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View Full Version : Genealogy, anyone? <g> - Loyalists



Peggy
09-12-2004, 12:02 PM
"Why" was apparently an issue for my own colonial ancestors and relatives, as some fought on each side. A cousin of one ancestress married a son of Benedict Arnold. (Arnold was, btw, buried at St. Mary's Battersea Church in London.)
Does anyone have information about the existence, availability, and indexing of Loyalist records? Wasn't there a commission set up to resolve claims? I'm trying to find out more about a man who is said to have received extensive land in the Bahamas from the British crown. His records on this side of the Pond, including the parish register with his baptism, have gone missing!

Geoffers
09-12-2004, 1:51 PM
Does anyone have information about the existence, availability, and indexing of Loyalist records? Wasn't there a commission set up to resolve claims? I'm trying to find out more about a man who is said to have received extensive land in the Bahamas from the British crown

You're quite right, there was a Treasury Commission and records relating to this are in TNA at Kew, London. The notes I made several years ago about their location are not very extensive and could be clearer - however, I believe that the pension and compensation lists are in T50, T79, AO12 and AO13

The claims made by Loyalists who settled in the Bahamas and West Indies are in the East Florida Claims Commission in T77

Geoffers
Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Peggy
09-12-2004, 10:20 PM
Thank you. I see Loyalist claims at T81. If I ever get over there again, I'll have enough reference numbers collected to spend a few weeks immured in TNA!

Peggy

peter nicholl
11-12-2004, 5:42 PM
Hi Peggy
You might try the Valleau Family Association website. Although they seem to be mainly on the Canadian side, they are heavily into Empire Loyalists and may be able to shed some light. However, as I'm owed a reply from some time ago, it might not do to hold your breath;) .
Peter

Peggy
11-12-2004, 6:06 PM
Thanks, Peter.

It has been some time since I checked out UEL web sites, and it would be a good idea to have another try. Most of them concentrate upon Canada, as you say. But I also have a newly-discovered relative to look for in Canada. :)

Best,

Peggy

iluvgenea
21-12-2004, 3:44 PM
I moderate a Bahamian genealogy list at Yahoogroups and may be able to assist anyone who has queries re Loyalist who went to the Bahamas.
Regards,
Yolanda Deale Rotondo

Peggy
21-12-2004, 5:45 PM
Thanks, Yolanda!

I'll e-mail you so as not to bore everyone with the details.

Peggy

peter nicholl
22-12-2004, 8:26 PM
Hi Yolanda
I'm not sure whether this fits, but as you run the Bahamian genealogy list.... I am trying to find out the origin of the name of Nicholl's Town on Andros. There was General/Colonel Nicholl associated with one of the West Indies Regiments at the end of the 18th Century and he may have come from America and/or may have had the Town named after him. Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Peter

Stephen M. Kohler
24-02-2005, 4:41 PM
Geoffers and Peggy,

LOYALIST: The On-Line Institute for advanced Loyalist Studies at maintains a wealth of information on Loyalist. The search function and research address book are extremely helpful.

HESSIAN SOLDIERS: Aging Hessian historian Mr. John Helmut Merz ([email protected]) of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, once maintained an excellent site on Hessians remaining in North America and a Roots web AMREV-HESSIANS message list. His research work and library have been moved to a library in Kentucky. However, Nelda Percival has agreed to maintain his sites.
One of these sites is a completely searchable on-line resource. You may wish to contact Nelda about the information on the Library in Kentucky - reach her at: [email protected]

/R

Stephen
Washington, DC

Peggy
25-02-2005, 12:10 AM
Thanks, Stephen. That is a good site. I've posted a query to their board. (Now I just have to remember to check back for an answer. <g>)

Regards,

Peggy

Willow Aliento
08-03-2005, 3:37 AM
G'Day Peggy,
The United Empire Loyalists mob at the Rootsweb UEL mailing list are whizzes as supplying this info. Some of them include branch presidents with lots of the indexes and military historians.

