Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2005 Archive

In this issue:
- Vancouver Branch celebrates New Westminster's Multicultural Days
- Simon Fraser (1776-1862) and the Fearsome River
- Compensation for Loyalists vs Loyalist Land Grants
- John Saunders died this day (May 24, 1834): Globe & Mail
- UEL Heritage Centre & Park Open for its 49th Season
- Updates to List of "Books for the Young at Heart"
- A Loyalist Story in The Beaver: Mary Secord Crookston Beebe Pearson
- Atlantic Regional Meeting
- Grand River Branch to Celebrate Loyalist Day, June 19
- Loyalist Glengarry Day Trip (Saturday, September 17, 2005)
- Queries
      + Response re Definition of Treasury Loyalist
      + Response re KRRNY Research: Did a RUSK serve in the KRRNY?
      + Quebec Plan
      + Stamped Books

Vancouver Branch celebrates New Westminster's Multicultural Days

On Saturday 14 May 2005, Vancouver Branch UELAC's Outreach & Education Committee of volunteers were in fine form and costume celebrating New Westminster's Multicultural Days. During this festival, the branch has participated in these celebrations for the past three years as well as to honour the birthday of our loyalist son, Simon Fraser. Vancouver Branch set up a wonderful, informative and successful display. We were located directly beside the statue of Simon Fraser on the mighty Fraser River in New Westminster, British Columbia. Visitors enjoyed the wide variety of cultural displays and ethnic foods from around the world. We were also feted to a large birthday cake honouring our Simon Fraser.

Check out the photos here - Look for UELAC Album- Part E [photos #23-55].

Simon Fraser (1776-1862) and the Fearsome River

Simon Fraser (1776 – 1862) Born in Vermont in 1776 of Loyalist Scottish-Catholic parents, Simon Fraser immigrated to Canada in 1784 with his widowed mother. Fraser was a relative of Simon McTavish, the principal director of the North West Company, and entered that company as an apprentice at the age of 16. A clerk in Athabasca in 1799, he became one of the associates of the North West Company in 1801. The XY and North West companies, which amalgamated in 1804, undertook to further examine the territory traveled by Alexander Mackenzie while continuing their explorations towards the Pacific. The amalgamated company entrusted this mission to Simon Fraser. He was to re-examine the route taken by Mackenzie, continue down the river that the latter had abandoned, and verify the information Mackenzie had been given by the Native people regarding the dangers of this river. Fraser would pursue the formidable river, which bears his name today, right to its mouth.

Source: National Library of Canada [1967]; Public Domain: Fraser, Simon. Journal of a Voyage From the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean Performed in the Year 1808. Toronto: Metropolitan Toronto City Library [1967].

...Carl Stymiest, UE

Compensation for Loyalists vs Loyalist Land Grants

I notice that some of the writers refer to the land grant to Loyalists as "compensation". This is not correct.

To receive compensation for war losses the individual had to submit a claim detailing the perceived loss, and attach witness statements. Rarely did the individual receive the full amount of his claim.

The land grant was a reward for loyalty and service, amounting to 5,000 acres for men who held field rank in a Loyalist corps to 200 acres to heads of families and sons and daughters of Loyalists.

...Bill Smy, UE

John Saunders died this day (May 24, 1834): Globe & Mail

Judge and politician born at Virginia Beach, colony of Virginia, on June 1, 1754.

During the American Revolutionary War, he remained loyal to the crown and fought with distinction in the Queen's Rangers (named for Queen Charlotte). Later, he went to England to study law and in 1790 was named a judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick. The following year he became the only member of that body to hold a seat in the Colony's House of Assembly. In 1822, he became Chief Justice and threw his support behind the authority of the Church of England in the hopes of setting up a landed aristocracy in the province. To this end, he fostered imperial connections, promoted the rule of the loyalist elite and became one of the largest landowners in the province. He continued a a judge until the day he died and remained unswervingly devoted to his judicial duties but fiercely resisted the development of democracy in New Brunswick. He died in Fredericton N.B.

UEL Heritage Centre & Park Open for its 49th Season

Bay of Quinte Branch's U.E.L. Heritage Centre & Park officially opened on May 16th to start its 49th season. Through your applications and genealogical donations many of you have already shared your family history with us and given lasting tribute to our Loyalist ancestors, and we appreciate that. As a descendant of a Loyalist or simply as a member of a Branch, you have a special relationship to the U.E.L. Heritage Centre and Park.

