Ladner, Andrew

From: An Island Refuge- Loyalists and Disbanded Troops on The Island of Saint John, The Abegweit Branch of UELAC, 1983

  • On November 4, 1786 Colonel Edmund Fanning arrived in Charlottetown where he was to begin his term as the second governor of the Island of Saint John.
  • Among those who came with Fanning that day was his aide-de-camp, a young bachelor by the name of ANDREW LADNER.
  • Andrew Ladner was born in Wurtemburg, Southwest Germany, in the late 1750’s. In his homeland he had been a medical student, and as was the custom of the day he was sent abroad after his studies for three years of travel. However, he did not return to Germany.
  • Arriving in New York while the American Revolution was being fought, Ladner joined the Loyalist cause. During this time he became acquainted with Edmund Fanning who lived in what is now Suffolk County, New York. Fanning was serving there under General Howe. Later Fanning was sent to Nova Scotia and settled near Annapolis or Digby. Andrew Ladner accompanied Fanning there, and in a Muster Roll for Digby made in May, 1783 the name Andrew Ladner is listed as a Loyalist and unmarried.
  • As well as being aide to Governor Fanning, Andrew Ladner was for some time secretary in The Colonial Government office and a Fife Major in the Prince Edward Island Fifes.
  • In early land transfer records of Charlottetown we find that on November 10, 1788 Ladner transferred some lands in Charlottetown and Charlottetown Royalty for fifty pounds of Halifax currency. Another record of May 6, 1789 shows another transfer of property. Both of these were made to Governor Edmund Fanning. Still another record and quite an important one is that of a grant of land in Lot 65 to Andrew Ladner from Governor Fanning. The indenture for this grant was made September 23, 1796. The grant consisted of one hundred acres. It was on this property that Andrew Ladner lived and raised his family. Ladner was one of the fortunate Loyalists as many of the Loyalists who were promised land grants never received them.
  • On May 28, 1791 a marriage license was issued to Andrew Ladner and Sophia Hobbs. The bride-to-be was only fourteen years old when she was married and a year later her son Andrew was born.
  • Andrew’s wife, Sophia Hobbs, was the daughter of George Hobbs of Charlottetown and his wife Anna Maria Schultz Hobbs all of whom had recently arrived from Germany. Sophia’s father died very young, and her mother remarried a Mr. Myers. She has always been known to the Ladner descendants as Granny Myers. Granny Myers lived with her daughter Sophia Ladner for many years and died there. It is interesting to note that Granny Myers is buried in what has always been known as the Nine Mile Cemetery.