Instructions to governors for Quebec, Lower Canada and Upper Canada - July 16, 1783

Documents relating to the granting of lands to Loyalists in the Province of Quebec (includes present day Quebec and Ontario).

Transcriber: Edward Kipp

January 2011
Source: Library and Archives Canada (LAC)

MG40 B8: Instructions to governors for Quebec, Lower Canada and Upper Canada.

LAC mf H-2952.  File 2 and File 4.  PP. 72-79.

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Additional Instructions 16^th July 1783  Rec^d 17^th Nov^r over Land from Halfx.
Concerning the settlement of the Loyalist, and of non-commissioned officers and Privates of the King’s Forces which may have been reduced.

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George R

Additional Instruction to our Trusty and Wellbeloved Frederick Haldimand Esquire and Captain General and Governor in chief of our Province of Quebec in America or to the Commander in Chief of the said Province for the time being. Given at our Court at St. James the Sixteenth day of July 1783 In the Twenty third year of our Reign.

Whereas many of our Loyal Subjects Inhabitants of the Colonies and Provinces, now the United States of America are desirous of retaining their allegiance to Us, and of living in our Dominions and for this purpose are disposed to take up and improve Lands in our Province of Quebec, and We being desirous to encourage our said Loyal Subjects in such

their

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their Intentions, and to testify our approbation of their Loyalty to us and obedience to our Government, by allotting Lands for them in our said Province, and whereas We are also desirous of testifying our approbation of the Bravery and Loyalty of our Forces serving in our said Province, and who may be reduced there by allowing a certain Quantity of land to such of the non Commissioned Officers and private Men of our said Forces, who are inclined to become settlers therein. It is our Will and pleasure that immediately after you shall receive this our Instruction you do direct our Surveyor General of Lands for our said Province of Quebec to admeasure and lay out such a Quantity of Land as you with the advice of our Council shall deem necessary and convenient for the Settlement of our said Loyal Subjects, and the non commissioned Officers and Private Men of our Forces which may be reduced in our said Province, who shall be desirous of becoming Settlers therein; such Lands to be divided into distinct Seigneuries of Fiefs, to extend from two to four Leagues in front, and from three to five leagues in depth. If situated upon a navigable River, otherwise to be run square, or in such shape and in such Quantities, as shall be convenient and practicable and in each Seigneurie a Glebe to be reserved and laid out in the most convenient spot, to contain not less than 300 nor more than 500 Acres; the
property

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property of which Seigneuries or Fiefs shall be and reinvested in Us, our Heirs and Successors, and you shall Allow such parts of the same as shall be applied for by any of our said Loyal Subjects non Commissioned Officers and Private Men of our Forces reduced as aforesaid, in the following proportions; that is to say

To every Master of a Family, one Hundred Acres and Fifty Acres for each person of which his Family shall consist.

To every single Man Fifty Acres
To every Non Commissioned Officer of our Forces reduced in Quebec Two Hundred Acres
To every Private Man reduced as aforesaid, One Hundred Acres
And for every Person in their family Fifty Acres
The said Lands to be held under Us, our Heirs and Successors, Seigneurs of the Seigneurie or Fief in which the same shall be situated upon the same terms, acknowledgements and Services, as Lands are held in our said Province under the respective Seigneurs, hold^g and possessing Seigneuries or Fiefs
therein

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therein; and reserving to us our Heirs and Successors, from and after the expiration of Ten Years from the Admission of the respective Tenants, a Quit Rent of one half penny per Acre.

It is our further Will and pleasure, that every Person within the meaning of this our Instruction, upon their making application for Land, shall take the oaths directed by Law before you or our Commander in Chief for the time being, or some Person by you or him authorized for that purpose, and shall also at the same time make and subscribe the following declaration, viz “I, A.B. do promise and declare that I will maintain and defend to the utmost of my power the authority of the King in his Parliament as the supreme Legislature of this Province,” which Oaths and declaration shall also be taken, made and subscribed by every future Tenant before his, her or their Admission, upon alienation, descent, Marriage or any otherwise however, and upon refusal, the Lands to become revested in Us our Heirs and Successors. And it is our further will & pleasure that the expence of laying out & surveying as well the Seigneuries or Fiefs aforesaid as the several allotments within the same, and of the

Deed

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Deed of admission shall be paid by the Receiver General of our Revenue in the said Province of Quebec out of such Monies as shall be in his hands, upon a Certificate from you or our Commander in Chief for the time being in Council, oath being made by our Surveyor General to the amount of such Expence; Provided however that only one half of the usual and accustomed Fees of Office shall be allowed to our said Surveyor General or any other of our Officers in the said Province entitled thereunto upon any survey or allotment made, or upon admission into any Lands by virtue of this our Instruction.

And whereas we have some time since purchased the Siegneurie of Sorel from the then proprietors, the Lands of which are particularly well adapted for Improvement and Cultivation, and the local situation of the said Siegneurie makes it expedient that he same should be settled by as considerable a number of Inhabitants of approved Loyalty as can be accommodated therein with all possible dispatch.

It is therefore our Will and pleasure that you do cause all such Lands within the same as are undisposed of, to be run out into small allotments, and that you do alott the same to such of the Non Commissioned Officers and private Men of our Forces, which may be reduced in our said Province or such other of our Loyal subjects as may be inclined to settle and improve the same, in such proportions as you may Judge the most condusive to their Interest and the more speedy settlement of our said Seignuerie. The Lands so allotted to be held of Us our Heirs and Successors, Seigneurs of Sorel upon the same conditions and under the same reserved term

at

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at the expiration of ten years, as the other Tenants of the Seigneurie now hold their Lands and pay to Us, and also of taking the oaths and making and subscribing the declaration as herein before is mentioned and directed. The Expence of making the said allotments and admissions thereunto to be also paid and defrayed in like manner as those in the Seigneuries directed to be laid out by this our Instruction.

And it is our Will and pleasure that a record be kept in the Office of the Receiver General of our Revenue of every admission into Lands as well by virtue of this our Instruction, as in cases of future admission by alienation or otherwise, a Docquet of which shall be transmitted yearly to Us thro one of our principal Secretaries of State, and also a Duplicate thereof to our High Treasurer or the Commissioner of our Treasury for the time being.

GR