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Prince Edward Island Farmhouse 1970s

July 18, 2017, 10:27 am
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     My 85-year-old first cousin once removed in Massachusetts has been sending me alot of photos he took on visits to Prince Edward Island in the late 1960's / early 1970's.  Here's an unidentified photo he just sent me - possibly in the Evangeline Region?

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William Hyde Sr.'s Octagonal House, Meadowbank

August 4, 2017, 2:35 pm
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     I recently picked-up a copy of "Our West River Heritage" by Violet MacEachern & Arlene MacDougall (January 1993) and was interested to read about an octagonal house built here on Prince Edward Island.  The following is from page 20.
     "It is interesting to learn that William Hyde, Sr., built a large, two-storied, eight sided house which contained a ballroom on the second floor.  This house was a social centre where Members of Parliament were often entertained.  (He was an M.P. for two terms (1812, 1818 & 1825?)).  This fine home was destroyed by fire, about the year 1857, when two Hyde sisters were the only occupants.  Two valuable pieces of furniture were saved from the flames: an antique grandfather's clock, and a sixteen-legged table made of black birch.  All the correspondence with relatives in the old country, England and Ireland, was destroyed severing family connections." 
     William Hyde Sr. was born in 1763 in County Clare, Ireland.  His occupation was listed as militia, farmer and politician.  In 1787 he married Christina Simpson of Cavendish - they had ten children.  William was a member of the Prince Edward Island Provincial Legislature.  William died on October 23, 1831.  ( Info cf. http://www.islandregister.com/hyde.html )
Will of William Hyde the Elder of Elliott River Settlement On Township Number 32, Esquire. /// Liber 2 Folio 187 /// To my dearly beloved wife Christiana for life, the House I now reside in with the furniture and 90 acres or therabouts adjoining, with the Barn, and one half of the Stock, Crop, etc., she to allow her daughters, Ellen, Jannett, Mary, and Sarah to live with her as heretofore until they may be married, then to receive one milk cow and six breeding ewes. They may remain on said land after mother's land if unmarried or widows; lands to go eventually to sons James and John equally. / To son William, Freehold farm he now occupies of 110 acres "and forming a point or peninsula fronting on Elliott River and Mill Creek". / Freehold Farm of 110 acres occupied by late son, Thomas (description given), to his widow, Caroline, and children "born and to be born," till the eldest son is 21, he then to take a double portion and to give his brothers and sisters an equal portion (etc.). / To my son, James the remainder of the freehold whereon I at present reside, etc. of 110 acres. / To son John, the leasehold farm called the Mill Farm, on 100 acres, with Mills, etc, but sons James and John to have equal shares in the Mills, etc. (Plan of farms, all on Lot 32, attached.) John to have one half of the upland hay. To James, lot No. 31 in 2nd Hundred in Charlotte Town. To son, John, Lot No. 32, in 2nd hundred of lots, in Ch'Town. To son John and James the other half of the Stock, Crop, and Farming Utensils in my possession, equally, and all other Personal estate not before mentioned, they to pay just debts, and Funeral expenses. / All children directed to continue dutiful and obedient to their mother. / Having equal regard for all my children, I do not omit to notice my daughters Margaret, the wife of Mr. Thomas Tod, and Anne, the wife of Mr. John Cameron (who received portions at marriage). / Sons James and John Executors. Dated 25 Aug. 1831. / William Hyde, L.S. / Witnesses:  John Crosby, James Crosby, Chas. Binns. / Probate granted 9 Jan., 1832. (Reg of Probate, #18).  Above cf.
http://www.islandregister.com/wills/whmydesr.html
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     An 8-sided house is rare - known as a Romantic Octagonal style.  Below is the Capt. George Anderson's 2-storey house in Sacville, New Brunswick.  It was built in 1855.  The house was used for many years by the Enterprise Foundry Company.  In 1989 the Town of Sackville purchased, moved and restored the house - today it's a Visitor Information Center.  ( http://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=6844 )
     In 1848 American Orson S. Fowler was a proponent of the octagonal house and published "The Octagonal House: A Home for All".  Fowler was an amateur architect and lifestyle pundit (cf. wikipedia).
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Sharkey House, Corraville - 1923

