Proven! My Loyalist Lineage From John Ryckman of Barton Township

For the past six years, as the branch genealogist for our local branch of the United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, I have helped many people with their certificate applications. I have researched and learned all about Leonard Kratz/Scratch, John Wendel Wigle, Elijah Willcox, John Snider, Philip Fox, Simon Girty, and many more Loyalists. I have researched and learned about their many descendants. All for the much sought-after Loyalist certificate.  Over these past six years, I have presented 80 certificates to members, young and old. However, each time I signed my name on an certificate application as branch genealogist, there was something missing - the initials, U.E.  Yep, that's right. This Loyalist branch genealogist did not have her own certificate.

The certificate itself is lovely. The UELAC crest and seal adorn each certificate that states:
This is to certify that _________ Has provided acceptable documentation proving descent from ____________ A United Empire Loyalist.
Each certificate is signed by the UELAC President and Secretary.

Oh, it wasn't that I didn't want a certificate, because I most certainly did. And, I did have have a Loyalist ancestor. Proving John Ryckman of Barton Township was a Loyalist wasn't the problem. The problem was his grandson, William Ryckman. I had to provide sufficient evidence that William was the son of Albert Ryckman. He was the ancestor that was preventing me from getting my UEL certificate. For a long time, I didn't have sufficient evidence.

Fast forward to this past spring. I finished all the other applications I had been working on, and welcomed our new branch genealogist to the position. I had one last thing to do. Yep, that's right. The time had come for me to apply for my certificate, and the certificates of my grandmother, my aunt and my children. I gathered all the evidence I could find, and wrote my proof argument that William was the son of Albert. I completed the applications, with the documents, and sent the package to Dominion Office.

Then, I waited...










Guess what arrived in the mail today?

UELAC certificate for Kathryn Lake Hogan, UE. Copyright 2013.

Copyright by Kathryn Lake Hogan, UE, 2013.