FInding a Loyalist Ancestor

 
Have you discovered you have a Loyalist ancestor? A Loyalist is any person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt). During the American Revolution in what was to become the United States of America, a Loyalist (also called UEL - United Empire Loyalist) was anyone who remained loyal to the King of England. They were called Tories in their own country but Loyalists elsewhere. Most fled to Canada and helped settle that country, particularly Ontario and Nova Scotia

Guide to Finding a Loyalist Ancestor in Upper Canada (Ontario) is available in paperback or as an e-book on Amazon.com and on Amazon.ca

Here are some Loyalist resources to help you in your hunt: 

• Haldimand, Sir Frederick : The Haldimand Papers - his papers and correspondence from 1758-1784.
• United Empire Loyalist Lists [NA RG 1, L7 vol 52a] on C-2222 from the Ontario Archives
• District Loyalist Rolls - transcript on MS803 at the Ontario Archives
• Early Ontario Settlers
• The Old UEL List
• Burning of the Valleys : Daring Raids from Canada... by Gavin Watt
• Reid, W.D.:The Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons & Daughters of the American Loyalists
• New York, U.S., Sales of Loyalist Land, 1762-1830
• Upper Canada Land Petitions and Land Boards 1793-1826
• Land Boards 1765-1804 [NA RG 1, L3 and RG1, E1] or indexes on C-10810 to C10836 on microfilm at the Ontario Archives or NAC.
• Upper Canada Land Books
• Loyalist Claims and Conversion List [NA MG14] 1790-1837 - Audit Office 12 and 13 compensation claims for land and goods lost during the American Revolution - 178 reels of microfilm
• Fryer, Mary Beacock: King's Men: the soldier founders of Ontario
• Watt, Gavin: The King's Royal Regiment of New York
• Watt, Gavin: Rebellion in the Mohawk Valley: The St. Leger Expedition of 1777
• Research Guide To Loyalist Ancestors: : A Directory To Archives, Manuscripts, Published and Electronic Sources (Updated and Revised) by Paul J. Bunnell
• Fraser, J.: Looking For A Loyalist, in Families, Vol. 23, #1, 1984
• Allen, Robert S.: Loyalist Literature
• A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in Canada. Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, Index, Vol. 82, 1972
• A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in the United States, Canada and Great Britain ed by Gregory Palmer
• The Mohawk Valley in the Revolution: Committee of Safety Papers..... ed by Maryly B. Penrose 

More resources can be found at http://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/loy/

L is For Loyalist Ancestors

Olive Tree Genealogy is continuing a new Alphabet Genealogy series of blog posts. I'm not following the usual way of going A-Z surnames. Instead I will create a one word "tag". Then I will share an ancestor (mine, my husband's, an inlaw's or one of my children's) who fits the tag

Today's letter is L for Loyalists.

A Loyalist is any person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt). During the American Revolution in what was to become the United States of America, a Loyalist (also called UEL - United Empire Loyalist) was anyone who remained loyal to the King of England. They were called Tories in their own country but Loyalists elsewhere. Most fled to Canada and helped settle that country, particularly Ontario and Nova Scotia

I have 3 Loyalist ancestors - Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick, his son Cornelis Vollick and Jacob Larroway, the father-in-law of Cornelis Vollick. All of them fought in Butler's Rangers and settled in the Niagara area of what is now Ontario.

If anyone else is a descendant of Isaac the Loyalist, or his sons Cornelis Vollick and Storm Follick, I wrote a 3 volume set of books on this family for genealogists.


 From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: V.1 The Loyalist Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick and his Vollick & Follick Children by Lorine McGinnis Schulze


Available on Amazon.com or Amazon.ca or e-book version V. 1 From Van Valkenburg to Vollick

 





I've also written a guide for researchers who are seeking a Loyalist ancestor in Ontario. 


