Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2009 Archive

In this issue:
- The Four Directions Youth Project
- London's Forgotten Loyalist: Part IV - No Proud Epitaph -- © Stephen Davidson
- Jacob Sharpstone - A Patriot? A Loyalist? Those Shades of Gray!
- Christopher Peterson (Paterson) Land Grant at the UEL Museum in Adolphustown LCC
- The Memory Project: Stories of WWII by The Dominion Institute
- Heritage Canada Foundation Launches SPERO-L to Help Places of Faith At Risk
- Editor's Comment on Pringle Family in the Loyalist Directory
- Additions to the Loyalist Directory
- Last Post: CLEMENT, Harold Headley
- Queries
      + Response re Which Rev. Ryerson?
      + Looking for Artifacts belonging to Simon Fraser, Explorer of BC's Fraser River
      + Seeking Regimental Affiliation for Two Loyalists
      + Johann Dedrick Family

At the 2009 AGM at Adolphustown, UELAC delegates enthusiastically passed a motion to support a fund-raising effort for the Four Directions Youth Project, an initiative developed by UELAC Honorary Vice President, Zig Misiak.

The far reaching implications of this innovative project are yet to be realized, however, this represents an historic opportunity for the Associations' membership to express their support for Native youth. This initiative will also help in the promotion of Canadian and Loyalist history and foster a solid affirmation of the UELAC's mandate to promote and celebrate Canadian heritage.

By any estimation, this is indeed a unique project with a collaborative effort including Chiefswood National Historic Site, which is of primary cultural and heritage importance to the Six Nations of the Grand River community. As the development of this Project expands, other schools and groups have already expressed an interest in participating and welcoming this Project to their communities.

The UELAC's unprecedented pledge of support for the Four Directions Youth Project has been brought to the attention of relevant Native interests and Canadian media outlets. Once this initiative moves forward and gains momentum, re-enactor groups involved with the future 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 will be contributing expertise and effort to assist in this Project.

The Four Directions Youth Project is based on the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Thanksgiving Address; a very special and respectful greeting to the natural world is recited at most social and spiritual gatherings. Its message transcends ethnic and cultural lines with lessons instilling gratitude and self-respect... as well as respect for others and the Mother Earth, of which we are all Her children.

It is a message of peace, pride and co-existence. Coupled with hands-on activities aimed at youth following each weekly gathering, the Four Directions Youth Project promises to be a learning experience that will foster an interest in self-esteem, Canadian history and Canadian loyalist heritage.

The UELAC may see this as an opportunity to participate in an initiative which will bring far more than mere recognition. With the potential for national recognition among Native and other heritage organizations, it is hoped the UELAC membership will enthusiastically embrace this appeal and extend a hand of tangible support, not simply because of what the Project has to offer us as an Association, but what we as an Association have to offer to Canada and her youth.

Please continue to follow the updates of this remarkable Four Directions Youth Project as they unfold. Updates will be posted on the website and included in future issues of Loyalist Trails.

As always, many thanks for all you do to support your Association and its mandates.

...David Hill Morrison UE, Grand River Branch UELAC

"A Time To Give"

Make your donation today . . .

...Online:

at www.canadahelps.org. (See our donations page for more details & instructions.)

...By cheque:

Made out to "United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada" (or "UELAC")

Mail to:

      UELAC

      50 Baldwin St., Suite 202

      Toronto ON

      M5T 1L4

Please mark on your cheque "Four Directions Youth Project."

See the full project details.

London's Forgotten Loyalist: Part IV - No Proud Epitaph -- © Stephen Davidson

In the two centuries since his death, Barnardus La Grange has become the forgotten loyalist of London. Recent research has only just now pieced together his occupation, his wartime experiences, and how he came to be entombed at St. Margaret's Church in Westminster Parish.

