Claim No. 548 (Alexander)

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No 548

Hugh Alexander

Pet: A

Claim £2604.15/

Allowed £1473.5

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Class 2 _ No 182

Hugh Alexander

Stamford

Loss of House at Fort Erie & Goods furniture &c &c at Fort Erie, Stamford

£2604:15

Estimated at two thousand four hundred pounds HCy

No Evidence Whatever

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Statement of Property taken and destroyed belonging to Hugh Alexander by the Americans and Indians in the Service of the United States of America during the Late War

Amounting to Two Thousand Six Hundred and Four Pounds Fifteen Shillings Provincial Currency

October 9th 1815

Hugh Alexander
Stamford District of Niagara
U. Canada

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A Specification

Appraisement of the Property destroyed at Fort Erie, belonging to Mr Hugh Alexander

June 20, 1815

Robt Grant
Saml Street
William Dunbar

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Class 2 No 182

Appraisement of Mr Hugh Alexanders Buildings at Fort Erie £756.5.0 Cy

June 21 1815

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Hugh Alexander

Stamford

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District of Niagara

Robert Grant of Queenston, Esquire, Samuel Street of Stamford, Esquire, and William Dunbar of Queenston, Carpenter, before the undersigned Justices of the Peace in and for the aforesaid District, severally make oath and say, that what they formerly certified in regard to claims for losses sustained during the late war with the United States, by Hugh Alexander late of Stamford, deceased, was just and true according to the best of their judgment and belief.

Robt Grant
William Dunbar
Samuel Street

Sworn before me at Queenston this eleventh day of December 1823 by Robt Grant + William Dunbar

Alexander Hamilton J.P.

Sworn before me at Chippewa this thirteenth day of December 1823

James Macklin J.P.

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Hugh Alexander

further proof will be sent from Niagara

[illegible]

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Edward Hunt Personally came before me Samuel Street Esquire one of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the District of Niagara and made oath that in the Summer of 1814 about the month of July, he saw Mr Alexander wife of the late Hugh Alexander on her way from her own house going back into the country to keep out of the way of the American Soldiery. She asked him what he was going to do and he said he did not yet know whether he would continue at his dwelling house or not. She said if he should continue there (it being within a Quarter of a Mile of her house) she would be thankful if he would save as much of her property as he could provided the American’s should attempt to plunder her House or Merchant Shop, Hugh Alexander being then a prisoner amongst the Enemy. A few days after he saw a number of American Soldiers about Hugh Alexander’s House and Merchant Shop He went to them and found the shop door broken open, and the Soldiers carrying away the goods in back Loads, he

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He found some of them in the dwelling House also whom he ordered out but they did not obey. He says he cannot say what Quantity of Goods the Shop contained when it was broken open.

Edward Hunt

Sworn before me this 6th day of December 1823 at Chippewa

Samuel Street J.P.

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late Hugh Alexander

H. Alexander

further proof to be sent by Benjamin Williams his clerk

548

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District of Niagara

Martha Rorbach Wife of Andrew Rorbach of Stamford in said District Saddler, maketh Oath and Saith, That she lived the neighbour of the Late Hugh Alexander in Stamford, and has a knowledge that in the month of May or June 1814 he received a large assortment of Dry Goods and Groceries. That a few days after the retreat of His Majesty’s Troops in July 1814, her own House, being plundered of nearly all that was in it, her husband absent with the Army, and Mr Alexander a prisoner she went to live with Mrs Alexander, and while there saw parties of the Enemy (volunteers and Indians) at different times between the 11th & 20th of July, came to the House of the said Hugh Alexander, and forcibly take and carry away Several Waggon Loads and Horse Loads of Merchandise, wearing apparel, bedding and Household furniture. This deponent further saith that one waggon load of the Goods so taken consisted of Tea Sugar and Coffee, which she at the time computed to be worth from six to seven hundred dollars.

Martha Rorbach

Sworn before my at Stamford this 5th day of January 1824

Robt. Grant J.P.

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District of Niagara

Susannah Alexander widow of the late Hugh Alexander of Stamford in said District merchant deceased, maketh oath and saith that her said deceased husband, had a store with Goods at Fort Erie at the time of the retreat of His Majesty’s Troops from that post in May 1813, which upon that occasion was abandoned by the person in charge of them, and as she believes were taken possession of by the Enemy. That the Goods were partly purchased in Montreal, and partly in the country after the commencement of the war as she thinks, but as to the quantity or value She does not know. This deponent on her oath further saith that in the month of May of June 1814 her deceased husband the said late Hugh Alexander received from Montreal a large assortment of Dry Goods and Groceries [illegible] but a small part was sold previous to the retreat of the Army in July 1814. That on the 9th of that month Mr. Alexander was taken prisoner and sent to Buffalo, and on or about the 11th and for several successive days, parties of the Enemy (Volunteers & Indians) on foot mounted and with waggons, came to the premises of him the said late Hugh Alexander at Stamford, and forcibly took and carried away all the above mentioned Goods except one waggon Load of them, which she was induced and enabled, with a view of preserving them from plunder, to send to Buffalo

