The Old Fashioned Christmas Concert - Alma School

     The following story appeared in the West Prince Graphic - Wednesday, December 24, 2008 page 8.  By Blanche (Mountain) Bowness, Alberton (formerly of Alma).

     Always at this time of year my mind flashes back to the Alma School Christmas Concert.
     The teacher would be reminded early and we couldn't wait to do our parts.  We only practiced for a week, and when the night was picked, then there were curtains to hang on the stage.
     And, of course the tree.  No problem, the older boys were only too glad to get away and didn't rush, but always had a nice tree, which the public decorated.
     We always had an organ provided by one of the neighbors.  And of course there were planks and blocks needed for seating.  Marion's (Barbour) would arrive with "Prince" and the wood sleigh with these as they were stored in her dad's granary.  If we were short we could always count on the neighbours for some.
     Rennies Store was full of the Christmas aroma as Blanche and Fred would have in a supply of fruit and candy, as well as a supply of fruit and candy, as well as plenty of dolls, games,, etc., on the shelves.  Then on the day of the concert, we would go over the program and after school pack the treats and also fudge to sell.
     We couldn't wait to arrive at the concert dressed up in our best, ready to do our parts.  Willy and Garth (Dunbar) always sang also Wanda (Barbour) and I.  There were dialogues and recitations, and then we all sand, "Santa Claus is coming, we shall welcome him with glee.  He'll have a gift for everyone upon the Christmas tree.  He'll not forget a single child, how happy we shall be, for Santa Clause is coming."
     And as we helped Santa pass out treats and gifts, we always remembered the little ones not yet in school.  I recall carrying up Preston M (Murphy) and Willard and the others for their treats.  Then as we sang "Farewell Santa".  He would give a little step and blow his horn ending the truly magical evening.

Blanche Bowness, Alberton (c.1950s)

Wild Bear Cubs - 1877

Alberton Pioneer Newspaper March 7, 1877

Google Images (www.blog.wildlife-sketches.com)

     On Monday the 5th while Mr. Stephen Jeffery of Lot Three was in the woods his dog discovered a bear which had taken up its winter quarters under the roots of a large tree that had blown down.  Mr. Jeffery having cleared away the roots and bush found a she bear with 2 cubs.  The two cubs were taken by Mr. Jeffery to be raised by him.

Former Abram / Louis Jeffery House burns

     http://peiheritagebuildings.blogspot.com/2012/02/former-abram-jeffery-house-burns.html

     Early yesterday morning the house my father grew up in was completely destroyed by fire. It was moved from Lauretta to the Dock Road in Elmsdale West/ Brockton in the mid 1970's
Below is the article from the Journal Pioneer's website yesterday:

Inspecting the aftermath of a Thursday night house fire in Brockton.

Published on February 24, 2012 by Eric McCarthy/ Journal Pioneer. Photo Eric McCarthy
http://www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2012-02-24/article-2906989/Brockton-woman-rescues-granddaughter/1
BROCKTON -- A Brockton woman made her way into her burning house early Friday morning to rouse her granddaughter who was asleep upstairs.
       The pair made it safely out of the house, but all of their belongings were destroyed and several family pets perished.
       Phyllis Nugent said she was in the barn when she heard a smoke detector going off in the house. Upon investigating, she discovered the porch was on fire. Unable to enter the house through the usual route, she entered through the back.
      “I woke her up because the smoke detector was going off by the basement and the kitchen door was closed, so (my granddaughter) wouldn’t really hear it for a while,” Nugent said.
“The other smoke detectors were in the other part of the house. They weren’t getting the smoke yet.”
      Nugent and her 17 year-old granddaughter, Ashley, were able to rescue their dogs and three pet birds during their escape.
      “I lost seven cats and a bird,” Nugent added.
      Ashley Nugent had a cell phone with her and called 911 after the pair were safely outside.
The granddaughter was subsequently taken to Western Hospital to examined for possible smoke inhalation.
      Phyllis said the family moved from New Brunswick last May when they bought the Brockton farmstead. She had lived in nearby Rosebank until 30 years ago. Her husband, who was at work in Saint John, N.B., was notified of the fire Friday morning and was en route.
      Alberton fire chief Kenny Ramsay said the alarm sounded at 7:13 a.m. The house was fully engulfed when the first trucks arrived on the scene at 7:35 a.m. Tignish, Miminegash and O’Leary fire departments provided backup.
      Heavy snowfall Thursday night made it difficult for firefighters to get out of their driveways en route to the fire hall.
      “There was nothing really to save,” Ramsay said in describing the extent of destruction when they arrived. “All we could do was protect the surrounding exposures. There were two vehicles that suffered light heat damage. If it wasn’t for the wind direction it could have been a lot worse. Two other buildings could have been lost, probably, and the vehicles as well.”
      Phyllis said she didn’t know the cause of the fire but thought it started behind the clothes dryer. As fire fighters turned their attention to salvage and overhaul, Nugent said she didn’t know if she would rebuild at that location. She said the loss is covered by insurance.
     Deputy fire marshal Robert Arsenault said Friday he couldn’t determine the cause of the fire but has ruled it accidental.
      He acknowledged that it did originate in the area of the dryer and said it possibly could have been electrical in origin.

Here's an aerial photo of the homestead around 1955.

Below: a closer look at the Jeffery home.

     Below: Abram Jeffery and Mary Jane (Smith) Jeffery. Photo taken in the late 1930's. Their son Louis took over the farm in 1918 when he married Annie Jane Cannon of St. Lawrence.