August 7, 2017, 7:19 am
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    I came across this great photo of a rural farm in Corraville on the Facebook page of the "Cardigan Heritage Centre".  Corraville is bordered by the communities of Martinvale, Cardross, Primrose, Southampton, Milburn, Stratcona - more easily described as between Cardigan and St. Peter's on Route 313 in Kings County.
https://www.facebook.com/cardiganheritage/
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Lecture by Reg Porter, Aug. 14th - Isaac Smith: Two Hundred Years and After

August 8, 2017, 3:40 pm
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Warren Farm, Mill River East

October 19, 2017, 8:23 am
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     This old farmstead in Hills River (between Alberton and Bloomfield) at 1152 Mill River East Road (Rte. 145) is not long in existence.  The property has recently changed hands and one of the old farm buildings has already been destroyed.
     This was the old Benjamin Warren farmstead.  Benjamin was married to Jane Hewitt and they had two sons, Chester *Chet*, a bachelor; and Thomas who married Isabelle *Belle* Hardy - they had four son: 
1) Gordon m. Blanche Gamble, he farmed this family farm and did carpentry and plumbing on the side; 
2) Walter, he died of appendicitis at 9 years old; 
3) William, m. Marion Hall and lived in Mass., USA; and 
4) Norman m. Wilna Gordon and lived at the end of the Hardy Road in Montrose.  
     By the look of the house I would say it was built in the mid 1800's .  Note above the warehouse door the farm was once called "Norwood Farm".
     The view southeast from this property is looking over the Hills and Mill Rivers.
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Prince County Hospital, Summerside - 1951

November 29, 2017, 3:21 pm
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    A while back when a family member was a patient at Prince County Hospital I was interested to study this large architectural rendering displayed in one of the Unit corridors.  
     This was the second Prince County Hospital built in 1951 on Beattie Avenue - it replaced the first Prince County Hospital, opened in 1912, was located on St. Stephen Street.
    It's evident as you move through Prince County Hospital that they take pride in their history and display it in many different ways throughout the facility.
    A very good history of the hospital and nurse's residence was written in 2012 by Katherine Dewar and Wayne Wright - This Caring Place: The History of the Prince County Hospital and the School of Nursing.
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"Cymbria Lodge" For Sale - 1916

January 31, 2018, 6:35 am
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    I came across this interesting ad in the Guardian Newspaper September 11, 1916.  This was from a web search of the UPEI Island Newspapers online website www.islandnewspapers.ca
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Old Barn, Brae

April 18, 2018, 4:40 am
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     There's alot of great old barns in western Prince Edward Island, especially in the O'Leary area.  Sadly most of them are not used now and slowly falling down.  This barn is on the MacPhee Road in the Brae.

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Old Homestead, Milburn

April 19, 2018, 5:35 am
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     Here's an old house with great detailing on the Boulter Road (Rte. 140) in Milburn (south/near O'Leary).  According to Geolinc Plus this house, along with 50 acres, is currently owned by the Government of PEI.  From looking through the Meachams 1880 Atlas and the 1928 Cummins Atlas, its hard to determine if this was a MacNevin or MacPhee homestead.   
     I took this photo last week.






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MacNevin House, Brae

April 19, 2018, 6:04 am
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    I was by this old property the other day - there's not a shingled left - looks like it was leveled by a "control burn" by the local fire department.
Here's a photo I took of the MacNevin homestead in 2011 when out for a drive with my grandmother - here's the link to the post...
http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.ca/search?q=macnevin
"...below is the house of Horace MacNevin (son of Alan & Lulu) located on Rte. 140 in the Brae - Horace moved out of the house a short time ago.  The farm that had been owned previously by Clarence Johnstone and of which Augustine Guillemont had been the pioneer settler.  Their house had formerly been the home of Herbert Craig...  cf. Past & Present: A history of the Brae, 1979."
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Miscouche House demolished

