Settler of township lots: Lot 2, Conc. 1, Stanhope

Location: Map point is the 100 acre lot which runs north to Kushog Lake Road from Hwy 118 opposite Queens Line Road 

Land acquisition: 1901 from John Dawson (brother) for $1,200. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 11).

Other land:

• Lot 1, Conc. 1, Stanhope: 1891 from John Dawson
• Lots 6 & 7, Conc. 3, Stanhope: 1886 from James Buck. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Images 45 & 77)

Dates of residency:

• 1882 Marriage: Rhoda Ann Bull (Dawson) Stanhope
• 1883 Stanhope Voters List: Stephen Dawson, owner, Lots 6 & 7, Conc. 3
• 1890 Stanhope Voters LIst: Setphen Dawson, Lost 2, 1, 3, 4, Conc. 1
• 1891 Stanhope Voters List: Lots 1, 2, 3, 4 Conc. 1.
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: Stephen Dawson, Boskung Lot 3, Conc.1
• 1901 Stanhope Voters List: Lots 1, 2, 3, Conc. 1.
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: Steven & Rhoda Dawson with 6 children at Lot 2, Conc. 1.
• 1902 Death of Daughter Eva Dawson (Cooper) (1884–1902) Haliburton
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: Stephen Dawson, farmer, Lots 1, 2 & 3, Conc. 1
• 1911 Census of Canada: Red Deer, Alberta

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

Interesting facts:

The Dawsons, like most other families who settled in the Bobcaygeon Road area, had first lived for a time in another part of Upper Canada, where they learned the skills which would enable them to survive in the Shield. Emigrating from England in 1839, the Peter Dawson family settled in Millbrook, Cavan Township, near the Sissons. Remaining early records show that by 1867 Peter Dawson owned four 100-acre lots in Stanhope Township, along the Bobcaygeon Road. At least two of the 13 Dawson children remained in Cavan to establish their own farms, while four Dawsons married Sissons and settled in Stanhope with the rest of the Dawson clan. When Peter died in 1874, his sons, John and Stephen, took over the farm. In 1890 Stephen bought out his brother, and sometime after 1900 he and his wife moved to Calgary. Another of Peter's sons, Richard Henry, inherited two lots near Maple Lake which are now surrounded by a large, sturdy stone fence. On descendent of an early settler said it was easier for his ancestors to farm rocks than it was to grow crops. One of the frame barns on Richard's farm has a beautiful wooden silo attached to it. (This was the only wooden silo in the Bobcaygeon Road area). Both of these farms were still owned by Dawsons in 1900, and some of Richard Dawson's descendants continue to live in the Highlands. Source: Discovering the Bobcaygeon Road by John McDonald.

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. Stephen Dawson was the postmaster from Jan 1, 1891 to Apr 4, 1908 at  Lot 2, Conc. 1, Stanhope. He was the brother of John Dawson.

Preceding landowner: 1870 John Dawson (brother) from The Crown

Succeeding landowners:

• 1908 Donald A. Ross B&S. This settler is listed at Lots 1 & 2, Conc. 1 on the 1911 Stanhope Voters List.
• 1922 John Michael Rivers part B&S for $550

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• Stephen Dawson, b. 03 Mar 1852, Cavan, Ontario, d. 19 Apr 1945, Alberta, (Age 93 years)
  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)
• Rhoda Anne Bull, b. 30 Jan 1862, Murray, Northumberland, Ontario d. 1933 Alberta
  Parents:
  • Daniel Bull, b. Abt 1835, Murray, Northumberland, Ontario d. 27 Feb 1903, Ontario, (Age ~ 68 years)
  • Sarah Ann Barnum, b. Oct 1844, Ontario
• Children:
  1. Eva Dawson, b. 6 Apr 1884, Stanhope, d. 25 Oct 1902, Stanhope, (Age 18 years)
  2. Maud Dawson, b. 26 May 1886, Stanhope
  3. Agnes Dawson, b. 03 Jan 1888, Stanhope, d. 04 Feb 1888, Stanhope, (Age 0 years)
  4. Mossom Dawson, b. 15 Apr 1889, Stanhope
  5. Dorothy Dawson, b. 2 Apr 1891, Stanhope, d. 26 Sep 1891, Stanhope, Age 0 years)
  6. Ivy May Dawson, b. 14 May 1893, Haliburton
  7. Rhoda Dawson, b. 1 Oct 1896, Stanhope
  8. Isabella Jane Dawson, b. 1 May 1898, Stanhope

Photo 1. Steve Dawson & Rhoda Ann Bull. Ancestry.ca. myrna jensen originally shared this on 24 Nov 2014

Photo 2. Evelyn Guynn, Steve Dawson, Jane Guynn, Charles Guynn and Bob ?. About 1942. Charles Guynn farm Carbon, Alberta. Source: Ancestry.ca myrna jensen originally shared this on 01 Mar 2015

Photo 3. Alexander Niven's Insurance Survey Notebook, Haliburton Highlands Museum

3. Steve Dawson & Rhoda Ann Bull. Ancestry.ca. myrna jensen originally shared this on 24 Nov 2014