 

Guide to Finding a Loyalist Ancestor in Upper Canada (Ontario) is available in paperback or as an e-book on Amazon.com and on Amazon.ca
 

Jonas Larroway Loyalist

Jonas Larroway 1792 Land Certificate

Jonas Larroway, United Empire Loyalist, born 1731 Schoharie Co. New York, was descended from the LeRoy dit Audy family who settled in New France (now Quebec) from France in 1668. The LeRoy surname underwent great changes, becoming LeRoy dit Audy or Ody in New France, and Laraway or LeRoy in the United States.

Simeon LeRoy dit Audy was born in Creances Normandy. Simeon settled first in the fief or seigneurie of St.-Joseph or L'espinay, Charlesbourg, near the Charles River which belonged to the Hebert- Couillard de L'espinay family in Quebec, Canada in 1668


Jonas Larroway was my 5th great-grandfather and he married in 1754 in Schoharie NY, Elizabeth (Betsy) Muller, daughter of Johannes Nicholas Muller and Maria Dorothea Wuest, a Palatine line.

Jonas fought in Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution and settled at Niagara, Ontario in 1783.

Continue reading at https://www.olivetreegenealogy.com/loy/surnames/larroway.shtml

Finding a Loyalist Ancestor

A Loyalist is any person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt). During the American Revolution in what was to become the United States of America, a Loyalist (also called UEL - United Empire Loyalist) was anyone who remained loyal to the King of England. They were called Tories in their own country but Loyalists elsewhere. Most fled to Canada and helped settle that country, particularly Ontario and Nova Scotia.


Guide to Finding a Loyalist Ancestor in Upper Canada (Ontario) is available in paperback or as an e-book on Amazon.com and on Amazon.ca
Other Loyalist genealogy records you will want to consult are Loyalist Muster Rolls for Butler's Rangers; Sir John Johnston's [Johnstone's] Brigade; King's Royal Regiment of New York (KRRNY); Men From the Turloch Militia who Joined KRRNY or Butler's Rangers; 1778 List of Men From Pennsylvania who joined the British Army & British Regiments who served in North America during the French and Indian Wars.

To find Loyalist ancestors, start with Loyalist History. This will help you understand what a Loyalist was, who they were, what Military Loyalist Regiments for British and Loyalist troops during the American Revolution, and where they settled. Butler's Rangers, mustered by Col. John Butler in New York and consisting of Mohawk Indians and men from New York is one of the Regiments featured. 

You can also read about other Loyalist families:

Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick Loyalist from New York with Butler's Rangers in Niagara 

Jonas Larroway Loyalist from New York with Butler's Rangers in Niagara 

Shainholdts- A Loyalist in Butler's Rangers 

Elisha Wilcox (Willcox, Willcocks) Sr Loyalist from New England with Butler's Rangers in Niagara, and his children Asa Wilcox, Hezekiah Wilcox, Elisha Wilcox Jr, Sarah Wilcox Emmons, James Wilcox, also his son's father in law Gasper Brown 

Meme: Immigrant Ancestor Jonas Larroway, a Loyalist

1797 Certification of Jonas Larroway's Service in Butler's Rangers

There is a lot of discussion about immigration in America right now. Tempers have flared, and different groups hold various strong opinions. There is also Brexit, where immigration was a large focus of the recent vote which resulted in the U.K. leaving the E.U.

I've been following this for several months and it occurs to me that those of us in Canada, America, and Australia have immigrant ancestors. Have you researched yours? Do you know who they were, why they came to your country and when? Do you know how they fared once settled in their new land? Were they welcomed? Were they shunned? Was their discrimination based on their religion or ethnic origin? These are all questions that are important, and interesting to discover. With that in mind, I'm the dedicating Saturdays (as many as needed) as the day to join me in discussing your immigrant ancestors.

