(submitted by Emma Van Kessel)
Henry and Louisa Maria Hendrickx came to Warwick Twp. from Belgium with seven children. They sailed on the ship Groote Beer, arriving at Pier 21 in Halifax in March, 1954. Then they traveled by train to Watford, where they were met by their sponsors Tony and Catherina Rombouts. The Hendrickx family stayed with the Rombouts family for three months until Henry bought a farm across the road at 7755 Brickyard Line. Four months later another child arrived and two years later their last child was born, for a total of nine children.
The Hendrickx had some dairy cows and a few pigs. They grew sugar beets, cucumbers and cash crops. In 1963 Henry sold the farm to Adrian and Ann Van Haaren, then bought a farm from Zeb Janes at 6691 Warwick Village Rd. When they retired from farming they built a new home on the south corner of the farm and later moved to Strathroy and then Forest. Louisa passed away in 2001. Henry moved to Watford and celebrated his 97th birthday at Watford Quality Care Centre in 2007. Many of the family stayed in Warwick Twp.
Hendrickx family (in centre section) sails for Canada from Holland, 1954. Back: John, Henry (father), Louisa Maria (mother), Lloyd. Front: George, Mary, Emma, Rita, Alphonse. Courtesy H Hendrickx.
John married Stephanie Soetemans. They had a swine farm on 6432 Hickory Creek Line before retiring to 7272 Townsend Line. Their son Ed Hendrickx and wife Penny took over the farm.
Mary married Gerry Pedden. They live on 8643 Egremont Rd. They race standardbred horses.
George married Mary Soetemans and they took over the home place. Their son Ron operates the hog farm now and George and Mary Hendrickx retired to George St. in Warwick Village.
Lloyd married Margaret Soetemans and they settled on Brickyard Line. Lloyd operated the Hendrickx Farm Drainage tiling company for many years. They now live on 7609 Warwick Village Rd.
Emma married Harry Van Kessel. The Van Kessels had a dairy farm on Egremont Rd. until they retired to Confederation Line just west of Watford. Their son Harry Van Kessel and his wife Nancy Devet-Verberk operate a chicken farm there now.
Rita married John Bastiaansen and they live in Bosanquet Twp.
In 1990 Alphonse Hendrickx built a new house on the 50 acres on Bethel Rd. that he had farmed since the 1970s. He works in construction. Recently Alphonse and his wife Anita Ward moved to Strathroy.
Cathy Hendrickx married Gary Huctwith and they cash crop on Elarton Rd.
Teresa married Ken Parsons and they live in Forest.
Chapter 24 of 25 - Hendrickx Family
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