John Michael Rivers / Mary Toye
Settler of township lot: Lot 1, Conc. A, Stanhope
Location: Map point is the approximate location on Hwy 118 east of Bobcaygeon Road, south of Little Hindon Lake.
Land acquisition: 1901 from the Municipality of Stanhope for $25. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 3).
Other properties:
- Lot 1, Conc. 1 (part): 1925 from Donald A. Ross (son-in-law). Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 2).
- Lot 2, Conc. 1 (part): 1922 from Donald A. Ross B&S for $550. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 11).
Dates of residency:
- 1891 Census of Canada: farmer in Galway township, Peterborough
- 1893 Anson & Hindon Townships Directory: John Rivers, Minden
- 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: John M & Mary Rivers with 5 children
- 1901 1911 Stanhope Voters List
- 1903 Stanhope Voters List: John Rivers, farmer, Lot 1, Conc. A
- 1907 Lot 16, Conc. A, Stanhope
- 1908 Lot 7, Conc. 1, Stanhope and Lot 8, Conc. 1, Stanhope
- 1911 Stanhope Post Office List: J Rivers Petersons Cors
- 1911 Stanhope Voters List
- 1911 Census of Canada, Stanhope:Lot 1, Conc. A
- 1928 Stanhope Voters List: James (son?) & Mary Rivers; James is crossed off.
Other occupants: Henry Pearl is listed as tenant on the 1891 Stanhope Township Voters List.
Interesting facts:
This is a blended family - both John Michael Rivers and his wife Mary Toye were previously married, he to Louisa Cain, she to James Wesley Stockton.
Note that there was another John Rivers in the county, but he was enumerated at Lot 5, Conc. 5, Anson township in 1911.
Peterson's Corners Post Office - 1878 to 1931: The post office was located at the home of the current Postmaster, which was at most one mile from the junction of the Bobcaygeon and Peterson Roads. Mrs. Mary Rivers was the postmistress from Jun 1, 1914 to Jan 18, 1928 at Lot 1, Conc. A, Stanhope.
The Haliburton Business Directory for 1918
Peterson's Corners, Stanhope Tp - Rivers, Mrs. Mary, postmistress
My mother, Mary Toye, by Minnie Eastman 1977: Source: Ancestry.ca shelleys63
Mr. and Mrs. James Toye immigrated to Canada from County Antrim, Ireland to Bell's Corner near Ottawa in 1871. There, a daughter was born named Mary in 1872. They came and settled at Hindon Hill on the farm where their son William farmed for a number of years. Mary was 16 months when they came to Hindon Hill. They had 5 children, one passed away when a baby. Mary, Letisha, William and Johnstone were the family names. Mary married John Rivers and had 12 children; Mary was postmistress at Peterson's Corners for 15 years but gave it up to move to Gelert where they farmed for more than 15 years. Letisha married George Piper and had 5 children and lived in Sault Ste Marie. William m Jennie Sawyer and had a family of 13; 10 girls and 3 boys and they moved to Chartton, New Ontario in 1926 and farmed there until his retirement. Mrs. James Toy went with him, as did his brother Johnstone. Mrs. James Toy died at the age of 32. She was not accustomed to a rugged life that the pioneers had to endure in the early days of this new county. Johnstone was a bachelor. Mr. James Toye married Janie Johnstone from County Antrim, Ireland. Henry Johnston, brother of Janie Toye was Personal Photographer to the Royal Family in England for a number of years before coming to Canada.
My mother, Mrs. Rivers's school teacher's name was Miss Jennie Prentice, sister of William and Thom Prentice. My mother spoke very highly of her, she was so good to her; taught her to sew and cook as well as her other school duties. Mother was very clever, she could do anything she put her hand to, she spun yarn for all the neighbours as well as sewing and making clothes for different families and her own 12 children and she made the most wonderful butter preserves. The women in those days made everything, they could not go to the supermarkets and buy all the goods. To raise 12 children in those days was really some job; they did not receive Baby Bonus or any help of any kind to feed and clothe them. We had lots to eat and wear, maybe they were not the most stylish, but a lot of fun we had. Mother was always at the helm, so nothing else mattered. Home was full of love and laughter, we had a few little spats to make it more fun. My Dad passed away at the age of 89 years, he never had a doctor until he was 85. My mother was in her 80th year when she passed away.
My brother George would hitch up his team and sleigh and take a load to (the) Oliver Stevens or Jack Walkers or William Toyes; the next time Bertie Walker would do the same and we would have a ball. There was a nice lunch and make our way home or everyone would come to our house. We did not have much of the world's goods but we sure had a lot of fun. I would not trade one minute of my childhood for all the world's riches today. We children would go sleigh riding down the hills or go for walks on the crust in the bright moonlight over the fence. There were no roads plowed then, we always had a nice driving horse and cutter. These winters are mild to what they used to be, but sure go faster now we have open highways and so much more than 35 or 40 years ago. After Christmas everything was dead, and all the men went back to the lumber camps and we did not see them until the spring breakup in March, a big letdown. After Christmas and New Years we had concerts at the schools and basket socials.
Preceding landowner: Lot 1, Conc. A
- William Buck received the patent for this land on 19 Mar 1872.
- 1876 William Buck to Daniel Buck Jr.
- 1897 Municipality of Stanhope from Warden & Treasurer for $33.25.
Succeeding landowner: Lot 1, Conc. A
- 1917 Johnston Toye for $200
- 1929 Dr. Howard Ashton Nesbitt for $100