The United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada Grand River Branch Volume 19, No 2 Newsletter Date: November 2007 The Close of Another Year It is hard to believe that 2007 is so quickly coming to a close. It was only a brief time ago that we were planning for summer meetings and now the season of light is almost upon us again. As busy as the year has been it has also been a time of new adventures, of friendships and shared experiences. I hope that this year has been good to each of you and the new year that is so soon upon us will hold all that you would wish for. Contacts Page 2 A Special Welcome to All Our New Members. Meetings for 2008 Page 3, Role of the Scot in the Revolution Vol. 1 & II Grand River Branch Books Page 4, 5, 6 Page 6 Conference 2008 Page 7 Pictures Pages 8 Questionnaire Page 9 Membership Renewal Page 10 All interested members of the pubic are welcome Meetings are normally held on the 3 rd Sunday of the month March through November. For meeting details and other information, be sure to visit our web site: http://www.grandriveruel.ca MacCrimmon MacCrimmon
Page 2 Grand River Branch of the U. E. L. Association was founded in 1973 and the Charter Meeting was held in Brantford Ontario, on September 29, 1974 President: Sue Hines No. 12-590 Millbank Drive London Ontario N6E 2H2 519-690-1413 shinese751@rogers.com Past President: Vice President: Claire Machan, 250 Glenridge Dr. Waterloo, Ontario N2J 4H8 Secretary: Marilyn E. McMillan 91 Elmhurst Avenue Simcoe, ON N3Y 3G1(519) 426-3875 m.m.mcmillan@sympatico.ca Corresponding Secretary Donna Smith, 406-4 Willow Street Waterloo, Ontario N2J 4S2 519-885-6913 strat@golden.net Treasurer Ellen Tree 114 Delatre Street Woodstock, Ontario N4S 6B9 519-537-7437 jtree7473@rogers.com Genealogist Catherine Thompson, 13 Backus Drive Box 174 Port Rowan, Ontario N0E 1M0 519-586-3325 dandc@execulink.com 2007 Committees Education & Outreach: Genealogist Cathy Thompson Membership William Terry Librarian James Sweet Loyalist Library Marilyn Haslinger Privacy officer Robert McCarey Norfolk Historical Society Marilyn Haslinger Standard Bearer Frederick Reeves Newsletter Sue Hines Chiefswood Liaison Doris Marsalis Project 2014 Cemeteries Chaplain Marilyn Haslinger and Cathy Thompson James Files Web Master David Morrison Looking for Committee Members. Grand River will be reviewing and as necessary, revising our By-Laws in the 2008 year with the plan to post the planned changes in the November 2008 newsletter. Voting on the proposed amendments will occur at the March 2009 meeting. If you are interested in serving on this committee please let a member of the Executive known. Thanks Congratulations A special anniversary was recently celebrated by two of our members and since a 60th wedding anniversary comes along infrequently these days please do wish Gwen and Dick Lucas all the best for another 60 years. A Special Thank You As most of you have seen in the newsletters or heard about at meetings, Grand River has been busy putting up plaques on cemeteries throughout the Grand River region where Loyalist ancestors are buried. What you have likely not heard about is all the work that Don Thompson has done to get this project completed. Many, many thanks Don for all your work.
Meetings for 2008 Page 3 March 16th 2008 Grace Anglican Church Brantford 4 Pearl Street. Brantford, Grace Church is located in the west end of the downtown core in Brantford at the corner of West Street and Albion Street. Parking is available on Albion Street across the street from the church and three doors up. Wheelchair access is at the rear Pearl St. entrance. April 20th, 2008 Eva Brook Donley Museum Simcoe Launch of Book II Loyalist Families of the Grand River Dinner to follow meeting at place to be announced Hosts: Carol & Bill Terry June 22, 2008 Vittoria Community Centre Oakes Blvd Loyalists Day Celebration with walking tour of Vittoria. From Welcome to Vittoria Today, Vittoria is a quiet, peaceful hamlet in Norfolk County. Masked by this veneer of tranquility, lies a long and distinguished history, of which the residents are justifiably proud. July 20, 2008 Shaver Homestead 1166 Garner Road West Ancaster 905-648-3284 As a United Empire Loyalist, John Shaver left New Jersey and settled in the eastern part of Ancaster in 1789. The first known house was built on the site in 1830. A two storey brick house was built in 1856. Come and enjoy a tour of this lovely old homestead. Annual Meeting with election of executive and committee chairs with presentation of reports. We will have a tour of the church with a description of the history of Brantford s oldest church following the meeting. Grace Anglican Church is the oldest Christian congregation in Brantford. The first building was erected in 1832. Dinner to follow meeting at place to be announced Hosts: May 25, 2008 Lynnwood Art Centre 21 Lynnwood Ave, Simcoe 519-428-0540 Robert Missen and a Musical Tribute to Queen Victoria Lynnwood is a National Historic Site. Dinner to follow meeting at place to be announced Hosts: Marilyn & Mike McMillan Located about three miles from Lake Erie, the little village had become, in the early 1800's, the most active and important commercial centre between Niagara Falls and Detroit. It was not only the hub of the Long Point Settlement, but also, from 1815 to 1825 the judicial capital of the London District of Upper Canada, hosting the district courts and the Registry offices. Dinner to follow meeting at place to be announced Hosts: Pat Barker Dinner to follow meeting at place to be announced Hosts: August 17, 2008 Grace United Church 174 Caithness Street East Caledonia History and Tour of the Wesley Methodist Cemetery with discussion of the restoration project. Please meet at the cemetery at 1:30 Dinner at the church $10.00 cold plate Hosts: Lola Timson
