The twenty-three townships thus formed into a Provisional County were the following: Bruton, Cardiff, Clyde, Dudley, Dysart, Eyre, Glamorgan, Guilford, Harburn, McClintock, Harcourt, Havelock, Lawrence, Livingstone, Monmouth, Nightingale, Snowdon, Stanhope, Minden, Sherborne, Anson, Hindon and Lutterworth.
The Township of Stanhope is intersected by three chains of lakes, and the area of the township is consequently very much cut up, access to some portions of the township being difficult except by water. The township is hilly. The valleys have a very rich soil, and Stanhope wheat is admitted to be the best in the county. Several of the settlers on Lake Onishkonk passed a portion of their lives as sailors, and their “yarns” are both interesting and amusing. So early 1855 Mr. Isaac Hunter settled in this township, and in 1859 Mr. G. A. Mason settled at “The Point,” in Bushkonk, and there built a very handsome residence. In 1860 Mr. J. Melville, afterwards Reeve of the township, and W.R. Clarke, located themselves and in 1861 the following settlers took up land: Wm. Welsh, S. Sims, B. Clarke, J. A. Ferguson, T. Mason, Caleb Davies, and R. Sturgeon. Mr. Welsh has now a very fine farm and residence, and Mr. Davies has been equally successful in his undertakings. About 1862, Mr. Daniel Buck, of Minden built a saw-mill on Little Kushog, and at nearly the same date Mr. W. Cameron built on one on the river running into the north part of Bushkonk. Later on Mr. Wright and Mr. Jervis settled at the junction of the Peterson Road and the Bobcaygeon Road, and settlement proceeded steadily until there were sufficient settlers in 1866 to be “set off” as a separate municipality. In that year there were 51 ratepayers. The progress can be easily traced. In 1874 there were 77 ratepayers, and in 1881, 106. There is now a good school at Maple Lake, at which Miss H. Illman has taught for some time with great success, and the Rev. Mr. Jones, from Minden, has established periodical services of the Church of England. The present Reeve is Mr. Henry Ferner who has served the township in that capacity for several years. The township is subjected to invonvenience through the bridge over Bushkonk Narrows being out of repair, and it is expected that the County Council and the Provincial Government will jointly rebuild the bridge, which is of great length. Several of the Stanhope lakes contain salmon trout in abundance, the average weight being about six or seven pounds; but fish of twenty pounds are commonly caught, and they have been captured, according to report, of a weight exceeding thirty pounds.
The three townships of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Monmouth, on the formation of the County of Haliburton, were included in one municipality, and were represented at the first meeting of the County Council by Philip Harding, Esq., the Reeve of the Municipality, a gentleman who afterwards gave up agricultural pursuits, took holy orders in the English Church, and officiated as clergyman at Apsley, on the Burleigh Road. The settlement of Glamorgan commenced about the year 1869 or 1870, on the opening of the Monk Road as a colonization road by the Provincial Government. Among the first settlers were Mr. W.F. Ritchie, Samuel Wiley, of the famed Wiley Hill, on the Bobcaygeon Road, Thomas White, Charles Way, and Samuel Whittaker. Mr. Way took up his location at a point now known as Gooderham, where he is now postmaster and proprietor of the hotel. The township has made fair progress. It is a free grant township, and the settlers who take free grants are usually poor, but the settlers all appear to have done tolerably well. Between 1876 and 1880, Mr. J.J. Hunter built a saw and grist mill at Gooderham, and Mr. Charles Orser and Mr. Anthony Hall have between them a portable saw and shingle mill. This mill is a good one, is of about twenty horse power, and cuts lumber for local consumption. In the course of time it may possibly export lumber to the front, as the timber around is exceptionally good. In addition to the post-office at Gooderham, there is a second post-office at Ursa, Mr. Stephen Kettle being postmaster; Mr. Kettle is also township clerk, having taken the place of Mr. J. B. Palmer, who returned to England in 1882. There are two mails each week to Gooderham, and once a week there is a through mail to Chedoar in Cardiff. Among the settlers whose names deserve mention as having materially contributed to the progress of the township, special note should be made of Mr. Lidley, and Mr. Crogan, both of whom have served the township in the capacity of Reeve. From Gooderham there is a good road to Haliburton, and the Monk Road extends east and west respectively to Chedoar and Kinmount. There is a road direct to Buckhorn, in the Township of Harvey, but this last name road is but little used.
