CULBERT FAMILY HISTORY is a genealogy blog dedicated to the descendants of pioneers John Culbert and Mary Ward. John and Mary left Ireland in 1840, purchasing 100 acres on the Coursey Line in what is now known as The Township of Lucan-Biddulph, Middlesex County, Ontario, Canada. We also welcome the descendants of John Culbert's siblings, cousins, and other relatives.
The following article appeared in the 4 January 1923 edition of the Exeter Advocate, 100 years ago. This newspaper was read by the many descendants of John Culbert & Mary Ward who lived in or around the Lucan, Ontario area.
Let's travel back to New Year 1928 on Poplar Farm. Join the family of Myron and Effie Culbert at Poplar Farm, the Culbert homestead near Lucan, Ontario, Canada....
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| Left to right: Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert; Ivan Hector Culbert; mother Effie Pearl (Taylor) Culbert holding Merton Manford Culbert; Kenneth Arthur Culbert; and Clifford Burton Culbert. Father Myron Manford Culbert is missing from the photo and is probably behind the camera. Their sixth and youngest son, William Earl Culbert was born the next year. |
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| Same photo as above from a distance. Poplar Farm was located on Lot 19, Concession 2 (the Coursey Line) in Biddulph Township between
McGillivray Drive & Mooresville Drive (closer to McGillivray Drive). Although the house is no longer in the Culbert family, it still stands today (minus the front veranda) and now uses the address 34851 Coursey Line, Lucan. This house was built by Richard Culbert, son of John Culbert and Mary Ward. The first house on the property was a log cabin built by John Culbert when he settled on the land in 1840 after leaving Ireland with his wife, Mary Ward and their children. |
Happy New Year!
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| Ethel Culbert's love, Norman Gras. |
Ethel Gertrude (Culbert) Gras (2 March 1886 - 21 April 1986) composed this poem for her husband, Norman Scott Brien Gras on New Year's Day, 1 January 1946. By this time, they had been married more than 30 years.
A NEW YEAR’S GREETING TO MY LOVE
1 January 1946.
Norman dearest, husband of mine,
I greet you, I wish you a Happy New Year
In this very inadequate juvenile rhyme
That expresses some sentiments deep without fear.
Of course I am prejudiced far beyond measure
In the strength and wisdom of such a great man –
Both author and teacher. But more do I treasure
Your honor, integrity, courage so calm.
The years have been many; the ups and downs, too,
We have been busy and we have been gay.
Life has been happy while journeying with you.
Forward we look to a still brighter day.
It is hard for me here to precisely declare
How much I do love and adore you, my dear.
About that, of course, you’re already aware,
So together we’ll toast to a Happy New Year.
Source: Poems and Rhymes by Ethel Gertrude (Culbert) Gras.
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| Ethel (Culbert) Gras, 1943. Photo courtesy of Jane (Gras) Heigis. |
I’m hoping that some day, one of Ethel’s descendants will write a biographical piece for us about Ethel (Culbert) Gras. Ethel was a bright and engaging author/painter/poet and granddaughter of John Culbert and Mary Ward.
In the meantime, here’s a little background about Ethel and Norman’s love affair.
Norman Scott Brien Gras was
born 18 Jul 1884 over his father's tobacco store on Yonge Street in Toronto,
Ontario. Later in life, he would be described as "the
most outstanding economic historian in the United States." He received a PhD in economics at Harvard University where he would become the first ever professor of business history. Norman was the author of more than a dozen books in the fields of history, economics and business; and author of scholarly articles appearing in the leading economic journals of England and the United States. The list of accolades goes on but let's return to our love story.
Norman and his parents moved to London, Ontario when Norman was about 13 years old.
Norman literally dreamed that he would marry a girl from Lucan. Norman wrote, “During two summers I had camped at Ipperwash. One time while waiting for a train connection at Lucan I lay in the sun and dreamed that I should marry a girl from that village, a girl with a red petticoat. Later, such a girl, though she has since denied any red petticoat came to London and shared a few entertainments with me at the Western. Later she – Ethel Culbert – went to Victoria University and on graduation became my wife and the mother now of three undergraduates on their way to undetermined heights in mathematics, technology, and medicine.”
Meanwhile, Ethel Culbert, age 19 had left her home on Poplar Farm near Lucan, Ontario around 1905 to attend Westervelt Business School in London.
Seeking a place nearby to live, Ethel says, "fate seemed to take me to Norman's home where his mother rented rooms in an apartment above a store. My small room was next to Norman's and a mutual attraction inevitably occurred."
Regarding their courtship, Ethel goes on to say, “They had a little Shetland pony and cart. We had many delightful drives and walks together for a year until he graduated from the Western University and left for post-graduate study at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.”
Norman Gras and Ethel Culbert married on 18 June 1915 in Albany, New York.
Around this same time, Ethel graduated from Victoria University at the University of Toronto with an A.B. Degree with honors.
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| Ethel Culbert's graduation photo, 1915. Photo courtesy of Jane (Gras) Heigis. |
I was told by my aunt, Helen (Needham) Culbert that the Culbert family didn't take to Norman at first because his family background was German. (Another side of his family was Irish in origin but the Culberts apparently chose not to factor that into the equation.) Norman’s Germanic ancestor, Captain Michael Grass (then spelled with two s’s) emigrated way back in 1752 from Strasbourg to Philadelphia. Michael settled in the Mohawk Valley region of New York state just in time to participate in the Seven Years’ War. Later, he led a band of 900 Loyalists to Kingston and he was one of the founders of Kingston, Ontario. Despite his ancestor’s achievements, Norman was considered by the Culberts to be too foreign to marry their daughter!
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| Heritage plaque in Kingston inscribed with the name of Norman’s Loyalist ancestor, Captain Michael Grass. |
Ethel and Norman went on to have four children, and they led a fulfilling life in the United States.
Norman Gras died 9 October 1956 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, age 72. Ethel lived to see her 100th birthday. She died 21 April 1986 in Burlington, Vermont.
ETHEL GERTRUDE CULBERT’S FAMILY TREE:
Ancestors:
John Culbert & Mary Ward (grandparents)
Richard Culbert & Jane Eleanor Fairhall (parents)
Descendants (Children):
Edwin Culbert Gras
Ranulf Worcester Gras
Alfred Edward Gras
Jane London Gras
Note: You've already met some of Ethel and Norman's descendants. Click here to read about their grandson, Seaton Gras; click here to read about their granddaughter, Robn (Gras) Diekow, and click here to read about the seven-year 'round the world sailing voyage embarked upon by Ethel's son, Ranulf Gras, and his wife and children.
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| Unidentified Culbert reveler in early 1900s. |
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| Exeter Advocate, 18 Aug 1892, page 8. |
