Where in the World are the members of the UELAC in 2019?
For the most recent submissions, visit the the main “Where In The World … ?” page.
2019 Submissions
A “Corny” Picture – In Name Only!
Where is Hamilton Branch member Fred Hayward?
Fred recently won a LowFOD gift basket from Cobs Bread and took the opportunity to promote his Loyalist heritage by wearing his UELAC fleece vest. Cobs Bread started in 1980 in Australia as a family-run business called Bakers Delight. There are now more than 600 Bakers Delight locations in Australia and New Zealand. Cobs Bread has more than 115 bakeries in Canada today.
A Very Merry Gerry
Where are Thompson-Okanagan Branch members (L-R) Gerry Hartley, Marie Ablett, Pat Kelderman, Mavis MacPherson, Robyn Kendall, and Sandy Farynuk?
Gerry Hartley is pictured after he received a Loyalist Certificate attesting to his proven descent from Loyalist ancestor Gershom Wing. Celebrating with Gerry are Marie Ablett (branch genealogist), Pat Kelderman, Mavis MacPherson (branch secretary), Robyn Kendall (branch treasurer/membership), and Sandy Farynuk (branch president).
Canada’s Game
Where are Ruth and Claire Nicholson, of Hamilton Branch?
Ruth Nicholson, UE, and her granddaughter Claire Nicholson, UE, are pictured at the Hometown Hockey day – Oct 5, 2019 – in Georgetown, Ontario. In Halton Hills, staff, residents and businesses came together with overwhelming community spirit and support. They made memories, shared laughs, and broke records, with 163 organizations participating in the Parade of Champions.
Expedition Destination
Where is Calgary Branch member Jack Twells?
Jack Twells is viewing the graves on Beechey Island National Historic Site in Nunavut. This is the site where John Franklin’s expedition spent the winter of 1845-46 in his search for the Northwest Passage. There are four graves: John Hartnell, John Torrington and William Braine who were Franklin’s men, and Thomas Morgan who died on one of the missions that was looking for Franklin.
The Proof is in the Pudding Certificate Application
Where are Edmonton Branch members Robert, Christopher, Hannah and Liam?
Robert J. Rogers, UE, President of Edmonton Branch, presenting certificates to his son Christopher and grandchildren Hannah and Liam on 28 September 2019 at a branch meeting. The certificates indicate their proven descent from Richard Fenton UEL. There is great information about Richard and his family in the Loyalist Directory, including a history of the Fenton, Landerkin & Leslie Families and a copy of Robert’s certificate application.
The Very Picture Of Dedication
Where are Assiniboine Branch members Shirle McGimpsey and James & Liz Adair?
Shirle McGimpsey and James & Liz Adair attended the dedication of the restoration of the McKenzie graves at the Little Britain United Church and Cemetery located at St. Andrews, Manitoba. Roderick McKenzie (d. 1851) was the Chief Factor for the Hudson Bay Company, and he and his family are buried here. Shirle McGimpsey is a 3rd-great-grandchild of Roderick McKenzie. Learn more: Little Britain United Church is one of the Historic Sites of Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society; separately, the Government of Manitoba has designated it Provincial Heritage Site No. 36.
A Glassy Sea And A Glassier View
Where are Jack Twells and Ivy Trumpour, of Calgary Branch?
During a summer 2019 vacation in the Arctic, Ivy and Jack visited the Eqip Sermia Glacier near Ilulissat in Greenland, where they could hear loud cracks as chunks of ice broke off the glacier to start their way south.
Grist for the Mill
Where is Brian Tackaberry, a member of Bay of Quinte Branch and Sir Guy Carleton Branch?
One of the tours at the UELAC Conference in Gatineau-Ottawa travelled along the Rideau Canal and River. Brian was our tour guide. The first stop was at Watson’s Mill. Across the road is the Dickinson House Museum, which we also visited. In 1867, Moss Kent Dickinson built a large, two-and-a-half-storey clapboard building, facing his grist mill across the open green square. Dickinson’s new building was originally used as mill offices, a general store and a post office. In 1870, Dickinson moved his family into the house, retaining the general store on the south side of the ground floor. The Dickinson family lived in the home and operated the milling complex for 60 years, from 1870 to 1930.
Try the Tri-Tricolor!
Where are James Adair (Assiniboine Branch) and Jean Rae Baxter (Kingston Branch)?
During the reception before the gala banquet at the UELAC conference in Gatineau-Ottawa, attendees were photographed – especially those in period clothing. James proudly wears the Loyalist ribbon on his right chest. He has engraved the name of a Loyalist ancestor on each bar; hence three ribbons. The ribbons and bars are available from the UELAC Promotions Committee.
