3912 County Road 25, Morganston
(1850)
Roll No. 1411-011-040-12800 – Cramahe Township Ontario
3 Bay Ontario Farmhouse
As early as 1801, the Canada Land Company handed out free acres on behalf of the Crown, to those who agreed to clear the land and erect structures for agricultural pursuits.
Upper Canada was gradually populated and small communities grew up around grist mills, churches, markets, saw mills and so on. The earliest transaction on this property was when Alexander Chisholm, of Hastings County, was granted 200 acres.
It could be said that this modest three bay farmhouse was the prevailing architectural style of the era, perhaps only one floor when first built, sprouting a half story or full story as the family grew. It wasn’t at all unusual to have 8 or 10 children in the early years of the 19th century. The size and shape of the structure relied heavily on the size and length of the available wood in the area.
The windows and doors of this house have been upgraded, and there are several additions to the rear, but the house appears to have the original narrow gauge wood cladding one associates with structures built in the early to mid 19th century. However, it does appear that the basement is concrete which would put the date of the house build closer to the turn of the 20th century. This is an example of how difficult it is to date house builds of the era because it is not something that is documented in land records.
There is a very old barn behind the house with a long sloping roof.
History or Associative Value
November 1846, Samuel Dingman and wife Hannah acquired this property for their 8 children and thereby became one of the hard working pioneer families who populated Upper Canada, specifically the hamlet of Morganston. The farm passed to his son Norman D. Dingman on Samuel’s death in 1899. 1907, Norman sold the property to James Charles Anderson. The census says that Anderson was “an agent” and “a dealer” but it is unclear whether that nomenclature related to land speculation or some other job.
Additional Historical and Genealogical Information
3912 Highway 25, Morganston, Ontario Cramahe Township, Concession 9, Lot 17
Lot 17, Concession 9 consists of the 200 acres immediately north and west of Morganston. The first five owners of this land were never residents of Cramahe Township. Alexander Chisholm (?-?), who was granted the property by the Crown on 30 June 1801, lived in Hastings County. John Young (1759-1819) of Quebec City bought the property from him on 28 November 1804. On his death on 14 September 1819, the property was inherited by Young’s son Thomas Ainslie Young (1797-1852), also of Quebec City. The next owner was Charles William Grant (1782-1848, 5th Baron de Longueuil), who acquired the property from Young the younger on 10 February 1823. Grant was a member of the Legislative Council for Lower Canada. On 16 April 1833 he sold the land to William C. Anderson (?-?), an officer in the Royal Artillery and resident of Montreal.
On 2 November 1846 Anderson sold lot to Cramahe farmer Samuel Dingman (1810-1899). Dingman’s wife was Hannah Maria Gould (1812-1895, m. 1836). They had eight children: Joseph George (1838-1917), Sarah Jane (1843-1931), Jacob Wesley (1844-1929), Charles Henry (1847-1935), Willett W. (1851-1925), Norman D. (1855-1938), Norris James (1857-1938), and Henrietta J. (1861-?).
On Samuel Dingman’s death on 1 March 1899, the western part of Lot 17, including the property of interest here, was inherited by his son Norman D. Dingman. Norman was married to Nancy Chatterson (1856-1928, m. 1876) and had six children: Frederick Clayton (1876-1923), Ruth Agnes (1879-1889), Ross E. (1882-1964), Charlotte E. (1886-1976), Perry Lorne (1890-1991), and Orfie Earl (1893-?).
Norman Dingman, by now a resident of Brighton Township, sold his property to James Charles Anderson (1871-1971) on 9 February 1907. In several records, his occupation was listed as “agent” or “dealer”, but who he was an agent for is unclear. He married Elizabeth Hayes in 1900 and Leila Clare Stuart in 1907. There were two children by his second wife: Stuart Alexander (1912-1959) and James Ray (1920-?).
Almost 11 years later (14 December 1917) Anderson sold the land to farmer James Walter Glover (1865-1955). Glover married Bertha Lodema Bradley in 1893. They had a daughter Clara Elizabeth (1895-1911). Bertha died when Clara was 3 months old, and James remarried in 1900. His second wife was Mary Rosetta Ross (1874-1937). Children by the second marriage were James Clarence (1901-1989), Frances Helen (1902-1990), Florence Isabella (1905-1950), and David Oscar (1907-1961). Glover would own the land until 1925 when it passed into the hands of his son James.
The house at 3912 Highway 25 was almost certainly built by Samuel Dingman. He lived in the area for 53 years until 1899.
Castleton, ON K0K 1M0, Canada