Through Bay of Quinte Branch we have been honoured with the guardianship of a unique and beautiful historic site. U.E.L. Heritage Centre & Park is the only historic site in North America dedicated 100% to the objectives of the national association and Loyalist heritage. It is also a source of pride that we operate our museum with only 4% government assistance while the provincial average is 40%.

During the summer months we entertain 25,000 visits to our site, second only to Bon Echo Provincial Park in Lennox and Addington County. This gives us a fantastic opportunity for outreach and to promote the legacy of our ancestors. Each week, for the next sixteen weeks, we will be reaching 160,000 radio listeners in the Bay of Quinte region. With ten radio spots the words "United Empire Loyalist" will be mentioned a total of 40 times per weekend.

It is with great anticipation that the county's Economic Development Manager has identified our site as having the greatest potential for attracting new tourists to the Bay of Quinte area. As a result PELA Community Futures Development Corporation is funding a feasibility study and business plan that will be presented to us in June 2005. Planning is underway for the 50th anniversary of both Bay of Quinte Branch and our Adolphustown heritage property in 2006.

As a member of a Branch, you understand the importance of our unique legacy at Adolphustown. Please help us in our mission to offer a wide a range of programmes and events while preserving and enhancing our museum buildings and collections. I hope that you will consider joining our most loyal supporters by making a gift to the U.E.L. Heritage Centre and Park today.

Through our new Friends of Adolphustown initiative we encourage you to donate at one of the following levels:

ASSOCIATE $ 100

CONTRIBUTOR $ 250

SPONSOR $ 500 and over

Tax receipts will be made available to Canadian residents who are Friends at the Associate level or above.

...Brandt Zätterberg, UE, Executive Director {zedmap AT aol DOT com} how do I email him?

Updates to List of "Books for the Young at Heart"

As announced at the Atlantic Region Colloquium, the list of book resources suitable for elementary school classrooms and the "Young at Heart" has been revised, updated and posted to the Education Folder, at "Books for the Young at Heart - a Recommended Reading List for Elementary Schools" on the Dominion website. (www.uelac.org). Where possible the ISBN code and the number of pages have been added to aid the search for suitable material. If you are aware of new resources not indicated, please advise the Committee.

...Fred H. Hayward UE, Chairman, Education/Outreach

A Loyalist Story in The Beaver: Mary Secord Crookston Beebe Pearson

The story of Mary Secord Crookston Beebe Pearson reflects the life of many of our Loyalist ancestors. When Donald J. Flowers provided the essay "Loyalists of Chaleur Bay - Gaspesia" for "The Loyalists: Pioneers and Settlers of Quebec" (found in the Education folder of UELAC.org), he provided brief biographies for Mary Beebe as well as for her third husband, Christopher Pearson. Now, Alex Newman provides further details in "In Search of Mary Beebe" in the June July 2005 issue of The Beaver. She starts with Mary's great-grandfather, Ambroise Sicard, a salt farmer near La Rochelle in 1689 and develops her account through to the mid 19th century with Mary's death. . She closes with the following comment: " There is some speculation here, and new information will undoubtedly alter the story somewhat, but piecing together Mary Secord Beebe's life from scant historical and genealogical accounts has been an exhilarating and educational one. My only regret is that my aunt, who died five years ago at age ninety-five, isn't here to reap the rewards of our improved Internet resources."

Alex Newman is now talking about posting the article to the internet in the near future. By documenting the life of her 5X great grandmother, Alex has made a great contribution to the Loyalist library.

...Fred H. Hayward UE, Chairman, Education/Outreach Committee UELAC

Atlantic Regional Meeting

I was invited to participate in the regional seminar for the Atlantic Region held on May 17 and 18. It was primarily organized by Frances Morrisey and the executive of the New Brunswick Branch, and was centred around he Loyalist Day celebrations, which were great, in Saint John. These are held each year to celebrate the landing of the Spring Fleet there on May 18, 1783. Fred Hayward, Chair of Education/Outreach Committee presented wonderfully on resources available for branches to use to that end. He also did a historical impersonation of his ancestor Philip Embury.

Leading up to that, Fredericton Branch and President Blair Orser invited us to speak at their meeting, and to help present a donation to the Loyalist Collection at UNB. Kathryn Hilder, who was instrumental in developing that collection, attended almost all events and presented the story of the collection to the seminar in Saint John. It is indeed a wonderful collection - some 3800 reels, in open stacks, well organized, and some of the reels are only-copy materials.

