At 11:20 AM 09/03/99 -0500, Paddy wrote: >A couple of things you mention are of interest to me and perhaps you >could answer a couple of questions I have: >>... >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - >> Husband : James NEVILLS >> Birth: Abt 1748 Place : NC? >> Marr : Abt 1779 Place : Sussex Co., NJ >> Death: May 1811 Place : Thorold Twp.,Ont. >> Bur. : Allanburg, Ont. Place : Lot 95 (unmarked) >> Residence : NJ//Stamford Twp Lots 80/81; Thorold Twp Lot 116 >> Occupation : School Teacher/ Surveyors Asst/ Farmer > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >My Thomas NEVILL s/o Moses was also a Surveyors Assistant. Where did you >get the information that James was as well? I have a personal letter dated 14 Oct 1979 from a guy serious Ontario researchers have come to rely upon, Thomas B Wilson, publisher of the "Ontario Register". In his capacity as one of the trustees of The Genealogical Society of New Jersey he writes, "Further corroboration of this being the general area of James' place of residence in the 1780's is found in a SURVEY RETURN [capital's mine] dated 2 Sept 1785 for land in (old) Newton Township [Sussex County] on Laurel Brook, a branch of the Papacoting. James assisted in laying out the metes and bounds." He goes on to speculate about Eve's actual last name (as I have done), etc, but the above is my answer to your question. > >> Religion : German Reform/ Wesleyan Methodist >> Military Rec. : Loyalist; attempted an escape to England >> - Jailed NY, 1776 - May, 1777 > >Do you have a land petition for James NEVILLS of Stamford that outlines >his loyalist activities? This one is tougher and falls partly into the area that you dislike a lot - speculation. Wilson asked the same question and the answer remains the same: NO, I have never found such a document. BUT what do we know? We know that in 1796 the signature of James Nevills (as spelled) appears on a document written by Judge Nathaniel Pettit, younger brother of my 6x great grandfather on my FATHER's side, the gist of which is as follows: "To His Excellency Peter Russel, Esq. administrating the Government and Commander-in-chief in and over His Majesty's Province of Upper Canada, &c. &c. The Petition of the Subscribers Humbly Sheweth: That your petitioners were formerly inhabitants of the now United States of America and in the time of the late Revolution by his most Gracious Majesty declared to be in a state of Rebellion, which to them was a grief and vexation, and, as they were ever faithful Loyalists and never bore arms against His Majesty and as soon as in their power, after the treaty of separation, removed themselves and families into this Province... we most humbly pray that your Excellency will Grant us such relief ... as you in your wisdom, may conceive our unhappy circumstances merit, and that we may obtain the agreeable protection and benefit of the above proclamation... Newark, 12th October, 1796 [signed, and here I will only list those heads of households directly connected in some way with my family, but that happens to be almost half of them:] Nathl. Pettit, Adam Green, John Willson, Leonard Muisener, Jonathan Pettit, Andrew Pettit, Joshua Robins, Charles Pettit, John Pettit, Thos. Matthews, John Silverthorn, Henry Chrysler, William Man[n], Jeremiah London [probably Landon], James Nevills, Alex Markle, Gershom Carpenter, Joseph Corwin, John Davis, Robt. Davis, Thos. Davis, John Green" For a long time it bothered me that James Nevills never formally applied for UEL status, that is, until I read the transcripts of his son-in-law's (AND his daughter-in law's) father, Andrew OSTRANDER Sr's attempts to do just that. Andress was denied because he chose two years of servitude to an American officer over his other option, the forfeiture of his life, when he was caught trying to escape while being held prisoner at Fort Bennington (and this was of his own self-incriminating confession). I think James was just happy to get the hand-held deed for "free" land. He knew that he had taken and signed the Patriot oath to get himself out of jail. He probably wasn't proud of what he had done any more than his cell-mate, George Rapalje, (25 years later a pioneer in the Long Point Settlement) who's reluctance to sign was actually recorded. The service record of all of his sons except his youngest (who was too young to serve) speaks for itself. Incidentally, Jacob, his third son signed a petition 14 Jul, 1849 with wording MUCH stronger than the above, denouncing McKenzie's Rebellion and the then Whig government's soft treatment of the rebels and proposing the formation of a new Loyalist association. I've rambled on enough. Paul Bingle Brampton, Ontario, CANADA E-mail: [email protected]