American Loyalists Collection Transcripts and digests from the Audit Office records in the Public Record Office, London, in sixty-six large folio volumes, and from the Royal Institution of Great Britain, in eight folio volumes, of the books and papers of the Commission of Enquiry into the losses and services of the American Loyalists, held under the Acts of Parliament of 23, 25, 26, 28 and 29 of George III between the years 1783-1790. They display the first public view of authentic and official information regarding the American Loyalists who, before the peace of 1783, were known as "guides," "pioneers," "rangers," "pensioners," "sufferers," "associated loyalists," "friends to government," "King's friends," "provincial troops," "royalists," "Tories," etc., but usually designated since the American revolution under the title of "American Loyalists." Generally speaking the volumes show information and intelligence conveyed to the Commissioners to prevent imposition and fraud; examinations and decisions on temporary support claims, calendars of original memorials, vouchers, etc.; minutes of Commissioners in London and in Nova Scotia; the Commission's reports, claims liquidated, acts of Parliament establishing and regulating the Commission; examinations and determinations of claimants in Nova Scotia and London; and Royal Institution transcripts of memorial, correspondence, accounts, returns, paylists, etc., 1778-1783. One volume, not strictly belonging to the series is filled with East Florida claims. These transcripts were made between 1898-1903, for the Library, under the supervision of the late B. F. Stevens, of London, and with the permission of the authorities in control of the original archives. In 1897, through the courtesy of the Public Records Office in London, arrangement were made by the New York Public Library to secure copies of the unpublished matter in that office relating to the American Loyalists and to Provincial troops during the War of Independence. These papers could not be freely accessible to historians, and could be transcribed only under special conditions. They include the applications, memorials, petitions, etc., of the so called distressed American Loyalists, with the reports upon them by the British Commissioners of Inquiry into the losses and services of the American Loyalists dating from 1783 to 1790. Of these transcripts the Library has now received about 8,500 foolscap folio pages, substantially bound in 16 volumes, covering the following subjects: "Information and Intelligence conveyed to the Commissioners to prevent Imposition and Fraud. 1782 to 1785," in 1 vol. "Examinations and Decisions on Old Claims for Temporary Support Oct. to Dec., 1781," in 2 vols. "Examinations and Decisions on Fresh Claims for Temporary Support. December, 1782, to 1790," in 5 vols. "Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in London. g August, 1785, to 25 March, 1790," in 1 vol. "Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in Nova Scotia. 17 November, 1785, to 15 April, 1788," in 1 vol. "Summary of the Proceedings of the Commissioners, being their several Reports and Statements, with the Names of the Claimants, Amount of Claims, and Particulars of Liquidation. 1784 to 1798," in 1 vol. "Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc.; Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences; Connecticut Claimants," in 1 vol. "Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. ; Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences; Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and some Massachusetts claimants," in 1 vol. "Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. ; Memorials, Schedules of Losses and Evidences; Massachusetts (continued) and New Hampshire Claimants," in 1 vol. "Examinations in Nova Scotia. etc. ; Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences; New Jersey Claimants," in 2 vols. Each volume has a full index of claimants. These volumes have been deposited in the Lenox Building, where they are now accessible to students and scholars. In this connection attention is invited to the fact that the Library of Congress contains 34 volumes of manuscripts, which contain the record of proceedings before the Commissioners, Pemberton and Dundas, during the years 1786 to 1788, at St. Johns, at Halifax and at Montreal, which are probably the rough minutes of the Commissioners, which minutes were afterwards transcribed and the transcripts deposited in the Public Record Office. Of the Loyalist papers cataloged for the Library, volumes 17-27 have been received in continuation of the volumes noted in the November NYPL Bulletin. These