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Asa’s Petition (1810)
(transcription)

 

 

This page shows the petition to the government of Upper Canada in 1810 by Asa Webster to be considered an United Empire Loyalist. An image of the petition is available.

About this document

• Transcription of Asa Webster’s 29 August 1810 petition
• Upper Canada Land Petitions "W" Bundle 10, 1811-1816 (RG1,L3,Vol.526), Ontario Archives, Toronto, Ontario
• Transcribed by Caronne Secord, Feb., 2000

• Comments:

In this petition, Asa goes a step further in attempting to convince the officials that he should be on the Loyalist list, stating an absolute falsehood in the process: that he "was always a Loyal subject". In the 1807 petition he asked to have his name put on the Loyalist list; here he states that it was on the list but was struck off. This is contradicted by the statement "The name of Petitioner does not appear to have ever been inserted on the UE List" on the reverse of this petition.

The benefits for Asa’s children of having his name on the U.E. list would have been substantial, as sons and daughters of Loyalists were entitled to receive 200 acres of land.

As no further petitions have been found, Asa must have given up at this point.

 

To His Excellency Francis Gore
Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of
the Province of Upper Canada
etc etc and the honorable the exe-
cutive Council

The Petition of Asa Webster most
humbly represents —

That he is, and was always a Loyal subject to His Majesty King George the third, and a faithful Friend to the British Government — as such hath always demeaned himself and received His Majesty’s bounty in lands and provisions at the first settling of the Eastern Districts of this Province — but is informed that from some cause unknown to him, that he has been struck off from the U.E. list which is a distinction in which he proudly considered himself and family entitled both to the honor and advantages arising therefrom — where e [wherefore?] — he humbly prays That Your Excellency in Council will be pleased to order that he may be again distinguished as a U.E. loyalist and as by duty bound he will ever pray.

Augusta August 29th
Asa Webster

 

We the undersigned do certify that the above petitioner Asa Webster, is and has ever proved himself to be a faithful and Loyal Subject to His Majesty King George, that he remained in the United States for the purpose of taking charge of our Family in the year 1781 during my absence in Canada and that in the Year 1783 he came into Canada with my Family to St. Johns where he was approved of as a good Loyal Subject and received the benefits arising from his Loyalty in Provisions, Lands, etc. in the Eastern District of this province with other of his Majesty’s Loyalists, where he has since remained with his Family and has ever conducted himself as becomes a good Inhabitant and Loyal Subject.

Given under our hands at Augusta
this 29th day of
August 1810

 Joseph White Esq
Sarah White

 

[On reverse:]

 

W [?]
Ent’d p 202 [?]
Land Book
F [?]

Petition of
Asa Webster
of Augusta

praying that his name may
be inserted on the UE List.

Received 9th February 1811 from
The Hon’ble Rich’d Cartwright

[?]
Lieutenant Governor’s Office
York 11 Feb’y 1811

Referred to the
Executive Council — By
Order of the Lieutenant
Governor — Wm Halton

[initialed]

The name of Petitioner does
not appear to have ever been
inserted on the UE List

T.O. [ie turn over]

and it does not (from the
annexed Certificate) appear
that he has the smallest right
to [illegible word] that his name should
now be inserted thereon.

13th March 1812
[illegible signature and title]

Read in Council
July 21st 1812

The prayer of this
Petition not recommended

Thos Scott
Chairman

Approved

[illegible signature and title]

 

 

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