May 18, 2018, 2:08 pm
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This photo appeared recently in the Journal-Pioneer.
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Reeves House, South Freetown to be demolished today

June 11, 2018, 9:48 am
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     I was notified by Jean last evening that this house was to be demolished today.  It was listed on www.usedpei.com for anyone to take windows, etc. 
     I drove by last evening and again this morning and took a few distant photos.  
     This is an impressive 3-1/2 storey farm house with an attached carriage house on a rise of land on the Nodd Road in South Freetown.  It was built by David Reeves 170 years ago.  David (1829-1912) married in 1858 to Margaret McCallum Cole (1839-1895) of Bedeque.  They had 12 children: Azzur, Hubert, Herbert, Esther, Duncan, Andrew, John, Janie, Wallace, Henry, Ada and Horatio.
     The photo below is from the ad referenced above.
     Below: map from Meacham's 1880 Atlas of PEI shows David Reeves with 396-Acres.  
Below: map from Cumin's 1928 Atlas of PEI shows this house belonging to Mrs. Picton Reeves (her husband Picton died in 1922) with 296-Acres and 100-Acres to the right belonging to her brother-in-law Hubert Reeves.  The also Atlas notes Mrs. Reeves having the following children: Margaret, Elmar, Preston and Elworth.

       Today this dairy farm is called "Blue Diamond Holsteins" with a newer home out front.

I took these photos last evening.
I took these photos this morning - that's an impressive tree in front of the house.

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DAVID REEVES OBITUARY
October 26, 1912 – The Charlottetown Guardian
     On Thursday, October 17th at Freetown there passed away one of the oldest residents in the person of David Reeves, at the good age of eighty-three years, after an illness of a few weeks caused by the general breaking up of the system.  The deceased was an honourable and upright man in all his dealing and acquired a good share of this worlds goods. 
     He leaves the following children to cherish his memory of a hind and affectionate father: - Janie and Horatio, Claremont, N.H.; Mrs. Joseph Webster, Imperial, Sask. (who arrived home shortly before her father’s death).  Davis of Seattle, Wash.; Herbert of Victoria West; Duncan of Norboro; Esther, and Hubert of Freetown and Picton at home.  The funeral on Saturday was largely attended, service was conducted at the house and grave by Rev. Mr. Morris, Kensington.  The remains were laid to rest in the Methodist Cemetery, Birch Grove, beside those of his wife, who predeceased him some years ago.  The pall bearers were – John Walker, Caleb Taylor, William Deighan, Joseph Baker, John Power, and Patrick Kielly.

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LEARD'S MILL OPEN HOUSE

October 3, 2018, 11:53 am
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Leard's 1888 Grist Mill

December 16, 2018, 10:51 am
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It's great to drive by Leard's Mill and see it restored. Here are a few recent photos.  The open house we held in mid October 2018 saw over 300 people come through in three hours.
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Since 1873 the Province has lost scores of...

April 30, 2019, 5:27 am
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     It's interesting to read the lament of a Guardian correspondent 91 years ago about the loss of old buildings.

     Since 1873 the Province has lost scores of carriage-building shops and saw and grist mills, also scores of carriage-buildings, carpentering and blacksmith shops and its only woollen factory. Cutting away limited forests has made us more and more dependent upon imported coal for fuel. And we have lost our luscious and once world-famous Malpeque oysters. On the other hand we have gained a silver fox-breeding and fur-farming industry of great value, the benefits of which we are now shared by many nations.” -The Charlottetown Guardian, June 30, 1928 (www.islandnewspapers.ca)
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Old Forsyth Homestead destroyed