Snowdon township was surveyed by M. Dean, Esq., P.L.S., in 1859, and his report was so favourable that it was the means of attracting many settlers to the township. Among the earliest of these were S.S. Peck, Esq., who located on a farm about two miles from the Village of Minden, where he ultimately removed, Richard McCracken, A. Scott, R. Ritchie, Stephen Moore, David Chalmers, and J. B. Edmison. From 1860 settlers continued to arrive in rapid succession, and by 1864 about half the township was taken up. In 1863 the first schoolhouse was erected near Mr. Peck’s residence, and the first teacher was Miss Peck. A Methodist church was erected in 1863, on lot 15, concession 13. The arrival of Mr. J. B. Scott, who speedily became one of the most successful farmers in the district, added materially to the progress of the township, and the opening of the Victoria Railway, which traverses the township diagonally from the south-west corner to the north-east corner, has given to the township advantages, which have been very generally utilized. Large quantities of forest produce, formerly of no value, have now become merchantable, and railway ties, telegraph poles, cordwood, cedar posts, basswood and poplar for paper mills, shingle bolts, elm for staves, and other materials, are now exported from Snowdon to the great advantage of the settlers. The progress of the township is shown by the assessment rolls to be as follows: In 1866, the ratepayers were 83; in 1873, 100; in 1883, 190. The North-West fever, in 1881, materially affected the increase of population, and somewhat retarded the progress of the township, but now that the fever is over the township is again going a-head.
The Township of Minden ranks first in the list of the municipalities of the county in population and in agricultural development. It was first surveyed in 1859, and immediately began to be settled. In 1858, Mr. Francis Kent had settled in Minden, and the following year there were numerous arrivals, among them being Mr. Malachi Campbell, Mr. Harry Dawkins, the Murrays and the Burns. Mr. William Gainor soon after arrived, and built a saw mill on Beaver creek on lot 9, concession A. a saw mill was built on the main stream of the river in 1862. Mr. Richard Smith also built a saw mill on a creek running into Lake Kushog, at Austin’s Narrows, but it was not run to any extent. The lakes furnished a convenient means of access to land, and settlers continued to arrive steadily for several years after the survey of the township, and many of these settled along the shores of Lake Kushog, among the latter being Mr. Jacob Porkel, an Englishman from Gloucestershire, who, with his sons, speedily made a large clearing. Mr. Porkel had been accustomed to farming in the Old Country, and his experience enabled him to conduct his operations with almost unfailing success. He still resides on his farm, and has accumulated a very handsome competence, whilst his sons and daughters have all settled comfortably, some in Ontario and some in Manitoba. In 1861 the two Townships of Minden and Stanhope contained a population of 230; in 1873, twelve years later, this number had increased to 1,175, an increase which if not very rapid is a least satisfactory and encouraging. In the year last named, 1873, there were 204 ratepayers in Minden, and as this number had increased in 1883 to 244, it is clear that the increase in population has been continuous. The first hotelkeeper in the township was Mr. Daniel Buck, who kept tavern in the Village of Minden, and who was the first postmaster, the office being opened in 1860 with a weekly mail. There are now two mails daily to the Village of Minden. When the County of Haliburton was provisionally formed there was great jealousy between the villages of Minden and Haliburton as to which should be established as the County Town. In this contest Minden was victorious, but as Haliburton succeeded in establishing itself as the terminus of the railway, it bore its defeat in the County Town contest with great equanimity, confident that sooner or later its railway advantages would make it the metropolis of the north country. But at the present date the Township of Minden derives considerable pecuniary advantage from the village being the seat of the County Government, and the whole municipality is in a sound financial condition. During a great portion of its municipal existence the township has been represented in its Councils by Mr. William Gainor, who on all occasions has taken a prominent and active part in public business. The Village of Minden has also been for a lengthened period the residence of S. S. Peck, Esq., whose talents and energy have contributed, in no small degree, to the progress made by the entire district. The settlers in the township are all doing well, and anyone who visited the village in the month of July, in the present year, could not fail to be struck by the great quantities of butter which were being daily exported to Toronto – a fact showing that the farmers of the district had extensively adopted stock raising and dairying as a remunerative pursuit.
