This brief history is derived from Registry Office records and is concerned with the ownership of the 60 acres of land and 4 acres 1 rod and 10 perches of land covered by water purchased by Albert F. M. Wilson in 1953. The history covers the period of time from the Crown Grant to The Canada Company in 1838 to the grant from Frank and Anna Psutka to Mr. Wilson in 1953.
The land, known as Lot 2, Concession 3, Block “B” in the Township of Wilmot, in the County of Waterloo and Province of Ontario was originally surveyed in the summer of 1823 at which time it was ascertained that the lot contained 124.2 acres of land and completely enclosed a lake. The sides of the lot were established trending N. 38° 30′ W., the southern end N. 78° 30′ E., and the northern end N. 84° 34′ E. The original surveyor’s title reads:
Map of Surveying and Laying Out
of the
Crown Reserved Blocks Remaining Unsurveyed
in the
Township of Wilmot in the District of Gore
For the Canada Company Pursuant to an Order from
The Hon. Thomas Ridout
Surveyor General of the Province of Upper Canada
Dated the 3rd May, 1828
And Most Obediently Executed
John Goessman
At York the 6th Oct, 1828.
The original Crown Grant dated 1838 is not preserved in the R.O. but undoubtedly granted the land in fee simple to The Canada Company subject only to the reservation of all white pine trees “that shall or may now or hereafter grow or be growing”, all “mines of Gold, Silver, Tin, Lead, Copper, Iron and Coal” and that all persons who, in the future, own this land shall within 12 months declare their allegiance to the crown (assuming that these crown grants were the same as those of the Townships of Waterloo and North Dumfries).
- By a Memorial dated 19th July, 1848, and registered as No. 654 on the 19th of February, 1856, the Canada Company, by its attorneys, Thomas Mercer Jones of Goderich and Frederick Widdor of Toronto bargained and sold the N. 1/2 of Lot 2 in Concession 2 and the whole of Lot 2 in Concession 3 to one Frederick Musselman of the Township of Wilmot, County of Waterloo, Wellington District. The consideration was £l63. He and his wife, Nancy, had the following children: Moses, a yeoman, in Woolwich; Isaac Musselman, a yeoman, in Woolwich; Menno Musselman, a yeoman, in Woolwich; Anna, (wife of Christian Fry); Mary, (wife of Michael Mosser) of Wellesley; Joseph, a yeoman, of Woolwich; Fanny, a spinster, of Woolwich; and, Sarah, a spinster of Woolwich. He died between 1850 and 1857 during which time he moved to the Township of Waterloo.
- By a Bill of Bargain and Sale dated the 27th day of February, 1863, and registered as No. 1562 on the 18th day of February, 1850, the said Frederick Musselman granted the 60 acres of land together with the water to one James Dirth for £550.
- By a Bill of Bargain and Sale dated the 27th day of February, 1863, and registered as No. 2000 on the 11th day of April, 1863, James Dirth, with his wife Ann, granted the 60 acres and water to one Andrew (Andreas) Isley, a yeoman, of the Township of Waterloo for $1,900.00.
A mortgage of $1,000.00, given to James Dirth and subsequently assigned to Herbert M. Fair in 1863, to James Dirth in 1864, and granted to his son, John, in 1873 by his executors, was discharged in 1874, and a new mortgage was given by Andrew Isley to Jacob Ratz in 1876. - By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 17th day of February, 1876, and registered as No. 5404 on the 17th day of March, 1880, Andreas Isley, and his wife Maria, granted the land to one John Steffler. The signatures were witnessed by Anthony Kaiser, Jr., who was a hotel keeper at St. Agatha. The consideration was 1,800.00.
- By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 1st day of March, 1901, and registered as No. 9950 on the 2nd day of March, 1901, John Steffler, and his wife Caroline, granted the 60 acres of land for 2,300.00 to John Schnarr of the Township of Woolwich, yeoman, reserving portions which were sold but not in this lot.
Subsequently by a mortgage dated the 1st day of March, 1901, and registered as No. 9951 on the 2nd day of March, 1901, John Schnarr mortgaged all of the lands for $1,100.00 to The Dominion Life Assurance Company. This mortgage was later (in 1915) foreclosed upon and the land sold to one George A. Tilt. - By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 24th day of February, 1909, and registered.as No. 11829 on the 29th day of March, 1909, John Schnarr, of the Township of Wilmot, farmer, and his wife, Wilhelmina, sold the 60 acres of land and the water to George H. Trussler of the Town of Berlin, farmer, for $2,300.00 subject to the Dominion Life mortgage.
- By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 26th day of March, 1909, and registered as No. 11830 on the 29th day of March, 1909, George H. Trussler sold the same property to Jacob Hergott, of the Township of Waterloo, farmer, for $3,400.00 subject to the mortgage.
Subsequently by a mortgage dated the 26th day of July, 1909, and registered as No. 11933 on the 17th day of July, 1909, Jacob Hergott mortgaged the lands to Alexander and Magdalena Hergott for $600.00. This mortgage, being a second mortgage, was lost in the subsequent mortgage sale as the Hergotts didn’t redeem the first mortgage. - By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 17th day of August, 1911, and registered as No. 12479 on the 24th day of January, 1912, Jacob Hergott, of the Town of Berlin, gentleman, with his wife, Magdalena, joining to bar her dower, sold the lands to Anna Lorentz, of the Township of Wilmot for $1,600.00.
- By a Certificate for Sale under the Power of Sale contained in a mortgage dated the 1st day of December, 1915, and registered as No. 13294. on the 3rd day of December, 1915, The Dominion Life Assurance Company sold the lands and water to George A. Tilt, of the Township of Waterloo, farmer. The mortgage foreclosed is the one given to the Hergotts. The recitals show that default of two months would entitle the Company to sell on one month’s notice and that such default and notice was given. The first sale on the 7th day of November, 1914, was abortive and later one Nathaniel Bean bought the land and sold it to George A. Tilt.
- By a Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 1st day of December, 1915, and registered as No. 13298 on the 8th day of December, 1915, George A Tilt, of the Township of Waterloo, farmer, with his wife, Pauline, joining to bar her dower, sold the land and water to one Raphael Caskenette, of the Township of Waterloo, farmer, for an exchange of lands and $1.00.
- By at Deed of Bargain and Sale dated the 21st day of July, 1917, and registered as No. 13665 on the 25th day of July, 1917, Raphael Caskenette, of the Town of Preston, controller, with hs wife, Marion, joining to bar her dower, sold the land and water to Frank Psutka of the Town of Kitchener, tanner, for a consideration which would apparently be the assumption of the $900.00 mortgage to the Dominion Life.
Subsequently by a deed dated the 26th day of November, 1941, and registered as No. 18271 on the 13th day of March, 1942, Frank Psutka, of the Township of Wellesley, farmer, granted the whole of the land and water to he and his wife, Anna, as tenants in common. - By a Deed dated the 25th day of June, 1953, and registered as No. 21434 on the 2nd day of July, 1953, Frank and Anna Psutka, of the Township of Wellesley, farmers, sold the land to Albert F. Mack Wilson of the Town of Preston, Manager.
Subsequently A.F.M. Wilson had the waterfront properties surveyed into seven lots by W. Harvey Hall, P. Eng., 0.L.S., by a plan dated the 3rd day of November, 1953, and proceeded to sell the lots.