Kilts Farm Timeline

This date serves as the settlement date. These Palatines were a displaced people from the Palatinate along the Rhine River in Germany. I am a direct descendant of John Christian Garlock through my mother, Margaret Garlock Barshied (1906 – 1986).

The Stone Arabia settlement was destroyed by British Crown forces, loyalists, and Native Americans. It is believed that all buildings on this property were destroyed. Conrad Kilts engaged in the American cause, including the battle of Stone Arabia.

The Dutch Barn, a type of structure existing from Stone Arabia’s first settlement, was built. The Lutheran and Reformed Churches, which had been destroyed, were replaced and remain standing today.

Her grave stone gives her age as 44. Local legend has it that she was once a slave having been born in 1809. By 1853 she would have been free.

The trend in agriculture was moving from an era of grain growing to one of dairying for the production of cheese and butter. Numerous local cheese factories were erected.

Ethel was a direct descendent of pioneer William Nellis, a Palatine who settled on lot #42, just to the north of the Kilts lot, in 1723. Thus I had a second major link to Stone Arabia.

It was the first time in 215 years that the property was not owned by the Kilts family. An effort to repair and restore the house and summer kitchen began at this time.

Curtis’ ancestor William Nellis and his descendants had owned lot #42, just to the north of the Kilts land since 1723. Work to secure the barn began immediately.

During this time I removed the west wing section of the cow shed which had been added and used the lumber to build the garage/shop located across from the white house.

Ethel was a direct descendent of pioneer William Nellis, a Palatine who settled on lot #42, just to the west of the Kilts lot, in 1723. Thus I had a second major link to Stone Arabia.

Part of the area saw transformation to a way of life that had disappeared a hundred or more years ago. Small farm dairying was reintroduced. We now had wagonmakers, wheelwrights and harness makers. Perhaps the greatest change was the amount of field work with teams of horses and horse drawn vehicles on our roads. Barn and house raisings became common.

The much neglected structure originally stood a few miles south of its present location. During the following months a foundation was completed with the help of two Amish boys. The frame was repaired and the building was erected with the help of friends. The shop was furnished with examples of early shoes, shoemaker’s tools and other implements used in the leather trade. The shop became a memorial to my Great Grandfather, Nicholas Barshied (1835-1919), who emigrated from Germany and pursued the shoemaker’s trade. This project completed the construction in my little settlement up to this date, July 21, 2007.

Stone Arabia Preservation was established as a non-profit to manage Kilts Farm after Skip’s death to maintain and use Kilts Farm facilities and collection.