Thanks Lorie

This site is wonderful. A great initiative.

Cheers,

Alan Weekes

Please let me know if you still cannot see the photos

go to

portlandontario.com

to open the website.

tx.
Buzz

Are there descendants of William and Emily Bolton still in the area?

As we all age(especially us boomers) we ask ourselves. “Will anyone even remember me when I am gone?” Now I must say that anyone who knows me that you talk to would say I am unforgettable.
Well, I am just thrilled that this organization has come to fruition and is now a reality.

Portland and The Big Rideau and its residents will now be remembered ! This is a wonderful thing.

Portland has sometimes always been the little village that couldn’t.
Now I believe anything is possible. Portland’s Heritage and Ancestry is very valuable . Without a past , there is no future.

I believe Portland has always had so much potential, but for some reason this potential has never been utilized to its fullest.

I personally wish to thank everyone who has made this possible.
Edith Margaret Seward(POLK)

This parcel of land, lot 22, Con 2 was owned by Dennis Donovan and his wife Elizabeth Morris Donovan. (Elizabeth was the sister of Henry and John Morris of Portland.) Dennis killed himself in 1851 (see 1851/1852 Bastard and Burgess Twp census), and was buried on the family land, with the burial site separated out as a separate parcel. His wife is buried in the Old Portland Emmanuel cemetery.

Here are some of the pieces written about Denis/Dennis:

A gravestone was found in 1970 on Lot 22 Concession 2 of South Burgess (Tullocks’ Farm) for a DENIS DONOVAN. The inscription is faded but was recorded as “DENIS DONOVAN departed this life Dec. 18, 1851 aged 56 years, a native of the County Cork, Ireland.” From this, a birth date of 1795 is calculated. The local story about this grave says that DENIS was buried in the apple orchard on his farm. The farm was a truck garden to cater to the traffic on the Rideau Canal. There are still apple trees nearby and the gravestone faces the Rideau River.
—-
From notes by Paul Cote-
“Dennis DONOVAN was supposedly an engineer on the Rideau Canal, and either he or someone in his family received a grant of the land [Not so, according to the land books]. Originally, there was an orchard and a truck garden to cater to the canal traffic. From his burial site there would have been an excellent view of the Rideau. One story states that there is an exception in the deed for a plot 6 by 9 feet which was given to the town of Cork in Ireland (this has not been substantiated). The fact that the gravesite was excepted, however, has been confirmed below.

The land was purchased by DENIS DONOVAN in 1842 from Reuben Sherwood , and was later purchased in 1848 by James DONOVAN [probably his son James.] From the Land Book for South Burgess: Dec 1816 the Crown sold Lot 22 to Mary Bodien; in 1834 it was sold to Reuben Sherwood; in 1841 to Reuben Sherwood, Jr. U 347 B&S June 16, 1842 registered Mar. 24, 1847. Reuben Sherwood sold to Dennis DONOVAN for 100 pounds Lot 22 Con. 2 that part west 1/2 south of Rideau Lake 50 acres more or less. Reuben Sherwood lived nearby the David Murphy family near Murphys’ Bay.

On Mar. 22, 1848 Dennis DONOVAN sold this land to James DONOVAN for 50 pounds. I expect that part of the agreement, when James bought the farm from his father, was that he care for his parents for the rest of their lives.

On May 3, 1860 James and Elizabeth (his mother) sold the land to Myles Young for 125 pounds. On the same day Elizabeth DONOVAN (widow) gave a grant and quit claim for this land to Myles Young. There was no money involved. Myles may be a son-in-law, or more likely the quit claim was required to clear title. Later, when Myles Young sold the property, it said that the buyer got the 50 acres, except a part 9 feet by 6 feet being the burial place of the late Dennis DONOVAN.

The land was sold several times later, and at one time or another was owned by: David Murphy, Michael Murphy, Robert Joynt, David DONOVAN & Homer Graham, Cynthia & Matte [Hatte?] Donovan (spinsters, daughters of James) and then passed out of the family.

According to “Rideau Passages,” p.12, Bastard Twp. was surveyed in1796, Elmsley in1803-4, Crosby 1793-1806, and Burgess in 1841. All were part of Johnstown District until 1841. The first patents in Bastard Twp. were conveyed in 1801. Lt. Col. John By of the Royal Engineers arrived in 1826 to commence construction of the Rideau Canal. Two companies of the Royal Sappers and Miners were raised in England, and arrived in 1827.

Perth Courier newspaper, March 7 & March 14, 1851 (both page 3)- Letters still at Perth Post Office as of March 1st, 1851. Listing of names included Dennis DONOVAN. Denis DONOVAN died in 1851.