Great Grandpa Duck and horses
I grew up on a farm southwestern Ontario, on the outskirts of the hamlet of Morpeth in Chatham-Kent. This land, which my ancestors toiled over for generations, etched itself into the landscape of my memory, influencing my art and writing today. As my worldview expands, I have come to learn that before the days of my ancestors farming, it was the land of the Three Fires Confederacy: the Odawa, Potawatami and Ojibwe. The early settlers obtained the land through the McKee Purchase Treaty (Treaty 2), signed in 1790.
After each visit to the farm, I return to British Columbia with a new batch of treasures: postcards, hat pins, journals, dishes. While working on mixed-media painting, in which I collage scraps of antique papers, I get side-tracked by looking through my “old stuff.” I decided to channel my fascination into this blog dedicated to documenting and sharing these treasures.
This is a very small side-hobby for me, so I don’t spend very much time on it these days with my work and family out in BC. I apologize for the delay in replying to comments. I hope that you will enjoy following my blog and learning about life one hundred years ago in rural Ontario, in a time before wind turbines.
“The Duck Barns” mixed media collage painting, Nancy Hildebrand
The Farmhouse Chronicles 
I was so surprised to stumble across your site today. I grew up on a farm just outside Morpeth and many of my maternal ancestors lived in the vicinity – Galbraiths, Sterlings, Chase. My Dad, John Trenter, and Mother purchased the old Galbraith farm on Yoppingburg Sideroad in the ’40’s. Marjorie Smith Geddes was my public school teacher and I have a copy of her book “As the Story Is Told”. As a child I knew Helene Duck. I will be visiting this site to read all your stories and am so glad to have found it.
That is so great to hear! It’s good to know people are finding this interesting. My sisters and I spent time with Helene many Saturday mornings. I think alk that time I spent at Hillcrest Cottage (my great grandparents’ house) really helps me imagine their lives in the early 1900s. Thanks for reading!
I am the granddaughter of Ethel and Harry Rockey. I dearly love my memories of Morpeth. I am so glad to have found your site. I will be back often!
Another interesting connection, I think, is the second last minister in the list. I went to Riverside High school in Windsor. A Herb Summers was a couple of grades ahead of me.
Jim Duck
I have enjoyed reading the chronicles, I have always lived between New Scotland and Rondeau Park on Kent Bridge road and know/knew or am related to many of the people mentioned.
Five generations of my family are laid to rest in Morpeth cemetery my Dad was a former trustee.
Doug Stirling
Hi Doug,
Thank you for reading! It’s great to connect with people like you who can appreciate the stories shared here.
I am so glad to have found your treasure of information. My grandparents raised their children on a small onion farm in Morpeth and I grew up and had my first child while still living in Morpeth. I believe we rode the school bus together. I was also the young paper girl who learned a wealth of information from my retired customers including Helene Duck who used to tell me stories of my family she taught. I return from time to time to visit family still there and realize what I miss most is the closeness we shared in our little community and how the elder generations were truly neighbourhood grandparents and we all looked out for each other.
So interesting! I love how all these connections are coming to the surface through the blog.
Thank you for this material.It is interesting to me as my great,great grandfather George Higgs settled in Morpeth in 1839 on the 3rd concession lot 12. He and his some descendants lie in Morpeth cemetery today.I have read the excerpts from ” As the story is told ” with keen appreciation.I would like to buy that book but cannot find it- any help in that would be so great. The stories and pictures have really helped paint a picture of our families early life there and I am very grateful to have.
Hi Bruce, thank you for your comments. I will try to keep re-typing the book when I have time – I haven’t been able to find any more to purchase.