Settler of township lots: Lot 3, Conc. 2, Stanhope

Location:  Map point is the approximate location within this irregular, waterfront location on Kushog Lake (Oliver Crescent)

Land acquisition: 

• 29 Jun 1861 - Stanhope Township Lands Liable to Taxation register - father Robert Stevens - 85 acres
• 1874 Crown Patent. Ontario Land Parcel Register Index -Stanhope Conc 2 (Image 14).

Other land:

• Lot 4, Conc. 1, Stanhope. The map point is the approximate location within this irregular waterfront 78 acre lot at the south end of Kushog Lake.
  - This lot was patented on illegible date to Jane Grey Stevens et al. (his wife). Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 34)
• Lots 6 & 7, Conc. 3, Stanhope: 1893 to G. W. Stevens & William H. Stevens from Stephen Dawson; 1915 by his Executors to David Henry Harrison. Ontario Land Parcel Register-Stanhope (Images 46 & 77). It is noted on this 1915 deed that the sawmill situated upon the property belongs to John Cowan and that he can enter onto this land to carry away the said sawmill and machinery. (Stanhope Museum Collection #019.02.31)

Dates of residency:

• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope
• 1890 Stanhope Directory: G. W. Stevens, Peterson's Cors at Lot 4, Conc. 2 which was owned by Wm. Henry Stevens at that time
• 1890 Stanhope Voters List: B. W. Stevens, owner, Lot 3, Conc. 2
  
• 1891 Stanhope Voters List
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: G W Stevens, Petersons Crs
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope
• 1901 Stanhope Voters Lists at this location also Lot 4, Conc. 1
• 1903 Business Directory, Stanhope: George Stevens, Petersons Crs, Lot 7, Conc. 3
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: George Stevens, farmer, Lots 3& 4, Conc. 2, Lot 6, Conc. 1 & Lot 7 Conc. 3
• 1911 Stanhope Post Office: Geo Stevens, Coboconk, where he died in 1911

Interesting facts:

George Wellington Stevens was the Reeve of Stanhope and Sherbourne from 1897-1898 and the Reeve of Stanhope in 1898 and 1899. He died in 1911 and is buried in Coboconk.

George Stevens was an experienced saw mill operator who had a mill at Buck Slides which he and William Henry Stevens (brother) purchased from Stephen Dawson around 1894. The Stevens brothers floated their lumber from Buck's Slide to a lumber yard at Minden.

.....During the new year of 1901, 50 men, many with teams, hauled lumber from the George Stevens mill at Boshkung.....[to build the Methodist Church at Clark's Corners]. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 327

....Its first quality pine lumber [for S. S. No 3, Boshkung school] was bought for $12 a thousand from George Stevens who then owned the milll at the mouth of Buck Slides built by Daniel Buck Sr around 1862..... Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. pg. 311

In his 1966 Collection of Sketches, "Lumbering Industry", Clayton Rogers mentions Buck Slides: "As transportation bettered, local mills were erected. The first in the township was situated at Bucks Slide - water powered, and the old upright saw was used. Much of the timber in the first frame house came from the mill. It was owned and operated by Stevens Bros, Will and George - George Stevens later was woods manager of Gull River Lumber Co."

Preceding landowner: The Crown

Succeeding landowner:

• 1905 William Henry Stevens (brother) for $500 -1891 Stanhope Voters List at this location.
• 1934 Oliver Stevens (William Henry's son) - north half; Ethelbert Harrison (William Henry's son-in-law) - south half

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• George Wellington Stevens, b. 20 Aug 1857, Fenelon, d. 24 Mar 1911, Coboconk, Age 53 years)
• Parents:• Robert Gourlay Stevens, b. 1 Dec 1816, Ontario, d. 29 Sep 1906, Stanhope, (Age 89 years)
  • Eliza Bell, b. 28 Mar 1826, Northern Ireland d. 21 Nov 1911, Fenelon Falls, (Age 85 years)
• Jane Gray Sisson, b. 28 Jul 1855, Manvers, Durham, d. 02 Jun 1924, Toronto, (Age 68 years)
• Parents:
  • Henry Sisson, b. 27 May 1823, England  d. 23 May 1900, Stanhope, (Age 76 years)
  • Jenny Ellen Gray, b. 04 Aug 1828, Glengarry, Ontario, d. 13 Jul 1868, Manvers, Durham, (Age 39 years)

Photo: Left: Jane Sisson about 1880. Source: Ancestry.ca. johnmar131 originally shared this on 22 Jan 2014Right: Sisson, Jane Gray. Source: Ancestry.ca WhiteStathis originally shared this on 08 Oct 2015.