The Lake Erie Ledger A Tri-Annual Publication of the Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio October 2020 Organized January 8, 1895 Volume 33, Number 3 War of 1812 research program highlights fall meeting The program for the 2020 fall meeting of the Society of the War of 1812 in the Rules of Engagement State of Ohio will be a PowerPoint presen- for the upcoming meeting tation on Understanding Military Land Bounties, Pensions, and Service Records The fall meeting will start at 12 noon at the MCL Restau- for the War of 1812. The meeting will be rant, 3154 Kingsdale Center, Upper Arlington, Ohio. This is held at the MCL Restaurant in Upper Ar- an eastern suburb of Columbus. lington, Ohio, on 17 October 2020. As such, we MUST abide by the rules of this restaurant The presenter is Eric Johnson, the editor pertaining to the pandemic. of the Lake Erie Ledger and a past presi- dent of the Ohio Society. Johnson is the current Registrar 1] ALL compatriots must bring and wear a safe and suitable General of the General Society of the War of 1812, and has mask. Do not attend if you do not wish to wear a mask. authored seventeen books on military genealogy, particularly 2] Social distancing will be enforced. The meeting room is with the War of 1812. large enough to seat all who wish to attend this event safety. This lecture will deal in how to locate military land boun- ty warrants, patents, guardianship papers, service records, and Once again! As guests of the MCL Restaurant, we will pensions for your War of 1812 ancestors, with the emphases abide by their rules during our meeting. on on-line research. Johnson is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. With the General Society, he has held the positions of Vice President of Publications, Historian General, and Archi- The Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio vist General. He was the editor of the 1812 War Cry for sev- membership certificates can en years. He is also a member of the National Society Sons of be purchased through Treas- the American Revolution and the Swedish Colonial Society. urer Larry Collins for $5.00. The fall meeting will start at 12 noon. The restaurant Indicate the names of your opens at 11 a.m. and serves cafeteria style, so arrive early to ancestor or ancestors that gather your food. The meeting is open to the public and you wish to place on the cer- guests are always invited to attend. tificate. July meeting was a success! The July meeting of the Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio was suc- cessfully conducted during the pandemic at the Ohio Genealogical Library in Bellville, Ohio. Everyone attending the meeting abided by the rules by wearing masks and sitting discretely. Not everyone who attended the meeting is shown in the picture to the right. Page 2 The Lake Erie Ledger October 2020 Society of the War of 1812 President’s Message Shawn Cox in the State of Ohio’s Officers First, let me thank Richard Davis for President — Shawn Cox his stewardship of the society for the P. O. Box 471 past three years. Secondly, I appreciate Washington Court House, OH 43160-0471 the vote of confidence you have placed (740) 333-4615 in me as your new Ohio Society Presi- [email protected] dent. Vice President — Robert Pollock I will endeavor to fulfill the respon- P.O. Box 86 sibility entrusted to me of leading our Urbana, OH 43078-0086 society. With the support and assistance (937) 508-4984 of the officers and membership, we will [email protected] continue to support the purposes, goals and, objectives of the society, that is Secretary — Thomas Galloway patriotism, good citizenship, preserva- P.O. Box 697 tion of War of 1812 records and sites, and education. Huntington, WV 25711-0697 To accomplish these goals, we should continue to identify [email protected] and register the graves of War of 1812 veterans, identify his- toric sites associated with the War of 1812 in Ohio, promote Treasurer — Larry Collins the society’s ROTC Award program in Ohio’s colleges and 8352 Park Place West Chester, OH 45069 universities, and perpetuate the legacy of the War of 1812. [email protected] To fulfill these objectives requires the participation of everyone. If everyone contributes even a small amount, it Registrar/Genealogist — Eric Johnson will go a long way towards accomplishing our mission. Over 377 Nantucket Drive 200 years ago, our ancestors fought to preserve our nation Avon Lake, OH 44012-2803 against Great Britain and her allies, now it is our duty and (440) 933-5434 responsibility to honor their memory and