CLAIMS MADE IN THE NAME OF DECEASED LOYALISTS Claims for compensations were mainly intended for damaged property but the claimants could also include the death of family members, particularly when they were occasioned by their Loyalism, for instance stays in jail in difficult conditions or killings. Several claim compilations were published depending on where the claims were received (e.g. England or Canada). Here we use the following volume published in 1980. Coldham (P.W.) 1980: American Loyalist claims. Published by the "National Genealogical Society", Washington DC. * The first name of each claim is the name (family name followed by given name) of the person who experienced the damage, * It is followed by the place of residence before the war. * There may be the mention "deceased" when the person is no longer alive. * In this case the identity of the claimant is given. * Then comes a brief description of the circumstances of the death. * In the last line is the book page and the catalog numbers which refer to the localisation of the document at the Public Record Office (PRO) of the British National Archives in Kew, Surrey. Here is an example: CHILSON (Beriah), Bennington County, Vermont (VT), deceased, by widow Catherine Chilson. Sent to Albany Gaol in irons. Died 16 May 1778. Widow was left destitute with three small children. (p.88) (A013/24/90-91) Below starts our list of cases. BEAGLE (Begal), Albany County, NY. He joined the British army in 1777. His wife and three children were detained until 1778 to make him give up his collaboration with the British Army. (p.30) (A013/11/B1) BRACKENRIDGE (James) Bennington, NY. Deceased. Represented by widow. Deceased was confined in Lichfield Gaol for 6 months in 1777 because of loyalty and on 13 July 1778 sentenced to banishment for three years. Suffering brought on his death in 1783. (p.49) (A013/25/57-60) CHILSON (Beriah), Bennington County, Vermont (VT), deceased, by widow Catherine Chilson. Deceased was in Battle of Bennington on 15 Aug 1777. Captured and sent under guard to Bennington were he was confined 8 days, then to Albany Gaol in irons, then to Aesopus on a guard ship, then to Hartford, CT where kept until March 1778, then transferred to Poughkeepsie, then back to Albany where he caught smallpox and died on 16 May 1778. Widow was left destitute with three small children. [Frequent transfers from one jail to another were a common policy. Sometimes the isolation was also strengthened by the interdiction to speak with the wardens or with other prisoners (p.88) (A013/24/90-91) FOWLER (Solomon) Westchester County,NY. Deceased represented by widow Sarah Fowler. Her husband who was Capt in the Corps of Westchester Refugees was killed in action at White Plains Battle. Nevertheless she continued to be persecuted. As soon as the British army had evacuated NY she was ejected. (p.165) (A013/12/477-486) FRASER (Simon) Albany County,NY. Deceased. Represented by widow. Was taken prisoner on expedition to Bennington and because of harships died in gaol leaving 8 children. (p.168) (A013/12/496-501) GRIERSON (James) Augusta, GA. Deceased. Represented by his children. During the siege of Augusta he was in command of a Regiment of Loyal militia. On 13 July 1780, two days after Augusta had surrendered, he was murdered by the rebels in cold blood while in confinement at his own house. It seems the rebels feared his popularity. (p.203) (A013/35/247-258,431-433,36/902) HART (Tucker) Dutchess County,NY. In Oct 1777 he fled to British lines in NY. His honest parent was executed by rebels for loyalty. [One would like to know the circumstances of this assassination.] (p.221) (A013/21/218-219) HUTCHINSON (John) Morris County,NJ. Deceased. Represented by one of his sons, Francis Hutchinson. Another son was betrayed, taken to Spingfield, and hanged with another man without trial the next day. [It would be of interest to understand why these two Loyalists were particularly targetted.] (p.) (A013/18/270-291) KEARSLEY (Dr. John) Pennsylvania. Deceased. Represented by his widow. He was imprisoned in different gaols for more than two years, eventually resulting in his death in Oct 1777, leaving his widow with a large family of small children. (p.) (A013//) MIDDAGH (John) Ulster County, NY. His brother was executed by rebels. [Unfortunately the claim contains neither first name nor date.] (p.343) (A013/14/319-321) PALMER (Edmond) Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County,NY. Deceased. Represented by Edmond Palmer jr. In 1777 the deceased was executed by rebels. [Unfortunately the claim contains neither the exact date nor the location.] (p.377) (A013/15/13-15,34) PALMER (Lewis) Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, NY. His son, Lt. Edmond Palmer of General Brown's Corps was executed at Cortlandt Manor by order of United States. [Once again it is a claim that is not very clear: no date is given and one wonders what is the exact meaning of "by order of United states". (p.378) (A013/15/19-33, 16/114-115) READING (Richard) Monmouth County,NJ. Deceased. Represented by his widow. After being an active Loyalist he retired to Long Island where he was killed leaving claimant alone to raise her four youngest children. (p.408) (A013/25/397-400) REYNOLDS (James) Bennington County,VT. Deceased. Represented by his widow. After taking part in Bennington Battle of Aug 1777, he was taken prisonier and confined in successive gaols: Bennington, Albany, Aesopus, and Harford. Due to the cold and other hardships he died on 15 Feb.1778. His widow had to sell a cow to pay the prison costs of her husband. (p.412) (A013/24/400-401) ROGERS (William) Pitts Town, NY. Deceased. Represented by widow. He was taken prisoner at Bennington , kept until June 1778, then hanged for refusing to recant loyalty [One wonders what justified the hanging] (p.421) (A013/15/283-286) SERVOS (Daniel) Tryon County, NY The father of the claimant was a well known Loyalist. In 1778 he was murdered by Patriots. (p.440) (A013/15/327-330) WANNAMAKER (Richard) Bergen County,NJ. Deceased. Represented by widow. He was taken prisoner in 1779. As a reult of hard usage of Philadelphia Gaol, he died there in 1780. [One would like to know what is meant by "hard usage".] (p.511) (A013/20/278-279) --------------------------------------- CANADA AFTER SARAGOTA We are told that the prisoners taken at Saragota formed the so-called Convention Army which was led first to Massachusetts and from there to Virginia. However, in the claims one sees a large number of Loyalists who join Burgoyne's army and go to Canada after the capitulation. Below we list several such cases. We saw very few cases of Loyalists becoming prisoners of war after the capitulation. BRISBIN (William) Albany County,NY. In July 1777 he concealed 52 men in the mountains at Ticonderoga and after Burgoyne's capitulation he conducted them safely to Lake George on way to Canada. (p.52) (A013/11/B3) [The claim says that Brisbin was able to provision his group; it would be of interest to know how he did, for the procurement problem was the main reason of Burgoyne's defeat.] FREEMAN (John) Saratoga,NY. Deceased along with wife. Represented by son Thomas Freeman. The deceased served in 1777 as guide to Burgoyne's Army. He suffered so much on way to Canada following the capitulation that he and his wife died in the winter of 1777. (p.171) (A013/12/518-519) GILCHRIST (Peter) Charlotte County,NY. Joined Burgoyne's Army in July 1777 and after the capitulation went to Canada. (p.179) (A013/15/476) JONES (Daniel) Charlotte County,NY. When Burgoyne arrived in Skeenesborough, Jones joined him with 30 men and remained in service until capitulation, then went to Canada. (p.265) (A013/13/464-466)