Settler of township lots: Lots 17 & 18, Conc. 1, Stanhope

Location: Map point is Lot 17, Conc. 1 at the north end of Sennett Hill Drive, which runs north from Hwy 118. Former Brown Camps 1966.

Land acquisition:

• Lot 17, Conc. 1 from Andrew Brown in 1885 for $160. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 223).
• Lot 18, Conc. 1 from Andrew Brown for $70 in 1885. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 228).

Other land:

• Lot 16, Conc. 1, Stanhope: 1892 from the Warden; 1900 to Richard Fry. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Image 211).
• Lots 24 & 25, Conc. 2, Stanhope: 1928 from James & Samuel Fader. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Stanhope (Images 161 & 163).
• Lots 20 & 21, Conc. 11, Minden: 1879 from The Crown. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Minden (Images 330 & 332).
• Lots 26 & 27, Conc. 13, Minden: 1916 from George H Hawkins. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Minden (Images 427 & 432).
• Lot 28, Conc. 13, Minden: 1940 from Charles Barry. Ontario Land Parcel Register - Minden (Image 437).

Dates of residency:

• 1875 Marriage to Mary Howell in Minden
• 1878 Birth of Son John Cowan (1878–1957) Blairhampton
• 
  1883 called for mail at Carnarvon. Source: In Quest of Yesterday. pg. 317
• 1883 Stanhope Voters List: William Cowen, owner, Lots 17 & 18, Conc. 1
• 1885 Birth of Son Thoms Cowen (1885–) Stanhope Twp
• 1890 Stanhope Voters List: William Cowen, owner, Lots 17 & 18, Conc. 1
• 1891 Stanhope Voters List: Lots 17 & 18, Conc. 1, Stanhope
• 1893 Stanhope Directory: Wm Cowan Boskung Lot 18, Conc. 1
• 1899 Stanhope Directory: Carnarvon Lot 18, Conc. 1
• 1901 Census of Canada, Stanhope: William & Mary Cowen with 4 sons at Lots 17 & 18, Conc. 1
• 1901 Stanhope Voters List : Lot 16 was added
• 1903 Business Directory, Stanhope: Wm Cowan, Carnarvon, Lot 18, Conc. 1
• 1903 Stanhope Voters List: William Cowen, owner, Lots 16, 17 & 18, Conc. 1
• 1906 death certificate records his residence as Lot 17, Conc. 1, Stanhope

Interesting facts: aka William Henry Cowan

1871 in Bradfield, Yorkshire, England. William is an excavator, one of 7 lodgers in Bradfield, living in a house headed by Thomas Smith, 41, also an excavator, and his wife Elizabeth. Came to Canada in 1872.

Preceding landowner: 

• Lot 17, Conc. 1: 1885 Andrew Brown
• Lot 18, Conc. 1: 1869 John Brown;  1872 Andrew Brown for $70

Succeeding landowner:

• 1907 James Cowan (son) B&S,1911 Census & 1911 Stanhope Voters List
• 1956 William Raymond Cowen (James' son)
• 1966 Brown Camps Limited

Link to Settlers of Algonquin Highlands family tree

• William Henry Cowen, b. 22 Jul 1849, Devon, England  d. 06 Mar 1906, Stanhope, (Age 56 years). COD: Stomach cancer for about 4 years. Buried: Zion United Church Cemetery
  Parents:
  • William Cowen, b. Abt 1812, England
  • Elizabeth Cousins, b. Abt 1821, England
• Mary Howell, b. 20 Nov 1856, Hamilton, d. 1 Jun 1931, Elm Creek, Manitoba (Widow living with daughter) Buried: Elm Creek Cemetery
• Children:
  1. Ann Cowen, b. 08 Jan 1877, Haliburton, d. 1957  (Age 79 years)
  2. John Cowen  b. 23 Jun 1878, Ontario, d. 21 Apr 1959, Carnarvon,  (Age 80 years)
  3. James Cowen, b. 10 Dec 1879, Ontario, d. 8 May 1968  (Age 88 years)
  4. Baby Cowen, b. 26 Oct 1885, Stanhope, d. 26 Oct 1885, Stanhope, (Age 0 years)
  5. Thomas Cowen  b. 26 Oct 1885, Stanhope, d. 08 Jan 1961, Lindsay, (Age 75 years)
  6. William Henry Cowen, b. 18 May 1896, Stanhope, d. 09 May 1950, Stanhope,   (Age 53 years)
  Second Husband: John Cowen, b. 21 Jun 1844,  England  d. 17 Jul 1924, Stanhope, (Age 80 years). He was William Henry Cowen's brother whom she married in 1908

Photo: Left - Cowen, William (1849-1906) Right - Howell, Mary (1856-1931) Courtesy of Bob Chambers. Source: Eunice Matresky originally shared this on 31 jul 2014