Grantees of Farnham

GRANTEES OF FARNHAM

The written history of the West Part of Farnham Township is fragmentary and often contradictory.  There is a real need for some student of history to make a search of original sources in order that authentic records may be gathered into something resembling a connected story of the area before the Township was divided into two parts for electoral purposes in 1855.
    It appears that the boundaries of Farnham Township were surveyed by Ephraim Nash in 1796, as his Field Book of Survey, bearing that date, is in the files of the Brome County Historical Society at Knowlton.  The Township was set up by proclamation Oct. 22, 1798, and on that date roughly the eastern half of the
Township was granted to Samuel Gale and 22 others, his “Associates”, with the usual 2.7 reserved for the crown and clergy.
    Those receiving the “A” grants at that time were, Samuel Gale (1200 acres), Oliver Wells and Samuel Wells (1200 acres),Robert and Richard Wells (1200 acres), David Wells (1400 acres),Nathaniel Church (2400 acres), Reuben Church (2400 acres),Abraham and Jacob G. Cuyler (2200 acres), Cornelius Cuyler(1200 acres), Micah Townsend (1200 acres), Ephreim Nash (1200acres), John Jones (1140 acres), James Sutherland (200 acres),Alexander Shut (200 acres), John Goudy (200 acres), John Goudy Jr. (200 acres), A. Howe (200 acres), John McBris (sic) (200acres), Wm. Matheus (sic) (200 acres), John Steel (1200 acres),Charles St. Ours (3000 acres).
    It was not until Sept. 9th, 1805 that the “B” grants were made to the following persons.  These lots were in the western part of the Township.  
Jane Cuyler, Lots 28, 30, 31, 34, 35 in Range 1. (1200 acres).
Cathalina Cuyler, Lots 29, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, Range 2. (1200 acres).
Heth Baldwin, Lots 40, 41, 43, 44, in Range 2.  Lots 45, 46, in Range 3.  (1200 acres).
 Elizabeth Cuyler, Lots 27, 28,29, 31, 32, 34, in Range 3, (1200 acres).
    There are contradictions in the historical reports of grants to the Allsopp family in 1809.  Mrs. Day, in her History of the Eastern Townships, says “an extensive tract of this wild land was made to George Allsopp Esq. for government service, but years elapsed before it was claimed by the heirs of the grantee.”
    Rev. E.M. Taylor, in his History of Brome County, lists, quoting from “Bouchette’s History”, “John Aslopp (sic) and others” as receiving grants of 10,176 acres of land in Farnham on Feb. 11th, 1809.
    M. L’Abbe St-Pierre, in his Histoire de St. Romuald de Farnham, repeats Mrs. Day’s statement.    However, another publication entitled, “Lists of Lands Granted by the Crown in the Province of Quebec from 1763 to Dec. 31st, 1890.” published in Quebec 1891, gives the following detailed information which appears to derive from the official records.
    February 11th, 1809, “C” grants.
    John Allsopp – Lots 44, Range 4; Lots 39, 40, 42, 43,
Range 5; Lots 37, 39, 40, Range 6; Lot 39; (1800 acres).
    Carleton Allsopp – Lots 39, 41, Range 3: Lots 38, 40, 41,
42, Range 4; Lots 36,38, Range 5; (1600 acres).
    Robert Allsopp – Lots 41, 42, 43, Range 7; Lots 42, 43, 44,
45, 46, 47 and 48, Range 8; (2000 acres).
    James Allsopp – Lots 45, 47, Range 4; Lots 45, 46, Range
5; Lots 41, 43, 44,46, Range 6; (1600 acres).
    William Allsopp – Lots 48, 49, Range 4; Lots 47, 49,
Range 5; Lots 45, 46, 48, Range 6; (2000 acres).
    Anna M. Allsopp – Lots 35, 36, 38, Range 3; Lots 31, 33,
34, 35, 37, Range 4 (1800 acres).
    August 24th, 1834, “C” grants.
    Sax Family – Lots 37, 38, Range 1; Lots 37,39, S 1/2 46,
Range 2; Lots 47,48, Range 2, (1100 acres).
    There were a few more grants in 1832,1837, 1847, (to the British American Land Co.) and 1855.
    It would be an interesting exercise for some researcher to determine who, among these grantees, actually settled on their grants in West Farnham.  We do know that Samuel Gale and several of his Associates in East Farnham did so.  None of the Cuylers appear to have lived on their grants.  The Saxes did settle in Farnham.  They were the descendants of the Saxes who were pioneers in St. Armand.  John Saxe had a sawmill.    The Allsopp family evidently considered their lands in Farnham hardly worth exploiting before 1840, when James Carleton Allsopp, John Bonfield Allsopp and John Charles Allsopp commenced to liquidate their holdings.
    In 1847 Col. James Allsopp gave land in Farnham for the establishment of an Anglican church.  At that date he was still living at Cap Sante’, Que.    Space limitations now force me to curtail this line of inquiry.  It would be elaborated with information now at hand.
                                                                                       G.P. Hawke
MHS#6 1960

