John Young and James Douthwait
1787 Death of John Young
In his will made 24 Jan 1787, John Young left all of his real estate to his wife Margaret and granted a "Negro man named Michael Taylor" his freedom upon her death. John's brother James was named as executor and Margaret was to have use of the property for her natural life. The 1787 inventory of Young's real estate, conducted by Robert Ripley, Thomas Coates, and William Pipes, lists various divisions of Lots 22 and 24. Grantees were typically given upland properties, marching marsh lots, and sometimes woodlots that were all in different locations though part of the same share. Lots 20-24 were involved in the dispute between Amherst and DesBarres over the location of the Gmelin Line, so it's possible that a portion of Young's estate lay south of the Nappan River near the Gmelin Line while the other portion was adjacent to Thomas Cochran's property on the north side of the Nappan River. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1993, Estate Files 1764-1938 (W), file #2249, beginning on image 659. )
In his will made 24 Jan 1787, John Young left all of his real estate to his wife Margaret and granted a "Negro man named Michael Taylor" his freedom upon her death. John's brother James was named as executor and Margaret was to have use of the property for her natural life. The 1787 inventory of Young's real estate, conducted by Robert Ripley, Thomas Coates, and William Pipes, lists various divisions of Lots 22 and 24. Grantees were typically given upland properties, marching marsh lots, and sometimes woodlots that were all in different locations though part of the same share. Lots 20-24 were involved in the dispute between Amherst and DesBarres over the location of the Gmelin Line, so it's possible that a portion of Young's estate lay south of the Nappan River near the Gmelin Line while the other portion was adjacent to Thomas Cochran's property on the north side of the Nappan River. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1993, Estate Files 1764-1938 (W), file #2249, beginning on image 659. )
1792 Death of James Douthwait
The widow Margaret Young married James Douthwait. He is the James Douthwait indicated on Thomas Cochran's map. From a notation of Cochran's map, we learn that Douthwait and Read were involved in a boundary dispute with Thomas Cochran. A map of Thomas Cochran's property can be viewed online. (DesBarres Papers, Series 5 M.G. 23, F1-5, Vol. 15 Land acquisitions, 1764-1776; Plans, 1765-1916. Document 2911, Reel C-1458 Image 432.). However, James Douthwait was also a plaintiff in the dispute over the Gmelin Line between Amherst and DesBarres in 1792. John Young's estate included Lots 22 and 24, that were lots involved in the dispute, so it's possible that Douthwait brought the suit on behalf of his wife Margaret, Young's widow. James Douthwait died intestate sometime before 26 April 1792 according to probate files. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1993, Estate Files 1764-1938 no 642-668 (D) File #647 beginning on image 141.)
The widow Margaret Young married James Douthwait. He is the James Douthwait indicated on Thomas Cochran's map. From a notation of Cochran's map, we learn that Douthwait and Read were involved in a boundary dispute with Thomas Cochran. A map of Thomas Cochran's property can be viewed online. (DesBarres Papers, Series 5 M.G. 23, F1-5, Vol. 15 Land acquisitions, 1764-1776; Plans, 1765-1916. Document 2911, Reel C-1458 Image 432.). However, James Douthwait was also a plaintiff in the dispute over the Gmelin Line between Amherst and DesBarres in 1792. John Young's estate included Lots 22 and 24, that were lots involved in the dispute, so it's possible that Douthwait brought the suit on behalf of his wife Margaret, Young's widow. James Douthwait died intestate sometime before 26 April 1792 according to probate files. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1993, Estate Files 1764-1938 no 642-668 (D) File #647 beginning on image 141.)
1816 James Young to William Cochran
In 1816, James Young, executor of the estate of his brother John Young, sold William Cochran the divisions of Lot 22 and 24 listed in the estate inventory of John's will. Lot 22 included 86 acres of upland, 45 acres of dyked marsh, 100 acres of woodland 2nd division and 300 acres of wilderness land 3rd division. Lot 24 included 25 acres of woodland 1st division, 5 acres cleared upland, 16 aces dyked marsh, 50 acres of woodland 2nd division, and 150 acres of wilderness. This sale was subject to the "life estate and interests" of Margaret Beamont, widow of John Young, previously married to James Douthwait and now married to James Beaumont. John Young had given the property to his widow Margaret for her use for the duration of her life. (Deed Book G, p. 119).
In 1816, James Young, executor of the estate of his brother John Young, sold William Cochran the divisions of Lot 22 and 24 listed in the estate inventory of John's will. Lot 22 included 86 acres of upland, 45 acres of dyked marsh, 100 acres of woodland 2nd division and 300 acres of wilderness land 3rd division. Lot 24 included 25 acres of woodland 1st division, 5 acres cleared upland, 16 aces dyked marsh, 50 acres of woodland 2nd division, and 150 acres of wilderness. This sale was subject to the "life estate and interests" of Margaret Beamont, widow of John Young, previously married to James Douthwait and now married to James Beaumont. John Young had given the property to his widow Margaret for her use for the duration of her life. (Deed Book G, p. 119).
1818 Letter Discussing Young's Property
A fragment of a letter found in the DesBarres fonds discusses these properties. Abbreviations used in the letter have been expanded in the following transcription. According to the letter "Mrs. Beaumont who [unreadable] that Mr. Cochran has promised her that if she should carry on a suit against Gov. DesBarres that he would defray the expense of said suit and that for so doing she should have the run of it during her life." Another fragment reads, "Young the deceased was formerly proprietor to the lands adjoining the Boundary in question. Conveyed to his brother by will subject to the occupation of his widow during her natural life. The said brother did about 2 years since convey the property to William Cochran Esq. subject to the said reservation.
