Mary (Ward) Culbert: The Mother of Us All

Meet Mary (Ward) Culbert (c1812-1888): a pioneer of Lucan-Biddulph, Canada and the wife of John Culbert (c1806-1887)...

Mary (Ward) Culbert. Photo courtesy of Phil Culbert, her great-great-grandson.

Mary is truly the mother of us all for without her, we Culbert descendants wouldn't be here today.

So what do we know about Mary?

She's listed as a "farmer's wife" on her death certificate but that title doesn't do justice to her story; one of unending toil as our founding mother. And she accomplished her endless tasks dressed in the restrictive women's garments of the times!

It's thought that she was born around 1810-1812 to in Kings County, Ireland (known today as County Offaly) although we have no birth document for her nor do we know for sure that Kings County was her place of birth. According to family lore, her father was named Joseph Ward but this hasn't been confirmed. Family lore says that her father was a brick maker, and it's said that John Culbert went to work for Mr. Ward. Whether or not that's how John Culbert met Mary Ward, we don't know. 

We're guessing that John Culbert and Mary Ward wed around 1828 when she was about 16-18 years old. Babies soon followed. Eleven babies, to be exact! Her first five children were born in Ireland; the following six, in Biddulph Township, Canada.

Mary's father is said to have died of cholera on the voyage to Canada in 1840, along with Mary's infant daughter, Emma. However, we have no proof other than family lore that Mary's father was aboard the ship. Mary's mother, Susanna Ward survived the trip and lived to the age of 86.

Mary suffered another loss when her brother, William Ward died the first winter in Canada, age 22.

What awaited John and Mary in the New World was brutally hard physical labour. They would have worked from sunrise to sunset; building a well to provide fresh water, clearing the forested land to construct a small log house and barn, buying and tending to livestock, building much of their own furniture, making their own clothes, making candles to provide light, making soap, chopping wood to provide fuel for the fireplace which was their only source of heat, canning preserves,  never-ceasing cooking, cleaning and household chores... the list goes on. I don't know about you but I get tired just thinking about it.

It was a hardscrabble life without the benefits of electricity, running water, power tools, modern appliances, or indoor plumbing. 

Her husband, John's work would have been primarily in the fields and the barn. Mary's work wasn't confined to the house; she would have been expected to contribute some time in the fields and the barn, as well.

This isn't Mary but milking the cows was just one of her many daily chores.

It's understood that Mary controlled the finances in the family and was very capable in this role.

John & Mary built a somewhat larger log house with a second floor in the 1850s. Nonetheless, Mary wouldn't have had any privacy. Not only did John and Mary have a large brood of children, they had Mary's mother and other elderly relatives living with them in what was a small space, by today's standards. Mary's cousin, John Ward lived in a one-room shack on the property. Mary baked his bread, and did his washing and mending. Her aging cousin, William Dobbs had his own farm yet boarded with the Culberts so that Mary could do his cooking, cleaning, mending, and general care.

Mary would have been in her late 40s when the last of her eleven children was born. These were all home births, as was customary at the time, and often without assistance from a midwife or doctor. 

Mary's granddaughter, Ethel (Culbert) Gras described Mary as "a sweet and kindly person" who "retained the headship of the house for many years."

Another granddaughter, Hulda May (Culbert) Carscallen said Mary was a fine influence on her, and had a good deal to do with developing her curiosity and stimulating her eagerness to learn.[2]

Hulda said that Mary (Ward) Culbert was the chatelaine of the household until her death on 12 October 1888.

Mary (Ward) Culbert's death notice published in the Exeter Times on 17 Oct 1888.

This death notice (above) is testament to her popularity in the community and states that "her remains were followed by a large concourse of friends to St. James burying ground." A longer obituary published in the same newspaper on October 25th says, "Mrs. Culbert was highly esteemed by her neighbors."

For details on Mary's final resting place at St. James Cemetery, Clandeboye, see my post, here.

In spite of the harsh conditions of pioneer life, the unremitting hard work, and the lack of creature comforts, Mary (Ward) Culbert laid the foundation for future generations of Culberts to enjoy prosperity. We, your descendants, are indebted to you.

“I believe that never was a country better adapted to produce a great race of women than this Canada of ours, nor a race of women better adapted to make a great country.” — Emily Murphy

References:
[1] Taylor, Grant W., A History of the John Culbert – Mary Ward Family and Their Descendants  1828 – 1995” Volume 1. Branches 5-6-7-8-9, page 5.
[2] Lapp, Eula C., China Was My University: The Life of Hulda May Carscallen, Agincourt, Onario, Generation Press, 1980, page 8.