I've got three (at least) UEL ancestors (some (Stevens) were also Mohawk), so could even post a query for you if you email me what names and places you are looking into.

Other things to do is put Loyalist + ancestors' name into google and look at what comes up. The Fort Klock historic society has a lot of information up on line, which is quite detailed.

Cheers
Willow
Mummulgum Australia

Peggy
08-03-2005, 4:45 PM
Hi Willow,

Thanks. I'll send you an e-mail about a query to that list.

Google is one of my first stops for any problem, and in this case I even have a "google alert" on the man. From googling, I've learned that I'm not the only one looking for the info; there's an historical association posting the same queries. I've been in touch, and they've found nothing. Frustrating. I'd be starting to wonder if he'd ever existed if a member of Yolanda's group hadn't come up with a brief death notice from a Bahamian newspaper!

Best,

Peggy

HiFly
05-06-2006, 3:16 PM
I must give credit to where it's due, I found the UEL webisites of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island extensive and in just 24 hours managed to get about 3 generations and numerous family data on a Loyalist ancestor in my family - and until recently I didn't even know I had one - LOL!

What's more difficult I have found is tracking backwards to the respective colonies...plenty of family info on the Patriot families....but not too many connections with those who became Loyalists.

HiFly

Vera
08-12-2007, 4:24 PM
Dear Peggy,

I have spent more than ten years researching the History and origin of the Loyalists who migrated to the Bahamas after The American War of Independence. They began arriving in the Colony in 1783. The English Settlers from England
came to The Bahamas in 1650. I live in Nassau, Bahamas.

You can contact me, if you are interested.

Vera.
Author/Writer


G'Day Peggy,
The United Empire Loyalists mob at the Rootsweb UEL mailing list are whizzes as supplying this info. Some of them include branch presidents with lots of the indexes and military historians.

I've got three (at least) UEL ancestors (some (Stevens) were also Mohawk), so could even post a query for you if you email me what names and places you are looking into.

Other things to do is put Loyalist + ancestors' name into google and look at what comes up. The Fort Klock historic society has a lot of information up on line, which is quite detailed.

Cheers
Willow
Mummulgum Australia

Sara Binkley Tarpley
10-07-2008, 3:54 PM
I have discovered two Loyalists from Virginia in my husband's Tarpley family. Online information appears to be taken from their memorials, and I understand that these are preserved in England. Is there any way to obtain copies of these memorials by mail?

Geoffers
11-07-2008, 7:53 AM
I have discovered two Loyalists from Virginia in my husband's Tarpley family. Online information appears to be taken from their memorials, and I understand that these are preserved in England. Is there any way to obtain copies of these memorials by mail?

If you mean Memorial Inscriptions, why not post some details here? Name, location and other information to identify individuals. You mat find that someone on the forums lives nearby and may be able to assist.

Sara Binkley Tarpley
11-07-2008, 4:27 PM
If you mean Memorial Inscriptions, why not post some details here? Name, location and other information to identify individuals. You mat find that someone on the forums lives nearby and may be able to assist.
I believe we are talking about to different things. The memorials that I am talking about are the petitions in which Loyalists in America sought compensation for the financial losses caused by their loyality to the Crown. I understand that they often contain genealogical information. I am seeking to learn more about William Tarpley and Dr. Thomas Griffin Tarpley, originally from Virginia. Dr. Tarpley actually moved to England, married into the nobility, and spent the rest of his life there.

Geoffers
11-07-2008, 7:13 PM
The memorials that I am talking about are the petitions in which Loyalists in America sought compensation for the financial losses caused by their loyality to the Crown.

Ah, I'm with you now. Have a browse of this TNA research guide (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/rdleaflet.asp?sLeafletID=271)dealing with the civil war in America which led to independence.

I believe that the claims are held at TNA in document class T1/528-538 and I think they are mostly/all individually indexed on TNA's catalogue (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/default.asp).

If you can find a reference to a document, you can order it from TNA.