Fourteen years ago, I spent endless days at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) in Boston, tracing my Canadian ancestry, the roots of my Canadian grandmother. I located so many records for about 6 of my ancestors there, and ended up copying about 100 pages (about $40 worth). Going reel by reel, and printing the correct pages, but the copied pages were almost impossible to read, because I reversed the microfilm reader to negative, or maybe it was already set that way (black background with white print). No, I never asked for help!
I told of my woes in a post almost five years called, Positive vs. Negative and the Drouin Collection, explaining how I couldn't read a document because of an error I made in copying them.
Fast forward, I didn't do anything with the printed pages, except write about it in the above mentioned blog. So why am I writing about my problem? A 5th cousin wrote me twice. First in January 2013 with a few questions of which I answered in my reply. No further correspondence until March of 2015. This time, we shared quite a bit of information, and one of the things I mentioned was a 9 page document under the title, Land Grant Petition Andries Ten Eyck in Quebec 17 Nov 1797. She was quite interested in it, so I decided it was a perfect time to go back to NEHGS and get "positive" pages. With the help of Rhonda McClure, I was shown how to use their new microfilm scanner/ printer and was able to save my 9 pages to a thumb drive. Soon, the images were on their way to cousin, Susie.
First to find my film, I had to locate the index (shown below in the small box labeled Q4 Index, L5 Spencer, Jonah - Tyse, Index 16. Once I found the name of Andries Ten Eyck in the index, it is imperative to write down the page number. The next step is to find the large box, with the actual film, in this case it was number 16 and search for the correct page for Ten Eyck.
Above is my old copy, and below is the recent one, beginning with the first page of the document, #91279. Now, somebody could read it, but not me. Due to several eye conditions, this was difficult, but before I knew it, cousin Susie gifted me a wonderful surprise. (Note: since the surname is towards the end of the alphabet, this page number is rather large. It give you an indication of how many pages were scanned for this collection.)
The below was typed by my cousin, Susie.
Land Grant Petition Andries Ten Eyck in Quebec, 17 Nov 1797
To His Excellency Robert Prescott Esq. Captain General and commander in chief in and over the Provinces of upper Canada and lower Canada, Vice Admiral of the same, General and commander in chief of all the Majesty 's Forces in the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and their several Dependencies and in the Island of Newfoundland
The Petition of Andries Teneick in behalf of himself and his sons, Andries Teneick and Henry Teneick
Humbly therewith
That your Excellancy's Petitioner has ever been attached to British Government that as early as the year 1753 he was appointed an officer in the Nova Caesarea in New Jersey Militia by His Excellency Jonathan Belcher Esq. that in the year 1757 your Excellency's Petitioner was appointed Adjutant of the said New Jersey Militia; that in the year 1759 your Excellancy's Petitioner was appointed a Captain of the said New Jersey Militia by His Excellency Francis Bernard, Esq and in which situation your Excellency's Petitioner remained until the year 1763 most of the time in the frontier, on actual service against the French and Indians. That in the year 1770 your Excellency, Petitioner moved from New Jersey into the State of New York. That in the beginning of the late rebellion in America your Excellency, Petitioner took an active part in favor of British Government that in the year 1776 your excellency's Petitioner received a Commision as a Captain for the purpose of raising a company under James Houghton Esq who was authorized by his Excellency General Howe to raise a Provincial Regiment but unfortunately the Rebels got information of the same and in consequence tried, condemmed and executed the said James Houghton Esq for High Treason. Your Excellency's Petitioner was likewise arrested, but had time to destroy all his papers and not sufficient proof appearing against him to be executed he was inprisoned and sent to Esopus and put on board a guard ship in irons, from whence your Excellency's Petitioner found means to escape in the night in company with one other prisoner by getting off their irons and swimming on shore, but unfortunately in the attempt they were discovered and fired on by which means, your Excellency's Petitioner lost his companion, and being banished his home, made the best of his way to NewYork where he remained until Peace took place at which time he went to Nova Scotia with a number of other Loyalists, but finding it was impossible for him to make a living in that country he was obliged to return to New York; when his Excellency's Petitioner was informed that the waste lands of the Crown in the province of Lower Canada were to be granted, he left the United States and came into Canada, in order to make settlement therein. Your Excellency's Petitioner has much impaired his constitution, and met with great hopes during the war for which he has not received any compensation his sons likewise were in New York during the war and has been much harrassed by the Rebels; your Excellency's Petitioner therefore Humbly prays that your Eexcellency will graciously please to grant unto him and each of his sons Andrew and Henry, twelve hundred acres of land each in the Township of Clifton
Andries Teneick
St. Armand 7th Oct 1797
Character References:
From a knowledge of the character loyalty, suffering, and hopes of the above petitioner Andries Teneick we humbly beg leave to recommend him to His Excellency General Prescott and Council is a man worthy of the Bounty of Government in the Waste Lands of the Crown.
Given under our Hands at Missisquoi Bay,
this 16th October 1797_
Nathan Coffin
Calvin May
John Furguson
I hereby certify that I have known the bearer Andrew Ten Eyck in the County of Albany in Province of New York. In the course of the last war he was taken up and put in prison and from that he was taken and put on board the? Ship in Kingston and in irons and from that he made his escape and fled to New York and joined his Majesty's troops in the year 1778; and lost all his property and now wishes to get some of this Majesty's ? Lands for his compensation.
Given under my hand at Missisquoi Bay this 16th day of Oct 1797
Philip Luke
To all Whom it may concern
I hereby certify that I have known the bearer Andries Ten Eyck before the American Revolution, that he was proprietor of a considerable property and lived very comfortable as a farmer in the County of Albany then province of New York, that from principles of Loyalty to His Majesty and attachment to the British Government, he was ? And was obliged to abandon his family and estate and seek protection under his Majesty's Government at New York, where to my knowledge he remained ? during the War.
May 20th 1794?
A?
I hereby certify that I was well acquainted with Mr. Andries Teneick in the late rebellion in America, that he suffered much in his Person and Property on account of his firm attachments to the British Government, that I was confined in Esopus Prison with the said Andries Teneick and a number of others, that his advice and generous distribution both of money and provisions to the ? Loyal prisoners was of infinite worth then, many of whom must have perished without his assistnce, that all the threats ? of ? the Rebels made him, were never able to alter his attachments, affection and Loyalty to his King and Country.
John Savage
Missisquoi Bay 16th October 1797
Petition of Andries Teneick on behalf of himself and his sons Andrew and Henry for 1200 acres of hand each in the Township of Clifton.
St. Armand 7 Oct 1797
received Nov 17 1797
Land Committee
Andrew Teneick recommended for 400 Acres in Clifton and ? For his son Andries lot 37 ____ and for his son Henry lot no. 38 ____ of the same township 12 Oct 1799
Signed by order
Hugh Finlay