Goulbourn Twp. Survey 1817

15 September 2015
Continued from 4 Sept. This entry concludes this story.
  "Faced with a considerable amount of administration and
accounts, John Ryder engaged a clerk to help him with his
work. It kept them both busy until after Christmas, on which
day they took off awhile to attend church services.
  On the 26th of December, things did not go right and he
writes; 'Being the day after Christmas, getting the men to
sign the pay lists, through their awkwardness blotted the
pay lists and when I took them to the superintendent, he
said he could not receive them, as they were blotted and
would not pass them to the Surveyor- Generals office. Was
obliged to return to my office and was obliged to start afresh'
  December 28 - 'The Sabbath did not apply, proceeded on
writing'. Unfortunately, John Ryder, still so busy, that on this
Sunday, he did not even have time to go to church.
  It is nearly 170 years later [today, 198 years] now. The face
of Goulbourn has undoubtedly changed beyond the wildest
dreams of Mr. Ryder and his men. He could probably no more
imagine what this township would eventually look like than we
can comprehend the size and look of the wilderness of that time.
  And as we zoom, for instance, along the old No 15 highway on
the 9th concession line between Ashton and Stanley's Corners,
wouldn't it be nice to just reflect for a moment on those early
surveyors who, so many years ago, struggled, chopped, measured
and suffered along that same line to lay out the boundaries of what
we now call our Goulbourn township.."
 There is a map attached with this story. I will verbally describe it
as don't seem to be able to copy it here. It is of Lots 6 thru 10 of
Concession 8, about 2-4 miles east of Ashton. The lots are 4402 ft
to Con. 9 and a 100 Acre lot is 990 ft wide. Roadways are 66 ft
wide or 1 chain. There is a cross road, west of lot 6 and east of
lot 10. It is normal to have a cross road every 5 lots [200A]. The
type of wood to designate the corner of each lot is mentioned,
mostly Cedar, and 1 each Hemlock, Ironwood and Balsam.