The Line of Charles Eacott (gen 1)
When I began tracing my family tree, back in the late 1960's, neither my father nor I had very much information. My grandfather had been raised by a stepfather from the age of 8. He never spoke much about his family to my father. We did not even know that the name was an English name. Years of searching and investigating have resulted in all of the information collected in this book. The material that follows is that which most concerns my line of Eacotts.
There are now six generations, 2004, of this family in Canada. Charles to John to Charles to John to John to Jonathan and Erin.
We know that Charles Eacott was born in Wiltshire, England (Willshire according to his death certificate of 1875.) He was listed as 85, meaning that he was born in 1790. The census of 1851 tells us that he was born in 1797. While the assessment role of 1855 says he was 60 (born 1795) and the 1861 census gives his age as 64 (again 1795) Perhaps he did not really know, or wish it to be known, in what year he had been born or an error in recording took place.
Only one record is known of a Charles Eacott being baptised in Wiltshire during the period 1790 to 1797. This person does not show up in later records in England for marriage, children etc.
Charles Eacott was baptised on the 17th of August 1794 at Purton, Wiltshire. He was the youngest child of Richard Eacott and Sarah Clarke. He was baptised on the same day as his brother James, so perhaps they were twins. It may be they simply didn’t baptise him until his brother was born.(less likely!) Charles' oldest brother was John. This was a common tradition among the Eacott families in the area to name the first son John. A Henry Eacott, possibly a cousin lived nearby at Wooton Bassett. He was of a similar age to Charles. Charles gave
his children names which appear in this family from Purton. This may be further proof that he is the one who came to Canada.
Charles had several brothers: John baptised 1777, William 1780, Samuel 1783 and James. Jane 1796,was his only sister. She may have married a Neeb.
In the census of 1841 at Purton Stoke John Eacott, age 65 stated he had 2 brothers well settled in America. He lived with his sister Hannah in Boon cottage opposite Pond Farm in Cow Lane. His Children William 25 married Ann 30 and they had a child Matthew in 1840. Matthew Eacott 40 and his wife Mary 40 lived in Purton Stoke also. All men were laborers, working for the Medical and Benefit Club.
We know something about Charles father and mother. Richard Eacut 1739 - 1810 (71 years) married Sarah Clarke 1746 - 1826 (80 years) (could also have been born 1741 daughter of Benjamin) on October 9, 1770 at Purton. Another record records a Sarah Clark as having a child whom she named Thomas Eacutt on Aug 26, 1770. There were other Eacotts living around Purton. Other Richards and other James make record matching difficult. There is no record of a baptism at Purton in 1739/40 for a Richard. No record elsewhere either. We cannot tell who Richard’s father was. There is a record, Poor’s Platt, that shows Richard was given money from a fund created from the rent of community land. He obtained this money in 1772, 73 and 1809-1810) under the names Acot, Eacott, Eacutt. Hannah (1802 -1812) and William (1842-44) and Ann (1845 -1867) also obtained money from the fund in the noted years. It can be assumed that they were in poverty in those times. Purton Stoke is a hamlet of 60 homes north of Purton.
Eacotts lived at Purton for a long time. In 1597 Jane and John Ackett were buried there. In 1583 Margery Ackett was baptised. In 1664 Richard Ecott of Purton married Elizabeth Clarke of St. Mary at Devises and in 1676 James Eacot married Mary Palmer at Swindon. In the first half of the 1700's James, John, James, Samuel, William, James, Thomas, James, Richard were all married in Wiltshire. Before 1670 the records are not very complete. We do know that Eacotts lived around Purton/Swindon in the 1600's and perhaps back to the 1500's. More research needs to be done to link the Eacotts in Wiltshire backwards to Rendcomb and North Cerney a distance of 15 miles by road.
Purton was not a very large village, and the Eacott name must have been well known there in the 1700's. However they seemed to disappear from the area before 1900. We do know that people from Purton emigrated to Canada. A document in the church relates how some persons were helped to move. I learned that the church congregation had sponsored missionaries to Canada in the early 1700's. The first S.P.G. Missionary went out in 1702 on the Centurion. A book on church history written in 1927 said this of the year 1837. " In the years following the Napoleonic Wars much poverty and consequent misery was obtained. It is said that no less than 500,000 persons died from starvation. Purton felt its share of bad times and it was thought well to encourage emigration to Canada. A deed dated 22 May 1837 contained an agreement
between church wardens and overseers in Purton and a Mr. Robert Carter of 11 Leadenhall St.,London to send persons abroad.
21 persons from Purton were sponsored to Canada to land at Montreal. They and their luggage were to be landed free of charge and food allowances were given as well as medicine and wine. Such things as wooden bowls, platters, hook pots, etc. were specified for each person over 14 and a special supply list for each person under 14 was given. All taxes were met and the fare was seven pounds five shillings for an adult. Children under 14 were half fare. A second lot of persons were sent out in 1844. Some of the names of those sent were Sealy, Maule, Cutts, Tuff, Turner, Baker. One wonders if Charles Eacott, the first known Eacott in Canada (1830) may have experienced these problems and set out from Purton just before this group of immigrants sending word back of the conditions abroad.
What became of Charles Eacott from the time he was born until he appeared in Upper Canada? We do not know. In 1830 a Michael Eacott was living at Hamburg N.Y. (Buffalo) and
a Richard Eacott was living at Stow Mass. In 1840 a William was living in Youngstown Pa. (US census)
Charles settled in Euphemia township, Lampton county in the year 1830 or the year 1832. He arrived in Elgin county and went to Port Talbot to see Col. Thomas Talbot a singularly important land agent to obtain from him an award of land. The Erie canal was completed in 1825 and it is likely that Charles sailed to New York and travelled from there to Lake Erie. At this time land was available in Ontario for anyone who agreed to clear 5 acres of land, build and live in a house greater than 16 x 20ft and keep the road up in front of the property to 30 ft wide.. Col. Talbot controlled much land onto which he placed settlers. He did this between 1804 and 1835. Talbot kept a large map with the names of the property holders on it. A pencil notation on his map was erased and the names of Edward Bull (now Buel) and Charles Eacott were penciled on with the date 1832. The pencil marks were on the east and west half of Lot 24, con 5 Township of Zone. (Zone became Euphemia in 1851, it was first known as the Zone of Kent co.) Talbot was known to erase names and remove defaulters and people he didn’t like so Charles appears to have benefited from this change.
Charles Eacott had the 100 acres in the east side. Since both obtained land at the same time, same heavy pencil, could it be they were friends from England?
Talbots records were not very good so in 1845 Charles Eacott was informed that he ought to get proper title to the land. As a result he, along with many others filed a petition to the Governor. It said:
"To his Excellency Lord Metcalfe Governor General of
British North America etc. etc. etc.
