THE WILLIAM AND MARY ANN COSGROVE PROPERTY

This property of 50 acres situated immediately north of the Bolger homestead, was first leased by Dennis Higgins from the Right Honourable Lawrence Sullivan on December 21, 1853. This lease was then transferred to William Cosgrove on November 20, 1866. William was the son of Thomas and Bridget Cosgrove of Centre Road. William was born in 1842. On September 12, 1871, he married Mary Ann Murphy of Upper Freetown. Mary Ann was born in 1853. William and Mary Ann had five children:

1. Minerva b. 1873

2. James b.1874

3. John Thomas (1876 — Apr. 8, 1880) 4. Joseph b. 1878

5. Bridget b. 1879

William and Mary Ann purchased their property on August 13, 1878. William Cosgrove died at the young age of 39 on July 5, 1881. William’s will provided that if his personal estate was not sufficient to pay his debts and funeral expenses, then his farm should be sold at public auction.

Patrick Bolger and Felix Murphy were appointed executors. They did not wish to act, and they recommended Mary Ann Cosgrove as administratrix. She was duly appointed on July 23, 1881. Since the personal estate of William was not sufficient to satisfy his legal debts, the farm which Mary Ann Cosgrove valued at $900.00 was sold by public auction on October 3, 1882, to Felix Murphy, for $300.00 he being the highest bidder. Mary Ann Cosgrove died on March 1, 1884. By 1891, this 50 acres was in Patrick Bolger’s land inventory, and in the same year Felix Murphy sold his own 50 acres to Patrick Bolger.

THE FELIX AND HANNAH MURPHY PROPERTY

The property situated immediately adjacent to Cosgrove homestead, was owned by Felix and Hannah Murphy. Felix Murphy had leased 50 acres of land from Lawrence Sullivan on December 31, 1863. He later purchased this land. It was made possible by the resale of all the Sullivan lands which the PEI Government had purchased in 1875. In 1877, he sold 50 acres of land immediately adjacent to his property to John McGuigan. Earlier that year Felix Murphy had bought this land through a Crown Grant for $62.50. He sold it to John McGuigan for $600.00 thus making a neat profit. In 1882, he replaced this 50 acres by the purchase of the William and Mary Cosgrove property for $300.00

Felix and Hannah Murphy also owned and made their home on an acreage of 56 acres on the Patrick Sullivan and Hannah Harrington property in St. Ann’s district not too distant from his North Road acreage of 100 acres. Patrick Sullivan and Hannah Harrington Sullivan were Hannah’s parents. This acreage was originally leased to Patrick Sullivan on April 10, 1840 by Lawrence Sullivan. On December 12, 1877, Patrick Sullivan’s widow gave a quit claim to this farm to Felix Murphy. Felix and Hannah began to divest themselves of their property on the North Road. They sold the William and Mary Ann Cosgrove property to Patrick and Catherine Bolger, and, on July 10, 1891, they also sold their own 50-acre farm to Patrick and Catherine

Bolger for $1,300.00.

Felix and Hannah Sullivan Murphy Genealogy:

Felix Murphy (l835-Apr. 16, 1931), son of Patrick and Susan McCormack Murphy, was mar- ried on Nov. 23, 1858 to Hannah Sullivan (1832-Oct. 5, 1891) daughter of Patrick and Hannah Harrington Sullivan. Felix and Hannah had five children:

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