Loyalist Trails UELAC Newsletter, 2018 Archive

In this issue:
- UELAC Conference 2018
- The Montreal Claimants of 1788, by Stephen Davidson
- UELAC's First Virtual Branch, "UE Loyalists Bridge Annex," Launches June 9
- 4 Weeks to Go! Loyalist Scholarship -- Celebrate Twenty
- American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference, June 7-10
- Atlantic Loyalist Connections: Justices of the Peace in Loyalist Saint John
- Borealia: Taking the Longer View – Environmental History as Early Modern History
- JAR: Demise of the Albemarle Barracks: A Report to the Quartermaster General
- The Junto: Do Objects Lie? A New Video for Teaching About Material Evidence
- Ben Franklin's World: The Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798
- Loyalist Enoch Towner
- Nelles Manor Victory Ball Celebration
- Where in the World?
- Region and Branch Bits
- From the Twittersphere and Beyond
- Last Post: Nancy Elizabeth McDonald, UE

UELAC Conference 2018

Conference 2018: "Loyalist Ties Under Living Skies"

June 7-10, 2018

Temple Garden Hotel and Spa, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan

Information and registration.

The Montreal Claimants of 1788

© Stephen Davidson, UE

During the February of 1788, a minimum of 149 loyalists and 121 witnesses travelled to Montreal to appear before the Royal Commission on the Losses and Services of American Loyalists (RCLSAL) during its 22 days of hearings in Montreal. While a complete record of all the compensation hearings is not possible due to the loss of some commission records, we can at least recount the stories of those who appear in the surviving transcripts.

On Thursday, February 28, the last ten petitioners of the month stood before the compensation board's commissioners. The stories of Robert Brisbane, Garton DeWitt, Nathan Parks and Dunham/Duncan Patet have been examined in past issues of Loyalist Trails. However, the stories of the six remaining loyalists have yet to have their moment in the sun.

Thirteen years earlier, Peter Plass (sic) and his family lived on a 100-acre farm in Bushton Hill, Albany County, New York. A shoemaker as well as a farmer, Plass refused to join the local rebel militia and often had to avoid arrest and imprisonment by hiding in the woods. Feeling confident of a British victory, Plass joined General Burgoyne's army as it marched south along the Hudson River. When the patriot forces defeated the British army at the Battle of Saratoga, the Albany County loyalist fled to Canada where he served in Major Leake's and Major Jessup's Corps. Following the peace in 1783, Pless and his family settled near the former refugee settlement of Sorel between Quebec City and Montreal.

William Russell came to New York as a German immigrant, settling in Tryon County. Over time, he acquired horses, cattle, sheep and hogs as well as a furnished home and barn. But with the outbreak of the revolution, his situation was summed up in just four words: "all lost to him". With others from Sir John Johnson's land, Russell found sanctuary in Canada in 1776. There he became a soldier in Johnson's regiment and then finally – not surprisingly – settled in New Johnstown.

Jonas Wood was American born, a farmer on the Delaware River in New York's Ulster County. In the words of his transcript, "He had built by himself a House with a Barn & Stable – burnt & destroyed by the rebels." Among his losses were 30 sheep, 9 horses, 12 hogs, a loom and a full crop stored away in his barn.

Wood's character witness, Nathan Parks, testified that his friend imprisoned for his loyalty "for a great while". One of the reasons patriots tossed Wood in jail was that he assisted British scouts. Later, Wood was put on trial in Esopus, New York for murder. Before the rebel jury pronounced its verdict, Wood had escaped prison and fled to Canada "after being four weeks in distress in the woods". Although Wood himself did not serve in any loyalist regiments, his four sons did. The family settled in New Johnstown following the peace.

Another settler from New Johnstown also appeared before the RCLSAL that Thursday. James Lynch, like Jonas Wood, was American born and had spent a great deal of time behind bars. The commissioners' marginal note in Lynch's transcript that read "Appears to have suffered much in gaol" was quickly verified by his testimony. The loyalist from Fort Hunter, New York revealed that "He was in gaol for his Loyalty. He had been under arms with Sir John Johnson in 1775 & was taken Prisoner in 1776 & kept 12 months in gaol in different forts." Once he was set free, Lynch joined the Royal Regiment of New York;, concluding his service to the crown at Couteau De Lac in 1783.

