SKETCH CVI
THE WELCOME LATCH-STRING—THE FAMILY OF JOHN HEATH
There are very few homes in Norfolk to-day the doors of which are not bolted and barred during the night; and should a belated traveler, weary, foot-sore and far from those who know him, call at one of these barricaded modern homes for shelter, a voice from within would inform him that at the village a few miles away he would find a public-house, where he could procure such accommodations as he needed. No money? Why, then he would be dubbed a common tramp, and treated with utter contempt. The true circumstances of the case would not be inquired into, and the unfortunate stranger would be unceremoniously ordered off the premises. Were it in the day-time, he might be offered a bite to eat, but during the “stilly watches of the night” the latch-string hangs on the inside. This was not the condition of things during the log-cabin period of our history. During those years there were plenty of bears, wolves, wild cats, porcupines and rattlesnakes; but the swamps and forests of Norfolk were not infested with beasts and reptiles in human form—these are the outgrowth of our more advanced civilization. Much is said, nowadays, about the decline of good, old-fashioned hospitality and the soul-withering effects of an ever-increasing greed for “filthy lucre”; but we must remember that hospitality, as well as every other human attribute, is governed by the ever-changing social conditions of life. In these days the steam-horse distributes among us unknown characters, who prowl about our streets, crack our office safes and burglarize our rural homes, and the prudent man is compelled by these changed conditions to bar his doors and windows and keep at arm’s length every unknown supplicant for favors that comes along. But these vicious parasites of civilization were not found in the woods of Norfolk, and when the latch-string dangled on the outside of the cabin door in the night time, it was a sign of welcome to the hospitality within.
One of the most hospitable cabins in pioneer times was that of John Heath. The Heath latch-string was never taken in at night. Whoever approached, at any time in the night, was at liberty to pull the string and enter. It was not necessary to knock or awaken any of the inmates—simply enter and enjoy the needed shelter. In the winter time it was no uncommon thing for Mr. Heath to awaken in the morning and find one or more Indian or white guests stretched out comfortably on the hearth before the big fireplace.
John Heath was one of Norfolk’s pioneer Freemasons, and by reference to sketch “Pioneer Masonry,” it will be seen that he was one of the prime movers in the organization of the first lodge in Norfolk. The fact of his being a Mason saved him from serious loss during the McArthur raid. After burning the mill at Waterford, the invaders, passing southward, halted at the home of one of Mr. Heath’s neighbors, who begged them not to plunder his premises, as he was an American himself; and in reply an officer exclaimed: “We are living on our friends and fighting our enemies,” and they proceeded to plunder the premises. When they reached Mr. Heath’s place, that sturdy old pioneer appealed to the general, masonically, and they left him in quiet possession of his hard-earned goods and chattels.
John Heath was a son of David Heath, of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. It is said that David came from Bedforshire, England, with two unmarried brothers, and that one of these brothers was murdered in Trenton, New Jersey. David married Mary Worthington, but whether in England or in New Jersey, tradition saith not. John Heath married Anna, daughter of the original Frederick Sovereign, of Schooley’s Mountain, Morris Co., New Jersey. Her mother’s maiden name was Lavinia Culver. John was born in 1763, and was about thirty-five years old when he settled in the Townsend woods, in 1797, with his wife and one baby. The pioneer cabin was erected just a hundred years ago, somewhere near the spot where the fine old home of Ansley Heath now stands, on Lot 2, in the 11th concession.[1]
Mr. Heath was a large, muscular man, being six feet and two inches in his bare feet. He was a reedmaker by trade, and understood, also, the weaver’s trade. He was the champion back-hold wrestler in the New Jersey neighborhood in which he lived; and it is said he once broke the arm of a New Jersey contestant. He was very supple and, in his younger days, could turn a hand-spring over a haycock quite easily. Although a powerful man, he was as tender as a woman in his affections, and was exceedingly warm-hearted. On one occasion he had a veal calf to kill, but lacked the courage to kill it. Finally he hired an Indian to do the job. The Indian went out and murdered the calf and then came and demanded his pay. “But,” said Mr. Heath, “you haven’t finished your job.” “Oh, yes, me do,” grinned the Indian, “you hire me to kill calf, an’ me kill calf, so me not do one tam more.” Mr. Heath paid the noble red man, and finished the job himself.
The old pioneer died in 1847, in his 85th year; and his wife Anna died in 1853, in her 88th year. They had four sons—Morris, Archelaus, Frederick and John; and four daughters—Lavinia, Mary, Nancy and Esther.
