Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2005 Archive

In this issue:
- The Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University
- Archives: Loyalist Society Proposed - The Empire, Toronto, October ??, 1894
- Loyalist Directory Addition
- Announcing "Book Reviews", a new section to our Web site
- Schenectady Digital History Archive
- Loyalist Promotions: Price Increase for Clothing
- Queries
      + Responses re Matthews and Lount Loyalist connection
      + Response re Chocolate
      + Response re The Vankoughnets

The Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University

The Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University have updated their web site with a complete inventory of items in the collection to date. You can see this list here.

Several new microfilms have been ordered and will be added when they arrive.

There is still time to make a donation to this project for a 2005 income tax receipt. All donations of $100.00 or more will have the donor's name or an In-memoriam name inscribed on a box or boxes of microfilm. Please visit the web site for more information.

...Edward Scott UE Chairman

Archives: Loyalist Society Proposed - The Empire, Toronto, October ??, 1894

"It is proposed to form in this city a Loyalist Society to perpetuate the memory of the United Empire Loyalists who, rather than transfer their allegiance to the United States when that country secured its independence, sacrificed their property, broke up their homes and removed to Canada in order to live once more under the British flag. It is proposed to call the society "The Sons of the Loyalists", and all descendants of the loyalists of both sexes are eligible for membership. The objects of the society are: (1) The perpetuation of British connection; (2) the dissemination of patriotic literature and observance of Canadian historic events; (3) the collection and preservation of facts relating to the U.E. migration; (4) the association of men and women of U.E. Loyalist descent having historical interest in common; and (5) the formation of a museum of objects of historic interest. Persons desiring to associate themselves will please send their names to Dr. Ryerson, 60 College street, Toronto.

Loyalist Directory Addition

Ken Runions of Manitoba Branch has provided additional data for John Everson in the Loyalist Directory.

Announcing "Book Reviews", a new section to our Web site

We have created another new section of our web site. This one is on book reviews. A link is posted at our main site and the section itself has an introductory page here.

We welcome book reviews for books, current or old. The book reviews should be by a member of the UELAC, or sponsored by a member of the UELAC. The review should provide an explanation of the book and its purpose, what it does well and not so well, who would benefit from reading it, any age that the book is targeted at etc.

We also request that the book review include information about how to acquire or at least see a copy. If the book is out of print, then where is at least one copy stored (which library, with details) that it can be visited and read, even if only as a reference book ie not available for borrowing.

Book reviews will be reviewed before being posted. They must be about Loyalists in some significant way.

Books can be either commercially or self-published,

...Doug and Ed Scott

Schenectady Digital History Archive

This site is maintained by the Schenectady Historical Society. It is a useful for Loyalists whose ancestors come from the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys. Its "family memoirs" contains the genealogies of the ancestors of many Loyalists. In several cases it traces the families back to the Netherlands or to Great Britain. It also contains Pearson's records of the Early Settlers of Schenectady. A researcher can key in on a specific county to look for information on its local history and other information such as cemeteries. It also contains links to other sites such as the New York State Archives and Library which has valuable genealogical information such as the original documents pertaining to Loyalist Lt. Col. John Peters. Click here for the Schenectady Digital Historical Archives site.

...George Anderson, UE, Sir Guy Carleton Branch

Loyalist Promotions: Price Increase for Clothing

Our supplier has informed us that there will be an increase in the cost of clothing items effective January 2006. We expect an increase of between $ 3.00 to $ 5.00 per clothing item. This is the first price increase in over four years. Once we receive the new price list, the on-line catalogue will be updated as will the prices given in The Loyalist Gazette. To inquire about price changes, please refer to contact information in the Loyalist Exchange section of The Loyalist Gazette. Please note that any new orders will be subject to the price increase.

...Noreen Stapley UE, Promotions Committee

Responses re Matthews and Lount Loyalist connection

Peter Matthews, was born in [Belleville]. He was the grandson of Capt. Peter Ruttan, the person-in-charge of the Van Alstine group when they landed at Adolphustown in 1784. Peter's brother had died at the Battle of Lundy's Lane in 1814.

...Brandt Zätterberg

Peter Matthews was the son of Mary Ruttan (1772-1859) and Thomas Elmes Matthews. Mary was the daughter of Peter Ruttan UE (1742-1827) and Janet Ackerman (1751-c.1810s). According to one record I have read, there is "an impressive monument" to the memory of those executed, in the Toronto Necropolis. The inscription reads, in part:

Peter Matthews was the son of Captain Thomas Elms Matthews, a U.E. Loyalist [?], who fought on the British side in the American Revolutionary War and at its close settled his wife and family in the Township of Pickering in the (then) County of York. Peter Matthews, the son, belonged to Brock Volunteers during the War of 1812 to 1815 and fought in various battles of that war. He was known and respected as an honest and prosperous farmer always ready to do his duty to his adopted country and died as he lived -- a patriot.

