Picture courtesy of TotallyHistory.com
On the grounds of Fort Wellington between the fort and Highway 2
Commemoration
Born in Stamford, Connecticut, he forfeited 500,000 acres near Albany, New York, by taking up arms for the King on the outbreak of the American Revolution. He raised the Loyal (Jessup's) Rangers and served under Burgoyne. This corps was disbanded at the end of the war, its members settling in the present Leeds and Grenville Counties, and on the Bay of Quinte. In return for his services, Jessup received extensive lands from the Crown. In 1810, a townsite was surveyed on this grant, which he named after Robert Prescott, Governor-in-Chief of Canada, 1797-1807.
Background
Edward Jessup was born on Christmas Eve, 1735. In the Seven Years War (French and Indian War to Americans), he served as a British officer in the area of Lake Champlain. In 1764, he established a community at Jessup’s Landing, now Corinth, on the Hudson River near Albany.
In 1776, he joined Sir John Johnson’s regiment to fight on behalf of the King. Later, with his brother, Ebenezer, they formed the King’s Loyal Americans regiment. They fought at the Battle of Saratoga where he and Ebenezer were taken prisoner. They were paroled in 1781 and went to Quebec (City). There he was made leader of the Loyal Rangers provincial regiment which became known as Jessup’s Rangers.
After that, he founded the town of Prescott along with his son, Edward Jr. The sone was elected to the second parliament of Upper Canada.