May 6, 2019, 10:28 am
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     The old Forsyth homestead at 187 Dock Road in the community Union (between Elmsdale and Alberton) was destroyed in April 2019 by a "control burn" by the local fire department.
     I took these photos on Apr. 11, 2004 from the road before the leaves came onto the trees - the house was quite a distance from the road.
     The 1880 Meacham's Atlas of PEI shows John Forsyth Jr. living here with 104-acres.
     The 1928 Cummin's Atlas of PEI shows John W. Forsyth living here with a bit more acreage. It notes his wife, Martha Minnetta Hodgson and their four daughters: Margaret, Jean, Mary and Dorothy. (Margaret never married; Jean married Lloyd Wilkie; Mary married Russell Lockerby; and Dorothy married Leslie Hardy).
     The last person to live in this house was Margaret Forsyth. I believe she passed away in the mid-1980s. She was the secretary for the Town of Alberton for many years. No one lived here following her passing. The contents of this house were sold. By chance I found a box of 1940's Christmas cards at Riverview Antiques and bought them.   
     This house displays two eras in architectural periods and style. The original house is the kitchen wing (left) to the rear of the main house (right) and was built in the "center-dormer style" in the 1850s. The main part of the house was built later, possibly around 1900 when a new generation might have taken over the homestead.

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Miminegash United Church closed

July 26, 2019, 11:40 am
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    I was sad to learn the last service was held in the little Miminegash United Church in early July 2019. The church is located on Route 14 in St. Lawrence in western PEI. This little church was part of the Alberton-Elmsdale Pastoral Charge.
     Though it might seem insignificant, the church had a very interesting history as outlined in a 20-page booklet celebrating their 100th anniversary in the summer of 1981.
     Below are photos I took of the church last week.
 
     Below is the anniversary booklet I scanned so the history may be shared.
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Former Cutcliffe house demolished

November 6, 2019, 1:45 pm
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   The former Frank and Winnifred (McDowell) Cutcliffe home at Fredericton corner was demolished on Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 14, 2019. A young couple had purchased it a few years ago and during Hurricane Dorian it sustained too much damage. 
   The photo below was taken in the summer of 2007.

   When the Cutcliffe house was built it was the largest in the community. Frank Cutcliffe had a store between the house and the Malpeque Road (Rte.2). They were successful merchants. After the Cutcliffe's the store was operated by Martin Jorgensen and at one time the store was an antique shop.
   On Nov. 7, 1935 the Guardian newspaper report, "The members of the Pleasant Valley United Church Women (UCW) held a very successful chicken supper at the spacious home of Mr. & Mrs. Frank Cutcliffe. The ladies served supper to about 170 people. An enjoyable social evening was spent in music and games. A substantial sum was realized for the church. A hearty vote of thanks was tendered to Mr. & Mrs. Cutcliffe for their hospitality."
   In the late 1960s or early 1970s the house was bought by two couples, one by the name of Pryor from Quebec and was turned into an inn. It was famously known as the Seven-Keys Inn. The end of the house facing the road featured seven large wood keys fanned out. The seven rooms for rent were decorated differently in styles from around the world.
    Over the years many different people lived in this house. 

   The following photos were taken in the summer of 2007 when Route-2 Highway in Hunter River was widened. In the photo below the former Cutcliffe house is on the left and across the street, Fredericton Station Rd., was the old Howard Weeks home. Howard was a master carpenter and built many houses in the area in the early 1900s. The Malpeque Rd. (Rte. 2) is at the bottom of the photo. 

   That summer of 2007 many, many buildings in Fredericton along Rte. 2 highway were torn down or moved - it surely changed the look and feel of the community.
   Below the beige house was the first Fredericton School turned into a house where Whitfield and Daisy Abbott lived. To the right was the old Fredericton Hall.
Below was the Church of Christ, also torn down that summer of 2007.
   Below was the last Fredericton School converted to a house. It belonged to the MacKenzie's who moved it to the Smith Road in Pleasant Valley to a vacant lot once owned by Willa Smith.
  Below, way back the driveway was the farm of Miller and Francis (McDowell) Stevenson. The house at the top of the driveway was the former Church of Christ manse where Miller and Francis lived and their son and daughter-in-law lived in the old house. The old house was torn down to make way for a new house and the bungalow was moved to Hazel Grove. 
  Below was the old feed mill originally owned and operated by the Cutcliffe's. In later years it was owned by the MacKenzie's. It too was torn down.
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Webster's Mills of Marie

January 12, 2020, 8:28 am
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     I recently got a copy of the community history, Morell: Its History by the Jubilee Senior Citizens Club, 1980. I was interested to read the story about Webster's Mills of Marie - the following informations comes from Pages 46-48, written by Cuyler Dingwell.

