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SGC Branch Projects and Presentations

Contents

Introduction

Loyalist education has been a long-standing priority and practice for the Sir Guy Carleton Branch.

The passion and dedication of our members is reflected in the many innovative branch projects, publications and presentations that appear on this page.

Presentations

The Rev. Dr. Becket Soule

Researching Loyalist Ancestors: A Two-Part Presentation, by Rev. Dr. Becket Soule

The Rev. Dr. Becket Soule is emeritus Professor of Canon Law at Saint Paul University, Ottawa. He is currently pastor of Saint Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church in Maggie Valley, high in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina.

Becket is a prolific author in law, history, and genealogy; his latest book is Passengers of the Fortune – 1621. Becket is Deputy Governor and Elder of the Canadian Society of Mayflower Descendants, and Governor of the Speedwell (virtual) Colony of the North Carolina Mayflower Society.

One of his current projects is documenting the links between Mayflower passengers and Loyalists: his own Loyalist connections are with the Hatfields of Westchester and Dutchess Counties, NY, and Nova Scotia.

Part 1: Researching Loyalist Ancestors in U.S. Records

The topic presented by Rev. Dr. Becket for the branch Annual General Meeting held on April 22, 2023, was entitled “Researching Loyalist Ancestors: U.S. Records (Part 1).”

Synopsis: muster rolls, town records, land records, histories, and other records, can provide a great deal of information about your loyalist ancestors. This first section reviews many U.S. records and published resources that can get you started on your research.

The following information is available for this presentation:

Part 2: Finding Loyalists in Canadian and Other British Empire Records

Rev. Dr. Soule presented the second part of his presentation, “Finding Loyalists in Canadian and Other British Empire Records (Part 2),” at the branch Fall Social held on October 21, 2023.

Synopsis: An overview of the loyalist movement into Canada, to Great Britain and to the Caribbean. Canadian and international records relating to the loyalist migrations are discussed, along with a handout listing helpful resources. A more in-depth look at the Black Loyalists is also a focus piece of this talk.

The following information is available for this presentation:

There are several resources that will prove especially helpful to researchers listed under the Canadian Maritime provinces in our geographical resources index. Please note that the Public Archives of each province should be the first or second primary resource for that province. There are also many other smaller community-based resources which are available as well.

A Loyalist Primer

A Loyalist Primer was written by John Ruch in 1994 and last updated and annotated by D. Meyerhof in 2020. It is available as a PDF document: A Loyalist Primer.

This article is based on material donated to the Sir Guy Carleton Branch, UELAC by John Ruch's wife, Elizabeth Ruch. The donated images appear to have been the basis of a presentation. The original date of the presentation has been inferred from dates on the images. There were no speaking notes accompanying them.

The images themselves contain, in a condensed and easily understood form, an overview of Loyalist history, records containing pertinent information, and a summary of Loyalist settlement in parts of Canada.

Branch Bicentennial Project

The Branch undertook a Bicentennial Project in 1984 to mark the bicentennial of the end of the Revolutionary War. The goal was to index the British Headquarters Papers, New York 1774-1783 (the Carleton Papers) under “The King’s Names Project.”

It was chaired by John Ruch (then Branch President, 1984), who worked hard to obtain support and funding for student assistance from many sources such as government departments, universities and other UELAC Branches. When funding wasn't available, Branch members coordinated by Jaye Jarvis and Ivan Mitchell stepped in to complete the task of data extraction and preparation of index cards.

Edward and Elizabeth Kipp and George Anderson provided valuable technical assistance in creating a computer database and Edward prepared the final compact disks (CDs).

The project took 14 years to complete with the first CDs produced in 1998. The index is a database of 54,567 records related to Loyalist soldiers, civilian refugees (white and black), and many British and German soldiers who were on Manhattan Island or the adjacent mainland areas dominated by the British during the American Revolution.

It is invaluable for Black History as it contains names of Loyalist soldiers, and freed or enslaved civilian refugees previously scattered throughout the documents. It also includes “Carleton's Book of Negroes,” a register of 2,831 refugees of colour.

A CD and booklet of the combined indexes (Carleton's Loyalist Index: A Select Index to Names of Loyalists and their Associates Contained in the British Headquarters Papers, New York City 1774-1783, The Carleton Papers and Carleton's Book of Negroes) can be found in the SGC Branch library.

These indexes are also available online. Please refer to the subheadings below in order to access the respective databases.

This information can also be found in a different format on the Library and Archives Canada website.

Carleton's Loyalist Index (The King's Names Project)

Carleton's Loyalist Index: A Select Index to Names of Loyalists and their Associates Contained in the British Headquarters Papers, New York City 1774-1783, The Carleton Papers.

Also known as “The King's Names Project”, this page provides a history and working database that provides an index of the British Headquarters Papers, New York 1774-1783 (the Carleton Papers).

Carleton's Book of Negroes

Carleton's Book of Negroes is invaluable for Black History because it contains many names of individuals, previously scattered throughout the documents: loyalist soldiers, and freed or enslaved civilian refugees.

The index also includes the so-called "Book of Negroes" which is a register of refugees of colour giving references to 2,831 people many of whom went to Nova Scotia. There is extensive information about them such as their names, sex, health, distinguishing marks, status (free or slave), origins, names of their white associates, and the ships used to carry them.

Tours and Brock University

Eleven historical bus tours to the Mohawk and Hudson Valleys, NY were organized by branch members Edward and Elizabeth Kipp, and George and Janet Anderson in the 1980s and 1990s. Participants came from across Canada and the United States.

These tours to various sites important to Loyalist history in Ontario and the United States were popular and very successful. Proceeds were used to support several education initiatives. A portion was given to Friends of the Loyalist Collection at Brock University to purchase microfilm copies of Land Petitions.

It is estimated that approximately five thousand refugees choosing to remain loyal to the British Crown settled in Niagara at the conclusion of the American Revolution in 1783. This collection provides an insight into their history as they developed this region, province and country.

You can access the Loyalist collection at Brock University online.

A click on any call number listed on the web page will take you to that item in the Brock University Library Catalogue.

Tour items

The following items written by George Anderson can be found in the SGC Branch library:

The following items written by Ed and Elizabeth Kipp, and George and Janet Anderson can be found in the SGC Branch library:

Index to the McNiff Maps

A project called "Index to the McNiff Maps" was researched and compiled by Edward Kipp and George Anderson into a CD, published in 2007, along with their notes (booklet form).

The maps, also known as "The Loyalist Maps", were surveyed by Patrick McNiff in 1786 and covered the Townships of Lancaster, Charlottenburgh, Cornwall, Osnabruck, Williamsburgh and Matilda.

A CD and booklet can be found in the SGC Branch library.

These indexes are also available online at the St. Lawrence Branch website.

Member Books/Publications

Edward Kipp

The following items written by Ed Kipp can be found in the SGC Branch library:

Norman Kenneth Crowder

Norm Crowder was the author of genealogical source books and publications. The items marked with a dagger (†) can be found in the SGC Branch library.

Norm also collaborated and published with other authors:

Branch Collaboration with the Ottawa Board of Education

Secondary School Level Loyalist Studies Program

Education has been a long-standing priority for the Sir Guy Carleton Branch. In 1977, in collaboration with the Ottawa Board of Education, a secondary school level Loyalist Studies Program was developed.

Members spoke to Grade XIII history class students about the richness of Loyalist contributions and cultural heritage. In 1977, in collaboration with the Ottawa Board of Education, a secondary school level Loyalist Studies Program was developed. Members spoke to Grade XIII history class students about the richness of Loyalist contributions and cultural heritage.