Abraham Van Buskirk has been called the first Mayor of Shelburne, Nova Scotia, in the 1780s when, with the arrival of thousands of United Empire Loyalists, it became the third largest community in North America. His ancestors came from the Netherlands to settle in New York when the Dutch called it New Amsterdam. The oldest house in New York is the Van Cortlandt House Museum which was built in 1748 by Frederick Van Cortlandt, grandson of Oloff Stevense Van Cortlandt, who arrived from the Netherlands in 1637, twelve years after the Dutch established the settlement of New Amsterdam on the tip of Manhattan Island in 1625. The British changed the name to New York in 1664 when they seized control of the colony.
Some of the Dutch Loyalists who arrived in Shelburne, like the Van Nordens, moved to nearby Tusket to settle. Van Norden Road is a reminder of them. So, as well, is the impressive monument to the United Empire Loyalists in Tusket, which I visited four years ago and took photos.
Tusket Monument to United Empire
Loyalists
Abraham Van Buskirk was a doctor before the American Revolution who served as an officer with the New Jersey Volunteers, as did his son Jacob, who also settled at Shelburne. He became a successful merchant and was elected to the House of Assembly for Nova Scotia from 1805 to 1818. Some Van Buskirks also settled in Annapolis County and were buried in the St. Mary's Anglican Church Cemetery at Auburn where can be viewed the headstone of Henry Van Buskirk and his wife Isabella (Donkin) Van Buskirk.
Other Dutch Loyalists were among the United Empire Loyalists who settled on the Annapolis Basin in Nova Scotia. Douwe Ditmars donated the land for the first church at Clementsport. At the anniversary service each year in August, a Dutch hymn is sung in remembrance, and the flag of the Netherlands hangs on a wall inside Old St. Edward's Church.
Old St. Edward's Church
In the cemetery adjacent to Old St. Edward's Church are the graves with headstones of the settlers who were United Empire Loyalists of Dutch ancestry.
The Loyalist Directory serves as a key resource for genealogists and history enthusiasts to research ancestors who remained loyal to the British Crown and settled in Canada after the American Revolutionary War. It is a growing online database maintained by the UELAC. It is built from submissions and historical research. There are over 7000 entries. I regularly refer to it to assist with my research. First Page of Loyalist Directory You begin by entering a name you wish to find. After I proved my ancestor James Humphrey, I submitted his information to the Loyalist Directory. When his name is entered in the search field it appears. J ames Humphrey in Loyalist Directory Some of the names in the database include links to copies of the Application for a Certificate of Loyalist Descent. These commonly include birth, death, and marriage dates for them and their families and basic biographical details like places of residence and service in...
My ancestor James Humphrey who served with Jessup's Rangers during the American Revolution was granted land after the conflict to settle in Edwardsburgh Township. There is a monument to him and other United Empire Loyalists at Johnstown , within the township, which I visited as appears in a YouTube video near the bottom of this page. Other Rangers received lands in Augusta , Elizabethtown , and Ernestown Townships. These were four of the initial thirteen Loyalist Townships created in Upper Canada, now Ontario. The Loyalist townships in Ontario The original Loyalist townships created in Ontario for Loyalists were established beside the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The first survey marker was placed on 27 October 1783. Eight of the townships were along the upper St. Lawrence River and five along the Bay of Quinte. They were given names associated with King George III and his children. Together wit...
Greetings! My 5th great grandfather was James Humphrey, UE, a Private in Jessup's Rangers during the American Revolution who afterward settled with his family near Johnstown, Ontario. I am an historian who has authored seven books and over forty articles about United Empire Loyalists. As well I volunteer with the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada . Monument to James Humphrey at Johnstown Here I share some of what I have learned relating to the history of the United Empire (UE) Loyalists in the hope it is useful to others and encourages their interest . I begin with an interactive map that I prepared. It includes details with links to images and videos about places, people, and events. " ...