      Abram and Mary Jane built this house sometime in the mid-to-late 1890's (they were married in 1892) on a 50-acre farm located on the Centerline Road in Lauretta. They raised a family of 11 children here: William, Bessie, Levi, Louis, Hannah, Jack, Stephen, Pearl, Harvey, Eliza and Ethel.
      In September 1943 Abram was helping his son take in hay (he was 74 years old) when he fell from the load breaking his neck. They say Mary Jane died of a broken heart a few months later in January 1944 - she was 78 years old.
      Below: the family of Louis and Annie Jane (Cannon) Jeffery: Back L-R: Gladys Kinch (a neighbour); Mabel, Stirling, Wilbert. Front L-R: Gladys, Eileen and Preston. Photo taken around 1942. Missing from photo are the two oldest boys, Gordon and Harold.

     Below: we don't have many photos of the house - here's a photo of Uncle Preston with his father's truck around 1955.

     Below: Here's a photo of the old house taken in the fall of 1971 (processed Mar '72).

      My grandfather Louis died in 1962 in Saint John, NB. My grandmother lived here till about 1965 when my parents Wilbert and Verna bought it from her - they rented the house for a few years, then it was left abandoned and was vandilized.
      One evening in the late 1960's I remember visiting the tenants here with my father and being amazed that they were living by lantern light - we lived 1/2 a mile down the road and had power.
      After it was abandoned my brothers and I, like most children in those days, were always roaming around the community on our bicycles and we'd often go into the house to explore and look around.      There were a few antiques and junk in the house, ie. ice box refridgerator, side board mantle, a few bundles of cedar shingles and I remember there being alof of letters strewn over the floor in the upper hall.

      In the mid 1970's Albert MacInnis of St. Lawrence approached Dad to buy it and move it to the Dock Road. I remember the day it was moved, coming down the driveway and through the road towards St. Lawrence, down the Olde Tom Road and out to the Doct Road. 

     Below: Here are two photos I took of the house in the spring of 2010 - it had changed owners a few times in recent years.

     Below: my brother Kerras and his wife Shirley were by the property yesterday afternoon and took this photo.

World Largest Egg Beater, Lauretta

     Recent History is also important to be included in this blog. 
     For example the little community of Lauretta made the history books when my brother Kerras Jeffery's World's Largest Egg Beater, unveiled on June 5, 2005, was confirmed to be the largest in the world and registered by Guinness Book of World Records.

     Below:  the crowd gathers to watch Prince Edward Island's Minister of Tourism officially launch/open the worlds largest egg beater by cracking an egg against the 14' metal structure.

     Below are two cartoons about the egg beater, drawn by cartoonist Wayne Wright, which appeared in the Journal Pioneer newspaper in the fall of 2005.

     Below: The egg beater in the summer of 2011 - still a delight for tourist and visitor to see.

Mr. & Mrs. John Owen Gordon, 60th Anniverary - 1949

     My father Wilbert and I were visiting his sister Eileen in Summerside one day last week - she was showing us some old scrap books and I found this article telling of the 60th Anniversary of longtime Alma residents John Owen Gordon and Grace Riley.

Obituaries of Former Residents

     I just posted the obituary of Lila Mountain Squarebriggs - she was born and lived most of her life on the Centerline Road (east side of the Western Road). 
     This is the first obituary posted in this blog and provides important information about Lila, her birth date, place and who here parents were.
     Obituaries provide valuable information to researchers when putting together a community history or family genealogy and I'd like to include them in this blog.
     Below is a photo of Lila with Sid Vincent taking a rest from planting potatoes sometime in the 1960's.  Photo cf. the Donna Barbour MacPhee photo collection:

Lila Mountain Squarebriggs

1917-2012

     Peacefully at the Maplewood Manor, Alberton, on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012, of Lila Mellicent Squarebriggs, beloved wife of the late Ralph Squarebriggs, age 95 years.

     Born in Alma, on Feb. 6, 1917, she was the daughter of the late John E. and Miriam Janetta (nee Horne) Mountain. Dear sister to Hattie (late James) Johnston of Summerside; Beth (Preston) Neil of North Milton; and Blanche (late Keith) Bowness of Alberton.

     She was predeceased by her sister, Muriel (late Jack) Nisbet of Saint John, N.B. She will be sadly missed by her many nieces and nephews. Resting at the Rooney Funeral Home, Alberton.

     Visiting hours Friday, Feb. 17, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral on Sunday Feb. 19, from the Gordon Memorial United Church, Alberton, at 2 p.m. Rev. Robert Lockhart officiating. Interment will later take place at the Montrose United Church Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, memorials to the Maplewood Manor Equipment Fund or to the Montrose United Church Restoration Fund would be gratefully appreciated.

Lila Mountain Squarebriggs Obituary appeared in the Journal Pioneer one year later.
     Friends and family were saddened to learn of the passing of Lila Squarebriggs at Maplewood Manor, Alberton on Feb. 15, 2012 at the age of 95 years.  Born in Alma on February 6, 1917 to her parents John E. and Janetta (Horne) Mountain.  She was a devoted daughter, loving sister and cherished aunt to 18 nieces and nephews.  With the exception of several winters in Halifax and Toronto, she lived in Alma, where she helped on the farm and took care of her parents in their later years.  Lila was a member of Montrose United Church, and a firm supporter where she held office in different capacities.  She was a life member of the U.C.W.  She married Ralph Squarebriggs on Nov. 16, 1984 and he moved to Alma.  He pre-deceased her in May 1994.  Lila moved to Alberton in 2004 and she and Blanche shared an apartment which she enjoyed.  About three years later she broke her hip and moved to Maplewood Manor where she was cared for by the loving staff.  She loved music and used to sing with several staff, especially Amazing Grace.  And she used to play the piano at the Manor for past time.  Lila loved to see friends drop in, and was always ready to share a cup of tea or a meal.