measuring 120 x 20 feet, and stock (horses, cattle, sheep, hogs) valued at 2376.5.51/4, representing 18 years’ work by David Lawson.

Mention is made in An Island Refuge, published in 1983 by the Abegweit Branch of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada, of Stephen Bovyer Sr. having negotiated a land grant of 100 acres at Stanhope in Lot 34 before his departure from Rhode Island. We have found no record of this as yet, though the Bovyers apparently lived in Stanhope for the year between their arrival and their‘renting the 1000 acre farm.

After John Bovyer moved to Lot 48, Stephen Jr. continued to work Stanhope Farm with his brother Robert and son Samuel. It must have been a struggle: For some time they paid their rent without complaining but of late have complained exceedingly of the difficulty of raising money for the produce of the farm and have insisted upon giving up the lease. They being in effect in arrears and not having paid their bond for the price of the stocking of the farm I thought it right to allow (my agent) to give an abatement of half the rent of the year to the sufferers. (from a letter from Sir James Montgomery to Governor Fanning, Edinburgh, 30 April, 1798). However, things must have improved, for in 1812 Samuel Bovyer was able to purchase 100 acres of Montgomery land for the sum of £28.21 And later there was a deed, dated the 22nd day of January, 1836 for the transfer of 79 acres of land from James Montgomery’s estate to Samuel Bovyer, bounded on the north by the sea, on the east by the property of James and William Lawson, on the west by the property of Robert Hudson, and on the south by the “new Stanhope Road”. So the Bovyers were becoming well-established. And contrary to some opinions, proprietor and agent were not hard-hearted: on August 26, 1802, James Douglas, who succeeded David Lawson as agent, wrote to Sir James, Last winter in a very stormy night in the month of DecemberJohn Bovyer’s house on his new farm was burnt to the ground, at a time when he and his wife were absent at a neighbours two miles distant, they lost all their bedding, furniture and cloathing and had nothing remaining except what was on their backs. He being well liked by all the inhabitants of the place, a subscription was set on foot for their immediate assistance believing if you had been there you would have given something to relieve them in their distress, I took the liberty to put your name down for £4, this being the next highest sum to the Governor who subscribed £5. I gave 50/- and everybody gave some- thing. (I like the carefully graduated scale of donations!).

In the census of 1841 two sons of Stephen Bovyer Jr. were living in Stanhope; Samuel was renting 130 acres as well as the land he bought; and William was farming 100 acres leasehold. Between them

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