PREVIEW THE BOOK ( HISTORICAL OVERVIEW)

The Corps of Rangers commanded by Lieutenant Colonel John Butler was raised in 1777 and served until the general reduction of the British Army in North America in 1784.

The Rangers were headquartered at Fort Niagara, first living in garrison, and then in barracks on the west side of the Niagara River.

While the Corps fought as a major unit at Wyoming, Cherry Valley, Chemung, on Sir John Johnson's and Major John Ross's raids, most of the expeditions were mounted by company or company plus sized units. A key factor in the successes of the Rangers was the close co-operation of the various Indian nations with which it served. The Corps fought in what is now New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Kentucky and Michigan. It has been described by military historians as the most active and successful Provincial Corps in the Northern Command during the Revolution.

Colonel John Butler

NOTES ON THE ROLL

By no means can this nominal roll be regarded as a definitive or exhaustive work. Undoubtedly documents exist which carry men's names which have not been examined by the project team, and therefore there may be men whom we have missed. If researchers do come across primary sources which will add to the roll, I would ask that they CONTACT the Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University so that future editions might be updated.

The intent of the roll is three-fold:

To accomplish and expand on those aims, the following parameters were established by the project team:

The sources for the information are listed at the end of the roll. Every attempt has been made to cite original documents, but in some cases this has not been possible. Secondary sources should be treated with some caution, but often are more accurate than some original writings. For example, a petition after the war may inflate the activities of a man, but a description taken from other material may be more realistic in what really happened.

Accor, John. Private. ["Acor," "Aker," "Ecker," "Eckor"] In McDonell’s company 1 May 1778. Taken prisoner 29 Aug 1779. He is listed mustered in Ten Broeck’s company on a return covering the period 3 Sep 1782 to 9 Apr 1783. On the date the muster was signed he is listed as "Prisoner of War".// A(16)G; A(16)J; A(16)S; B(1)A; E(2)G; E(2)J.

Accor, Lambert. Private. ["Acor," "Acre," "Aiker," "Aker" "Ecker," "Ekor"] Son of Peter Acre and Mary Rickert, born 28 Sep 1757 at Schoharie, NY. In Mcdonell’s company 1 May 1778. Drawing rations in Dame’s company in Nov 1783; twenty-six years old. At Niagara in Jul 1784. Described as settled "between the Four Mile Creek and the Head of Lake Ontario" in 1785. Had a wife in 1786. Land entitlement in the District of Nassau in 1792 totalled 450 acres. In 1796 he stated he had drawn 200 acres of land and was petitioning for 100 acres in addition for himself to complete his military entitlement, and 200 acres for his wife as a daughter of a UE Loyalist. Granted. On the UE List, 1797. Settled in Grantham Township, Upper Canada. Married Mary, daughter of Private Jonas Larraway of Louth. Died 1834. Peter, Hannah, Amelia, Mary, Elizabeth, Jacob, Eve and Sarah granted land as children of a UE Loyalist.// A(16)S; A(28)A; C(2); D(1)A; D(1)C; D(2)G; E(13); E(38)B; E(54); E(62)B; E(80); E(103).

Aceve, John. Private. He is listed mustered in Ten Broeck’s company on a return covering the period 3 Sep 1782 to 9 Apr 1783. On the date the muster was signed he is listed as "Prisoner of War".// E(2)G.

Ackler, William. Private. ["Aglor," "Ayckler," "Eckler,’ "Egler," "Eyckler"] He and his wife were on a "List of Persons Who Have Subscribed Their Names to Settle and Cultivate the Lands Opposite to Niagara" on 20 Jul 1784 and drawing rations. From the grouping of the names it would appear he was still in barracks and had not yet gone onto the land. He took the oath of allegiance at Niagara sometime between Nov 1784 and Jul 1785. A wife and two children in 1786. On the UE List in 1797. Settled on Lot 18, 2nd Concession in Stamford Township, Upper Canada. Served in the 2nd Regiment, Lincoln Militia in the War of 1812. Wife buried 18 Apr 1823, "aged about 70 years".// A(28)A; C(2); E(54); E(103).

Adams, William. Private. At Niagara in Frey’s company, fifty-five years old in Nov 1783, and drawing rations. From the structure of the list it would appear he was single. He, his wife and one child, and one adult male and one adult female were on a "List of Persons Who Have Subscribed Their Names in Order to Settle and Cultivate the Lands Opposite to Niagara" on 20 Jul 1784 and drawing rations. From the grouping of names, it would appear he was still in barracks and had not yet gone onto the land. He took the oath of allegiance at Niagara sometime between Nov 1784 and Jul 1785.// A(16)B; A(28)A; C(2).


This of course is only a sample. The actual roll contains approximately 900 names of men who served in Butler's Rangers.

The codes at the end of each name refer to the sources of information cited at the end of the book.