Jedore Gold [Gould] has by his own account resided on the said land in question on about 40 years 6 of which was previous to Gov. DesBarres's purchase and ever since the date of the said purchase the said Gold has considered himself to be in the occupation of Gov. DesBarres's Land." (DesBarres Papers, Series 5 M.G. 25, F1-5, vol. 22-23, Document #5202, Reel C-1460, Image 249)
Actually, by 1818, Jedore would have lived on the property 52 years if he'd lived there 6 years prior to 1772 when DesBarres purchased the property. It's not clear whether the Mr. Cochran who encouraged Margaret to bring a lawsuit over the property was the elder Thomas Cochran back in 1792, at the time of the original Gmelin Line dispute, or his son William who purchased the lots in 1816, around the time the dispute was revived. See DesBarres vs Amherst Township and DesBarres vs Amherst Township 2.0 on this website.
A fragment of a letter found in the DesBarres fonds discusses these properties. Abbreviations used in the letter have been expanded in the following transcription. According to the letter "Mrs. Beaumont who [unreadable] that Mr. Cochran has promised her that if she should carry on a suit against Gov. DesBarres that he would defray the expense of said suit and that for so doing she should have the run of it during her life." Another fragment reads, "Young the deceased was formerly proprietor to the lands adjoining the Boundary in question. Conveyed to his brother by will subject to the occupation of his widow during her natural life. The said brother did about 2 years since convey the property to William Cochran Esq. subject to the said reservation.
Jedore Gold [Gould] has by his own account resided on the said land in question on about 40 years 6 of which was previous to Gov. DesBarres's purchase and ever since the date of the said purchase the said Gold has considered himself to be in the occupation of Gov. DesBarres's Land." (DesBarres Papers, Series 5 M.G. 25, F1-5, vol. 22-23, Document #5202, Reel C-1460, Image 249)
Actually, by 1818, Jedore would have lived on the property 52 years if he'd lived there 6 years prior to 1772 when DesBarres purchased the property. It's not clear whether the Mr. Cochran who encouraged Margaret to bring a lawsuit over the property was the elder Thomas Cochran back in 1792, at the time of the original Gmelin Line dispute, or his son William who purchased the lots in 1816, around the time the dispute was revived. See DesBarres vs Amherst Township and DesBarres vs Amherst Township 2.0 on this website.
1837 Young's Lots 22 and 24 to Isabella Ramsay
When these lots were conveyed to William Hill for division among the Cochran heirs they were described as 174 acres of upland, 50 additional acres of upland being half of an undivided lot of 100 acres owned jointly with Thomas Roach, plus 118 acres of marsh. All 3 lots had been purchased by William Cochran from James Young. The amount of land purchased by William Cochran from Young in 1816 was almost 800 acres.
Part of the property purchased from Young was allocated to Isabella Ramsay. This portion began "at the western point of the line of Coates by the High Road thence running northwesterly until it comes to marshland owned by the said the said heirs then by the line between the marsh and upland until it comes to the extremity of the marsh owned by the said heirs thence easterly til it comes to a small creek, thence southerly the various courses of said creek until it comes to the High Road thence westerly by the said road to the place of beginning." (Deed Book K, p. 250). The western boundary of this tract was the Coates properties around the railroad track, the northern boundary was a piece of marsh allocated to Coates in the Common Marsh, and the eastern boundary was Sunken Creek, formerly known as Denson's Creek. The southern boundary, the High Road, was today's Smith Road.
The Young property, together with a portion of the Denson Grant to the east, was surveyed and plotted by William S. Moffat in 1837. Isabella and her husband E B Ramsay began selling these lots in 1838. See Francis Caleb Smith and Smith Road: The Moffat Lots for details.
Another large portion was allocated to Harriet Cochran; this property was near Nappan River bridge. (Deed Book K, p. 238). The 50-acre lot owned jointly with Thomas Roach was allocated to William Cochran. It was situated on the southern side of the Nappan River, fronting on the Cobequid Road. (Deed Book K, p. 228).
When these lots were conveyed to William Hill for division among the Cochran heirs they were described as 174 acres of upland, 50 additional acres of upland being half of an undivided lot of 100 acres owned jointly with Thomas Roach, plus 118 acres of marsh. All 3 lots had been purchased by William Cochran from James Young. The amount of land purchased by William Cochran from Young in 1816 was almost 800 acres.
Part of the property purchased from Young was allocated to Isabella Ramsay. This portion began "at the western point of the line of Coates by the High Road thence running northwesterly until it comes to marshland owned by the said the said heirs then by the line between the marsh and upland until it comes to the extremity of the marsh owned by the said heirs thence easterly til it comes to a small creek, thence southerly the various courses of said creek until it comes to the High Road thence westerly by the said road to the place of beginning." (Deed Book K, p. 250). The western boundary of this tract was the Coates properties around the railroad track, the northern boundary was a piece of marsh allocated to Coates in the Common Marsh, and the eastern boundary was Sunken Creek, formerly known as Denson's Creek. The southern boundary, the High Road, was today's Smith Road.
The Young property, together with a portion of the Denson Grant to the east, was surveyed and plotted by William S. Moffat in 1837. Isabella and her husband E B Ramsay began selling these lots in 1838. See Francis Caleb Smith and Smith Road: The Moffat Lots for details.
Another large portion was allocated to Harriet Cochran; this property was near Nappan River bridge. (Deed Book K, p. 238). The 50-acre lot owned jointly with Thomas Roach was allocated to William Cochran. It was situated on the southern side of the Nappan River, fronting on the Cobequid Road. (Deed Book K, p. 228).