In the previous three articles, we learned that La Grange had been a successful lawyer in New Brunswick, New Jersey. His loyalty to the crown forced him to seek refuge in New York City in 1777. During that year a grandson and son-in-law died following a battle with rebels on Staten Island. His former African slave, Samuel Sutphen, fought for the patriot army, becoming an eye-witness to some of the key battles of the war. Finally, in May of 1783, La Grange, his widowed daughter, Frances Dongan, and his 23 year-old son James sailed for England.

More than half of the American Revolution's 70,000 refugees sought sanctuary in the United Kingdom, but only a very small percentage ever sought out compensation for their wartime losses. Barnardus La Grange was one of those who decided to go before the loyalist compensation board to receive payment for all that the revolution had cost him.

Two witnesses, including Brigadier General Skinner, a veteran officer of the revolution, spoke on La Grange's behalf. Despite the loss of a grandson, a son-in-law, two houses, a law practise that was worth 600 pounds sterling a year, African slaves, and three tracts of land, the New Jersey loyalist only received a pension of 80 pounds sterling a year. So much for the gratitude of the British Empire!

La Grange was able to lease a house at 21 Marsham Street in Westminster, a parish of London that contained the Houses of Parliament. For the next 13 years, the New Jersey lawyer worshipped at St. Margaret's Church which was only a short walk from his home. As Frances Dongan is still described as a widow in 1797, it seems likely that she lived with her father following their arrival in England.

La Grange's other two daughters also settled in London with their husbands and families. Susannah's husband, Captain Arthur Wadman, made an appearance at the compensation board as a witness for a fellow loyalist. Lydia's husband, Henry Dougan, had gone to America as a surgeon's mate and returned to England with his regiment. By 1797, Susannah's husband had died, and La Grange had a granddaughter named Elizabeth Bayley Peters. Whether Miss Peters was the product of a second marriage for Susannah is not known, but Elizabeth was so cherished by her grandfather, that he willed her one sixth of his estate

James Brasier LaGrange came to London with his own memories of the revolution. At 17, he joined the New Jersey Volunteers, serving as an ensign in this famous loyalist regiment from 1777 to 1779. James later married Dorothy Warrington, the daughter of a local Anglican clergyman. Their children were Lucy and James Junior.

Little is known of Barnardus La Grange's life in Westminster Parish. Someone must have recognized his professional expertise for he received an official appointment as the chief clerk to John Jeffreys Pratt, the Chief Teller of the Exchequer. Pratt had served in Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger's Tory government since his election to Parliament in 1780 as the member for Bath.

Feeling the weight of his 75 years, Barnardus La Grange drew up his will in July of 1796. After forgiving his son James of a loan of 105 pounds sterling, La Grange willed him one third of his estate. The remaining two thirds were divided into four parts. His daughters, Frances, Susannah, and Lydia, each received a part as did his granddaughter Elizabeth. The lease remaining on La Grange's Marsham Street house was given to his daughters and granddaughter. On December 10, 1797, Barnardus La Grange died at the age of 77.

Having served his king faithfully both in the Thirteen Colonies and in England, La Grange was buried at St. Margaret's Church. A monument created by the mason Henry Poole marks the New Jersey loyalist's remains.

Two of the loyalist's children were also buried with him. James La Grange died at 62 on February 25, 1823. His years as a loyalist soldier go unmentioned. James' sister Frances Dongan died at 75 on April 17, 1823. Forty-six years earlier she had lost her husband and son during a battle on Staten Island and had been sexually assaulted by rebel soldiers. Barnardus La Grange's grandson James was the author of the memorial's eulogies to his grandfather, aunt, and father.

The text on Barnardus La Grange's monument includes these words:

Thus no proud epitaph records his fame,
But sorrow weaves her chaplet round his name.

And for Frances Dongan:

Tis past - tis done - my feelings who can tell?
My first, last friend, for ever, now, farewell."

Of all the American Revolution's 70,000 refugees, Barnardus La Grange is the only loyalist (besides William Wragg) to be buried among the honoured dead of the British Empire in the parish of Westminster. As La Grange's monument records, there was "no proud epitaph" to indicate the significance of this loyalist's life. He was not a war hero; he served his king as a lawyer and civil servant. He was not a typical loyalist; he was rich enough to own several homes, land, and slaves. Like over half of all loyalist refugees, he resettled in England rather than modern-day Canada.

