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Loyalists of New Brunswick

Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 21 Mar 2012 8:22PM GMT
Classification: Query
I am using Esther Clark Wright's "The Loyalists of New Brunswick" for research. She has a key to the list of abbreviations in her list of New Brunswick Loyalists, but some of them are missing from the key. For example, in N.Y. D. Co., I know N.Y. is New York. Would it be D. Company of the New York Volunteers? Another entry says N.Y. D. Co. WL, but WL is not in the key. What is WL? Ens. is not in the key, but seems to be a military rank--Ensign? I have an interlibrary loan of a first edition, so perhaps the missing information was corrected in a later edition. Can someone help?

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 21 Mar 2012 11:07PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 21 Mar 2012 11:11PM GMT
D. Co. is Dutchess County since split into Dutchess and Putnam counties. W.L. is Westchester Loyalists, mostly from Westchester County but from other places around including Dutchess Co., which was the next county north at the time.

Military units did not have divisions such as 'D' Company at the time. They would be Captain Smith's Company or Captain Jones' Company. A standard battalion of infantry usually had ten companies, including the two, flank companies, light infantry on the left and grenadiers on the right. Each company would be about 40-100 men; depending on casualties and reinforcements. There might also be a headquarters company under the direct command of the Lt.-Col. commanding the battalion.

Ens. was a commissioned officer, ensign, about equal to a cornet and below a lieutenant. They were generally pretty young and so-called as one of their duties was guarding the flags or 'ensigns' carried by non-commissioned officers. There would often be a colour guard consisting of sergeants or such with pikes. The regimental colours were prime targets and guarding the colours, while a distinct honour, was hazardous to your health. Therefore the youngest, least important officer was given the job. Ensigns were often eager for promotion.

Thomas

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 22 Mar 2012 7:13PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thomas - Thank you so much! The location information is very helpful and it is all educational. I did not know the composition of military units, the duties of an ensign or that there was a rank of cornet. I appreciate your taking time to respond with all this information. Mary

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 22 Mar 2012 10:02PM GMT
Classification: Query
You probably would not have heard of cornet as a rank as it was likely fairly rare. It was the cavalry equivalent of ensign, and had pretty much the same duties, carrying the troop (i.e., company) colours. I believe they were attended by or even carried the cornet (trumpet) for signals, cavalry being notoriously deaf. At least they were reluctant to give attention to orders. The disastrous charges of the Light Brigades at Waterloo and Balaclava were not exceptions.

Thomas

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 6 Apr 2012 11:35AM GMT
Classification: Query
In my copy of Wright's book
NY is New York; D Co. is Duchess County.

Which specific entry (Name) are you looking at as I may have a later edition of her book.

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick

Posted: 8 Apr 2012 11:55PM GMT
Classification: Query
Thank you for taking time to respond. A prior reply provided this information, so I am set for now. I will post again if I have further questions.

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick - Daniel Cook

Posted: 2 Feb 2015 3:43AM GMT
Classification: Query
This book is extremely hard to find! And for now, I just need the section about Daniel Cook (page 212). Any suggestions? My public libraries don't have the book and the ones which do don't participate in the inter-loan with my library.

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick - Daniel Cook

Posted: 10 Mar 2015 3:31AM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 10 Mar 2015 7:33PM GMT
Surnames: COOK
I have a copy of Wright's "Loyalists of New Brunswick", which has been out of print for many years and yes, it is quite hard to come by. (My book was published in 1981).
I looked through mine for anything on Daniel Cook and found only one mention of him, not on page 212 though. In the Appendix it lists Daniel Cook as PWAR [Prince and Wales American Regiment] and York Co. [Nova Scotia].
Daniel is not listed in the book's index; there are, in the index for "Cook(e)": Charles Cook, a Parsons Cook and a Jacob Cook.
(In the New Brunswick Provincial Archive's Land Petition database a Daniel Cook is listed among Loyalists petitioning for lands at Sunbury and York counties in October, 1784 and January, 1785---the first petition seems to be for York county, dated 1785, then two more in Sunbury dated January, 1785, though back dated to Oct, 1784, before the province of NB was broken off from its parent Nova Scotia apparently).

I can do some look ups in this book if anybody wants me to. I also have an older copy of Old North Esk (its from c.1982, so some material has since been updated in later editions).



RE "This book is extremely hard to find! And for now, I just need the section about Daniel Cook (page 212). Any suggestions? My public libraries don't have the book and the ones which do don't participate in the inter-loan with my library. "

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick - Daniel Cook

Posted: 16 Apr 2015 7:23PM GMT
Classification: Query
Any information in that book of a surname Kelsey(Celsie, Kelley)?
James Kelsey to be exact but has been seen as Celsie.

Re: Loyalists of New Brunswick - Daniel Cook

Posted: 16 Apr 2015 7:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
Edited: 16 Apr 2015 7:46PM GMT
Surnames: Celsie Cellsie Kelsey Kellsey Kelley
Unfortunately, I find nothing in the book (Loyalists of NB) referring to anybody by that surname. I looked under the various possible spellings and I see nothing that could be it.

This James Celsie/Kelsey...was he known to be a loyalist? Or a settler of New Brunswick in that time period (ie 1780-1790)? What area of NB did he reside in?
This book was written back in 1955 with a few updated editions, but none are recent (my edition is from 1981).

Have you looked at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick? They have a good amount of information and even some records online in their searchable databases...I took a quick look, using their federated search database using each spelling you provided and a few more.

Results that come up are for a "James KELLEY", but none of the records date to before 1830, and most are much later than that (mostly post-1860).
More results come up for a James KELLY, though again none seem to refer to Loyalist records (the oldest is a land petition from 1791 and most results are for various records and newspaper extracts,etc. of after 1830).
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