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yr-A ' HISTORY OF LOT 8, GONG. l, ARRAN TOWNSHIP The Crown Deed for 109 acres of land was traction steam engine. taken out by John Hanbidge, July 23, 1tt'71r, He put a mortgage of $1,600.00 on the farm, Robert A. Monkman was known as 'Thresh .March 3, 1876. The family originated in Bob Monkman'. He bought his brother H35- Southern Ireland near Dublin, coming to Can- ard's interest in the farm April 6, 190h. ada and settling near Peterborough, then to The value, stated in the records, was set Arran Township Lot 2, Conc. 2, being one of at'33,500.00. Howard took a mortgage for the first pioneer families; later buying Lot M, 00.00 as his payment. The place was L (gi,) 8, Cone. 1, Arran, as a second farm. cleared of' debt in 1910. In 1910 the barn _ 7 was struck by lightning, several rafters Because the front half of hot 8 was swampy and beams were splintered and shingles torn they first cleared the back east 20 acres. off the roof and scattered over the farm. The first log house was situated on a sandy The barn did not burn. About this tine knoll about 40 rods from the road along the Robert rented the farm to another brother, line fence, Wallace, known as 'Wall', who had been liv- Ing with him; neither' were married. Robert On December 30, 1881, Thomas Hanbidge bought went west to Nanton and High River, Alberta the place from his father. He placed a in the summers for a few years, then later mortgage of $1,800.00 on the farm. The money made his home there with his sister, Mrs. was borrowed from the I.0.0.F. lodge in Robert Greig. Paisley. The Monkmans were noted for their fine The Hanbidges built the first and present horses. wall Monkman owned a driving horse barn, an exact duplicate of the one they had and a show team, winning many prizes at the built on their home place, Lot 2, Conc. 2, local fairs. He was high spirited, being I size 38' x 5lr'. noted as a community prankster. He used p his fancy team to draw the neighborhood , Thomas Hanbidge was not contented on the farm. folk to meetings and Christmas tree enter- . s The story goes that: One day when getting tainments, etc., often managing to dump his team out to go on the fields after dinner everyone into the snow enroute. his father, in the course of! events, told him that; "he would never make a farmer". At this He went to Loreburn, Saskatchewan, around _ he put his team back in the stable and start- 1912, married and settled there. ed plans moving which resulted in the sale of his farm. He had a Grade 7111 education, but Over the years the farm was rented for graz- went back to school at the age of 28 years, ing, to Joseph Poole, Lot 9, Cone. 1h, Elder- getting his certificate as a Veterinary Sur- slie; then John Davis, Cone. 11, Elderslie, geon, practicing several years In Lakefield and Neil Poole, Lot 9, Cone. 1h, Elderslie. near Peterborough. He continued his studies until he became a qualified medical doctor. On March 31, 1939, the executor of! Robert He went to the United States and practiced Monkman's estate, his brother William 1. medicine in Montana. Monkman, sold the farm to John Wolfe, who owned the farm directly across the road, The farm was sold March 8, 1888, to George Lot 8, cone. Ik, Elderslie, for $2,000.00. Monkman, who resided on Lot 9, Conc. 2,Arran, whieheornered this farm. No amount is stat- The house, unoccupied from 1912 or 1913,had ed, but he kept the same mortgage which now deteriorated, and was torn down in 1951 by was at $1,100.00. _ John Wolfe; the foundation and cellar fill- _ _ ed in, with no trace left, being seeded over On January 10, 1898, George Monkman sold the with the surrounding field. The central 10 _ farm to his two sons in partnership, Robert acres of bush was cut during the 19lr0's and ! (etity A. Monkman and G. Howard Monkman. The house 50's. A dug well, near the barn, supplied , Tes.--- wats built by the Monkmans. It was a one and the water by windmill unti1.1965 when a a MV storey structure, 18' x 2lr', of! frame, pressure line from Lot 8, Conc. Ik, on a lined with brick and plastered on the brick. drilled well, was laid across the road. The outside was covered with tin shingles . marked to resemble brick. It faced west to As soon as the place was bought in 1939, the the lane. They also planted several acres stable was converted to loose housing and of apple trees on the front east of the farm. has been used for wintering beef cattle The farm was all cleared by this time, leav- since then. The farm has been used to pro- Ing two woodlots - the northwest 10 acres duce hay, grain, and grass for gra21ng. .' and a 10 acre section on the seat, commencing . . ko rods from the road. . The barn was painted red in 1951, and again _ _ In 1963. Most of the apple trees have been The Monkman family did custom threshing for removed and the field used for farm crops- years In the community, first with horse h 1966 power and later with steam, finally owning a - -Contributed by - John Wolfe, Marc . **This farm was likely taken over by Ron Rolfe from his dad (John) in the 60's. Lt was sold tofhaun Wolfe, a nephew of Ron's on Nay I, 1987. Shaun sold the farm to Bev Kingston.1n _ the spring of 1993.** l . ___-___-.-.;