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Cavan settler, Richard Staples was married to Elizabeth Swain, sister to Cavan settler John Swain. Richard Staples was the youngest son of Thomas Staples and Jane Bell who had 10 children. Richard and his siblings were born in Wexford County, Ireland.

Richard and Elizabeth sailed in 1818 with the Swain family. They received their land from the Crown, Lots 14 and 15 on the Ninth concession of Cavan Township and erected a small log house to comply with the regulations for a Crown deed. He gave a free grant of land for the building of the first church of Cavan Township named the Methodist New-Connection Church and cemetety. Richard and Elizabeth had 9 children.

Richard's father, Thomas, was seventy-five years of age and his mother, Jane, was fifty-six when they left their homeland in 1823 to join Richard in Cavan. Jane became seriously ill during the trip and died just when they were in sight of land. Her family, not wishing to have her buried at sea, managed to keep her death a secret from the captain of the ship. The daughter, Ann (Staples) Carr, placed her Mother's dead body in a wooden chest. It was carried out with their household effects when land was reached and she was buried in a quiet spot on the Canadian Shore.

After landing at Quebec, Thomas and his family proceeded on to Cobourg by another small boat or barge. From there, walking and carrying their possessions, they made their way along a blazed trail to the tenth concession of Cavan township to establish their homestead on the east half of lot fourteen. The land was registered in the name of his oldest son John; this is where Thomas lived and died. This farm was known locally for some time as "The Wragg Farm" after two bachelor brothers who were descendants of the early Staples family.

THE LEGEND OF THE CAVAN BLAZERS

The Staple's, Carr's, Elliott's, Sutton's, Coe's, Grandy's, Swain's, Graham 's, Davis' and other families who settled in Cavan Township in the early years were all members of the Cavan Blazers, most of who where of Irish origin, brought their religious feuds with them across the ocean. Orange-ism flourished and their antipathy toward the Roman Catholic faith was violent. There seemed a determination to keep the Township of Cavan "pure" as they termed it.

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