volumes contain the memorials, schedules of losses, and evidences presented to the commissioners Pemberton and Dundas at their sittings in Nova Scotia, by New York claimants (vols. 17-24),Pennsylvania claimants (vol. 25), South Carolina claimants (vol. 26), and claimants from North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia (vol. 27). In connection with these volumes a recent letter from Mr. B. F. Stevens says: "These volumes complete the series (12-27) of Examinations in America. The Determinations in four or five volumes on these Examinations in America are in hand, well forward, and their Transcripts will be sent early in the New Year. The Examinations in London will follow at short intervals." "This portion of the Commissioners' work in America will enable you to show thereabout thirty volumes, and to disclose the opening of your important mine of historical material, which is of substantial importance to other States as well as to New York. "This display will be the first public view of authentic and official information regarding American Loyalists who before the Peace Treaty of 1782 were, during the Revolution, known under some of the many names of American Loyalists, Guides, Pioneers, Pensioners, Rangers, Sufferers, Associated Loyalists, Friends to Government, King's Friends, Provincial Troops, Royalists, Tories, etc., but after the Revolution they all were usually designated under the one title of American Loyalists. For much that has been known of their fortunes and fate we have been indebted to Sabine, Ryerson, Winsor, and other writers but your Transcripts open a mass of papers relating to the great Parliamentary Commission of Enquiry into the Loyalists Losses and Services. The originals of these papers have now become accessible under special permission. The British Government have heretofore held these documents as being absolutely private. Your readers will now be able to estimate and appreciate the importance of this biographical, genealogical & financial information and family history of individuals who either in England or in Nova Scotia presented to the Commissioners their several claims fur Losses, Compensation or Support. There are also many points of geographical and local history." "There had been several precedents in the reigns of earlier sovereigns for compensating persons who had suffered losses through adhesion to the Crown but the practical application of this principle of compensation upon an almost unlimited scale was first entrusted to Gen. Sir William Howe the Commander in chief of His Majesty's Forces in America. On the evacuation of Boston Howe's transport service was heavily taxed in removing the persons and effects of such of His Majesty's subjects as would not stay in that City. General Sir William Howe subsequently in reviewing his conduct during his commands wrote: 'Was there a man, having a just claim to notice, and offering his active services, who was not employed? Many were provided for in civil departments; many received pecuniary reliefs; nor do I recollect a refugee (properly recommended to me) who was not offered military service, civil employment, money, provisions, accommodations, or some mark of public attention.' "One beneficial example, by way of illustration may be mentioned. The employment of Mr. Galloway as a Loyalist may be given in General Sir William own words: 'I expected much assistance from a gentleman of his abilities and reputed influence... I allowed him at the rate of 200 £ sterling per annum from the time of his joining the army until he could be otherwise provided for. When we had taken possession of Philadelphia, I appointed him a Magistrate of the police of that city with a salary made up to 300 £ sterling per annum, and six shillings a day more for a clerk. I also appointed him Superintendent of the Port, with a salary of twenty shillings a day, making in the whole upwards of 770 £ sterling per annum.' "This general system of 'Relief' was continued by General Sir William Howe's successors, Sir Henry Clinton and Sir Guy Carleton. Your transcripts when completed will contain lists of many persons employed in civil and military departments, returns of Refugees in different Provinces, allowances for support, Pay Lists of various Corps of Provincial Troops and through these Head Quarters papers we shall get much information, more or less in detail as to the expenditure of the above £ 363,957-2-6 between 1775 and to the Treaty of Peace and under the Parliamentary Commission from 1783 to 1790 you are already receiving official details of the Loyalists' money claims amounting to £ 10, 358,413-3-9 and liquidated at £ 3,033,091-2-11. In