A third New Johnstown settler to petition the RCLSAL, John Dixon, had immigrated from Britain to Palmerston, New York in 1774. Frustrated with the "bad ground", Dixon relocated to Kayaderosseras Creek just as the revolution erupted. The patriots knew that the Englishman was "always loyal"; soldiers in the Continental Army drove off his livestock. Local rebels confiscated his house, land, furniture and farming utensils. Dixon joined the British army under General Carleton with Major Jessup and 97 other men and served throughout the war. By 1783, the loyal Englishman was "on duty in the engineering department" in the refugee camp at Yamachiche (near modern day Trois Rivieres).

John Gibson immigrated to Charlotte County, New York from Ireland in 1764. Within eleven year's time, all of his farm, "a snug house" and his livestock "were taken from him by the rebels". Gibson's character witness, Samuel Adams, testified that his friend "came into General Burgoyne's Camp & joined Witness' company. He carried arms & was intended as a Guide. He was of use in carrying despatches. Neither himself nor Company received pay. He was afterwards in the Engineer's depart. He served frequently as Guide & was of Considerable use."

Gibson was also a carpenter in the "king's works". His skills no doubt were in high demand when he settled with other loyalists in Caldwell's Manor (Clarenceville, Quebec).

As the sun set on the hearings of the Royal Commission on the Losses and Services of American Loyalists on that last day of February in 1788, one cannot help but wonder how the commissioners processed the testimonies of more than 150 loyalists. Were they overwhelmed by the persecution that loyal Americans had endured? Were they staggered by all of the losses of homes, furniture, farms, livestock, and property? Did the commissioners become inured by all of the stories of violence – or did they become more compassionate with each tale of loss?

While we do not have the answers to these questions from Mr. Jeremy Pemberton and Colonel Thomas Dundas, the commissioners who heard loyalist testimonies in Montreal in 1788, we do know the impact that the refugee stories had on Coke and Wilmot, the two commissioners for the RCLSAL's hearings in England.

Daniel Parker Coke spoke to the British House of Commons about his experience: "When he entered upon the execution of his duty as a Commissioner to investigate the cases of these unfortunate sufferers, he was far from having a predilection in their favour; but that in the course of his inquiries, he had discovered such merit and sufferings, and such fidelity and attachment to the Government that he now entertained the warmest sentiments in their favour."

John Eardley Wilmot testified that "he had received such proofs of fidelity and attachment and sufferings and distress as in his opinion justly entitled {the loyalists} to every mark of favour and attention which the government could confer."

But such sympathy failed to open up the government's treasury, and those who sought compensation (just four per cent of the total number of loyalist refugees) only received a third of what they had requested. No doubt, those who petitioned for compensation in Montreal during the February of 1788 returned to their homes deeply disappointed.

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

UELAC's First Virtual Branch, "UE Loyalists Bridge Annex," Launches June 9

With the slogan: "A virtual place where real people meet," the board of UELAC's newest and first virtual branch is excited to announce they will have their official launch in an online event that will bridge international borders, generations, technology and tradition. Beginning at 8:00 am and throughout the day on Saturday, June 9th, UE Loyalists Bridge Annex board members will begin the day with a video message followed by live feeds, video clips and photo postings on their social media accounts. Two members will be attending the UELAC Conference in Moose Jaw, SK, while the other three members will be at the American Revolution Conference in the Mohawk Valley in Johnstown, New York, where they will be sharing their Loyalist knowledge with others. All will share with their online community the highlights of each of these conferences, as well as the sights of the regions, the festivities and fun.

The names of the board members will be familiar to many:

• Jennifer DeBruin, UE, President, is also an active UELAC member currently holding the positions of Central East Regional Councillor, Public Relations Chair, Genealogical Processes Chair and is a member of St. Lawrence Branch. An historical researcher, author, and presenter, Jennifer sees this new branch as an opportunity to provide an additional way for others to connect with Loyalist history, of which is proud to be descended from.

• David Hill-Morrison, UE, Vice-President and Webmaster, is well known to many, and in additional to this new role he is UELAC Central West Regional Councillor and a member of the Grand River Branch. A proud descendant of Joseph Thayendanegea Brant, David will drive the expanding our historical narrative by focus on acknowledging, respecting and celebrating the key Aboriginal support for the Original United Empire Loyalists. A member of three nations, Canada, the United States, and Haudenosaunee (Iroquois), David can help this new branch create bridges to new understanding and individuals.

• Patricia Groom, UE, Treasurer and Secretary, a champion of Loyalist history, she is often encouraging others to become involved. Her management skills and enthusiastic support of creating new ways for connecting people to Loyalist history have ensured this new and innovative branch is poised for success. Patricia currently serves as President of the Toronto Branch, UELAC Central West Vice-President, Promotions Chair, and Public Relations committee member.

