House Summary

The Langs' Home, also known as Nut Grove Farm, has been in the Langs family for many generations. The original house was a log house until it burned down in 1845. By the following year, a 1.5 storey home was built in its place. Black walnut and hickory nut trees have always been on the farm, thus the name Nut Grove farm.¹

Timeline

1802 - Allen Sage purchased lot¹

Lease agreement was for 999 years and cost 118 pounds and 18 shillings, and a token gift of a dunghill fowl if requested by the Indians

1807 - Jacob Langs bought the Indian lease from Allen Sage¹

Purchased for 1400 pounds, 989 years with a token gift of a peppercorn if requested

1845 - Original log house was burned¹

c.1846 - New 1.5 storey frame house was built¹

House was 24 by 36 with a kitchen attached at the north side about 15 by 20

1849 - A document entitled an Indian Land Sale Grant (crown deed) was given to John Langs cancelling the Indian lease¹

At this time, the cost of land per acre was 1 pound

1864 - Barn was built¹

1896 - Barn burnt down¹

1897 - Barn was replaced¹

With a barn of 36 by 60’ built by Edwin Ruthven Langs

1908 - Stone was hauled from Troy to build a stable¹

1909 - Telephone service was connected¹

1914 - Hot air furnace was installed¹

1917 - Drive house was added by Edwin Randall Langs to house the Ford Touring car¹

1921 - Well was drilled in the barn¹

Several wells had been dug throughout the years to supply enough water for the livestock.

1922 - Original windows were replaced¹

Veranda added.

1923 - Roof on the front part of the house was raised to a 2 storey height¹

1928 - Kitchen roof was raised to the same height¹

The entire house was stuccoed white.

1926 - Electricity was installed¹

1928 - Bathroom was installed¹

c.1930s - English paper-shelled walnuts and filberts were introduced to the property¹

1940 - Hot air furnace was replaced¹

1940 - Milking machine was installed along with a gas motor and pump¹

1945 - Edwin Randall Langs passed away in barn accident¹

1947 - Randall Duncan Langs purchased home from his mother¹

Having injured his back due to a fall on ice, Randall was unable to farm for a living. From 1958 and on, he was employed by Agriculture Canada as an ROP inspector (Record of Performance). The farm was leased by Greenlife Proteins LTD, a company run by his first cousins, Elton and Merle Papple, and the land was seeded with alfalfa most years.

1947 - Horses had been used for farm work; however a tractor was purchased on this year – a Farmall model H¹

c.1950s - The farm was used as a quarantine station for Sussex cattle imported from England, destined for Kansas, Texas, and Florida. These cattle were accompanied by their herdsman, Fred Eastwood, who lived with the family¹

1960 - Cabinets were refinished¹

1962 - Oil furnace was installed¹

1964 - Water was piped from the barn’s drilled well to supplement the soft water (cistern) system for household use¹

The well for drinking water was refurbished at this time with a pressure pump to the kitchen and bathroom. The kitchen was renovated with the addition of a mudroom, laundry room and toilet for downstairs use.

1965 - A combine used for custom work was purchased¹

1983 - Randall Duncan Langs passed away¹

c.1980s - Drive shed was torn down¹

c.1990 - Foundation to barn was upgraded from stone to cement and modern materials¹

1990 - John Langs married Nadine Tota and Nadine moved into home¹

1990 - John’s herd of Holstein cattle moved in to begin the next generation of dairy farming¹

1991 - A manure pit was added¹

1992 - Jacob Langs was born¹

1994 - Ethan Langs was born¹

1995 - Horse stalls were torn down¹

1996 - John and Nadine Langs purchased from Laura Langs¹

1997 - Addition to barn was added¹

1999 - Door was replaced with a 1910 door from Tota farms in Burford¹

2007 - John Langs discontinued dairy farm¹

2008 - Waltons Group International purchased the property and gave 5 year lease to the Langs and renew it every so often – up for renewal in 2017¹

2017 - Waltons Group International filed for bankruptcy¹

Summary of Inhabitants

Nelson Langs

Nelson was a farmer who was born in 1827 in this home. He is the son of John and grandson of Jacob Langs, who was one of the first settlers of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. He has always resided in his birth home until he married Eliza Sands in 1854. He eventually owned 130 acres of land, near Langford, and had four children: Martine, Susan, Ella and Flint. He passed away February 15, 1900 at the age of 73. His wife, Eliza, passed away on March 7, 1909 at the age of 81.¹

Edwin Randall Langs

He was born in 1881. All real estate from his father, John Langs, was left to Edwin Ruthven Langs until he passed away in 1898 which the property then descended to Edwin Randall Langs. He passed away in October 22, 1945 after a fall from a ladder which resulted in his death within a couple of hours. He left the farm to his wife, Winnie, until his children reached the age of 25 in which case the land is to be divided between the three of them: Edwin Hugh Langs, Randall D Langs, and Murray P Langs. Edwin and his wife Winnie resided together on the property since 1910. ¹

Randall Duncan Langs

Owned the property in 1945 until his death in 1983. He was married to Laura Elvira Langs. He injured his back from a fall and was unable to farm for a living. From 1958 onwards, he was a Record Of Performance Inspector. The farm was leased to a company run by his first cousins and the land was seeded by Alfalfa most years. After the death of Randall, Laura Langs gave the farm to her second son, John Earl Langs in 1986.The farm was sold to John and Nadine Langs in 1996.¹

Jacob Langs

He was born in Buffalo Valley, Pennsylvania in 1759. One of the first settlers of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. In 1807 he moved to Canada and purchased a large plot of land (lot 9)– mostly covered with forest from Allen Sage. He went through many hardships to convert the forest into productive fields. He had a total of 8 children with Elizabeth Fowler. The other members of his family arrived in 1810 or shortly after. He resided on Lot 9 until his death in 1840. He gave 50 acres to his daughter, Sydney, and lived there until she died. 45 Acres was given to Nelson when he married in 1854.¹

Architectural Features

This vernacular style home was built circa 1846 after the original home was burnt down. The front part of the home features a single window pane door with a small 2 column porch. It has two 3 pane windows, one 2-pane double hung windows, and one small paned window at the top. It has an off-centre gable façade. The left-hand side of the front has a covered verandah with four large two-pane windows. The top features a door and a double hung window. The left hand side features an addition with one 2-pane 6-grid window, one 6-grid window, and a door. It also has two single pane windows. The back side features three large 3-pane windows and one large two-pane window. It features two brick chimneys on either side of the home. The basement is original fieldstone. ¹

Notes

1. Langs, Nadine. Personal Collection, June 2017.

References

• Langs, Nadine. (June 2017). Personal Collection.

• Langford
  Ontario, Canada
  

  Latitude: 43.1668 Longitude: -80.13295