Duggan Homestead destroyed by fire

     On Sunday evening, October 14th, 2012 the Ralph and Doris (Adams) Duggan homestead was destroyed by a control-burn by the Alberton Fire Department. 

     Doris died in August 2000 and following Ralph"s death 2-1/2 years later the house was rented on and off and had recently been vacant requiring too many repairs to salvage.
     This place held many fond memories for the Duggan family and all you called them friend.

     The house was located at the corner of the Western Road and the Cheese Factory Road in Alma.

     This house was built around 1950 by local carpenter Dave Gordon for Hutt Duggan of the Centerline Road in Lauretta.  Hutt ran a sawmill from here for a few years until he retired in the late 1950's and moved to Malagash, Nova Scotia to live with his sister.  At that time Ralph and Doris bought the house from his Uncle Hutt and lived here till their passing.  
     Ralph was the son of Margaret "Sybil" (Duggan) Dayette.

Above: Doris & Ralph Duggan

     The Duggans in Lauretta/Alma came to be when Mysie Simmons Duggan married John Smith of Centerline Road in Lauretta.  Mysie had six children when she married John - they were: Hutt, Roy, Sybil, Ada (m. Pat MacIntyre), daughter-1 (lived with Hutt), daughter-2 (lived in Malagash).   

     Mysie use to light the fire at Lauretta School.  Wilbert Jeffery recalls as children they would go across the road to John and Mysie Smith's to get water for the school.  

     The following information comes from a Cemetery Tour given by Carter Jeffery of the Holy Trinity Alma Cemetery during the 150th anniversary of the Alberton-O'Leary Anglican Parish in August 2009.

Hugh “John/Jack” Smith  Birth and death dates unknown.  He raised foxes and farmed.  John has three wives buried here beside him – to his left his first wife Jannie McMeeken 1870-1899. To his right, his second wife Holly H. Vincent and to the far right, his third and last wife Mysie Simmons Duggan 1877-1945.  John lived on the Centerline Road in Lauretta across the road just before Lauretta School - later owned by Lawrence Arsenault.  John use to take-up the collection at the church.  
Excerpt from Eva & Mary Jeffery’s Journal –

Feb. 24, 1930: Rain forenoon.  Father to church and Jack Smith fixing roof.

June 17, 1930:  Warm day. Jack Smith here for ladder for to put up staging in church.

July 4, 1930:  John Smith here got money to pay Bowness for painting church.