Cyrenius was born in Litchfield, Connecticut Colonial America 22 Dec 1754, the 5th child of parents James Parke and Sarah Newcombe. His first wife, Elizabeth Carscallen was born 21 Dec 1755 in Queensbury Township, Charlotte, New York, USA, died 1788 in Albany Township, Albany, New York. Together they had eight children. In 1789 he married a second time to Elizabeth Huffman b. 13 Apr 1770, daughter of Elias Hoffman and Elizabeth, at Camden Valley, New York, USA. She died 9 Dec 1846 at Hay Bay, North Fredricksburgh Twp., Lennox and Addington Co. They had twelve children.
Cyrenius was a colonist who remained faithful to the Crown during the American War of Independence (1775-1783), otherwise known as The American Revolution, and joined General Burgoyne's British Forces to fight the rebels along with his brother James Parke. Cyrenius and his brother James were both captured and later released with guarantee not to serve again during the war.
He had his land confiscated for his known loyalty to the king. They were driven from their homesteads by the rebels and were forced to flee the country leaving all their possessions behind. Then he fled to Canada in the year of 1780 serving as a Corporal in a company known as the James Rogers King's Rangers.
They sailed from New York, reached Lachine, Quebec and continued to Sorel where they wintered in tents and hastily built cabins. The final stage of their journey was on flat-bottomed boats called "bateaux" and they travelled from Lachine up the St. Lawrence River to land at Adolphustown on June 16, 1784.
He took up permanent residence in Upper Canada 1790. It wasn't until 20 Dec 1792 that he was granted 290 acres of land in Richmond Twp. Napanee, Ontario, Lennox & Addington Co., Canada. On 17 May 1801 was once more granted 600 acres of land at Hay Bay, Fredericksburgh Twp. Lennox & Addington Co., Ontario, Canada. On Aug. 10, 1801 he was granted more land, 200 acres of land in Sophiasburgh Twp., Prince Edward Co., Canada.
In 1796 he settled at Hay Bay, Fredericksburgh Twp., Lennox & Addington Co. Upper Canada Lots 5,6, 7 Con 4. He died 22 Aug 1828 at age 74. He is buried at the Parks-Sherman Loyalist Cemetery, Hay Bay, Ontario, Fredericksburgh Twp., Lennox & Addington Co., Ontario, Canada.
Submitted to The United Empire Loyalists Web Site by Beverly Pulver, UE. |