Stanbridge East homes

   Stan Bridge East by Nancy on Scribd

Early Missisquoi Newspapers

EARLY  MISSISQUOI  NEWSPAPERS

    The Township Reformer printed in Stanbridge East.  Editor Elkanah Phelps, 1837.  R.A. McDowell, Printer

    “Justice to all Classes, Usurpation over None” . . . .    Agents for Reformer in Noyan:  David Carr.  Beech Ridge,P. Weeks.  Clarenceville: J.W. Hapgood, P.M. 

     

    The Missikoui Standard – Published every Tuesday morning.  J.D. Gilman, Editor, Frelighsburg.  First published,April 8, 1835.

    The Gleaner – Devoted to the news of the day, politics --agriculture – Religion – Temperance and Literature.  Printed and published every Tuesday morning in Philipsburg by H. Carr in 1847.  Office over the P.O.

   

 The Missisquoi News and Frontier Advocate – 1848 --Philipsburg, Canada East.  Editor W.W. Smith.

    District of Bedford Times Published only three years 1866-69 at Sweetsburg by Mr. Rose.

     

Bedford Times established in 1878 by A.L. Lance and printed in Bedford. Missisquoi Record printed every Friday morning in Stan-bridge East by M.D. Corey Editor and Publisher, A.H.

Gilmour, Prop.

    The Cowansville Observer – This paper was first printed in Cowansville in 1870 by John Massie.  He was the first editor of a weekly paper who conceived the idea of devoting consider-able space to matters transpiring within a radius of twenty miles.  A course which brought down upon him the sarcasmof many of his contemporaries for a time, but he lived to see this course adopted by them also, who previously deemed nothing short of burglary, murder or suicide of sufficient importance to occupy their paper.  Mr. Massie continued his paper until his death in 1886, but the Observer continued being printed until around 1910.

  

  Gibson’s Monthly was printed in Cowansville by W.N.Gibson as early as 1899 and was noted for its many fine historical items.

    

Cotton’s Weekly was printed in Cowansville in 1912 by Wm.Ulric Cotton but did not run for too many years.

   

Residents of Missisquoi County Ninety years of age, or over ninety during 1960

RESIDENTS OF MISSISQUOI COUNTY NINETY YEARS OF AGE,

OR OVER NINETY DURING 1960

“-- As a white candle in a holy place --So is the beauty of an aged face” . . . .

          Miss Lillian Macfie, formerly of Clarenceville, now in the Farnham Nursing Home is 100 years old, her mind being very keen and alert, has a fund of historical knowledge.

          Mr. John Stevens, Bedford, was present at the unveiling of the Eccles Hill Monument.

