Rebecca (Culbert) Whiteford - Oldest Woman in the Exeter Old Home Week Parade

Rebecca Ann (Culbert) Whiteford (born about 1845) was the daughter of John Culbert and Mary Ward. For a full biography of Rebecca, click here.

When they retired in 1907, Rebecca and her husband, William Whiteford moved to Exeter, Ontario, Canada.
 

Exeter is about 20 km (13 miles) north of Lucan, Ontario.

If you're a descendant of John Culbert & Mary Ward, you have relatives who lived in Exeter. 

Residents of Lucan often went shopping in Exeter. Exeter offered a variety of stores, and it was closer than driving to London.

Main Street, Exeter in 1916.

The summer of 1935 was an exciting time for Exeter. The town was celebrating a "Century of Progress." It was over 100 years since the first settler built the first log cabin.

The Founding of Exeter. Photo by Alan L. Brown at Ontario's Historical Plaques.

A year ahead of the "Old Home Week" event, invitations began going out all over the world. Exeter's "Old Boys and Girls" were invited to attend "Old Home Week" from July 27-31, 1935. 

Even the local businesses got caught up in the excitement. This hair salon advertisement invites you to "Look your best for Old Home Week with a Shelton Permanent Wave"...

This schedule promised five days of entertainment including music, dancing, a baseball tournament, horse races, a street carnival, a fiddlers' contest, and fireworks...

A highlight was a Grand Parade of floats, cars, and calithumpians on Monday, July 29th.

The photo below shows some of Exeter's aged residents who took part in the parade.

Among the most enthusiastic of Exeter Old Home Week were some of Exeter's aged and esteemed residents who appeared in the parade on Monday ... No. 5: Mrs. Wm. Whiteford, aged 91, oldest woman in parade.

A closer look...
 

Rebecca (Culbert) Whiteford, oldest woman in the Exeter Old Home Week Parade.

The following is a truncated description of the "Monster Parade." Rebecca (Culbert) Whiteford won the prize for oldest woman, along with James Handford, age 96, who won the prize for oldest man.

Highlights of Old Home Week:

It sounds like a good time was had by all!

Click here to read more about Rebecca (Culbert) Whiteford and here to read about her children.

The Joseph Culbert Family

Joseph Culbert (c1848-1929) was the son of John Culbert & Mary Ward. If you haven't already read about him, click here to get acquainted.

We finally have another photograph of Joseph Culbert ...

Joseph Culbert. Photo courtesy of his great-granddaughter, Vivian (McGillicuddy) Powless.

 Note the resemblance to his brother, Richard Culbert...

Joseph's younger brother, Richard Culbert

Until now, the only photo we had of Joseph Culbert was this...

Joseph Culbert, c1865 when he about 16 years old.

And now for the bonus - Joseph Culbert's daughters are included in the photo, too...

Joseph Culbert with his daughters. Left to right in back row: Edna May (Culbert) Bannister; Mary Lauretta "Lollie" (Culbert) Isaac; Cora Letitia (Culbert) Howard; Eliza Jane "Jennie" (Culbert) McGillicuddy and Sarah Frances "Florence" (Culbert) Bryce. The woman behind the boy is Joseph’s daughter Bertha Jane (Culbert) Meyer. We don't know the identity of the boy in the foreground but it might be Bertha's son. Photo courtesy of Vivian (McGillicuddy) Powless.

 

Joseph Culbert's wife, Eliza (Dempster) Culbert isn't in the photograph. Joseph and Eliza died within four days of each other in January, 1929 when they were both about 80 years old so we can assume this photo was taken before 1929.

Let's take a closer look at each of Joseph's daughters from that group photo...

Edna May Culbert. Edna Culbert (above) was born 1887. She married Earnest James Bannister and they lived in Inwood, Lambton County, Ontario. They had two children: Marion Florence Bannister and Garnet Chester Bannister.  

 

 

Mary Lauretta "Lollie" Culbert (above) was born 1877. She married James Ardeau Isaac and they lived in St. Marys, Ontario, and had 3 children: Irma Robena "Ruby" Isaac, Harvey James Isaac, and Edith Elizabeth Isaac.

Cora Letitia Culbert (above) was born 1881. She married John Casper “Cap” Howard. They lived in Lucan, Ontario and didn’t have children.

Eliza Jane "Jennie" Culbert (above) was born 1879. She married Jordan McGillicuddy. They lived in Lambton County, Ontario. Jennie Culbert & Jordan McGillicuddy had 3 sons: Orville Laverne McGillicuddy, Franklin Eusebius "Frank" McGillicuddy, and Lloyd McGillicuddy.

Sarah Frances "Florence" Culbert (above) in the polka dot dress (she was also known as "Flossie") was born 1882. She 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. Bertha Culbert (above) was born 1885. She married John George Edmund Meyer and they had a son, Robert Meyer. 

 

Not included in the group photo is Joseph Culbert's son, John Chester Culbert. He lived in Calgary, Alberta with his wife, Marie McHugh and their two sons, Maurice Culbert and John Chester "Jack" Culbert. If anyone has a photo of John Chester Culbert, please contact me at the above email address. UPDATE: Below is a photo of John Chester Culbert (known as Ches Culbert) sent to me by Susan (Culbert) Block ...

Joseph Culbert's son, John Chester "Ches" Culbert (1891-1969). Photo courtesy of Susan (Culbert) Block.

Also not included in the group photo is Joseph Culbert's youngest child, Willie Anson Culbert. Willie was born in 1893 but no other records have been found. 

For a more complete biography about Joseph Culbert (son of John Culbert & Mary Ward) click here. For more details about Joseph's children, click here. 

Note: Thanks to Joseph's great-granddaughter, Vivian (McGillicuddy) Powless for the group photo of Joseph Culbert and his daughters.