Stone farm house - My part of the story

[stonefarmhouse]

Hi everyone, this is my story and the chapter my family has begun in the history of our home. I'll be honest I'm doing this as much for my own enjoyment as your own, but I hope that you will enjoy coming along for the ride. After reading some of the great stories here in the district, I know that we are not purists as preservationists or restorers, I'm married to a wonderful wife who leans toward more modern tastes but even while we make some changes, we hope we are preserving the integrity and history of the house in the time we are here, fixing up problems where they arise so the house can be enjoyed by many generations to come.

[stonefarmhouse]

First things first, I've been doing some digging into the history, here's my understanding of how it went.
In 1802 the 200 acre farm was granted by the crown to Jacob Sypes, for loyalty to the British crown.
Split into 3 parcels, 100 acres were sold in in 1828, 50 given to Jacob's daughter, and 50 to Jacob's son John who sold to John Warnock, a Scottish Immigrant in 1834.
Although I have not found any hard evidence, I have been told that the house was built by John Warnock in 1836.
John owned the property as well as the 200 acres adjacent (purchased from the Anglican clergy in 1856, until his death in 1871 when it was passed on to his children, with son John taking possession of the house.
As a side note, another son, Adam Warnock, married a sister of Jacob Hespeler an early pioneer in the Cambridge area. Adam went on to found the Galt Knitting Company, later the Tiger Brand Knitting Company, a highly successful textile company in nearby Galt, ON. James Warnock, another son, founded a tool making company selling fine edge tools (chisels, drawknife, adze, etc) which can still be found today and were actually of such quality that many are still in use by modern timber frame carpenters.
But back to the house, it was sold to the Gerard family in 1899 and again to the Russel family in 1910, remaining in this family until our family purchased it.
In 1955 my Opa, recently immigrated from the Netherlands, purchased the neighboring farm with 3 other families. 2 of the partners were bought out shortly after and the final partner in 1972. In the 1980's (I have to confirm the exact year) he was able to purchase this property from the Russel family. Being a large house it was split up into two family homes. In the coming years, the families of 5 of the children (my parents and aunts and uncles) each spent a few years living in the front or back section of the house (it seems that every time another sibling got married, or a new barn was built in the farm, the families reshuffled to suit the needs). My parents lived in the front of the house from 2000-2004, before renovating the back section and moving to that side of the house, increasing the living space by converting the woodshed area into finished living space. Our family moved out in 2014, I got married in 2016 and moved into the front of the house.
There was no electrical or running water in the house until 1980's when our family moved in, which means there was no knob and tube anywhere , and probably explains the remarkable conditions of the plaster and trim work throughout the front half of the house. The only bathroom was a 3 seat outhouse in the woodshed . The back half of the house was the 'service area' originally and would have had the original kitchen as well as a large stone hearth and massive brick bake oven, with a massive wood storage area. One bank of original floor to ceiling cabinets remains in the old kitchen.
I probably missed some interesting details, but that's the rough history that brought our house to where it is today. Pictures to come as time allows!

[Gothichome]

Joel, what an interesting story,not sure most these days Orin the 80’ would be willing to move into a home with an out house and no electricity. It would seem there was very little need for a moving van moving family about. I’m assuming the main road off the 401 into DT was named after Jacob Hespler, not the hockey stick, we’re they made in Cambridge?

200 acres I believe was the standard land grant from the crown for settlers. All the farms herein the Chatham area were originally surveyed in 200 acre lots as well. Originally in the early 1800’s settler farming was a hard work, knowing the rocky nature of the area it must have been a hard slog.

I look forward to following your old home adventures, if you need some help ask, many of us have done most of the stuff old home owner do to maintain our homes.

Ron

[stonefarmhouse]

I think the PO was an older couple living in the entire house on their own if I have my story right. They also used only wood to heat the whole house.. without a scrap of insulation to be found.

The town of Hespeler, later joined with Galt and Preston to form Cambridge, was named after Jacob Hespeler, so I guess the road and the hockey sticks too

Definitely a tough life farming here in the early years, but the rocks make for some beautiful houses in the area.

I will definitely be coming to you guys for some help before too long, I have a basement that needs shoring up, exterior trim that needs refinishing and a couple of windows in need of reglazing! And my fourth child on the way

[Gothichome]

Well, do them all in that order, unless of course the baby changes the plan, then do that first.