Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2012 Archive

In this issue:
- A Dozen Loyalist Libraries: Part Two -- by Stephen Davidson
- Richard Carman (1757 - 1817) by George McNeillie
- Biggest Loyalist Families - Matthias Marsh (17 Children)
- A Gift for Valentine's Day
- Top Tweets - Following @UELAC
- UELAC History Emanates From Col. John Butler Br. Annual Reports
- Additions to the Loyalist Directory

A Dozen Loyalist Libraries: Part Two -- by Stephen Davidson

A second Anglican minister who claimed the loss of a library due to the attack of rebels was the Rev. Isaac Brown. He had been the rector at Trinity Church in Newark, New Jersey. He fled from patriots in such a hurry that he had to leave all of his household goods behind him. At 77 years of age, Brown appeared before the compensation board in Halifax. He had lost an African slave and her two children, furniture, a horse, hogs and cows, wine, and cider, as well as a well-furnished home that contained a library. Given his great age, Brown's book collection must have been quite extensive and quite a loss to bear.

At the same board hearings in Halifax, Dr. Robert Tucker of Wilmington, North Carolina came before the commissioners to plead his case for compensation. Tucker, who was a surgeon and physician, joined the British forces in 1776 as a medical officer in Col. March's battalion of grenadiers. After serving with a number of regiments, Tucker was obliged to retire due to poor health. After the war's end, he settled in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. Included in the inventory of possessions that Tucker lost was his library. The loyalist doctor had books given him by his brother that were worth 200 pounds sterling. In addition to these was 70 pounds sterling worth of books that he had ordered from England. Given that Tucker used to earn 300 pounds sterling a year as a doctor in Wilmington, his library represented a major investment -- and one he would never be able to replace in Nova Scotia.

Brigadier-General Courtlandt Skinner lost a library worth 500 pounds sterling. Daniel Cox, a witness at Skinner's board hearing, remembered that the general had "a very good library {though} he cannot say what number of volumes." It must have been an impressive library, for it was also made a vivid impression on David Ogden, another witness at the hearing. Ogden had "been frequently at the claimant's house, which was well furnished, and he had a good library". He went on to explain to the British commissioners who heard General Skinner's case that "books in general were dear in New Jersey".

The Rev. George Panton had been a loyalist in Trenton, New Jersey. This Scottish missionary was an outspoken supporter of the crown, having published pamphlets and authored petitions "expressive of loyal sentiments". This obnoxious brand of loyalty compelled him to seek refuge outside of New Jersey. Sir William Howe appointed Panton as a chaplain to the Prince of Wales American Regiment, a position he held for the course of the Revolution.

Panton had to leave his entire library in Trenton when he fled for his life. Local rebels destroyed his books in December of 1776. They were worth 60 pounds sterling -- almost twice the value of the linen, furniture and clothing that Panton had to abandon in his manse.

The Rev. John Doty was the only loyalist noted in the compensation board transcripts to have had a library and to settle in Quebec. A native of Albany, New York, Doty had just assumed the position of rector at St. Georges Church in Schenectady when his congregation began to break into political factions. By 1776, rebels closed the church and accused Doty of "plotting against the state". After a series of arrests, the Anglican minister and his wife fled to Canada, leaving all worldly goods behind.

Doty served as a military chaplain, went to England for his health, and eventually returned to Montreal. While in Britain, the loyalist appeared before the compensation board. Among the lost personal property that he claimed was a chamber organ and his "tolerable library". Doty estimated that these two items were worth 30 pounds sterling. Considering that he only earned 40 pounds sterling a year, one can see how much good books and good music meant to Doty.

While rebels were the cause of the destruction of most loyalist libraries, John Sayre of Danbury, Connecticut would always remember that it was a British military action that robbed him of his books. Sayre was both an Anglican minister and a surgeon. It is little wonder then that the loyalist would have bought "a large collection of books" over the years. However, when British forces attacked and burned Danbury in 1779, the Sayres' home was one of the casualties. There was little left of Rev. Sayre's worldly goods.

One witness remembered that the minister "had a considerable library". His son knew the precise number: 600 books worth 300 pounds sterling. The clothes, plate and jewels that the family were able to salvage from their burned-out home were put into one large trunk. However, as they made their way to where other loyalists were boarding evacuation ships, the trunk was lost and the "family brought nothing off". Within a year of settling in New Brunswick, Sayre died. His wife and two of her children returned to live with two unmarried daughters in Pennsylvania. "Her necessitous situation ...drove her there".

