Instructions to governors for Quebec, Lower Canada and Upper Canada - Aug. 7, 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 80-83.

[P.1]

Additional Instruction of 7^th Aug. 1783.  Rec^d 17^th Nov^r over Land from Halfx.
Concerning the allotment of lands to the Officers of the Provincial Troops

[P.2] Public Archives Canada stamp

[P.3]

George R
[seal]

Additional Instruction to Our Trusty and Wellbeloved Frederick Haldimand Esq^re Our 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 Seventh day of August 1783. In the Twenty Third Year of Our Reign.

Whereas by Our additional Instruction to you bearing date the 16^th day of July last you are authorized and impowered to allot certain portions of Land within the Seigneuries to be surveyed and laid out in the Province of Quebec by virtue of the said Instruction, and to remain vested in Us, Our Heirs and Successors, to such of the non-commissioned Officers and Privates of Our Forces, who should be reduced in Our said Province. And whereas we are desirous

of

[P. 4]
of testifying Our entire approbation of the Loyalty, Sufferings and Services of the Commissioned Officers of Our Provincial troops who may be so reduced. It is therefore Our Will and Pleasure that upon application of such of the said Commissioned Officers who shall be willing immediately to settle and improve Lands in Our said Province, you do allot such part of the Seigneuries to be surveyed and laid out as aforesaid in the following proportions, that is to say

To every Field Officer          1000 acres

To every Captain                    700 acres
To every Subaltern, Staff       500 acres
   or Warrant Officer

exclusive of fifty acres for each person of which the family of such Officer shall consist, to be held of Us, Our Heirs, and Successors, Seigneurs, upon the same terms, acknowledgements, Services, reserved Rents and Remissions as in the said recited additional Instruction are mentioned and expressed.

And it is Our Will and Pleasure that where the same is practicable that the Allottments of the non-commissioned Officers and Privates of each Provincial Corps to be reduced in Our said Province under Our said additional Instruction shall be in the same Seigneuries, and as contiguous as may be, and that the Allottments to the Commissioned Officers by virtue of this Our Instruction shall be interspersed therein, that the several Settlements may be thereby strengthened and united, and in case of attack be defended by

those

[P. 5]

those who have been accustomed to bear Arms and serve together.

And whereas many of Our Loyal and deserving Subjects have taken arms and associated themselves in the Provinces, now the United States of America, for the support of Our Government and Authority under the name of associated Loyalists without being put upon any particular Establishment, many of whom may take refuge in Our Province of Quebec. It is Our Will and Pleasure that the Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of the said associated Loyalists shall be in every respect entitled to the same Allottments of Land and every Encouragement intended and given by Our said and recited additional Instruction to the Non-commissioned Officers and Privates of Our Forces who shall be reduced in Our said Province and by this Our Instruction to the Commissioned Officers of Our Provincial Force who shall be so reduced.

GR