However, La Grange had experienced the loss of family members and the utter shattering of his former life because of his decision to remain loyal to King George III. An accident of history placed him in London to live out his days. He was buried in St. Margaret's Church, just a stone's throw from Westminster Abbey. Had La Grange's family not commissioned a monument to mark his resting place, he would have become just another one of the thousands of loyalists buried in British soil who have been lost to memory. He left grandchildren and great-grandchildren, but they, like posterity, have no recollection of Barnardus La Grange, London's forgotten loyalist.

To secure permission to reprint this article, contact the author at {stephendavids AT gmail DOT com} how do I email him?

Editor's note: Information that has to do with the monuments in St. Margaret's Church is kept in the library of Westminster Abbey. Davidson's four articles on London's Forgotten Loyalist have recently been added to this data. Previous to his research, the library only knew the dates for Barnardus La Grange's birth and death dates -- and the fact that he was an "American Loyalist".

Jacob Sharpstone - A Patriot? A Loyalist? Those Shades of Gray!

[Editor's Note: David Moore, banquet speaker at UELAC Conference in June, noted in his comments that many people in the Rev War were either a patriot or a loyalist, but their status changed over time. One's feelings may have been influenced by which side was in control of your neighbourhood.

Being "enlisted" by itself is not a great indicator, as some number were given the option to enlist, or otherwise suffer the consequences.... Even those who enlisted and actually fought were sometimes subject to similar situation. Should they be captured, as a POW many were given the option to change sides, ie join the enemy forces and fight against former friends, or go into a jail from which many never returned. Such situations were not uncommon, and went both ways.]

I am commenting on the article appearing on George Barnhart and his wife Catherine Sharpstone by Mr. Ripley (July 5, 2009). I am a descendant of George and Catherine Sharpstone Barnhart and thought I should set the record straight so to speak.

In his article Mr. Ripley reported Catherine Sharpstone as the daughter of Jacob Sharpstone, 2nd Lt., U.E.L. Catherine's father, Jacob Sharpstone, died in 1802 in Dutchess Co., N.Y. and was in fact a Patriot during the war. His will was registered in Dutchess Co., N.Y. 25 Oct 1802 and cites his daughter Catherine married to George Barnhart. His service and line are established with the DAR. Jacob Sharpstone served in Fisher's Regiment, New York Militia and is cited in the Patriot Index on p. 607.

Catherine's brother's Henry and Peter and I believe John also served in the war as Patriots. I can't say who the Jacob Sharpstone, 2nd Lt., U.E.L. cited in Mr. Ripley's article is but it is not Catherine Sharpstone Barnhart's father. They remained in the Dutchess Co., N.Y. area following the war.

...Dawn Tedder, U.E.

More on Jacob Sharpstone, father of Catherine Sharpstone, wife of George Barnhart UE. Jacob Sharpstone was a Loyalist who reversed his loyalties, and by citing his name as found on an enlistment roster for the New York Militia, was able to remain in New York, such that his descendants could later file a DAR lineage. It's quite an interesting story.

By an experienced and widely published family researcher of George Cusick, whose work may be read at George Cusick and Family online, I have been told the following:

"George "Cusack" appears 1790 census for New York State residing Washington, Dutchess Co, NY. In 1800 George "Cusack" was living in Woodstock, Ulster Co, NY and in 1810 George "Cussick" was still there. In 1818 George "Cusack" was living in Woodstock in the same house as Peter Bogardus. George and Molly seem to be residing in Woodstock in 1820 with son William.

Molly surely died near that date and it was then that widower George Cusick joins his sons Peter, Robert George and John, already residing Clarkson, Monroe Co, NY, arriving there some 3 years prior where there was built the Cusick Potash and Cusick Sawmill. And lastly, near 1823 George Cusick is found for the very last time on any record being called on a list of road workers at Clarkson, and again, never mentioned by name "Old Mr. Cusick".

