British Loyalists Flee to Canada Following the Revolutionary War, Including Some of My Ancestors

I love history and genealogy. Here’s a bit of both concerning this date in history. It had been one of history’s most surprising upsets. The underdog, upstart American Colonists had recently stunned the mighty British Empire and won their freedom. For those who had not supported the revolutionaries, there was upheaval.

On May 18, 1783, the British transport ship Union docked with the fleet transporting the first group of United Empire Loyalists to leave the newly created United States of America for friendlier British territories. These “Tories”—those faithful to the British Crown during the 8-year American Revolutionary War—had forfeited their land and much of their possessions to the victorious American Patriots (called Rebels, Traitors, or worse by the British). Most Loyalists ended up in nearby Canada, the first of them debarking at Parrtown, Saint John, Nova Scotia, which is now New Brunswick. My ancestor Gideon Corey was among those aboard the Union. It had been just 3 months since the War for Independence had been ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Throughout most of the War, New York had been under British control, and this was where the majority of Loyalist evacuees were from. The Crown repaid their loyalty by granting them land in unsettled regions. They became pioneers in the area of Nova Scotia that became New Brunswick one year after their arrival. Gideon Corey, born in Rhode Island, was just 19 when the Colonies officially declared their Independence and 26 (and single) when he became a Canadian resident. He soon married Abigail Clarke. Abigail’s ancestor Joseph Clarke is my eighth-great-grandfather. It is his brother, John Clarke (1609-1676), who is a significant historical figure. He was a medical doctor and founding pastor of the First Baptist church in Providence, as well as co-founder of Rhode Island and author of its groundbreaking charter. The charter asserted “that no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter shall be any wise molested [harassed], punished, disquieted, or called in question, for any differences in opinion in matters of religion, and do not actually disturb the civil peace of our said colony.” But Abigail was of a different political inclination than her famous relative. Gideon and Abigail Corey, my fourth-great-grandparents, ultimately settled a British land grant in a remote portion of what is now Queens County. Here they raised a large family, including my third-great-grandfather Stephen Corey (born 1797). (Corey is my mother’s maiden name.)