You will be able to read any you are interested in by using the keyword Immigrant Ancestors. I'm going to share each week what I know of my immigrant ancestors to North America (whether that is USA or Canada)

Jonas Larroway, United Empire Loyalist, born 1731 Schoharie Co. New York, was descended from the LeRoy dit Audy family who settled in New France (now Quebec) from France in 1668. His great-grandfather, Simeon LeRoy dit Audy was born in Creances Normandy. Simeon settled first in Quebec, Canada in October 1668 where he married a Filles du Roi named Claude (Blandina) Deschalets, an orphan who was sent to New France with her two sisters to be married to a suitable French settler.

The LeRoy surname underwent great changes, becoming LeRoy dit Audy or Ody in New France, and Laraway or LeRoy in the United States. Jonas was my 5th great-grandfather and he married in 1754 in Schoharie New York, Elizabeth (Betsy) Muller, daughter of Johannes Nicholas Muller and Maria Dorothea Wuest, a Palatine line.

Jonas fought in Butler's Rangers during the American Revolution and settled at Niagara, Ontario in 1783.

Jonas, along with other Loyalists, suffered greatly for what he believed in. He had to flee his home in New York to remain loyal to the King of England. 

Another Van Valkenburg to Vollick Book Available!

I'm pretty happy to announce that V. 2 of my series on the Van Valkenburg aka Vollick family is now available. It was a long time in the making but what a great feeling to be able to share my research and tell the family's stories to other descendants.

Cornelius Vollick, son of Isaac Van Valkenburg aka Vollick, left New York during the American Revolution. Eventually the family arrived in the wilderness of Upper Canada in 1782 as impoverished Loyalists. They settled in the Niagara area with other disbanded soldiers from Butler's Rangers. There Cornelius met and married Eve Larroway the daughter of another Loyalist who fought with Butler's Rangers. With their 9 children Cornelius and Eve carved a life in this new land. Descendants will find documents, photographs, newspaper clippings and information about Cornelius and Eve and their children and grandchildren in this 110 page Family history book. 

The book From Van Valkenburg to Vollick: V. 2 Cornelius Vollick and his Follick and Vollick Descendants to 3 Generations is available on Createspace  and on  Amazon.com

Sadly I have no control over when it might appear on Amazon for Canadians but both companies above ship to Canada. For descendants eagerly waiting for Volume 3 - the story of Storm Follick and his descendants -- it's coming soon! 

Book of Negroes (Black Loyalists) Episode 1 Recap

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, aired last night. I thought it was very good - powerful and compelling, quite distressing at times, but a story that needs to be told.  It was upsetting to watch as Aminata, a young girl from Africa as her parents were killed and she was abducted by slave traders. At the end of Episode 1 she was in America and being sold at a slave auction.

From the CBC website: Eventually, [Aminata] registers her name in the Book of Negroes, the British ledger of 3,000 Black Loyalists who declared their allegiance to the King and were allowed to leave America for Nova Scotia – and what they believed was the promised land. She lives her final years in England.

The $10-million miniseries premiered on CBC Television on Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. (9:30 in Newfoundland) and continues on consecutive Wednesdays; in February, it will air in the United States on BET (Black Entertainment Television).

It is also available as  The Book of Negroes on Amazon

The Book of Negroes, the Story of Black Loyalists, Airs as a Mini-Series January 7, 2015

The Book of Negroes by Lawrence Hill, has been made into  a TV Mini-Series, set to air January 7th. According to CBC:

The Book of Negroes chronicles the dramatic journey and life of Aminata Diallo, a young West African girl, abducted from her village and sold into slavery in America. Eventually, she registers her name in the Book of Negroes, the British ledger of 3,000 Black Loyalists who declared their allegiance to the King and were allowed to leave America for Nova Scotia – and what they believed was the promised land. She lives her final years in England.

The $10-million miniseries premieres on CBC Television on Jan. 7 at 9 p.m. (9:30 in Newfoundland) and continues on consecutive Wednesdays; in February, it will air in the United States on BET (Black Entertainment Television).

