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« on: Thursday 03 May 12 14:03 BST (UK) »
He is believed to have arrived in Canada as a British soldier in 1776 at the onset of the New-England Revolution.
Twin sons are baptized in 1780 at the Quebec City Holy Trinity (anglican) Church while the father is away at Carleton Island (Gaspé peninsula, Chaleur Bay) hired by the British Army as a carpenter.
In 1785 he's on a list of setlers established in Douglastown (near the city of Gaspé) composed mainly of Loyalists and ex (British) soldiers and sailors. (British Muster Roll No. 20 for 1785).
His burial record was never found however, a woman bearing the same name as his ex-wife (Ann Churchward) bore legitimate children to a John Flynn of the same area in 1792, 94 and 97. There is no concrete evidence that it's the same person but the odds that an english person bearing the same "not so common" name in this (isolated) area is highly unlikely.
All those bearing the Element surname in the Gaspé area can be traced back to Joseph and Ann Churchward.
Hope this has shed a bit of light on the subject of your quest. I have gathered this information for research on a family that has Joseph Element in its family tree.
Regards,
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