Person:Cowan Keyes (2)

http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/19492909/person/1032435705

Name: Cowan Keys
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1817
Birthplace: Ireland
Province: Canada West (Ontario)
District: Wellington County
District Number: 39
Sub-District: Nichol
Sub-District Number: 370
Household Members: Name Age
Cowan Keys 35

Name: Cowan Keys
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Occupation: Laborer
Estimated birth year: abt 1816
Birthplace: Ireland
Province: Canada West (Ontario)
District: Wellington County
District Number: 39
Sub-District: Nichol
Sub-District Number: 370
Household Members: Name Age
Cowan Keys 35

Name: Cowan Keyes
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Age: 62
Birth Year: 1819
Birthplace: Ireland
Religion: Canada Presbyterian Church
Nationality: Irish
Occupation: Farmer
Province: Ontario
District Number: 176
District: Bruce South
Sub-District Number: A
Subdistrict: Huron
Division: 2
Household Members: Name Age
Cowan Keyes 62
Mary Keyes 53
David Keyes 24
John Keyes 22
Thomas Keyes 20
Margret Ann Keyes 15
Duncan Keyes 13
Donald McGregor 45 [Laborer, likely a brother of Cowan's wife Mary]

Name: Cowan Keys
Gender: Male
Birth Year: abt 1813
Birth Place: Ireland
Age at Death: 75
Death Date: 21 Oct 1888
Death Place: Bruce, Ontario, Canada

History of the County of Bruce, Ontario, Canada
Township of Kincardine

As the settlers along the Durham line saw Cowan Keyes carrying Her Majesty's mail, slung over his shoulder, on his wearisome tramps to and fro between Penetangore and Durham, they quickly arrived at the conclusion that with very little extra cost to the Province there might be opened, for their convenience, a post-office somewhere between Kincardine and Greenock. This the Department acquiesced in, and in 1853 a post-office named Bervie [Named after a sea-coast town in Kincardineshire, Scotland.] was opened on lot 53, concession 1, S.D.R., of which Nicol McIntyre was appointed postmaster, an office he held until his death nearly fifty years later. The post-office, of course, gave a name to the locality, and it seemed but natural that a village should there spring up. Both the 50th and 60th side-road corners put forth efforts to have the village.

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/canada/bruce/chapter32.htm

The early history of the Hanover Post Office

In 1856, when postal service was established in Hanover, it was located in Rev. Gottwals general store and this well known pioneer became Hanover's first postmaster. Since that time, Hanover's post office has occupied quite a number of locations and a variety of buildings and again, in more recent years, a retail store (Triangle Discount). Of course, it is now located back in the Federal Building on 9th Street.

The very first mail service came into Bentinck (Durham) from Guelph once a week. It was brought in on horseback. The first mail route from Durham to Kincardine was let by the government in 1852 and the first mail driver was a man by the name of Cowan Keyes, who did not "drive," but made the trip on foot, 45 miles there and 45 miles back, once a week, carrying the mail on his back.

http://www.thepost.on.ca/2009/02/06/the-early-history-of-the-hanover-post-office