Hill, 57, who co-wrote the screenplay, says it is “very profoundly a Canadian story, but a very unknown Canadian story. It’s a Canadian story that has not been dramatized before … the story of the Black Loyalists."

 Also available as  The Book of Negroes on Amazon

Got Canadian Ancestors? Check out Canadian Military Records Online

Got Canadian Military Ancestors?

For those seeking military ancestors in Canada, Ancestry.com has some really great (and obscure!) records that I bet not many genealogists are aware of. I recently found some great information on a few of my ancestors in thees databases. The one that thrilled me the most was a record for my 3rd great grandfather John Greenlees. I found him recorded as 

Name: John Greenless Age: 23
Birth Date: abt 1782 Birth Place: Fermanagh [Ireland]
Military Date: 7 May 1805 Unit: 54th Foot Soldiers
The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Class Number: WO 25; Class Title: 54 Foot; Piece Number: 420; Piece Title: 54 Foot.
Source Information: Ancestry.com. Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. 

This record gave his height, hair and eye colour and more! Here is the complete list of Canadian (and British) military records on Ancestry.com for those who may want to give them a quick look.

	Canada, Soldiers of the First World War, 1914-1918	Military	598,682
	Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900	Military	467,838
	UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Registers of Soldiers Who Served in Canada, 1743-1882	Military	375,748
	Canada, Military Honours and Awards Citation Cards, 1900-1961	Military	68,047
	Canada, Nominal Rolls and Paylists for the Volunteer Militia, 1857-1922	Military	1,609,017
	Canada, War Graves Registers (Circumstances of Casualty), 1914-1948	Military	71,052
	Canada, CEF Commonwealth War Graves Registers, 1914-1919	Military	56,567
	Canada, British Army and Canadian Militia Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, 1795-1850	Military	752,886
	Canada, Loyalist Claims, 1776-1835	Military	24,789
	Canada, Militia and Defence Forces Lists, 1832, 1863-1939	Military	79,630
	Canada, Ledgers of CEF Officers Transferring to Royal Flying Corps, 1915-1919	Military	1,210
	The Loyalists in Ontario	Stories, Memories & Histories	418
	Canada, South African War Land Grants, 1908-1910	Military	7,143
	Canada, British Navy Ship Muster Rolls and Pay Lists, 1757-1836	Military	176,551
	United Empire Loyalists, Parts I-II	Stories, Memories & Histories	22,456
	Canada, British Army Regimental Rolls of Non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers, 1806-1892	Military	30,396
	Canada, Registers of Prisoners of War, 1803-1815	Military	56,505
	Old United Empire Loyalists List	Immigration & Travel	6,353
	Canada, Selected Service Records of Soldiers, 1914-1918	Military	102
	Canada, Selected Service Records of War Dead, 1939-1945	Military	100
	Canada, Pension Applications For Widows and Family of British Military Officers, 1776-1881	Military	843

Verifying a Loyalist Ancestor

Sandy asked "Looking for anyone related to Peter Wyckoff (1765-1797) who married Catherine Plato (1769-1856). Her second marriage was to John Clendenning (1760-). Want to prove Loyalist ties for these two. Their son Peter (1794-1881) married Abigail Gilbert (1790-1834) daughter of Isaac Gilbert UE (1742-1822)."

My answer:

 There are 8 results for John Clendenning (and variant spellings) in the Upper Canada Land Petitions online database. 

To find out how to use the index information to find and view the actual petition(s) online, see Searching Ontario Canada Land Records, eh? 

You will also want to obtain the petition for Catherine Clendennan to see if it is Catherine Plato.

There are many Loyalist resources but you will want to start your search with these.

10 Ways to Find a Loyalist Ancestor

Petition of Harcor Lyons Loyalist
Source Upper Canada Land Petitions

What is a Loyalist?

