LOT HISTORIES

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Front 4 Lot 13 Martin Lynch 1781-1852 purchased this property in February, 1847, and later the rear lot, and willed it to his son Thomas who was required by the will to build a house on a 5 acres lot on the corner for his mother and John. 1867 resident: Thomas Lynch; Anastasia died in 1879 and John in 1894. Thomas Lynch m. Ellen Farrell, dau. Andrew & Ann Wheelihan Farrell. 10 children: Martin 1853 to Michigan, Margaret Ann 1855, age 21 went to Walla Walla with Uncle Patrick m. Michael Ryan John 1856 to B.C., Thomas 1859 to Cleveland, kept a tavern; Mary 1862 m. James Bicker, lived Guelph; James 1864 to Cleveland and Pontiac Mich;, "Black" Michael 1866 on Keleher Farm m. Isabella Steffler, dau. of Henry & Margaret Dittner Steffler, After their marriage they lived on the Gale  farm. Catherine 1870 at home & Joseph 1874 at home. 1876 they sold the farm to Michael F.Doyle. Moved to Guelph, later to the Keleher farm -lot 2 con. 7. 1899 he bought north half lots 7 & 8 4th (Howitt farm) from John A Lamprey and farmed with John. [James Lynch in 1875] 1923 J. Doyle & J. Ehrhart  

Front  4 Lot 14 1867 resident Francis Parker. 1885 J.M. Kitchen 1923 J. Porter

Front 4 Lot 15 Martin Lynch 1797-1852 m. Ann Cullen came to this lot in 1832, having been advised that he should buy.  He built a shanty and cleared 3 acres in the first year. He came with a large family, including Michael, 1827.  James, 1825, John b, County Carlow, 1823, was simple and always lived with his parents,  and four  more were born in this country, Mary, 1834. Patrick, 1837, Margaret in 1839, and Sarah Ann in 1842. About 1842 the farm of the late M.P. Lynch was purchased by a Negro, Ben Bowlen.  This man was found frozen to death beside his oxen and sleigh, while teaming his wheat to Preston.  In 1845 this land was purchased by Michael Lynch.1867 resident Patrick Lynch;  He erected the present house about 1848 and the barn 1874.  At his death in 1902 it passed to his son, Michael P., who farmed here until his death in 1948.  Since then it has been sold to his son-in-law, Humphrey Desmond of Detroit.  Mrs Lynch continued to  reside on the farm. Michael there in 1875 & 1885. 1923 M. Lynch; 1950 H. Desmond

Front 4 Lot 16 First settled by John and Edmund Maddock who occupied it for several years; there 1867 resident. The farm on which the School stands has changed hands many times. 1867-75 resident: Eugene Rame & William; Mr. Raeme (Reaume) with his family, formerly a Southern planter of French descent and with considerable wealth.  He had married a mulatto.  The younger generation were for the most part colored.  Before the Civil War he left his country Virginia, fearing lest his family might be sold into slavery. He sought safety in Canada.  They were refined and intelligent but never having worked, knew little of farming and housekeeping.   1885 M. Lynch. 1905 it was purchased by Edward Crawley, who rebuilt the barn, since the  former one had burned. He also moved the house from the Maddock farm to this one. It is owned by Frederick Crawley in 1950.  In the log house on the farm now owned by Fred Crawley lived for many years

The Downey School:  The older part of the school was erected in 1907 on the same site as the old school.  In the early fifties the school site was changed to where Downey's School now stands on Fred Crawley's farm lot 16 con. 4. Mr. Downey after whom it was named, taught in this school for 25  years.  He was  educated in a Monastery of "Christian Brotherhood" in Cork, Ireland. One of his teachers was the famous Gerald Griffins.  He was married in Ireland. He and his wife came to Guelph in 1852, Mr. Downey, hoping to find work in his profession which was Civil engineering.  He wasn't  able, however, to find any work in that line so decided to take up teaching.  Before coming to teach at Downey's school he taught in Guelph for a time being the first teacher to teach in the Separate School in Guelph. His wife died shortly after coming to Guelph and in 1854 he married Miss Bridget McTague who shared with him the respect and affection of this Community for many years. Family: two girls who attended Loretto Convent, Catherine became Mother Clothilda, and Elizabeth became Mother Ignatia; Mary m C. Collins a school principal; and Joseph Patrick Downey, MLA. In some cases Downey taught the second generation.  His higher education enabled him to pass pupils qualified to an advanced place in the High School at one time.  He had as many as 104 pupils on the roll. He and his wife lived and raised their family in a small house which was built in the school yard.  It was only when an old man that he retired to the city. Miss Ellen Neagle succeeded him.