Another Yankee loyalist with a library was Benjamin Marsten of Marblehead, Massachusetts. A selectman for his town and a merchant, Marsten would suffer much during the Revolution. He nearly died at sea, ferried British spies to safety, and became the prisoner of patriots. Although he divided his possessions (including slaves and an indentured servant) among friends in an attempt to protect them from confiscation, Marsten eventually lost all that he had. A witness at Marsten's compensation hearing remembered that "he had a pretty library. He was a man of some education."

By 1786, Marsten had settled in Saint John, New Brunswick, a city in which libraries would play a very significant role. In 1811, the city had the first library in the province; one that operated on a subscription basis. Seventy-two years later, Saint John opened the first tax-supported public library in all of Canada. Whether this concern for libraries grew out of the value the city's loyalist founders placed on books is a tantalizing question to be answered some other day.

To secure permission to reprint this article, email Stephen Davidson.

Richard Carman (1757 - 1817) © George McNeillie

The Carman family very soon after their arrival in Parr-town (where they may have passed their first winter in New Brunswick) came up the River to Maugerville where, about 1784, Richard purchased the improvements of a certain half-lot of Land, No. 77, in the old Maugerville grant made in 1765. The lot was originally granted to a William Harris, who sold half of it in 1766 to John Hall of Philadelphia, who soon after left the country and did not return. The acres when abandoned were settled on and cultivated by one Joseph Bufier, who had been "a squatter", for about fifteen years previous to the purchase of the improvements by Richard Carman. In response to Mr. Carman's petition for a grant of the property which he had purchased the improvements of Bufier, the Governor in Council on July 29, 1785, confirmed him in possession of the land.

The farm was situated about eight miles below Fredericton, about opposite the head of Oromocto Island and near the glebe lot on which the Rev. John Beardsley came to live a year or two later. Here nine of his (Carman's) eleven children were born during his thirty years residence in Maugerville.

Richard Carman was a vestryman of the Parish of Maugerville as early at least as 1788. Later he was a Church Warden, for we learn from the parish records of July 5, 1803:- "This day the Reverend James Bisset was inducted into the church at Maugerville by the ecclesiastical Commissary, Rev. George Pidgeon, and Wardens Richard Carman and John Simonson, as Rector of said Church and Glebe."

On his arrival in Parr-town in 1783, Richard Carman drew Lot No. 82, on the west side of Germain Street, near the residence of the late Sir Leonard Tilley.

The old Willows in the Carman place at Musquash, and probably those of the old homestead in Lower St. Mary's are believed to have been brought from Long Island or from New York as scions in 1783 by Richard Carman.

Excerpt from Book of Family History, by The Ven. William Odber Raymond, LL.D, FRSC. © 2009 George McNeillie - all rights reserved [published here with permission; see footnote].

...George McNeillie

Biggest Loyalist Families - Matthias Marsh (17 Children)

Matthias Marsh, with 17 children, has been added to the List of the largest Loyalist families – submitted by multiple sources. See more of the Loyalists' biggest families – four entries so far – and note the submission guidelines if you have a large family you would like to contribute.

A Gift for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is a couple of weeks away, Promotions can help the men decide what to give their wife or sweetheart for this special day?

You could spend upwards of $ 50.00 and get her a dozen roses which will most likely be dead in less than a week.

You could take her out for an expensive meal for around $ 15.00 at McDonald's or Tim Hortons, and have heartburn for a day or two.

We would suggest you spend a whopping $ 6.50 and get her a UEL Pin. We have the UEL Blue Pin, the UEL White Pin and the Crossed Flag Pin to choose from.

For this special day Promotions UELAC will include a Free Red, White and Blue Ribbon. Sorry, there is a $3.00 charge to cover shipping and handling. If you decide to order more than one pin the cost for shipping does not change, just $3.00.

This is the kind of gift she will really appreciate, one she can wear any time and to any function.

There is little time left to receive your order before Valentine's Day, so place your order today. Check out pins in the catalogue store - and while you are there, take a peek at the other items too.

...Noreen Stapley, UE, Promotions UELAC

Top Tweets - Following @UELAC

Well hello from Twitterland! You may have thought we had disappeared 'Through the Looking Glass' but rest assured @uelac is alive and well. Just about six months ago UELAC began reaching out to the wider history community through the use of Twitter. While some may find the 140 character limit prohibitive, it is in fact a beneficial exercise in brevity. As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "Be sincere, be brief, be seated." The good news is it's working!

Through Twitter, we now have a following of around two hundred and thirty individuals or organizations with an interest in Loyalist era history. This open channel of communication has led to two significant collaborations in the past month.

The invited speaker at the 2012 Central West Regional meeting is a graduate of the MA Program in Public History at the University of Western Ontario. She specializes in Social and Digital Media and will be bringing a presentation on its scope and influence. We met online through Twitter.