A Loyalist is any person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt). During the American Revolution in what was to become the United States of America, a Loyalist (also called UEL - United Empire Loyalist) was anyone who remained loyal to the King of England. They were called Tories in their own country but Loyalists elsewhere. Most fled to Canada and helped settle that country, particularly Ontario and Nova Scotia

One of the best genealogy resources to find Loyalist ancestors in Ontario are the Upper Canada Land Petitions. Find out how the OIC (Orders in Council) for Loyalists can help you in your search

Tips for Finding a Loyalist Ancestor

1.Check the index to Upper Canada Land Petitions (UCLP) The land petitions often contain invaluable genealogical information including children's or father's names, spouse's names, places of origin, reports of the hardships they endured as Loyalists, Loyalist unit served in, and sometimes ages. The UCLP is available online as a searchable database 

For help finding the actual certificates and petitions in the online films, see Searching Ontario Canada Land Records, eh? and Understanding Notations on the Envelope of an Upper Canada Land Petition
 
2. Check Land Books 1793-1826

For Upper Canada Land Books see Finding an Ancestor in the Challenging Upper Canada Land Books This is a step by step tutorial showing researchers how to use the index entries and details to find the Land Book entry online. 

3. Check Loyalist Claims and Conversion List [NA MG14] 1790-1837 - Audit Office 12 and 13 compensation cliams for land and goods lost during the American Revolution - 178 reels of microfilm. Not all Loyalists filed claims. Many did and if your ancestor is among those who did, you won't want to overlook this. 

4. Search the Heir & Devisee Commission records.

 5. Search the Upper Canada Sundries. For help see 12 Months of Finding Ancestors: Upper Canada Sundries (Part 3 of a 12 Part Series) 

6. Check Reid, W.D. Loyalists in Ontario: The Sons and Daughters of the American Loyalists of Upper Canada 

7. Check the The Old United Empire Loyalists List - available in book form; and as microfilm -- United Empire Loyalist Lists [NA RG 1, L7 Vol 52a] on C-2222 from the Ontario Archives 

8. Check District Loyalist Rolls - transcript on MS803 at the Ontario Archives. Update: Brenda Dougall Merriman informs me that these were published: District Loyalist Rolls transcribed by Keith Fitzgerald (AO, MS 803)were published as his *Ontario People: 1796-1803* by the Ontario Genealogical Society. Brenda did a series on Loyalists and wrote the book called UEL: Finding Your Loyalist Ancestors in Upper Canada.

9. Check United Empire Loyalist Lists [NA RG 1, L7 vol 52a] on C-2222 from the Ontario Archives but be aware that no one list is complete! There were several versions of the lists drawn up and not finding an ancestor's name does not mean he was not a Loyalist.

10. An often overlooked source of information is The Haldimand Papers - papers and correspondence of Haldimand, Sir Frederick from 1758-1784. Available as 115 reels of microfilm from the NAC or as selected records on 50 reels of microfilm from the Ontario Archives. Muster rolls can be found on the H.P. in the National Archives of Canada as MG 21 These Loyalist volumes, and the nominal index to them, are available on microfilm reel C-1475. Avaiable on ILL (InterLibraryLoan)

An index to Niagara area Loyalists and their Land Certificates

Image 160 Index of names H 1140

Canadiana.Org has digitized 21 films of the Heir & Devisee Commission Papers (Heir & Devisee Commission papers 1797-1854, found in their Heritage Collection), and that's a good thing for genealogists. These records have valuable and informative genealogical documents.

But as mentioned in a previous blog post I wrote called Heir & Devisee Commission 1797-1854 on Canadiana.org - Listing Errors and a Workaround, the index and description of what is in each film, as provided on Canadiana.org,  is incorrect.

I have been slowly going through each film and noting the correct contents in detail. I have begun to publish my full set of corrections for the digitized records on Olive Tree Genealogy website at Heir & Devisee Commission 

Image 174 Jonas Larroway Certificate

While scrolling through  microfilm H 1140 in order to correct Canadiana.org's flawed content description, I came across a set of Land Certificates and other documents from individuals living in what was called Nassau District. Nassau District was known by this name until 1792 and consisted of western Lake Ontario and Niagara areas. Most, if not all, of the men listed were Loyalists. In fact my 5th great grandfather Jonas Larroway is on this list and his Land Certificate is found on images 174 and 175. 

