Settler of township lots: Lot 23, Conc. 5, Stanhope

Location: Map point is the approximate location within this irregular waterfront lot on the north shore of Maple Lake west of  Dawson Road.

Land acquisition: 

• 1884 Peter Dawson (her father) from The Crown. Most of the entries are illegible but there are references to Sophia Taylor Richards. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 162).
• NOTE: This property was patented in 1877 to William Damyon per the Township of Stanhope Patent Register 

Dawson family land patents, between Hindon Lake and Kushog Lake, north of Hwy 118:

• Lot 1, Conc. 1: Peter Dawson (b. 1800) father
• Lot 2, Conc. 1: Stephen Dawson (b. 1852) son
• Lot 3, Conc. 1: Richard Henry Dawson (b. 1850) son
• Lot 4, Conc. 1: Sophia Jane Taylor-Richards (b. 1837) daughter

Dates of residency:

• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope:  Lots 22 & 23, Conc. 5
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: W N Taylor (her first husband), Carnarvon Lot 23, Conc. 5
• 1895 Death of Husband William Nelson Taylor (1831–1895) Maple Lake
• 1899 Stanhope Directory: Jane Taylor & Dawson Taylor, Maple Lake (Peter Dawson Taylor) Lot 23, Conc. 5
• 1899 Marriage Thomas Richard (1838–) Haliburton, Ontario
• 1901 Stanhope Voters List: Thomas Richard, carpenter, at Lot 23, Conc. 5
• 1901 Stanhope Votes List: (Peter) Dawson Taylor (her son), farmer, at Lot 22, Conc. 5
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Thomas & Jane S Ritchards with step son Taylour Dawson at Lot 23, Conc. 5
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: Dawson Taylor, farmer, Lot 22, Conc. 5
• 1911 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Jane Sophia (nee Dawson) Taylor Ritchards as Head (Enumerated as Jane S Richards, widowed) with son Dawson P Richards at Lot 23, Conc. 5
• 1915 Sophia Jane Richards died at Lot 28, Conc. 6, Stanhope

Other residents:

• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope: (before 1906 patent to Jane Richards)
  - Lot 22, Conc. 5: Lewis McDonald and children: Mary, Matilda & Wm
  - Lot 22, Conc. 6: wife Mary Damion - father William Damion

Interesting facts:

Preceding landowner: 1884 Peter Dawson? (illegible) from The Crown

Succeeding landowner: Passed down in the Dawson family.

• 1911 Stanhope Voters List: Dawson Taylor, farmer
• 1911 Stanhope Post Office List: D Taylor, Maple Lake
• 1918 Stanhope Post Office List: Fred Dawson, Maple Lake
• 1928 Stanhope Voters List: Ray Dawson, clerk, is listed at Lots 23 & 24, Conc. 5

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• Sophia Jane Dawson, b. 26 Aug 1837, England  d. 10 Oct 1915, Stanhope, (Age 78 years). COD: Foreign cancer of liver. Buried: St. Peter's Cemetery
• Parents:
  • Peter Dawson, b. 15 Jun 1800, England d. 04 Sep 1873, Stanhope, (Age 73 years)
  • Jane Benson, b. 15 Aug 1815, England d. 01 Feb 1892, Stanhope,  (Age 76 years)
• Husband 1. William Nelson Taylor, b. Abt 1831, England d. 08 Mar 1895, Stanhope, Haliburton, (Age ~ 64 years)
• Children with Taylor:
  1. Dorothea Taylor, b. 18 Nov 1855, Ontario, d. 01 Mar 1948, Texas, USA (Age 92 years) 
  2. Jane Taylor, b. Abt 1857, England 
  3. Elizabeth Emma Taylor, b. Nov 1858, Ontario, d. 1927, Minnesota, USA Age ~ 68 years)
  4. William Taylor, b. 18 Aug 1860, Durham, Ontario,  d. 03 Jul 1945, Stanhope, (Age 84 years)
  5. Peter Dawson Taylor, b. 31 May 1863, Ontario, d. 28 Dec 1931, Haliburton,  (Age 68 years)
  6. Miriam Frances Jeannette Taylor, b. Abt 1866, Ontario, d. 27 Feb 1947, Minnesota, USA  (Age ~ 81 years) 
  7. Martha Harriet Taylor, b. Abt 1869, Stanhope, d. 17 Mar 1934, British Columbia,  (Age ~ 65 years)
  8. Sarah Ida Taylor  b. 21 Jul 1870, Stanhope
  9. Margaret Agnes Taylor, b. 05 Jun 1872, Stanhope,  d. 15 Dec 1960, Stanhope, (Age 88 years)
  10. Isabella Taylor, b. 04 Mar 1877, Stanhope, d. 26 Apr 1947, Thunder Bay, (Age 70 years) 
  11. Hector Taylor  b. 20 Feb 1882, Stanhope
• Husband 2. Thomas Richards, b. 24 Dec 1838, Scotland Married 1899 Dysart