CASH GIVEN FOR Clean Linen Rags, Of any Kind, Old Sail Cloth,” and other remnants of textiles that could be recycled into paper.  Similar calls for rags appeared frequently in early American newspapers, most often placed by the printers of those newspapers. Such advertisements often consisted of only one or two lines.  Printers offered cash for rags without further explanation because readers knew exactly why they wanted the rags and how they would be used. Read more…

Embroidery and other Material Culture
By Viveka Hansen 22 January 2019 The IK Foundation
Märta Helena Reenstierna (1753-1841) lived most of her life at Årsta manor house close to Stockholm, and for over forty years, she wrote a diary known as the Årsta Diary (Årstadagboken). She started the diary first at the age of 40 in 1793, after a childbearing period when seven of her eight children tragically died before reaching adulthood. Several abridged Swedish editions of her diary have been published over the years, together with audiobooks, a few in-depth publications, book chapters, and journal articles on various aspects of her writing. This essay aims to increase the understanding within an English reading audience for this relatively unknown document from an international perspective. Primarily focusing on her interest in embroidery fitted into her responsibilities and everyday tasks in the manor house.
Embroidery for various needs of the family was mentioned every now and then in the diary, but even so had a continuation over the years. Whilst the necessity to decide about and purchase new fabrics, be in contact with tailors and seamstresses, keep an eye on ongoing laundry tasks, darning or remaking of clothes, financial realities linked to clothing as well as her own sewing being a much more substantial material in her diary – which has been researched by fashion historian Pernilla Rasmussen (2010: pp. 106-122). These matters will not be dealt with further in this essay, but it may be noted that Märta Helena, throughout her life, seems to have had a genuine interest in fashion, which to some extent included embroidery. The diary also reveals a multitude of details about the employees in the manor house and her role as the mistress of the household, keeping a close eye on domestic economies. The consumption of textiles never appears to have been excessive, even if the family’s standard of living was comfortable, and Märta Helena was able to live throughout her long life after the standards she was used to with an active social life, mainly in bourgeoise circles of the Stockholm area but also within the lower nobility. Read more…

Métis Magic
by Jennifer Bain, 6 November 2025 Canada’s History
Before paddling down the North Saskatchewan River in a giant communal canoe, we gather on the shore to practise singing in unison. “J’entends le moulin, tique, tique, taque,” we sing, first slowly, then at increasingly faster paces. “J’entends le moulin, tique, tique, taque.”
We aren’t just belting out a French-Canadian folk song about a mill wheel, we’re imagining how it felt to be voyageurs transporting furs and trade goods for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Repetitive verses taught men from Scotland, England and France to work together. Read more…

How Many Loyalists Didn’t Leave the 13 Colonies?
We have all heard estimates about how people living in the 13 colonies were Rebels, how many were Loyalists and how many didn’t really want to choose and just wished the war would go away so they could carry on.
We have heard estimates about how many Loyalists left the 13 colonies during or shortly after the war ended.
We have wondered if some Loyalists were able to stay, in place perhaps or by moving elsewhere within the colonies.
Now we have an estimate.
Stephen Davidson has been corresponding with Dr. Robert S. Davis, a genealogy/history researcher and speaker, based in Alabama. His research has produced this finding: Despite persecutions and a social stigma that lasted for generations, only 1 in 40 Loyalists left the United States during or after the revolution.
Interesting findings indeed.

UELAC Loyalist Directory: New Contributions
Entries which have been added, or revised, this week – much appreciation to those contributing:

