What is a United Empire Loyalist?

The title " United Empire Loyalist" or U .E .L
was given as an acknowledgement of distinction to those American
citizens who remained faithful to Britain during the
American Revolution ( 1775-1783). When the
American colonies drew up the Declaration of Independence,
about one third of their citizens remained loyal to the Crown,
and Britain found new homes for many of them in Canada.

"Today's Association has a number of classes of membership
Regular Membership gives you voting rights in the Association
and this Membership is restricted to those members that can
prove they have a Loyalist ancestor who meets the following criteria:

Either male or female, as of 19 April 1775, a resident
of the American Colonies, and joined the Royal Standard
prior to the Treaty of Separation of 1783, or otherwise
demonstrated loyalty to the Crown, and settled in Territory
remaining under the rule of the Crown: or

a soldier who served in an American Loyalist Regiment
and was disbanded in Canada: or

a member of the Six Nations of either Grand River or the
Bay of Quinte Reserve who is descended from one whose
migration was similar to that of other Loyalists."

The United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada

Vision Statement

To enrich the lives of Canadians through knowledge of the past,
in particular the history of the United Empire Loyalists
and their contribution to the development of Canada.

Mission Statement

To preserve, promote and celebrate the history and traditions of the Loyalist epoch in Canadian history by:

1) Uniting in a Canadian association the descendants of those families who, during the American Revolutionary War, sacrificed all to retain their loyalty to the British crown.

2) Collecting and cataloguing portraits, documents, books, weapons, flags, clothing and other artifacts relating to the United Empire Loyalists.

3) Publishing an historical and family research journal, books and newsletters as well as educational resource materials and encouraging scholarship and publication about Loyalist history and demography.

4) Erecting, constructing and repairing buildings, monuments and memorials in Canada to perpetuate the memory of the United Empire Loyalists.

5) Increasing public awareness of the Loyalist contributions to Canada and preserving, defending,and promoting Loyalist heritage within Canadian society, by developing and participating in projects and activities which honour and celebrate the memory of the United Empire Loyalists.

6) Defending and promoting the values and institutions fundamental to Canada's United Empire Loyalist heritage and, in particular, the Constitutional Monarchy, the Commonwealth, Parliamentary Government, the Rule of Law, Human Rights and Unity.

This mission statement was adopted at the Annual General Meeting June 8, 2002.

The United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada Website