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Buffalo in charge of her father in Law. This deponent further saith, that they took out of the Stable at same time, a [pair ?] of Horses and some Harness and also plundered the House of a quantity of wearing apparel Bedding & Household furniture. This deponent further saith that the late Mr Alexander has some Goods on hand, the remains of the Old Stock at the time the New Goods were received in May or June 1814. That they had Buffaloe Skins, Axes Spades &c in use, which she verily believes were taken by the Enemy. That Mr Alexander had a promising young orchard at Fort Erie, some of the Trees in a bearing state, apples, nectarines cherries & plumbs, the three latter in the garden, all of which were destroyed during the war, and also that they lost furniture at Fort Erie, one feather bed & bedding, table, chairs, and other things which she does ot particularly remember, left there for the accommodation of Capt. Bridge, Royal Artillery and the Clerk who had charge of the shop.

Susan Alexander

Sworn before me at Stamford the 20th January 1824

Robt Grant J.P.

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Niagara District

Personally appeared before me, James Kerby one of His Majesties Justice of the Peace, Benjamin Willson residing at the Grand River Up. Canada Merchant, who being duly Sworn, States that during the latter part of the War he was in the capacity of a Clerk to the late Hugh Alexander, deceased, that he has a perfect knowledge of he the late Said Hugh Alexander having lost by the Enemy, a very considerable quantity of merchandise in the Township of Stamford in said District, and that to the best of his knowledge and belief, said loss of Goods amounted to Two thousand pounds Province Currency

Benj Willson

Sworn before me at Fort Erie this 30th January 1824

James Kerby J.P.

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Fort Erie 30th January 1824

Sir

Inclosed is an affidavit made by Mr Benjamin Willson in support of the claim for Losses of the late Hugh Alexander which you will please lay before the Commissioners.

I am Sir

your obedient Servant

J [Warren ?]

J. B. Macaulay Esqr

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J. B. Macaulay Esquire

&c &c &c

York

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Additional proof for the Claim of the late Hugh Alexander’s Estate

548

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District of Gore

Personally came and appeared before me, William Holmes Esquire, one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, in, and for the aforesaid District, Benjamin Willson of Brantford in the County of Wentworth and District aforesaid, Merchant, who, being duly sworn deposeth and saith that, during the late war with the United States he was principal Clerk to Hugh Alexander late of Fort Erie in the Niagara District, deceased, both at his Mercantile Establishment at Fort Erie and Stamford in the District last aforesaid. That at the time Fort Erie was evacuated by the British Troops in the year 1813, Mr Alexander sustained loss of Merchandise at that place, [illegible] to the amount of sixty two pounds ten shillings Canada Currency and furniture to the amount at least of twenty five pounds same currency which fell into the hands of the Enemy on them taking possession of the Fort. That in the year 1814 Mr Alexander has a large supply of Goods at Stamford, imported that year from Lower Canada, besides a considerable supply remaining of

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of old stock; greater part of all which was plundered and carried away by the Americans and American Indians attached to the American Army; that he was personally present and in the store from the commencement of the plunder till the shop was almost entirely cleared, when he fled from the premises, owing to threats made by the plunderers that he should be taken care of as he appeared to be in the way of their full completion of their marauding purpose, leaving the few remains of Goods to be protected by Mrs Alexander, who still remained. That the amount of Goods so taken, this deponent believes to be fifteen hundred pounds Currency aforesaid. That the dwelling house was at the same time plundered of furniture, to the value he thinks of Eighty pounds. That Mr Alexander sent to Daniel Thompson’s for safety, several large Trunks of wearing apparel, which was also plundered by the Enemy, and the loss thereby occasioned this deponent believes was not less probably more than thirty seven pounds two shillings Currency aforesaid. That whilst the Americans were plundering in the vicinity of Mr. Alexander’s shop in Stamford, he Mr Alexander, lost two Horses, one set of double Harness, one single Harness, three Buffalo skins, axes, spades &c which fell into their hands, and were, as he believes fully to the value of Sixty eight pounds Ten shillings. Further, that at his situation at Fort Erie, he [/left side]

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he had a very thrifty young orchard of forty to fifty trees of grafted choice fruit, all which were destroyed during the war after the Americans took possession of that place. Cannot speak as to the value of these but Mr Alexander’s having taken great panes, and spent much time in cultivating the trees, the were by him highly appreciated.

Benj Willson

Sworn before me at Brantford this 16th day of April 1824

Wm Holme J.P.

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Additional proof for the Claim of the late Hugh Alexander’s Estate

548