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Joseph Steckley was born in the Short Hills/Fonthill area of the Niagara region. His family was of Pennsylvania German origin. They were members of the Tunker Church, an Anabaptist sect related doctrinally and historically to the Mennonites that later became known as the Brethren in Christ. Joseph Steckley purchased the west 100 acres of Lot 24 Concession 7 in 1832. His wife, Mary, was born in Pennsylvania. By about 1850, the family was well established on the land and constructed a farmhouse of local fieldstone to replace their earlier log dwelling. After the marriage of their son John to Mary Smith c.1855, Joseph Steckley built a modest brick dwelling next door to the stone house on the same property. The older stone house became the home of John and Mary Steckley. The farm remained in the ownership of later generations of the Steckley family until 1902. |