Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2005 Archive

In this issue:
- Heritage Week: Chilliwack Branch
- Heritage Week: Col. John Butler Branch
- Royal Visits
- From a Fredericton Newspaper
- UELAC Dominion Council Meeting held March 5 - Obituaries
      + Ken Bennett of Dundas
      + Daniel Fred Johnson of Saint John
- Queries
      + Harperfield Loyalist Stories
      + Atrocities Committed on Loyalists

Heritage Week: Chilliwack Branch

Just a little more on our Heritage Week Celebration. We had three themes.

1. Heritage of Faith and Sacred Places as outlined for B.C. Our meeting was in Carman Church which is 108 years old.

2. We celebrated Black History Month ( Feb.). Our guest speaker was Capt. Barry Johnson, a Black of Loyalist descent who now resides in Chilliwack. He gave us a great review of our, and his, Loyalist history.

3. We featured Pierre Berton in our newsletter.

...Shirley Dargatz, President, Chillwack Branch

Heritage Week: Col. John Butler Branch

I went with a friend from the Wainfleet Historical Society yesterday for an Historica event at an elementary school in St. Catharines. We went in costume with old artifacts and a lot of hands-on activities. The students had a great time - listening to our explanations, making butter to eat with homemade bread, drinking the butter milk, grinding wheat and coffee, playing with toys, braiding long strips for a mat, washing 'clothes' in an old tub with 'old' soap and old scrub boards - which I wouldn't use again as the students were so vigourous with them and they are old - but will look for modern versions of the same. Everyone seemed to have a good time and they were very attentive.

...Noreen Stapley

Royal Visits

We are all anticipating the impending visit by Her Majesty and Prince Philip to Saskatchewan and Alberta in May to celebrate the centennial of their becoming provinces.

Additionally: "It is with great pleasure that I have learned that Their Royal Highnesses The Earl & Countess of Wessex have graciously been pleased to accept an invitation to meet League members at a Reception to be held in Toronto on Tuesday, June 7, at 4:00 pm. We shall invite members of our fellow Loyal Societies to share in this happy event, as we have in the past.

Members in Central Canada will automatically be invited to this event when more details are known. If you live outside Quebec and Ontario, but would like to be informed of the details in case you are able to join us, please advise me. Members from six provinces assembled to greet The Princess Royal last June, so we are hopeful of another great turnout.

God Save The Queen!"

...John Aimers, President, Monarchist League of Canada

From a Fredericton Newspaper

The influx of thousands of United Empire Loyalists to Canada in 1783 was responsible for the formation of the two provinces -- New Brunswick and Ontario. Thus the foundations of our country were laid.

The Loyalists were those people who were driven from the Thirteen Colonies of America who preferred to remain loyal to the Crown. Thus our links to the monarchy.

On the last day of the year 2004 Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that diplomats presenting their credentials to the government in Ottawa should "no longer address their letters to the Queen, but rather to the Governor General" thus further cutting Canada’s constitutional links to the monarchy.

Those who find this concerning can write to the Prime Minister: Hon. Paul Martin, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 (no postage stamp required).

...Emma B. Hawkes, Fredericton, NB

UELAC Dominion Council Meeting held March 5

We had a very good Council meeting last Saturday, with representatives from across the country in attendance. As an Association, we have an Annual Meeting, normally held in conjunction with the Annual Conference, this year in Regina. Although any member may attend, only delegates, five per branch, may vote.

For Council meetings, Branch Presidents, Committee Chairs (with voice but no vote), and the UELAC executive including Regional Vice Presidents and Councillors attend. Council is responsible for UELAC Policy. This meeting brought the usual reports from Executive members and Committee Chairs. We had a good meeting and covered a lot of territory in a full day. A number of policy areas were discussed, including Regional VP and Councillor elections, and the procedure to "disprove" or "officially question" the status of a previously "proven" Loyalist.

There are a lot of great activities in this Association. Our members all belong to branches and it is there that the real work gets done. There are a few initiatives like the Burial Sites Project and Loyalist Information Project which are UELAC-wide. We are making good progress as we work to achieve our UELAC objectives. That said, more can always be done and we look to everyone for the contributions, small and large.

...Doug

Ken Bennett of Dundas

At Hamilton Branch UELAC, we are sad to announce the death Feb. 28 of one of our past presidents, Ken Bennett of Dundas, who served our branch in 1987 to 1988. His proven Loyalist ancestors were Peter Plato, C. Bowen and Georg Phillip Wintermute. At our Christmas gathering, he was eagerly exploring the possibility of proving yet another Loyalist ancestor. A service of remembrance is being planned for a later date.