• Amanda Fasken, UE, Public Relations, is a key player in the historical community, and among her many activities, she is a re-enactor in several units spanning the American Revolution, War of 1812, and the US Civil War. In addition, she serves on historical boards for Fairfield-Gutzeit Society (Bath ON), and The Friends of Crysler's Farm Battlefield (Morrisburg ON), and is a UELAC Public Relations committee member, Loyalist Gazette Designer, webmaster and member of the Kingston Branch, and a member of St. Lawrence Branch.

• Charlene Widrick, UE, Genealogist, is the first person to hold her primary membership in the UE Loyalists Bridge Annex. Having recently received her first two certificates of descent through UELAC, Charlene has long been involved in researching her own family history. In addition to discovering her descent from the United Empire Loyalists of the Mohawk Valley, NY, who settled in the Cornwall, Ontario area, she has learned in recent years that her grandfather was a British Home Child (BHC), a history he never shared. Charlene is active in preserving her proud history through her membership in several historical societies, and as dual citizen of Canada and the United States, is an ambassador for bridging two nations, our shared history, and our collaboration going forward.

More about the Board can be found on their website at www.uelac.org/UELBridgeAnnex

The choice of the term Annex, rather than branch, was born out of the philosophy of creating a virtual meeting place where discussion and collaboration would be at the forefront of learning, sharing and promoting the legacy of the United Empire Loyalists. While this branch will host no physical meetings or regular events, they do plan on creating a robust online community that will result in the creation of virtual and physical events, collaborative projects, and support education. Having recently attained their incorporation through the Ontario Historical Society (OHS), UE Loyalists Bridge Annex is also in the process of applying for charitable status in order to support their mission to create unique and dynamic educational opportunities.

Excerpt from UE Loyalists Bridge Annex website:

More engaging than an online forum, this Branch offers unique opportunities for members to determine how and when they would like to experience the UELAC.

Through the use of online technologies, we'll be offering a variety of services aimed at assisting, informing, educating and entertaining members on the shared interest of acknowledging, celebrating and perpetuating the sacrifices of our Loyalist ancestors.

Together, we'll bridge gaps that sometimes prevent members from participating and sharing their contributions through conventional Branch memberships.

Due to the trans-border nature of the internet world, we're excited to open the UELAC up to new communities and Nations which may have not been offered as accommodating invitation as they should have been.

Moreover, we hope to stimulate interest in Loyalist history and heritage among those who perhaps have never considered how intricately bound their own history and heritage is with respect to the Loyalist experience.

More than simply a 'British Canadian thing', the Loyalist history includes all walks of life along with undeniably diverse national and ethnic backgrounds. Of particular note, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy played a critically vital part in defending and aiding their Loyalist friends and neighbours.

In time for the official launch will be a new online membership management system which will allow members to join UE Loyalists Bridge Annex as their primary or secondary branch, and they will be able to pay online, e-transfer or through traditional methods (cheque/money order). The website will continue to evolve and will come to include exclusive member features in the near future.

Join the UE Loyalists Bridge Annex Official Launch online on Facebook at BridgeAnnex.

All are welcome! Read the printed announcement (PDF format).

4 Weeks to Go! Loyalist Scholarship -- Celebrate Twenty

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napoleon Hill

We are in the home stretch now. To date we have raised $3,418.00 out of a $10,000 goal.

The UELAC 'Celebrate Twenty' project in support of the Scholarship Endowment Fund is 4 weeks away from its end date of July 1, 2018.

So what's happening?

To date we have raised $3,418.00. Nine UELAC branches have already given or pledged donations of $200.00 and more. Included in that total are a number of individual donations. This week we are sending a big thank you and tip of the 'broad cocked hat' from east to west –

Abegweit Branch, Nova Scotia Branch, New Brunswick Branch, Kawartha Branch, Governor Simcoe Branch, Assiniboine Branch, Saskatchewan Branch, Vancouver Branch.

Good things are on the horizon

Back in 2007, a young student by the name of Timothy Compeau was awarded the UELAC Loyalist Scholarship. Today Tim Compeau, (PhD) professor of History at the University of Western Ontario, is an active member of our scholarship committee. Recently he invited UELAC to explore an opportunity to partner with Huron University College in undergraduate research projects. We are interested! This is just one example of the long-term value of our scholarship program. By casting a pebble into the pond, we can watch the ripples spread. The continued success of UELAC depends on building nurturing relationships like these with a common goal of preserving and promoting Loyalist history.