The Township of Lutterworth, in the early days of the settlement of the district, enjoyed exceptional advantages, inasmuch as it was easily reached by both road and water. As soon as the Bobcaygeon Road was constructed as far north as Burnt River, settlers began to locate themselves in Lutterworth, and about the same date settlers also began to arrive in the western portion of the township by means of its water communication. Gull Lake and Gull River have their outlet into Balsam Lake, and that lake connects with Cameron Lake, and gives dual communication with Fenelon Falls. These means of transport were for a considerable period largely use, and indeed to the present day the settlers in Lutterworth frequently avail themselves of the water facilities to visit Coboconk, the terminus of a branch of the Midland Railway, and Fenelon Falls. Among the early arrivals in Lutterworth was Mr. William Hartle, who has for a period of more than twenty years been intimately connected with its history, filling many of the municipal offices with credit to himself and advantage to the people. Mr. Killatt was also an early settler, locating on the Bobcaygeon Road, and contributing by his musical abilities largely to the social enjoyments of the entire neighbourhood. The township has a considerable percentage of good land, and some of the river flats along Gull River are of unexceptionable quality. As early as 1860, there were numerous settlers in Lutterworth, which at that time, was associated municipally with Galway, Snowdon, Minden and Anson, and was represented by Mr. Charles Austin, who gave his name to the narrows on Lake Kahshagawigamog, in the Township of Minden, at which point he resided. But settlement in Lutterworth proceeded so steadily that by 1882 it was separated from the other townships and was organized as a new municipality, having Anson and Hindon attached to it. This arrangement subsisted until 1878, when the great county contest supremacy between the eastern and the western portions led to Anson and Hindon being erected into a municipality, as by that means the western section obtained another Reeve in the County Council. The first election for the United Townships of Anson and Hindon was held in January, 1879, when J. H. Delemere, Esq., was elected Reeve. Lutterworth has made very strong progress. In 1874, it had seventynine ratepayers, and in 1883 that number had increased to one hundred and thirty-eight. It is now represented by Mr. D. Galloway, one of the settlers on the lake shore, who has a fine location and some excellent land, celebrated for the production of vegetables and fruit at an early period in each season.
The Township of Dysart, in which is located the village of Haliburton, is associated municipally with eight other townships, all being the property of the Canadian Land and Emigration Company, of London, England. Consequently the history of the Company is, in a great measure, the history of the settlement. The Company was formed for the purpose of buying land in Canada, and selling it a profit to emigrants from England. The capital was L 250,000 , but only 20,425 shares at L 5 each were taken up, and in these shares about L 3,15s. was paid up. The only return ever made to the unfortunate shareholders, was the odd fifteen shillings, which reduced the amount paid up to L 3 per share. On this no dividend has ever been paid, and the Company financiall has been a most lamentable failure. It commenced business in 1861, when it agreed to purchase ten townships of the Government, the nine townships which it now possesses, and one in the County of Victoria, Longford, which it sold to Mr. Thompson, a lumberman, for $20,000.00. Mr. Thompson realized a handsome fortune by cutting the pine in the township, and at his death, which took place recently, the mills he built for cutting the Longford pine had a high value by reason of the pine limit in Longford, which is attached to the mill. The Company paid down about $95,000.00 to the Government, but in the last report of the Directory of the Company, the original cost of the property and the expenditure upon it, is stated to be L60,318, or $300,000. The nine townships were surveyed by Mr. Gorsage, P.L.S. The whole property contained 403,000 acres, but the company were only called upon to pay for 362,125 at 50c. per acre. Some further allowances were afterwards made, and ten per cent. Of the purchase money was refunded to the company for the construction of roads. The settlement commenced in 1863, and among the earliest settlers were Richard Thompson, James Holland, J. Lepar, John Erskine, Willett Austin, and William Elstone. Mr. David Sawyer had been resident in the township for some time hunting and trapping, fur-bearing animals at that period being very numerous. In 1864, Mr. John Lucas purchase the water privilege at Haliburton, and erected a saw-mill. He had for a partner Mr. W. Ritchie, who afterwards left the district. In 1864 Mr. Miles was the Company’s surveyor, and Mr. C. R. Stewart the resident manager. A considerable number of settlers arrived during 1864 and 1865, and great progress was made. The grist-mill was opened in 1865 with a banquet, and many hopeful speeches were made on the occasion.
