Alexander Peers UE

Relationship:
1. Alexander Peers & Mary Bolding
    2.  Jerusha Peers & Daniel Teed
          3. Hannah Teed & Thomas Swallow
                 4. Matilda Swallow & Charles Bragg
                          5. John Thomas Bragg & Julia West Gamble
                                    6. Russell Mackie Bragg & Dorothy Madeleine Harrigan
                                            7. Me

The Peers Family Crest

Here's what we think we know about Alexander Peers.

1. He was born in Oxford, England, Helsby Cheshire or perhaps Barbados.  In his statement to the Dundas Commission, Alexander claimed to be a native of Long Island.  There are over 850 Pierce births registered in Long Island and many given names are similar - i.e. Ephraim, Ezekiel, Daniel and Isaac.
2. His parents could be Richard Peers and Sarah Williams, Samuel Pierce and Polly Barber, or Marie Crawford.  Samuel Pierce and Polly Barber can be ruled out because they didn't marry until June 4, 1785.
3. 1765 is the year he is thought to have come to America.
4. 1775 he was known to be farming on the Philipse Patent near the mouth of the Pocantico River.
5. It is believed that he had as least two brothers,  Henry  and Samuel. But only Samuel is mentioned in official papers as a witness for the Dundas Commission.
6. His tombstone states that he died February 28, 1816 - aged 70 years, 10 months and 24 days.  That would put his birth in 1745.  His birthdate would be  April  4, 1745. 

At about the age of 20, we think Alexander and his brothers Henry and Samuel Peers left England for America.  The year 1765 is significant in that it was the year the Stamp Act was enacted in the British Parliament which was one of the main precipitants of the American Revolution - a major event in Alexander's life. He settled in Dutchess County in the province of New York, British North America.  In 1775 he was known to be farming in Dutchess County, Province of New York.   His farm was located on Philipse Manor  or Highland Patent near the mouth of the Pocantico River.

Phillips Manor was one of the large estates which lined the Hudson River above New York. About the year 1680 Frederick Philipse, whom the Dutch styled Vreedoyck Felypses or Sir Vredayk Flypse, a residence of East Friesland in Holland, purchased from the Indians, territory on which he could build a residence overlooking the Hudson. There is some doubt as the exact date and it may have been some years earlier. The Phillips Manor stood, or rather stands, as it was built, of oak and has resisted decay 300 years, more or less, near the mouth of the Pocantico River also known as "Sleepy Hollow Brook" where according to Washington Irving, Rip Van Winkle slept away the years. The patent belonging to Frederick Philipse covered the territory from Spyten Devil's Kill running north along the river (Hudson) until the kill of Kitchawong (Croton River).

The Philipse family retained possession of the Manor until the Revolution when being Loyalist they were driven out. On the Manor, Alexander is thought to have owned 7 acres on which he built a home and then leased an additional 123 acres of farmland from Frederick Philipse.

On the 15th of September 1766, just a year after arriving in America, he married Mary Bolding, a southern belle who was, we think, from North Carolina.  Mary was said to be the daughter of  Mary Howard, whose family appears to have originated in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Mary was born about 1745 and we don't have any information about the circumstances that brought her to New York.  Some reports also show her being born in Long Island City, New York.  Over the following years, Mary and Alexander had six children of their own and adopted the son of another Loyalist after arriving in Nova Scotia.  Their family were: Ezekiel, Ephraim, John, Jerusha, Elizabeth, Daniel and their adopted son was Isaac Brown.  Alexander and Mary raised Isaac Brown, after his father, John Brown, was killed by lightening. Isaac Brown married Mary Peers

The Green Uniform of the
Loyalist Soldier

The years 1776-1783 Alexander was a Private (according to the original Remsheg Grant documents, Alexander was a Captain)  in the British Army fighting in the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the famous Delancey's Cowboys who gained a reputation as foragers, stealing cattle and foodstuffs to supply the British Regiments.  Two books, The Civil Sword by Gerald Vincent and The Valley of the Remsheg by Harry Brown, outline some of Alexander's adventures during the war.

Life was very difficult for the Loyalists and when Alexander joined the British, his wife and children were driven from their home with just the clothes on their backs.  They were forced behind British lines and spent the balance of the war in the squalid conditions of a tiny log hut near Morissania, New York.  Morrisania was situated on the in the southwestern part of what is now the borough of the Bronx in New York City.  What little they managed to accumulate while in the camp was to be left behind when the signing of the Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution and the Loyalists again were forced to flee for their lives.

The Brig Thetis and the Ship Nicholas and Jane landed at Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia, on 15 July 1783 with Alexander Peers and other Loyalists on board.  The fort was built by the French in 1751 and is now called by its former French name Fort Beausejour. In 1776 the garrison of the fort played a role in the American Revolution, by successfully defending the fort from an attack by local residents who supported the war. The stone walls of the fort were the refuge the first winter for those loyal souls who had given up almost everything they owned and come to Nova Scotia to start over. If only those stones walls could talk!

( Since they arrived in July, some of  the Loyalists over - wintered at Fort Cumberland the first year and then moved on to Wallace Bay the following spring. - Wallace and Area Museum)

Elizabeth Peers,
daughter of Alexander
and Mary Peers

There are two possible stories of how Alexander and his family came to Nova Scotia.  One tale has them pushed back to the sea in New York and rescued by a sailing ship that took them to Nova Scotia.   The other was offered by Don Dewar at the Wallace and Area Museum.  Since Alexander was a mere foot soldier, the British government would not have likely provided transportation for him and his family.  It is possible they walked or rode in wagons all the way.