addition to these money values the 'Memorials and Evidences' give such information as to civil, military, and political employment, emoluments, and biographical information touching several thousands of the Loyalists which will make series of Transcripts an invaluable collection of Americana." I. Audit Office Records, 1783-1790 A. General Reel Vol 1 1 Information and Intelligence Conveyed to the Commissioners to Prevent imposition and Fraud, 1782-1785 (Index, pp. 385-395) 1 2-3 Examinations and Decisions on Old Claims for Temporary Support, 1782 Oct - Dec (Index, v.3, pp. 466-491) Examinations and Decisions on Fresh Claims for Temporary Support,, 1782 Dec-1790 (Index, v.8, pp. 573-619) 1 4 1782 Dec-1783 May 2 5 1783 Jun-1784 Feb 6 1784 Mar-Aug 7 1784 Sep-1786 May 3 8 1786 Jun-1790 9 Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in London,, (Index, pp. 509-549) 10 Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in Nova Scotia,, 1785 Nov 17-1788 Apr 15 Chron. index, pp. 253-377; alpha index, pp. 370-428 11 Summary of the Proceedings of the Commissioners being their several Reports and Statements, with the names of Claimants, Amounts of Claims, and Particulars of Liquidation, 1784-1789 (Index, pp. 78-331) B. Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences 4 12 Connecticut Claimants (Index, pp. 703-704) 13 Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and some Massacusetts Claimants (Index, pp. 625-626) 14 Massachusetts and New Hampshire Claimants (Index, pp. 637-638) 5 15- New Jersey Claimants (Index, pp. 635-639) 16 5-7 17- New York Claimants 24 Index, v.17, pp. 655-656; v.18, pp. 623-624; v.19, pp. 613-614; v.20, pp. 559-560; v.21, pp. 557-559; v. 22, pp. 673-675; v.23, pp. 577-579; v. 24, pp. 745-748 8 25 Pennsylvania Claimants (Index, pp. 537-538) 26 South Carolina Claimants (Index, pp. 513-514) 27 North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia Claimants (Index, pp. 669-670) C. Determinations on Claims in Nova Scotia 9 28 Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey (Index, v.32, pp. 549-580) 29 New York (Index, v.32, pp. 549-580) 30 New York (Index, v.32, pp. 549-580) 10 31 New York (Index, v.32, pp. 549-580) 32 North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia (Index, v.32, pp. 549-580) D. Nova Scotia: New Claims, etc. Transcripts of Audit Office, Loyalist Series: Vols. 125, 126, 127, 128, 123, 124, 139, 133, 129. 10 33 Four Books of Minutes on New Claims examined in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and elsewhere in America. The claims are arranged numerically, the 1st book containing Nos. 1-575; the 2nd book Nos. 576-1098; the 3rd book Nos. 1099-1601; the 4th book 1602; the 5th is believed missing A.O. 125, 126, 127,128: pp. 5-129 33 Tabulated Register of the American Claims, Nos. 1-1799. 33 A.O. 123 Alphabetical index, pp. 133-159; The Register, #1-1219, pp. 268-307; Recapitulation of the Totals, pp. 249-250 33 A.O. 124 Alphabetical index, pp. 253-266; The Register, #1220-1799, pp. 268-307; Recapitulation of the Totals, p. 309; Abstract of both books, p. 310. 33 Letterbook of the Commissioners appointed to repair to Nova Scotia and examine the claims there and elsewhere in America,, (A.O. 139, pp. 311-554.) 33 Book marked: Examinations on Applications under the New Act,, 1785 Oct 3 - 1788 Jan 18 A.O. 133. Relate to claims examined in London. pp. 555-650. 33 The Commissioners General Index to the Books of Evidence taken in Nova Scotia. A.O. 130. Index to transcripts in Volumes 12-27. pp. 651-714 33 The Commissioners General Index to the Books of Evidence taken in London. A.O. 129. Index to transcripts in Vols. 34-59. pp. 715-774 33 Transcribers Analysis of the General Indexes. pp. 775-777. Blanks indicate 14 missing volumes in Nova Scotia series. E. Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. 11 34 Georgia Claimants. (Index, p. 779) 35 Maryland Claimants (Index, v.37, pp. 461-462) 12 36 Maryland Claimants CHECK VOLUME NUMBER AGAINST MICRO BOX (Index, v.37, pp. 461-462) 37 Maryland and Delaware Claimants (Index, pp. 461-462) 38- New Jersey Claimants (Index, v.40, pp. 529-530) 40 13 41- New York Claimants (Index, v.46, pp. 625-628) 43 14 44- New York Claimants (Index, v.46, pp. 625-628) 45 15 46 New York Claimants (Index, v.46, pp. 625-628) 47- North Carolina Claimants (Index, v.48, pp. 717-178) 48 16 49- Pennsylvania Claimants. (Index, v.51, pp. 539-541) 51 17 52- South Carolina Claimants (Index, v.57, pp. 519-524) 54 18 55- South Carolina Claimants (Index, v.57, pp. 519-524) 57 19 58- Virginia Claimants (Index, v.59, pp. 657-658) 59 60 East Florida Claimants (Index, pp. 797-798) F. Calendar of the Original Memorials, Vouchers and other Papers deposited with the Commission of Enquiry 6 vols. - Vols. #61-66 of this collection. Index, v.66 (vol. 6 of Calendar set), pp. 411-541 20 60 or check if this is continuation of 60 or beginning of 61 (calendar) 61? 