He seems to marry once, Marytje "Molly" (Sharpstone) Miller the widow of Mr. Miller having children, including Elizabeth Miller bc 1772, who married Herman Rundell. Molly was bapt June 9, 1751 at the Reformed Church of Rhinebeck Flatts, Rhinebeck, NY, the daughter of French and Indian War vet and later confined Loyalist at Exeter, 2d Lt Jacob Sharpstone of Dutchess Co and his wife Marytje "Mary" Bush. Mary was the dau of Henry Bush and his first wife Catrina Snyder. Molly was the granddaughter of Johann Peter Sharpenstein and Maria Margaretha Bauer. Henry Bush m2 Catharine Kierstede, the great great granddaughter of Anneke Jans Bogardus, of the Trinity Church litigation fame. George and Molly had sons and daughters. A complete list is unknown."

[Editor: Jacob's rank as a 2d Lt may well have been a rank attained in the Seven Years or French and Indian War.]

One of Jacob Sharpstone's sons was Peter Sharpstone, born 29 May 1758 in Dutchess County, New York, who had the following service...

Peter Sharpstone is found on the following Muster Rolls of Loyalist Military Forces, all in The Southern Campaign, in South Carolina; he is credited with 181 days of service, combined.

1. Peter Sharpstone served as Sergeant, with Captain Gilbert Willet's Company, Provincial Light Infantry, Third Battalion, Brigadier General Delancey's Brigade, 24 February 1781 to April 24 1781, 60 days inclusive;

2. Peter Sharpstone served as Sergeant, with Captain Gilbert Willet's Company, Provincial Light Infantry, Third Battalion, Brigadier General Delancey's Brigade, 25 April 1781 to 24 June 1781, 61 Days inclusive;

3. Peter Sharpstone served with Captain Gilbert Willet's Company, Provincial Light Infantry, First Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers, as Sergeant, at Quarter House, South Carolina, from 25 October 1781 to 24 December 1781, 61 Days;

Jacob Sharpstone was released from confinement, hid his previous Loyalist affiliation, and pointed to his name which appeared on a roster for the New York Militia. Some said that he had been a Loyalist, but he denied this. The New York Militia had enrolled almost every male of suitable age on its rosters in about 1780, even though many of these men were actually Loyalists, and many never served in arms. Jacob diverted attention by allowing that some of his sons were 'Tories', and paying the requisite fines. Later, his Patriot claim was allowed as a basis for a DAR registration by some of his descendants. Here is more of the story....

"Jacob Sharpenstine or Sharpstone, settled about the time of his marriage, on a farm on what is now, the town of Washington, in the vicinity called Washington Hollow, in Dutchess County, N.Y. He was a prosperous farmer with his home the third one above Washington Hollow, on the main road to Stanford. It adjoined the Nicholas Bush farm. He was born about 1720.

The first mention of him is the record of the proclamation of the first of the three banns of his marriage to Mary Bush, registered in the record of the Fishkill Reformed Church, on December 6, 1741-2. The marriage was undoubtedly performed early in January. The date is not recorded.

In the Revolution he (claimed not to be) a loyalist though, his adherence to the patriot cause may have been lukewarm. He was on the rolls of the New York Militia, as were his two sons, Henry and John, but not his son Peter. Nevertheless, in 1780, when the New York State Legislature passed an act taxing each person whose son or sons had gone to the enemy, nine pence in the pound of the valuation of his estate, for each son, Jacob Sharpstone paid for two such sons. His tax was 82 pounds, 10 shillings, on an assessed valuation of 2,200 pounds. One of the larger assessments, Peter was doubtless one of the Tories. Which was the other son has not been determined. It was probably John, as Henry paid taxes in Dutchess County, N.Y., in 1779.

In 1780, Jacob Sharpsteen was named as one of the executors of the will of Henry Bush, of Charlotte, Precent, Dutchess County, N.Y., who mentioned his daughter, Mary Sharpsteen."