In Council
The petition of Charles Eacott of the Township of Zone
in the Western District, Farmer,
Humbly Sheweth
That in the year 1830 your excellencys petitioner was located
by the honorable Thomas Talbot upon a lot of one hundred
acres of land in the said Township of Zone liable to
settlement duties which he hereto performed and is ready to
pay the fee that may be required
Wherefor your Excellencys petitioner humbly pray that your
Excellency will be pleased to grant him the said lot and your
petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.
Charles Eacott
Port Talbot
11 th April 1845
Recommended by
Thomas Talbot
Supert.
I certify that Charles Eacott has taken the oath of
allegiance before me -
Thomas Talbot J.P.
The petition was received 8th Oct. 1847 under which it says "
Commissioner of Crown Land's report, filed with petition of
Samuel Bond -- In Committee 18, Oct. 1847 -- recommended --
approved in council 25 Oct. 1847."
The petition was noted as having been written by Rev. I.
Gunne of Louisville W.D. Gunne was the local Anglican preacher and school inspector.
The petition took some time to be approved because there were many of them to be dealt with. It is possible that Charles was not able to write more than his name. Then again not being familiar with legal matters he may have asked for help in writing the petition. Again the Rev. Gunne may have been asked to prepare these documents for the landowners. It was a serious matter for the settlers since it was possible for someone else to obtain legal right to the land. The swearing of an oath of allegiance was not believed to be common however other similar petitions at the time had an oath taken. American settlers usually had to swear the oath.
In 1837 Charles was mustered into the militia as a government loyalist to help put down the rebellion in the province. He joined the West Kent Militia as a private under Captain William Kerry and on May 2nd 1838 he was paid 1 pound, 17 shillings and 4 pence by the paymaster for his services in February. . He signed his name Charles Ecot. Captain Kerry settled 3 lots up the road from Charles in 1830. In June of 1838 his company was called to go to the St. Clair river area because of an expected attack by rebels. They stopped by Dresden at a farm where during the night a party of rebels stopped at the same house and a skirmish ensued with Kerry getting shot in the abdoman and he bled to death. An inquest was held.
Euphemia Township was first settled by David Fancher of Mowhawk Valley New York in March of 1825. Wm Walker and Jonathan Brakett came with him. Later that year Richard Dobbyn came from the Royal Navy. In 1830 Peter Wright came from New York and Huff and Bartley came from eastern Ontario. Scott, Palmer and McIntosh came from Yarmouth N.S. In 1834 James McCabe arrived from Ireland. The settlers came from all over but it was a remote area. There were no roads and the nearest mill was at Delaware a trip that took 3 days to go and return. The area along the Sydenham river was known as little Ireland or Aughrim after the same place in County Wicklow, Ireland and was settled by a number of Irish families.
George Kerby J.P. conducted the first marriage in the area in 1834. Two years later Margaret McCabe, daughter of James McCabe was married by this same justice of the peace. This was still the back woods and no churches had yet been built. Charles married Margaret on August 9, 1836. She was born in 1811 and so was considerably younger than Charles. He was over 40 and she was 25. ( see Ontario Register 1969 - civil marriage list for Zone and Dawn, marriages by George Kerby. " Charles Eacot and Margaret McCale [McCabe] of Zone ninth August 1836, Witnesses Job Hall, Benjamin Burr "
Margaret McCabe was born in Ireland, perhaps in Wicklow. She told her daughters that she stopped at Newfoundland on the way over. One of her peculiarities was that she never moved the furniture around. Both she and Charles listed themselves as Anglicans on the census forms.
The McCabe family in Euphemia who lived in the area could be her family but if so her father would have been 18 when she was born. Henry McCabe was a teacher who came to Westport from Co. Cavan about 1770 married Jane Barlow, by right Lady Sligo. They had eight sons, John and George went in Navy, Charles, James, Clements, Thomas, Patrick, Harry, Mary emigrated with parents to New York statea nd Upper Canada. James 1793 - 1855, came to Euphemia about 1830. He had married Delia Bridgit Kelly 1790 1872. George McCabe 1825 -1900 ran a cheese factory at lot 26 con 6 Euphemia. James Jr 1827 - 1914 was postmaster at Mosside. There is no mention of a daughter Margaret or children earlier than 1825 - so this may not be Charles wife, however Charles daughter Jane married Bill McCabe whose connection here is not proven either.
Charles, it was said, added "H's" to his speech. He would say Hirish for Irish. He often said he "didn't care much for the Hirish".
Charles and Margaret had four children: John 1837, Henry 1840, Jane 1843, and Sarah 1849.
In 1847 Charles obtained formal ownership of his land. A sheepskin parchment was given to him. (This parchment in 2000 was in the possession of Marion Shepley of St. Marys Ontario) In 1853 Charles was able to acquire the west hundred acres of lot 24, con 6 (across the road) from the Canada Land Company for a price of about 8 shillings or two dollars an acre. This property had originally been Clergy Reserve. We do not know the actual price. His son John was 16 at the time.
The land in the area was not considered very good. It is flat and poorly drained. This was clear from the comments of the census taker in 1861 who said that the area had very poor roads, was thinly settled, the farming was poor, that 1858-60 had been very bad years with a wheat midge infestation that destroyed the wheat so badly that farmers had to buy grain in order to survive. The farmers were so poor that they could not afford to improve the land by tiling it.
The census shows that many homes were log, some frame and very few were made of brick. It is interesting to know that Charles' home was one of the first brick houses in the area. I believe that it was built about 1851. It was an unusual style of house. There were two fireplaces downstairs and one upstairs. there was a large staircase. The house was a storey and a half and not like any other house around. There was a centre hall with two large rooms off of it and two smaller bedrooms. There was a wooden picket fence and also a metal fence with a gate around the yard. Hop vines grew upon the walls. There was a frame summer kitchen. The red bricks were said to have been made on the farm. The house stood empty for many years after Jane died and was taken down by Bill Tanner in '40s and the bricks were used in a London hospital. It is not known how Charles was able to purchase land and build such an imposing house considering the state of local farming. Perhaps he earned money from some other source. (A photo exists of this house and a brick survives) There was a brick yard, ( Boynton’s) not far away and he may have had some connection with it.
Whatever he did it was not because of his schooling. It is likely that he could not read or write, the census of 1861 says that he could not read or write. His will and land sales are marked by an "X". The Rev. Gunne wrote his petition to the governor. It was not uncommon for persons born in his time to be illiterate.
In 1861, when John was 24 he purchased the 100 acres of land, lot 24, con 6 across the road, which his father had bought in 1853. In June of that year Charles, John, Henry and Wm. Armstrong went to Toronto to facilitate conveyance of real property. In the census of that year John was not living at home or across the road. He may have been living on another farm the family owned up by the Sydenham River but he is not in the census.
