Sitter

(submitted by Linda Koolen)

Nicholas Sitter Sr. (–1857) was born in France. He was a farmer who married Barbara Phillips (–1885) and they raised eight children. To avoid the customary requirement for French boys to join the army, the family sailed to New York in 1836, then went on to settle in Haldimand County, Ont.

Their son Nicholas Jr. (1818–1902) was born in France and educated in the German language. He helped his father establish the Haldimand farm. Nicholas married Catherine Fess (–1879) who had emigrated from France around the same time as the Sitters. Nicholas and Catherine had seven children: David, Anne, Peter, Chriestler, George, Nicholas III, and Barbara. In the late 1840s the family bought 100 acres at Lot 21, Con. 5 NER, Warwick Twp. He also bought another 100 acre farm near Bethel.

Nicholas and Catherine’s son George (1846–1932) took over the farm and took care of his parents in their old age. He made many improvements over the years, then turned it over to his son Nicholas III in 1904. George erected a new home and barn just south of the homestead where he started a fruit farm, mostly berries. There was a ready market for fruit in Sarnia. He also ran a cooper shop in Thedford for a number of years, making barrels. George was married to Caroline Schroeder (1850–1919) from Huron County. They were members of the Mennonite Church in which George was a deacon.

George and Caroline had eleven children: Solomon, Nicholas, Jacob, Rosa Ann, Barbara Ann, Catherine, Margaret, Carrie, Sophia, Elizabeth, Georgie, and Emanuel. Their son Nicholas operated the homestead and married Amelia Trowel. Nicholas and Amelia had three sons: Leonard, Edgar, and Clifford, and one daughter, Corena. Since the farm had a good source of gravel, the gravel was sold, leaving a number of large pits (ponds).

Nicholas and Amelia’s children Edgar and Corena were the last of the Sitters to live on the north ½ of Lot 21, Con. 5 NER.

George and Caroline’s son Emanuel Orville (1892–1958) married Beatrice McAdam (1894–1970). They had one daughter, Magdalene Esther. She lived with her parents and grandparents on the homestead on the south ½ of Lot 21, Con. 5 NER. Magdalene married Stanley Edwards, whose father was born in Warwick Twp.

George Sitter and his wife Caroline Schroeder. Courtesy W Dunlop.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Sitter Family

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