Haliburton County Ontario Settlement Map 1906 Towns and villages, many which are now ghost-towns
Haliburton County Ontario Settlement Map 1899 Great map showing townships, towns and villages
Anson Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Anson Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Cardiff Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Cardiff Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Glamorgan Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Glamorgan Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Hindon Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Hindon Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Lutterworth Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Lutterworth Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Minden Town Site Pioneer Settler Property Map Minden Village pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Minden Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Minden Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Monmouth Township Pioneer Settler Property Map Monmouth Township pioneer family land grants, patents and locations
Search the Ontario (Upper Canada) Genealogy Website - Make sure to use all known variations of a family name in your search!
Historical Visits to Ontario Villages and Towns Take a trip back in time to the late 19th century and explore the towns and villages where your ancestors lived, loved, laboured, laughed and played.
Ontario Images of the Past Thousands of Images of City, Town, Village and Country Life
Ontario Land Registry Records Research Thousands of your ancestors and where they lived in Ontario
Upper Canada (Ontario) Newspaper Notices Database
Ontario Genealogy Newspaper Notices Database
Ontario (Upper Canada) History and Pioneer Family Research
Queen's Own Rifles - Old Photos of Members
Upper Canada District Maps (Circa 1800)
Upper Canada (Ontario) History Books On-Line Index
Ontario County Directories Victoria, Haliburton, Hastings, Peterborough, Durham, Northumberland, Muskoka, and Old Ontario County
Central Upper Canada (Ontario) Marriage Database 22650 Marriage Records Indexed
Central Upper Canada Baptism Database 25000 Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Marriages indexed
Upper Canada (Central Ontario) Burial Database 4500 Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Church of Scotland Burials indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Marriage Database Anglican, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Marriages indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Baptism Database Anglican, Roman Catholic and Church of Scotland Baptisms indexed
Eastern Upper Canada Burial Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Marriage Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Baptism Database
Upper Canada (Western Ontario) Burial Database
Upper Canada Land Petitions 51000 Records Indexed
Upper Canada Land Leases and Miscellaneous Petitions 10000 Records Indexed
Upper Canada (Ontario) Sundries Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Toronto Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Kingston Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) London Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Malden Insane Asylum Database
Upper Canada (Ontario) Hamilton Insane Asylum Database
Ontario Genealogy Historical Newspaper Collection Historical Newspaper Files from various regions of Ontario
Newspaper Genealogical and Historical Records - Thousands of entries
Ontario (Upper Canada) Map Collection Great site for locating your ancestors in Ontario
Ontario Genealogy Postcard Site - Great old-time landscape views
Upper Canada and Ontario CRIMINAL Database
Ontario Genealogy Database Index Site 500000 Genealogy Records Indexed
Need HELP With Your Family Research?
Northumberland County Genealogy and History
Victoria County Genealogy and History
Durham County Genealogy and History
Haliburton County Genealogy and History
Peterborough County History and Genealogy
Newcastle District (Upper Canada) History and Genealogy
Ontario County History and Genealogy
Upper Canada History and Genealogy
Echoes of the Past - Ontario Genealogy Home
Search the Ontario (Upper Canada) Genealogy Website - Make sure to use all known variations of a family name in your search!
Contact Ontario Genealogy
index
sitemap
advanced
site search by
freefind
Ontario Genealogy Historical Settlement Maps Great Heritage maps for researchers interested in locating their ancestors land grants and property locations
20th Century Ontario Genealogy Newspaper Notices Index New March 2020
Upper Canada Ontario Surrogate Court Estate Files and Will Database New March 2019
Ontario Canada Historical Map Site New December 2018
Ontario Place Locator - 19th Century Ontario Town and Village Locations and Inhabitants
Upper Canada (Ontario) Pioneer Settler Land Locations, Census Records and Property Descriptions 
index
sitemap
advanced
site search by
freefind