Since the Heir & Devisee Commision records have not been indexed I decided to take the time to copy the names and provide the image number of each claim and the name of the individual. This means that if you spot a name of interest you can go directly to the film (HD 1140) and then directly to the image number for your ancestor. 

I will also be publishing an index to 150 claims by individuals living in the Home District (In 1792 Nassau District was renamed Home District). See History of Ontario  and Districts of Upper Canada in 1846 for a list of the original Districts and information on name and boundary changes.

H 1140 Volume 41 Land Location Certificates 

Image 159 TITLE: Nassau District  land certificates #1-15 1790–1792

Image 160 Index of Claimant names:

• Bradt, Aaron 1790
• Brown, Joseph 1791
• Butler Sheehan, Walter 1790
• Clench lieut. Rolfe 1792
• Cunningham, Archibald 1792
• Fanning, John 1791
• Fisher, William 1792
• Haslip, James 1791
• Larraway, Jonas 1792
• Lottridge Capt. Robert 1792
• Lutes, Sampson 1790
• Murray, Lieutenant Duncan 1791
• Palmer, Joseph 1791
• Petri, Joseph 1791
• Reynolds, Lieutenant Caleb 1792
• Robison, James 1790
• Ropp, Andrew 1833

Actual certificates and receipts. Image Numbers and Claimant Names

• Image 161 Aaron Bradt certificate
• Image 162-163 Joseph Brown certificate
• Image 164 Walter Butler Sheehan certificate
• Image 165-167 lieut. Rolfe clench certificate
• Image 168-169 John Henry Chrysler, Aaron Young, Philip Young
• Image 170-171 John Fanning certificate
• Image 172–173 James Haslip certificate
• Image 174-175 Jonas Laraway certificate
• Image 176-179 Capt. Robert Lottridge certificate
• Image 180-182 Sampson Lutes certificate
• Image 183-184 lieut. Duncan Murray certificate
• Image 185-187 Joseph Palmer certificate
• Image 188-189 Joseph Petri certificate
• Image 190-195 lieut. Caleb Reynolds certificate
• Image 196-198 Archibald Cunningham certificate
• Image 199 William Fisher certificate
• Image 200 James Robison certificate
• Image 201-209 Joseph Robison certificate
• Image 210-211 Andrew Ropp, Jacob Erb 1833

For Olive Tree Genealogy's list of corrected volumes please see Heir & Devisee Commission

52 Ancestors: It's All in the Name

1837 document from Storm starting he is known as
both Vollick and Follick in his neighbourhood

My 5th great-grandfather Isaac Vollick, born 1732 in Schoharie, New York, was a United Empire Loyalist who came to Upper Canada from the United States during the American Revolution. He was the illegitimate son and only child of Isaac VanValkenburg and Maria Bradt.

It is through Isaac the Loyalist that Follick and Vollick descendants claim their Mohawk heritage. Isaac's great-great-grandmother was Ots-Toch a half French, half Mohawk woman who married Cornelis Van Slyke a Dutchman who settled in Albany New York in 1627

Although no record of a marriage has been found for Isaac and Maria, their son Isaac used his father's surname until 1782. During his years as a private in Butler's Rangers, Isaac's surname changed from Van Valkenburg, meaning in Dutch, 'from the castle of the falcons' (van=from; valken=falcons; burgh=castle), to Valk or Valck which means 'falcon'. It appears that Valk was his nickname and on being recorded by English clerks, a vowel was inserted between the final 'l' and 'k' making the surname Valic or Volick. Over the years, the surname was written as Vollick, Volic, Valic, Valck, Valk, Volk and Follick (the German/Dutch accent making a 'v' sound like 'f' to English ears).