...Gloria M. Oakes U.E., Hamilton Branch

Daniel Fred Johnson of Saint John

Daniel Fred Johnson, 51, passed away February 22, 2005. Born in Fort Fairfield, Me., he was the son of Fay (Tregunno) Johnson of Bedford, N.S. and the late Verdell C. Johnson (Perth-Andover, N.B.). He was a graduate UNB in 1975. A veteran researcher, author and professional genealogist, Dan led a lifetime of achievement and accomplishment. He was a longtime member of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada. In 1985 he was named an Accredited Certified Genealogist by the Genealogical Institute of the Maritimes. He authored many publications on New Brunswick history and was responsible for compiling 102 volumes of New Brunswick vital statistics. He received recognition and awards for his great contribution to the preservation of New Brunswick's history.

Harperfield Loyalist Stories

I am wondering if you can point me in the right direction. I am trying to track down a lead on one of my Loyalist ancestors, William Reed (wife, Nancy Nesbit). I believe he may have been one of the original lot holders of the Harperfield settlement c.1772 in Ulster Co NY, on the Delaware. Are there ANY records of the Tories of Harpersfield and what became of them?

Just wondering if you can nudge me into a new twig of exploration!

Regards, Lorene Sinclair

Respond to George Anderson {andrew1 AT magma DOT ca}

& Col. Jim Johnson {milhishr AT frontiernet DOT net} how do I email them?

Response:

I don't usually do any genealogical research except for family research. However your query aroused my interest so I I scanned my files:

1.Loyalists Lineages of Canada

This book was published in 1984 by Toronto Branch of the United Empire Loyalists of Canada. Page 539 traces a line from William Reed and Nancy Nesbitt to a Mr. D. Hoare who was born in 1931. William and Nancy had four children - Nancy, William, Solomon and Samuel.

2. William Reid's Book - "Sons and Daughters of American Loyalists" on page 261 indicates that a William Reed settled at Thurlow, Ontario. I think this may be near Belleville, Ontario. He has a daughter - Nancy who married Elias Huffman of Richmond. She was awarded land as a daughter of a Loyalist by an order in council on March 24, 1835. A copy of the land grant for that date should be available in from the National Library and Archives of Canada in Ottawa. William Reid as a Loyalist would also have received a land grant. The first source refers to Nancy Reed marrying Elias Hoffman which would be presumably the same as Elias Huffman. This book would be available from Global Publishing. This company is on the web.

3. Re: Hoffman. The Old Fort District of Kingston, New York which is in Ulster County contains an original Hoffman stone House. There is always a possibility that this may be the family which Nancy Reed married into. If you search for Kingston, New York on the web and go into the Old Fort District you will find more information on this house.

4. New York Archives and Library, Albany, New York. This organization has an online genealogical database. I would suggest you punch Reed, Nesbitt, Hoffman and Huffman into it and see what you find. Just search under New York Archives and Library to find the site.

5. Huguenot Society, New Paltz, New York. Search for the Huguenot Society on the web. It has an on line genealogical database too. New Paltz is not far from Kingston, New York. There is a slight possibility that the you may find the Hoffman Family on this site. since Kingston and New Paltz Families were often connected.

6. I searched under Harperfield Tories on the web and a found a detailed account. This account may be good for background information.

7. Try for a Hoffman, Reed, or Nesbitt Family Association on the web and look at the messages. You might find a lead. Also you can post a message on these sites seeking information.

Have you considered joining the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada. I assume you are an American. Americans are always welcomed.

Good Luck with your research!

...George Anderson, Sir Guy Carleton Branch

Atrocities Committed on Loyalists

I am seeking information on "atrocities" committed on Loyalist families such as murder, theft, beatings, poisonings of wells,killing and maiming of animals..these items may be in the records of claims that your ancestors enumerated in their records, or in family records, letters, diaries etc. Our ancestors went through great trials at the time of the Revolution.

I would like to compile these into an essay or book, and will hopefully publish them if possible.

I am a descendent of Phillip Crysler, KRRNY and Butlers Rangers, and his son John Crysler, Butlers Ranger, both of Williamsburg, Ont. Also Richard Loucks UE, but not with swords and through John's son Samuel Ira Crysler UE and his wife Sally Hickey daughter of John Hickey KRRNY, his wife Margaret Casselman daughter of Supprenus Caselman UE of Williamsburg, also one of the Secords, all of which served in Butlers Rangers ( don't know which one yet)

...Peter Longshore {silveriapete AT northnet DOT org} how do I email him?

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