21 61 New York (pp. 7-264) 61 New Jersey (pp. 265-394) 61 New Brunswick: new claims (pp. 395-449) 61 New Hampshire (pp. 451-455) 61 Nova Scotia: new claims (pp. 457-574) 61 Virginia (pp. 575-653) 62 Virginia (pp. 5-84) 62 Georgia (pp. 85-243) 62 Maryland (pp. 245-300) 62 Connecticut (pp. 301-354) 62 Massachusetts (pp. 355-627) 62 New Hampshire (pp. 629-680) 63 New York (pp. 5-105) 63 Pennsylvania (pp. 107-140) 63 Virginia (pp. 141-160) 63 Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire (pp. 161-179) 63 Maryland (pp. 181-261) 63 New York (pp. 263-737) 63 Rhode Island (pp. 375-427) 63 Pennsylvania (pp. 429-560) 63 Massachusetts (pp. 561-686) 22 64 Connecticut (pp. 5-55) 64 Various: old papers, province unknown; claims received too late; various provinces; miscellaneous papers, (pp. 57-613) 65 Various (pp. 5-164) 65 New Jersey (pp. 165-325) 65 New York (pp. 327-437) 65 North Carolina (pp. 438-648) 66 South Carolina (pp. 5-242) 66 Miscellaneous (pp. 243-266) 66 South Carolina (pp. 267-317) 66 Miscellaneous (pp. 319-409) II. Royal Institution Records: Memorials, Correspondence, etc., 1777-1783 8 volumes - Vols #67-74 of this collection. Each volume has a separate table of contents. The index in volume 72 is a brief alphabetical list. Transcript of various Papers relating to the Losses, Services and Support of the American Loyalists and to His Majestys Provincial Forces during the War of American Independence, preserved amongst the American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, 1777-1783. 23 67 1777-1780 68 1781-1782 May 69 1782 Jun-Dec 24 70 1783 Jan-May 71 1783 Jun-Aug 72 1783 Sep-Nov 25 73- Accounts, Returns, Pay Lists, etc., 1778-1783 74 American Loyalists: Audit Office Records (P.R.O.) Transcripts of the Manuscript Books and Papers of the Commission of Enquiry into the Losses and Services of the American Loyalists held under Acts of Parliament of 23, 25, 26, 28 and 29 of George III. preserved amongst the Audit Office Records in the Public Record Office of England, 1783-1790. (Transcribed for N.Y.P.L., 1898) Vol. Series Index Pages 1 Information & Intelligence conveyed to the Commissioners to Prevent Imposition and Fraud, 1782 to 1785. v.1 385-95 2-3 Examinations and Decisions on Old Claims for Temporary Support. Oct-Dec, 1782.(2 vols) v.3 466-91 4-8 Examinations and Decisions on Fresh Claims for Temporary Support. Dec, 1782-1790.(5 vols.) v.8 573-619 9- Minutes of the Prodeedings of the Commissioners in London, 9 Aug, 1785-25 Mar,1790. v.9 509-49 10 Minutes of the Proceedings of the Commissioners in Nova Scotia, 17 Nov, 1785-15 Apr, 1788. v.10 253-377 chr 379-428 alp 11 Summary of the Proceedings of the Commissioners being their several Reports and Statements, with the names of Claimants, Amounts of Claims, and Particulars of Liquidation, 1784-89. v.ll 78-331 12 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - Connecticut Claimants. v.12 703-04 13 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - Delaware, Georgia, Maryland and some Massachusetts Claimants. v.13 625-26 14 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - Massachusetts (con't'd) and New Hampshire Claimants. V.14 627-28 15-16 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. - Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - New Jersey Claimants (2 vols.) v.15 635-36 v.16 637-39 17-24 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - New York Claimants (8 vols.) v.17 655-56 v.18 623-24 v.19 613-14 v.20 559-60 v.21 557-58 v.22 673-75 v.23 577-79 v.24 745-48 25 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - Pennsylvania Claimants. v.25 537-38 26 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - South Carolina Claimants. v.26 513-14 27 Examinations in Nova Scotia, etc. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences - North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia Claimants. v.27 669-70 28 Determinations on Claims in Nova Scotia, etc. Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire & New Jersey v.32 29-31 Determinations on Claims in Nova Scotia, etc. New York (3 vols.) v.32 549-80 32 Determinations on Claims in Nova Scotia, etc. North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia & Index v.32 33 Nova Scotia - New Claims; Commissioners' Letter Book; Examinations on Applications under the New Act (London Claims); and Indexes to the Evidence Books (Nova Scotia and London Claims). v.33 133-59 253-66 65l-714 715-774 775-777 34 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. Georgia Claimants. v.34 779 35-37 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. Maryland Claimants (3 vols.) and Delaware. v.37 461-62 38-40 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. New Jersey Claimants. (3 vols.) v.40 529-30 41-46 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. New York Claimants. (6 vols.) v.46 625-28 47,48 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. North Carolina Claimants. (2 vols.) v.48 717-18 49-51 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. Pennsylvania Claimants. (3 vols.) v.5l 539-41 52-57 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. South Carolina Claimants. (6 vols.) v.57 519-24 58,59 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. Virginia Claimants. (2 vols.) v.59 657-58 60 Examinations in London. Memorials, Schedules of Losses, and Evidences. East Florida Claimants. v.60 797-98 Calendar of the original Memorials, Vouchers and other Papers deposited with the Commission of Enquiry into the Losses and Services of the American Loyalists held under Acts of Parliament of 23, 25, 26, 28 and 29 of George III, preserved amongst the Audit Office Records in the Public Record Office of England, 1783-1790. (6 vols.) Vol.# 61 1 New York p. 7-264 New Jersey p. 265-394 New Brunswick p; 395-449 (new claims) New Hampshire p. 45l-455 Nova Scotia p. 457-574 Virginia p. 575-653 V.6 411-541 62 2 Virginia p. 5-84 Georgia p. 85-243 Maryland p. 245-300 Connecticut p. 301-354 Massachusetts p. 355-627 New Hampshire p. 629-680 63 3 New York p. 5-105 Pennsylvania p. 107-140 Virginia p. 141-160 Rhode Island, p. 161-179 Vermont, New Hampshire 3 (Con't'd) Maryland p. 181-261 New York p. 263-373 Rhode Island p. 375-427 Pennsylvania p. 429-560 Massachusetts p. 561-686 64 4 Connecticut p. 5-55 Various p. 57-104 Various p. 105-613 & Miscellaneous 65 5 Various p. 5-164 New Jersey p. 165-325 New York p. 327-437 North Carolina p. 438-648 66 6 South Carolina p. 5-242 Miscellaneous p. 243-266 South Carolina p. 267-317 Miscellaneous p. 319-409 Transcript of various Papers relating to the Losses. Services and Support of the American Loyalists and to His Majesty's Provincial Forces during the War of American Independence, preserved amongst the American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain, London, 1777-1783. 67 1 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., 1777-80 68 2 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., 1781-May,1782 v.6 545-64 69 3 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., Jun-Dec, 1782 70 4 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., Jan-May, 1783 71 5 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., Jun-Aug, 1783 72 6 Memorials, Correspondence, etc., Sep-Dec, 1783 73 7 Accounts, Returns, Pay Lists, etc., 1778-1783 American Loyalists - Royal Institution 74 8 Accounts, Returns, Pay Lists, etc., 1778-1783 (Oversize) N.B. Each of the eight (8) volumes from the Royal Institution has a separate Table of Contents. The index in Vol. 6, is a brief alphabetical list. INDEX TO LOYALIST VOLUMES Vol. 1 has no index Vol. 3 has index to 2&3 Vol. 8 has index to 4,5,6,7, & 8 Vol. 9 - 27 each has a separate index Vol. 32 has index to 28 - 32 Vol. 33 has several indexes Vol. 34 has an index Vol. 37 has index to 35, 36, & 37 Vol. 40 has index to 38 - 4O Vol. 46 has index to 41-46 Vol. 48 has index to 47 & 48 Vol. 51 has index to 49 - 51 Vol. 57 has index to 52 - 57 Vol. 59 has index to 58 & 59 Vol. 60 has index Calendar of Original Memorials, Vouchers, etc. Vol. 6 has index for Vols. 1 - 6 Vols. 61-74 Memorials, Correspondence, etc. Vol. 6 has index to vols. 1 - 6. also 7 - 8 Vols. 7 & 8 each has own index. American Loyalists - Vol. 33 Nova Scotia - New Claims; Commissioners' Letter Book; Examinations on Applications under the New Act (London Claims); and Indexes to the Evidence Books (Nova Scotia and London Claims). [Transcript of Audit Office, Loyalist Series: vols. 125, 126, 127, 128, 123, 124, 139, 133, 130 & 129] A.O. - 125, 126, 127, 128 p. 5-129 Four Books of Minutes on New Claims examined in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and elsewhere in America. The claims are arranged numerically, the 1st Book containing Nos. 1-575; th 2nd, Nos. 576-1098; the 3rd, 1099-1601; the 4th, 1602; the 5th, which is believed missing. A.O. - 123, 124 p. 131-310 Tabulated Register of the American Claims. Nos. 1-1799. A.O. 123: a. Alphabetical Index p. 133-59 b. The Register, Nos. 1-1219 p. 162-247 c. Recapitualtion of the Totals. p. 249-50 A.O. 124: a. Alphabetical Index p. 253-66 b. The