Settler of township lots: Lot 8, Conc. 5, Stanhope

Location: The map point is the approximate location of this 100 acre lot at the north east corner of Walkers Lake and Buckslide Road. This is the location of S.S. No. 3 - Boskung School.

Land acquisition:

• Lot 8, Conc. 5, Stanhope:- 1872 Patent from The Crown. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (mage 66).

Other land: 

• Lot 8, Conc. 4, Stanhope:- 1872 Patent from The Crown. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 90).

Dates of residency:

• 1876: Mr. Beatty is mentioned in the minutes of the first County Council. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg 286.
• 1881 Census of Canada, Stanhope:
• 1883 Stanhope Voters List: Joseph Beatty, Lots 8 & 8, Conc. 4 & 5
• 1890 Stanhope Voters List: Joseph Beatty, Lots 8 & 8, Conc. 4 & 5
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: Boskung Lot 5, Conc. 8
• 1899 Stanhope Directory: Joseph Beatty & daughter Sarah at Lot 8, Conc. 5; wife Ann Jane at Lot 8, Conc. 5
• 1901 Census of Canada,Stanhope
• 1901 Stanhope Voters List: Joseph Beatty, Sr. was listed at Lot 8, Concs. 4 & 5
• 1903 Business Directory, Stanhope: Joseph Beatty, Jr. Boskung, Lot 8, Conc. 4
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: Joseph Beatty, farmer, Lot 8, Conc. 5
• 1908 Death: Lot 8, Conc. 5, Stanhope

Interesting facts: 

In September 1874, Joseph Beatty conveyed to the Trustees of S.S. No. 3 Stanhope 1/2 acre of Lot 8, Conc. 5.

Joseph Beatty was the Reeve of Stanhope from 1874 to 1876. In 1874, the first county council met in session with Joseph Beatty from the Municipality of Stanhope and Sherborne. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 114

The Beatty farmhouse (for some time a post office in later days) still exists, well-renovated to suite changing times, at the top of the rise. Source: Stanhope 125th Anniversary 1866-1991, supplement to The Times, Minden, 1991

Neighbours gathered at the home of Joseph Beatty, a genial Belfast emigrant, who every Wednesday and Saturday night since the 1879's, when the post office was established, brought the mail from Minden. He never arrived before 8 or 9 P.M., and by the time the mail was sorted and its contest digested, the air in the Beatty kitchen was blue with the smoke from assorted strong tobacco blends. Some came great distances, so before they started home, Mrs. Beatty often served the assembly tea and sandwiches. Source: In Quest of Yesterday by Nila Reynolds. Published by The Provisional County of Haliburton, Minden, Ontario 1973 pg. 311-312.

Boskung Post Office - 1878 to 1962:  The post office at Boskung was located in the homes of the Postmasters.  From 1878 until 1958 the office was open year around. It then became summer only until it finally closed in 1964. Joseph Beatty Sr. was the postmaster from Jul 1, 1878 to Dec 26, 1908 - His name is incorrectly recorded as John on the Library & Archives Canada website. It has been written that the neighbours would gather at the Beatty residence on Wednesday and Saturday evenings awaiting Joseph's arrival from Minden with the mail, and of course visiting and catching up on the local gossip.  Apparently at election times these gatherings would be much less jovial. Joseph Beatty Jr. was the postmaster from Feb 9, 1908 to Mar 19, 1924 .Note the overlap in dates, with Joseph becoming Postmaster over ten months before John ceased to hold the position. It is probable that Joseph Sr. was unable to fulfill his role during that time as a result of illness, since the cause of vacancy is shown as "death".

Obituary: Lindsay Weekly Free Press 31 Dec 1908:
     On Saturday evening Dec 19, 1908 there passed away at the family residence, Boskung, one of the oldest and most respected citizens of the township of Stanhope, in the person of Mr. Joseph Beatty. He was born in Tyrone, Ireland, seventy-six years ago. While yet a young man he emigrated to Canada, and lived in the vicinity of Millbrook for a few years. Forty-seven years ago he became a resident of Stanhope and has lived on the same farm till the time of his death.
    From the time Boskung post office was  opened till the time of his death he was the postmaster, and for nearly a quarter of a century carried the mails to and from Minden.
     He was the trusted township treasurer of Stanhope municipality till his broken health rendered him incapable, when the work was handed over to his son, some four or five years ago. In religion he was a faithful member of the English church and in politics a Conservative. The principals of Protestantism were strongly protected and advocated by him and it appeared as a natural consequence tht he should be a member of the Orange Association.
     He is survived by a sorrowing widow, two son, and three daughters. The sons are Alexander, of Penticton, B.C. and Joseph at home. The daughters, Mrs. Wm. Taylor of Beech Lake, Mrs. R.H. Dawson of Maple Lake, Stanhope, and Mrs. Walter Wright of Minden.
    The funeral took place to the Minden cemetery on Monday as was presided over by Rev. J. E. Fenning, of Markham, who was in Minden for the Sunday services.

Preceding landowner: The Crown

Succeeding landowners: both lots

• 1901 Estate to wife Anne Jane, and children
• 1910 Estate to son Joseph Thompson Beatty
• 1925 Angus Coulter

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

Photo: Joseph Beatty, Member of First Council