Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2005 Archive

In this issue:
- 2006 Mohawk bus trip will visit Stone Arabia
- Reconciliation or Destruction: The Warnings of Loyalist Pamphleteers by James Finelli
- Loyalist Bibliography has been updated
- First [Upper Canada] Parliament Site Saved For Future Generations
- PBS tv documentary on the French and Indian War, "The War That Made America"
- Clash of the Empires: The British, French and Indian War, 1754-1763
- Directory of Loyalists: Philip Buck information

2006 Mohawk bus trip will visit Stone Arabia

Stone Arabia is one of the historic villages which the 2006 Mohawk Valley Tour will visit. This village has two old two stone churches - the Dutch Reformed Church, and Trinity Lutheran Church. Palatines settled Stone Arabia about 1723. The log Trinity Lutheran Church was built in 1729. In 1733 the people began to build a new church. The foundation was laid and then a controversy arose over the name of the new church. The Lutherans withdrew and returned to the log church thus creating two separate congregations. Parents would often baptize their children twice - once in the Dutch Reformed Church and once in the Trinity Lutheran Church.

The Lutheran and the Reformed Churches divided the parish land in 1754. This deed was signed by Jacob Schnell, Kirk Loux, William Brouer, Laverinus Deigert, Peter Suits, Hendreick Loux, Nicholas Horning, William Coppernoll, Peter Diegert, Harris Schnell, Andreas Find and Johannes Krems. The first written record of a baptism for the Dutch Reformed Church is of Henry Richard Loux, the son of Adam Loux in 1739.

Both churches were burned during the American Revolution by the British forces which were lead by Sir John Johnson. The present stone Reformed church was re-erected in 1788. The Lutherans rebuilt their log church in 1792. During the 2006 tour the cemeteries of both churches will be visited.

Some of our Loyalist Palatine ancestors who served in the First Battalion of the Loyalist King?s Royal regiment of New York worshipped in one of these two churches. For many Loyalists, the visit to Stone Arabia will be a chance to return to the home of their Palatine ancestors.

Presently there are seventeen registered for the 2006 trip. Full details are available on the UELAC website at: uelac.org under Special Projects.

Make your registration now. During the period from January 12 to 27, 2006, Edward Kipp, Douglas Grant and Rodney Craig will be pleased to take your trip registrations.

...George Anderson

Reconciliation or Destruction: The Warnings of Loyalist Pamphleteers by James Finelli

Part of an article recently printed in The Battlements, a newsletter put out by the Friends of the Saratoga Battlefield.

"My final paper ended up being 'Reconciliation or Destruction: The Warnings of Loyalist Pamphleteers'. I found that the loyalists that I reviewed all believed to some degree that if America went to war with Great Britain they would be ravaged by it and would surely be conquered. Once conquered America would be worse off than they were before. They would be treated like conquered rebels instead of Englishmen. According to the loyalists, even if America won the war they would still be doomed. A republican form of government, as proved by republics like Rome and Holland, is prone to civil war, and as in the case of Rome would most likely lead to rule by a despot. To the loyalists, an independent America would be an America ravaged by civil war, its people oppressed and its harbors open to attack by maritime nations. The loyalists stated that the best way, and to most the only way, to solve the problem was to reconcile with Britain. Not a blind capitulation though, but under the conditions of a treaty or new constitution. This agreement would solve the problem of taxes for the colonists and at the same time establish parliamentary authority."

"Interning at the Saratoga Battlefield has taught me a lot. I have found my passion for public history and have met a lot of interesting people. All the rangers are very nice people and I have truly enjoyed the time I spent with them. I have enjoyed my time so much so that I plan on volunteering next summer. The research paper was challenging and interesting. It taught me a lot about a group of people I knew nothing about. I now know that loyalists are not just blind followers of the King, but many of them had a lot of the same complaints that the patriots had and that they wanted an agreement with Britain on the issue of taxes. The major difference between the loyalists and the patriots was that the loyalists for the most part were unwilling to go to armed conflict with the mother country over a dispute on taxes."

[from the newsletter, "The Battlements", the President and Managing Editor is Pat DeSio and the Park Agent is Gina Johnson. The Battlements (newsletter from the Friends of Saratoga Battlefield), Vol.17, Issue4, Winter Issue, P.3]

James Finelli was an intern at the Battlefield and a college student. The Friends of Saratoga Battlefield support 3-4 interns each summer usually at the Battlefield and they write a paper and it is usually published in The Battlements our quarterly newsletter of which we print 2000 copies. We have over 550 members throughout the USA (and Great Britain). We meet monthly at the Battlefield (the Board does) and once a quarter we have a program for members. Let me know if you have any other questions -- Bob DeSio, sec.

