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12 for ’26: Finding Deed for Tierney Family in Nepean Township, Carleton County

In the last post about the Tierney family, Margaret (Tierney) Gleeson had grown up in Carleton County with her parents, John Tierney and Ann Murray, and was one of eleven children born to them. The earliest census that John Tierney was enumerated in was 1842, the census of Canada West in the Upper Canada Province. By this time, John owned 100 acres of property and was a farmer. So, property records should show when he acquired this land.

Land Records
The earliest deed I located was dated 3 August 1830. William Hamilton of Nepean, sold about 100 acres of land located in the rear half of lot number 29 in the 6th concession, to Denis Tierney and John Tierney, both of Nepean. They paid £87.10 (87 pounds, 10 shillings) of lawful money of Upper Canada. It is very likely that Denis Tierney was John’s father.[1]

Before going further, the layout of concessions needs to be discussed. Land was surveyed and divided into concessions and then into 35 lots. Each lot was about 200 acres unless some physical feature prevented a full 200 acres. The shape of Nepean as well as the Rideau canal and river, made some of the lots less than 200 acres. Below is a map. Denis and John’s lot would have been on the border with Goulbourn township on the left side in lot 29.

Map of the Township of Nepean in the District of Bathurst and Province of Upper Canada. by Anthony Swallwell, 15th March, 1830. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?IdNumber=4132468&app=fonandcol&ecopy=e011196514. 

On 29 October 1831, Denis requested to occupy lot 28 in the same concession, which was a lot set aside for clergy, which meant the rents/lease payments benefited the clergy.[2] He later received a patent for the land in 1840.[3] In 1854 and 1855, he sold the north half and the south half to James Tierney, the second one through Denis’ will.[4]

John Acquiring Land in the 6th Concession
He had interest at various times in lots 22, 23, 29, and 30. By 1865, he had ownership of only lot 23 and held a mortgage on the lot 30, which he sold to his son, William, in installments, with the total due in 1871.

Lot 22: John received this Crown patent in 1844, which is a clergy lot.[5] He later sold it to Edward Murray in 1848.[6] It is possible that Ed Murray was related to his wife Ann Murray. This is something to investigate.

Lot 23. John bought 148 acres from Chester Chapman on 29 Dec 1854.[7] He mortgaged it to Lyman Perkins in 1856 (discharged 1861).[8]  He then mortgaged the property again with Philip Thompson in 1861 (discharged Oct 1863).[9]  By 30 May 1865 he and Ann sold it to Thomas Graham.[10]

Lot 29. John and Denis bought the rear half of lot 29 on 3 August 1830, making it the first land John owned.[11] Denis Tierney was John’s father. Denis sold his share to John on 9 March 1846.[12] John then sold it to William Tierney on 20 Jun 1860.[13]

Lot 30. John bought the southeast half of lot 30, equaling 100 acres from Thomas Pounall on 23 April 1845 for £130.[14] He made a mortgage with Richard Austin on 3 April 1856 for £240. It also included a part of a lot in Ottawa. The mortgage was discharged on 16 Apr 1859.[15]  He then immediately remortgaged it to Donald Grant on 15 April 1859, likely the second mortgage was to pay off the first.[16] On 20 Jun 1860 he entered an agreement to sell the south half to William Tierney with payment in installments running 1866–1871.[17]

An 1864-65 directory of Ottawa and surrounding Nepean Township, showed a John Tierney owning lots 23 and 27.[18] However, I think there is an error. The abstract deed book for lot 27 shows William Tierney owning lot 27.

In an 1879 atlas, a John Tierney had land in lots 29 and 30 in concession 6 and 25 in concession 5. These need to be further checked. William Tierney also had a son named John and one of these could be his land.

Illustrated Historical Atlas of Carleton County Ontario (H. Belden & Co, 1879)

Next Up.
There are more deeds to search for. John did not die until 1890. I want to know what land he had, if any, and then check for probate.

