Background reading you can do as you research your Loyalist families
(by Anne Redish)
May 2021
In March 1784, Loyalists were anxiously waiting in refugee camps for news of completed Township and Lot surveys along the St. Lawrence River. Correspondence with Governor Haldimand about the plans is very clearly written and readable, at https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1654/1226
For several years, Loyalists were located at many different camps. Some of these camps were along the Richelieu River (Ile aux Noix, Saint Jean sur Richelieu, Chambly, & Sorel), on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River (La Prairie), on the Island of Montreal (ville Montreal, Lachine, & Pointe Claire), and Isle Jesus and Terrebone, and further east along the St. Lawrence River, (L’assomption & Machiche).
- 1779 Victualing Lists for some of these camps
https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1654/624 - Sept 1784 Victualing Lists for some camps Image 145-163
https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1655/145 - June 1782 Saint Jean sur Richelieu https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c10860/909
- and Oct 1783
https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c10860/928 - May 1784 Loyalists at Machiche wanting to go to Missiquoi Bay
https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_h1654/317 - early Marriages at Montreal https://archive.org/details/reportoncanadian1885publ/page/n165/mode/2up?view=theater
- early Baptisms at Montreal https://archive.org/details/reportoncanadian1885publ/page/n181/mode/2up?view=theater
A good book re: Loyalist Refugees is Watt, G. “Loyalist Refugees: Non-Military Refugees in Quebec 1776-1784” https://globalgenealogy.com/countries/canada/loyalist/resources/101069.htm
You can read all of the above for free (except the book), from the comfort of home.