You'd like to help?

With four weeks to go we are one third of the way to reaching our goal. In 2017 we raised $9,045.00. Can we do it again? Never say never. Remember, your donation today supports the future of Loyalist research and the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada.

See how to donate and follow our progress on the 2018 Scholarship Challenge. A twenty-dollar ($20) individual donation puts your name on our list of generous donors. Or perhaps you'd like to add a zero and make it $200, or $2000! We are more than happy to receive your gift of any combination of twenty. Please mark your donations 'Scholarship Endowment Fund.'

Thank you for your continued support.

...Bonnie Schepers, UE, Scholarship Chair

American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference, June 7-10

Jennifer DeBruin UE who writes to bring history to life will be among speakers at Fort Plain Museum's Conference. While Jennifer DeBruin used to enjoy burying herself in genealogy research, there was always a little something missing.

"I was doing so much of it, but I suddenly realized there just wasn't enough historical context to it," she said. "You couldn't get a sense of what the people were actually going through. There wasn't any meat on the bones."

Nearly two decades later, DeBruin, a native of Cornwall, Ontario and now a resident of Smiths Falls, has three books of historical fiction on her resume and is an expert on the American Revolution, particularly when you look at it from the British side. She is among the long list of impressive speakers who will be delivering presentations during the Fort Plain Museum's American Revolution Mohawk Valley Conference next weekend at Fulton-Montgomery Community College.

DeBruin is one of many Canadians coming to the conference, and like her, many of them are members of the United Empire Loyalists, a group "dedicated to enriching the lives of Canadians through knowledge of their past." Generally, members are descended from people who lived in the 13 American colonies at the time of the Revolution, remained loyal to the crown and eventually headed north to Canada.

DeBruin is one of those people whose ancestors were living in the Mohawk Valley at the outbreak of the war. Read more.

Atlantic Loyalist Connections: Justices of the Peace in Loyalist Saint John

by Cora Jackson, 30 May 2018

Even in modern-day towns and cities, there are hierarchies of power: sometimes, the power runs within a certain family who dominates the area; other times, it's through an organization; and sometimes, the power comes through governmental magistracies. In 18th century loyalist Saint John, the latter was most often the case. Constables, parish officers, clerks – any kind of governmental position in the loyalist city came with a semblance of power. Yet one of the dominant authorities in the entire country of Saint John were those responsible with the local enforcement of judicial and administrative standards: the Justices of the Peace.

Justices of the Peace – or JPs as they are referred to contemporarily – have a long history, dating back as far as the 12th century. They originated during the reign of King Richard I of England as knights commissioned with ensuring the law and keeping the peace. During the Tudor Period (1485-1603) these justices became a truly essential element of the English government. JPs would conduct small-town courts, try minor criminal cases, and local law infractions; all in all, they would cut back on the number of judicial cases that would make it to the nation's higher law courts and became an important cog in the English governmental and judicial system. The JPs had become a common magistracy in England by the 18th century, and were likewise adopted in British colonies, including those in North America.

New Brunswick was established as a colony of Great Britain in 1784, partitioned from Nova Scotia due to the massive influx of fleeing American Loyalists to the area following the American Revolutionary War. Officially the territory of Great Britain, then, it is only natural that the new colony adopted the same form of local judicial and administrative system as their governing nation. Justices of the Peace quickly took over the day-to-day management of the different counties, and loyalist Saint John was no different.

Read more.

Borealia: Taking the Longer View – Environmental History as Early Modern History

By Claire Campbell 1 June 2018

Welcome to our series on the environmental history of the early modern period! When I started teaching at Bucknell, and they didn't know what to do with a Canadian/ist, they asked me to teach a class on the French and Indian War. With my interest in Washington extending only to Christopher Jackson's portrayal of the guy, I deflected that into a course on environmental history in the eighteenth century ... and, unexpectedly, fell in love with the period as environmental history. As the course matured through questions of territory, energy, climate, land tenure, urban design, and so on, I have been repeatedlystruck by how relevant the period is to understanding the world around me. (Of course, even that is presentist.) Scratch the surface of Halifax, or rural Pennsylvania, and it's right there. So why don't more environmental historians move back from the industrial age? How do our early modern colleagues feel about the state of affairs and the state of nature?

Read more.