Hot-Button Topic
Where is Gov. Simcoe Branch member Robert Heath, UE, with his daughter Victoria Heath, UE?
At most celebrations of Canada Day and of Simcoe Day (the August “Civic Holiday” in Ontario), the Gov. Simcoe Branch participates with a booth at Fort York. The historical setting brings numerous local residents and many international visitors, who seem even more eager to learn about our history. One of the hits on Canada Day at this exhibit was a button-making machine, with which Victoria helped guests make buttons to attach to their clothing.
Not Where (Or When), But Who?
This time around, we aren’t asking where the photo was taken, but who is in it? If you know, please email Stephen and copy Doug Grant.
Submitted by Stephen Davidson, these four pictures were taken by Jean Carson at the foot of King Street, near Market Slip, in late July and early August of 1971 – the occasion of the first Loyalist Day event in Saint John, New Brunswick. But who are the costumed re-enactors? If you know, please click here to email stephendavids@gmail.com and copy loyalist.trails@uelac.org on your message.
You Can Take It To The Bank (Wet)
Where are David Kanowakeron Hill Morrison, of Grand River Branch and Bridge Annex, and David Ellsworth, of Col. John Butler Branch?
Attendees at the annual UELAC conference are encouraged to wear their period clothing during the events, especially at the gala banquet. From this year’s Gatineau-Ottawa main dinner, the two Davids represented their Loyalist ancestral roots. David Kanowakeron Hill Morrison is one of several Loyalists who have proved their descent from Chief Joseph (Thayendanegea) Brant. David Ellsworth is descended from Francis Ellsworth (Elsworth), of Butler’s Rangers.
A Heaven Of An Ending
Where are (L-R) Ruth Nicholson, of Hamilton Branch; Jean Rae Baxter, of Kingston Branch; and Louise Ferriss, of Bicentennial Branch?
UELAC conferences typically conclude with a church service. The 2019 event hosted by Sir Guy Carleton Branch in Ottawa-Gatineau wrapped up at Christ Church Aylmer. The Church is Aylmer’s oldest original church building. The church’s foundation stone was laid in 1843. The first white settlers to the area arrived in the winter of 1800. Led by Philemon Wright, some three dozen settlers left their homes in Woburn, Massachusetts, by sleigh in February 1800 to take up land granted them by the Crown. One writer indicates that they were Loyal Americans (Loyalists). In fact, Philemon himself was a Patriot soldier, rising to the rank of Sergeant during the Revolutionary War. Perhaps the most striking feature of the church is that its interior pews and columnar support are all built from local white pine – trees that Philemon Wright and his company harvested and that made the area famous.
Canonical Occasion
Where are Diane Reid (Toronto Branch), Linda Engel and Nancy Conn (both Gov. Simcoe Branch)?
As part of the celebration of Loyalist Day in Ontario on June 19 each year, Toronto and Gov. Simcoe Branches honour our Loyalist heritage by raising the Loyalist flag on the guest flag pole in front of Queen’s Park in Toronto. The ceremony is followed by a reception inside the Legislative Building. The cannon, one of two in front of Queen’s Park, was initially used by the Russians against the British in the Battle of Sevastopol in the Crimean War (1853-1856). After winning the battle, the British then sent the cannons in pairs to key cities within the British empire, including Toronto, delivered there in 1859, 30 years before these Legislative buildings were constructed. All Victoria Cross medals have been supposedly fashioned from two bronze cannons captured at Sevastopol.
A Welcome Site
Where is Nova Scotia Branch member Brian McConnell, UE?
While touring Newfoundland, Brian visited Cape Bonavista and encountered this statue of John Cabot.
A freelance Italian explorer, Giovanni Caboto was contracted by Henry VII of England to find new lands and a sea route to the Orient.
Cabot set sail from Bristol, England, in his ship the Matthew in May 1497, making on the coast of North America on June 24.
When Cabot first saw land he reputedly exclaimed “O Buon Vista!” (“Oh, Happy Sight!”) – giving rise to the name of the town and nearby Cape Bonavista.
A Chip Off the Old … House?
Where are Peter Milliken (left), of Kingston & District Branch, and Jim McKenzie, of New Brunswick Branch?
At the 2019 UELAC Conference in Gatineau-Ottawa, one stop on the Rideau Valley bus tour was the Merrickville Blockhouse, a Federal Heritage Building (details). The lock keeper lived here the first year, but as the blockhouse is large and only to be used by the militia in case of hostilities, the one significant fireplace did not do much to heat it in the winter; no wonder the lock keeper moved to a cottage for future winters. (Peter-Jim-Blockhouse-plaque.jpg” style=”color:#fafafa;” target=”_blank”>Click here to see the plaque up close.)
