From the Colonies to Canada: Researching Your United Empire Loyalists

History Timeline Year	Event 1770	Boston Massacre April 1775	Battle of Lexington and Concord launches the American Revolution November 1775	Lord Dunmore of Virginia promises freedom to enslaved peoples July 1776	Declaration of Independence 1778	France joins the Revolution against the British 1781	British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown 1782	100,000 loyal Americans flee to Britain, Canada, and the West Indies

15,000 African Americans included

1783	Treaty of Paris – 13 American states formed, Canada remains British property 1784	The colony of Nova Scotia is split into modern Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Cape Breton June 1788	The United States Constitution is ratified 1791	The province of Quebec is separated into Upper Canada(Ontario) and Lower Canada (Quebec) Types of Loyalists First Loyalists Fled from the Colonies before the revolutionary war was over Associated Loyalists Refugees from New York in 1783, evacuated by the British to Canada Treasury Loyalists Those who fought and returned to England, received pensions Late Loyalists Went to Upper Canada (Ontario) in the 1790s, usually due to social circumstances Black Loyalists Formerly enslaved peoples who were offered freedom for fighting on the British side May later moved to Sierra Leone United Empire Loyalists

The following is specific criteria set out by the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada (UELAC). UELAC is a membership society for descendants of those who meet the following cirteria:

Male or female living in the American colonies as of 19 April 1775 AND Joined the royal standard prior to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 OR otherwise demonstrated loyalty to the crown AND settled in land still under the crown OR a soldier in an American Loyalist Regiment disbanded in Canada Records Compiled Sources Family Search Digital Library - thousands of biographies and histories related to Loyalists and their descendants FamilySearch Catalog - allows you to find books that have not been digitized but are held by the Family History Library WorldCat - composite catalog of over 10,000 global libraries, many in Canada allowing you to find Loyalist histories near you. Some locations may also do inter-library loans. British Loyalist Records "UK, American Loyalist Claims, 1776-1835," Ancestry $ - index and images Loyalists could submit claims and receive compensation for losses sustained during or after the war due to their service. Records are organized by what state your ancestor was living prior to the revolution A nominal index microfilm (not including the original records) can be found at Canadiana Heritage "Carleton Papers – Loyalists and British Soldiers, 1772-1784," Library and Archives Canada - index only Also called the British Headquarters Papers, this collection covers the evacuation efforts of Loyalists. In particular it includes the names of: Refugees leaving from New York 1776-1783 Evacuees from Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York Loyalists arriving in Port Roseway and Shelburne, Nova Scotia "Carleton Papers – Book of Negroes, 1783," Library and Archives Canada - index only While the peace treaty between Britain and the new America required all enslaved who fought for the British to be returned, about 3,000 had already departed for Nova Scotia. A detailed log of those who arrived in Canada was kept in order to repay American enslavers. Loyalist Military Records "British military and naval records (RG 8, C series)," Library and Archives Canada - images of index cards The index cards in this collection cover members of the British forces from Loyalist regiments, the War of 1812, Canadian militia, etc. War Office 28: Headquarters Records (MG 13 WO28), Library and Archives Canada - microfilm This collection contain records such as muster and pay rolls, field officer letters, and more. Only available in person at LAC, they have an online finding aid to help know what the collection contains. "Index to Loyalist Muster Rolls," The On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies Full text transcripts of muster rolls from dozens of regiments Canadian Loyalist Records "Loyalists in the Maritimes — Ward Chipman Muster Master's Office, 1777–1785," Library and Archives Canada - index and images This collection only covers Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island and includes Casualty and prison returns, land grants, muster rolls, correspondence, etc. "PEI Muster Rolls – UELAC Abegweit Branch," Island Register - index only Muster rolls for Loyalist companies disbanded on Prince Edward Island in 1784. "Record of Old Revolutionary Soldiers and Their Widows," Provincial Archives of New Brunswick - index and images In 1839 the New Brunswick government government passed an act allowing a pension of 10 pounds per year to Loyalists and their widows. The records include petitions and payment schedules. Sir Frederick Haldimand (MG21) papers - Library and Archives Canada These records are only available in person at LAC but have been digitized on Canadiana Heritage. Canadian Land Grants Ontario Land And Property "Land Petitions for Upper Canada, 1763-1865," Library and Archives Canada - index only "Petitions for land grants and leases, 1791-1867," FamilySearch - images only Quebec Land and Property "Land Petitions of Lower Canada, 1764-1841," Library and Archives Canada - index and images "Lower Canada land petitions and related records, 1637-1842," FamilySearch - images only Nova Scotia Land and Property "Nova Scotia Land Papers 1765-1800," Nova Scotia Archives - index and images "Nova Scotia Crown land grant registers, 1732-1901; indexes, 1707-1999," FamilySearch, images only New Brunswick Land and Property "Index to New Brunswick Land Grants, 1784 - 1997," Provincial Archives of New Brunswick - index only New Brunswick Crown Land Office land petitions, multiple volumes, FamilySearch - images only Prince Edward Island Land and Property PARO database includes former “PEI Petition Index, 1780-1915”