John Chester UE (1763 - 1839)

Born 28 Nov 1763 in Albany Co., New York

Descendants

Died 19 May 1839 at age 75 in Montague, Grenville, Upper Canada

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John Chester was a United Empire Loyalist.
UEL Status:Proven
Date: Undated

Biography

John Chester was born in 1761 or 1763 (Find a Grave says 1761 - source for 1763 is found in the UEL Assoc )

He married Phebe Brown - one online site gives their marriage as 3 July 1789 in Augusta

Research Note: Searched Albany Wills, Vol AC-AD 40 - no Chesters.

Children :

1. Hannah Chester b: 23 MAY 1787 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
2. Catherine Chester b: 19 FEB 1789 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
3. Thomas Chester b: 31 JAN 1791 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
4. Mary Chester b: 28 OCT 1792 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
5. Elizabeth Chester b: 17 FEB 1795 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
6. John Chester b: 17 OCT 1797 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
7. Michael Chester b: 03 DEC 1799 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
8. John Chester b: 20 JUN 1802 in Montague Township, Lanark County, Ontario
9. Jesse Chester b: 16 NOV 1804 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada
10. Ursula Chester b: 11 SEP 1810 in Wolford Township, Ontario, Canada

John Chester was a United Empire Loyalist and was forced to flee to Upper Canada (now Ontario) to avoid persecution after the American Revolution. He was allotted 100 acres of free land from the British Government and eventually settled near Merrickville, Ontario. John Chester later re-enlisted and fought for the British in the War of 1812.

Where Resettled : Eastern District, Township of Augusta, 1784

According to his daughter Mary's 1815 Upper Canada Land Petition, John Chester "formerly resided in Augusta, from whence he removed to Montague about seventeen years ago" (= c1798). That should mean his children born before 1798 would have been born in Augusta, Grenville, Upper Canada - and after 1798 born in Montague, Grenville, Upper Canada.

Sources

1783 Canadian Immigrant Records

Name: John Chester, Age 22 (= born 1761)

Year of Record: 1783

Source/Event: War Office Records: Returns of Detachments and Companies of the Kings Rangers and Loyal Rangers stationed in Lower Canada.

Comments: from America

Reference: National Archives of Canada: Microfilm Reel No. B-2867 (MG 11, W.O. 28/10), page 191

Canadian Immigrant Records Part one.

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1784 UK American Loyalist Claims

Letter dated Lachine, Quebec, July 23, 1784, from Stephen DeLancy, Esq to Edward Jessup Esq. Major Commandant of the late Loyal Rangers, a Provincial Corps, requesting list of those who have "taken refuge in your province" ... "the value of real property which each person has lost"

John Chester, L15

Jesse Brown L257.3.6 (John's father-in-law)

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United Empire Loyalists Association of Canada

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1785 Upper Canada Land Petitions

Petition Dated: Province of Quebec, 24th May 1785

John Chester, late soldier in the Loyal Rangers

Has drawn Lot No 10, 100 acres on the East side of the 2nd Concession in the Seigneurie of Number 7

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Petition Dated: York, 28 June 1798

That your petitioner served during the Late American was as a Private Soldier and was duly discharged, having drawn only 200 acres of land, conceives himself entitled to one hundred acres more to put him on an equal footing with others in his situation.

Library and Archives Canada Film C-1648, vol 92, Bdle C4, Petition 35 (starts on page 796/972)

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The Loyalists in Ontario (OC = Order in Council - date they were awarded land from their Upper Canada Land Petitions]

Chester, John of Montague

Mary, m Peter Minor of Montague. OC 11 Nov 1815

Elizabeth, m Stephen Willcox of Montague. OC 5 April 1820

Thomas of Oxford-on-Rideau. OC 1 June 1837

Ursula, m Sidney S Powers of Montague. OC 10 April 1834

Michael, OC 3 April 1828

John, OC 3 April 1828

Loyalists in Ontario

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1802 Return of Inhabitants for Montague, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester age 37

Phoebe Chester age 34

Hannah Chester age 16

Thomas Chester age 11

Polly Chester age 9

Elizabeth Chester age 7

Michael Chester age 2

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1803 Return of Inhabitants of the River Rideau, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester age 40

Thomas Chester age 13

Michael Chester age 3

John Chester Junior age 1

Pheby Chester age 33

Hannah Chester age 17

Mary Chester age 9

Elizabeth Chester age 7

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1804 Return of Inhabitants for Montague, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester age 41

Thomas Chester age 14

Michael Chester age 4

John Chester Junior age 2

Pheby Chester age 34

Hannah Chester age 18

Mary Chester age 10

Elizabeth Chester age 8

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1805 Return of Inhabitants for Montague, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester age 42

Thomas Chester age 15

Michael Chester age 5

John Chester Junior age 3

Jesse Chester age 1

Phebe Chester age 35

Hannah Chester age 19

Polly Chester age 11

Elizabeth Chester age 9

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1806 Return of Inhabitants for Montague, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester age 43

Thomas Chester age 16

Michael Chester age 7

John Chester Junior age 4

Jesse Chester age 2

Phebe Chester age 36

Hannah Chester age 20

Polly Chester age 12

Elizabeth Chester age 10

...

1807 Return of Inhabitants for Wolford, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

John Chester

Phebe Chester

Hannah Cheste

Thomas Chester

Mary Chester

Elizabeth Chester

Michael Chester

John Chester

Jessey Chester

Lists of Inhabitants in the Townships of Wolford, Oxford, Marlborough & Montague, in the County of Grenville (Upper Canada), was done in 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806 & 1807.

Accessed at the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Library, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (http://www.saskgenealogy.com)

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1813 Return of the Population for Wolford, County of Grenville (Upper Canada)

Thomas Chester - 1 male married 16-50; 1 Women.

John Chester - 1 male married 16-50; 3 Women; 3 male Children under 16; 1 female Child.

Names of the Heads of Families and of all the Male inhabitants from the age of 16-60 - in the Townships of Wolford, Oxford, Marlborough & Montague, in the District of Johnstown (Upper Canada) for the year 1813

Accessed at the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Library, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (http://www.saskgenealogy.com)

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Find a Grave

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http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=belonjay&id=I08710