Photo Op With The Invisible Man
Where are Linda Smith, of Saskatchewan Branch, and Joyce Lidster, of Assiniboine Branch?
One of the Gatineau-Ottawa UELAC Conference bus tours visited Goulbourn Museum, which shares the story of Ottawa’s oldest military settlement and early life in the former Goulbourn Township. Located just south of Stittsville in Ottawa’s west end, Goulbourn Museum houses a diverse collection of artifacts and many interactive exhibitions. These include the 100th Regiment of Foot, dedicated to the soldiers who settled Goulbourn Township in 1818.
Random Found Land
Where is Nova Scotia Branch member Brian McConnell?
Brian and spouse Ann recently vacationed in Newfoundland. They stopped at Clarenville, a town on the Trans-Canada Highway, about 200km northwest of St. John’s and located across Random Sound from Random Island. It is a local service centre for central-eastern Newfoundland. Its name has been attributed to a memorial to the Duke of Clarence, eldest son of the then Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII), who died in 1892. Clarenville is a natural gateway to the Discovery Trail, extending down the Bonavista Peninsula to Trinity and Bonavista, reputed site of the first landing of European explorer John Cabot.
Looking For Specifics (Found None)
Where are Joan Lucas, Kawartha Branch (at left); and Barb Andrew, Assiniboine Branch?
One of the bus trips during the 2019 UELAC Conference in Gatineau-Ottawa explored sites along the Rideau River and Canal system. Joan and Barb did a little window shopping at this General Store, recreated within the Coulbourn Museum. One of our group seems to have entered the store to ask the shopkeeper for something.
About To Be Seated At The Periodic Table
Where are Marlene Dance, Chilliwack Branch, and Maralynn Wilkinson, Victoria Branch?
The gala banquet at the UELAC conference each year provides the opportunity for members to show off their period clothing. Marlene and Maralynn brought theirs across the country from British Columbia, the UELAC Pacific Region.
No, Your Mouth!
Where is Nova Scotia Branch member Gerald Curry with his branch genealogist, Carol Harding?
Carol Harding, UE, and Gerald Curry, UE, are pictured in front of the beautiful stone wall and ship’s anchor of the Nova Scotia’s Yarmouth County Museum and Archives as Gerry receives his first Loyalist certificate. His ancestor is Thomas Sherar (Shearer) of New Carlisle, QC. The Museum and Archives is a general history museum with an emphasis on Yarmouth’s seafaring history. The museum houses a collection of over 20,000 artifacts and a wealth of genealogical research material. In the heart of Yarmouth’s heritage residential district, the museum is housed in a former church as well as two historic houses.
Revered and Reverential
Where are Jamie Scott, Mary Anne Bethune and Carl Stymiest?
At the UELAC Conference it is customary for those with period clothing to wear it to some of the events, especially the Saturday evening banquet. Hence the clothing and character represented take precedence over “Where in the World”. Jamie Scott, UE, (Vancouver Branch) represents the Rev. John Bethune UEL; Mary Anne Bethune, UE, (Victoria & Vancouver Branch) as herself; and Carl Stymiest, UE, (Vancouver Branch) the Rev. John Urquhart UEL.
On the trail of a cereal miller
Where are David and Ruth Nicholson (Hamilton Branch) and Jean Rae Baxter (Kingston Branch)?
Sir Guy Carleton Branch hosted the 2019 UELAC Conference in Ottawa-Gatineau. One stop on the Bus Tour along the Rideau was at Watson’s Mill in Manotick. A historic flour and gristmill – which grinds cereal grain into flour – it is the only working museum in the Ottawa area. Watson’s Mill still sells stone-ground whole wheat flour which is made on site. The mill is also well known for its ghost story. The legend is that Ann Currier, wife of Joseph (one of the founders along with Moss Dickinson), haunts the mill, following her death in a tragic accident there in 1861.
He’ll rue the day he crossed old Fred
Where is Nova Scotia Branch member Brian McConnell?
On the driving journey to the 2019 UELAC Conference and AGM, Brian visited the Old Burial Ground in Saint John, NB, and then toured more of our Canadian history in Old Quebec City. The street is named for Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB [Order of the Bath], a military officer known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolutionary War. He was Governor of Quebec from 1778 until 1786.
A Priest and a Loyalist walk into a bar …
Where are Pacific Regional Vice President Carl Stymiest and Pacific Regional Councilor Frans Compeer?