Page 4 The Role Played By The Scots During The American Revolution by Angela Files Various European ethnic groups played important roles in the war of American independence the British desire to hold onto their 13 Colonies; the French supplying military aid and finances to the allies, the American patriots; the Germans supplying mercenary soldiers to help the British; the American patriots desiring independence from their mother country, England; the Polish supplying generals for Washington s troops; and the Spanish supplying finances for their Allies, the American Colonies. The branch of Great Britain, the kilted, bagpipe playing Scots, also contributed to either the British Tory side or the American Whig side of the revolution. In the subgroups of Scottish people, many of the Scots who moved to Northern Ireland then transplanted themselves to the 13 Colonies tended to side with the American rebels, whereas their Gaelic brothers of the Highland Regiments, these skilled fighters of the mountains, fought for the British cause. Some of the important chronological dates of Scottish history, which influence both groups are charted as follows: 1649-and 1660 except during the Commonwealth Period. 1707 Act Of The Union, united England, Wales and Scotland - military troops were also united. 1715 England put down the first Jacobobite rebellion against those who wished a return of the Stuarts. 1746 Battle Of Culloden and England won the second Jacobite Rebellion. Bonnie Prince Charles fled to the Highlands, then back to France. The English outlawed kilts and bagpipes; the restriction was removed in 1782. 1756-1763 Seven Years War and The French And Indian War Britain won control of France s North American Empire. Late 1700s to mid 1800s highland land clearances caused thousands of Scottish families to move elsewhere. The Scottish-Irish in the American Colonies and the United States and emanated from the Scottish protestants, who were transplanted to Ulster, Ireland, chiefly and during the 17 th century. By the close of the 17th century economic conditions and political and religious strife caused them to leave Ireland. Absentee English landowners demanded high rentals from these transplanted Scots. The English parliamentary regulations of 1665-1680, ruined their cattle raising industry and sheep raising was unprofitable due to the Woollen Act of 1699, which forbade the exportation of wool from Ireland. Presbyterians were not permitted to hold civil and military offices and this denied them a voice in the government. Their tax dollar had to support the Anglican Church, although they were Presbyterians in faith. With their Scottish heritage thousands of these folks transplanted themselves to the American Colonies. These Scotch- Irish from the north of Ireland, opposed the harsh English laws against them, filled in the back country from New Hampshire to the Carolinas, until there was nearly 400,000 of them at the time of the American Revolution. The defeat of the Scottish supporters of the Stuarts in 1715 and 1745, sent many Highlanders to America. Is it any wonder that some of these twice transplanted Scotch Irish supported the British Patriots instead of the British Tories in revolutionary times? During the Revolution, Princeton University played a role in the American Revolution. The Scottish Presbyterian clergymen, Rev. John Witherspoon, was one of the signers of the Declaration Of Independence (July 4, 1776) and one out of every six members of the Constitutional Convention was a Princeton graduate. James Madison (1751-1836) of the class of 1771, was the first Princetontonian to become President of the United States, the fourth president from 1809 to 1817. Princeton University was considered to be the center of revolutionary ideas. As early as the 1700 s the Scottish military fought alongside British troops in North America. The Black Watch, a highland regiment, wearing a dark tartan was established in 1688 to repress Jacobitism and was compressed of the old 42 nd and 73 rd regiments. This regiment helped in the British victory on the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Captain Simon Fraser of the old 78th, the regiment of foot (Fraser s Highlanders 1732-1759) died of wounds sustained at the Plains of Abraham. Highland regiments not only fought in the battles, but also guarded British Forts in America and helped to