JAR: Demise of the Albemarle Barracks: A Report to the Quartermaster General

by William W. Reynolds 31 May 2018

The British army that Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to the American army at Saratoga, New York on October 17, 1777, was first marched to Cambridge, Massachusetts and lodged in barracks. The British component was relocated to Rutland, Massachusetts in 1778, while the German component remained in Cambridge. For several reasons, including concern that a British raid would liberate these prisoners, the Continental Congress decided in the fall of 1778 to move the Convention Army (as it was called after its mode of surrender) to a location farther from the coast and selected Charlottesville, Virginia. That army marched from Massachusetts on November 9 thru 11, 1778 and arrived at Charlottesville in January 1779, to find an unfinished set of barracks awaiting them.

The Continental Congress decided on Charlottesville on October 16, 1778 and instructed the Board of War to contract for building "temporary log barracks" near the town and completing them by December 15.

Read more.

Washington's Quill:

Read more.

The Junto: Do Objects Lie? A New Video for Teaching About Material Evidence

By Carla Cevasco 31 May 2018

Is material culture as inherently untrustworthy? I was once at a conference roundtable where one attendee claimed that "Material culture is so elitist, just rich people's stuff in museums." Fortunately, a historical archaeologist in the room begged to differ, arguing that archaeology offered a rich record of people who did not necessarily leave written sources behind. When I recently required my students to analyze both a material and a textual source, they concluded that material sources were inherently more difficult to work with than their written counterparts. "Once I describe the object, there's nothing left to say about it," one student complained.

I've been hearing variations of this argument my entire academic life. As a scholar who both studies and teaches with material culture, I find this reasoning both fascinating and frustrating.

Read more, with a short video.

Ben Franklin's World: The Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798

Terri Halperin, an instructor at the University of Richmond and author of The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798: Testing the Constitution, helps us explore the Alien and Sedition Acts and their origins.

During our conversation, Terri reveals information about the political climate in and around the United States during the 1790s; The beliefs of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties and why there was such animosity between them; And, details about the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 and the debates they sparked.

Listen to the podcast.

Loyalist Enoch Towner

Enoch Towner was a United Empire Loyalist from Connecticut who served in the British army during the American Revolution with DeLancey's Regiment (see the 1784 Muster Roll of Discharged Soldiers) and afterwards came to Digby, Nova Scotia. He became a Baptist Minister and for 30 years travelled throughout Digby County holding services and opening churches. He formed the first Baptist congregation in the County at Sissiboo, now Weymouth, Nova Scotia in 1797. His experiences are described in "The Life and Times of Enoch Towner. Found in the 200th Anniversary Celebrations for Riverside (Formerly Sissiboo) United Baptist Church" handout, Sunday October 17, 1999. a copy of which is in the Atlantic Baptist Archives at Acadia University.

I located his gravestone at Riverside Baptist Church at Fort Point, near Weymouth, Nova Scotia along with those of other Loyalists, including Hankinsons and McConnells. The Church was established in 1799 by United Empire Loyalist settlers to the area.

On a recent visit to the grave of Reverend Enoch Towner at Riverside Baptist Church I made this short video.

...Brian McConnell UE

Nelles Manor Victory Ball Celebration

A Victory Ball Celebration at Nelles Manor, Grimsby ON on Sunday, June 10th, 2018 from 1:30 - 4:00 will celebrate the 200th anniversary of a belated ball to celebrate the end of the War of 1812. Period music and refreshments. Lincoln and Welland Regiment. Joseph Brant. Tours. Funds to support Nelles manor as a privately-owned volunteer-run museum. Tickets $25 by emailing info@nellesmanor.ca, by leaving a message at 289-235-7755, or at the Grimsby Museum next door. See more background and details.

...Jessica Linzel, Museum Manager

Where in the World?

Where is Col. Edward Jessup Branch member Barb Law?

Once again the cupboard is bare. Don't let 'WitW' go dark!

To participate, submit a photo of yourself in UELAC promotional gear at a place of some note and tell us where it is (if you are a member of a branch, please indicate that as well). Send your submission to the editor at loyalist.trails@uelac.org.

Region and Branch Bits

From the UELAC branches, news and events of interest to others.

• On May 12, Port Alberni resident Rory Rickwood formally received a Loyalist Certificate from the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada (UELAC) after he was able to demonstrate that he is a direct descendant of a United Empire Loyalist of the American Revolution, Ezekiel Younglove. Younglove was one of the King's Loyal Americans who served in the Loyalist regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, during the American Revolution between 1775 and 1784. Read more....
• Toronto and Gov. Simcoe Branches will jointly celebrate Loyalist Day in Ontario, Tues 19 June, at Queen's Park by the guest flag pole with a service in the afternoon, gathering at 1:00, service 2:00-2:30 and refreshments following.

