Settler of township lots: Lot 31, Conc. 5, Stanhope

Link to the Clark family on the Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree website

Location: Map point is the approximate location within this 98 acre lot straddling the river between Maple and Beech Lakes, along the east side of Stanhope Airport Road.

Land acquisition: This 98 acre lot was acquired from his father, Benjamin Clark, in 1878 for $1,000 with a life leaseback to his father.  One acre at the southwest corner was deeded to the Trustees of the Methodist Church in 1884. Ontario Land Parcel Register Book - Stanhope Concession 5 (Image 376).

Other Land:

• Lot 27, Conc. 6, Stanhope - 1899 North part from Emmerson E Thompson; 1915 to Wesley Boice. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 137)
• Lot 28, Conc. 6, Stanhope:
  -1905 from the Warden & Treasurer. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 157).

Dates of residency:

• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Geo & Fanny Clarke with 3 children
• 1883 Stanhope Voters List: George N. Clark, owner, Lot 31, Conc. 5
• 1890 Stanhope Votes List: G. N. Clark, owner, Lot 31, Conc. 4 & Lot 31, Conc. 5
• 1891 Stanhope Voters List: Lot 31, Conc. 4 and Lot 31, Conc. 5
• 1899 Stanhope Directory: Maple Lake
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: George & Fannie M Clark with 4 children
• 1901 Stanhope Voters List: Lot 31, Conc. 5 
• 1903 Business Directory, Stanhope: George Clarke, Maple Lake, Lot 27, Conc. 6
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: George N Clarke, farmer, Lot 31, Conc. 5 & Lot 27, Conc. 6
• 1911 Census of Canada, Stanhope: George & Fanny Clark, with their son Herbert and his wife May
• 1911 Stanhope Voters List: Lot 31, Conc. 5 & 7, along with Herbert Clark (son) at Lot 31, Conc. 5
• 1911 Stanhope Post Office Lists Nelson Clarke Lot 31, Conc. 5
• 1918 Stanhope Post Office List: Nelson Clarke Lot 31, Conc. 5

Other residents:

• 1901 Census of Canada: Fenton Bake (2nd husband of George Nelson Clark's sister, Catherine)
• 1911 Census of Canada; 1911 & 1918 Stanhope Voters List: Herbert & George Clark (sons)
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Piran W & Lillie Roberts enumerated as an Anglican Minister living at Lot 27, Con 6, Stanhope.

Interesting facts:

All the stories collected locally from older settlers stress the extreme kindness of the Indians. The late George Clark, whose United Empire Loyalist father, Benjamin, came from the Trenton area to take up land which included the Indian cemetery, claimed that without the help of friendly Indians, his family would not have survived the first winter. That the cemetery was once more extensive than it seemed in the 1879s is indicated by the fact that the Clarks often ploughed up human bones. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg 14.

In spite of the claim that wolves will not attack humans, Haliburton's pioneers tell tales which cast doubts on their good intentions. The late Mrs. Tom Archer (Lillie Rebecca Clark) asserted that her father, George Clark of Maple Lake, outran a wolf pack while travelling the bush trails on horseback. Had he not reached the sanctuary of his stable, he would have been pulled down and killed. Source: Ibid pg 53.

George Clark represented Maple Lake on the 1900 committee that merged the Maple Lake Church with the 21 member congregation at Pine Lake Church, both of which met in school houses, to build the frame Maple Lake Church at the burying ground at Clark’s Corners.  Source: Ibid. pg.  326

By January 1921, twenty telephones were installed [Maple Lake area] and in June of that year a switchboard was temporarily set up in a small building adjoining the house on the George Clark property, later sold to Sam Redner. The switchboard was installed by Mr. Patterson who claimed he could teach any intelligent girl to operate in a day.  Source: Ibid pg. 329

In his 1966 Collection of Sketches, "Mr. George Clark's Story", Clayton Rogers documents his interview with George Clark during which Clark described his family's journey in 1867 from Fenelon Falls to Maple Lake to take up land on the Grass River, the property on which the United Church at Maple Lake stands. Read the story of their challenging trip.

Preceding landowner: 1872 Benjamin Clark, father of George Nelson Clark.

Succeeding landowner:

• 1907 Nelson Benjamin Clark (his son), the 60 acres north of the Grass River
• 1917 Adam Henry Sawyer, the acreage south of the Grass River, except the 1 acre belonging to the Methodist Church

Photo 1. George Clark, wife Fanny Burrows and Enid Horsley, Stanhope Museum Collection 015.01.23

Photo 2. This is a picture of an older George Clark holding a grandchild. Photo courtesy of Dorothy Rivers.