After migrating from its original location, which was the home of the late Lynne Cook in Morrisburg, our Loyalist Resource Centre is now open for business within the walls of the new Dundas County Archives. The archives is situated in the heart of the bustling metropolis of Iroquois (5 College Street).
Opening hours for the Loyalist Resource Centre: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m; Saturday 9:00 am to noon.
Lorraine Reoch, UELAC St. Lawrence Branch President and Genealogist, is available to help researchers with the UE certificate applications on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturday mornings, Larry Empey mans the battlements.
It’s always a good idea to touch base with us before a visit. Please do so by emailing Lorraine at fancylass@hotmail.ca.
Older issues of The Royal Yorker, the quarterly newsletter of the UELAC St. Lawrence Branch and laden with historical content, are now available to everyone here on our website. Check back again, as we’ll periodically make more issues available.
The current and more recent issues of The Royal Yorker are available only to our members, here.
Like what you see? Become a member of our branch to gain access to every issue, including the most recent one with timely news on upcoming events!
The UELAC St. Lawrence Branch has successfully unveiled the first two plaques of its “Loyalist Burial Site” project.
On the evening of June 11, in front of a nice crowd of roughly 35 people, the first plaque was unveiled at Trinity Anglican Church in downtown Cornwall, ON. The ceremony began with several prayers by Rev. Patrick Stephens. He also spoke of the importance of the Loyalists to the church, in particular this year, which represents the 235th anniversary of the community.
Following this were detailed historical remarks by Stuart Manson. He related biographical information about the confirmed Loyalists buried in the cemetery. He also expanded his observations to other interesting characters – those who also sacrificed greatly for their “King and Country” from later periods – who are also buried there.
It was a lovely late-spring evening, with sunshine and just enough of a breeze to keep away the mosquitos. The ceremony was followed by refreshments in the church, and lively conversations.
Stuart Manson (UELAC St. Lawrence Branch) and Rev. Patrick Stephens (Trinity Anglican Church) unveil the United Empire Loyalist Burial Site plaque.
The next morning, a second plaque was unveiled at St. Andrew’s-Knox United Church in rural Bainsville, ON. This is an idyllic churchyard cemetery surrounded by farmer’s fields. We were again graced with pleasant weather, which has been a rarity in the spring of 2019. Approximately 20 participants were present.
Rev. John Noordhof spoke on behalf of the congregation. Then Stuart Manson described the importance of historical cemeteries, and related details of the life and family of Cato Prime, one of the Loyalists buried in the cemetery. Prime’s tombstone proudly declares him to be a “U.E. Loyalist.” He was a man of African descent, and a former slave in New York during the early part of the American Revolutionary War.
Stuart Manson (UELAC St. Lawrence Branch) and Rev. John Noordhof (St. Andrew’s-Knox United Church) near the Cato Prime and Catherine Godet tombstones.
At this event, members of the Edgar family were present, including James Edgar of Melville Saskatchewan. The Edgar family contributed funds towards the first two plaques (Cornwall and Bainsville). They were also the driving force behind the project, which has become a long-term branch endeavour. James spoke about his Loyalist and other ancestors in the cemetery.
Most of the ceremony took place around the tombstones of Cato Prime and his wife Catherine Godet, located on the west side of the church. The plaque, however, is located near the entrance to the property, near the church sign. Bagpiper D.J. McDonald led the way down to the plaque, where the unveiling took place. This ceremony also featured a duck fly-past, which was the most difficult part of the event to organize, but it came together without a hitch.
Noordhof and Manson unveil the Bainsville plaque. At both locations, a pre-1801 Union Jack (a.k.a. the Loyalist Flag) was used as the veil.
We thank the congregations of Trinity Anglican Church and St. Andrew’s-Knox United Church for their essential participation in this project. We also thank “Signs by McDougall” and “Fence Depot” for their technical contributions. And finally, thanks to the Bainsville ducks.
The St. Lawrence Branch of the UELAC has formed an exciting partnership with Terrestres Servo Coronas, an organization that has agreed to fund the costs of our “Loyalist Burial Site” plaque project for a period of five years.
Terrestres Servo Coronas, whose Latin name translates to “Serving Earthly Crowns,” is a British organization that supports historical and other projects, with particular emphasis on those that solidify the ancient links between the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. It was founded by its chairman, Paul Borrow-Longain, in 2016.Since 2018, the UELAC St. Lawrence Branch has undertaken this special project to commemorate burial sites that contain the mortal remains of Loyalists. Recognition of these sacred sites first entails historical and genealogical research to identify and confirm the locations as Loyalist burial sites. The information collected is disseminated through our branch website. The project also involves raising a professionally-installed metal plaque at each site, with the cooperation of the landowner, to inform visitors about its special importance. Each plaque is unveiled in a special ceremony.
