Granny and Gredad
Jack (Gredad) and Mina (Granny)
Middlebrook, my Great Great Grandparent were born right outside of Gravenhurst.
Gredad was born in 1900 and Granny was born in 1906. As they both lived long
lives, I was fortunate enough to have known my Granny until her death, when I
was 12. My Gredad (Great Great Grandfather), passed away only five years before
I was born. My Gredad’s parents were Harper and Emily Middlebrooks, and my
Granny’s parents were Benjamin and Nell Middlebrooks. Both owned property on
Muldrew Lake outside of Gravenhurst, the site of my family cottage today.
Jack and Mina (My Great Great Grandparents, Granny and Gredad)
Harper and Emily Middlebrooks (Great Great Great Grandparents)
In the late 1800’s, between the two families, they owned
a major portion of South Muldrew Lake. At one point my family owned many bays,
islands and shorefront property, but over time pieces were sold off. This was primarily
because during that time period, lakefront property was less valuable, as
socially, cottaging was still in its infancy, and my family’s main priority was
hunting, trapping, and farming. Family stories say that my ancestors sold an
entire bay for a cow. Eventually, the only piece of land on Muldrew that they
maintained ownership of was a 22 foot piece of shoreline, (backed by several
hundred acres of other property for hunting and farming) that my Great Great
Great Grandparents used to launch their boat for fishing. That 22 foot piece of
land is where my original family cottage sits today. They also used that boat launch to access the
lake for ice blocks to preserve food. In the summer months, they would lower
food in a bucket down the cool spring fed well to keep it cold. That well is
still there today. As this land is important to us, my family has been
reacquiring adjoining properties, and purchasing additional shoreline cottages in
an attempt to get some of this land back.
My cottage ^
Granny and Gredad, who inherited their parent’s land, were hunters, trappers, and small time farmers, who were at times forced to log during the winter to make ends meet. As they lived off of the land, they struggled at times to put food on the table. Obviously fishing on Muldrew was a huge food source for them, as well as whatever produce they could grow, and hunting and trapping as well.
My Mother and her Friends at the cottage
My Grendad and his Gredad (Jack)
Me at the cottage
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