The 'Life and Times' of Hetherburton by Kevin Crannie Dr. Judson Egbert Hetherington, a native Queens County son, was born May 15th, 1866, at Thornetown, New Brunswick, of English ancestry, the son of Thomas and Violet D. Thorne Hetherington. Educated at the Codys public school and at the Baptist Seminary in Fredericton, N.B., he studied medicine at the Chicago Homeopathic Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, and at Rush Medical School, Chicago. He was Chair of Physiology at the Chicago Homeopathic Medical College and Superintendent of the Homeopathic Hospital from 1895. Judson would go on to a successful political career as a Member of the Legislative Assembly representing Queens County. Judson practiced his profession in Chicago for a short while and then he returned to Codys to practice medicine. He was President of Hetherington Brother Mercantile, Lumbering and Milling Company, a member of the Union Club and Elks Club, the Canadian Club of Boston and a member of A.F. & A.M. On March 6, 1919, he was chosen Speaker of the House of Assembly when William Currie resigned and, subsequently, Provincial Secretary-Treasurer. He held that position until September 10th, 1925. [8] Judson Hetherington was a half-brother to Dr. Gilbert Hetherington. Gilbert Hetherington was born September 11th, 1853 at Codys, Queens County, New Brunswick to Thomas Thorne Hetherington and Margaret W. Strong. Gilbert Edwin married Carrie May Brooks (1862-1940) and, together, the couple had 7 children. Dr. Gilbert Hetherington received his medical degree from Boston University in 1877. He practiced in Saint John until 1855, them moved to Boston where he remained until 1909 when he took up practice in Coles Island. During the epidemics of influenza in 1918-1920, he traveled countless miles by horse and sleigh to visit his patients. [9] Anna Hetherington, a Chicago Heiress, was born Anna Harding Lancey, on November 19th, 1873, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. K. A. Lancey. Anna attended Wellesley College, a highly selective private women's liberal-arts college in the town of Wellesley, Massachusetts, United States, west of Boston, from 1891-1893 as an Art Specialist. Upon her return to Chicago, she met and later married Judson Egbert Hetherington on June 11th, 1894. Retiring from medicine, Judson returned with Anna and their two young daughters Katherine H. Coleman (1895-1979), and Virginia H. McClure (1903-1988) to Codys in 1904. The couple purchased 25-acres of land on the banks of the Washademoak and built and elegant mansion, part of a grand estate that included carriage house, bungalow, boathouse, and formal gardens. Originally intended as a summer house, the 26-room residence soon became their permanent home. Hetherburton, the name given to the mansion, was built of choice pine delivered to the site at a cost of $9.00 per meter. The interior woodwork was of golden classic oak. It is suspected that between the period of 1907-1915, the addition of a natural fireplace became part of the residence. The Hetherington's were popular hosts, and among the people invited to their home was John Christopher Miles (1832-1911), a Saint John artist. He stayed with the Hetherington's for a summer while he painted scenes along the Washademoak. The Hetherington's drove one of the first cars in the area, a 1906 Packard. [10] Copyright Notice: All images and content on Codys, New Brunswick web blog are protected by Copyright. All original photos and articles are copyright to their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended. Material on this website may not be downloaded, copied, reproduced, posted, transmitted, or modified in whole or in part without the express written consent from the website owner. After Judson's sudden death on January 29th, 1928, while undergoing an operation in Montreal, Quebec, Anna continued to be active in the community. It is said she once ordered a full dining room set to keep a factory at risk of closing, open over the winter. She donated to the Saint John Hospital over several years and as a result donations made to the New Brunswick Museum, Anna became a life member in 1948. In 1951, Anna donated 96 pieces of mostly American pressed glass to the museum. Despite exhaustive investigation, the New Brunswick Museum is unable to establish how and why Anna came to own such an extensive glass collection. A short time later, Anna moved to Sikeston, Missouri, to live with her daughter, Katherine Coleman, until her death on May 13th, 1959. Even though she resided in Sikeston, Anna never forgot her links to New Brunswick; her estate donated $5,000 for the maintenance of the Judson E. Hetherington Memorial Library at Saint John Hospital; and Anna endowed Acadia University with two scholarships specifically for New Brunswick students attending it, in her husband's name as well as under her in-laws, Thomas and Violet Hetherington. [11] Although Hetherburton sat empty and was badly abused at one period in its past. In 1967, Palmerston and Victoria Tapley of St. Catharines, Ontario, purchased the mansion as their personal Centennial project. In the two years the Tapley's owned Hetherburton, the stately mansion became a public venue with the couple providing public tours at a cost of 50 cents per adult and 25 cents per child, from June to September. The Tapley's would return to St. Catharines at the end of September, returning the following summer to open the mansion. On September 12th, 1969, Mrs. Victoria Tapley wrote to the Provincial Government of New Brunswick attempting to sell Hetherburton. Although the asking price of $65,000 was deemed reasonable by the then Historical Resources Department, the offer was declined based on the fact that the funds available by the Provincial