We are quite pleased to receive this generous support from Terrestres Servo Coronas, for a project dear to our hearts, which also promotes the important history of the Loyalists and the enduring connection between Canada and the United Kingdom. We are especially honoured that our project is their first to be carried out in Canada.
Our annual meeting was originally to take place at our new digs in the Dundas County Archives (5 College Street, Iroquois, ON).
Due to temporary problems with weekend-access to the archives building, however, we will instead meet at the Civic Center in Iroquois, located at 10 Dundas Street.
July 14, 2019 (12:00):
Our annual potluck picnic. It will take place at the the base of the Crysler Farm mound, near Upper Canada Village. Bring food for yourself and/or to share, and relax with your Loyalist colleagues. Bring a chair, as there are no picnic tables or benches in the immediate area.
Also, don’t forget our two Loyalist Burial Plaque unveilings, upcoming on June 11 and 12, 2019. Click here for all the details!
Please be advised that the Loyalist Resource Centre will be closed for the time being, as we complete the move from Morrisburg to our new location in Iroquois (Dundas County Archives). Watch this space for more news!
UPDATE, May 15, 2019: Photographic evidence of the moving taking place!
We are pleased to announce the dates and times of our “Loyalist Burial Site” plaque unveilings:
Trinity Anglican Church Cemetery – June 11th, 2019. 7:00-8:00 p.m. Address: 105 Second St. West, Cornwall, ON.
St. Andrew’s United Church – June 12th, 2019. 10:00-11:00 a.m. Address: 21102 Second Con. Road, Bainsville, ON.
The Bainsville location is a bit tricky to find. It’s between Highway 401’s Lancaster and Curry Hill exits. Here are some specific directions, from Highway 401:
If you’re coming from east of Curry Hill, travelling westbound on the 401:
Exit the 401 at Curry Hill.
Take two rights.
You’re now travelling west on Highway No. 2.
Turn right onto “Second Line Road” (where they are currently re-building the highway overpass).
This road will immediately bank to the left, and come to a “T”.
Turn right at this “T”.
You’re now going north on “Second Line Road,” a.k.a. County Road 26.
You’ll come to another “T”. Turn right onto Concession Road 2 (it’s a gravel road).
The church and cemetery are on your right (can’t miss it).
If your coming from west of Lancaster, travelling eastbound on the 401:
Exit the 401 at Lancaster.
Turn left at the first traffic lights and right at the second traffic lights.
You’re now going east on Highway 2, which is a service road north of and parallel to Hwy 401.
Turn left onto “Second Line Road” (where they are currently re-building the highway overpass).
This road will immediately bank to the left, and come to a “T”.
Turn right at this “T”.
You’re now going north on “Second Line Road,” a.k.a. County Road 26.
You’ll come to another “T”. Turn right onto Concession Road 2 (it’s a gravel road).
The church and cemetery are on your right (can’t miss it).
The St. Lawrence Branch launched this project, in 2018, to formally recognize local cemeteries containing the mortal remains of Loyalists. Its mandate: To identify and confirm the locations, and to erect enduring plaques to signify the special importance of these sites.
Please consult our special Loyalist Cemeteries page for more information on this project. You can also contact the project lead, Stuart Manson, by email at manson1763@gmail.com.
Membership deal! Become a member of the UELAC St. Lawrence Branch at the Cornwall Square Heritage Fair on February 23, 2019, and receive a FREE Loyalist-related history book! Here’s a list of the fine volumes available:
Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley:The St. Leger Expedition of 1777 (Gavin Watt and James F. Morrison).
The Burning of the Valleys: Daring Raids from Canada Against the New York Frontier in the Fall of 1780 (Gavin Watt and James F. Morrison).
The Idea of Loyalty in Upper Canada, 1784-1850 (David Mills).
The Lion, the Eagle, and Upper Canada: A Developing Colonial Ideology (Jane Errington).
George III: A Personal History (Christopher Hibbert).
Medicine Maid: The Life Story of a Canadian Pioneer (Elizabeth L. Hoople).
The fine print: The book deal is applicable for both new memberships and renewals, for the 2019 calendar year, paid between February 10 and 23. The book must be picked up at the heritage fair. If you pay for your membership before the heritage fair, send confirmation of payment to Stuart Manson (manson1763@gmail.com) along with a ranking of the book you want (e.g. 3,4,2,1,6,5). Books will be assigned on a first come, first served basis.
Do you have primary-source documentation on individual Loyalist burials in SD&G? Perhaps relating to your Loyalist ancestor? If you’d like to share that info with us, we’d love to receive it!
By “primary-source documentation,” we mean burial records and related documents. We’re also interested in tombstone transcriptions. By “Loyalists,” we mean the original Loyalists; not sons, daughters, or other descendants.
We’d like to incorporate this info into our existing research on Loyalist cemeteries in SD&G, which supports our branch’s ongoing plaquing program.