His two eldest sons, Ezekiel and Ephraim, served under Captain Purdy during the last two years of the war.

According to his father's statement Ezekiel would have been only 15 years of age when he joined the Loyalist forces and served to the end of the war.  Mary Teed Carnell is sometimes also referred to as Mary Teed, and it is probably that she was a widow, although we can find no reference to Carnell or Carnell children.  It is noted that she was two years older than Ezekiel.  Marilyn's note:  My suspicion is that Mary was the Sister of Daniel Teed - one of the other Loyalists from whom we descend.


Alexander had a brother, Henry, also listed among the Loyalists, but there seems to be no record of what became of him.  It is believed he settled in New Brunswick.

Loyalists Petition of Alexander Peers

Loyalist Petitions from Audit Office 12 13 Alexander Peers AO 12 N.C. St. John (N.B.) Nov 2 1786 (Dundas) A.O. 12 /23 336-338 Evidence on the Claim of Alexr. Peers late of Dutchess County New York.

Same reason for not claim as Samuel Kipp. He is a Native of Long Island. In 1775 he lived on Philips Manor as a farmer. When the war broke out he opposed the Rebels to his utmost and joined the Army on their arrival in the province in 1776.

He attempted to raise men for a commission in Roger's and Col. Fanning's Corps, but failing in raising his men he joined the refugees, and served with them until the end of the War, when he came to Remsheg where he now resides.

Colonel Delancey certifies to Loyalty and Services.

Property :

No. 1. a house and seven acres in Westchester County, he purchased during the War from a Loyalist for L110 Currency, Hears it is sold.


No. 2 120 Acres, a lease on the estate of Philips


Says he bought this farm from his brother about four years before the War for £30 Currency. After he joined the British his wife was drove from his farm and the stock seized ...

Witness Samuel Peers ...Brother to Claimant His brother bought a house and land near Morrisinia during the War. Witness Richard Gregory ... remembers Claimants Improvements on Philips upper Manor.

Claimants wife was sent into the line in 1777.




Alexander Peers AO 13


Audit Office 13 15 pp 60 etc for Alexander Peers


Remsheg County of Cumberland March 25 1786


Alexander Peers late of Dutchess county and province of New York but now of Cumberland maketh oath and sayeth that he resided at Cumberland from the fifteenth Day of ????ary 1783 to the twenty fifth of March 1786 and this deponent further sayeth that he was utterly incapably of prefering or Delivering to the commissioners appointed by act ??? in the twenty third year of the reign of his present Majesty entitled an Act for appointing Commisioners to Enquire into the Losses Services of such persons who have suffered in those Rights properties and professions during the late disentions in American in Consequence of their Loyalty and attachment to the British Government on or to their office any Memorial Claim or Request for aid or Belikes an account of this Deponant Losses during the late unhappy Disentions in America within the time allowed by the said act for receiving such Claims by reason that this deponant during all such time viz Between the fifteenth of July 1783 and the twenty fifth of March 1784 Living or residing at Cumberland and this  reponeant further sayeth in the month of October 1782 al?? Gilbert Totten the then Agent for the West Chest Loyalist further if this deponant would make out his account and give it to him the said Agent would forward it to Col James DeLancy who was then in London which the deponant sayeth that he did make out said account and and was sworn to it by James Low Esqr and delivered it said Agent. Alexander Peers (Peirs ?) Sworn Before Samuel Kipp J.P.  To the Honourable Col Thomas Dundas and James Pemberton Esqr Comissioners &tc. The Memorial of Alexander Peers Humbly Sheweth That your Memorialist formerly of Dutches County and province of Newyork first by ????ing one of Ct Rogers of shiers [officers?] and Raising Recrutes in the year 1771 for the british Army ???? under the Direction of Major Mansfield Bare??? [illegible but would be 'Bearmore'] from December 1778 untill November 1779 and from that time belonged to Cpt Kipps troop of hors [?] under the comand of Col. Isaac Hatfield & Col. James Delancey until the first of June 1783 and this Deponant further sayeth that he has two sons that served in Capt Purdys Company in the Saime Regement from the year 1782 untill 1783 and this Dpeonaont furter sayesth that he sustained the following losses on account fo his Loyalty and attachment to the British government viz 120 Akers of Teneant Land and improvement valued to one hundred and ten pounds Stock and grain and Household goods valued to one hundred and fifty pounds. One house 7 akers of land valued to one hundred and ten pounds. Debts Due mee twenty too pounds sisteen shillings three horses purched for the use of said troops valued to one hundred and tweny pounds three horses valued to forty two pounds the shiling one of oxen and one cow valued to Eaightyfor pound ten shiling one watch and greatcote valued to ten pounds the particular is sumed upon the other Side Alexander Peers

The group of Loyalists who arrived with Alexander were known as the Westchester Refugees.  They and each of their children were given land grants in the Remsheg Valley - which is now known as Wallace, Nova Scotia.  Each one received 200 acres of land plus a town lot.  The Remsheg had been one of the places from which the French were expelled a few years earlier, so the new immigrants found fields already tilled and dykes erected to contain and distribute water to the fertile fields.  After a few rough years, the Peers had built a home and established a thriving farm.  Alexander took part in community affairs, serving on committees and was a central character in the area.

The Graves of Alexander and Mary Bolding Peers
Old Dotten Cemetery, North Wallace, Nova Scotia

He died on the 28th of February, 1816 at Wallace Bay and is buried in the Old Dotten Cemetery in North Wallace.  Mary predeceased him in 1808.

The Peers were prolific and over time the name became connected to most other families in the district.  There are still Peers' living in Wallace today.