Settler of township lots: Lot 1, Conc. 5, Guilford (Stanhope area)

Location: Map point is the approximate location with this 100 acre lot on the north shore of the river where it flows from Green Lake to Maple Lake. (Downtown West Guilford)

Land acquisition: 1886 from James Sawyer to Isaac Bice for $30 on 2 Jul 1886. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Guilford (Image 2)

Dates of residency: 

• 1865 Birth of Daughter Sarah Delilah Bice Boice (1865–1949) Grass Lake
• 1903 Business Directory, Guilford: Isaac Boice, Maple Lake, Lot 1, Conc. 5
• 1911 Census of Canada, Guilford: Block U, Conc. 8
• 1914 Death Dysart

Interesting facts: aka Isaac Bice

Old-timers claim that the first whites, other than timber cruisers or surveyors, to penetrate as far as the Redstone River flowing into Green Lake (called locally Grass Lake), were Simon Boice and his young bride, Mary DeMill Redner, who travelled from Coboconk in a flimsy bark canoe to take up land in Stanhope township. In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 69

They were joined by Simon's brother, Isaac, and his French and Scottish wife, Betsy Barjarow, also the Boice matriarch, Pennsylvania, who carried the name of her home state. Pennsylvania Boice (spelled Bice on the older tombstones) was not destined to enjoy many years in her new home. Fourteen years after the death of her 33 year old son, Simon, she was laid to rest in the sandy soil of the recently opened cemetery at Maple Lake. Ibid pg. 72

The first trapper to go beyond Island Lake [in Algonquin Park] was Isaac Boice who had, in company with other Haliburton men, been searching for a water passage to untrapped grounds in the Pine River country. When his disgusted companions prepared to abandon the search, Boice said, "I've got most of my hundred of flour left and I'm going to stay until it's eaten up!". His trip was successful. Ibid pg 78

Isaac Boice, who followed the ways of the wilderness all the days of his life, was arrested three times, the last when his sight was failing and his 70th birthday near. While working his tap line at Kennisis he was stricken with a heart attack and would have died alone in the bush had not Durland Redner and his companion arrived to paddle him home. He died shortly after. By an odd coincidence, in later years Durland Redner was himself overcome while trapping the same region and had to be assisted home by two other bush travellers. Ibid pg 79

Preceding landowners:

• >1883 William Clarke Melville
• 1883 James Napolean Sawyer

Succeeding landowner:

• 1907 Henry Clair Sisson for $300 (husband of Louisa Rachel Clara Bice who was the daughter of Simon Bice, Isaac's father).
• 1936 Sephrona Sisson (Henry Clair Sisson's daughter)
• 1970 L. E. fry & F. W. Chambers
• 1974 Brown Camping Supplies Limited

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• Isaac Boice, b.18 Jan 1839, Somerville, Ontario  d. 6 Feb 1914, Dysart, (Age 75 years). COD: Cerebral thrombus.  Buried: Evergreen Cemetery. See obituary below
  • Parents: Samuel Bice (1808-1858) & Pennsylvania Mattison (~1810-1884)
• Elizabeth 'Betsey' Holly Amelia Barjarow, b. 07 Jul 1843, Victoria, Ontario, d. 27 Aug 1917, Haliburton  (Age 74 years)
• Children:
  1. Mary Jane Boice, b. 04 Nov 1862, Coboconk, d. 13 Apr 1885, Stanhope, (Age 22 years) 
  2. Sarah Delilah Boice, b. Abt 1865, Ontario, d. 19 Jul 1949, British Columbia, (Age ~ 84 years) 
  3. William James Boice, b. 29 Mar 1867, Ontario, d. 1937  (Age 69 years) l]
  4. Wesley Isaac Boice, b. 29 Mar 1868, Stanhope, d. 03 Sep 1949, Stanhope, (Age 81 years)
  5. Samuel Frederick Boice, b. 02 Mar 1871, Stanhope,
  6. Charlotte Amelia Boice, b. 11 Apr 1874, Coboconk, d. 16 Mar 1951, Stanhope, (Age 76 years) 
  7. George Boice, b. Abt 1876, Ontario, 
  8. Alexander Ernest Boice, b. Abt 1878, Ontario, d. 10 Nov 1959  (Age ~ 81 years) 
  9. Ethel May Boice, b. 4 Sep 1883, Ontario, d. 28 Nov 1854
  10. Cora Alma Boice, b. 7 Aug 1888, Guilford

Inscription on tombstone: ISAAC BOICE DIED FEB. 6, 1914 AGED 75 YEARS. HIS WIFE ELIZABETH BARJAROW DIED AUG. 27, 1917 AGED 74 YEARS. BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHO DIE IN THE LORD. Source: FindAGrave.com

Photo 1: Isaac Boice & Elizabeth Barjarow. Likely taken at their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Owner/Source From C. Moffatt file. File name Isaac & Elizabeth Boice.jpg

Photo 2: Isaac, Simon and Ham Bice in centre abt. 1855. Source: Ancestry.ca johnmar131 originally shared this on 19 Feb 2013

Photo 3: Isaac Boice obituary---courtesy of Deb Mansfield. Source: Ancestry.ca johnmar131 originally shared this on 19 Feb 2013

Photo 4: Isaac and Betsy Boice with some of the pencil marks taken out. Source: Ancestry.ca johnmar131 originally shared this on 22 Jan 2013