This detailed biographical information may also be read online, here - compiled with great thoroughness by Theodore G. Foster, Theodore P. Foster and Lille Foster, and updated as of February 15, 2009.

What a great story. And there is no embarrassment for his American descendants, since the American Loyalists were never fighting for England, but for the America which they believed in.

...Richard Ripley UE, Loyalist researcher

[Editor's Note: Jacob Sharpstone did not leave the new United States, and as a result there is obviously no land grant in Canada to stand for his "Loyalty". UELAC, to grant a UE designation, would be looking for some evidence of overt loyal action, such as enlistment in a Loyalist Regiment, or mention in some documentation as assisting or providing for spies or British forces - would his confinement at Exeter suffice? If the War had ended while he was in prison or at the time of his release, he might well be considered a UE Loyalist. As David says "although Jacob served on behalf of the Loyalist cause early in the war, he certainly would not be considered to have sufficient credentials to be registered with UELAC, as he later denied his service, in fact claimed Patriot service, and chose to remain in America".

Having "enlisted" in the Militia as Dawn notes, DAR has deemed Jacob a Patriot, and during the latter half of the War, Jacob would have appreciated that.

That said, this family history certainly illustrates the position that certainly some, possibly many, residents of the thirteen colonies took during those tumultuous times. You decide - Patriot? Loyalist? a bit of both? If nothing more, it, like so many others, was clearly a family divided in that first Civil War. Thanks to Dawn and David for illustrating the difficulties of the times and the challenges we as family historians have digging out as much information as we can, then trying to interpret it, and in so doing, being true to our ancestor.]

Christopher Peterson (Paterson) Land Grant at the UEL Museum in Adolphustown LCC

Last summer a woman visiting the museum approached me and said she had a deed in her family that we may be interested in. She said it was an original land grant from the 18th century, but could tell me little more. I suggested that we would most certainly be interested. She said she would call me and walked off. I waited a year for that call.

We have numerous documents dating to the 18th century here at the museum. We have indentures and letters of support for petitioners and receipts for sale of American lands during the Troubles, but we did not have a deed granting free crown land to a loyalist settler of Adolphustown. There are quite a few around; we just have never been offered one.

Finally, a year later, that call reached me, in the form of a handwritten phone message. Someone had called with a deed to donate; they left a name and a number. The family name was Box. Unfortunately, the Box family are not loyalists but I called them anyway and set up a time to see it.

The deed was tossed to me across a kitchen table. It was tightly curled, badly frayed, but otherwise intact with no missing sections, thanks to the fact that someone many generations ago had thought to attach the fragile paper to a reused piece of old cotton sheeting. (See picture.)

On the outside of the document the name Christopher Paterson was legible. "So, this is not your family's?" My hopes rose; the Paterson/Peterson landed at and settled in Adolphustown.

"No, the Box's bought the land off this fellow," he said prodding the package.

He showed me where the old Box farm was on the 1878 map I had brought with me. There was an E. Box on the map - but not where he thought it should have been. We pried the document open a little more and found mention of the eighth concession. There was no 8th concession in Adolphustown. Something was wrong, either I had a later document or this was not even in our region.

After some paperwork, the deed changed ownership and I brought it back to the museum to get a closer look. The first step would be to uncurl the document without destroying it. Over a period of days I laid small sections of the document out under glass, unfolding corners and aligning tears. Last Saturday, during a slow day, I had the entire deed under a single sheet of glass. (See picture.)

...lot number five in the second concession additional...1794...town of Fredericksburg

And there on the 1878 map, E. Box. We had simply opened the deed to the wrong spot, the mention of 8th concession was an additional grant of land in nearby Camden township.

Christopher Peterson [Paterson on the deed] was born on December 23rd 1764 in Schraalenburgh, New Jersey. His parents, Nicholas and Annatje Demarest were both born in Tappan, New Jersey. Christopher, along with two older brothers and his father, were among the defenders at the Block House of Bergen Woods in the summer of 1781. He married while at the temporary settlement of New York in 1782 and there signed up with Peter Ruttan's Company Six of the Associated Loyalists and eventually landed in Adolphustown under Peter Van Alstine where he appears on the October 5th, 1784 muster.

