THE PALATINE

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A significant number of United Empire Loyalists originated from the Palatine region of Germany or were descendants of earlier Palatine immigrants. Many of these German-speaking families had settled in the Hudson, Mohawk, and Schoharie River valleys of New York.  During the American Revolution, they largely sided with the British Crown, subsequently migrating to Canada.

Families with roots in the German Palatinate, such as the Dillenbach, Chrysler, Casselman, Empey, Bowman, Loucks, and Shaver families, became prominent Loyalists. A large number of persons from the Palatine also settled in Upper Canada in the early 1800s, including the family Brethour. 

Grave of Michael Julius Brethour


During my family research, I learned that Ann Brethour, whose father arrived in Upper Canada in the early 1800s, was part of a group of immigrants originally from the Palatine who, after leaving, lived in Ireland before settling in Canada.  Ann married James Hamilton Humphrey ,  grandson of my Loyalist ancestor, James Humphrey, UE. 

In May 2017, on a visit to Dublin, Ireland, I went to the fomer Palatine Square in Collins Barracks, where this group was kept at first before being moved out to rural Ireland as farm tenants. Ann's father, Michael Julius Brethour, was born in Ballingrane, County Limerick, Ireland, and traveled with family to Canada, settling in Brock Township.  When he died on 7 November 1862 at age 87, he was buried in St. John Cemetery, Brock.

 

Former Palatine Square, Dublin,  Ireland


Palatine is the English name for the Palatinate region of southwestern Germany today occupied by the state of Rhineland - Palatinate (Rheinland - Pfalz)



Further Reference:

Irish Palatine Association accessed on April 20, 2026

James Humphrey - Loyalist soldier in Jessup's Corp by Brian McConnell,  UE 


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

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