Morris Heath, eldest son of John, was born in New Jersey in 1794, and was three years old when his father settled in Townsend.[2] When nineteen years old he married Sarah, daughter of the original Richard Kitchen, and settled finally on Lot 7, Concession A, Charlotteville. He was left a widower in 1817, with one son, Richard. Subsequently he married Selina, daughter of Hiram Burch, by whom he had one son, James, and two daughters—Sarah and Mary. James succeeded to the homestead, and is the well-known marble works proprietor, of Simcoe. The second wife died in 1826, and the father died in 1869, in his 76th year.
Archelaus Heath, second son of John, was the first baby born in the pioneer cabin. He died single in 1820, in his 24th year.[3]
Frederick Heath, third son of John, was born in 1799; and when in his 23rd year he married Charity, daughter of Timothy Culver, and settled on the north part of the old homestead. He lived to a good old age, having reached his 86th year. He died in 1885, and his wife died in 1877, in her 72nd year. In Frederick’s family were four sons—William, Lewis, Samuel and Ansley; and two daughters—Lizana and Mary. Ansley, the youngest son, occupies his grandfather’s old homestead, and is one of the best-known men in the county. He does not stand six feet and two inches in his bare feet, and he may not be able to turn a hand-spring over a haycock, but he certainly has inherited all the social traits that so signally distinguished his grandsire, and he knows how to entertain a stranger within his gates as loyally as did that old pioneer. Hundreds of people remember with pleasure the mammoth pioneer garden party held in the spacious grounds of this fine old homestead, and especially the reproduction of his grandfather’s pioneer log cabin, with its capacious fireplace and other equipments, and its latch-string dangling on the outside of the cabin door.
Lavinia Heath, eldest daughter of John, was born in 1801, and married in her 17th year to William, son of Richard Kitchen, of Bloomsburg. The Kitchen family came from Columbia County, Pennsylvania, near a place called Bloomsburg, located at the junction of Fishing Creek and the Susquehanna River. They came to Norfolk in 1810, and the father settled near the present Townsend village of Bloomsburg.[4] William was eleven years old when the family came to Canada, and when his father was drafted in 1814, he offered himself as a substitute. He was only fifteen, but tall and muscular for his age, and was readily accepted. At the close of the war he was awarded a pension for his services, and also drew land at the Rond Eau. After he married he first settled on this land, but after performing the settling duties he returned to Townsend, where he purchased 200 acres adjoining his father’s, and founded the village which bears the name of his Pennsylvania birthplace.[5] The old hotel, which he built and kept for so many years, is still standing. During the second quarter of the century no man in the county was better known that “Billy” Kitchen, and probably no man in the county accumulated landed property faster than he during that period. At one time he was the owner of 1,000 acres of Norfolk lands. Early in life he united with the Boston Baptist church, and when the Bloomsburg church was organized he donated the land required for church and cemetery purposes. In 1882 the mother died, in her 81st year; and in the following year the father followed, in his 85th year. For sixty-three years they lived together as husband and wife. In their family were five sons—Henry L., Elijah, Mahlon M., Charles H. and Lyman Wells; and four daughters—Anna, Mary, Charity and Harriet L.[6]
The original Richard Kitchen had a brother, Joseph, who also came from the old Pennsylvania home and settled in Townsend.[7] He lived to be very old, and was buried in the old Waterford cemetery. In his family were four sons—John, Henry, Joseph and Caleb; and a number of daughters, one of whom married Samuel Watts, and another married Joseph Walker, and settled at Waterford. The sons all settled in Norfolk.[8]
Mary Heath, second daughter of John, was born in 1803, and, on her birthday in 1824, married Darius, son of John Culver. Mr. Culver died in 1835, and subsequently she married Thomas M. Lee. Mr. Lee died in 1886, and Mrs. Culver-Lee died this present year (1897), in her 94th year. The children by the first marriage were two sons—Horace Henry and Leamon Lewis; and four daughters—Angeline, Amanda, Harriet and Mary D. By the second marriage she had one son, John W. Lee, who succeeded to his father’s fine homestead, located just north of the village of Colborne.
Nancy Heath, third daughter of John, was born in 1806, and when in her 24th year married Aaron, son of John Barber. She died in 1862, in her 57th year. Her children are enumerated in the Barber genealogy.