From Lynton “Bill” Stewart, a number of entries

  • Pvt. William Ackler served with Butler’s Rangers. He had two children, Hannah and Catherine. He resettled in Stamford Township, Niagara
  • Pvt. Francis Albrant  b. ca. 1760, New York, from Stone Arabia, Montgomery County, New York served with the KRRNY (Johnson’s Company). He resettled in the Eastern District at Osnabruck, Upper Canada. With Mary Maria Denoyer (1764-?), married 1784, Montreal they had at least one child, Mary b. 1785
  • Pvt. Henry Albrant, brother of Francis, b. 1761, Tyron County, New York, d. 1819, Matilda Township. Served in the KRRNY and resettled at     Eastern District: Matilda Township, Dundas County, Upper Canada. With Catherine Ault (1765-1809), married 20 Feb 1785 had 6 children.
  • John George Alguire b. 1746 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, settled in Johnstown, Tyron County, New York, resettled at Cornwall Township, Upper Canada  d. 1807 in Cornwall. Two marriages, 1st wife Mary Margaret Eny/Any/Aney (1755-1780), married 4 Jan 1774. 2nd wife Anna Maria Silmser (1763-?), married 19 Sep 1781. Seventeeon children, three with Mary,  between 1774 and 1805
  • Jacob Algire  b. 10 Aug 1726 Ispringen, Enkreis, Baden_Wurttemberg, Germany, before the war Near Johnstown, Albany County, New York, resettled Cornwall Township. Two wives, 1. Maria Salome Wahl (1720-1767) – six children – , married 30 Nov 1746 in Insprigen. 2. Unknown; – one child.     Father of John Alguire
  • Martin Alguire  b. Born 30 Aug 1746, bapt. 1 Sept 1746 Ersingen, (Ispringen) Baden (Baden-Württemberg) Germany, setled at Albany Patent near Johnstown, Albany County, (now Fulton Co. N.Y.), d. 1807 in Osnabruck Twp., Stormont Co., Ontario. He served in 1st Battalion KRRNY Major James Gray’s Co.   Married twicce 1. Elizabeth Catherine Eamer/Wiemer dau of Philip Eamer and Catrina Lyser, Married 26 Nov 1769. Stone Arabia, Albany Co. (now Montgomery Co.) N.Y.; Died between March 1779 and 1789 (six children) and 2. Eva Hone/Hahn/Hawn probably dau of Henry Hawn of Cornwall (eight children).
  • Capt. Joseph Allen b. 1742 Dover Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey d. 21 Oct 1815 Cressy, Prince Edward, Ontario.  Served with     Joseph Ward’s Association of Loyalists and resettled at first Marysburgh; then Cressy, Prince Edward County, Upper Canada. With Gertrude Bowne/Bound (1740-1824)six children.
  • Ens. Elias Thomas Anderson b. circa 1765 in Hartola / Mikkeli, Finland d. 6 July 1819 York, Upper Canada.  Enlisted in 1778 in Butler’s Rangers.  With Margaret Fresser (1760-1857) five children.
  • Henry Anderson b. c1758, d. between 1829-1831. Enlisted 1777, Jessup’s Corp of King’s Loyal Americans and Jessup’s Rangers. Resettled at Edwardsburgh (Eastern District). With Hannah Rudderback UE, six children.
  • John Anderson b. 15 February 1752, Eastwood, Renfrew, Scotland – d. After 1799, Fredericksburgh.  From New York City, he resettled initially Shelburne County, Nova Scotia; then Fredericksburg, Upper Canada. Married twice to     1. Annatie Peterson (1755-1775), married 10 Oct 1773, no children. 2. Janette Clark (1750-1802), married 11 Mar 1777 in New York City, five children
  • Ens. Peter Anderson served with the King’s Rangers 1776-1783. With Abigail Fortner had six children.
  • Capt. Walter Anderson b. 1753 – Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland – d. 30 November 1818, Vittoria, Norfolk County, Ontario where he had resettled.  Served with the     New Jersey Volunteers. With Mary, had seven children between 1786 and 1802.
  • Sgt. John Annable b. 28 July 1751 Kirk Ireton, Derbyshire, England – d. 4 July 1814 Cornwall Township, Eastern District where he resettled. Enlisted 19 June 1776 in 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Regiment of New York, Captain Samuel Anderson’s Company.  Twice married 1. Mary Ann Peascod/Percod (1766-1799) (six children), married January 1784. 2. Mary Sheets (1770-1852) (2 children)
  • Edward Armstrong b. circa 1750 in Albany County, New York – d. 1795, Elizabethtown. With Catherine ‘Caty’ Adams, b. ca. 1750, d. aft. 1803 (She is buried in the Lewis Cemetery, Granby, Oswego County, New York.) five children.
  • Lieut. Richard Arnold b. 22 August 1769, New Haven, New Haven County, Connecticut d.     9 Dec 1847 Sarnia, Lambton County, Ontario. He served in the American Legion and resettled      initially St. John, New Brunswick; then Sarnia, Lambton, Ontario. With Margaret Weatherhead (1789-1830), married 30 Dec 1804, Johnstown, 13 children between 1805 and 1825. He was a son of General Benedict Arnold
  • Pvt. John Assestine b. January 1748, Germantown, Columbia County, New York d. ca. 1822 Ernestown, Lennox and Addington County, Ontario. From Fredericksburgh, Dutchess County, New York, he served King’s Loyal Americans / Jessup’s Rangers. He resettled in Ernestown, Lennox and Addington County, Ontario.  Married twice 1. Catherine Cole/Cool (1759-1828) (2 children)and 2. Marie Sussette Langlois, married 1784 in Sorrel, Quebec (7 children). His first wife and children did not come to Canada. He may have believed that they had died, before he remarried.
  • Pvt. Peter Asselstine b. 25 September 1741, Athens, Greene County, New York d. 15 May 1826 Ernestown, Lennox and Addington County, Ontario.  From Churchtown, Columbia County, New York, he served with The King’s Loyal Americans/Jessup’s Rangers and resettld at Ernestown, Lennox and Addington County, Ontario. Twice married 1. Anna Head (1750-1778), married 2 Apr 1771 (1 child) and 2. Christina Davy (1756-1805), married 1788 (6 children).
  • Pvt. Cornelius Ackerman b. c 1748 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey d.     21 December 1846 in Victoria Corner, Carleton County, New Brunswick where he had resettled. He served with the     New Jersey Volunteers, Lt. Colonel Abraham Buskirk’s Company. With Frances ‘Fanny’ Lawrence (1760-1822), three children.
  • Pvt. Richard ‘Dirk’ Ackerman b. 19 March 1743 in Hackensack, Bergen County, New Jersey d. 11 Aug 1806, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia where he resettled.  From New Barbadoes, Bergen County, New Jersey he served with the New Jersey Volunteers, Lt. Colonel Abraham Van Buskirk’s Company.  With Elizabeth van Emburgh (1747-1825), married 14 Oct 1766 ten children between 1767 and 1790