Register, Nos. 1220-1799 p. 268-307 c. Recapitualtion of the Totals. p. 309 d. Abstract of both books. p. 310 A.O. - 139: p. 311-544 Letterbook of the Commissioners appointed to repair to Nova Scotia and examine the claims there and elsewhere in America, 15 Aug, 1785-Feb, 1789. A.O. - 133: p. 555-650 Book marked: "Examinations on Applications under the New Act.", 3 Oct, 1785-18 Jan, 1788. [Relate to claims examined in London.] A.0. - 130: p. 651-714 The Commissioners' General Index to the Books of Evidence taken in Nova Scotia. [Transcripts in vols. 12-27] A.O. - 129: P. 715-774 The Commissioners' General Index to the Books of Evidence taken in London. [Transcripts in vols. 34-59] Transcribers Analysis of the General Indexes. _____ Blanks indicate 14 missing vols. in Nova Scotia series. p. 775-777 NYPL does have a calendar to the 140 bundles in Audit Office 13. It is indexed by claimants We do have the 60 vols of transcripts from Audit Office The supporting documents for all claimants listed in the calendaR are not always present in our set of transcripts. American Loyalists Collection, 1777-1790 ("ALC") Questions: 1. How does our collection compare to the Milstein Division's microfilms of the Public Record Office's Audit Office series, AO 12 and AO 13, concerning American loyalist claims, or to any other published descriptions or microfilm? 2. What is the quality of the ALC microfilm? Excellent - images bright, clear; transcriptions are easy to read. Summary of answer to question 1: The span dates of AO 12 and AO 13 are more comprehensive, ending with the final processing of claims in the 1830's. It would require more research to determine exactly what the end date of 1790 in our collection represents. The physical extent of the original records is certainly greater. The entire contents of AO 12 and AO 13 were microfilmed by Kraus Reprint (later Kraus Thomson, then Kraus International) 1972-1975. ALC Series 1, sub-series A-E, vols. 1-60, contains transcripts corresponding closely, but perhaps not entirely, to a portion of AO 12, which contains almost 150 volumes of official transcripts of minutes, hearings, evidence, reports and decisions of the Commission of Enquiry. There are records in the ALC concerning Florida which may have come from another PRO series,1 and perhaps there are other miscellaneous transcriptions as well. ALC Series 1, sub-series F, vols. 61-66, contain only a calendar of the original claims which form PRO AO 13. ALC Series 2, vols. 67-74, contains transcripts from the "American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain. The 'American Manuscripts' are the Carleton/Dorchester/British Headquarters papers.2 These are available in photocopy in our Division; and are also available on microfilm in several libraries. There is no longer any need for a reader to consult series 2. There is now a name index on CD-ROM (Melanie has purchased it for the Division) which also indexes the Book of Negroes. The text of the Book of Negroes itself has been transcribed and is now online at http://collections.ic.gc.ca/blackloyalists/documents/official/book_of_negroes.htm. Do our papers have text no longer extant elsewhere? Apparently not. Various sources refer to missing volumes and bundles, dating to a theft at Somerset House where the records were stored prior to their transfer to the PRO during the mid nineteenth-century (according to Palmer, xii). The theft thus took place before the transcripts were made. 1 PRO series T77, East Florida Claims Commission; would have to compare with AO records to see what the Florida coverage is, and then with our volume. The NYPL Bulletin, v. 19 (1915), p. 147, states "one volume, not strictly belonging to the series, is filled with East Florida claims." See Palmer, American Migrations, x. Would require more investigation. 2 The PRO research guide for those papers cites the Historical Manuscripts Commission calendar, "A Report on American Manuscripts in the Royal Institution of Great Britain (4 v., 1904-1909; photocopies in Manuscripts Division Reading Room). The HMC introduction states: "The American Manuscripts preserved at the Royal Institution, London, sometimes spoken of as the Carleton or Dorchester Papers, are, briefly, the Head Quarters Papers of the successive British commanders in chief in the American War of Independence...." According to the introduction, the collection was bound by subject (volume titles are provided, including mention of Loyalists), and Stevens calendared the collection by making slips for each document which were arranged in chronological order. PRO states "a copy of this calendar containing the modern references to each paper, numbered