In 1871, Charles had his will made. He was between 74 and 80 years of age. His mark was verified by James Walker. The will in part said :" The SE 1/2 lot 24 con 5 etc. Land, house, furniture, stock, equipment were given to his wife Margaret for her own use and benefit absolutely." To his daughter Jane he gave the N 1/2 of lot 24 con 5 (this was the north fifty acres of the original farm) Jane married Wm. McCabe. " To my children John, Henry, and Sarah I give one dollar each paid by my executor out of my estate within three months of my decease" signed by Wm. Feuley and G. McCabe as witness. Feuley had bought the Bull farm behind the Eacotts. The farm bought for John had been made his some years before. Jane was the oldest girl ,nearly 30, and the land may have been a form of dowry. She lived her entire life in the original house. The Atlas of 1880 shows Henry owning a farm at Lot 27, con 4 up by the river. He had his own place as early as 1866. He also inherited his mothers land after she died. What Sarah got seems quite obscure. She was 22 when the will was written.
Charles died March 24, 1875. He was listed as being 85 years old although the census records indicate he was 78. Agnes (Tanner) Cross recalls her mother telling her that Margaret, his wife was very upset and that Sarah Jane his daughter was told after coming from the barn that the horses would have to go to Henry since neither Mother nor Sarah Jane would be able to look after them. Margaret took Sarah Janes hands and held them over the fireplace when she told her of Charles death. Since John lived across the road one wonders why Henry was to get the animals.
This was not a pleasant time for Margaret. Less than two year later John her oldest son died. She died less than a month after him, March 1877 at the age of 66. All of these people were buried in the Eacott family plot overlooking the Sydenham River.
No photo is known of Charles. Margaret did have a picture taken.
The only artifact which may be linked to Charles is a pocket watch, made in England, the mechanisms was common to the late 1700's early 1800's, a case dating however may place
it as 1864. The watch if not Charles was certainly John's.
The Line of John Eacott, son of Charles 1837 - 1877 (Gen 2)
John Eacott was the eldest child of Charles and Margaret. He was born in July of 1837. It appears from the census records that he could read a little but not write much. He was interested in farming for he took up his fathers land at con 24, lot 6, a hundred acres, in 1861 at the age of 24. He was married to Maria (Mariah) Willis.
.
Mariah was born in Jan. 1840 to William and Ann Willis. William Willis was born 1778 in Ireland and died May 10, 1848 age 70. His wife Ann lived from 1813 to April 4 , 1877 age 64. When their daughter was born he was 62 and she was 27.
The census of 1871 provides an insight into the life of the Eacott family. John was 34 that year and Maria was 31. They had a son Charles, 2, who was born in 1869.They were listed as supporters of the nearby Baptist church. On the farm there was listed one house, built in 1861, two barns, 1 carriage, two wagons, a plough, two mowers or reapers, a horse rake and a fanning mill.
45 acres were under the plough, 20 were pasture, 9 acres were in wheat, 30 in barley, 8 in peas and there was an orchard. 50 bu. of corn and 70 bu. of potatoes were grown on half an acre. 10 acres of hay produced 20 tons. 100 lbs of grapes were grown which produced 5 gal of wine. 150 lbs of maple syrup were produced. John owned that year, 2 adult horses, 3 milk cows, 8 horned cattle, 12 sheep, and some pigs. He sold 6 cattle, 2 sheep, and five pigs. The farm produced 300 lbs of butter. 20 lbs of wool were produced and turned into 20 yards of cloth by Maria. 35 cords of firewood were cut. This was the record of a self sufficient family which existed because of their own effort. While not pioneers they were not far removed from those days.
During the next six years John and Maria had 2 more children. Maggie, (Nov 24 1872 to 1953 and later John Henry, (1874 -1918 ).
Tragedy befell this family in 1877. John suffered a cut to his thumb which became infected. The infection turned into Erysipilis blood poisoning. Today this would have been quickly cured. In those days there was no cure. John Eacott died February 3, 1877 at the age of 39.
Maria was left with the farm and 3 children. The oldest, Charlie was 8. One month to the day later Marias mother -in -law died.( Mar 3, 1877) One month and 1 day after that her own mother died. April 4, 1877
Three major family deaths in three months.
The widow Eacott was courted by Ted Hope, 13 years her junior, who lived on the 6th north of Haggerty across from McLeans. (mother Catherine died 1881) They married and had a daughter, Ida C. 1884 - 1967 who lived at Bothwell and married Hugh Clements 1879 - 1942.. Ted (Edward) Hope was remembered as a very fine man. The farm remained in the hands of Maria and the children until 1894. Charles and John Henry sold their share of the farm to their sister.Maggie and her husband Wm. Murphy. Maria gave her share to Maggie. Charles was 27 at the time.
Maria and Ted lived on the farm for a time. They moved to Bothwell in 1908 with their family. (Bothwell Times) and lived in white house on Elm St by United Church. After Maria died Ted remarried ( a Marshall).. Maria was remembered as a very quiet person by Agnes Cross who met her once.
Mariah died Sept. 16, 1916, age 75 years and 8 months. She was buried in the Eacott cemetery next to her first husband. Her stone reads Mariah Willis, wife of Ted Hope. Ted ( Edward) Hope 1853 - 1943 is buried in Bothwell Cemetery.
Children of John Eacott (Gen 3)
- Charles W. Eacott, born May 27, 1869 died Aug. 30 1933, age 64. (The 1901 census says he was born 1868) Charles or Charlie as he was known was born on lot 24 con 5 of Euphemia in the house his family had built. His father died when he was 8 and he was raised by his stepfather and mother. He apparently thought highly of Ted Hope. He also seems to have been included in the life of Henry’s family. His photo was included with Henry’s children who were a little younger than he. He had a life long friendship with his cousin Aggie. William Tanner appears to have helped Charlie learn the skills of a builder. Charles helped build the 1888 house as a young man. He also worked on numerous projects around the area. Charles was a reasonably successful builder. Many homes in the Highgate and Bothwell areas were constructed by him. He was considered a very talented person. He would build a house, sell it and build another.
At one time he and his brother or cousin Jim Henry went west to Winnipeg and other points. It is said they obtained a land grant in what is now part of Winnipeg but lost it through neglect of paying the taxes. Maggie, Charlie’s sister did live in Ogema, Saskatchewan for a time. The west did not hold much attraction for him as he was back in Ontario in 1896. Times were not good as he says that in order to keep warm he used to wrap newspapers around his legs under his pants in Winter.
On Dec. 23, 1896 Charles married Estella Elva Reynolds at Palmyra. She was 20 and he was 27. (The 1901 census says she was 22, born 1878 and he was 32 born 1868 so they were 18 and 28) The Highgate Monitor of Dec 24th 1896 said “ Mr. Chas. Ecott and Miss Estella Reynolds of Palmyra were married at the residence of Rev. Mr. Iler in Ridgetown on Wed Dec. 23rd. We congratulate the young couple and wish them much happiness” . It appears to have been a rather perfunctory wedding. The day they were married a friend borrowed one of Charles’ shirt to go to a funeral and inadvertently took the wedding licence with him. They were in quite a fix until the paper was located.