educate the public [email protected] about their sacrifices and contributions. Vice President General for Ohio — Robert Pollock Surgeon General—Dr. David R. Rudy The Lake Erie Ledger can be e-mailed to any compatriot 1633 Timber Lake Drive or library in a PDF format instead of having the newsletter Delaware, OH 43015 mailed as it has been in the past. Contact the editor. [email protected] Graves Registration — Robert E. Grim 5367 State Road 72 South Meeting Dates for 2020 Sabina, OH 45169-9425 (937) 584-4622 April 18 — MCL Restaurant, Upper Arlington, OH [email protected] July 11 —OGS Library, Bellville, OH October 17 — MCL Restaurant, Upper Arlington, OH Immediate Past President — Richard Davis, Ph.D. 741 Red Bud Ave Meetings start at noon Cincinnati, OH 45229 Dates and locations are subject to change (513) 751-3739 [email protected] MCL Restaurant & Bakery 3154 Kingsdale Center Marshal — Eric E. Johnson Upper Arlington, OH 43221 Info Tech Chairman & Webmaster — Craig V. Fisher Ohio Genealogical Society Library 5545 Woodridge Drive 611 State Route 97 West Toledo, OH 43623-1061 Bellville, OH 44813 (419)-882-5841 [email protected] Judge Advocate — Richard Rezie The Lake Erie Ledger 7155 Mapleview Dr. Seven Hills, OH 44131 Published three times a year by the [email protected] Society of the War of 1812 in the State of Ohio Historian — Richard Davis, Ph.D. Eric E. Johnson, Editor 377 Nantucket Drive Chaplain — Keith D. Ashley Avon Lake, OH 44012-2803 34465 Crew Road Pomeroy, OH 45769-9715 (440) 933-5434 Page 3 The Lake Erie Ledger October 2020 Eastern Maine was once the colony of New Ireland New Ireland was a British crown colony established dur- The British evac- ing the War of 1812 in the eastern part of the District of uated Castine on 25 Maine, State of Massachusetts (now the State of Maine) April 1815 when when the British captured what is now eastern Maine. This the pre-war bounda- colony lasted from August 1814 to April 1815, a period of ry between the eight months. The Treaty of Ghent in 1814 returned this terri- United States and tory to the United States. Canada was re- During the American Revolutionary War, the British cap- stored. Eastport tured the towns and villages on the Penobscot Bay and the would not be given lower valley of the Penobscot River in central Maine. They back to the United created the original colony of New Ireland, and they held this States until 30 June territory for four years until the area was given back to the 1818 after the east- United States under the Treaty of Paris in 1783. ern border of Maine The second British invasion of Maine occurred on 11 July with New Bruns- 1814 when the military forces under Commodore Sir Thomas wick was officially Hardy from St. John, New Brunswick landed at Eastport, established. Maine and forced the surrender of Fort Sullivan without a Current maps fight. Eastport is where the sun first shines on continental show New Ireland United States. The village sits on the eastern border of Maine as the eastern half and the western border of New Brunswick. of Maine from the Fort Sullivan was little more than an artillery battery on Penobscot River to the heights above Eastport and could not be defended without the St. Croix River a high loss of American lives. The British forces consisted of (the eastern bounda- a ship-of-the-line, a brig, a sloop, a bomb-ship, and two ry of today’s transports filled with 500 soldiers. Maine). This is far Eighty-three men of the 40th Regiment of U.S. Infantry from the truth! The northern boundary of Maine would not were captured at Fort Sullivan. Twenty-four soldiers were be established until the Webster-Ashburton Treaty went into interned at Halifax, Nova Scotia prisoner of war camp while effect on 10 November 1842. the remaining men were paroled and sent back to Boston, Maine has the least population density of any state, now Massachusetts. 250 Maine militiamen were disarmed, pa- and in 1815. The interior is very sparsely settled. Had we lost roled, and sent back to their homes. the War of 1812. Britain would have taken at least two-thirds A second, larger British force under Rear Admiral Sir of present-day Maine as the Province of New Ireland. The Edward Colpoys left Halifax and captured Castine, Maine on northern half of Maine was needed in order to built winter 26 August 1814. Castine is on the east side of Penobscot roads between Halifax and Quebec City. Bay. Three days later on 29 August 1814, the British cap- New Ireland in 1815 consisted of land on both sides of tured Belfast on the western side of the bay.