A Perspective on Land Tenure in Upper Canada: A Study of Elizabethan Township, 1709-1840

Abstract

<p>Whereas most studies concerning land tenure in Upper Canada have focussed on the acquisition and utilization of land, the principal emphases in this study are the withholding of land through speculation and the transfer of property, two neglected aspects of land tenure. Land transfer and speculation patterns are reconstructed for Elizabethtown Township during the period 1790-1840. The simultaneous identification and analysis of transfer, persistence and mobility through time reveals factors underlying changes in the pattern of ownership. Important factors at the township level appear to have been distance from market, size of holding and type of tenure. A method of identifying speculators is developed on the basis of certain criteria relating to land utilization and holding size and a classification of speculators is offered. It is demonstrated that speculation is a complex activity with many different facets. The transfer of land and speculative activity are shown to be related.</p>