38 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



homes by the persecution then prevalent in the States, many of these 

 being of English, Scotch, Irish, or German origin.* 



From the loyalist settlements of the seigniories and Mississquoi 

 Bay some afmilies scattered throughout the adjoining country (.east- 

 ward for fifty miles, that is, beyond Lake Memphremagog, and north- 

 ward for thirt}'' miles. This district includes the present counties of 

 Mississquoi, Brome, and Shefford, and parts of Stanstead and Sher- 

 brooke counties. The dispersion was no douljt partly due to natural 

 causes, but it was also stimulated by a new policy on the part of the 

 government of Lower Canada. In 1791, the government gave up its 

 old policy of opposing settlement along the American border with a 

 view to attracting a large class of immigrants from New England. 

 The new policy provided for the granting of a township to a company 

 of associates, who were required to pay the expense of the preliminary 

 survey. The township was then erected, and the lands allotted to 

 the associates. Thus, what are known as the Eastern Townships 

 were created. As the loyalists dwelling on Caldwell's and Christie's 

 manors and Mississquoi Bay could not obtain grants there, because 

 these districts were private instead of royal domain, their desire for 

 bounty lands could only be satisfied by their organizing or joining a 

 company of associates; and this was what some of them did.f 



Robert Manson and Thomas Shepard, of the Mississquoi colony, 

 were given lands in Bolton Township, near Lake Memphremagog, 

 in 1797. t Captain Henry Ruiter, of the same settlement, received 

 several lots in Potton Township, south of Bolton, and settled there 

 in 1799,* later becoming an associate of Sutton. When the latter 

 township was established in 1802, it was granted to a large number 

 of associates, many of whom were loyalists of the Caldwell and Mis- 

 sissquoi communities. Among the grantees of Mississquoi were 

 Hermanns Best, R. Brisbain, Adam Deal, Frederick Hayner, and 

 Alexander Taylor, whilst among those of Caldwell's Manor were 

 Ephi'aim Hawley, Andrew Liddel, Rev. William Marsh, John Pickell, 

 Captain Henry Ruiter, Jeremiah Spencer, Moses Westover, and Wil- 

 liam Huntington.^ Captain John Savage, also of the Caldwell settle- 

 ment, was the leader of the associates to whom the Township of Shef- 

 ford was granted in 1801, other loyalist grantees being his son John, 

 and John Mock, of Mississquoi Bay.® Gilbert Hyatt, another of the 



*Day, History of the Eastern Townships, 324. 



tMississquoi County Historical Society, Third An. Rep., 97-99. 



JThomas, Contributions, 315, 316, 332. 



* Ibid., 302, 303. 



"Thomas, Contributions, 174, IT. 



" Day, History of the Eastern Townships 343. 