The second collaboration came about through communication with an interested follower of UELAC on Twitter (who happens to have Loyalist roots) and is an author currently researching the War of 1812. Together we have created Event Central, an on-line site of current events and information on all War of 1812 Bicentennial activities. This site is presented by UELAC in partnership with Dundurn Press and Northern Blue Publishing. As of Week One we have attracted the attention of numerous heritage, culture and tourism departments in various cities throughout Ontario. We have had contributions from Halifax NS, Prince Rupert BC, New York City and the US Navy. When you visit the UELAC.org website, Event Central is just a click away, through the Event Central logo on the left side navigation.

The power of Twitter lies in the ability to generate interaction across a continent or an ocean with a simple 140 character statement. When one looks at it that way, it is possible to believe we really are living in Wonderland.

There are more great finds on Twitter but as I am committed to keeping things brief I will share them next time we meet.

You can read our Twitter feed from the Dominion website www.uelac.org. On the top right beside the Google search box is a blue letter 't' . When you click on that it brings you to the Twitter home page of the United Empire Loyalists' Assoc. And as always, if you would like to become a follower and actively participate (which we encourage) go to twitter.com to open an account. I look forward to seeing you there!

...B. Schepers, VP UELAC

UELAC History Emanates From Col. John Butler Br. Annual Reports

As we strive to document the history of UELAC in time for the one hundredth anniversary in 2014, progress is marked by tiny baby steps. The addition to the Dominion website of the Branching Out reports originally published in The Loyalist Gazette gives a general idea of the activities conducted at the local and regional level since 1963. UELAC had very few branches in the thirties. The Growth of the Association -- Branches clearly has a focus on similarities and variations across the country.

While some branches maintain a history on their website, the Col. John Butler (Niagara) Branch provides further depth with transcriptions of annual reports. The addition of six more reports this week brings the total number of pages to 33. Activities from 1949, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1962, and 1963 may trigger a degree of familiarity with the family names of the Niagara region, but as they reflect the time before The Loyalist Gazette, they also document Dominion activities.

1954 -- "On June 19th the Annual Picnic was held at Niagara-on the Lake, and members from the Lincoln Historical, Niagara Historical, Lundy's Lane Historical, Brant Historical, Lake of the Woods History, Toronto, Governor Simcoe and Hamilton Branches, U.E.L. were present. The Mayor of Niagara, Mr. Greaves welcomed the visitors, and Alderman Bald represented Mayor Smith of St. Catharines and invited those present to participate in the Laura Secord trek."

1958 -- "On June 12th members attended the unveiling and rededication of the famous United Empire Loyalist Monument, depicting father, mother and two children. Through the efforts of Mr. L. L. Merrill of Hamilton this monument was restored, and set well forward in front of the New Court House, and all United Empire Loyalists are well satisfied with the new and prominent setting. His Excellency the Governor General of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey, came from Ottawa to unveil the monument."

1958 -- "In October 5-11, the Rev. C. H. E. Smith, Mrs. W. Warner, Mrs. Schofield, Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Van Every and Miss Kathleen O'Loughlin represented our Branch at the Boston Homecoming made in recognition of the close ties both past and present between Canada and the United States, and in response to an invitation received from Governor Faubus of Massachusetts that the United Empire Loyalists of Canada should join in the reunion at Boston of the Massachusetts pioneers. The arrangements were made through Mr. Jack Frost, Boston artist and Mr. L. L. Merrill of Hamilton. Dr. Stanley H. Clark, President of the Dominion Council, U.E.L."

1962 -- "At the Dominion Council Meeting in Toronto in November. it was decided to reissue a U.E.L. newsletter to be called "The Loyalist". Mr. E. J. Chard was appointed Chairman of the editorial board consisting of Mr. S.H. Honsberger, Q.C. President of Dominion Council, Dr. J. Walton-Ball, immediate Past President, Dominion Council, Mr. Kenneth Benson, President, Governor Simcoe Branch, Mrs. Ross Glassford, Miss Marian Ketcheson, and Miss Kathleen O'Loughlin."

These annual reports by Kathleen O'Loughlin contribute greatly to the understanding of our Association in those dark years between the earlier three year publication of the Gazette and the re-establishment of The Loyalist Gazette in the 60's. Now they are readily available here.

...FHH

Additions to the Loyalist Directory

As time permits, we add information to the Loyalist Directory. The latest additions and updates are as follows:
- Goodwillie, Joseph - from David Clark with certificate application
- Teague, Jacob - from David Clark with certificate application
- Welling, John - from Elizabeth Crouch