Estella was born April 5, 1876 (census 1901 says 1878) and died July 1960, age 84 (or 82) She grew up behind the store at Palmyra. Estella was the eldest child of Harry J. Reynolds and Hanna Street. According to the census of 1901 they were living with or beside her family. Her mother may have died as her father was married to Grace whose age was then 37.
After the marriage they moved back to Cairo loading their things in a horse and wagon but work was better around Palmyra so after a few weeks they relocated there. Some times Charles had to walk 10 miles a day to his job. In the winter he would wrap his legs in newspapers to keep warm. Around 1900 pay was a dollar a day. He would supplement his income by working for the local undertaker a job which Estelle didn’t like him doing.
Stella and Charles Children were John Frances 1910 - 1988, and Laura 1916 - 1990. Laura married Donald Hastings and lived her life at Highgate, from 1920 in an imposing red brick house which Charles had built for a doctor in 1905 but it had never been used in that way.
William Reynolds came to Canada in 1842 from England. He settled first at Coburg and 9 years later in Elgin county. 6 years later he relocated to Lot 24 con 1 Howard Twp. near Morpeth, Ont., 1857.His son Harry J. Reynolds was born June 22, 1856 (or 1857 -- 1901 census). Harry took over the blacksmith shop of George Bishop in 1878 ( see Orford's Story pg 37, photo) Harry and Hanna had 8 children. Harry died March 1, 1940 age 84. His wife may have died in the mid 1890's as his wife in 1901 was Grace.
Jacob Street was the first settler in Palmyra area. He arrived in 1817 with his sons, Joseph, Charles, Samson. His farm was the northwest lot at the Palmyra intersection. He paid Col. Talbot 30 dollars to register his claims and agreed to clear the roadway and so much of each lot. Jacob Street came from New York state. He was possibly the grandfather of Hanna, mother of Estella. he was instrumental in starting the Methodist church at Palmyra in 1850's when a group left the Baptist church and met in log building on his land. Services were held when the circuit rider came around.
Children of Harry and Hanna:
Estella Elva (Eacott) 1876 or 1878, April 5
Leila Elizabeth 1880 daughter Isabel, Vancouver
Charles Wm 1882, Apr 26 no family
Ada Rebecca 1886 or 1885 May 15 m Norm McEachran 1902
sons: Harry and Roy, Roys kids Norm, Bea (Teetzle),Ken
Mary Belle 1888 or 1887 Apr 5 m Otto Knapp
sons: Harry, Charles (Harry lived on farm at Highgate)
Laura Amelia 1890, Jan 10 m Herrick, Syracuse NY (lived to be nearly 100)
dau: Nancy
Lillian Jemima 1892 -- died (a twin?)
Frances John (Frank) 1892 , Apr 6 son: Paul Northfield Oh.
Charles Eacott died of a heart attack in August 1933. His widow took in borders to earn extra money.
- Margaret Eacott (Maggie), born 17 Nov 1871, was the second child of John. She married William J. Murphy in what was described as a very nice wedding given her by her stepfather. This may have been in 1894. Margaret and her husband took over the farm left by John. Charles and John Henry sold out their share and their mother gave her share to Maggie. The Murphys moved in 1896 and had 3 children. Their child Elgin was born 26 Sept 1896. By 1908 they had moved to Ogema, Saskatchewan. William died and Margaret married Ed Walker of Euphemia Twp. The Walkers were living in Ogema SK in 1916 when Elgin went to Weyburn to enlist. He was 5 ft 10 in tall and has a 38 inch waist, brown eyes, dark complexion, dark brown hair and was a Farmer and a Presbyterian. His letters home from the front still exist. He was killed at Vimy Ridge. The others later came back to Ontario. Roy who became a customs officer in Windsor; ; and Lily who married Stanley Chisholm and had a daughter Lillian. William Murphy died. Maggie then married Ed. Walker of Euphemia. The Walkers lived in Walkerville. She died 1953 age 81 and is buried in Bothwell cemetery. When she died she had 3 grand children and 8 great grandchildren.
- John Henry Eacott, born Aug 1, 1874 is believed to have gone out west then he surfaced in Cleveland Ohio in 1895 where he was married to Sarah Ann Sheppard by Rev. C. Burghardt in Cuyahoga County (marr.lic 9394) 13 Aug 1895 . In 1903-4 he was living at 354 Humboldt St ( name changed to 2938 E. 34th St SE in 1906) where he lived the rest of his life. In 1910 census he was listed as a sidewalk laborer, immigrant date 1895, married to Sarah age 37 with 5 children 3 living. His children were listed as Roy age 11, Clarence age 8, born 1903. and Lawrence 1914. Also living there were Sarah’s mother Sarah Sheppard age 68, born in England, immigrant 1868 a widow 2 times, had 9 kids, 4 living. Her daughter Martha 19 and her husband Dan Bennett, a grocers teamster, also lived with John Henry. In 1916 he was listed by occupation as a carpenter.
He returned to Euphemia for a visit between 1912-1916. He stayed with his aunt Jane McCabe and fixed the chimney on the Tanner house. He was very thin and tall and clean shaven. Lawrence Eacott was about 3 years old when his father died in 1918 from the Flu.
John Eacott died 22 Nov. 1918 (age 44) and was buried in Harvard Grove Cemetery, Cleveland Ohio Nov. 25 1918. Prior to his death he was at an institution on a detention property where he was confined with tuberculosis although he officially died of the Influenza. He was treated for this from October 25th 1918. He was thought to also have been a stone mason and had been in Saskatchewan. His wife Sarah Ann Sheppard was born in Ohio in Dec 18, 1873 to William and Sarah Sheppard (other spellings also) who came from England. After John Henry died she continued living in the same house with her 3 boys, mother, the Bennetts and their 2 children. However she took a job as a sewer in a cloak factory. (Census 1920)
At this time Roy was 20, single and working as an electrician in a factory. Clarence 17 was a driver for a brick wagon. Lawrence was 5. Later between 1921 and 27 Sarah married John Wallace a widower with a daughter Ida (Kinzie). Sarah died in 1973 and is buried in Harvard Grove Cemetery. (Info from records of Eve Eacott).
