Calling All Descendants of Joseph Culbert & Eliza Dempster

Previously, you met John Culbert & Mary Ward’s son, JOSEPH CULBERT, his wife, Elizabeth “Eliza” Dempster, and their eight children. Click here if you missed it.

Joseph Culbert c1865

Over the years, I haven't had much luck finding Joseph Culbert’s living descendants nor finding out many details about those descendants who are no longer with us. In this post, I’m documenting the names of Joseph’s descendants in the hopes that someone will recognize their relative’s name and contact me with more details about their family. No living relatives are listed for privacy reasons.

If you’re not a descendant of Joseph Culbert & Eliza Dempster, this may not interest you. So now would be a good time to find something else to do, and make your excuses...

For those of you who wish to stick around, THE NAMES OF JOSEPH CULBERT & ELIZA DEMPSTER'S EIGHT CHILDREN ARE IN UPPER CASE LETTERS:

MARY LAURETTA “LOLLIE” CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert)

Lauretta or “Lollie” married James Ardeau Isaac and they lived in St. Marys, Ontario, and had 3 children:

Irma Robena “Ruby” Culbert (1900-1908) (died age 8 of appendicitis).

Harvey James Culbert (1907-1940)

Edith Elizabeth Culbert (1912-2000)

Harvey James Isaac (son of  Mary Lauretta “Lollie” Culbert & James ARDEAU Isaac) married Gertrude Louella Alpaugh and had 2 children. I don’t know whether or not those children are still alive so I’m not listing their names.

Edith Elizabeth Culbert (daughter of Mary Lauretta “Lollie” Culbert & James ARDEAU Isaac) married William George Van Valkenburg and they lived in Lambton County, Ontario. Edith Culbert & George Van Valkenburg had two children: Craig Van Valkenburg (1936-2018) and a daughter who is living. I’ve been in touch with that Van Valkenburg daughter who married and now has a different surname.

Craig Van Valkenburg (1936-2018): great-grandson of Joseph Culbert & Eliza Dempster, and great-great-grandson of John Culbert & Mary Ward. Craig was the owner of Van Valkenburg & Son Jewellers Inc. for over 60 years (one of Forest, Ontario’s oldest businesses.) Craig was also a Fire Fighter with the Forest Fire Department for 49 years, and served as previous Chief.

ELIZABETH JANE "JENNIE" CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert)

Jennie Culbert married Jordan McGillicuddy. They lived in Lambton County. Jennie Culbert & Jordan McGillicuddy had 3 children:

Orville Laverne McGillicuddy (1902-1991)

Franklin Eusebius “Frank” McGillicuddy (1904-1995) (Unmarried? Lived in California.)

Lloyd McGillicuddy (1907-1976)

Orville Laverne McGillicuddy (son of Jennie Culbert & Jordan McGillicuddy) married Ellice Catherine Chape and they lived in the USA. Orville McGillicuddy & Ellice Chape had a daughter (born in Detroit) who is still living. That daughter married Robert Hays Powless of Michigan and they had three children.

Lloyd McGillicuddy (son of Jennie Culbert & Jordan McGillicuddy) married Elizabeth Rouch and they made their home in Michigan. I don’t know if they had children.

CORA LETITIA CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert) married John Casper “Cap” Howard. They lived in Lucan and didn’t have children. However, Cora & Cap deserve a post of their own on the Culbert Family History blog at some point in the future...

Cora Culbert (Joseph's daughter) is seated in the front of the vehicle with her husband, Cap Howard, standing.

SARAH FRANCES "FLORENCE" CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert)

Florence Culbert (also called "Flossie") married James Walter Bryce and they lived in London, Ontario. Florence Culbert & James Bryce adopted a daughter, June Bryce (born 1920). If June had children, they would not be biological descendants of Joseph Culbert.

BERTHA JANE CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert)

Bertha Culbert married John George Edmund Meyer and they had a son, Robert Meyer (born 1911). I don’t know if Robert Meyer married or if he had children.

EDNA MAY CULBERT (daughter of Joseph Culbert)

Edna Culbert married Ernest James Bannister and they lived in Inwood, Lambton County, Ontario. Edna Culbert & Ernest Bannister had 2 children:

Marion Florence Bannister (1914-2002)

Garnet Chester Bannister (1917-1996)

Marion Florence Bannister (daughter of Edna May Culbert & Ernest James Bannister) married Frederick Leslie Marchant. Florence & Fred lived in Aylmer, Ontario. Florence Bannister & Fred Marchant had two children who may still be living.

Garnet Chester Bannister (son of Edna May Culbert & Ernest James Bannister) married Muriel Beatrice Cox. Garnet & Muriel lived in Lambton County, Ontario. Garnet Bannister & Muriel Cox had a daughter who may still be living; and a son, James Bannister (1945-2001). I don’t know if James Bannister married or if he had children.

Headstone of G. Chester Bannister, his wife, Muriel Cox, and their son James F. Bannister in Beechwood Cemetery, Forest, Ontario.

JOHN CHESTER CULBERT (son of Joseph Culbert)

Ches Culbert married Marie McHugh and they lived in Calgary, Alberta. Ches Culbert & Marie McHugh had 2 children:

Maurice Culbert (1919-1998)

John Chester “Jack” Culbert (1924-2016)

Maurice Culbert (son of John Chester Culbert & Marie McHugh) married but I don’t know his wife’s name or the names of any children they may have had. Maurice lived in Calgary, Alberta but may have also lived in British Columbia because he died in Richmond, BC. The alternate spelling of his name may have been Morris Culbert.

John Chester “Jack” Culbert (son of John Chester Culbert & Marie McHugh) married Maxine Kathryn Myers. Jack was a taxation officer who lived in Calgary, Alberta. Jack & Maxine had two daughters who are still living. 

Jack Culbert (1924-2016)

WILLIE ANSON CULBERT was Joseph’s last child, born in 1893. Other than his birth certificate, no other records have yet been found.

Don’t let the Joseph Culbert – Eliza Dempster legacy die with them...

Joseph Culbert & Eliza Dempster's headstone at Beechwood Cemetery in Forest, Ontario. Photo by Blake Maxfield

If you see your relatives listed in this blog post, please contact me at this email address:

The more we can find out about Joseph & Eliza’s descendants, the more information we’ll have to leave for future descendants.

UPDATE: Click here for a group photo of Joseph Culbert and his daughters.