From Eric Frazer some added information about

  • Dr. James McNabb  b. Scotland 1730 settled in the New Hampshire Grants – later called Vermont, d. Machiche in Jan 1780. Served as an Assistant Surgeon in McAlpine’s Corp. Six children.

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

Events Upcoming

Rye Historical Society: “Prelude to the Revolution in a New York Border Town” Sun. 1 Feb @3:00 ET

Prelude to the Revolution in a New York Border Town with Rye resident Lear Beyer, hosted by the Rye Historical Society at the Rye Free Library Reading Room. On July 11, 1776, when Rye resident John Thomas Jr. read the Declaration of Independence publicly from the footsteps of the White Plains Courthouse, the excitement was not shared by all. Many residents remained loyal to the King and were deeply opposed to independence. Discover why Rye personified this complexity and how it became the epicenter of America’s first Civil War. In person and online. Register…
Noted by Ken MacCallum UE “home of the Saint John Merritt Loyalists of Loyalist House and my Merritt ancestors – should be especially interesting”.

Gov Simcoe Branch: “George Harpell UEL and Preparations for the Arrival of the Loyalists in June 1784” by Valerie Howe UE, Wed 4 Feb 7:30 ET

This is the story of an advance guard who contributed to the crucial planning and building that prepared this Cataraqui (Kingston ON) settlement before the main group arrived.
On September 15, 1783, thirty-eight Associated Loyalists gathered equipment at Sorel, Quebec, then bateauxed to Montreal to join Deputy Surveyor-General John Collins and his survey party. Eighteen of them, including Valerie’s great-great-great grandfather, George Harpell, over-wintered at the fort to continue to lay the foundations for the future City of Kingston.
This is the story of a group of artificers who were essential to surveying, laying out town-lines and roads, hewing thousands of timbers and laying the foundation needed for the thriving military base and town that would be Kingston, Ontario. Registration…

American Revolution Institute: Author’s Talk— Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters 5 Feb 6:30 ET

Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Edward Larson discusses his new book that explores the ideas and battlefield sacrifices of 1776 to remind us why the year matters to all of us. At the beginning of 1776, virtually no one in the colonies was advocating independence. By the end of 1776, independence was on every patriot’s lips. Register…

American Revolution Institute:  British Officer Thomas Musgrave’s Account of the American Revolution Fri 6 Feb 12:30 ET

Join the Institute’s museum collections and operations manager, Paul Newman, for a discussion of a 1780s manuscript account of the American Revolution by Lt. Col. (later made a General and Baronet) Thomas Musgrave, a British officer who served extensively throughout the war. At the battle of Germantown, he commanded the British 40th Regiment of Foot that famously defended the Chew House against attacking American forces. Subsequently, he was restationed in the West Indies in 1778, before returning to New York. Register…

Col. John Butler Branch: Annie Halliday. The Doan Gang:  Outlaws of the Revolution, by Annie Halliday, Sat 7 Feb at 11:45