from 1 to 10438, is available (in their reference shelves). The volumes have a subject index at the end of each which may still be useful. Would it be possible to correlate our content to the content of Kraus films of AO 12 and 13 if that were desirable? Reel 1 of the AO 12 film has a complete list of the volumes in that series. While a glance through our microfilm shows that at least later transcript volumes in series 1 make reference to the loyalist volume numbers, it is not clear whether all do. A check could be made of volumes against the Kraus reels. Another source of information would be the correspondence between Stevens and Billings concerning the project, which could not be located in the 1970's, but perhaps now could be found. Were Stevens' transcripts selective or comprehensive? It is not known; the strategy would be the same - check for the original correspondence, or make comparisons between the volumes and the microfilm reels. Copies of the AO 12 and AO 13 are found in only a few libraries in the U.S. (6 in OCLC), notably University of Florida at Gainesville, which has some good study guides on the Loyalists and the American Revolution in the South, but the premier source for scholarship is the Loyalist Collection at the University of New Brunswick, Canada which has extensive microfilm holdings. The microfilm itself does not seem to be available through any of the distributors like Gale, Scholarly Resources, Ann Arbor, BRRAM, although a call to the company which handles Kraus Reprint remainders (distinct from the later Kraus International which handled the microfilm) might have an answer. Comments: With two possible minor exceptions, there seems no reason for people to use or prefer the ALC. The coverage of Commission records and claims is not chronologically complete, there is only a calendar of part of the original claims AO 13, and the British Headquarters papers are available on photostats at NYPL and on microfilm in several libraries. The exceptions are: 1) a presently unclear source of Florida records, that may come from a different PRO series than AO 12, and 2) the disclaimer on the Kraus microfilm that some text in AO 12 is not legible due to tight bindings of some volumes. Both would require a knowledge of exactly how our transcripts correlate to the originals. As to the Florida issue, a reader should probably consult the secondary sources and PROCAT first to see what has been microfilmed. We should change any AO original volume references in the finding aid from "AO 125" to AO v. 125, since the first example is identical to PRO series identification. IN DEPTH: What are AO 12 and AO 13? These are Public Record Office series numbers for records of the Claims Commission established to collect and hear evidence supporting losses suffered by American Loyalists and to decide on compensation.3 AO 12 consists of 146 volumes containing final official transcripts of minutes, hearings, evidence, reports and decisions on claims. AO 13 consists of 141 numbered "bundles" (now flattened individual files in boxes) containing original claims (memorials or petitions) and supporting documentation (affidavits, receipts, legal documents, etc.). Some of the content of AO 13 is transcribed into the official volumes in AO 12. Both series are used by historians and readers to fill in gaps of missing documentation in the other. ______________________ 3 PRO Series AO (Audit Office) 12: American Loyalist Claims, Series I (1776-1831) 146 VOLUMES Microfilm: *R-USLGH *ZAN-H221 American Loyalist claims, AO 12, Series I, 1776-1831. 35 reels, negative image. (Kraus-Thomson, 1972) PRO Series AO (Audit Office) 13: American Loyalist Claims, Series II (1780-1835) 141 BUNDLES Microfilm: *R-USLGH *ZAN-H221 ser.2 American Loyalist claims, AO 13, Series II, 1780-1835. 145 reels, positive image (Kraus Thomson, 1973-1975. The Commission was established 1783, but claims for compensation and aid directed to the British Army date from the beginning of the Revolution. Sir Guy Carleton as last Commander in Chief of the Army was directly involved in loyalist matters and claims. Commission claims were still being reviewed by as late as the 1830's. Several branches of the British government besides the Audit Office (AO) have records in the PRO concerning Loyalists, such as the Colonial Office (CO) and the Treasury (T). There are other AO series besides AO 12 and 13 concerning the Loyalists. Indexes to the records: The indexes in the ALC volumes are a mix of contemporary indexes and those prepared by the transcriber, referring to pages within the transcription. The filmed contents of AO 12 and AO 13 are accessed by a microfilmed