THOMAS PETERS DESCENDANT

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Some may be of the mistaken belief that the United Empire Loyalists' Association is only open to  membership by descendants of white United Empire Loyalists.

As we are in Black History Month in Canada, I am sharing this photo of David Peters and myself.  We were both attending a Christmas celebration in Saint John, New Brunswick of the New Brunswick Branch of the United Empire Loyalists' Association (UELAC) in December 2019.    He, as a member of that Branch and I from Nova Scotia, were both elected to serve on the Dominion Council of the UELAC  earlier that year. David had as his 7th great grandfather Thomas Peters,  prominent Black Loyalist.  

David Peters & Me

Thomas Peters was born in Nigeria sometime around 1738, captured by slave traders as a young man, and brought to North Carolina before he fled and enlisted in the British Army.  He gained the rank of Sergeant in the Black Pioneers, an all black regiment.  At the close of the American Revolution, he arrived in Nova Scotia, was given land at Brinley Town, outside Digby, but discouraged by discrimination, he moved to Saint John.  There, he found no improvement in his treatment and went to England, where's he became part of a group planning to re-settle former slaves in Africa.   He encouraged others from Nova Scotia to join this group and departed for Sierra Leone in 1792, but unfortunately, shortly after arriving, he died of malaria.

The UELAC  is open to anyone with an interest in Loyalist era history, including descendants from white and black loyalists as well as indigenous people.   Another past member of the Dominion Council was David Kanowakeron Hill Morrison. He was a direct descendant of Mohawk leader Joseph Thayendanegea Brant.     

Further information on membership  at:        https://uelac.ca/signup/




Further Reference:


NB 2019 Christmas Gathering, video on YouTube 

The Black Cemetery at Conway as a Reminder of Brinley Town by Brian McConnell, UE, published in 2018


Historian & Author; Member of United Empire Loyalists ' Association of Canada, Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia, Ulster Historical & Genealogical Guild (Life)

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