F. W. Jones, Bedford

Miss Newman, Bedford

Mr. Lussier, Bedford

Arthur Coderre, Bedford

Delbert Holsapple, near Morse's Line

Miles Krans, St. Armand

Dr. Montgomery, Philipsburg

Eugen Ives, Stanbridge East

Delbert Yates, Stanbury

Mrs. Holden, Frelighsburg

Mrs. John J. Barker, Cowansville

Mrs. Paul Viens (101), Cowansville

Miss Addie Gardner, Stanbridge East

Charles Laduke, Stanbridge East

Mrs. Lewis Roy, Venice

Walter Bell, Cowansville

Mrs. Alex Leggatt, Farnham Centre

Mrs. Jas. Domingue, near Farnham Centre

Mr. and Mrs. D.A. Collins, Clarenceville

Mrs. Ruth England Guillette, Pine Gables Nursing Home, Cowansville

Miss Hattie Baker, Sweetsburg Nursing Home

Mrs. Mary Jones, Miss Anna Carter, Burton C. Carter, all of Fordyce

Mrs. James Dean of Cowansville, now in Brome

          ________

INTERESTING EPITAPHS FROM CEMETERIES

IN MISSISQUOI

From the Frelighsburg Cemetery,

Erected to the memory of

     MR. ELIJAH KEMP

one of the first settlers of this seigniory who died on seventh day of December, 1834 at the advanced age of seventy-two years ten months and ten days.

In life he was an example of industry,

A tender husband and affectionate father

A faithful friend, and when the hour came

He died in the hope of a blessed immortality,

Leaving and aged widow and a large circle of relatives

And friends to lament his loss.

     “Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord.”

MHS #6 1960

Dunham Methodist church

Pensions to Militiamen of 1812-1815 Missisquoi county

   Pensions to Militiamen of 1812-1815 Missisquoi County by Nancy on Scribd

thanks to Carrie and P am for helping with this !

The 200th anniversary of the ordination of the Rev. Micajah Townsend of Noyan, Clarenceville and Allburg by Richard Worden

Thanks so much to Richard Worden for doing this research on Reverend Townsend.

 Two men traveled from the area of Missisquoi Bay to Quebec City where they were admitted to the priesthood of the Church of England on the twenty first day of January 1816. The Rev. Micajah Townsend and the Rev. James Reid were immediately assigned to parishes in the Bay area. Reverend Townsend was twenty seven years of age. Rev. Townsend was born in 1789 at Brattleboro, Vermont and was the sixth of eight children born to Micah Townsend and Mary Wells.

The family received a land grant of 1200 acres at Farnham. Clearing and preparing the land consumed Rev. Townsend’s growing years and the neglect of his education. He eventually enrolled in school where he was the oldest student, the tallest student, and an avid learner. He soon found employment as a school teacher at Alburg, Vermont, Northfield, Massachusetts, and Philipsburg. He attended services of worship offered by itinerant Methodist preachers, developed an interest in theology and came to the attention of the Rev. Charles Stewart of St. Armand who encouraged him to study for the ministry of the Church of England. Townsend and James Reid were tutored by the Rev. C. C. Cotton of Dunham, an Oxford University graduate, who in 1804 came to Missisquoi.

The congregations at Noyan, Clarenceville and Alburg was the official parish given to Mr. Townsend; however, he served a much wider area including being an Army Chaplain. An example of the extent of Rev. Townsend’s work beside Sunday services is the year 1832 when he performed 108 baptisms, 16 weddings, and 21 burials. He served on the board of the local Academy and acted as a spokesperson for many people. He was married twice and had nine children two of whom died at a young age. Rev. Townsend built his own house, farmed, constructed churches, established cemeteries, and was made an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral in Montreal. He died on the seventeenth of January 1871 and was buried at Clarenceville where his monument indicates that he held the degree of Master of Arts.

St. Thomas Church, Noyan, Quebec; St. George’s Church, Clarenceville, Quebec; and St. Luke’s Church, Alburg, Vermont Sources Cotton, Charles Caleb. http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/cotton_charles_caleb_7E.html
The Borders Regional Ministry: Historic Roots & Current Formation. http://trinityrutland.blogspot.ca/2013/09/the-islander-church.html
Townsend, The Reverend Micajah.
 Link 1 Link 2 Link 3

Stanbridge main street photo

Farnham Church of England Church