Scots (cont d) Black Watch Captain organize native and colonial communities. The Black Watch was the only regiment that was not disbanded following the French and Indian wars (1756-1763), but was expanded to about 1100 men at the same time that Simon Fraser raised two battalion regiments of about 2100 men (71 st Regiment Of Foot). At the end of April 1775, the 42 nd and 31 st regiments sailed from Greenock and, Scotland to Boston, Massachusetts, which had been evacuated a month earlier. Six of the 33 transport ships were captured by the Americans; five with the 71 st and one from the 42 nd. Two hundred Scots were imprisoned in interior Virginia goals or in the Massachusetts area. In 1775, a Highland Regiment was raised in Canada. It was named the Royal Regiment and it officially became the 84 th Regiment of Foot and comprised of discharged soldiers from the French and Indian wars of 1756-1760. The first battalion stayed in Canada, while the second battalion served in the American Revolution. In 1778, the 74 th went to Halifax with the flank companies sent to the British stronghold, New York and a year later the 74 th went on to establish Fort George, Penobscot, (now Castine, Maine). Historians calculate about 7000 to 8000 soldiers were raised for the Highland Regiments sent to America and another 5500 to 6000 soldiers were sent to Gibraltar, India or Ireland. There was no Highlander presence at Lexington Concord (April 19, 1775, First Battle Of The American Revolution), Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775, first major battle of the American Revolution), and except for the capture of six transports in Massachusetts Bay that were in the hands of the patriots. In December 1778, the7th Highlanders helped the British seize Savannah and make the city the capital of the royal government and also capture the Carolinas. Highlanders were also present at the last battle of the Revolutionary War at Yorktown, Virginia, when Page 5 Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington in 1781. The shortest battle in the revolutionary war was fought 18 miles above Wilmington, North Carolina. General Donald Macdonald amassed some 1600 Scottish Highlanders and North Carolina regulars to march to Wilmington North Carolina to join British troops coming by sea from Boston and England. A rebel militia of about 1000 strong, under Colonels Alexander Lillington and Richard Caswell positioned their troops at Moore s Bridge, northwest of Wilmington. The rebels attacked the force at the bridge, but were defeated in 3 minutes. One of the rebels was killed and one was wounded and 850 Loyalist soldiers were captured; 300 in 50 guns, 100 in 50 swords, 1500 rifles, 13 wagons, medical supplies and 15,000 was seized by the rebels from the North Carolina loyalists. The Scottish Jacobite heroin, Flora Macdonald (1722-1790) was married to Officer Allan Macdonald. He was fighting for the British forces and captured during the Revolutionary War. Flora returned home alone in 1779 and was later joined on the island of Skye by her husband Flora MacDonald
Page 6 The Scots cont d 78th Fraser Highlanders Emigration from the Highlands ended the Clan system and the changing use of land from people to sheep and deer, forced people to immigrate to other parts of Britain, but also overseas, particularly to North America. Estates of Scottish lairds, which were capable of supporting the clansmen, were transformed into sheep runs or vast stretches of deer forests. The land clearances and scarcity of work embittered the highlanders and contributed to the Scottish radicalism in the 19 th century, following the American War of Independence. Do you have an idea for a meeting? Do you have a suggestion for a place to meet? Please let a member of the executive know, as we are always looking for new places and ideas. Vol. I of Loyalist Families of the Grand River Branch will be available on disk shortly. The Ontario Genealogical Society was given an opportunity to utilize a rather unique scanner, which allowed the scanning of our book quite quickly. The cost of the CD will be $20.00 plus shipping. If you would like a copy of the disk, please contact one of the Executive listed on the 2nd page. The Highland Clearances Ye remnant of the brave! Who charge when the pipes are heard: Don't think, my lads, that you fight for your own, 'Tis but for the good of the land. And when the fight is done And you come back over the foam, `Well done,' they say, `you are good and true, But we cannot give you a home. `For the land we want for the deer, And the glen the birds enjoy, And bad for the game is the smoke of the cot, And the song of the crofter's boy' -- Mackenzie MacBride Vol. II of Loyalist Families of Grand River Branch is in process and it is anticipated that we will be seeking orders for the book in the spring of 2008. Until the book is completed and ready for print we will not have a firm cost. We anticipate offering the book in hard copy, soft copy and on CD. If you would like a copy of this book and will not be attending the April 2008 meeting, please contact a member of the Executive to inquire further.
