The New Student's Reference Work/Adolphustown

Adolph′ustown, a town in Prince Edward County (north shore of Lake Ontario), in Eastern Ontario. The United Empire Loyalists first landed at this point June 16, 1784. To commemorate this event an important centennial celebration was held at Adolphustown in June, 1884, at which were present the Lieutenant Governor of the Province (John Beverley Robinson), and other notables. The settlement of Upper Canada (now Ontario) began in 1784 by the arrival of the Loyalists. When the American colonies revolted in 1776 and declared their independence many of the colonists opposed the movement and aided the imperial troops during the war. These were known as the United Empire Loyalists. The war being over, many of them moved and made their homes in the territory known as New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Others crossed the Niagara River, or settled on tracts along the St. Lawrence. A considerable part of the present population of Ontario is descended from these pioneers. In 1784 the total white population of the Province of Ontario did not exceed 20,000. A well known writer says “The event of the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth, so praised in prose and verse, was a holiday excursion compared with the arrival of the expatriated Loyalists.”