Christopher did not survive into old age; he died in 1827 at the age of 63. The records at the UEL Archives in Adolphustown do not, unfortunately, include land transactions for Fredericksburg and we do not know who purchased Lot 5 after Christopher's death (and finding out would have involved getting in the car and a trip to a neighbouring research library, a trip I shall save for later).

By 1861 Frederick Box was living on the property. Born the same year that Christopher died, Frederick came to Canada from England and seems to have done well for himself. By the age of 34 he was living in a one and a half storey stone house with a live-in servant couple. Frederick was not a loyalist but his wife, Elizabeth Eve, was. She also happened to be the younger sister of one, David Wright Allison, the Loyalist descendant and builder of the house in which the UEL Museum is now housed - actually, as I write this I am sitting in D.W.'s bedroom (now the research library). The property was in the Box family until a generation ago when it passed into the Hare family.

As I was shuffling old maps across my desk and flipping through census returns, an older couple wandered into the library. They were not looking to do research; they said they just liked old houses and were poking around. We talked. They mentioned they once lived in an old house and had found many interesting things in the walls, including a perfectly preserved pair of ladies boots. I asked where this house was. They mentioned it was up near one of the side roads off county road 8 by Hay Bay Genetics. I asked him to show me on the map I had in front of me and his put his finger down on Lot 5 Con 2!

In my office they looked at the deed, all the while the husband repeating, "I grew up in that house!" The house that his mother still lives in is a 2 storey wood fame that looks to be from the late 19th century and is not the one in which Frederick Box lived in 1861. But Mr. Hare told me about an old stone foundation behind the house where he used to play as kids. Nothing is known about the house other than it was made of stone. But he remembers that every spring the plow would always turn up little treasures any time it came close to the old foundation. It was later bulldozed and buried, now under a field of feeder corn. "But everything is still in there, we never dug it out" Mr. Hare tells me.

What are the chances that the stone house whose foundation was a playground for the Hare children began its life as the new home of a young Frederick Box, or maybe even the second home of Christopher Peterson, after the original log structure had begun to sink into the ground? Old Mrs. Hare is not one to have strangers poking around so I would not be welcome if I showed up one morning with a shovel, but her son, who seemed as keen as I am, mentioned that anytime his mother is to be away, he'll give me a call, "We can go back there and poke around"

I'll be waiting for that call.

...Tom Riddolls, M.A.C., Curator, UEL Museum, Loyalist Cultural Centre, Adolphustown

The Memory Project: Stories of WWII by The Dominion Institute

On June 4th, The Dominion Institute launched its latest major project: The Memory Project : Stories of the Second World War.

The Dominion Institute will provide every living Canadian veteran of the Second World War who wants to share their story of service and sacrifice with the opportunity to do so. The Dominion Institute will record the oral history of thousands of veterans and digitize their artifacts and memorabilia.

The Dominion Institute will ensure that these stories are never forgotten and available to all Canadians through our website.

Once completed, the Institute will have created the definitive record of Canada's participation in the Second World War through thousands of first-person accounts of servicemen and women.

The Dominion Institute needs your help now!

- Do you know a veteran who wants to share their story of service and sacrifice?

- Are you a veteran of the Second World War?

- Do you want to volunteer and help the Dominion Institute honour Canada's veterans?

Together, we can offer our Second World War veterans the gift of remembrance. We can ensure that their service and sacrifice is never forgotten.

[Submitted by Sue Hines, Grand River Branch

Heritage Canada Foundation Launches SPERO-L to Help Places of Faith At Risk

The Heritage Canada Foundation is pleased to introduce SPERO-L, a free email-based tool about places of faith at risk in Canada. Connect with others to find answers to questions about building maintenance, community outreach and fundraising, or share success stories on how re-purposed places of faith are being preserved and reused in your community

To join SPERO-L, click here and follow the instructions. A validation email will be sent to confirm your request to join. Messages will come directly to your inbox and all discussion threads will be searchable through the SPERO-L archives.