Roy John Eacott, Sept 6 1899 - June 1972, was born in Ohio and worked at various jobs around Cleveland. In 1920 he was living at home and was an electrician, 2 year later he was living at 5228 Portage Ave, Cleveland and was a supervisor. In 1927 he was a tallyman living at 4405 Pallister Drive. By 1930 he was married and was a driver. At different times he was a lumber hauler and at others ran electric furnaces at Superior Carbon. He bought a farm at Brunswick Ohio and sold corn tomatoes, rabbits and pigeons which he raised. He called his farm “Last Minute Ranch” as his family was always late. He was killed in a car truck crash (age 73) while driving home at 5:25 pm. June 1972. He is buried at Medina Ohio Townline Cemetery. His wife was Selina Harretta Zabel b. Apr 18 1901, died April 16 1967. They were married June 4 1921.
Clarence Eacott, 1902 - 1973 second child of John Henry married Victoria Marmon and converted to Roman Catholicism and lived in Cleveland Ohio. Victoria died in 1937 leaving Clarence with 2 small children Clara and Lawrence M. Clarence died in 1973 in Tuscan Arizona.
Lawrence Eacott, born 1914 died 1985 married Cecelia Pekar and they had 2 boys and 3 girls. He lived at Cleveland Ohio.
- Ida Hope, daughter of Mariah and Ted Hope was half sister to Charles, John Henry and Margaret., She was born 1884 - and died in 1967 she married Hugh Clement 1879 - 1942 and lived at Bothwell.
The Life of Henry, son of Charles 1840 - 1929 ( Gen 2)
Henry Eacott, whose name was pronounced AYe cott, was the 2nd son of Charles and Margaret. He was born November 1840.
At the age of 26 he had established himself as a householder (Lambton Gazette 1866) perhaps with the aid of his father. In July of 1868 Henry had joined the militia to help against the Fenian Raids along with other township residents.
Henry married Elizabeth McCauley, October 11, 1870. He was 30 and she was 21. We know this from Henry's bible which in 1981 was in the possession of his granddaughter Mildred Leeson, mother of John Leeson of Con 13, Camden Gore, Thamesville.
They were married in the Regular Baptist Church, Bothwell. however in later years they were active Anglicans. Elizabeth McCauley was the daughter of James McCauley who came to Canada from Ruther Glen Scotland with his parents in 1819. Originally the family had settled at Port Huron but later took Talbot land in Camden Twp. James was the eldest son of Robert and Agnes McCauley and when he became 18 he obtained a crown land grant of 200 acres lot 31 con 6 Euphemia. He died Feb 14, 1874 at the age of 59. Elizabeth’s mother was Mary Ann Alexander who died May 4, 1914 at the age of 93. Mary Ann came to Canada at the age of 5 and settled first at Calabogie near Ottawa. Elizabeth was born in 1849 and had at least two sisters and 4 brothers; Mary who married John Gibson and Sarah who married H.L. Farland. Sarah died very Young at 19 in 1854. Mary died in 1908 at 52 years. Robert her brother owned the McCauley Hotel at Cairo. James and Frederick owned farms on lot 23/4 Con 6 and 7. James and Mary Ann McCauley are buried in the Eacott Cemetery. In Henry's bible is a letter from relatives, Jane and Thomas Reed of 14 Hamilton Road, Ruther Glen, Scotland who had just recently visited. Jane was another sister who lived in Scotland.
Henry and Elizabeth had five children: Mary Ann July 12, 1871; Sarah Jane Sept. 14 1872; Margaret Ellen (Dolly) Oct. 14, 1875; Agnes Elizabeth 1881; and Jim Henry (James) Aug. 25
1883.
In the spring of 1871 Henry was living on 72 acres of land at lot 28, con 4 Euphemia. (by the river). He was listed as 29 and she was 22 on the census. In fact he was 31. They were listed as being Presbyterian. At this time they seemed well established. Henry owned three houses, three orchards, a barn, a carriage, a wagon and a pleasure beast, a plow, a fanning mill, 2 work horses, 4 milch cows, 9 other cattle, 3 sheep, 4 pigs. They made 410 lbs. butter, 100 lbs. cheese, 20 lbs wool, and 50 yards of homespun cloth. 40 of the 72 acres had been improved ( tiled). Henry and his wife could both read and write.( Ontario Archives, census for 1871, reel C9901, census for 1861 reel C1040 and Pg # 10, # 30
The early 1870s were good years for the Eacott families. Henry particularly seemed to be doing well. The late 70's were tragic. After his parents death in 1875 and 1877 Henry inherited the south half of his fathers farm. He rented this farm to Wm Tanner who had emigrated from England in 1855. In 1880 (Lambton Atlas 1880) his land near the river was being farmed by J. Munroe.
Elizabeth desired a nicer house than the frame home they lived in. In 1888 Henry hired Wm. John Tanner who was a contractor, to build a fine brick house on the lot he inherited from his parents. The plans were drawn on an old plank. Charles Eacott, now 19, was hired to help build the house. The door knobs were of brass and they were polished each Saturday. It was clear that the house was built for Elizabeth who said that they could afford it. ( house removed about 1990 never had electricity.) The Hotel at Cairo 1889 was also built by Tanner.
Henry's good fortune was in part due to the discovery of oil on his land. Oil had been discovered in the Bothwell area as early as 1854. The town of Bothwell was founded on and grew on the oil business of the 1860's. In 1893 oil was struck at deeper levels (365 feet) and by 1896 hectic exploration took place in the area. In 1897 wells were drilled on Henry's land near the river. The oil was hauled to Petrolia and other places by Wm. (Bill) Tanner who married Sarah Jane, Henry's second girl. Later oil was sold at Bothwell. The price in 1902 was $ 1.94 a barrel when Henry sold his oil to Fairbanks in Petrolia. Later, 1916 the Mitchells looked after his wells. The wells became unproductive soon after that.
Oil Springs Chronicle “ 56 wells in operation average about 500 bbls a month........a Glencoe company has 15 wells pumping on the Henry Eckett farm. The oil is nearly all teamed to Bothwell and brings $1.48 per barrel clear. The pipeline has been laid to within a distance of 5 miles from the territory that covers an area of about 1,000 acres.” Bothwell Times Apr 20 1899
In 1893 Henry's oldest girl Mary Ann(22) married Archie D. McGugan in the front room of the 1888 house. At about the same time Margaret Ellen (Dolly) (age 17) left home with a chum and went to Detroit on the train to live. Henry went after her but she refused to come home. He did not want his girls to be nurses. Agnes (Aggie) left home to become a nurse and Jim Henry left, perhaps to work on the railroad. Only Sarah Jane lived near her parents. After 1900 Henry exchanged houses with Sarah Jane and her husband Bill Tanner. Tanners lived in the 2nd house south of the river which was painted red. They were far from the school which their son George was ready to attend. A few years after that in 1908 Henry retired from farming and moved to Bothwell.
News item Nov. 11, 1908 Bothwell Times, " On Thursday Evening Nov 3rd, one hundred friends and neighbours assembled at the residence of Mr. Wm. Tanner to tender a farewell to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Eacott who are leaving shortly to live in Bothwell. Miss Laing read an address expressing sorrow and Miss Leva Tully presented each with a handsome chair. Mr. Eacott replied, thanking everyone for the gifts to himself and his wife and said much use would be made of them. Games, music and activities were held before lunch. The guests departed saying that it was the best event of the season."
