Back Row, left to right: Henrietta (Hattie, Mrs. Wm. McKay), Robert, Sarah (Mrs. Wm. Creyke, later Mrs. Wm. Brimson), William, Andrew W. Carter, Ellen (Nellie, Mrs. Thomas Arnold). Seated: Mr. John Culbert, Herbert, Mrs. John Culbert, Elizabeth Margaret (Mrs. Andrew Carter), and Isabella Jane Edythe Carter (Mrs. Russell Rowe). In 1872, the Gazetteer and Directory of Simcoe Country states that Mr. Thomas Phillips owned the North 1/2 Lot 21, Concession 5, Tecumseth Township, comprising approximately 112 acres. Mr. Phillips was later Reeeve of Tecumseth Township and during this time the house and original barn were built, both in one year. The lumber for the buildings was obtained from the Coffey oak bush on the adjoining 200 acres. A sawmill was operated while some 60 acres of oak lumber was taken out. On November 29, 1890, the farm was sold by Mr. Phillips' widow, Sarah Phillips (she was a Miss Van Every, sister of Mrs. Wm. Hill, next farm, Lot 20) to Mr. John Culbert. John Culbert, with his brother Robert and sister Mary Jane (later Mrs. Carruthers, grandmother of the late Mrs. Cardie McLean) had cvome to Canada about 1850 from Dungannon, Tyrone County, Northern Ireland. John returned to Ireland to marry Miss Isabella Johnson and bring her as a bride to Canada in 1861. His brother Alex and sisters Mary Ann and Ellen (later Mrs. Robt. Watt, step-grandmother of Wm. Watt, Bond Head) came to Simcoe County with John and Isabella. Before purchasing the Tecumseth Township farm, John and Isabella Culbert were tenants of the former Simcoe Manor farm, Beeton, and the David Ross farm near Cookstown. They raised a family of three sons, Robert, William, and Herbert, and four daughters, Henrietta (Hattie), Sarah, Ellen (Nellie) and Elizabeth.
