United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, Hamilton Branch

Corporate body

United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, Hamilton Branch

1931-Present

The United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada, Hamilton Branch was established on September 30, 1931, at the residence of prominent Hamiltonian Stanley Mills, U.E., who was a descendant of Loyalists, and who served as the organization’s first President from 1931 to 1935. This branch replaced an earlier Hamilton one that was known as the Head of the Lake branch, which was established in the early 1900s. The new Hamilton Branch was part of a wider organization of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association of Canada, which was created by an Act of Parliament of the Dominion of Canada on May 27, 1914. The objectives of the Hamilton Branch were to unite the descendants of the Loyalists, preserve Loyalist history and traditions, honour the struggles and sacrifices of the Loyalists, collect Loyalist artifacts, records and stories, publish historical and genealogical information on the Loyalists and their families, assist descendants with the completion of their genealogies, construct, repair and preserve monuments and memorials dedicated to the Loyalists and preserve their final resting places, encourage a stronger emphasis on the study of Canadian history in the school system with a focus on the Loyalists, and promote good fellowship and the spirit of Loyalism within Canada.

In the early days of the Hamilton Branch, membership was exclusive to individuals who could prove they were direct descendants of a Loyalist. This entailed that the Loyalist was a resident of the American colonies before the Revolutionary War, joined the Royal Standard prior to the Treaty of Separation in 1783 and pledged allegiance to the British Crown, was persecuted and had their land confiscated forcing them to flee to other British territories, or served in a Loyalist regiment such as Butler’s Rangers and the Queen’s Rangers, or were members of Six Nations Indigenous communities. The bylaws restricting membership to direct descendants continued for a few decades until the 1960s, when a crisis arose amongst members who debated the idea of allowing others into the fold. Some members wanted to expand the membership to allow Americans with Loyalist heritage even if they lived in a republic and did not pledge allegiance to the Crown. Other prominent figures in the organization such as L.L. Merrill, past President of both the U.E.L. Association of Canada and the Hamilton Branch, wanted to maintain the strict criteria for membership. After much debate and years of internal discord amongst various branches and members, and with the realization that Canadian society was moving away from a focus on its British roots and forming its own identity, including its own flag, many felt that keeping the membership exclusive would make it difficult to attract new members. In the 1970s, the bylaws were amended to allow associate and affiliate members without Loyalist heritage. Membership was open to any individuals with a desire and a passion to promote the history of the Loyalists, their sacrifices and struggles in a new land as refugees, their contributions to society, and their willingness to take up arms and fight against the Americans during the War of 1812, protecting what would become Canada. Today the Hamilton Branch of the United Empire Loyalists’ Association promotes public awareness of Loyalist history in the Hamilton area through educational initiatives and outreach in schools, genealogical research, newsletter publications, the preservation of historical records, monuments and memorial plaques, and participation in Loyalist Day activities in Ontario in honour of the contributions made by the Loyalists.

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

CF – Hamilton – Memorials – United Empire Loyalist Monument

Houghton, Margaret. “Loyalist Monument Honours Struggles of Early Pioneers,” in First Here: What Happened When in Hamilton. Burlington: North Shore Publishing Inc., 2008, Vol.1, pp.27-29. – Library Call Number: 971.352 FIR

United Empire Loyalists' Association, Hamilton Branch. "Hamilton Branch History." Accessed December 20, 2025. https://uel-hamilton.com

Administrative history also sourced from material within the fonds.