Friday, April 11, 2025

Revolutionary Choices: Exploring Loyalist and Patriot Roots – A Special 250th Anniversary Webinar



2025 marks 250 years since the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, a pivotal moment in American and Canadian history. 

As families chose sides—Patriot or Loyalist—their decisions sent ripples across generations. Many who remained loyal to the British Crown found refuge in what would become Canada, shaping communities in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Upper Canada. 

But how do we trace those stories today?

I'm excited to invite you to my webinar, "Revolutionary Choices: Exploring Loyalist and Patriot Roots at 250 Years. " We’ll commemorate this historic anniversary and explore the fascinating—and often complex—research paths of American Revolutionary War ancestors. 

In this webinar presentation, you'll discover: 
• How to identify whether your ancestor was a Patriot or a Loyalist 
• Key resources for researching both groups, including digital archives and lineage society databases 
• Practical tips for proving your lineage and documenting your findings. 

Whether you're starting out or refining a long-standing research project, this presentation aims to provide insights, inspiration, and actionable strategies. 

Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Time: 8:00 pm EDT


👉 Don’t miss out! Click to Register Here

 Let’s honour the stories of those who confronted one of history’s greatest crossroads—and discover where our ancestors stood when the Revolution emerged.



© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Monday, September 9, 2024

From Europe to the Prairies: The Mennonite Journey to Canada


Mennonite Heritage Week is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the significant history and contributions of Mennonites in Canada. Mennonites, an Anabaptist group, originated in Europe during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. They are named after Menno Simons, a Dutch priest who became a leader of the movement in the 1530s. Early Mennonites rejected infant baptism and advocated for adult baptism, pacifism, and a simple, communal lifestyle focused on mutual aid and faith.

The first migration of about 2,000 “Swiss” Mennonites arrived in Upper Canada from Pennsylvania during and after the American Revolution War. They sought religious freedom and land, settling primarily in the Niagara Peninsula, York and Waterloo counties. Beginning in 1822, a second wave of Amish Mennonites immigrated from Europe.

Another significant wave of European Mennonites occurred in the 1870s when around 7,000 immigrants of Dutch/Prussian descent fled the Russian Empire due to its Russification policies and settled in Manitoba and the Prairie provinces. These policies threatened Mennonite religious and cultural autonomy, including exemption from military service, a core principle of their pacifist beliefs. The Canadian government, eager to settle the Prairies, offered these Mennonites land, educational autonomy, and exemption from military service.

Mennonites established two major colonies in southern Manitoba: the East Reserve and the West Reserve. The East Reserve, located on the eastern side of the Red River, was settled first in 1874. The West Reserve, on the opposite side of the river, was established soon after. These areas quickly became agricultural hubs due to the Mennonites' farming expertise, particularly in wheat production. The fertile prairies were ideal for their agrarian way of life, and they introduced new farming techniques, such as crop rotation and the use of mechanical threshers.

For many years, Mennonite communities in Manitoba maintained a distinct cultural and religious identity. They built their churches, schools, and community institutions, preserving the Low German dialect and maintaining their traditional ways of life. Over time, the Mennonites in Manitoba split into various religious groups, ranging from conservative Old Order Mennonites to more progressive congregations.

Between 1923 and 1929, approximately 22,000 Russian Mennonites emigrated to Canada because of the Russian Revolution and Civil War, escaping war, famine, and political upheaval. The Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization and the Mennonite Central Committee played crucial roles in facilitating this migration, helping to settle new arrivals in both urban and rural areas across the Prairies. Following the Second World War, a fifth migration took place, with another 12,000 Mennonite war refugees and displaced persons coming to Canada and mainly settling in urban areas like Winnipeg, Vancouver, and Kitchener-Waterloo, which became home to large Mennonite populations.

Today, Mennonites live all across Canada, from Nova Scotia to Vancouver Island, and recent Mennonite congregations include people from many different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

Researching Mennonite Ancestors

Researching Mennonite ancestry in Canada can be challenging due to the group's historical migrations and record-keeping practices. Several valuable resources exist for tracing Mennonite ancestors, including church records, immigration documents, and genealogical societies like the Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives in Winnipeg or the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. These archives contain detailed records of early Mennonite families, including immigration lists, birth, marriage, death records, and community histories.

If you're starting to research your Mennonite ancestors, be sure to explore the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization records, which document the immigration of over 21,000 Mennonites from Russia to Canada in the 1920s. Local historical societies and online databases also provide access to personal records and genealogical data specific to Mennonite families in Canada.

Resources

Mennonite Archives of Ontario

Mennonite Church Canada

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives

Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta

Mennonite Historical Society of BC

Mennonite Historical Society of Canada

Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario


By exploring these resources, you can uncover the rich heritage of Mennonites in Canada, tracing their journey from Europe and their vital role in shaping Canada's agricultural, social, and religious landscape.

Sources


All articles and websites accessed September 8, 2024.
This blog post was edited using artificial intelligence.

© Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, 2024. All Rights Reserved.