Attending the Spring Fleet Celebrations hosted by the UELAC Victoria Branch, 04 May 2019 in Victoria, BC. Carl dressed as his Loyalist 4th-great-grandfather, the Rev. John Urquhart, and Frans as a Loyalist gentleman.
Sail the Skyline
Where is New Brunswick Branch member Malcolm Newman?
The tall structure is the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, England, named for the type of sail the building is modelled after – a reflection of local maritime history. It is very close to the historic Dockyard Museum area, which houses the Mary Rose and other important naval artifacts, ships and buildings. Malcolm is aboard the Gosport Ferry on a 10-minute journey between Portsmouth Harbour Station and the town on the opposite side of the harbour, called Gosport. You can barely discern “Saint John, New Brunswick” embroidered on his cap. The blue tint to the photo is not a reflection from the water but a slight fault with the camera.
Far and Tethered
Where is Vancouver Branch member Linda Nygard?
Linda is standing under a bucket of tar and a bag of feathers at George Washington’s estate in Mount Vernon, Virginia, built in the mid-1700s. Mount Vernon is the historic home of George and Martha Washington, located 13 miles south of Washington, DC, on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia. Once a vibrant plantation in the 18th century, George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate is now one of the nation’s most visited historic sites. It combines an authentically interpreted 18th-century home, lush gardens and grounds, intriguing museum galleries and immersive programs. A large area in the educational building is dedicated to the Revolutionary War.
Two’s Company, Three’s A Ride
Where is London & Western Ontario Branch member William Harris?
William Harris, UE, wife Jean, and camel in the Negev Desert in a visit to Israel in April 2019. The Negev is a rocky desert; it is a melange of brown, rocky, dusty mountains interrupted by wadis (dry riverbeds that bloom briefly after rain) and deep craters. The Negev covers more than half of Israel, at least 55% of the country’s land area. William, a member of the London & Western Ontario Branch, is a descendent of George McGinnis, UEL, who was a combatant in the Mohawk Valley, NY, in the Revolutionary War.
“Special K”
Where is Donna Little of Vancouver & Chilliwack branches?
After a 10-day Oceanic Cruise in February, we disembarked in Tahiti, where everything was closed – leaving me to wonder why a cruise would end on a Sunday and release 1200 souls on a town that isn’t open! So I found my own fun at an after-church party – I stumbled into a celebration at the Community Church in Papeete, with pastor “Special K,” where I enjoyed my first-ever real coconut drink (pictured)! A machete was used to make the hole and pop in the straw – it made me think of the movie Castaway, starring Tom Hanks.
Sand Castle
Where is Gov. Simcoe Branch member and Loyalist Trails editor Doug Grant?
Nearing the end of a long day on a bus travelling north from Kerman to Yasd in central Iran, we stopped at another set of ruins. Along the route, and situated where there was a supply of good water, caravansaries offered refuge and protection overnight for camel trains. These ruins may have been such a stop.
A House of Birds and – Don’t Laugh – Turds
Where is Col. John Butler Branch member Geri Wilson?
In Isfahan, Iran, one of the curiosities we visited was a 16th- or 17th-century pigeon tower, many of which were built to house pigeons. The pigeons were domesticated not for their meat (the pigeon is especially revered in Islam), but rather for their droppings, which the locals collected and used to fertilize melon and cucumber fields. The Safavids had a particular liking for melons and consumed them in staggering numbers. Pigeon dung was thought to be the best manure for these crops, and the towers were built for the purpose of attracting pigeons to them so that they would nest in the towers and their dung could be harvested. Built with brick and overlaid with plaster and lime, these towers were some of the finest dovecotes in any part of the world. At its peak, Isfahan had an estimated 3,000 pigeon towers.
What Would You Do For A Giveaway?
Where is Gov Simcoe Branch Branch member Jo Ann Tuskin?
The title is a chocolate-themed hint, but if the first photo doesn’t tip you off, scroll down for the dead giveaway – another, faintly punny hint at the location – in photo #2.
On a cruise up the Inside Passage, Jo Ann visited Skagway, a common stop on the Alaska Panhandle. The White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroad, constructed during the Klondike gold rush (1898-1900), now carries tourists. Skagway is also part of the setting for Jack London’s book The Call of the Wild and the John Wayne film North to Alaska. Seeing a glacier up close is an important experience; this one possibly in Tracy Arm.
The Sands of Time
Where is Gov. Simcoe Branch member Doug Grant?
