APPENDIX F CXXXI 



the name of "The Loyalist Association Desiring the Unity of 

 the Empire." On October 1, 1894, ten years after the centenary 

 celebration of the landing of the Loyalists in Upper Canada, Colonel 

 G. Sterling Ryerson, M.D., advocated through The Empire, now The 

 Mail and Empire, that the association be reorganized. His proposal 

 apparentlv did not immediately meet with sufficient support. 



On the 28th of February, 1896, however, a meeting was called 

 and a committee appointed to draft a constitution, and on May 11 

 the first general meeting was held. The Hon. John Beverley Robinson 

 was elected President, and Lieut.-Col. W. Hamilton Merritt, Secretary. 



Following the death in June of the same year of the President, 

 he was succeeded by Colonel Ryerson, who in turn was succeeded by 

 Mr. H. H. Cook, Mr. A. McLean Howard, Sr., Mr. R. E. A. Land, 

 Rev. C. E. Thomson, Mr. E. A. Maclaurin, Rev. Canon A. W. Macnab, 

 Mr. J. Stewart Carstairs and Major W. Napier Keefer. In March 

 1912, Colonel Ryerson was again elected President, by acclamation, 

 and still continues in office. Under his Presidency the association, 

 more or less inactive for a time, has revived, and is making marked 

 progress. He is an able and enthusiastic officer, and one who lends 

 distinction to whatever position he holds. 



The objects of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada 

 are : — 



1. To unite together, irrespective of creed or political party, 

 the descendants of those families who, during the American revolu- 

 tionary war of 1775 to 1783, sacrificed their homes in retaining their 

 loyalty to the British Crown, and to perpetuate this spirit of loyalty 

 to the Empire. 



2. To preserve the history and traditions of that important 

 epoch in Canadian history, by rescuing from oblivion the history and 

 traditions of the Loyalist families before it is too late. 



3. To collect together in a suitable place the portraits, relics 

 and documents relating to the United Empire Loyalists, which are 

 now scattered throughout the Dominion. 



4. To publish an historical and genealogical journal or annual 

 transactions. 



At the present time the Association is particularly interested in 

 increasing its membership and establishing branches in all parts of 

 Canada. A branch last year was established in Edmonton, with Mrs. 

 J. Bryce Saunders as its President. Mr. E. B. Merrill, Moose Jaw, 

 who was interested in forming a branch there, wrote: "The immigra- 

 tion of the Loyalists was certainly a great event for Canada and the 

 Empire. The Loyalists built Ontario and the eastern Provinces, and 

 Ontario and the eastern Provinces have built, or permeated, Man- 