Government were limited and the number of old buildings requiring attention were quite enormous; as well, prior commitments of funds made it impossible for the department to make a realistic offer for the property. In the early 1970's, Glen (1927-2015) and Freda (1926-2014) Cowan of Moncton purchased Hetherburton. The rooms within came alive with the nine member family, the largest family to occupy the mansion. The Cowan's occupied Hetherburton for seven years and were active in the Codys community, were described as being popular hosts and noted for their hospitality. Leaving Codys in the early 1980's to take up residence in Riverview, the Cowan's continue to have fond memories of their time in the grand house. In the early 1980's, Donald and Carole Drury of Fredericton became the fourth owners of Hetherburton. The Drury's spent a total of 15 years in the mansion, an occupancy second only to the Hetherington's. Interior structural repairs were done, including a kitchen upgrade and major exterior landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds maintained as the Hetherington's originally envisioned. Like so many previous owners, the Drury's were also noted for their hospitality and willingness to share the house with friends. By the mid 1990's, the Drury's prepared to leave Hetherburton to reside in Fredericton. As with the Cowan's, the Drury's have fond memories of Codys and their time on the estate. In 1997, Wolfgang Burnshine of Germany came to Canada to retire and purchased Hetherburton deciding to settle in Codys for his retirement years. The mansion was registered under his company name, and from the period of 1997-1999, Hetherburton sat unoccupied. In 1999, Mr. Burnshine and his wife took up residence in the house. Aside from the addition of an exterior deck added to the front of the century-old home, no interior renovations were made. During a severe winter windstorm in 2005, a tree fell and struck the home, badly damaging the western facade. Due to Mr. Burnshine's failing heath, Hetherburton had been on the market for up to six months; structural repair was still pending.
November 2007, Larry King of Fredericton Junction and his business associate were preparing to take possession of Hetherburton, approximate possession date of December 21, 2007. At an expected cost of tens of thousands of dollars, the rebirth of Hetherburton appeared to be imminent. Mr. King's plans included interior structural repairs and renovations throughout, including the installation of new energy efficient heating and cooling systems. Spring, 2008, exterior repairs would include painting and roof replacement for the mansion, including repairs to the four outbuildings and extensive landscaping. When restored to its original grandeur, Mr. and Mrs. King and their two young children, had planned to make Hetherburton their summer home and a house where all special occasions would be celebrated. As with the Hetherington's, Hetherburton would become the permanent residence of the King family. Unfortunately, the current owner at that time, Mr. Burnshine, had subdivided so many parcels of land making it difficult for the King's to purchase Hetherburton. [12] With so many change hands, and the fate of Hetherburton hanging in the balance, one couldn't help wonder what is to be the future of Hetherburton? The stately mansion in need of being rescued was about to reclaim its rightful stature on the banks of the Washademoak Lake. February, 2008, Wayne Cuthbert and Leverna Piper of Vancouver, British Columbia, became the sixth owners of Hetherburton. Immediate structural repair to the western facade began in early spring. Extensive landscaping in a effort to keep the grounds maintained were ongoing. Interior structural repairs and renovations throughout were minimal thanks to Donald and Carole Drury who lovingly and carefully restored much of its original grandeur. Leaving Codys in 2010, Wayne and Leverna continue to have fond memories of Codys and their time spent on the estate. In 2011, Gail MacLean and Pete Potter of Western Canada, purchased Hetherburton from Wayne Cuthbert and Leverna Piper. Immediate exterior repairs began with the installation of a new steel roof and major landscaping in an effort to keep the grounds as the Hetherington's originally envisioned. At an expected cost of tens of thousands of dollars interior repairs were ongoing, due to the damage and disrespect caused by Mr. Wolfgang Burnshine.[13] On November 4th, 2011, Hetherburton, The Hetherington Mansion, a Heritage Canada home burned to the ground. The Potter's were not home when the fire occurred. The lose of Hetherburton was devastating for the Potter's. The Potter's described Hetherburton as "our paradise and we loved it dearly. We miss it and think about our home everyday." The Potter's had plans of rebuilding Hetherburton as close to the original as possible. After a four year struggle with a billion dollar company in England, the Potter's finally gave up on rebuilding Hetherburton. For the Potter's, "it was a stressful, horrible four years. Many tears were shed." The Potter's look forward to returning to British Columbia where Gail MacLean was born and raised. [14] The majestic historic mansion, Hetherburton (1904-2011), this glorious example of Queens County Heritage, would now be but a memory. The heritage bungalow, which was part of the grand estate, built by Dr. Judson E. Hetherington, including the double car garage, workshop and boathouse were sold. The new owner's have built a new modern A-frame house on the property that once occupied Hetherburton. The front of the house faces Washademoak Lake. The vegetation has been cleared to the water for the view. Comments are closed.
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