Arthur Martin in York by 1840 - Land Grant Lot 4, Concession 4 East of Yonge St.

[punch]

I am attempting to find out any information on Arthur Martin. I know he was born in Ireland as was his wife, Ann (no maiden name known), who also was born in Ireland in 1797. In Patricia Hart's book "Pioneering in North York" she has Arthur listed on Lot 4, Concession 4 east of Yonge Street settling there in 1840. The 1861 Census of Canada has Ann Martin living with her son, Samuel Martin, and his family on the same lot and concession. All of my attempts to find information on Arthur or his wife, Ann, have failed. Ann Martin does not appear in the 1871 census with her son, Samuel, so I am thinking she died sometime between 1861 and 1871, but I have been unable to find a copy of her death certificate or a place of burial. Are there any records of a land grant or patent given to Arthur Martin prior to 1840? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[eileenwilson]

Civil registration only began in Ontario in 1869, so unfortunately, you won't find a death record. There is a record for a land petition by an Arthur Martin in York County in 1825:

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/land/land-petitions-upper-canada-1763-1865/Pages/List.aspx?Surname=martin&GivenName=arthur&

Click on the "How to Obtain Copies" on the page above and make note of the info before going to look for the online documents.

Starts on Page 743 of Microfilm #C-2207 -- Arthur Martin, of the Township of York, yeoman, aged 22, native of County Down, Ireland, came to Quebec in July 1825, asking for 100 acres of land. Dated 5 December 1825.

[punch]

Eileen - Thank you so very much for the information. It is extremely helpful. I am assuming that I would not be able to view the actual page on microfilm on line?

[eileenwilson]

Yes you can ... follow the "How to Obtain Copies" link with the microfilm info noted from the search page and you can browse through the actual microfilm til you come to page 743.  If you still have a problem, I'll see if I can provide an actual link.

[punch]

Thank you Eileen. I will try it. Does the microfilm list the lot number and concession number?

[eileenwilson]

No, it does not ... I find Arthur in Scarborough in the 1830s so he may have gone there first before landing in North York in 1840.

[punch]

Thanks Eileen-I was able to get a look at the microfilm and answered my own question. Where were you able to find Arthur in Scarborough in the 1830s?

[eileenwilson]

A baptism of one of his children:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS76-C9X7-1?i=43&wc=Q8XV-2JF%3A1589662550%2C1589662574&cc=2569151

Home District Directory (1837) on Lot 34, Concession B (Scarborough):

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onyork/people-1837M1.html

He is still there in 1846:

http://static.torontopubliclibrary.ca/da/pdfs/541681.pdf

It is possible that the one in Scarborough is not the same as yours.  Reference to the actual purchase of the lot in Scarborough in 1843:

https://books.google.ca/books?id=BFEMAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA322&lpg=PA322&dq=%22arthur+martin%22+scarborough+1835&source=bl&ots=_EwSJ3vwBV&sig=ty0LqeO8hBfApFmg02_hTu45I7k&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjng7jaisDUAhXB8YMKHVR4C8gQ6AEIJTAB#v=onepage&q=%22arthur%20martin%22%20scarborough%201835&f=false

Also:

https://www1.toronto.ca/city_of_toronto/toronto_water/files/pdf/drncw-esr-appendix-3-1-1-final-stage-1-archaeological-assessment.pdf

This dates his original occupation to 1833 (Page 25 & 26 of 38):

[eileenwilson]

I hope I'm not leading you down the garden path, but the two properties (York North & Scarborough) are really not that far apart.  Here's a link to the 1878 map of York North was Samuel Martin noted on Lot 4, Concession 4 (east of Yonge):

https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/Images/Maps/TownshipMaps/yor-m-york-n.jpg

And the same time with Arthur noted as still being on Lot 34, Concession 4 (Scarborough):

https://digital.library.mcgill.ca/countyatlas/Images/Maps/TownshipMaps/yor-m-scarboro.jpg

In one of the references I sent before, it gives Arthur's age as 50 in 1858, so born about 1808 which jives with the age of 22 when he first petitions for land. Is it possible that Arthur is actually a son of your Arthur? It cannot be a coincidence that an individual with a similar name is living so relatively close  to your known Arthur (later Samuel).