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From: "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>
Subject: "Loyalists" during and after the US Revolutionary War
Date: Tue, 3 May 2005 19:37:03 -0700

"The term "Loyalist" is generally applied to those colonists who sided with
the British during the Revolutionary War. Also called "Tories," Loyalists
came from all social classes and occupations and by some estimates made up
as much as one-third of the colonial population. The Loyalist cause was
strongest in the southern colonies, in Georgia and the Carolinas,
especially, and in the mid-Atlantic colonies, particularly New York and
Pennsylvania. Sentiment against the Loyalists led to various proscriptions
and restrictions, but it was the confiscation of their land and property
that led to the creation--unintentionally, of course--of some of the most
useful Revolutionary War-era genealogical records available today."

"Loyalists" during and after the US Revolutionary War is a marvelous topic
to research. Some did move to Canada, as you stated. Loyalists, for those
who haven't heard this term before, are the folks that chose to remain true
to the British Crown. They did not favor the cause of freedom espoused by
the colonists in America who were frustrated by a number of things
including taxation without representation in the British Parliament. They
did not support the development of a new nation. Sometimes they were called
"Tories." The term "Loyalists to Canada" speaks of the emigration of loyal
British citizens from the rebellious colonies, to British soil in the north.

From Dictionary.com we find our word for today: To•ry ( P ) Pronunciation
Key (tôr, tr)
n. pl. To•ries

1. A member of a British political party, founded in 1689, that was the
opposition party to the Whigs and has been known as the Conservative Party
since about 1832.

2. A member of a Conservative Party, as in Canada.

3. An American who, during the period of the American Revolution, favored
the British side. Also called Loyalist.

4. (often tory) A supporter of traditional political and social institutions
against the forces of democratization or reform; a political conservative.

Some additional information:

-- BUTLER'S RANGERS www.iaw.on.ca/~awoolley/brang/brang.html
This site which includes an annotated roll of members of the rangers.

-- CANADA RESEARCH OUTLINE (from the folks at the Family History Library in
Salt Lake.)
www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp

-- NOVA SCOTIA RESEARCH OUTLINE (from the folks at the Family History
Library in Salt Lake.)
www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp

-- PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND RESEARCH OUTLINE (from the folks at the Family
History Library in Salt Lake.)
www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/RG/frameset_rhelps.asp

-- CANADA GENWEB www.rootsweb.com/~canwgw/html/e-index.html















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• "Loyalists" during and after the US Revolutionary War by "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>