    The Mercer Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania is currently presenting a major exhibition, The Doan Gang:  Outlaws of the Revolution, which explores the history and intrigue of a group of Revolutionary-era Loyalists whose legend lives on today.  This exhibition is a journey through the world of espionage, legendary robberies, and mythical lost treasure in the heart of Revolutionary Bucks County.  It shows how these local outlaws plotted, schemed, and plundered their way through a divided world in the earliest days of a budding American nation, and why their deep loyalty to British rule in the colonies made them enemies of the Founding Fathers.
Annie Halliday, who along with Clint Flack curated the exhibit, will join us virtually.  The Zoom presentation will showcase images of the exhibition and highlight artifacts currently on display.  The presentation explores more about the people, places, and artifacts that make up the history of the Doan Gang.
Note.  This is an in-person meeting with a ZOOM speaker. Join by zoom as well.
In-Person at Betty’s Restaurant, 8921 Sodom Road, Chippawa (Niagara Falls), at 11:45 for a lunch meeting.  This meeting will be both in person and by ZOOM.
The cost of the lunch is $35 for UELAC members and $40 for guests.  Cash only, payable at the meeting. No credit cards.
Everyone needs to register in advance to 283corvette@gmail.com

Kawartha Branch. Valentine’s Get-Together. Tues 10 Feb. 1:30

Kawartha Branch Members and friends are gathering in-person at Kelsey’s Original Roadhouse, 1211 Lansdowne Street West, Peterborough, Ontario from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET
Just choose your entrée from the menu. We have a private room but with limited space so register early.
We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible. There will be treats for everyone, small gifts and a good time
Register with Grietje McBride UE maplegrm@gmail.com

Victoria Genealogical Society and Victoria UELAC Branch: Affirmations of Black Loyalists.  Thurs 12 Feb 7:00 Pacific Time 

A free, online Black History Month presentation.
Allister Barton presents an illustrative narrative that explores the journey of General Henry Clinton’s Company of Black Pioneer soldiers—formerly enslaved men, women, and children, who escaped bondage during the American Revolution in pursuit of freedom. This presentation traces their migration to Digby, Nova Scotia, where they sought land, community, and a new beginning. Through intimate and complex accounts of their experiences, Allister sheds light on a vital yet often overlooked chapter in Nova Scotia’s history. These affirmations offer a compelling lens into the legacy of African Nova Scotians and their enduring contributions to the province. Register here.