typescript name index (possibly B.F. Stevens', see Ellis article below) appearing at the beginning of each series; by two heavily-used indexes compiled in 1986 by Clifford S. Dwyer from the Kraus films (both in Milstein); by abstracts compiled by Peter Coldham4, and other indexes at Canadian institutions. There is also a Kraus guide to the films (really necessary as the film labels are insufficient) which was off-shelf on Tuesday (I will recheck). Other Loyalist Claims Commission documents: The Library of Congress has Claim Commission records received from the Smithsonian Institute, 1866: Great Britain. Commission Appointed to Enquire into the Losses of the American Loyalists (Great Britain), 1784-1790. (36 boxes on 4 reels, Microfilm or mss. no. 18,662) These include minutes, claims, notes, evidence taken before commissioners in London and Halifax. These are the original records of the commissioners which were transcribed into the official volumes in London (AO 12). NYPL Bulletin, v. 3 (1899), p. 416 describes this collection (34 volumes) as rough minutes of proceedings before the commissioners in Halifax and Montreal, afterwards transcribed and deposited in the PRO. Transcripts of the 'official' copies are found in ALC. The dossier file contains Bruce Antliffe's publication "Loyalist Settlements 1783-1789: New evidence of Canadian Loyalist claims" which discussed those and other records. Another document by him refers to the H.E. Egerton selection of NYPL Loyalist papers prepared for the Roxburghe Club; this seems to refer to the Coke papers (1915; reprint 1971). I haven't looked into that. Other Loyalist holdings in the Division: A bibliography from the mid-1970's lists Loyalist related collections in the Division, with old shelf numbers: "A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in the United States," edited by Herbert Leventhal and James E. Mooney, in Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, v. 85 (1975), etc. It is reprinted in A Bibliography of Loyalist Source Material in the United States, Canada and Great Britain, ed. Gregory Palmer, Westport, CT: Meckler Publishing, 1982. Manuscripts Division holdings are listed on pp. 378-394 (Xeroxed). ________________________ 4 Coldham, Peter Wilson. American Migrations, 1765-1799. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2000. In 1980 Coldham abstracted claims in the first thirty or so bundles of AO 13, published by the National Genealogical Society. American Migrations abstracts apparently all of AO 13, using AO 12 to fill in gaps, but a check of a New Yorker, Samuel Adams, a surgeon, in ALC, appears in Dwyer but not in Coldham. Coldham is very useful for background on the Commissions, the records, etc. Provides a brief index for volumes and boxes/bundles in AO 12 and AO 13. Guides to Records 1. Public Record Office A search in PROCAT ('loyalist claims' in search, or AO 12, etc. as 'reference') pulls up various records for Loyalist related series: T79, AO 12, AO 13, T50, T77, etc. See also their Research Guide: American Revolution/Overseas Records Information 52, particularly item 6, American Loyalist Claims. This cites the Kraus-Thomson microfilm as copies of AO 12 and AO 13. http://www.catalogue.nationalarchives.gov.uk/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=271 The Research Guide also cites a series of articles by Roger H. Ellis, F.S.A., (a PRO archivist/conservator who worked on the records): "Records of the American Royalists' (sic) Claims in the Public Record Office, in Genealogists' Magazine (1957-1958). (Xeroxed). This describes the content and structure of AO 12 and AO 13, and describes the Index of Names (of the principle claimants, for both series) prepared by B.F. Stevens, available in typescript in the reading room. This may be the typescript index appearing in KTO roll 1 of AO12; would need to check Kraus guide. The Research Guide also cites C.M. Williams' Guide to the Material for American History... (1912) as being the most useful guide to important classes of PRO records. A page from this about the Loyalists records was attached to a letter in the dossier file. Should be looked at. 2. National Archives of Canada See the Loyalists Guide on their link to the Canadian Genealogy Centre, particularly for information on AO 12, AO 13 and British Headquarters papers: http://www.genealogy.gc.ca/10/100903_e.html 3. University of New Brunswick, Loyalist Collection http://www.lib.unb.ca/collections/loyalist/ This gives a good overview of the AO 12, AO 13 records. Search 'claims'. They also have microfilm copy of the Coke papers. http://www.lib.unb.ca/collections/loyalist/search.php -Susan Waide 2005