--October 29, 2019.
Imagine being told to take what personal possessions you could carry and leave the only home you have ever known. That’s what happened to people called Loyalists, American colonists who supported the British King during the American Revolution (1777-1783).
Thousands were forced to immigrate to Canada leaving all that they owned behind. They even had to live in refugee camps. Nearly 1,000 people settled in the seigneury of St. Armand at Missisquoi Bay (Philipsburg). The majority were farmers, but also army officers and businessmen, women and children.
While the British government was not in favour of Loyalists living next to the American border, these Loyalist “squatters” petitioned the governor to stay.
The Loyalists of Missisquoi Bay contributed in a significant way to the colonization of the Eastern Townships and to the region’s social, economic and political development. They brought their languages, including German and Dutch, cultures, religions and politics with them and forever changed this region of Quebec, making it unique in its history and heritage.