Sale of Lot 16
Henry Ripley received Lot 16 in the 1785 Yorkshire Grant and kept his lot for about 10 years. By 1788, Henry and his wife Mary had already established a permanent homestead on the Nappan River. Henry would have had to make improvements to the lot in order to keep it, and perhaps his younger brothers John and Robert assisted. John, who later bought a homestead at Oxford, seems to be the Ripley brother with the deepest connection to the River Philip area.
On June 9, 1795, Henry Ripley of Napan and his wife Mary sold the 500 acre lot known as Lot 16 to John Oxley of River Philip for the sum of 14 pounds of good and lawful money of Nova Scotia. The transaction was witnessed by George Oxley and William Pipes. (Deed Book D, p. 302, registered 1798, Document 503707023.) John Oxley (1771-1842) was the son of George Oxley who drew Lot 19 in the Yorkshire Grant. Lot 16 became the homestead of John Oxley and remained in the Oxley family for several generations.
In 1820, John Oxley purchased an adjoining 100-acre piece of Lot 17 from Thomas Donkin (Deed Book H, p. 157). That lot was "to be taken off the northeasterly section" of Lot 17 and run parallel with Lot 17 20 poles wide. It's difficult to determine the meaning of "northeasterly" in this instance because the lots were angled. Often the deeds spoke of properties "west" or "east" of the River Philip. Lot 17 originally belonged to Robert Ripley.
In 1827, John Oxley, in consideration of money owed to his son Stephen Oxley and a 200 acre property purchased from John Johnston, transferred two properties to Stephen. One property was the 350 acre homestead where John Oxley then resided to be taken off the side adjoining land owned by Robert (crossed out) Thomas Donkin bounded southerly by lands belonging to Thomas Donkin. The second lot was the 100 acre parcel of Lot 17 that John Oxley had purchased from Thomas Donkin in 1820. (Deed Book K, p. 171). I believe the 350 acre parcel was part of Lot 16, which leaves 150 acres of Lot 16 unaccounted for. I have not found a will for John Oxley of River Philip.
Stephen Oxley (1802-1876) died without leaving a will and the homestead of 300 acres was allotted to his son Richard Thompson Oxley whose family shared the house with his mother Ann (Baker) until her death. Thompson Oxley also received a 157-acre lot lying in the rear of the west base of the homestead. This property was not part of Lot 16 but adjoining on the west side and later called the timber lot. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1992, Estate Files 1764-1938, no 1568-1627 (O-P), file #1606, beginning on image 520, viewable on Family Search). Stephen Oxley's 157-acre timber lot is clearly marked, west of Lot 16 in the bottom right hand corner of the Crown Land Index Map 60 viewable online.
When Richard Thompson Oxley (1832-1902) died, his estate included "the homestead farm" and a "157-acre lumber lot to the west of this". Thompson Oxley left both properties to his son Rufus Thompson Oxley (1885-1914) subject to his paying $1000 to the executors, Thomas W. McLellan and Charles Bragg, within one year of reaching his 21st birthday. Rufus was 16 at the time of his father's death. The $1000 payment from Rufus was included in the receipts itemized for the final settlement of the estate on 20 Feb 1907. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1992, Estate Files 1764-1938, no 1568-1627 (O-P), file #1579, beginning on image 122, viewable on Family Search.)
On 9 Oct 1907, Rufus and his mother Frances, now married to Jeptha Harrison, sold the homestead farm and timber lot, about 400 acres, to Charles O. Black. (Deed Book 87, p. 578). In 1908, Charles O. Black sold the properties to Richard Barton. (Deed Book 90, p. 377).
In 1911, Richard Barton sold the former homestead and timber lot, a total of 400 acres, to Howard Ripley (1860-1943). The property was "a portion of the Thompson Oxley homestead, bounded on the north by lands of Alexander Oxley...on the south by C.O. Black and the Ripley brothers, and on the West by the timber lot." (Deed Book 105, p. 467)
After Howard Ripley's death, his son Colin C. Ripley (1902-1976) inherited the property. Colin, in turn sold a part of the property to his cousin Grace Ripley and her husband Charles Huszar. According to family tradition, John Ripley (1770-) is buried on that property. Howard was John's great grandson, but Howard did not obtain the property until 1911. So the burial must have taken place while either John Oxley (1771-1842) or his son Stephen Oxley (1802-1876) still owned the property. John Oxley's wife was Ann Baker (1777-). Perhaps she was related to the Mary Baker that John Ripley married in 1821. Preliminary investigation shows that Mary Baker was not a sister or a widow of one of Ann's brothers. Stephen and Thompson Oxley are buried in the River Philip United Cemetery, but I have not been able to find graves for John Oxley and his wife Ann Baker.