...Doug Grant, UE

Grand River Branch to Celebrate Loyalist Day, June 19

On Sunday, June 19th the descendants of Jonathan Williams are meeting for a brown bag reunion at 10:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall of St John's Anglican Church Woodhouse, just a few kilometers south of Simcoe. At that time Doris Lemon, UE and a descendant of Jonathan Williams herself will launch her, hot off the press, History of the Williams Family. We plan to have a time of fellowship and getting reacquainted with family and friends.

At 2:00 p.m. that afternoon, the members and friends of the Grand River Branch UELAC are holding their regular monthly meeting at the same location.This special Loyalist Day Event will include the placing of Loyalist Flags on each of the UE gravesites, a ceremonial tree planting in St John's Churchyard and special presentations giving brief genealogies of the three UE Loyalists buried in the cemetery; these being Abraham Rapelje, Ephraim Tisdale, and Jonathan Williams. The presentations will be given as follows:

Abraham Rapelje - Bill Terry, UE

Ephraim Tisdale - Jed Tisdale, a direct descendant

Jonathan Williams- Sue Hines, UE, a direct descendant

The tree will be officially planted by Grand River Branch's Honorary Vice President, Doris Wilson, UE.

We hope to have representatives there from each of these particular UE families, as well as the general public in celebration of UEL Day in Ontario. Everyone is invited to attend and participate in this exciting celebration of our Loyalist heritage.

...Bill Terry, UE

Loyalist Glengarry Day Trip (Saturday, September 17, 2005)

Glengarry was originally settled by the Scottish Loyalist soldiers of the First Battalion of the King's Royal Regiment of New York. Members of these Loyalist families later joined the Nor'wester Fur Company. Other Scots migrated from Scotland to Glengarry. Descendants of these families later migrated across North America.

Sir Guy Carleton Branch and St. Lawrence Branch are jointly conducting a day trip to explore the Loyalist, Nor'wester and Scottish sites in Glengarry. Lunch will be served in the historic Sir John Johnson Manor House.

The bus will pick up people in Ottawa and Cornwall. The cost is $50.00 per person not including lunch. The deposit is payable to Sir Guy Carleton Branch UELAC.

If you are interested, please contact:

- George Anderson, 64 Saginaw Cres, Nepean, ON K2E 5N7: Tel: (613) 226-6348: e-mail: andrew1@magma.ca

- Edward Kipp, 6242 Paddler Way, Orleans, ON K1C 2E7 Tel: (613) 824-1942 e-mail: ekipp@magma.ca

...George Anderson

Response re Definition of Treasury Loyalist

In the Genealogists' Handbook a Treasury Loyalist is defined as: Treasury Loyalist: Immigrants to Upper Canada in 1792 from Great Britain who were provided, by the Treasury Board in London, with passage, provisions, bedding, clothing, implements, family lands and funds. Some of these families were refugees to Great Britain earlier in the rebellion (American Revolution) but the list included others who had never resided in the revolted colonies.

Most of them were not U.E.Loyalists, a rare few were.

...Joan Lucas, UE, Kawartha Branch

Response re KRRNY Research: Did a RUSK serve in the KRRNY?

Edward: I can confirm that no one named Rusk served in either of the two battalions of the King's Royal Regiment of New York.

The entry that you mention from Fryer & Smy's book of Provincial rolls is as accurate as any transcript can be. The King's Rangers were led by Major James Rogers, brother of the famous Robert Rogers of the Seven Years' War. During the Revolution, James led the 2nd battalion of the King's Rangers (2KR's) and Robert led the first. The 2Bn was stationed in Quebec in the latter stages of the war and, at its peak, comprised three oversized companies, rather than the usual ten smaller companies found in a battalion. In the main, the 2KR's settled at Catarqui Township No.3 (Frederickburgh) on the north shore of Lake Ontario in 1784.

The St Johns mentioned in the muster roll was Fort St John's on the Richelieu River in lower Quebec where the 2KR's did duty for the last three years of the war. This is present day St Jean-sur-Richelieu and the military school in that city is the location of the original fort.

To the best of our knowledge, the uniform of the 2KR's was a green jacket with red facings. Their waistcoat was likely of white wool. They would have worn breeches with Indian-style leggings or gaitered trousers. We think they wore a slouch hat, i.e. a round hat that was turned up on the left side to allow musket drill.

Take a look at this webpage for some pictures. You might contact Horst Dresler of this reenactment unit for patterns.