Front 4 Lot 17  John  Larkin settled early on lot 17.known as the Gerrie farm.[1867 resident Adam Gerrie] Mr. Thomas Parker, son of Benjamin across the road  1867 resident with his brother Benjamin Parker; Thomas who was there 1867-1885  married Margaret McWilliams, second daughter of Charles McWilliams. Their children included David, Ada, Maude (Mrs. Iles) and Margaret Emma who was Mrs. Fox of Toronto.  This was the well-known Parker Home, which was in the possession of Mr. L. Nigro.[1923)  1950 L. Nigro  Mrs. Anne Nigro celebrated her 90th birthday April 1998 She came to Puslinch at age 25 when she married Lennon Nigro. They lived on the family farm on Con 4.  Later they moved to 4A Lennon died June 1989 -  5 children, 12 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren. 1971 Benjamin & Thomas Nigro negotiated with Puslinch Council for acreage for the landfill site.

Front 4 Lot 18  was purchased from the Crown in the early thirties by James Phelan.1867 resident. James 1805- m. Mary Ellen Kinsella b, 1813 in Ireland dau John Kinsella and Mary Roach. James and Mary Ellen had 11 children: Mary 1834 m. Thomas Farrell, James  1835 disappeared and lost all contact with his family, Elizabeth  1836 m Mr. Flynn, Katherine  1838 m Patrick Murphy and they had one son, James Francis 1868 who married Mary Phoebe Quirk, daughter of Cornelius Quirk and James was the miller in Aberfoyle and d. Feb 1948; Patrick  1840 m. Ellen Lynch, sister to yellow Joe, John, Michael, Ellen, Margaret, Thomas and Edward

Joseph’s brother Dinnes and his family may have shared the property. Dooley sold it to Jeremiah Collins 1875-6 Gazetteer Jeremiah Collins on 20. and Dooley still here . His son, Cornelius lived on this farm until his death a few years before 1950.

Front 4 Lot 20  Hewitt farm, taken up by Richard Hewitt in the early '30ties. In the 1851 census, Richard was from Ireland, age 50, with his 38 year-old wife Margaret and their Canadian born children Cathrine age 15,  Eliza age10, Mary age 8,  Margret age.3,  Daughter age 1, James age 18, John age13, Patrick age 12,  Thomas age 11,  Richard age 7, Edward age 5.  This family probably lived on the south end of the lot.

Patrick Welsh seems to have occupied the north half of the lot, where in the 1851 census he was an Irish settler age 30 with his wife Mary, age 28. Their Canadian born children were Margret age 6,  Mary age.1, James age .8,  Patrick,  John age 2. In 1879 Patrick sold it to John Hewitt. .  1923 Mrs. J. Hewitt; This property remained in the Hewitt name until 1945. In 1948 Fred Mollison bought the Hewitt . This property remained in the Hewitt name until 1945. 1950 L. Wiler.

Front 4 Lot 21  was purchased from the Crown by Peter Crawley. In the 1851 census, Peter, from Ireland, age  29 with wife Margaret age 24, and their Canadian born children,  Mary J. age 4, Bridget age 3, Cathrine age 1.  Patrick McGarr bought the farm in 1875, and his son David farmed here until his death in 1942. 1950 still remains in the estate. .Patrick was the eldest son of James McGarr who was the first blacksmith in Guelph in 1827. Patrick worked for John Howitt and was later his superintendent. He drove the Wingfield herd from Guelph to the Provincial Fair at Niagara (3 days each way).  He had various farms in Guelph and Puslinch before he purchased the Crawley farm; later he bought the Lynch estate. Issue:  James, Mrs. Augustus Gareau, Joseph, Mrs. Wm Morris,  Patrick, Frank, Ellen, David, Elizabeth and Matthew.  Joseph, Patrick and Frank are fruit ranchers in California..  James, David and Matthew were on the home farm.  David, whose wife was Sarah Crimless passed the farm to their daughter Susan and her husband Lyle Maltby who continued on the property.