The Denson Grant and Thomas Bacon
1826 William Hill to Cochran Heirs
Thomas Cochran died in 1802, but his estate wasn't settled until 1826. At that time, surveyor Thomas Logan created a map of the properties to be sold. I have not been able to find Logan's map, but I have roughly constructed it from the deeds made by surveyor William Hill to each of the Cochran heirs. And I mean roughly, but you are welcome to have a look. Keep in mind that this map reflects the property at 1826 before the Cochran heirs began to sell their properties. The properties west of today's Hwy2, were later sold to Francis Caleb Smith in 1837 (northwest section), James Read in 1859 (northeast section) and Thomas Bacon, in 1859 (southeast section). cochran_lots_denson_grant.pdf
Thomas Cochran died in 1802, but his estate wasn't settled until 1826. At that time, surveyor Thomas Logan created a map of the properties to be sold. I have not been able to find Logan's map, but I have roughly constructed it from the deeds made by surveyor William Hill to each of the Cochran heirs. And I mean roughly, but you are welcome to have a look. Keep in mind that this map reflects the property at 1826 before the Cochran heirs began to sell their properties. The properties west of today's Hwy2, were later sold to Francis Caleb Smith in 1837 (northwest section), James Read in 1859 (northeast section) and Thomas Bacon, in 1859 (southeast section). cochran_lots_denson_grant.pdf
1859 James Cochran to Thomas Bacon
In 1859, following the death of his brother William Cochran, Sir James Cochran sold Thomas Bacon 60 acres of upland and 110 acres of marsh at auction. This property was bounded as follows "southerly by the River Nappan, easterly by the said River and by a fence dividing it from the farm occupied by William Keiver and Jacob Corbet as tenants, northerly by the Bog Marsh and by upland of the said Francis Smith, and westerly by marsh lands of the said Francis Smith subject to the privilege of the owner for the time being of the adjoining bog marsh aforesaid of clearing out and [dredging]) the Old Canal so called from the bog marsh to the river so as to slow and drain the said marsh as required." The parcel Bacon purchased was "formerly occupied by Cornelius Smith and since by Francis Smith as tenants." The easterly boundary was the Oxbow Bend of the Nappan River and the farm occupied by William Keiver and Jacob Corbet as tenants wasCochran's Lot S.
(Deed Book CC, p. 426, Registered 1859)
See Francis C. Smith on this website for more information about the property to the north and west. See Lot X James Read on this website for more information about the property to the north. See Lot S Moses Lowe for more information on the property bordering on the east.
In 1859, following the death of his brother William Cochran, Sir James Cochran sold Thomas Bacon 60 acres of upland and 110 acres of marsh at auction. This property was bounded as follows "southerly by the River Nappan, easterly by the said River and by a fence dividing it from the farm occupied by William Keiver and Jacob Corbet as tenants, northerly by the Bog Marsh and by upland of the said Francis Smith, and westerly by marsh lands of the said Francis Smith subject to the privilege of the owner for the time being of the adjoining bog marsh aforesaid of clearing out and [dredging]) the Old Canal so called from the bog marsh to the river so as to slow and drain the said marsh as required." The parcel Bacon purchased was "formerly occupied by Cornelius Smith and since by Francis Smith as tenants." The easterly boundary was the Oxbow Bend of the Nappan River and the farm occupied by William Keiver and Jacob Corbet as tenants wasCochran's Lot S.
(Deed Book CC, p. 426, Registered 1859)
See Francis C. Smith on this website for more information about the property to the north and west. See Lot X James Read on this website for more information about the property to the north. See Lot S Moses Lowe for more information on the property bordering on the east.
1870 Thomas Henry Bacon's Will
Thomas Henry Bacon (1814-1870) left the property he had purchased from Cochran to his three sons. The property is called "the Cochran property" in his will and is different from a property called his "homestead farm" that he purchased from Luke Harrison.
Thomas Bedford Bacon (1850-1927) received the most westerly portion, bordered on the east by Robert Brown Bacon's portion, and north and west by the lands of Francis Caleb Smith (1808-1866), by that time deceased. Robert Brown Bacon (1844-1915) received the centre portion. That property was all the marsh and uplands west of Nicholas Keiver Bacon's portion "extending westwardly to a fence between said lands and lands owned by James Read and continuing said line on the Read Creak or the Creak to be kept open by the same James Read to the said Nappan River." Nicholas Keiver Bacon (1848-1915) received the portion furthest east. The easterly portion was to be divided from the rest of the property by " a line commencing at the northerly back of the Nappan River at the centre of the vault at the foot of the hill to the eastward of the house and to run a northerly course through to James Read's line".
Thomas Bacon's will is available online at Family Search. Will Book E, 1842-1872,p.385-388 beginning at image 216.
Thomas Bacon's probate papers are also available online at Family Search. Estate Files 1863-1909 in the far right column, No 237-282, file #239, beginning on image 59.
Thomas Henry Bacon (1814-1870) left the property he had purchased from Cochran to his three sons. The property is called "the Cochran property" in his will and is different from a property called his "homestead farm" that he purchased from Luke Harrison.
Thomas Bedford Bacon (1850-1927) received the most westerly portion, bordered on the east by Robert Brown Bacon's portion, and north and west by the lands of Francis Caleb Smith (1808-1866), by that time deceased. Robert Brown Bacon (1844-1915) received the centre portion. That property was all the marsh and uplands west of Nicholas Keiver Bacon's portion "extending westwardly to a fence between said lands and lands owned by James Read and continuing said line on the Read Creak or the Creak to be kept open by the same James Read to the said Nappan River." Nicholas Keiver Bacon (1848-1915) received the portion furthest east. The easterly portion was to be divided from the rest of the property by " a line commencing at the northerly back of the Nappan River at the centre of the vault at the foot of the hill to the eastward of the house and to run a northerly course through to James Read's line".
