Levitt

(submitted by Glen Starkey and Noreen Croxford)

George Levitt married Eliza Jane Jenken (1861–1921) in 1880. They lived on the 6th Line (Hickory Creek Line) with their two sons Herbert and Clarence. One day when he didn’t come up to the house at supper time, George’s young son, Herbert, went back and found his father lying under a tree. It was assumed he suffered a heart attack while working to clear the last 50 of his 100 acre farm.

Herbert Levitt and his wife, Lily Elizabeth White, lived on the 6th Line, Warwick Twp.

Herbert and Lily had five children: Lawrence, Harold, Greta, Joyce (1924–2006), and Bernice. Lawrence, Harold, Greta and Bernice never married, and lived most of their lives on the family homestead in Warwick Twp., in a house that was moved from elsewhere to the site, replacing a log house. The youngest daughter, Bernice, died in her 40s from cancer. Joyce married George Starkey, and farmed across the road from the Levitt farm for many years. Joyce and George had three children: Velma, Glen, and Linda.

Apple and pear orchards were planted on the Levitt farm in the 1930s. A row of sour cherry trees lined the east fence. The Levitts also produced peaches, plums and grapes. Peaches were hauled to Sarnia with a Model T and trailer, and apples were often pedalled door-to-door throughout a wide area. For many years Lawrence, Harold and Greta travelled early in the morning to Sarnia and London markets and spent long days selling their produce on the Levitt Bros. stands. Greenhouses were also erected on the farm in the late 1940s, providing local residents with quality vegetable and flower plants for their home gardens.

The Levitt family was musically gifted. Herbert played the piano, while Lawrence, Harold and Greta all played different parts on the violin, playing for many dances in the area. They also belonged to the Forest Excelsior Band. Herb joined as a young boy and played the alto, continuing until he was no longer able to march. Lawrence and Harold both joined as soon as they were old enough, and Greta joined a bit later to play the drums. Bernice was also a member and played the clarinet.

During the war the young people in the section put on plays to make money. Joyce recalls that the money was used to buy quilt backs. One memorable time was when Jay Taylor stuck his head out between the curtains, and was hit in the head by a peppermint thrown from someone in the audience who wasn’t expecting anything good could be presented by a “bunch of country hicks”.

George and Joyce Starkey sold their farm in 1979 and moved to Forest. A few years later, Lawrence, Harold and Greta Levitt also moved to Forest.

The fruit trees and buildings on the Levitt farm have since been torn down. One remaining structure of the Levitt Bros. fruit business is the SS#12 school house which was used by them as a cold storage for many years.

Levitt family. Back: Lily Elizabeth (White) Levitt, Lawrence, Joyce (Levitt) Starkey, Harold, Herb (father). Front: Greta, Bernice. Courtesy N Croxford.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Levitt Family

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