Join SPERO-L today–another way to connect and protect online!

The Heritage Canada Foundation is a national, membership-based, non-profit organization with a mandate to promote the preservation of Canada's historic buildings and heritage places.

Editor's Comment on Pringle Family in the Loyalist Directory

In last week's issue of Loyalist Trails, I noted "[Editor's Note: I also try to manage the content in the Loyalist Directory and the information in the Prindle/Pringle family there is a bit of a mess.....]"

Lest anyone misconstrue my intent, I was in no way referring to the family information that has been submitted in Certificate applications. I was referring to how we present the very limited data that is currently shown in the Loyalist Directory where there are a number of both Pringle and Prindle records which are probably for the same individuals rather than different ones.

Over the last year, several families have helped organize the records of their Loyalist ancestors as shown in the Directory. By removing duplicate records, and by showing the relationship (father - son; siblings etc.) of various people within the same family, hopefully research will be somewhat easier for those who follow.

If your Loyalist family records as shown in the Loyalist Directory could be presented in a more helpful manner, or if you would like to contribute more data about your Loyalist ancestor - see Additions to the Loyalist Directory immediately below - your help would be appreciated.

Additions to the Loyalist Directory

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

- Bartley, Isaiah - from Gerry Adair with Certificate application

- Bell, William McCorquadale - from Gerry Adair with Certificate application

- Carscallen, Edward - from Gerry Adair with Certificate application

- Harns, Gilbert - from Gerry Adair with Certificate application

- Van Koughnet (Vankoughnet), Michael - from George Anderson

Last Post: Harold Headley Clement

Harold, of Niagara-on-the-Lake, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 22, 2009 in his 87th year. He was a proud descendant of Loyalist Lewis Cobes Clement and was a member of Colonel John Butler (Niagara) Branch of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada for more than 27 years.

Harold was a veteran of WWII, he served overseas for 3 ½ years and was a life member of Royal Canadian Legion Br. 124. He was elected to municipal and regional council from 1963-1997, serving on the Niagara Parks Commission and the Niagara Conservation Authority. Harold was the beloved husband of Marjorie for 62 years. Dear father of Wallace (Elsie), Jack and Tom (Wendy), father-in-law of Lesley Clement, brother of Don (Marion), Douglas (the late Norma), Shirley and Joyce (Norman). For more information and the online guest register visit www.morganfuneral.com.

[submitted by Bev Craig.

Response re Which Rev. Ryerson?

The Rev. Egerton was the only one of the five ordained Ryerson brothers to be called "Doctor." He had received two honourary degrees: D.D. from Wesleyan University in Connecticut in 1842; and L.L.D. from Victoria University in 1863 (which would be after the wedding in question). He was the Superintendent of Education for the province from 1845 to 1876. As a Methodist clergyman, he still officiated at occasional weddings. I would expect that he would use the marriage register of the nearest church, which would be the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Simcoe, where the Rev. James Preston was then the minister. Registers were the property of the church, rather than of individual clergy.

Marriages at that date were also registered with the provincial government, I believe. Records (including marriage registers) of Methodist congregations, if still extant, would be in the Archives of The United Church of Canada in Toronto (no longer at Victoria University). They can be reached at 3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300, Toronto ON M8X 2Y4.

Toll-free phone: 1-800-268-3781 ext. 3123. Email: {archives AT united-church DOT ca} how do I email them?

...Bill Lamb {william DOT lamb AT rogers DOT com} how do I email him?

Looking for Artifacts belonging to Simon Fraser, Explorer of BC's Fraser River

Would anybody have any information on possible descendants of (Catherine Fraser and Duncan Joseph MacDonald, married 29 Apr 1884) who may have inherited important artifacts belonging to Simon Fraser, the explorer.

After her husband died (24 Aug 1907 in St Columbans, Ontario) Catherine returned to her old home in St Andrew's West, bringing with her, several artifacts belonging to her grandfather, Simon Fraser, the explorer which possibly included a compass which may have been used during his exploration in 1808. Since that time, nothing more has been heard of these important artifacts other than a newspaper article by the "Cornwall Freeholder" around the same period.

