UE Loyalist History

The Loyalist connection of the Admiral Digby Museum  in Digby. Nova Scotia is clear.  It was named after Admiral Sir Robert Digby, appointed in 1781 the British Commander - in - Chief of the North American Station of the Royal Navy in New York. He oversaw in 1783 the evacuation of 1,330 Loyalist refugees from New York at the end of the American Revolution to settle the place in Nova Scotia that named itself after him. Admiral Digby Museum   The Admiral Digby Museum has items and artifacts on display as well as an archives for research purposes. When earlier this month I was elected President of the Admiral Digby Library & Historical Society which operates the Admiral Digby Museum, I decided to learn more about the history of the property and if there were other Loyalist connections to the building and the property on which it sits. On an Plan of Survey of the Town of Digby in 1785, lots of land are marked and the names of the occupiers. It indicates that Charles Coulb...

On 23 September 1779, an important naval engagement took place off the north Yorkshire coast of England near  Flamborough Head . It demonstrated that conflict between the Americans and the British during the American Revolution was not limited to North America.  I was reminded of this while visiting nearby Scarborough in Yorkshire this week.                                                              Flamborough Head Flamborough Head is a dramatic eight mile promonotary extending into the North Sea. A convoy of 40 merchant ships carrying supplies, protected by two British Royal Navy ships, was attacked off here by four ships commanded by John Paul Jones, often referred to as the Father of the American Navy .  The convoy escaped into Scarborough Harbor, where it was safe under the cannons of Scarborough Castle . Scarbo...

What role did Edinburgh, Scotland play during the years associated with the American Revolution (1775 - 1783)? While visiting the city this week, I have been considering that question.  Along the Royal Mile, the historic street running between Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse, are impressive statues to Adam Smith (1723 - 1790) and David Hume ( 1711 - 1776). Adam Smith   These two residents of Edinburgh, through popular publication, expressed views that supported the independence of the colonies in North America.  In 1776, The Wealth of Nations , authored by economist Adam Smith, challenged traditional political and economic systems influencing American Revolutionary thought. David Hume   David Hume is renowned as one of the greatest philosophers of the English language and remembered for his radical empiricism and skepticism. He was good friends with Smith.  During the American Revolution, Edinburgh Castle was used as a detention centre wher...

Sometimes an interest in history and genealogy can inspire people to look beyond their own family experience to learn and share information about others.  This happened with Brian Nash who produced podcasts and YouTube videos with How We Got Here Genealogy.   It began as a hobby that he did on his time off from full time work and became a business.  I met him in 2021 when he contacted me to ask for an interview about my recently published book entitled  The   Loyalists of Digby. In subsequent years we spoke several times. He did other interviews including one on my book The United Empire Loyalists & You which was his first in a new series called Genealogy Happy Hour. Brian Nash interview Brian had a friendly and endearing manner that made him easy to like.   We became good friends.  Sadly,  Brian passed away on May 5, 2026 at the age of 55 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. Below is a short video which I have prepared from some o...

We all begin our journey of research into United Empire Loyalists for a reason at some time. For me it began with a story my mom told me of how some of her ancestors had to come to Canada at the time of the American Revolution for refusing to join the rebels. This led me to start searching and found a group about United Empire Loyalists on Rootsweb. In the 1990s Rootsweb was the world's largest free genealogy group on the internet but has gone the way of the buffalo to near extinction.  United Empire Loyalist List My first contribution to the Loyalist Gazette, published by the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada (UELAC), was a notice in the Fall 1999 issue that I had established a United Empire Loyalists' Mailing List on Rootsweb to share information and help with genealogy .  I began to do research on my Loyalist connections.  I determined I was a descendant of  James Humphrey who had served as a Private with the Loyal Rangers. When I joined the UELAC i...

This year I have been asked to speak at the annual dinner of the Monarchist League in Halifax,  Nova Scotia on 4 June 2026 and will be making a presentation on United Empire Loyalists and the monarchy.  It has encouraged me to remember one of my own experiences and review some of the history. In 2018 I was asked by John Yogis, Secretary of the Halifax Branch of the Monarchist League of Canada, to attend the official opening of the Queen Elizabeth II Walkway in the Public Gardens at Halifax, Nova Scotia.  John was a friend and professor of mine  when I attended  Dalhousie University Law School.  He knew of my United Empire Loyalist ancestry.  As well he had seen me dressed as a re-enactor  and asked me to be sure I wore a red Loyalist jacket.  At the event, on 9 September 2018, I appeared in the uniform of a Private in the 84th Regiment of Foot and was pleased to meet the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, ON...

The oldest official viceregal house in Canada was commissioned by a Loyalist, Sir John Wentworth.    Government House , located on Barrington Street, in Halifax, Nova Scotia was built between 1799 and 1805 and has served as the official residence of Lieutenant Governors for over 200 years. Government House, Halifax, NS.  Sir John Wentworth  (1737 - 1820) was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and was the British colonial Governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. Due to the concern for safety he was forced to flee and in 1778 sailed to England. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in 1792 and served in that role until 1808. The  Wentworth Valley  in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia and several other locations within the province were named for him. On his death he was buried in the crypt underneath St. Paul's Church in Halifax.  A son of a United Empire Loyalist in Nova Scotia who became Lieutenant Governor was  ...