Private Duncan Cumming, 60th & 78th Regiment

Born in Scotland [date/town unknown], Private Duncan Cumming enlisted in the army and initially served six years with the 78th Foot in various campaigns in North America. At the conclusion of the war in the summer of 1763, his name appears on two separate muster reports as having received seven days of subsistence pay: 78th Foot: A Detachment of Invalids, dated August 16, and in Colonel Fraser's Company on the Subsistence Rolls of Fraser's Highlanders, dated August 23. At this time, it is uncertain as to why the two separate musters. On August 25, 1763, he transferred to the 2d Battalion, 60th Foot, and selected to remain in North America (along with the 15th Foot and 27th Foot) to continue to provide a guard for the government in Montreal, where he served an additional 19 months in Captain Robert Brigstock's Company and was discharged on March 29, 1765.

Discharge Certificate
[front page]

By Captain Robert Bayard Esq.

Commanding the Second Battn of the Royal American Regiment

These are to certify that the Bearer hereof Duncan Cumming having Served Honestly and faithfully for the space of Eight years, part of which in the Late 78th & part in the above said Regiment and in Captn Robert Brigstocks Compy, but having found a good man in his place, he is hereby Discharged, Having first Received a just account of all his pay & appears of pay cloathing of all Sort, and all other of his just Demands from the time of his Entering in the said Regiment to this day, being the Day of his Discharge as appears by his Receipt on the other side.

Given under my Hand at Montreal this 29th day of March 1765.

[signed]
Robt Bayard

To all whom it may concern

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I do hereby acknowledge to have Received a just account of all My pay arrears of pay cloathing of all Sorts, and all other Demands from the time of My Entering in the Regiment to this day, being the day of My Discharge.

Witness My hand this 29th day of March 1765

[signed]

Duncan Cumming

Personal Affidavit
Province of
Lower Canada
to wit:

Personally appeared before me - 

James Hughes, Esquire, one of His Majesty's Commissioners of the Peace for the District of Montreal, Duncan Cumming, who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists, made Oath and with that he has not as yet received His Majesty's bounty of Lands for his past services in this Province or in any other of His Majesty's Colonies in America, nor any gratuity whatever in lieu thereof, and to which he is entitled agreeable to the Royal Instructions for himself, his Wife, and seven Children namely, Margaritte, aged 25, Flora 19, Janet 18, Duncan 17, Isabel 15, Alexander 12, & John 6 years 1.

[signed]
Duncan Cuming

Sworn Before me at

Montreal this 29th Day

of March, 1800.

[signed]
James Hughes: J.P.

Certificate of Claims

Certificate of Claims for part of the waste Lands of the Crown by Duncan Cumming, on behalf of himself, his Wife & seven Children.

That he served in the 78th Regiment at the Reduction of Louisburgh and Quebec ~ 

That he also served in the 60th Regiment, and at all times in the Militia particularly at the taking of Colonel Allen prisoner in the year 1775. ~

That he had been settled in Canada upwards of thirty two years, is now far advanced in years and in low circumstances. ~

That he is well known to us and worthy of His Majesty's Bounty. ~ 

Montreal, 29th March 1800.

Except as to the first article

I know the rest ~

[signed]
James McGill

Richd. Dobie
Edw. Wm. Gray

Note: His official discharge paperwork from Colonel Fraser's 78th Regiment has never been located, and the claim of militia service in 1775 remains unsubstantiated.

Census Returns
January 1785, Montreal, Duncan Cummings. [Names only].

Vital Records
Marriages:
Listed as Duncan Cummings, he is most likely the same man who married Agathe Charpentier on 18 November 1771 as recorded in the parish register of the Anglican, Christ Church Cathedral, Montreal, Quebec.

Note: No additional Cummings marriages located in this parish between 1766-1784

Christenings [Parish of Montreal]:
Margaret Cummins
Birth: 8 August 1773
Baptized: 12 September 1773

George Cummins
Birth: 24 May 1777
Baptized: 29 May 1777

Florence Cummins
Birth: 18 December 1778
Baptized: 24 December 1778

Jane Cummins
Birth: 5 April 1781
Baptized: 8 April 1781

Isabel Cumming [Montreal]
Baptized: 12 March 1786
Listed as daughter of Duncan Cumming of Montreal.

Note: Due diligence should be performed to confirm these are the children of Duncan and Agathe.

Notarial Records
Name: Duncan Cummings & Agathe Charpentier
Type: Autres
Record Date: 31 May 1806
Record Place: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Notary: Guy, Louis
Record Description: Compe et partage
Source Citation:
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; District: Montréal; Title: Guy, Louis (1801-1842).

Name: Duncan Cummings & Agathe Charpentier
Type: Inventaire
Record Date: 6 Feb. 1806
Record Place: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Notary: Guy, Louis
Record Description: Inventaire
Source Citation:
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec; Montréal, Quebec, Canada; District: Montréal; Title: Guy, Louis (1801-1842).

Sources:

"Schedule of certificates and discharges of non-commissioned officers and soldiers reduced in America." Lower Canada Land Papers, RG 1 L 3, vol. 157, No. 52. Public Archives Canada.

Treasury Board Papers, "Subsistence Rolls of Fraser's Highlanders (the 78th), 1763." LAC, T.1, vol. 422.

“Marriage record of Duncan Cummings and Agathe Charpentier, Nov. 1771.” Genealogie Quebec, Drouin Institute, Sept. 2018, www.genealogiequebec.com.

“List of English inhabitants in the City of Montreal in January 1785.” Civil and Provincial Secretary Lower Canada ["S" Series], 1760-1840 [RG 4, A 1, vol. 27], Microfilm C-3000, Public Archives Canada.

"Births, marriages, and deaths recorded in the register of the parish of Montreal, 1766-1787." [M.G. 8, G 19, vol. 22], Microfilm C-3023, Public Archives Canada.

Bethune, Reverend John. "Baptism of Isabel Cumming." Omissions of marriages and baptisms in the 84th Regiment. LDS FHL, SLC, UT, Microfilm: 004507724, image: 191.

©  Jeffrey Campbell, Fraser's 78th Regiment of Foot, 2018.