I will end the investigation of this part of Lot 16 here in order to protect the privacy of living owners. However, descendants of Howard Ripley and local residents will know where this property is located. I'm happy to have finally discovered the geographical location of Lot 16 and to learn that the property once in Ripley hands, did return to the Ripley family. Many thanks to Clair Ripley whose personal knowledge of the Ripley farms in River Philip helped to make the more recent connections.
On June 9, 1795, Henry Ripley of Napan and his wife Mary sold the 500 acre lot known as Lot 16 to John Oxley of River Philip for the sum of 14 pounds of good and lawful money of Nova Scotia. The transaction was witnessed by George Oxley and William Pipes. (Deed Book D, p. 302, registered 1798, Document 503707023.) John Oxley (1771-1842) was the son of George Oxley who drew Lot 19 in the Yorkshire Grant. Lot 16 became the homestead of John Oxley and remained in the Oxley family for several generations.
In 1820, John Oxley purchased an adjoining 100-acre piece of Lot 17 from Thomas Donkin (Deed Book H, p. 157). That lot was "to be taken off the northeasterly section" of Lot 17 and run parallel with Lot 17 20 poles wide. It's difficult to determine the meaning of "northeasterly" in this instance because the lots were angled. Often the deeds spoke of properties "west" or "east" of the River Philip. Lot 17 originally belonged to Robert Ripley.
In 1827, John Oxley, in consideration of money owed to his son Stephen Oxley and a 200 acre property purchased from John Johnston, transferred two properties to Stephen. One property was the 350 acre homestead where John Oxley then resided to be taken off the side adjoining land owned by Robert (crossed out) Thomas Donkin bounded southerly by lands belonging to Thomas Donkin. The second lot was the 100 acre parcel of Lot 17 that John Oxley had purchased from Thomas Donkin in 1820. (Deed Book K, p. 171). I believe the 350 acre parcel was part of Lot 16, which leaves 150 acres of Lot 16 unaccounted for. I have not found a will for John Oxley of River Philip.
Stephen Oxley (1802-1876) died without leaving a will and the homestead of 300 acres was allotted to his son Richard Thompson Oxley whose family shared the house with his mother Ann (Baker) until her death. Thompson Oxley also received a 157-acre lot lying in the rear of the west base of the homestead. This property was not part of Lot 16 but adjoining on the west side and later called the timber lot. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1992, Estate Files 1764-1938, no 1568-1627 (O-P), file #1606, beginning on image 520, viewable on Family Search). Stephen Oxley's 157-acre timber lot is clearly marked, west of Lot 16 in the bottom right hand corner of the Crown Land Index Map 60 viewable online.
When Richard Thompson Oxley (1832-1902) died, his estate included "the homestead farm" and a "157-acre lumber lot to the west of this". Thompson Oxley left both properties to his son Rufus Thompson Oxley (1885-1914) subject to his paying $1000 to the executors, Thomas W. McLellan and Charles Bragg, within one year of reaching his 21st birthday. Rufus was 16 at the time of his father's death. The $1000 payment from Rufus was included in the receipts itemized for the final settlement of the estate on 20 Feb 1907. (Nova Scotia Probate Records 1760-1992, Estate Files 1764-1938, no 1568-1627 (O-P), file #1579, beginning on image 122, viewable on Family Search.)
On 9 Oct 1907, Rufus and his mother Frances, now married to Jeptha Harrison, sold the homestead farm and timber lot, about 400 acres, to Charles O. Black. (Deed Book 87, p. 578). In 1908, Charles O. Black sold the properties to Richard Barton. (Deed Book 90, p. 377).
In 1911, Richard Barton sold the former homestead and timber lot, a total of 400 acres, to Howard Ripley (1860-1943). The property was "a portion of the Thompson Oxley homestead, bounded on the north by lands of Alexander Oxley...on the south by C.O. Black and the Ripley brothers, and on the West by the timber lot." (Deed Book 105, p. 467)
After Howard Ripley's death, his son Colin C. Ripley (1902-1976) inherited the property. Colin, in turn sold a part of the property to his cousin Grace Ripley and her husband Charles Huszar. According to family tradition, John Ripley (1770-) is buried on that property. Howard was John's great grandson, but Howard did not obtain the property until 1911. So the burial must have taken place while either John Oxley (1771-1842) or his son Stephen Oxley (1802-1876) still owned the property. John Oxley's wife was Ann Baker (1777-). Perhaps she was related to the Mary Baker that John Ripley married in 1821. Preliminary investigation shows that Mary Baker was not a sister or a widow of one of Ann's brothers. Stephen and Thompson Oxley are buried in the River Philip United Cemetery, but I have not been able to find graves for John Oxley and his wife Ann Baker.
I will end the investigation of this part of Lot 16 here in order to protect the privacy of living owners. However, descendants of Howard Ripley and local residents will know where this property is located. I'm happy to have finally discovered the geographical location of Lot 16 and to learn that the property once in Ripley hands, did return to the Ripley family. Many thanks to Clair Ripley whose personal knowledge of the Ripley farms in River Philip helped to make the more recent connections.