John Heath, fourth son of John, was born in 1809, and, when twenty-eight years old married Amoret, daughter of Christopher Kern, and settled on Lot 4, 10th concession of Townsend. He died in 1854, in his 46th year. His widow survives, being in her 77th year. In John Heath’s family were two sons—Edwin Lee and William Kern; and one daughter, Amanda. The daughter died in childhood.
Esther Heath, fourth and youngest daughter of John, was born in 1811, and married in 1829 to Philip B., son of Richard Kitchen. They settled on Lot 7, 13th concession of Townsend, where they raised a family of fourteen children. Mr. Kitchen died suddenly in Simcoe, in 1871, of heart failure, having nearly completed his 60th year. In this large family were seven sons—Eliakim, Elias, John, Richard, Frederick, William and German; and seven daughters—Anna F., Lavinia, Murilla, Maryette, Roxyllana, Samantha and Ruth. John and Richard were twin brothers. Of these children, William died in 1864, in his 22nd year; Roxyllana died in 1877, in her 28th year; and Ruth died in 1894, in her 40th year.
[1] The first record of John Heath in Norfolk was on April 14, 1801 when he was subpoenaed to give evidence to the London District Court (Fraser, p. 19). He apparently arrived earlier. His son Frederick, born in 1799 gave his birthplace as Canada in the Censuses of Townsend Township. A further clue as to the arrival of John Heath appeared in his land petition dated on July 5, 1802. At that time he petitioned for a Crown Lease on Lot 11, Concession 2, Townsend Township. This included a certificate from Reverend Jabez Collver stating that Collver knew Heath “near 3 years in this place”. This suggests a 1799 arrival rather than the 1797 year stated by Owen (Upper Canada Land Petition “H” Bundle Leases 1799-1838, doc. No. 32).
[2] The Gravestone of Morris Heath has not survived, leaving a mystery as to when he was born. His parents John Heath and Anna Sovereen married at Morris County, New Jersey on February 26, 1795, recorded in The New Jersey Genealogy Magazine, Vol. 40, p. 72. A late 1795 birthdate would seem more reasonable for Morris. However, the 1852 Census of Charlotteville Twp. shows him aged 59 years old which would suggest as early as 1793. It appears that he lost track of his birthdate in later years and his descendants reporting to Owen could have been in error.
[3] It appears that Archelaus Heath’s parents did not arrive in Townsend Township until 1799, so he may have been born in New Jersey.
[4] The biography of Richard Kitchen by Donald Anger was included in The Long Point Settlers Journal, Vol. 1, No. 3. This notes that he was a cousin of Joseph Kitchen of Townsend Township whose biography is contained later in this Sketch. Richard Kitchen settled first in Greenwich Township, Sussex County then at Schooley’s Mountain, Morris County, New Jersey. He moved to the area of Bloomsburg, Derry Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania by the time of the 1800 Census. He was then in Townsend Township, Norfolk County on September 26, 1810 when he petitioned for a land grant (Upper Canada Land Petition “K” Bundle 10, Doc. No. 5). Kitchen received a grant of Lot 7, Concession 12, Townsend Township, recorded in the Abstracts of Deeds Register and made that his home.
[5] William Kitchen received permission from Colonel Thomas Talbot to settle on the Talbot Road West in Orford Township, Kent County in 1814. The settlement duties performed, he petitioned for the lot on October 8, 1819 and received the grant. (Upper Canada Land Petition “K” Bundle 12, Doc. No. 80) Later, William purchased Lot 4, Concession 11, Townsend Twp. where he established his tavern and severed lots for the village of Bloomsburg.
[6] While William does not seem to have a daughter named Anna, he did have one named Charlotte, born on February 8, 1825 who was living with him in the 1852 Census of Townsend Township. There was also a son Allan, born c. 1832 in this record.
[7] Richard and Joseph Kitchen were cousins not brothers. Richard’s parents were Wheeler and Mary (Heath) Kitchen, and Joseph’s, Henry and Jane (Robins) Kitchen. Joseph was a native of Greenwich Township, Sussex County, New Jersey and moved with his parents to the area of Jerseytown, Derry Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania where he was recorded in the 1800 and 1810 Censuses. He came to Townsend Township soon after the latter and settled on Lot 10, Concession 5, recorded in the Abstracts of Deeds Register.
[8] In the Long Point Settlers article, it is mentioned that Rachel Kitchen married Samuel Watts and Elizabeth Kitchen married Joseph Walker.