Henry was described as a tall, thin man of mild manners and an industrious nature. He was thought to be an Orangeman and a mason. Henry was considered a very righteous man and was very respected in his community. In his later years he developed the shakes and could not shave himself.
Elizabeth McCauley, his wife died on their 55th wedding anniversary, Oct. 11 1925. Her obituary in the Bothwell Times read " Mrs. Henry Eacott dies on 55th wedding anniversary, Oct. 11, 1925 age 76 years, 6 mo. Parents were Mr. Mrs. James McCauley, pioneers of Canada. Survived by her husband Henry, son James of the West, three daughters Mrs. William Tanner of Cairo; Mrs M.E. Broadwater of Montana; Miss Aggie of Detroit; and Mr. James McCauley, a brother of Euphemia, only surviving member of a large family. Rev. Hunt of Grace Anglican Church conducted the funeral."
For the next few years Henry was looked after by his daughter Aggie. Henry died in Bothwell Jan 31, 1929, 88 years 3 months. His obituary Feb 7, 1929 Bothwell Times. "The funeral was held at Grace Anglican - a very large funeral, proof conclusively of the very high esteem in which he was held. Rev. Hunt spoke of the deceased very highly as a Christian and a citizen. He is survived by 3 daughters, Mrs Wm Tanner of Euphemia; Mrs. W.E. Broadwater of Great Falls, Montana; Miss Agnes of Bothwell; son James of El Paso Tex; a fourth daughter died in 1898. Attending the funeral were Mr. Mrs. Chas Eacott and family of Highgate; George McCabe and son of Alvinston; Mrs. Basil Madock of Alvinston; Mrs. Floyd Coulter of Plymouth Michigan; Mr. Mrs. John Leeson of Thamesville; Mrs. Chas. Reynolds of Highgate; Mrs. Mary McCauley and Mr. Mrs. Armstrong of Alvinston. Mrs. H. Eacott, his wife died in 1925 age 76.
The late Mr Eacott was born in Euphemia, a son of Mr. Mrs. Charles Eacott, pioneers of Euphemia and of English and Irish ancestry. He lived on the farm up to the time he moved to Bothwell 20 years ago. No man was better known in Euphemia and surrounding communities than Mr. H. Eacott and no one was more highly esteemed, undoubtedly a grand man has gone to receive his reward".
He is buried in Bothwell cemetery under a large, grey granite stone. Mrs. John Leeson, granddaughter, kept flowers on his grave for over 50 years.
Children of Henry and Elizabeth (Gen 3)
- Mary Ann, Mrs. Archie McGugan, (gen 3) Born July 12, 1871 died in childbirth March 27, 1898, age 27. Mary Ann worked as a dressmaker before her marriage in 1893 in the front room of the 1888 house. She had 2 daughters, Mildred Ellen McGugan (gen 4) who married John Leeson and who reported in 1981 at 86 a large number of grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her son John Leeson (gen 5) resides at R.R 1 Thamesville. Mary Ann’s second child Mary McGugan (gen 4) married Floyd Coulter and lived at Plymouth Mich. The Coulter daughter (gen 5) Evelyn married a Diccicio in Michigan and moved to California, no kids.
- Sarah Jane, Mrs. Bill Tanner, (gen 3) Born Sept 14, 1872 died 1959, age 87. Her husband died in 1947. William (Bill) Tanner was employed by Henry to haul oil. He was from a family of 13 children. He was probable descended from John Tanner the builder and his wife Jane 1805 - 67 . Sarah Jane lived up near the river when first married. About the time that Henry moved to Bothwell they were living in the 1888 house. They farmed all of their life without benefit of electricity or indoor plumbing. Their children were George Tanner (gen 4) 1897-1970, Agnes Tanner ( gen 4) Sept 13, 1901 - July 30,1986, and Jim Tanner (gen 4) 1908 - 1969. Neither of the boys married. One died of a heart attack and the other was killed in a train accident.
Agnes became an elementary school teacher. She married Clarence Vernon Cross July 4, 1925 and moved to Hibbing Minn. Later Agnes taught school near Delhi Ont. and later lived in Sarnia with her son Jim. The Cross' had three children, Jim Cross (gen 5) of Talfourd St. Sarnia, (died 1996@) a second son had a disability (mute?), and a daughter Eleanor (Wodchis) (gen 5) of Red Deer Alta. Eleanor’s children are ( gen 6) Tony, Mary Anne, Jennifer.
- Margaret Ellen, Mrs. Harry Broadwater. ( gen 3) Born Oct 14, 1875 died 1953 age 78. She was called Dolly as a girl because of her fine features. She and a chum left home at an early age and went to Detroit. Her employers moved west and she went with them. She married and divorced and returned to Michigan to live. No children known.
- Agnes Elizabeth (Aggie) Eacott , ( gen 3) Born 1881 died Oct. 12 1948, age 67, is buried beside her father. She married John L. Munroe, about 1913 but divorced him in 1923. He had been a police officer in Windsor but was caught breaking and entering. She took the Windsor house and money and he went to farming after getting out of jail.. She trained as a practical nurse in Detroit at the Chicago School of Nursing.. Later she came to Bothwell and various relatives came to live with her, including her father. She was very active in the Anglican church and was for many years secretary of the cemetery board. She was also the local librarian. Her estate, and presumably effects of Henry, were left to Mildred Leeson.
-Jim Henry Eacott, ( gen 3) born Aug. 25 1883 died 1968, age 85. Jim Henry left home to go to the west. He married Bertha Crim and they had a child which died. He deserted his wife and eventually turned up in El Paso Tex. He was reputed to like fast horses and was fond of trains. When he died he left his estate to George Tanner for reasons which are not clear. He obviously had no family.
Jane, Mrs. William McCabe, daughter of Charles (Gen 2)
Jane, Charles eldest daughter was born in 1843 according to the census of 1861 (Euphemia pg. 10 #38, the 1871 census says she was born 1846). In 1861 she was 18 and living at home with her brother Henry 21, and sister Sarah 12. Jane continued to live at home ten years later in 1871. At this time Charles was getting on in years and he had his will made out leaving the north half of lot 24, con 5 to his daughter Jane. This property included the original family home. Jane lived in this house for her entire life. After she died the house remained empty for many years. This building was the first brick structure in the area.
Jane married Bill McCabe who was nicknamed Cracky Lou. He had a reputation of not being a good provider for his wife. At some point in his life he became an alcoholic. When he married Jane she was at least 30 years old. McCabe moved into Janes house when they got married. This farm seems to have been used to keep them both going.