PETER MATTHEWS / Late of Pickering / County Ontario / Born 1786 / Died 12th April 1838 / Erected by their friends & sympathizers / A.D. 1893.

...Bill Lamb.

Peter Matthews was a son of Loyalist Thomas Elmes Mathews and Mary Ruttan daughter of Loyalist Captain Peter Ruttan.

Our UEL Toronto Branch has a copy of the UE application for one of Peter Matthews's descendants on file and the Newsletter - "Fidelity - Toronto Branch Vol 15 No 7 issued May 1993" contains an in-depth article on this family written by Peter Johnson, UE.

Thomas Elmes Matthews received a grant of 350 acres in Pickering Township (Village of Brougham) and as a DUE his wife Mary Ruttan received a 200 acre grant.

I believe Captain Peter Ruttan served with the 4th Battn New Jersey Volunteers, then the King's Orange Rangers and came to Canada with the Associated Loyalists.

...Terrilee (Mathews) Craig, UE

Samuel Lount was born Pennsylvania in 1791. His brother, George, was also born their in 1799.

For more information on Lount, Matthews, and the 1837 Rebellion go to Early Canadiana Online and type their names in the search engine.

...Brandt Zätterberg

Information I have regarding Samuel Lount indicates he was born September 24 1791 in Catawissa, Pennsylvannia and arrived in Whitchurch Township with his family around 1811.

When the War of 1812/13 commenced the Lount family moved back to Pennsylvannia and Samuel arrived back in Whitchurch sometime in 1815.

Peter Matthews and Samuel Lount were hung for high treason the same day - April 12 1838.

...Terrilee (Mathews) Craig, UE

From Reid page 304, Loyalist Soules, Daniel of Vaughan

5th child, Elizabeth m Samuel Lount of Whitchurch. OC 28 July 1819.

LOUNT, SAMUEL, blacksmith, surveyor's assistant, businessman, politician, and rebel; b. 24 Sept. 1791 in Catawissa, Pa, eldest son of Gabriel Lount and Philadelphia Hughes; m. 1815 Elizabeth Soules, and they had seven children; hanged 12 April 1838 in Toronto.

See Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Response: Chocolate Query

I think you will find that the Loyalist chocolate family in NB was Ganong. It is still a beautiful chocolate that you can buy right here in Toronto. Source: The Encyclopedia of Canadiana by Wallace. Probably the DCB also has a write-up about the family altho' I haven't checked that yet.

...Libby Hancocks UE, Dominion Genealogist

Response to query about The Vankoughnets

Pages 60-63 and 203 of The book "Ontario Families" by Marion Chadwick which was originally published by Rolph, Smith & Co. in 1894, reprinted by Mika Silk Screening Ltd in 1972, contains genealogical information on this family. The ISBN of the reprint is ISBN-0-919302-32-7.

The family's original name was Von Gochnat. It originally came from Colmar in Alsace. Prior to Colmar, one of the places where the Von Gochnat name shows up is Switzerland. There is a book on the history of the Von Gochnat Family which is in the Toronto Public Library entitled "The Von Gochnats" by Lady Jane Van Koughnet. This text was privately printed by Messers Hatchard in 1910.

The Montgomery County Archives in Fonda, New York has information on the Vankoughnet Family. The Archives has one article by Mrs. Bethune Grant which gives further information on the Family. I understand that the three brothers, John, Michael and William were Loyalists and came to Canada. The parents of Michael Vankoughnet settled in the Mohawk Valley west of Johnstown at Keck's Corners prior to the Revolution. Michael Vankoughnet lived in Cornwall and was one of the founders of Trinity (Bishop Strachan Memorial) Church in Cornwall. He was also the father of the Honourable Philip Vankoughnet who was mentioned in an answer to the original query. Philip has a son named Colonel Philip Vankoughnet. The two are often mixed up. Some of the Vankoughnets are buried in the Old Colonial Cemetery in Johnstown. I am unaware of a connection to the Putman Family.

...George Anderson, UE, Sir Guy Carleton Branch

To protect the people who send in queries from unwanted spam email, the online edition of Loyalist Trails no longer uses direct hyperlinks for their email addresses. Simply rewrite "name AT website DOT net" as name@website.net and sent your email to that address. For example, "doug DOT grant AT insurance-canada DOT ca" is doug.grant@insurance-canada.ca. Contact Doug with questions, or to be put in touch with someone whose email address is not listed.