My line, descended from his son Cornelius, took the Vollick surname. His son Storm used the Follick surname. In the next generation some Follick descendants used Vollick while some Vollick descendants used Follick.  It makes it interesting trying to research all branches of this family!

More Loyalist Petitions - an example

We have talked about Loyalist Petitions for land and the UCLP in other blog posts. There can be many bits and pieces of affidavits, letters, etc in a Loyalist petition for land. These are all important to the genealogy researcher. But one part of any petition which is often overlooked by researchers is the outside flap or envelope of the entire bundle.

The outside envelope holds important clues and details. It will tell you whether or not the individual's petition was granted. It will give the size of the grant if one was awarded. It may hold other details. When searching in the Upper Canada Land Petitions (UCLP) don't overlook all the pages including the outside flap.

Here is a good example - the outside envelope of the petition for land of Sarah Follick (Vollick) We learn several things from this outside envelope - first that she was the daughter of Jacob DeCow (DeCou), secondly that she was recommended for 200 acres of land. This was a normal size grant of land to a child of a Loyalist. So we know that her married name is Follick (Vollick) and that she was the daughter of a Loyalist (DUE).

If Sarah was an ancestor now we would hunt for her father's Loyalist petitions, using the clues that his name was Jacob DeCow (DeCue and variants)

The petitions themselves which are inside the bundle reveal more about Sarah and her husband John Vollick but I'll save that for another blog post.

Upper Canada Land Petition for a Loyalist Ancestor

The Americans called them "Tories" or "Traitors". The British referred to them as "Loyalists". They were the men and women who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution (Revolutionary War) They may have been individuals living in the Colonies (now USA) who fled to Canada and fought on the British side. They may have been British soldiers. You have just found out that you have one in your family tree. How do you find more about your Loyalist ancestor?

I begin with the Upper Canada Land Petitions (UCLP). Each Loyalist could claim free land as a Loyalist (UE). Every child of a Loyalist could claim land as a DUE (Daughter of a Loyalist) or SUE (Son of a Loyalist). Thus Loyalists and their families began filing petitions for their rightful land claims.

Petitions can hold a wealth of genealogical information (military service, description of hardships, immigration year, letters from friends attesting to petitioner's loyalty, origin of petitioner, etc) OR they can contain very little. Only by finding every petition for every family member will you be happy that you have not overlooked a clue. For example one family member might give info that another does not.

The affidavit on the left is part of a large bundle of letters, affidavits, and petitions from my Loyalist ancestor Isaac Vollick which he submitted in 1797. Each bundle is given a number, in this case "27". Then each page in that specific bundle is assigned a letter. The affidavit is 27K indicating that A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J preceeded it. You can see that this set of papers for Isaac probably contains a great deal of interesting information.

This specific piece of his petition in 1797 states

I do hereby certify that Isaac Volek [sic] served in Butler's Rangers from the year 1778 to the end of the War. That his wife and family suffered much during his absence [xxx] were sent prisoners a considerable distance from home.

Newark March 30th 1797 [signed] J. Ball, JP

Isaac Volck's [sic] wife came to Niagara in the year 1782.

J. Ball

You can see that I have learned a great deal from this one piece of paper among many - that Isaac was in Butler's Rangers from 1778 on. That his family were imprisoned and then exiled. That his wife (and probably children) arrived in Niagara in 1782. There was much more information in this set of papers and I will talk about that in other blog posts. One letter went into great detail of Isaac's family's hardships. Today I just want to demonstrate how important the UCLP are in your research.

Step One is to consult the UCLP Index (Upper Canada Land Petition Index) for all instances of your family. Copy each entry in the index exactly as found. Then use the Finding Aid for the UCLP Index to convert the info for each entry to a correct microfilm number for the full petition(s) for land.

The UCLP index is available on InterLibrary Loan but you will have to ask your local library or FHC for details (or consult the online FHC catalogue).