From the Social Media and Beyond

  • Food and Related: Townsends
  • Apparel
    • L Embroidered silk clutch, 1705-15, muff about 1750. R Exquisite pair of embroidered long cotton gloves, 1800-1810.  image
    • A 3,400 year-old ancient Egyptian beauty box with original containers for makeup and beauty products!  Museo Egizio, Turin
  • This week in History
    • 29 January 1774. London. Lord Wedderburn accused Benjamin Franklin of leaking letters to provoke the colonists against the Crown. In “Star Chamberesque” fashion, Franklin was berated before the Privy Council, during which he stood stoically.
      Wedderburn called Franklin a “true incendiary” and accused him of being the “prime conductor” in the agitation against the British government, largely for illegally obtaining copies of Massachusetts Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s letters, which offered advice on how to subdue America by restricting its liberties.
      This attempt to shame Franklin turned Franklin, a Loyalist, to the rebel cause. He would later write of the affair: “Spots of Dirt thrown upon my Character, I suffered while fresh remain; I . . . rely’d on the vulgar Adage, that they would all rub off when they were dry.”
      After this event, the Loyalist Franklin became an implacable foe of Britain and of anyone (including his son) who remained loyal to the Crown. Britain paid a heavy price, as Franklin’s talents would prove critical to the Cause of American independence. A case of getting mad and getting even… image
    • 25 Jan 1776, the Continental Congress authorized the first national Revolutionary War memorial in honor of Brigadier General Richard Montgomery, who had been killed during an assault on Quebec on December 31, 1775. image
    • 25 Jan 1776 Continental Congress authorizes the establishment of the Marine Committee, consisting of one member from each state. The committee was charged with oversight of the American Navy.  image
    • 25 Jan 1777 Kings Bridge, NY. Gen. William Heath attacked the Hessians at Ft Independence. Heath’s attack went poorly, and the Hessians sallied forth & his troops were routed. Gen Washington reprimanded Heath for the failure.  image
    • 28 Jan 1777 Gen John Burgoyne submits an ill-fated plan to the king to isolate New England from the other colonies. Burgoyne’s plan revolved around an invasion of 8K British troops from Canada, who would move southward through NY via Lake Champlain & the Mohawk River.  image
    • 29 Jan 1777, Washington placed Gen Israel Putnam in command of all Patriot troops in New York, charging them with covering the city and protecting the Hudson Valley and northern water routes. Of Lake Champlain & Lake George. image
    • 29 Jan 1777 Kings Bridge (Bronx), NY. Facing a British counterassault in bitter cold and a snowstorm approaching, Gen. William Heath and his 6K-strong army abandoned the 11-day siege of Fort Independence. image
    • 28 Jan 1778 The Marquis de Lafayette expresses his contempt for Gen. Thomas Conway to Continental Congress President Henry Laurens and refuses to serve with him. Laurens now suspects Board of War complicity in the “Conway Cabal” – a circle of anti-Washington officers.  image
    • 27 Jan 1778 Nassau, Bahamas American sloop Providence under Capt John Rathbun captures the city of Providence and raises stars & stripes, a 1st over the foreign stronghold. He also drives off 16-gun privateer Gayton, seizes five vessels & releases 20 American prisoners.  image
    • 26 Jan 1779 Savannah, GA After the British captured the city, a group of Patriots met at the city’s Burke County Jail to determine how they would deal with any possible defections from the Patriot cause. They are attacked by Col. Thomas Brown & 230 Loyalists, who retreat after inflicting 12 casualties & suffering 10. image
    • 26 Jan 1780 Gen Benedict Arnold court-martialed for financial speculation & malfeasance as commander of Philadelphia & found guilty on 2 minor charges. Though Gen Washington gives him only a slap on the wrist, he fumes indignantly at the new wrong suffered. image
    • 27 Jan 1780 Morristown, NJ To alleviate the suffering of the Continental Army during this harshest winter cantonment, Gen Washington overhauls the supply system. Food supplies increase, and the troops’ health and morale improve. image
    • 28 Jan 1780 Fort Nashborough (today’s Nashville, TN) was established on the Cumberland River to protect NC & TN from Indian raids. Fort & settlement named for Gen Francis Nash, commander of the NC Continental Line, who was killed by a cannonball at the Battle of Germantown. image
    • 25 Jan 1781 Ramsour’s Mill, NC. Gen Charles Cornwallis orders his heavy baggage & supplies burned and begins a rapid pursuit of American Gen Nathanael Greene’s army with his “lighter” British force. Race to the Dan River intensifies. image
    • 24–25 January, 1781, in Georgetown, South Carolina—one month after Major General Nathanael Greene assumed command of the Southern Department—Lieutenant Colonel Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee and Brigadier General Francis “Swamp Fox” Marion combined forces for a stealthy, two-pronged raid on the town. After careful planning and reconnaissance, Marion’s militia approached by land while Lee’s Legion infantry advanced by boat. The British garrison of 200–300 troops under Lieutenant Colonel George Campbell was caught completely by surprise. Lacking artillery to reduce the main redoubt, the Patriots withdrew after capturing three officers, including Campbell, the commandant. This operation marked the start of Greene’s strategy to disperse forces, compel the British to defend multiple points, and keep his main army intact for future engagements. image
    • 26 Jan 1781 Gen Robert Howe’s brigade of 600 suppresses the rebellion by the New Jersey Line. Two ringleaders are later executed.  image
    • 28 Jan 1781 American spymaster Maj Benjamin Tallmadge sent Gen Washington a copy of a letter received from Benedict Arnold, 4 months after Arnold turned traitor. He indicates puzzlement & writes he won’t respond unless authorized by Washington. image
    • 30 Jan 1781 Gen Nathanael Greene and Daniel Morgan join forces along the Catawba River with an army of Gen Charles Cornwallis in hot pursuit.  image
    • 30 Jan 1781 Maryland became the 13th and final state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, almost three years after the official deadline given by Congress of March 10, 1778.  image
    • 25 – 26 Jan 1782 St. Kitts, West Indies British Adm Samuel Hood’s fleet fails to surprise French Adm comte de Grasse, but Hood’s wily tactics force the French fleet to withdraw & 700 British troops to land. Each side suffered about 300 casualties. image
    • 30 Jan 1797 Marblehead MA. Gen John Glover died. This reluctant warrior commanded the Gloucester Regt, also known as Marblehead sailors. Glover’s men were tough fishermen famous for saving the Army after NYC & carrying the troops across the Delaware River. image

 

 

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