52 Ancestors No. 49: Last Will and Testament of Martin Broderick (1831-1915)

I found this interesting newspaper reference to my 2nd great-grandfather Martin Broderick in the 1919 Border Cities Star.

It mentions my great grandfather John Moynahan (1866-1933) and my 2nd great-uncle Detective Leo William Broderick (1879-1920).

John and Leo were executors to my 2nd great-grandfather Martin Broderick's will and had applied to the Ontario Supreme Court for the title to a piece of land in Sandwich West under the "Quieting Titles Act".

Actions under the Quieting Title Act are "to finally resolve competing claims over the same parcel of land." and "offers the most definitive resolution of title problems." (Source: Adverse Possession: Pulling Out All the Stops; N.S. Barristers' Society)

Sandwich West, Essex County, Otario 

1877

The map below shows the location of Martin's 100 acres in Sandwich West township (Essex County, Ontario) in 1877. Note also a J. Broderick and a  P. Broderick in the bottom right of the map photo. This particular triangular area is the present day location of a "ghost road" or a "disputed road" as it has historically been known.

Source: Ontario Historical County Maps Project; Essex County Map (1877)
http://maps.library.utoronto.ca/hgis/countymaps/essex/index.html

Ghost Road ~ Disputed Road

The so-called "Disputed Road runs north south from a point just south of Normandy Street until it reaches the Middle Side Road boundary with Amherstburg. The road is one side of a triangle of land, with the other side being Huron Church Road."

Sandwich West, Essex County, Ontario
Source: http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/03/25/ghost-road/

"Today carved up by the Expressway and shopping plazas, the road terminates at Dougall and picks up again behind the roundhouse centre for a short distance. The line in red shows the original path of the road, overlaid on a current aerial view." (Source: http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/03/25/ghost-road/)

Sandwich West, Essex County, OntarioSource: http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/03/25/ghost-road/

I came across an interesting blog post on the International Metropolis website about an old Ghost Road in the vicinity. http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/03/25/ghost-road/

In the comment section, Alice wrote, 

"I was told that two brothers were fighting over the land a long time ago hense the name of the street “disputed”. Is that the real story? who knows? maybe the Broderick family would know since they were the owners at the time. As far as I know they are still around."

Could this be related? I am not at all certain. In fact I doubt that this story has anything to do with Martin Broderick (but possibly J. and/or P. Broderick?). I do find it interesting that property in this small section of Sandwich West is the source of so many historical title challenges.

Source: http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/03/25/ghost-road/

And when we see abandoned places such as this old ghost road, well, you just never know what story it secrets it holds.

Martin Broderick 

(1831-1915)

Source: Detroit Free Press, Page 11
Tuesday, October 11, 1915

Trivia: The 4th Line in Sandwich West was known as the Broderick Road

Source: Amherstburg Echo 1952