In 1883, Jane mortgaged the land for $900 dollars. This loan was paid off in 1887. In 1897 she again mortgaged the farm for $1010 and paid it off in 1908. She mortgaged the farm again in 1916 not long before she died. It was said one mortgage was taken to enable them to homestead in North Dakota. If they went, they were not there for very long. There was a feeling that the mortgages were forgiven rather than actually paid off.
Jane seems to have had a very unpleasant marriage. She was known to have had to walk to Bothwell to shop because they had no other means of transportation. She would at times spend the night at the Tanners next door to avoid her husband when he was drunk. Henry Voght, as a boy lived in the John Eacott house across the road and he recollects Jane as a tall big boned, course featured person. She was noted for the abundance of her waist length hair. In 1914 her cousin John Henry came and stayed a short time. Jane in her last years became feeble and would crawl across the road on her hands and knees to get food from the Voghts. She was too weak to walk. She died in 1917. There was no family. Her estate was left to Charles Arnold, her younger sisters boy.
Sarah, Mrs. Ed Arnold, daughter of Charles (Gen 2)
Sarah was the youngest child of Charles and Margaret. She was born in 1849 and was 12 at the 1861 census. At the time she was growing up a school was available locally. She was the only child of Charles to have had any formal education. Presumably it was only elementary school. The point was made that she never made any use of the education!
Although his will did not indicate any special provision for Sarah it was said of Charles that he gave each of his children a farm. Whether this was true or not, but it seems likely, Sarah lived one farm south of the Eacott lands.
Sarah married Ed Arnold who was the 5th child, born Sept 10 1849, of Edward and Jane Arnold then living in Mosa Twp. Middlesex County. When Edward and Jane moved to Euphemia it appears Edward was given to his mother’s sister Eliza Annett Sutton and her husband John Sutton who seemed to have raised him. Census 1861 and 71 have him living with them. When his parents moved on to Sombra Twp he was 21 and remained in Euphemia. Where he married Sarah and ran her farm lot 23 con 5, next to the Eacott homestead land. He was also the local mail carrier. When Edward’s brother Albert’s wife, Emma Delmage Arnold, died their infant “Bert” Albert Edward Arnold was given to Ed and Sarah to raise along with their own boys. The Arnold children were about the same age as Charles, John Henry and Margaret Eacott who lived across the road.
Ed and Sarah had two sons, John Henry Arnold the eldest b. 14 Aug 1871 and Charles Arnold b. 14 Apr 1875. (Gen 3)
John was recorded in Arnold documents as perhaps being a barber. He married Harriet Ann Wade (b. 1872) who died in 1899 in Euphemia of Consumption.
Charles Arnold “Big Charlie” 1875 - 1945 married Alice Lucy Clifford from down the road. She had been born in England. They moved to Sombra Moore Twp. , Lambton co. He and his wife are buried in Bear Creek Cemetery Moore Twp. They had twins Hector Arnold and Doris Arnold born Sept 27 1900. (Gen 4) Hector died 1918 and is buried in Bear Creek. Doris married Allen Chrysler (b June 23 1897 at Bickford, near Courtwright) she died 1955 and is buried at Bear Creek.
Children: 1. Charles Chrysler Oct 6 1928, (Gen 5)
2. Gordon Chrysler Feb 17 1944, (Gen 5) (at record living Waterloo ON) m. Pat Skelton in Grandfathers house 2nd line Moore Twp. Children James, Christine, Paul (gen 6)
3. Marion b Apr 6 1945 (gen 5) now of Victoria BC, m John Crappe divorced Jy 7 1980, Ch Darron Crappe Nov 9 1969 (gen 6)
When Jane McCabe died she left her belongings to Charles Arnold, her younger sisters boy.
Sarah died in 1903 at the age of 54. Her husband Ed Arnold remarried and had a stepson A.D. Perry who died in Florence Nursing Home.
The Line of Charles and Estella
Charles son of John son of Charles
Charles: May 27 1869 - Aug. 30 1933
Estella (Stella) Reynolds: April 5 1876 - July 1960
Married : Dec 23 1896
Children :
John Frances, son of Charles and Laura Elizabeth
John Frances Eacott 1910 - 1988
John Frances, known as Jack, was born May 27, 1910 in Highgate Ontario. He held the same name as his mother’s brother Frank (John Frances).
As a boy he learned to play the piano and other musical instruments. Later he played the organ in the United and Anglican churches and was also a member of the Highgate village band. His schooling was in Highgate but when he graduated from grade 10 he had to go to Ridgetown to complete high school. He graduated from Ridgetown High School in 1929.At one time he had contemplated becoming an Anglican priest but other interests seemed to have displace this idea.
In order to get to school he often ran the six miles from Highgate.
He played in a band during the summer months and did the summer dance tour, including a summer with Guy Lombardo sailing across Lake Erie from Port Stanley to Cleveland. For a time he had his own small group. He played piano, organ, violin and drums.
At the age of sixteen, suffering from parental over guidance, he ran away from home to sell brushes in Ingersoll under the name of Raul. However he learned the trade of cabinet maker from his father and after high school set up a carpentry business in Highgate. He even had a small sign that advertised this business. In 1933 he began working for John A. Bishop. His mother kept records of his pay. In the month after his father died, Sept 5 to 30 he earned
$55.00. In 1929 his father had been working for 27 cents per hour.
During 1933 he began courting a friend who was training as a nurse in Detroit. She Introduced him to Rhoda Mast McBride who was a nurse in training at Ford Hospital in
Detroit. Rhoda graduated in Nov. 1934 and they were married in a small ceremony in Detroit Feb. 14, 1935. His mother was not informed.
These were depression times and jobs were hard to find. They moved to Dunnville to find work and to avoid the displeasure of his mother who did not approve of the marriage. After a few months they moved to Timmins where a gold boom provided better opportunities for work. Jack worked at Hill Clarke and Francis as a construction foreman in the bush. Later he spent several years at the Dome Mines as a mine construction foreman. This work involved timbering the interior of the mines. In Timmins he struck up a drinking friendship with Roy Thompson (later Lord Thompson of Fleet). Son John, known for many years as Jackie, was born July 19,
1937. When the hospital called with the news he said that he telegraphed his mother with the news "baby born" not saying if it was a boy or girl. This broke her frozen attitude toward Rhoda and she came to Timmins for a visit. It was said that on the way to the hospital to deliver the baby the cab driver had to wait for a bear to cross the road.
On Dec. 6 1941 Japan attacked the United States. Jack was shaving when he heard the news and decided very quickly that he should participate in the war. He was a member of the
Algonquin Rifles militia and enlisted in the R.C.A.F. in 1942. At first he went to Toronto and later was stationed in Halifax. Here he had to undergo a hernia operation and as a
consequence suffered from a severe infection which nearly did him in. Rhoda went to Halifax to nurse him back to health.