Persepolis, “the city of the Persians,” in southeastern Iran was built by Darius I. Construction began around 500 BC. Some 200 years later, Alexander the Great invaded Persia. The Persians held off Alexander’s army at the “Persian Gates” (a pass through the modern-day Zagros Mountains) for 30 days and inflicted heavy casualties. Alexander eventually won out. Whether in retaliation or not, some months later he allowed his troops to loot Persepolis and around then the palaces burned. An elaborate and costly celebration of the 2,500th year of the Persian Empire was held by the Shah of Iran in Oct. 1971.
A Different Divider
Where are Pat Kelderman, of Thompson-Okanagan Branch, and Bev Balch, of Grand River Branch?
Pat and her husband Rob winter in San Jose del Cabo, on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula. Bev joins her most winters for a week or two of sister time and to do a little connecting with cousins. Pat found while doing her genealogy of the Young family that Bev’s Uncle Archie (Daniel Young UEL) – who left Ontario as a young man – headed to Mexico, started a cattle ranch near Laredo, and married the local school teacher. Pat and Bev took the old highway up from San Jose to Todo Santos to explore this beautiful remote mountainous interior, shop for beautiful silver jewelry and crafts and visit. They are pictured at the roadside tribute to the Tropic of Cancer on old Highway one just north of San Jose del Cabo.
A Second View Equates The Two
Where is Jack Twells of Calgary Branch?
Jack Twells of Calgary Branch is standing on the equator – marked by the yellow line – in Ecuador. Does the monument look familiar?
(The Cutways visited recently as well.)
Middle of the Mercator
Where are Kingston & District Branch members Nancy and Steve Cutway?
Here we are about 17 miles outside of Quito, Ecuador, straddling the Equator. It is a historic site as well as a geographical location: in 1736 the Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Sciences, led by Louis Godin, Pierre Bouguer and Charles Marie de La Condamine, first marked the location of the Equator after they conducted experiments to test the flattening at the poles of the characteristic shape of the Earth, by comparing the distance between a degree meridian in the equatorial zone to another level measured in Sweden. Apparently modern satellite technology has shown that the line depicted here is actually “off” by about 200 metres, but in 1736, this was a major scientific accomplishment.
[This Joke Was Too Risqué]
Where are Robert Rogers, UE, president of Edmonton Branch; his wife, Dorothy; his brother, David Rogers, UE; and his sister-in-law, Cathy Rogers, UE?
The British Virgin Islands (BVI) consist of about 60 islands and cays, about 15 of which are inhabited by just over 30,000 people, since 2002 British citizens. European discovery by Columbus in 1493. English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and Danish all jostled for control of the region, which became a notorious haunt for pirates. The English gained control in the 1680s.
Island in the Sun
Where are Calgary Branch members Jack Twells and Ivy Trumpour?
The Galápagos Islands, part of Ecuador, are volcanic islands in the Pacific, 906 km west of continental Ecuador. The islands are known for their large number of endemic species and were studied by Charles Darwin during the second voyage of the HMS Beagle. His observations and collections contributed to the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection. The Galápagos Province of Ecuador, the Galápagos National Park, and the Galápagos Marine Reserve are a great place to visit, with wildlife that is not wild at all. The Galápagos Islands were short-listed as a candidate to be one of the New7Wonders of Nature.
One Of Us
Where is Gov. Simcoe Branch member Doug Grant?
While wandering the streets of London, we happened upon this building, “The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts,” a Church of England missionary organization active in the British Atlantic world in the 18th and 19th centuries. It sent Anglican clergymen and religious literature to Britain’s colonies, supported schoolmasters and the establishment of new churches, and lobbied for a more expansive place for the Church of England in Britain’s burgeoning empire. The society’s original charter confined its operations to Britain’s colonies, so its activities ceased in an independent United States in 1783. The society rebranded itself in 1965 as the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG) and again in 2012 as the United Society or “Us.”
I Ran For A Glass Of Wine
Where is Col. John Butler Branch member Geri Wilson, UE?
Shiraz is a beautiful city in south-central Iran, known for its literary history and many gardens. The marble Tomb of Hafez, honoring the revered poet, sits within its own garden. Just after visiting this site, Geri found new friends.
A Brownish, Whitish, Redish Photo
Where is Kingston & District Branch member Anne Redish, UE?
Hint: Dressed as a Loyalist, Anne is pictured giving a talk about Loyalist Clothing to branch members who met on the territory of Loyalist-era allies from the Province of New York. This TERRITORY was derived from the traditional name of the brother of a well-known and powerful Loyalist-era female Indigenous leader who was connected to New York’s William & John Johnson family.
Anne is shown at a Bay of Quinte branch meeting in the community of Shannonville, in the Theyandinaga territory.
For older submissions, visit the 2018 WITW archive page.