     Edward Warrel Webster (b. 1810) was known as Edward the Miller. He married Henrietta Maria Bowley and, as a young man, established mills on the Marie River building a dam for power, possibly about the year 1835. The first lumber mill was powered by an overshot water wheel and used what is known as "up and down saws." The flour mill used stones to grind either barley or wheat into flour.
     The older sons of Edward Webster operated these mills with their father for some years; but on the death of Edward the Miller on Nov. 12, 1891, his son Robert R. Webster (1865-1956) took over their operation. Robert was married to Mary Dingwell (May) who was sister of my father, James E. Dingwell. They were the children of George H. Dingwell (postman), whose wife was Margaret Dingwell. Margaret, the daughter of Charles Dingwell and Mary Dingwell - nee Webster. She was the sister of Edward the Miller.
     After Robert took over the operation of the mills he did extensive renovations. With the lumber mill he put a modern gate type water wheel; also a rotary or circular saw and carriage; as well as adding a shingle mill. In the flour mill, the stones to be recut or sharpened at intervals. The last time this was done was by a man named MacLeod from Strathcona, who was a professional stone cutter. This information was told to me by Mr. Webster himself.
     About the year 1912, Robert bought a roller mill that had been built on the River John in Nova Scotia. he had it dismantled by a man in Nova Scotia, who re-erected it for Robert on the previous site of the flour mill, on the Marie River. Because the mill was new, the 35-horsepower water wheel did not have enough power to operate it successfully. So, R.R. as he was known, purchased a steam engine and boiler and had it installed in a shed on the side of the mill. Since it was fifty horsepower engine, it had plenty of power, but not everyone could fire the boiler properly, with the slabs from the saw mill.  I have been told that a young lad by the name of Douglas Sanderson was the only one who could do this adequately. Doug, as he is called, now lives in Cable Head. The mill operated by steam for a few years; as it became older and worn, needing less power, it was then operated by water power for it's duration.
     As well as milling, Robert Webster made brick. The last kiln of brick was moulded by Alan MacDonald, one of the "strong MacDonalds." The clay for the brick was dug just west of the mills in a field - the hollow can still be seen to this day. I cannot recall the exact number of bricks Mr. Webster told me was in the kiln, but it was up in the thousands. The bricks were baked or burned right on the site, using hardwood for fuel.
     After the war of 1914-1918, Robert's son William (1896-1969), took over the operation of the saw mills. Later, about 1930, when Robert retired from milling and moved to Midgell, Wilbur, who was married to the former Ida Jay took over the operation of the flour mills and operated them until the early 1940's. At this time, because of a failure in the wheat crops and other reasons, the flour mill never started again. Wilbur continued to operate the saw mill on a part-time basis until failing health forced his retirement in the 1960's. Somewhere around 1965, the Dept. of Highways built a new dam up stream from the old dam and put a bypass in for the fish to go from river to dam and vice-versa. About this time Wilbur's son, Garth, operated the saw mill part-time for a few years, using a gasoline engine for power. Today (1980), what was once Webster's Mills, is just a pile of rubble in the stream of Marie River.
     Part of this story are from tales my father remembered as told to me; other parts were told to me by Robert R. Webster, whom always called Uncle Rob since his wife was my Aunt May, a very dear old lady whom I will never forget. Other part are memories of my own.
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New Glasgow c. 1960s

January 16, 2020, 5:16 am
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     We were into Bibles for Mission store the other day and got this great photo. We took it out of the frame and realized it was a calendar photo. Note the stooked grain in the foreground. The olde mill restaurant was beside the church and now across the road where the Olde Glasgow Mill Restaurant is today.


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