Thomas Bacon's will is available online at Family Search. Will Book E, 1842-1872,p.385-388 beginning at image 216.
Thomas Bacon's probate papers are also available online at Family Search. Estate Files 1863-1909 in the far right column, No 237-282, file #239, beginning on image 59.
1873 A F Church Map
Robert Brown Bacon's place is marked on the A.F. Church map of 1873 just northwest of the Nappan River and separated from a J. Smith to the northwest by a creek that runs into the Nappan River. T. Read is located to the northeast near what would be today's Hwy 2.
Robert Brown Bacon's place is marked on the A.F. Church map of 1873 just northwest of the Nappan River and separated from a J. Smith to the northwest by a creek that runs into the Nappan River. T. Read is located to the northeast near what would be today's Hwy 2.
1877 Nicholas Keiver Bacon to Robert Brown Bacon
Nicholas Bacon sold his brother Robert the eastern portion of the property described as follows "northwardly by the lands of James Read and a road leading from Coates Hill to Nappan Road, easterly and southwardly by lands of Arthur Lowe northwardly [sic] by the Nappan River and several courses thereof and westwardly by the lands of the said Robert Bacon." I assume the Nappan River was on the south as the north boundary was already defined. By this time, Arthur Lowe owned the portion of Lot S north of the Nappan River on the east side of today's Hwy 2. The road from Coates Hill to Nappan Road was today's Smith Road. See Lot S Moses Lowe on this website.
Nicholas Bacon sold his brother Robert the eastern portion of the property described as follows "northwardly by the lands of James Read and a road leading from Coates Hill to Nappan Road, easterly and southwardly by lands of Arthur Lowe northwardly [sic] by the Nappan River and several courses thereof and westwardly by the lands of the said Robert Bacon." I assume the Nappan River was on the south as the north boundary was already defined. By this time, Arthur Lowe owned the portion of Lot S north of the Nappan River on the east side of today's Hwy 2. The road from Coates Hill to Nappan Road was today's Smith Road. See Lot S Moses Lowe on this website.
1879 Thomas Bedford Bacon to Robert Brown Bacon
Bedford Bacon sold his brother Robert the western portion of the property described as follows "beginning at the Nappan River where the Old Read Canal empties into said river, thence running westwardly along said river the various courses thereof until it comes to the old drain ditch thence northwardly on said ditch to a stake on the edge of the broadleaf marsh [unreadable] thence northwardly on Smith's line thence eastwardly along said Smith's line til it strikes the land of James Read then southwardly on said Read's line til it strikes the old Read Canal thence running eastward and southward the various courses of the Old Read Canal to the place of beginning. So, if I'm reading these deeds correctly, the ditch was on the west edge of the Bacon property and the Old Read Canal was between the west and the middle section. The west section was bordered on the north and west by Smith and the middle and east sections were bordered on the north by James Read.
Bedford Bacon sold his brother Robert the western portion of the property described as follows "beginning at the Nappan River where the Old Read Canal empties into said river, thence running westwardly along said river the various courses thereof until it comes to the old drain ditch thence northwardly on said ditch to a stake on the edge of the broadleaf marsh [unreadable] thence northwardly on Smith's line thence eastwardly along said Smith's line til it strikes the land of James Read then southwardly on said Read's line til it strikes the old Read Canal thence running eastward and southward the various courses of the Old Read Canal to the place of beginning. So, if I'm reading these deeds correctly, the ditch was on the west edge of the Bacon property and the Old Read Canal was between the west and the middle section. The west section was bordered on the north and west by Smith and the middle and east sections were bordered on the north by James Read.
1902 Robert Brown Bacon's Will
Robert Brown Bacon died in 1915 leaving a will made in 1902. Robert Brown Bacon reconfigured the property somewhat and conveyed it to his sons. It's difficult to tell who got which section. The boundary description of the property given to William S. Bacon sounds very similar to the description Bedford Bacon gave when he sold the westernmost parcel to Robert Brown Bacon. However, Robert Brown Bacon's will says that Clinton Bacon was to have all the marsh property conveyed to Robert by Bedford Bacon.
The probate papers of Robert Brown Bacon are available online at Family Search. Estate Files 1763-1993, No 2464-2508, file #2465, beginning on image 32, 1916.
Robert Brown Bacon died in 1915 leaving a will made in 1902. Robert Brown Bacon reconfigured the property somewhat and conveyed it to his sons. It's difficult to tell who got which section. The boundary description of the property given to William S. Bacon sounds very similar to the description Bedford Bacon gave when he sold the westernmost parcel to Robert Brown Bacon. However, Robert Brown Bacon's will says that Clinton Bacon was to have all the marsh property conveyed to Robert by Bedford Bacon.
The probate papers of Robert Brown Bacon are available online at Family Search. Estate Files 1763-1993, No 2464-2508, file #2465, beginning on image 32, 1916.
Modern Properties
In order to protect the privacy of the current owners, I won't take this investigation any further. Thomas Bacon's property was definitely part of the original Denson Grant.
In order to protect the privacy of the current owners, I won't take this investigation any further. Thomas Bacon's property was definitely part of the original Denson Grant.