(below) Former retirement residence of John W. and Margarethe Becker. The couple resided here in retirement after selling their farm on Bronson Line in 1900.
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“John W. Becker (1839) born at Reimarod, Kreis, Alsfield, Hessen, Germany, came to Canada in the early 1860s, with his sisters, Christine and Elizabeth. Four brothers, Wilhelm, Valentine, Baldzer and Konrad stayed in Germany. Margarethe Keller (1843) was born in Willofs, Kreis, Lauderback, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. She came to Canada in 1864 with three sisters and a brother Konrad. The Beckers and the Kellers settled first in the Kitchener area, before moving west to Huron County. John and Margarethe were married in 1865 and lived near Elmira where their first child, Elizabeth (1866), was born. Later that year, the family moved to Hay Township. By 1867, they were able to buy one half of Lot 9, Con. 13 [Hay Township] (50 acres) from the Canada Company for $673. This was to be paid in six yearly payments. A log house and barn were built and the land was cleared so crops could be planted. Here they raised five sons and five daughters. The children attended school at S.S. #8 [Hay], about half a mile south of their farm. Besides farming, they operated a loom, making woollen blankets and homespun cloth.
(right) From the 1879 Historical Atlas of Huron County. North is up on the map. The crossroad at the bottom of the map is the modern day intersection of MacDonald Road and Bronson Line;(1.5 miles north of Dashwood) with S.S. #8 Hay Township School appearing on the north-east corner, in the past, sometimes referred to as “the Tin School” because of its metallic siding. J.W. Becker’s 50 acre farm is visible north of the intersection on the west side of Bronson Line. Across the road from the farm, on the east side of the Bronson and slightly to the north, is a symbol indicating the presence of the Lutheran cemetery. Immediately to the north of the cemetery symbol (a cross), is a small black square dot symbol that might represent the continued presence in 1879 of the original St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church building, which closed in 1873 when the congregation relocated to Frederick Street in Dashwood and founded Zion Lutheran Church.
By 1897, they sold their farm to their son, Heinrich (Henry) and moved to Lot 12, Con. 13 [Hay] until 1900, when they moved to a home in Dashwood. A great grandson, Peter Becker, now lives in this house. After John died (1914), Margarethe lived with her daughters until her death in 1942, after a fall. At the time of her death, she was one of the oldest residents in the township (98 years). John and Margarethe family were: Elisabeth (1866-1900), who married Frederich Heckman (1856-1926) of Logan Township, a contractor who worked throughout Huron and Perth Counties. They lived at Grand Bend and in Hay Township where they raised a family of three – William, Bertha and Herman. Elisabeth died at the age of 34 years, after a fall, which resulted in a broken rib that punctured a lung. Later, Fredrich and his young family moved to the Mitchell area.
Heinrich (Henry, 1867-1944) married Christina Gloor of Logan Township. John (1869-1964) farmed on N 1/2 Lot 4 and S 1/2 Lot 5, Con. 17 [Hay]. Catherine (1872-1943) married William Heckman of Logan Township and they farmed on Lot 6 Con. 17 [Hay]. George (1874-1945) married Mary Rarich of the Zurich area and they farmed on Lot 7, Con. 12 [Hay]. Mary (1877-1945) married Peter Martene and they farmed at Lot 21, Con. 7, Stephen. They had a family of four: Irene, Edwin, Olga and Esther.
William (1879-1956) married Clara Wurm (1881-1913) and they lived on Lot 12, Con. 13 [Hay] which William purchased from his father. They had four children: Milfred, Arnold, Greta, and Gordon. When Clara died at an early age, leaving a young family, William’s mother and sisters helped to care for the children until William remarried in 1915. William and his second wife, Clara Eckstein (1886-1927) had a family of six – Loreen, Dorothy, Ruth, Bertha, Wallace and Gladys. William and Clara purchased a farm in Stephen Township and moved there around 1920.
Bertha (1881-1964) married William Bieber (1879-1955). They lived on Lot 7, Con. 3 [Hay].As a young girl, Bertha did housework and also worked at the Brenner Hotel in Grand Bend. Charles (1884-1955) married Elizabeth Ziler (1883-1949) and they farmed on Lot 13, Con. 15 [Hay]. They had one son, Leonard (1911-1989). Leonard worked the family farm after his father’s death. Ida (1889-1977) married Edward Stire and they farmed on Lot 7, Con. 14 [Hay] until they retired and moved to Dashwood. Ida always enjoyed her big garden, where she grew strawberries, raspberries and onions for market. The fruits and vegetables were often exchanged for sugar and flour at local stores. The Stires had a family of three: Alice, Elda and Harold.”
extracted from “Hay Township Highlights: 150 years of Diversified Progress, 1846 – 1996”, published by the Hay Township Book Committee under the auspices of Hay Township Council, Alice Gibb ed.; pgs. 188-190 ISBN : 0-919939-43-0