For a couple of references that offer some King's Rangers' history, see:

- H.M. Jackson, "Rogers Rangers - A History" (author, 1953)

- Gavin K. Watt, "Burning of the Valleys - Daring Raids from Canada Against the New York Frontier in 1780" (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1996 & 2005)

For details on the Rogers' family and further details on the Rev War Rangers, see:

- Robert J. Rogers, "Rising Above Circumstances - the Rogers Family in Colonial America" (Bedford, QC: Sheltus & Picard, 1998)

...Gavin Watt, Honourary Vice-President, UELAC, President, Museum of Applied Military History

Quebec Plan

This is a question from a cousin in California: I'm seeing petitions among the Gilbert family that mention “The Quebec Plan.” What does that refer to?

...submitted by Karen Windover

There is no single “The Quebec Plan.” When you find this wording in a petition or other earlier records you find it as "The Quebec Plan for the Township of ..." (fill in the blank). These were the first maps (plans) drawn up pre 1791 under the authority of Haldimand and Dorchester by the different surveyors such as Holland, Collins, Chewett, and McNiff. The surveyors used these maps / plans to record the names of original locatees. They are labeled the Quebec Plan for the Township of Cornwall, the Quebec Plan for the Township of Lancaster, etc. The maps/plans were drawn up pre 1791 but used actively with names being added and removed until as late as 1840's. Also, even when the plans were updated or changed slightly the re-drawn plan many times would still refer to the date and name of the original Quebec Plan.

They were not printed maps but manuscript maps – working documents used to record land grants and sales – they were working office documents. The Ontario Archives holds the best collection of these early plans/maps – not all of which are clearly labelled as the Quebec Plan for...

Why are they called the Quebec Plans? Prior to 1791 what is now Ontario was still part of Quebec, sometimes described as Upper Quebec. I am sure it also helped differentiate these plans from other maps that were drawn later under Simcoe's authority and post 1791.

...Kathie Orr U.E.

Stamped Books

Do you know what "stamped book" means in the entry from the book "Old United Empire Loyalist List"? Example:

Smith, Peter Sr..... East District, Charlottenburgh, R.R.N.Y., P.L.N.J. 1786, Smith stamped book son, Peter, 84th Regiment

Below are two more examples from the same page Peter Smith was on, where they use "stamped book". There are a lot of entries without "stamped book" written.

Smith, Philip.... Fredericksburgh, 1787, 200 acres, Loyalist, Soldier R.R.N.Y., stamped book

Slingerland, Anthony.... Home District, Plundered and a prisoner, wife 6 children, P.L.N. 1786, Niagara stamped book, page 255

...Bill Hayes, Papst Family Member, Clawson, Michigan

British armed forces were well documented, some documents were carried by the serviceman, himself.

In the 1817 petition to the Heir & Devisee Commission by Samuel Hough for his late mother's land, an affidavit was presented re his older brother's death, the date was "as appears by his regimental book". Neither Archives nor Genealogists have a copy of such a book.

127 years later when I joined the Royal Navy I carried my "pay book " with me or in my kit bag to be presented on command.

I can well imagine that the "Stamped Book" was the equivalent.

Mind you, the thousands of pages of British records, such as the "Haldimand Papers" now provide us much sought after data on our ancestors.

...Don Maxwell

I think the term Stamped book refers to a book or possibly books, where records were kept of Loyalists and they were used to confirm the right to obtain grants as Loyalists or sons and daughters of Loyalists. I found the following at the Niagara Historical Society & Museum site which explains it a little. They refer to The Niagara Stamped Book. Some references I have seen refer specifically to that, others simply say Stamped Book so I don't know if that means there were others for other localities or whether they just left out the Niagara part sometimes. I haven't been able to find a better explanation of it as yet. If I do I will post it. Here is a quote from the article you will find if you follow the link. It talks about other areas Loyalists went to so you have to scroll down a ways until you get to the Niagara part.

"In a volume called the United Empire Loyalists issued shortly after the celebration at Niagara and Adolphustown in 1884 there many found long lists of those entitled to the name, the date of their coming and in what district they settled, their former abode and the words Niagara Stamped Book. On inquiry at the Crown Lands Dept. and other Government offices it was found that no information could be gained as to the present existence of this book, but it seems that from it, most of the information in this list has been gained but no one seems to know when it disappeared or how." visit www.niagara.com/~nhs/nhs37.html.

...Mary-Jane Lupton, Winnipeg

The 3 stamp books that you are referring to are Niagara - Stamped Book, Midland & Eastern District - Stamped Book and Stamp Book (no District mentioned). They were 3 of the sources that government officials used to confirm who was a legitimate Loyalist.

...Murray and Shirley

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