Any Jordans or Nevins out there - if so, we're probably related. I'd like to find from which County in Ireland they came. And, here's a little story: The Stone Walls on the Jordan Farm: About 1840 Francis NEVINS / EVANS homesteaded in Concession 3 of Osgoode Township - the east half of Lot 12. This is the farm behind the Sleepy Cedars Campground on the Manotick Station Road and is now part of the city of Ottawa. He came onto his property from the Stage Coach Road to the east and found that the best site for a home was at the back of the farm. He cleared enough land for his log house, garden and some outbuildings and settled in to farm and raise his family. A few years later, the Jordan family came to settle on the adjoining farm (Sleepy Cedars Campground property - the west half of lot 12 in Concession 3). Both the Nevins and Jordan farms were originally composed of 100 acres. It was soon discovered that, by mistake, Francis Nevins had cleared and was using about 35 acres of the Jordan property, in addition to his own 100 acres. This land dispute was settled amicably and out of court when Francis Nevins agreed to buy the extra 35 acres from the Jordan family. Microfilm reel number TP-2 at the Osgoode Township Museum has the documentation and some hand-drawn diagrams attached to the correspondence between the Nevins, the Jordans and the Land Office to rectify the situation and is an example of the early spirit of co-operation between pioneer neighbours. The fences marking the boundary between the Nevins and Jordan properties are not just wooden fences. They are massive stone walls, eight feet wide at the base and were engineered using masonry skills used on the building of the Rideau Canal. As the fields were cleared for cultivation, very large stones were moved by oxen pulling "stone-boats" and carefully set in place by the men. Good fences make good neighbours. My great-great grandfather, Lawrence Burns, married his neighbour Bridget Jordan in 1845. He was the widow of Margaret Doyle whom he had married at Notre Dame Church in Bytown in 1831. Any cousins out there? ... Al Lewis, Ottawa