6. Elizabeth b. 1860 7. Emily b. 1862

8. Martha b. 1865 9. Matilda b. 1869 10. George b. 1871 11. Jemima b. 1874

THE THOMAS AND MARGARET BOLGER HOMESTEAD

The property which THOMAS and MARGARET BOLGER purchased on the North Road on December 22, 1903, and which remained in Bolger hands until sold by Margaret Walsh Bolger on November 23, 1959, was one of the early leases in Lot 22. On March 31, 1840, Lawrence Sullivan Esquire, the proprietor of Lot 22, leased “fifty acres of land, a little more or less,” to James Pine of Lot 22. This land adjoined the John Sutherland property _ later owned by Elmer and Hilda Fyfe - and ran west until it met the division line between Townships 21 and 22. After a series of transfers from James Pine to John Graham to James Graham, in 1852, William Pickering of BayView acquired the lease. He, in turn, granted the lease to Alexander Pickering in 1858. It is with Alexander that stability of tenure is introduced. Alexander built the house and some of the other buildings which would serve as the Bolger homestead until 1959. When the Land Purchase Act was passed in 1875, forcing the proprietors to divest themselves of their estates, Alexander Pickering immediately took steps to purchase the land. On June 8, 1877, he bought the land from the Government for $65.37 and had the deed issued in the name of his son, John Alexander Pickering with whom he resided.

Unfortunately, John Alexander did not live long, and died unmarried and intestate on December 1, 1886. After requesting the position, Alexander was appointed Administrator of his son’s estate on June 15, 1887. Since the sale of John Alexander’s personal estate — livestock, farm implements and furniture - held at two sales on August 29 and September 26, 1887, realized only some 282 dollars, and as his debts amounted to $1,362, Alexander Pickering requested and received a license from the Courts to sell the real estate by public auction. The sale duly took place on February 1, 1888, and Alexander sold the 50 acres of land, dwelling house and other buildings to John Dickieson of BayView for 820 dollars, “he being,” as Alexander Pickering

stated, “the best and highest bidder.”

During the next fifteen years, the property changes hands on two more occasions. On May 16, 1893, John Dickieson sold the land and premises to John and Grace Simpson of Hope River for 1,250 dollars. Then, on December 22, 1903, John and Grace Simpson sold the property to

Thomas and Margaret Bolger for 1,300 dollars.

Thomas and Margaret Bolger spent the next fifty years on this homestead which they called “Northview Cottage.” Their four children, Ernest, Austin, Alban and Francis were born in this home. Their acreage was increased through the addition of the Kelly and Blanchard properties. The Kelly property comprising some 75 acres of land was situated on the North Road directly opposite the original Patrick Bolger homestead. This land was generously given to them with- out charge by Thomas’s parents, Patrick and Catherine Bolger. Patrick and Catherine gave Thomas Bolger a deed to 50 acres of the Kelly property on August 29, 1916, and Patrick Bolger bequeathed the remaining 25 acres to Thomas in his will probated on June 19, 1924. On May 1, 1926, Thomas and Margaret Bolger purchased the Cleophas and Annie May Blanchard prop— erty in St. Ann’s comprising some 93 acres. Thomas and Margaret Bolger later conveyed these properties to their sons, Austin and Alban. They conveyed the Blanchard property to Austin Patrick Bolger on January 27, 1937, and the Kelly property to Thomas Alban Bolger on

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