Thomas Handfield -- Military Officer

What was the part of Thomas during the American occupation of 1774-1776? When his children were born, the priest at Verchères wrote that he was an "Officer in the troops". It must have been in the Canadian Militia Troops, as his name was absent from the official lists of the British Army, since 1764. But, at a birth 09 December 1773 it is recorded that the father was absent and the following birth took place only on 06 March 1777. So, Thomas could have been absent from his home from the Spring 1774 to the Spring 1776, about the time of the occupation.

The purchase of his first farm in Verchères, took place around this date See photo. After 1776, although the Americans had withdrawn from Canada, Canadian, English, and also German troops were still stationed in the forts along the St. Lawrence River and Thomas participated in the transfer of these troops. I have several references.

 Thomas engages a farm-hand

In 1777, he engaged, as a farm-hand for one year, Antoine Letarte of Verchères, aged 21 years, to take care of his farm while he was working as "Capitaine de Batteaux". This is how he signed the contract: The salary of the farm-hand consists of 200 livres, one pair of oxen shoes, one yearling colt, a place to grow his supply of tobacco, plus his room, food, bed, washing and mending.

In 1779, he engaged Pierre Lapierre also of Verchères, and his salary was: 350 livres of twenty sols or chelins, food and lodging with his wife in a little house near to his master's, and a place for his horse in the farm buildings. Another indication of the occupation of Thomas, besides being a farmer, is the following document:

The English translation is: It is ordered that you are to give to the bearer Thomas Handfield Esquire, Captain of Batteaux, all assistance in your power and supply him with good pilots from parish to parish to carry the Regiment Prince Frederic to his respective wintering quarters. The pilots who will be employed will be paid one chelin a day each, with ration and rhum. Which price is fixed by His Excellence the Commander in Chief, for all Habitants employed in corvée after the 15th of October. By order of Q. Master General Sorell 20. November 1780. (Signed) John Barnes Asst Quarter Master General To the Captains of the Militia of the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. Sorell at Fort W. Henry

This document is interesting for several reasons: it is written in French by an English officer, and was directed to the militia captains, who were all French Canadians.

Fort Ticonderoga

The General John Burgoyne's Campaign against the American troops started may, 6th 1777 with his arrival at Quebec, back from England with all the necessary authorities from the British Government.

The meeting of the Forces took place in June in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, P.Q. 7500 regulars, 400 Indians, 100 loyalists and 2000 non-fighting men. The army went south on Lake Champlain and arrived at Fort Ticonderoga on June the 30th, 1777. The 28th July 1777, the Officer in charge did write in the orderly book, this order: (Photocopy sent by Mr Eric Schnitzer).

"Mr. Handfield has charge of service stores but is to be answerable to Lieut. St Eloy for what Batteaux he has and to Lt Price for the Canadians he employs."

This Mr Handfield who had some "Batteaux" could only be Thomas Handfield civilian employee to be " Capitain of Batteaux" during the American Revolution War. His name was not on the military lists since 1764. He was the only man of that name living in the Province of Québec at that time.

What was a "Batteau"?

A boat built with white oak, of different dimensions, with flat bottom and pointed ends. The small ones had a crew of one person but the medium's and the big ones had five. Four aorsmen and the pilot. The British Admiralty called for"Batteau" of 30 feet 4 inches (9.25 meter)in length 6 feet 6 inches (2 meters) wide and a depth of 2 feet 10 inches (0.86 meter). A "Batteau", of this caliber could transport 20 armed soldiers or 12 barrels of provisions. Some "batteaux" in the civilian life, were 58 feet long or (17.5 metres) and could transport up to 10 tons of cargo.

The House in Québec

The same year, in Montréal probably between trips, 02 October 1780, in the presence of Me. Bouvet, he appointed as his agent Mr. Zacharie MaCaulé of Québec with the power to sell his house in Québec City and the buyer could keep the money with obligation to pay the principal and interests only when his children of his first marriage became of age. MaCaulé bought the house.

March 28, 1788, his children having become of age, in presence of Me. Duvernay of Verchères, Thomas gave to Mr. Louis Corbin, power of attorney to collect in his name, all debts which were owing to him.

 Thomas buys a second farm

Thomas bought a farm in Verchères, between 1772 and 1777, but this farm was not able to meet the needs of his family that was growing larger. February 17, 1780, by contract signed in the presence of Me. Bouvet, he bought from Augustin Tétro a farm of two arpents by 32 in depth. This farm was next to his. He now owned a farm of five arpents by 32, with a large stone house and farm buildings.

This farm is located on the rural route called "Petit Côteau" at Verchères.

The stone house and another, built by the family after 1801, still exist. They are located on the farms bearing the numbers 460 and 462 of the Verchères Land Registry. The stone house is on lot 460 and was home to Mr. and Mrs. Félicien Messier, and the wooden house on the other lot in 1971 was the residence of Donat Ménard and family. The latter house has been enlarged and remodelled but it still has the same exterior of vertical boards, and the old cellar walls have the dimensions of the house described in the Will of my ancestor -- 24 feet by 26 feet. In the Will, one son was instructed to build a house of 24 by 26 feet for his brother if he wanted to be in possession of the whole stone house.

I was able to locate these houses, thanks to a plan dated 1825, and some other documents of the Seigneurie of Verchères, preserved in the Archives of the Seminary at Three Rivers.

Did Thomas's neighbours have full confidence in him, or did he know how to impose his will? Whatever it was, 15 July 1781 they charged him to see to the execution of an arbitrated judgement for the digging of a ditch on the breadth of the farms of a dozen among them.

His in-laws seemed to have been always more or less lucky. After having inherited a house and farm on 05 September 1775, they mortgaged it all to their son-in-law for the sum of 2100 pounds. On 04 April 1782, being unable to make their payments, they gave up the house and farm. But Thomas, model son-in-law, let them have enjoy resident in the house, without any obligation whatever, until their death.

This house still exists and is no longer the residence of a Handfield. It is located on lot 391 of the St. Théodosie (Calixa Lavallée) Land Registry, formerly called La Beauce de Verchères. The actual owner, Jean-Robert Grenier, bought it in 1976 and is still living there with his spouse Ayala Peer and children in 2010.