Rhoda and Jackie went to Scottsville Virginia from 1942 to 1944. Jackie began school there. Jack spent some weeks on leave in Virginia after his illness and made acquaintance with his brothers in law and a local liquor seller. Upon return to duty he was stationed in overseas base # 1, Torbay Newfoundland where he served as a warrant officer. His duties involved construction and maintenance at the base. At one point he was sent on a construction trip to Iceland. On the was there the aircraft had difficulties and was forced to land on an ice floe in the ocean. They spent a very chilly night awaiting rescue. As the war drew to a close the construction work at
the base ended. Jack got into some trouble because he and another junior officer gave some huts on the base to the local residents rather than tear them down. As a result he was given the choice of court martial or transfer to the Burma campaign. He chose Burma but before he could be sent
there, Burma was liberated and that part of the war was over. He was discharged from the air force in 1944. The family relocated to Highgate from Virginia.
A chance meeting on a train with Bill Barrett, landed him a job with Gerry Livingston in Tillsonburg. This new company was in need of a draftsman. Jack quickly became a foreman with this company.
At first the family lived in an attic apartment above the Barretts and above a funeral home. The funeral home was sold to a doctor and everyone had to move out. Jack bought two lots on Denton Ave. and in the summer of 1945 began building his own house. He hired out the excavation, filled the foundations with stones from old mills, hired some fellows from work to put up the walls and roof, and got a neighbor to do the electric wiring. All the rest he did himself. The house construction went on for years. As soon as the shell was up the family moved in. A card table was used to eat off of and Jackie used a nail keg for a chair. There was a two
element hot plate to cook on. A board with sticks served as a ladder to the basement. There were no interior walls, from the table you could look over the entire inside of the house.
Livingston Wood Manufacturing was located on the other side of town and Jack walked or rode a bike to work. The business did very well and over the years Jack was promoted to purchasing agent and to plant director. he was the only none catholic working in the management of the company.
Jill was born May 8, 1946. She obtained the name because Jackie suggested the idea of Jack and Jill from the nursery rhyme. Janifer Lee was born Nov 28 1948. She was born a few weeks after Jan Cooper, a Jewish neighbor boy was born. Her doctors name was Lee. Jack and Rhoda wanted a distinctive name and liked the idea of having all kids with J's in their name.
Things began to prosper for Jack during the late 1940's. In 1951 he bought a car and learned to drive. A year later after having watched the neighbors TV set he bought a TV. Each summer after that the family went on driving holidays, usually to the USA. jack and Rhoda became active in the curling and golf clubs and each served as president of those organizations. In the late 1950's Jack became a cub master and later became district scout commissioner. He was on the building committee for the First Baptist Church after it burned down. At one time he ran for town council but was defeated.
He and Rhoda became interested in collecting antiques. For several years they gathered together an impressive collection which they sold when they moved to Florida. The house at 43 Denton Ave. was always undergoing change. The living room became a diningroom, a porch became a bedroom and finally a garage was added and then a family room and a master bedroom. There was no plaster in the house. Jack did not know how to plaster so all the walls were panelling of one sort or another.
In 1964 at the age of 54, Jack had a serious heart attack. For some weeks he was very ill. However, he took great care and put himself back into a very good level of health. In 1969 Livingston Industries were sold and Jack was offered an early retirement which he eagerly took. They promptly moved to Florida and bought a house a block from the beach. A hurricane made a mess of the grounds and he decided to move inland to a house on a pond. Later they moved into a mobile home park at Largo. For some years in the 1970's and early 1980's he owned a home at Highgate Ontario.
When Rhoda died in 1979, he courted the widow Bea Truitt whom he married in Florida in 1980. They both enjoy traveling and even with declining health they were able to
go on Caribbean cruises each winter. At the completion of one of these cruises Jack collapsed and died. Jan 4, 1988. He was disembarking at Miami Fla. He was cremated and his ashes
scattered at sea.
Rhoda Mast McBride, wife of John Frances
April 22, 1910 to Oct. 22 1979
Rhoda was born in New Market Tennessee, about 25 miles east of Knoxville on the edge of the Smokey Mountains. She was the youngest child of Thomas Clarke McBride and Mary
Elizabeth Mast. They were mountain settlers of North Carolina and East Tennessee. Thomas was county road superintendent and owned the first automobile in the area. He was a reasonably prosperous farmer. They lived in a narrow two story white house on their farm in Rocky Valley. Thomas injured his leg with an axe and during his convalescence he died of either blood poisoning or a heart attack. After his death Mary had to meet the expenses of the farm and sold the property. She read in a paper of a property near Scottsville Virginia and moved there in the early 1920's. Rhoda was 11 years old. She went to live with her mother and also spent a
year in Minnesota with her sister Carrie. She also spent some time with her sister Nelle. Rhoda graduated from Scottsville High School in 1929. Her classmates said she was destined to become a movie actress. Rhoda went to Georgia Tech business college in Atlanta Georgia and then took a job in Augusta working in Thomas Edison's stock brokerage firm.
After a year or so there she went to Detroit to live with Nelle and Royce Collins and decided to enter nursing. She graduated as a nurse with good marks from The Henry Ford School of Nursing. At this time she was courting Jack.
During her married life she became active in all sorts of activities. She was a very busy person. She organized the Tillsonburg Home and School, Helped organized and participated for years on the Hospital Auxiliary, was a Brownie and Guide Leader, was president of ladies division of the golf club and the curling club, and was the ladies
president of the Tillsonburg Fair Board.
In 1967 she was given a medal by the town of Tillsonburg in recognition of her community work as citizen of the year. In Florida she was a member of a garden club.
She was a very active craft person and tried her hand at painting, crewel, weaving, braiding, quilting, and others.
She had not been a sickly person but in 1977 she was diagnosed as having terminal bowel and liver cancer. For the next two years she made every effort to lead a normal life. Only weeks before she died she undertook to begin a new type of craft activity. When she died she was still working on projects including a sweater for her granddaughter. Rhoda Died Oct.22 1979 in Largo Florida and was cremated.
Laura Elizabeth, 1916 - 1990, daughter of Charles and Estella
Laura Elizabeth was born May 3, 1916 - died Feb.13 1990 Laura lived at Highgate, Ontario for all of her life. After her father died when she was 17 years of age she and her mother had a difficult life making ends meet. Laura took a position as postmistress at the Highgate post office where she became well known throughout the community. She worked at this job until her marriage to Don Hastings, a local farmer who later became warden of Kent Co. Her family was raised in the large red Brick house on the main street of Highgate. Her Children are Mary ( Ron Buttery) of Kerwood, Bill (wife Sue and Children Cindy 1984 Brian 1988), Margaret ( Gerry Spence) of Thamesville who have two boys. Laura was active in the Highgate community until in later years she suffered from osteoporosis and Alzheimers.