Loading...
Clinton News-Record, 1985-07-10, Page 83• i,A • 4,4 • e • • ,:-•• • t • •!! • . .• • 5.4) Family Farms reflect long rural I', Ikfronipalge 20 perches is very styli*. That Larry and Judy are extremely proud of their 140 Family Farm can be easily seen by the care they have taken in exhibiting their township sign! The home on Lot 19 is equally beautiful though of entirely different appearance. The .original frame structure was covered with luminum siding in the 1970s, but the house still has that spacious layout characteristic Of earlier -days. 1834 -John Sturdy bought the 160 acres from the Canada Company for 60 pounds, Ireceiying his deedin 1843. He married Ann Whitely and they had eight children. Two off their five sons divided the large family farm. 1;19 -George Oswald received Lot 20 and Nixon received Lot 21. George married Ellen Driver and had two children. Nixon never married, and his land eventually also passed to Austin, George's only son. 1919 -Austin Sturdy married Reta Keys. His only son, Chester, was next to own the properties. 1947 -Chester and Isabel (Kernighan) Stur- dy had two sons and one daughter. The farm was once again divided as the sons returned to farm. 1973 -Larry returned to Lot 20 and purchas- ed it the same year he married Judy Ives. They have three sons, Travis, Jesse and Luke, who are the sixth generation to farm this land. 1978 -John and Cathie (Jones) Sturdy pur- chased Lot 21 and also have sixth generation Sturdys - Tara and Angela. SWITZER FARM: (Concession Bayfield, Lots 69, 70) The first log home on the farm stood just north of the present fine brick residence. The second home was probably built in the 1860s and is of white, triple -brick con- 40' "Congratulations' CrODERICH TOWNSHIP ON YOUR 150th Birthday From MacKINNON ELECTRIC R.R. 6 GODERICH 524-6336 struction. A hill two storey, four bedroom home, the original fireplace in the dining area is still hi lige today. 1833-JaMea Maurice Switzer settled in G°dand received his deed fromertiliebTCant9", .ipCorn ., in 1854 - for 43 pounds, 1,700lings en, ce. He married Martha Simps�nandha. nine chndren. 18804he YOUngeSt soli, James Berry Switzer, married Susan Powell and passed the farm on to his youngest son, Earl. 1930s.Earl married Mabel Foster and one of their four sons, Willis, continued the fami- ly farm. 1964 -Willis married Winifred Elliott and they live on thefairm today. WAIIJ .1S FARM: Concession 1&2, -Lott) Thomas Woodliffe built tile nrst aweauna, a shanty, near the lake bank. Before 1840 James Wallis had built a house near the front of the farm. It was small at first, but grew as additions were added and was nam- ed "Clifton Cottage". The present cement block structure was built on this same site in 1924. The gravel was taken from the beach and Charles Wallis remembers having to help make the cement blocks in the tin forms provided by, the contractor (James McKenzie) - 100 blocks per days! The house is a full two stories, 30 feet square, with a wide verandah around two sides. The roof is cottage -styled, with no gables. 1834 -James and Jane (Sumpter) Wallis emigrated from Nottingham, England in la32 with four children. They bought their 131 acres from Thomas Woodliffe for 150 pounds, 1 shilling and three pence. Two more children were bom in Canada, and the younger son, James, remained or. the fami- ly farm. 1860s -James Edward Wallis married Elizabeth Rautine .and they bad a fainih nine- Their second 60404 WOW, t•OekOver the farm whenhe married. 1009 -Walter Wall* and Nettie Richards had two boys Charles andFred. Fred pure chased C2/L36 which had also been part ofthe family holdings, and Charles stayed at Clifton Cottage. 1945 -Charles Wallies married Mary Ad- dison and their only son, Doug, continued the family traditionton C1/1.35. 1971 -Doug and Sandra (RaWson) Wallis have two sons (Jason and Jonathan) who are the sixth generation on this land. WHITELY (Concession 7, Lots 14,15 The Whitely family. believe there was a frame home in the'orehard slightly N of the present house. However it Wee presumably torn down when the brick house was erected. Charles Whitely built the present white brick home on C7/L14 in 1899 for $1,250. and paid for it the same year with the sale of apples from the orchards. He named the farm "Inglewood", which is etched in a window above the front door. It is a full two storey, single brick home with bay windows both upstairs and down. Built on the center hall design it has an open front stairway and closed back stair- case, which is a real novelty to visiting children - as all of us with such homes know. All young newcomers make the grand tour - up and down through the house! One unique feature is the eight panes of pink bottle -glass in the front door. The beautiful woodwork of that era has been preserved and the sliding panel doors between the old parlour and dining room are of white ash and pine. 1832 -Andrew and Jane Whitely emigrated from Eniskillen, Ireland and settled on Con. 7, receiving their deeds from the Canada Company in 1834. They brought with them five sons who all farm d in G. Twp.-- James (C7/L13,14), John • (C7/L16), Robert (C5/L12. Andrew (rsvurr P7) and Joseph di (c7/u5and014t/1497). 18404a*s had C7/1414 registered in his name- He never mauled and in 1897 his farm passed to Joseph's son, Civrles. 1840-40,0rew willed C7/L15, 18 to his three other sons. Later Johnbecame sole owner of ivit46mati. 4:001,ank.dofhVd,n-iniTeosechophorroamrried Saran 18940* fourth child, Joseph Eldrklge, took over the home farm while the youngest son, Marlek„farined L13, 14. Charles Maw-, riedBlidielilliniin'andraised four children. 1946400 sons, Ben and Pat, took over the faridly farm - Ban with a Holstein and Pat a Jersey herd. Pat moved to Colborne Twp. in 1953 and Ben purchased his land. Ben mar- ried. Dorothy Ginn and their- son, Bill, and grandson, Andrew, who. farm with them on L14 make the sixth generation of Whitelys to live there. WILSON FARM: (Concession 5, Lots 14,15) Although presumably there was a log house on this farm, the earliest records found are in 1863 of a brick house which was later destroyed by fire. The present clapboard home replaced it and is a perfect example of a type of ar- chitecture well represented in our township. 1823 -John and Cristena Wilsonemigrated from. Dunbartonshire, Scotland and settled on C5/L14,15. 1860s -Daniel Wilson purchased the farm from his parents. . He married Marion Tichborne in 1864 and they had eight children. His second son, WilLiam, took over the home farm. 1476 -William married Amelia Kirkpatrick in 1894 and they had three children. 1911 -After William's death at an early age, Amelia farmed the • lead' until their youngest son, Roy, took over. • 1937 -Roy became owner of this century farm. He had mar-ied Natalie Bell in 1926 and they had seven children. Their third Kenneth, farm 3 with his father. ••!: We at Durst Farm Centre are proud to play a role in forming the agricultural history of Goderich Township. OUR SERVICES,INCLUDE: !Complete Line of Purina Chows —Bags tk Bulk ePurina He.alth Produtts • Purtria.Pet 'Hyland Feeds *Gallagher High Power Fencing • Wiese -Tillage Tools. *Schouten Pig Feeders •Farm Hardware * Feed Analysis *Livestock Record Keeping Systems Len, Mary Grace, Bryan BRYAN DURST Proprietor F Highway No. 8 West Clinton 482-7706 STORE HOURS: Monday to Friday 8 am to 5 pm Saturday 8 am • 12 noon T LEN LOBB Field Representative