A newspaper article, to this effect, does exists but have not been able to obtain a copy from this distance (we are in Vancouver.)

We have been advised that somebody has to go to the offices of the Cornwall Freedholder in Cornwall to locate it themselves.

We would be grateful if anybody who would like to do a good deed could find a copy of this article. PLEASE.

At the same time, we would love to hear from any descendants of the above mentioned couple to learn if these artifacts still exist - and their location.

In the interest of Canadian history, any information would be greatly appreciated.

...Barbara Rogers, Simon Fraser Historian and Researcher at: {bjrofyvr AT shaw DOT ca} and

...Wendy Cosby, President, UELAC Vancouver Branch at: {wendycosby AT shaw DOT ca}

Seeking Regimental Affiliation for Two Loyalists

We have two Loyalists who received land grants, but we have been unable to find out which regiments either of them served in. Hopefully someone can help us out.

1. Richard or Dederick Loucks, born 1740 Stone Araba, NY, died 22 March 1816 Osnabruck Twp., Stormont Co., Ont. married 20 Nov 1764 Stone Arabia to Dorothea Fox - 10 children, 3 of them had order-in-council land grants as children of a Loyalist. Richard received more than 600 acres

2. Jacob Eligh, born 1746, died 1830, married Maria Burst 1746 - 1828. They had six children, all of whom received order-in-council land grants.

Both of these Loyalists are listed in Sons and Daughters of American Loyalists by Wm. D. Reid

...Lynne Cook, UE, St. Lawrence Branch {lynnecook AT personainternet DOT com} how do I email her?

Johann Dedrick Family

From a book found at the Shelburne County Genealogical Society in Shelburne NS "Biographical Sketches of LOYALISTS of the AMERICAN REVOLUTION with AN HISTORICAL ESSAY" by Lorenzo Sabine Volume II Baltimore Publishing Co., Inc. 1979, on Page 505: "Dedrick, John. At the peace, accompanied by his family of four persons, he went from New York to Shelbourne, Nova Scotia, where the Crown granted him one town lot."

A copy of a page from his Bible - also property of SCGS - shows his name as Johann Diedrich and the names and birth dates of two daughters Ana Dorothea b. 1762 at Rehweiler and Anna Maria b. 1765 at Diren Buch. There is no mention of his wife or their son in the Bible.

A FAN (a family tree from Family Tree Maker) supplied by SCGS shows his wife Anna Dorothea Urfin and his name Dedrick Johann Diebrich and their son John George Dedrick 1769 -1849.

On the copy of two pages I have from the book, the author gives a more precise location of where some of the persons named came from, ex. Boston, when they came to Nova Scotia. On others like Dedrick, John, it states he came from New York, but no more specific location - it could have been New York City in the evacuation, or New York Province.

I would really like to find more about this family if I could, as thus far I have found little. Where in New York were they settled when the American Revolution broke out? Where and when did he and his wife Ana die. Thus far I have no information about the two daughters, marriages, deaths, children etc.. I have been able trace my family line back to John George Dedrick b. 1769, 14 years old when they reached Shelburne after the peace but no family details before then. I really don't know if Johann is the Loyalist or his son John George is the Loyalist, or could they both have been - John George was only 6 when war broke out, but was 14 when it ended and others younger have been Loyalists in their own right.

A lot of Shelburne Nova Scotia families emigrated to Marblehead, Swampscott, and Lynn. Dedrick, Doane, Acker, Nickerson, Trenholm to name a few. Fishermen and Carpenters. My father's family emigrated from McNutts Island (at the mouth of the inlet on which Shelburne is located) when he was 3 or 4 months old in 1892 to Swampscott, a small fishing village at that time, where I resided most of my life. I live not far from there now.

Any specific information, or research suggestions would be appreciated.

...Jack Dedrick {JFDEDRICK AT aol DOT com} how do I email him?