[forwarded by Adelaide Lanktree UE, President Sir John Johnson Branch and Bill Glidden, Major (retired), Plattsburg NY]

Loyalist Bibliography has been updated

On the UELAC web site is a Bibliography which consists of 18 Sections or Chapters comprising several hundred references to published works concerned with Loyalists.. If you visit the UEL Bibliography of the American Revolution you will see a listing of the sections, and each one is a link to that section to speed up the look-up process. Once into a particular section the listing is alphabetical by author, but a key-word search can be made using the "find' feature on most web browsers.

We just added 36 new entries to the Bibliography. Bill Smy decides which entries to add, and Ed Scott updates the pages on the web site.

...Ed Scott UE and Bill Smy UE

First [Upper Canada] Parliament Site Saved For Future Generations

Original Buildings Destroyed by American Troops during War of 1812

TORONTO, Dec. 21, 2005 - The Ontario government, in partnership with the City of Toronto and with the strong support of local heritage groups, has acquired a significant part of the site of Upper Canada's First Parliament, Culture Minister Madeleine Meilleur announced today.

The Province and a private landowner have agreed to a land exchange to secure a portion of the historic First Parliament site at 265 Front Street East in downtown Toronto.

Minister Meilleur also announced that the Ontario Heritage Trust (formerly the Ontario Heritage Foundation) has assumed ownership of this portion of the site. The trust will work with stakeholders including the federal and Ontario governments, the City of Toronto and community groups to develop options and strategies for the long-term preservation of the site.

"The site of Ontario's first parliament buildings is our cradle of democracy and a site of historical significance," said Meilleur. "The Ontario Heritage Trust is Ontario's lead heritage agency and has extensive expertise in the conservation and protection of significant heritage resources. The trust is the government's right choice to ensure the preservation of the First Parliament site for future generations."

"We are delighted to assume the lead role in the preservation of this significant heritage site," said the Honourable Lincoln M. Alexander, Ontario Heritage Trust Chairman and former Lieutenant-Governor. "It is the birthplace of our systems of courts, land ownership and civil freedoms - democratic traditions that are the very measure of our strength as a province and as a society."

"Protecting this site for the public will help revitalize our downtown, drawing residents and visitors to experience the historical significance of this area," said Pam McConnell, City Councillor for Ward 28, Toronto Centre-Rosedale. "City Council strongly supports everyone's efforts in making this happen."

"The heritage community is very excited about the public acquisition of the First Parliament site," said Peter Carruthers, Chair of Heritage Toronto. "We look forward to working with all parties as the project progresses."

Artifacts now lying underground mark the site of Ontario's first parliament buildings. The brick buildings built specifically for the legislative assembly in the late 18th century were burnt to the ground by invading American troops during the War of 1812.

"This government kept its promise to strengthen the Ontario Heritage Act," said Meilleur. "The public acquisition of the First Parliament site is another concrete example of the government's commitment to preserving Ontario's heritage."

PBS tv documentary on the French and Indian War, "The War That Made America"

In two hour segments on January 18 and 25, 2006, 9p.m. - 11 p.m. EST, French and Indian War 250, Inc. and WQED Multimedia have produced a PBS television documentary on the French and Indian War, "The War That Made America", which will air nationally on PBS. The film of 4-hour length, narrated by actor Graham Greene, promises to be a landmark television series with the dramatic tension, excitement and tragedy of the 18th century colonial period.

...Bill Glidden, Major (retired), Plattsburg NY

Clash of the Empires: The British, French and Indian War, 1754-1763

An exhibition created by the Senator John Heinz Pittsburg Regional History Center in partnership with the Canadian War Museum/Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Smithsonian Institution. The exhibition is now running at the History Center in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, through April 15, 2006. The exhibition will then be shown at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Canada, May 15, 2006 to November 1, 2006; and at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, December 15, 2006 to February 15, 2007.

In 1754 the struggle for control of North America exploded into the French and Indian War conflict that changed the course of history, started American colonists on the road toward revolution, and started what Winston Churchill called the "first world war". Two hundred and fifty years later, Clash of Empires presents the dramatic wide-ranging story of war, its participants and the shockwaves it sent around the world, the first and only comprehensive museum exhibit on the conflict, Clash of Empires includes nearly 300 artifacts from lenders in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Russia. Highlights include a multi-million dollar collection of period paintings and portraits by Benjamin West, Dominic Serres and Joshua Reynolds as well as original uniforms, clothing, weapons, crafts, documents and items of everyday life from European, colonial and Native American participants, bringing visitors face to face with the war, its human toll, and its far-reaching consequences. Also bringing new light to the history are nine evocative models creating "face-to-face history", and several dioramas that put the wilderness landscape into perspective.

...Bill Glidden, Major (retired), Plattsburg NY

Directory of Loyalists: Philip Buck information

Some detail on Loyalist Philip Buck has been added in our Loyalist Directory. This includes link's to a families web site on which the Buck family, including Philip, is described with both some history and genealogy. Visit the Loyalists Directory.

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