Note.
I either transcribed the deeds completely or abstracted them. I then uploaded the abstracts with source citations to Claude Sonnet 4.6 (28 Jun 2026) and asked for a table with the list of the deeds pertaining to John Tierney. It took 4 tries before the AI got all the deeds listed. I then asked for a summary of the transactions and what lots John owned as of 1865. From that, I was able to then put together the above list, checking for any errors, and making my own sentences. Next time I do this, I will ask the AI to go line by line in my Word doc to double check it gets everything. Perhaps I should have put the deeds in a spreadsheet first.

[1] Carleton Co, Bathurst District, Upper Canada Province, deeds, v. 3, p. 30-31, memorial 326, William Hamilton to Denis Tierney & John Tierney, 1830; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-7QZ5-C : accessed 17 Jun 2026), IGN 008344633, image 20 of 296.

[2] Upper Canada Land Petitions “T” Bundle Leases 1801-1835 (RG 1, L3, vol. 511), in T-Bundle “Leases” no. 93, Dennis Tierney, 1831; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3HC-X9FG-H : accessed 26 Jun 2026), IGN 008631444, item 5, images 33-36; Library and Archives Canada.

[3] I’m still trying locate the documentation for this. The abstract index for this lot says he received patent from the Crown on 1 May 1840.

[4] Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 320, memorial 7881, Denis Tierney to James Tierney, 1854; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H1G : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 182 of 528. Also, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 430, memorial 9566, recording of will of Denis Tierney by James Tierney, 1856; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4HYP : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 243 of 528.

[5] Again, from the abstract gave this information, but I have not found the documentation yet.

[6] Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 92-93, memorial 4764, John & Anne Tierney to Edward Murray, 1848; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H5Y : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 66 of 528.

[7] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 340, memorial 8086, Chester Chapman to John Tierney, 1854; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H1P : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 193 of 528.

[8] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 420-21, memorial 9403, mortgage, John Tierney & Ann Tierney to Lyman Perkins, 1856; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4HBH : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, images 238-39 of 528.

[9] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G2, p. 413-14, memorial 17573, mortgage, John & Ann Tierney to Philip Thompson, 1861; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4HWN : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 502 of 528.

[10] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Ontario, Canada, deed, v. G3, p. 426-27, memorial 25185, John & Ann Tierney to Thomas Graham, 1865; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-7366-M : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344598, images 237-38 of 532.

[12] Carleton Co, Dalhousie District, Province of Canada, deeds, v. 5, p. 354, memorial 2843, Dennis Tierney to John Tierney, 1846; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLG-N9SD-W : accessed 18 Jun 2026), IGN 008200272, image 190 of 303.

[13] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G2, p. 324, memorial 16076, deed, John Tierney to William Tierney, 1860; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H47 : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 457 of 528.

[15] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G, p. 434, memorial 9635, mortgage, John Tierney to Richard Austin, 1856; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4HRP : accessed 19 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 246 of 528.

[16] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G2, p. 185-86, memorial 14010, mortgage, John Tierney to Donald Grant, 1859; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H1Q : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 382 of 528.

[17] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Province of Canada, deeds, v. G2, p. 325, memorial 16078, agreement, John Tierney to William Tierney, 1860; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-4H6L : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344597, image 458 of 528.

[18] County of Carleton and Ottawa City Directory, 1864-5 (Mitchell & Co, 1864), p. 269, John Tierney; imaged, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/3789/images/30819_104038__0004-00152 : accessed 28 Jun 2026) > Ontario > Ottawa > 1865 > Mitchell and Co’s Ottawa City and County of Carleton Directory, 1864-1865 > image 153 of 177.

[19] Carleton Co, Dalhousie District, Province of Canada, deeds, v. 5, p. 355, memorial 2844, Thomas Pounall to John Tierney, 1845; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLG-N9SD-W : accessed 27 Jun 2026), IGN 008200272, image 190 of 303.

[20] Carleton Co, Dalhousie District, Province of Canada, deeds, v. 5, p. 354, memorial 2843, Dennis Tierney to John Tierney, 1846; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLG-N9SD-W : accessed 18 Jun 2026), IGN 008200272, image 190 of 303.

[21] Nepean Township, Carleton Co, Ontario, Canada, deed, v. G3, p. 426-27, memorial 25185, John & Ann Tierney to Thomas Graham, 1865; imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-7366-M : accessed 28 Jun 2026), IGN 008344598, images 237-38 of 532.


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