Page 7 PLANNING FOR SUMMER 2008 Saint John 225th Loyalist Conference, July 10-13, 2008 (from the New Brunswick Web Site) The New Brunswick Branch of the UELAC looks forward to celebrating in 2008 the 225th anniversary of the Landing of the Loyalists from the evacuation of military quarters and refugee camp in New York City. Although there will be many celebrations throughout the Atlantic provinces, we especially look forward to welcoming you to the UELAC conference and annual meeting. Our Conference will feature a number of unique elements. The first unique feature is the time of year, with the Conference being held in July. The Conference Centre is the Hilton Hotel, built on the site where our Loyalist ancestors landed. We will go by bus and cross the Kennebecasis River on a modern cable ferry for the closing event in the Loyalist Church built in 1789 in Kingston on the Kingston Peninsula. If anyone is interested in travelling by train to the conference, we suggest you contact VIA RAIL immediately if you wish the best rates. It appears that a senior and companion can travel by train, including a bedroom for two and meals for $1,262.00 return from Toronto or $ 973.00 from Montreal. These rates will increase sometime in November when the 2008 rates are set, and a limited number have been set aside for seniors, so act now. The train drops you off in Moncton and a bus, arranged by VIA and cost included in the rain fare, will take you to Saint John. (...Jim McKenzie, RVP Atlantic Region Beginning on 1 January 2008, the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society will celebrate the 225th anniversary of this milestone in Canadian history with A Celebration to Remember, a year-long series events that will also feature three showcase weekends in July 2008. The celebration has been designated a 2008 Signature Event by the Province of Nova Scotia and will draw an estimated 30,000 visitors from Canada and beyond. For more information about the year s events, visit the Loyalist Landing 2008 Society web site at www.loyalistsatshelburne.ca From the Celebration to Remember website One of the highlights of the three July 2008 showcase events is the Grand Re-enactment Weekend, July 17-20, 2008. There will be re-enactments of the landing, military drill and skirmishes, parades, troop and civilian encampments, 18th century sutlers ands merchants; plus dozens of school, museum and community events celebrating this proud moment in Canadian and North American history.
Out and About in Grand River and Ontario Page 8 The Cemetery Sign Project was Alive and Very Active in 2007 Marilyn Haslinger and Cathy Thompson Carol Terry, Claire Machan and Cathy Thompson Marilyn Branch Outreach to the community and education on the lives and times of Loyalist families is a vital part of the work of Grand River Branch. St. John s Woodhouse (just south of Simcoe, Ontario) If you have pictures of events, speaking engagements, projects, etc. involving members of Grand River Branch and would like to share them for posterity and the Newsletter, please send the to Sue Hines at the address on the front page of this Newsletter.
Page 9 Dear Members: Time passes, as time tends to do and with its passing comes a change in the various abilities of people and of organizations. The Executive of Grand River has noted an increase in costs related mostly we believe to insurance costs at the locations of our meetings. Certainly we understand that these costs cannot be borne by the churches, museums, etc. on their own. At the same time our collective need for easy access has become quite apparent in the past few years. Not all of the locations that we would like to meet at have access to elevating devises or even ramps, etc. for entering the building. Some too, have problems with parking, making it necessary for people to walk a greater distance than some are able to do. We have acquired a great number of items such as flags, books, display material, electronic equipment, etc. and it is not always practical for our members to be carting these items about, in part because of the size and weight and in part too because members are on occasion ill or called away to other commitments. Your Executive has been attempting to find a solution to this problem and have looked at other branches and how they have managed to meet the needs of the members, even though some branches cover a territory that is equally large. We are therefore asking each of you to take a few moments and consider the following questions. We really do want your input. If there is more than one person in the household who is a member, please have them consider the questions and fill out the form. Please return this as soon as possible to Sue Hines #12-590 Millbank Drive London, Ontario N6E 2H2. If you are sending in the membership form on the back of this page, please send both to Bill Terry. Please indicate by a tick what your preference is. Person Family Name: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1. I do not live close enough to attend meetings and therefore do not wish to comment. 2. I do not see any problems with the current setup for meetings and don t wish them to change. 3. I would like to see Grand River establish one location for meetings that would include if possible, suitable storage for our displays, equipment, etc. 4. I agree that Grand River needs to have a set place for meetings, but given the size of our branch I would support having a set meeting place with planned outreach to the other areas during the summer months of June, July and August. 5. I agree that Grand River needs to have a set place for meetings, but I would propose that we look at three geographic areas, with three meetings per year in each area. Ideally these places would include storage. I am aware of a place in our area of Grand River Branch which would be ideal for a meeting. The details are as follows: Thanks for taking time to fill this out.
Page 10 Grand River Branch United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada MEMBERSHIP FORM 2008 (membership fees are due by January 1 st. each year) Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms Address: Town/City Prov/State PC/ Zip Telephone with area code Email address Loyalists Ancestor(s) Membership Type Regular Associate Affiliate (please circle appropriate one) Fee: Single $50.00 (please remit in Canadian Funds) Family $80.00 (for 2persons or more living at the same address) (please remit in Canadian Funds) Fees After June 30th Single $32.50 Family $55.00 Fee for Branch Only $15.00 (individual must be a current member of another Branch of UELAC) Signature Date Send Completed Renewal Form & Cheque Payable to: Grand River Branch UELAC To: Mr. C. William Terry UE. Grand River Branch UELAC Membership Chair 304-4 Oak Street Simcoe, Ontario N3Y 3J3 519-428-4177 charles@kwic.com OFFICE USE ONLY RCD CHQ MBL NTG NLT TRS