U.E. Loyalist History

When the name of Joshua Slocum from Nova Scotia is mentioned, it is most commonly in the context of the first person to sail solo around the world in 1898. He started aboard his 36 foot sloop, the Spray , on April 24 , 1895 from Boston and completed on  June 27, 1898.  However,  land and church records indicate that he was also descended from a prominent United Empire Loyalist.  As such, according to the Dorchester Resolution of 1798, he was eligible to use the postnominal U.E. In 1789, construction began of the oldest substantially unchanged church in Canada built by United Empire Loyalists.  It was the Old Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Middleton,  Nova Scotia, which is still standing and is a Provincial Heritage Site.  Among the five names on the deed to the land was John Slocumb (as it was spelled on the Indenture), the great grandfather of Joshua Slocum. Recently, on September 17, 2026, I attended a presentation by Kristina Inrig of the Joshua Sl...

In 2022, the oldest substantially unaltered church in Canada built by United Empire Loyalists needed a costly new roof in order to remain open.  Old Holy Trinity Anglican Church  in Middleton was built by several well known Loyalists who had settled in Nova Scotia as refugees after the American Revolution.  They included   Timothy Ruggles ,  Samuel Vetch Bayard  , and  Reverend John Wiswall  .  The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada provided a substantial grant of $12,500 to assist in this vital work. It was the second time the UELAC or one of its' members helped to save the historic site. On July 27, 1998, it became a provincially registered property under the Heritage Property Act of Nova Scotia. Work at Old Holy Trinity Church to Repair Roof I attended the 225th anniversary service of Old Holy Trinity Church in 2016, marking the event when the first service was held in August, 1791.  Later, I was contacted by a membe...

It can take at least two days to drive by car from Nova Scotia to  Fort Ticonderoga  , New York as I have experienced.  During the 18th century the distance took weeks ,however, there are historical connections through prominent Loyalists. The strategic location of Fort Ticonderoga at the head of Lake Champlain led to its' importance during the French Indian War and the American Revolution. It is called  the "Gibraltar of the North". During the French Indian War the Fort ,when occupied by the French, was called Fort Carillon and attacked several times by the British.  On July 8, 1758 John Grant  was serving in the 42nd Regiment (also known as the Black Watch) with the British forces that led an unsuccessful attack on the Fort.  He was a commander in 1776 when New York was captured. At the end of the American Revolution he was granted lands as a United Empire Loyalist at Summerville, Hants County, Nova Scotia.  Major General John Small ,who command...