Hulbert

Hulbert (sometimes referred to as Hulbert’s Corners) was named after the Hulbert family, who were prominent early settlers and landowners in that section of Matilda Township. The community grew around the intersection of what are now Hulbert Road and County Road 16, north of Iroquois. Members of the Hulbert family were among the pioneers who arrived in Dundas County in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Like many in the region, they were part of the wave of United Empire Loyalists and their descendants who established the agricultural backbone of the township.

 

During the mid-to-late 1800s, Hulbert functioned as a typical rural "corners" community. It featured a general store, a blacksmith shop, and a post office opened in 1888 to serve the surrounding dairy farmers. The post office was originally established under the name Lockville. Henry Ellis is recorded as the postmaster. Like many other small offices in the region, the Hulbert post office was eventually closed following the inauguration of rural mail delivery.

 

Hulbert was particularly notable for the Hulbert Cheese Factory. In the late 19th century, South Dundas was a powerhouse for cheddar production, and local factories like the one in Hulbert were essential to the local economy before the industry became more centralized.

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Historically, Hulbert was home to a Methodist Episcopal (M.E.) church. This building was eventually converted into a Public school building.

 

The local school, S.S. No. 15 Hulbert, had two recorded locations: originally, it was situated on Lot 1, Concession 15. It was later moved to the southwest corner of Lot 18, Concession 8, in South Mountain. Students at this school included those from Dixon’s Corners. The school closed in 1963. The school section had already joined the Mountain Township School Area (MTSA) in 1946. Following its final closure, students were eventually sent to Nationview Public School after 1971.

 

While the post office and shops have since closed, the name is preserved through Hulbert Road and the Hulbert Cemetery, which remains a well-maintained historical site in the area.

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Sources:

Chesterville Record

Canadian Official Postal Guide

SDG Counties History

Upper Canada District School Board

Dundas County Directory