The sun., 1906-02-18
rtNtDa'S LOl.iLIST SETTLERS.
side Lights on the American Revolution
Shr,i ID, NN Oh Manuscript.

TonoSro. Feb. 49, The Government OF
Ontario has served hist DRY well in putting
IN type the long neglected manuscript
,.cord Of the evidence given before the
British commissioners. Col. Thomas Dundas
and Mr.. Jeremy Pemberton, by American
Ioynli.ts who asked to be Unidentified for
ns,rs incurred through adhering To the
Rri,isb cause in the Revolution. The two
volumes which contain this evidence form
the Second Report Of the Bureau of Ar
,hlyes for the Province Of Ontario, Printed
and Published by l.. X. Cameron. Printer
70 the Kings Most Excellent Majesty,
Toronto 1903
Tho story Of the manuscript itself is
interesting The original folos containing
the notes of the proceedings and testimony
taken before the two commissioners were
retaiued by Col. Thomas Dundas at his
home. Carron Hall, Strlngshire n atranscrpt
having been placed in the Public Records
Oaice at London. In 1880 Gen. Sir Henry
lefrov married granddaughter OF Col.
Dundas. and while staying at Carron Hall
in ls8, he saw the manuscript. Gen. Le-
frov's former wife was descendant of the
noted Ioyast Col. Beverley Robinson,
whose name occurs frequently in the record.
and the General had spent some time in
Canada on a mission from the British Gov
ernment to organize magnetic survey.
He was interested, therefore, in having the
manuscript preserved, and advised that it
he sent to the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington which had issued circular
rontng ont the advantage of accommodating
all manuscript material relating TO the
history Of America.
The papers remained in the Smi, hsonian
Institution for several years, until an act OF
Congress was passed transferring all manu-
scripts in he possession Of the Snit hsonian
Institution to he care of the Congressional
Librarian. Or. James Rain of the Toronto
Public Library heard If tho existence of
these pa pers and at his own expense sent
10 Washington to have them copied, the
provincial aui horities subsequently under
taking and completing he task. The pages
had become through damp and decay,
very frail and difficult to read. and Mr.
CannT IIaight. who did the copying. de-
serves credit for the painstaking industry
and fidelity with which he has reproduced
the original with its queer authorizations,
it's erratic spelling and it's amazing distor-
tion Of we'll known American names
The commissioners took down in their
own handwriting the statements Of claim
ants and witnesses. occasionally noting on
the margin Of folio their personal opinions
Of the evidence no doubt for future refer
ence These comments. which are in some
instances quite pungent. at other times
pathetic in their suggestiNeneSs, are omitted
from the transcript in the Public Records
Office in London. but are given fully in the
present publication.
The migration of the Toyalists to Canada
began from New York as early as l774, and
continued throughout the Revolution and
until 1850, six years after the peace treaty
had been signed between the United States
and Great Britain. IT is believed that two
thousand Loyalists crossed the Atlantic to
Great Britain from IT'S to l7s5. hut many
Of these afterward went to Canada. The
chief exodus was in 1888, when the British
we're preparing to evacuate New York city.
TO which J.oyalsts had f1ocked during the
war from all parts. north and south. On
April 20 OF that year feet of twenty ves-
sells started with 1000 refugees for Nova
Scotia, landing them at their destination
on May is. The Loyalists who settled in
Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, New Brunswick
and Prince Edward Island probably num-
bered 35. 900. of whom about 10000 went
directly from New York, although the
original abodes Of many Of these had been
in other States.
By 1891 the English speaking population
in Lower Canada had grown to bout 20 600,
due very largely to the influx of Loyalists.
In Upper Canada 10000 Loyalists arrived
in 1883 alone; the next year the population
had doubled and by 1901 it was estimated
a, ?5,coO. The general policy Of the authori-
ties was to receive all Loyalists with open
arms, help the needy and encourage and
assist them to become sef-supporting,
Gov. Parr of Nova Scotia recommended
that ca ch family receive 500 acres Of land,
every sin gle man 800 acres. and that 200
acres be set aside for a church, and ! 600
acres for school in each tow nship. There
was but little uniformity. however, in the
size Of the grants. BY August 10. 1884,
?0I2o persons had obtained grants in Nova
Scotia and lands were given to L0yalists
As late as 1902. Provisions, clothing, build
ing materials tools, boats. tents, farming
implements grain and seeds were also sup
plied to the refugees in Upper and Lower
Canada, as we'll az Nova Scotia. In Upper
Canada, now Ontario, province which
owes its origin to American Loyalists
$500 900 acres were given to those who
settled there before 1857.
The British Parliament was urged by the
King to treat the Loyalists with "a due and
generous attention. and in July, 7ss the
Parliament appointed commission OF
five members to ascertain the losses and
services for which compensation should be
awarded. The commission met IN London
on March 25 1884. Claims to the number
OF 2.Ues were presented, amounting to
A7.?5OOOO By April, 17ss. the commission
ers in London had examined $50 claims,
on which they allowed 50 ;44s, GOO: 1t soon
became evident that to do justice to the
Loyalists. commissioners must be sent to
Canada, and in l7s5 Col. Dundas and Mr.
Pemberton were intrusted with the task
of going to that country and hearing the
claimants who we're unable to present their
evidence in England. Mr., Pemterton was
abarrister of Lincoln's Inn and Col. Dundas
was, "a his title indicates, military man.
These two commissioners had the same
bowers as the board sitting in London.
Their work began on November II, 1885,
and continued until 1880 Evidence was
taken at Halifax, st. John, Quebec and
Montreal. and six reports were made show
ing that .4Ol claims were heard, and that
s3t were. for various reasons. not heard
The claimants were from every one OF the
80 tka mi. I,If man r -