Allan Farm

Location: 620 Allans Road, North Burgess
Legal Description: SW1/2 Lot 6, Concession 10, North Burgess

The Property and Residence

The Deed for this property, which is the SW ½ of Lot 6, Con 10 in North Burgess, was acquired from the Crown in 1824 by John Allan, who had recently arrived from Scotland.

All of this 100-acre Lot, with the exception of two separated parts that are described later, has remained in the Allan family from that time to the present day. John and Ann Allan and their five children farmed the property for over 40 years. In 1866, the farm was passed to their eighth son, Andrew Allan. Other family members over the years have included Agnes Allan, George G. Allan, Richard S. Allan, John & Anabella Allan, and Andrew A. & Catherine B. Allan.

Since 2001, the farm has been operated by the fifth generation of the Allan family to be on the property, Andrew and Laurie Allan. A list of the family members who owned the property over the years is provided at the end of the Appendix.

A side note on the local milling industry - Andrew A. Allan, who owned the property from 1916 to 1963, purchased the Ritchie Mill from Carl Adams in 1963 and operated it until 1970.

Two part lots were separated over the years, including a small lot transferred to the school board in 1874. A second lot adjacent to the school property was separated for a private home in 1960, which remains today.

In 2016, the Allan Family farm was recognised as a legacy farm by Tay Valley Township under the 200th Anniversary Legacy Farms Program.

The Family Residences

John and Ann Allan’s original home on the property, a 20’ by 30’ log house, is still standing (see photo below). The building was used later as the farm blacksmith shop, and the ‘smithy’ furnace and accessories, including the bellows, are still in place.

Presumably, John and Ann Allan built the impressive stone residence in the mid-1800s (photo below). The home, which remains the Allan family home today, has been beautifully maintained over the years, retaining its original 19^th century architecture.

North Burgess School S. S. # 7 - 1874

The Allan family farm property hosted North Burgess school, S.S. # 7, from 1874, when Andrew Allan transferred a ½-acre lot to local School Trustees (on Allans Road, 112 m. from the Scotch Line). The school was built by John McLennan. The first teacher was Wm. Parker, and, in 1900, one of the Allan family children, Phemie, taught at the school (photo below).

The school served the area until 1968, when it was amalgamated with other area schools into the Glen Tay School. The schoolhouse building was later sold and moved to a private property (Photo below shows the school re-cycled into a new use).

The school lot was transferred back to the Allan family in 1996, by the Bathurst & South Sherbrooke School Board.

Land Transfers for the SW ½ Lot 6, Con 10 - 1824 to Present

1824-1866/67 John & Ann Allan

1866/67-1874 Andrew Allan

1874 – School Part Lot transferred

1910-1916 Agnes Allan

1916-1963 Andrew A. & Catherine B. Allan

1960 – Second part lot is separated (adjacent to the school lot)

1963-1995 David A. & Iris Allan

1995- Andrew Arthur Allan