From the Twittersphere and Beyond

• Oath of allegiance? New York State Commissioners for Conspiracies letter to George Clinton, 1778, transmitted a list of persons who refused to take the oath as prescribed in the act passed by the legislature.
• A Scandalous Sketch of Benjamin Franklin with a Lady, c1768. Wednesday, May 30, 2018 It's easy to think of America's Founders only through the images that are left of them, the stoic and often-idealized portraits painted by John Singleton Copley, Gilbert Stuart, and Charles Willson Peale. These sketches of Benjamin Franklin (1705-1790) - a writer, inventor, diplomat, printer, Freemason, scientist, and true polymath as well as a Founder - will probably bump those textbook images of him with his kite and printing press right out of your head.
• Today in History: Lars D.H. Hedbor @LarsDHHedbor (see his page for associated photos):
  • 2 Jun 1774 Parliament punishes Colonies for Tea Party by completing "Coercive Acts," spurring widening revolt.
  • 1 Jun 1779 Benedict Arnold's court-martial begins, embittering him & turning him toward treason against Colonies.
  • 31 May 1776 Mecklenburg County, NC issues "Mecklenburg Resolves," suspending British authority in North-Carolina.
  • 30 May 1778 British forces from Philadelphia fail in plan to entrap Marquis de Lafayette at Battle of Barren Hill.
  • 29 May 1780 British Col. Tarleton has surrendering rebels shot at Waxhaws, SC, cementing a reputation for brutality.
  • 28 May 1754 Col. George Washington accidentally starts French & Indian War, as captive dies during interrogation.
  • 27 May 1776 Representatives of the Haudenosaunee Confederation appear before Congress, discuss concerns.
• Townsends
  • Stinging Nettle Pie. "
  • Anatomy of a Flintlock with Tim Williams
• Her Majesty The Queen posed before a picture of her Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather King George III
• Gown: Lush, deep green brocaded silk w/ polychrome florals & metallic thread, c1740. Looks like a summer day in the forest.
• From an 18th Century dress, sleeve detail embroidered & trimmed with floral details, British c1760's
• Detail of 18th Century dress bodice, 1750-70
• Some rather splendid American evening boots, 1760-80, from the collection of the Met.
• 18th Century men's silk striped court coat, French, c1780's
• 18th Century Men's "Incroyable" Ensemble, French, 1790's
• 18th Century men's court suit, French, 1780-85
• English pockets, c1735-45; cotton & linen; block printed @WinterthurMuse 1969.3102 What is in your pocket? Importance of small things. Women's movable property which crosses socio-economic lines in Britain & America

Last Post: Nancy Elizabeth McDonald, UE

June 29, 1946 – May 29, 2018

Nancy passed away peacefully surrounded by her family. She suffered a catastrophic brain stroke and put up a strong fight with the support of her family in Huntsville, Muskoka. We were all reaching for a miracle but ultimately it was not meant to be. Survived by her lifelong soulmate and loving husband, George. They met in grade seven and never looked back. Proud mother to Stephen (Nicole), Scott (Ashley) and 'Grann' to Riley and Tripp. Born in Etobicoke, ON, graduate of the University of Toronto in Anthropology, she taught us that everything always circles back to cavemen.

As an inspirational teacher, Nancy transformed the lives of countless students over four decades. Nancy had a force of life that filled the universe with love and purpose. In her retirement, which took five attempts, Nancy and George began living out their dream on a farm in Muskoka surrounded by barn cats, cows, crows, hummingbirds, bears and butterflies.

At Nancy's request, her gifts of life will be donated to other fortunate recipients. Even in death, Nancy will be extending life to others in need.

Visitation will be Sunday, June 3rd from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Turner & Porter Butler Chapel, 4933 Dundas St W, Etobicoke. A private Funeral Service for family will be held at St. George's on the Hill, land donated by Nancy's ancestors who were founding fathers of Upper Canada. A celebration of life memorial will take place at a later date, soon to be announced. We are all grateful for the lessons Nancy taught us and, in that knowledge and compassion her legacy will last into eternity.

Nancy proved her descent from James Macauley and received her certificate as a member in 1989 of Governor Simcoe Branch.

...Mette Griffin