Letter from Geo. Jeffery to brother Spurgeon Jeffery - 1923

[ Letter from George A. Jeffery (Christ Church minister) to his brother, John Spurgeon Jeffery, Alma ]

                                                   New London, Iowa, U.S.A. - January 27, 1923

My dear brother Spurgeon and family.

     Doubtless, you will be wondering what has become of us…

     When I made you the short visit last May it was my intention to make a longer visit with you in the fall.  However, I could not do so.  My work was of such a nature that it kept me at the helm all the time.  I had a very successful summer in the evangelistic field.  I did not finish until the 5th of Nov.  As it was looking wintry, Mrs. and I. thought we had

better make tracks for a warmer, and less stormy zone.  My last meeting was about 20 miles from St. John,  Mrs. J. was with me there, so we decided to pull up at once without a return visit to P.E.I.  Mrs. J. very frequently speak of the lovely visit she had with you all…

   ...Is Stephen still at David's or did David sell the old home.  If he has not, I somehow think he will before many years.  I presume his wife would rather live in Nova Scotia. As she would be among her own people.

     When I was there last May, I walked over the old farm, and somehow it impressed me that the land is poor, possibly I was mistaken.  My, how the whole country around seemed to have changed.  As I walked over the old place, a thought like this came to me.  When shall I walk over this ground again?  Oh, who knows the future?

   ...The first stormy day set down and write me.  I want to know how the boys all are.  Where they are, and what they are doing…

     Hoping this will find its way to you over all the snow drifts and banks.

Yours lovingly, George

     Above: Jeffery Homestead, standing beside old barn, looking to the back fields running alongside the Dunbar Road.  Willie Dunbar's farm is to  the far left.

John Ross *Jack* Donald Obituary

1923-2013

     Peacefully at the Western Hospital, Alberton, on Friday, August 23, 2013, with his loving family by his side, of John Ross (Jack) Donald, beloved husband of Marion Sophie (nee Barbour) Donald of 494 Marchbank Road, Montrose, P.E.I., age 90 years. 

      Born at Alma, P.E.I., on June 1, 1923, he was the son of the late Wallace Earl and Annie Isabel (nee Cole) Donald. 

     Loving father to Darrell (Tracey) Donald of Montrose, and Della (Dennis) Rix of St. Lawrence. Cherished grandfather of Taylor Donald and Sophie, Jenna and Jake Rix. He is also survived by sisters-in-law, Wanda Matthews, Grace Donald, Betty Donald, Carol Donald and Mary Beth Donald. He is also survived by his many nieces and nephews. 

    He was predeceased by siblings, Rae Donald, Leigh Donald, Isabel Weeks, Verna Donald, Jean Turner, James Donald and Wallace (Bill) Donald.

     Resting at the Rooney Funeral Home, Alberton. Visiting hours Monday, August 27th, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral on Tuesday afternoon from the Gordon Memorial United Church, Alberton, for funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Lynn McKinnon officiating. Interment to take place at Montrose United Church Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy memorials to the Montrose United Church Restoration Fund or to the Western Hospital Equipment Fund would be gratefully appreciated.

Parmenas Currie, Lauretta

     Parmenas lived on the other side of the bush as Dad would say, he lived where Gary and Kim Beaton live today.  Minus, as he was known, was often mentioned in the goings-on in the journals of Eva and Mary Jeffery.
     Below is from The Island Regristry cf. http://www.islandregister.com/currie3.html
JOHN JAMES³ CURRIE,JR (JOHN CURRIE² SR, WILLIAM CURRIE¹) was born 19 February 1841 in Freetown lot 25 P.E.I. ', and died 29 January 1927 in at his son Rogers home Glenwood P.E.I.. He married MARY JANE BROOKS 20 December 1860, daughter of ROGER BROOKS and MARY SULLIVAN. She was born 18 November 1840, and died 14 February 1917.  John died at the home of his son Roger Currie at Glenwood P.E.I.
Children of JOHN CURRIE and MARY BROOKS are:
1. JAMES ROGER⁴ CURRIE, b. 5 December 1861, O' Leary P.E.I. ; d. 26 March 1949, Glenwood P.E.I.
2. PARMENAS CURRIE, b. April 1865, O' Leary P. E. I.; d. 1947, Alma P.E.I.
3. JOSIAH CURRIE, b. 10 August 1868, O' Leary P.E.I.; d. November 1967, Cape Wolfe. Burial: Cape Wolfe United Cemetery. Josiah Currie: 10 August 1868, Not married.
4. ZILPAH CURRIE, b. 28 June 1871, Springfield, P.E.I.; d. 12 October 1953, Berton Lot 7 P.E.I.
5. NELSON CURRIE, b. 22 August 1873, Alberton P.E.I.; d. 21 April 1934, Elmsdale, lot 3, P.E.I.
6. ANNIE LAURA CURRIE, b. 15 October 1875, Alberton P.E.I.; d. 1935.  Annie Laura Currie: 15 October 1875, Not married
7. MARY JEANETTE CURRIE, b. 3 March 1879, Alberton P.E.I.; d. 5 May 1968, St Petersburg Florida.
8. ETHLE CURRIE, b. Alma P.E.I.

PARMENAS⁴ (Minus) CURRIE (JOHN JAMES³, JOHN CURRIE² SR, WILLIAM CURRIE¹) was born April 1865 in O' Leary P. E. I., and died 1947 in Alma P.E.I.. He married CLARA ELIZA JANE GILLIAN, daughter of THOMAS GILLIAN. She was born 1867 in Huntley P.E.I., and died 30 January 1940 in Alma P.E.I.  Parmenas and Clara are buried at Holy Trinity Anglican Alma P.E.I.
Children of PARMENAS CURRIE and CLARA GILLIAN are:
1. JENNIE FORBES⁵ CURRIE, b. 15 January 1910; d. 19 November 1935. Burial: Holy Trinity Anglican Alma P.E.I.
2. REAGH GLIDDEN CURRIE, b. 22 March 1903; d. 1988.  WWII Veteran. Burial: Holy Trinity Anglican Alma P.E.I.
3. MYRTLE CURRIE.  Died in Infancy?

Alberton School Fair Prize List

Published in The P. E. Island Agriculturist, Summerside, PEI, October 26, 1918.
cf. http://www.islandregister.com/1918albertonfair.html

Prize winners from Alma -
*White Potatoes C 1, Claude Wade, Central Kildare; 2, Ray O'Brien, Alberton; 3, Marion Platte, Alma; 4, Alvin Ashley, Hills River.
*Pumpkins C 1, Annie Pridham, Montrose; 2, Margaret Dunbar, Alma; 3, Willie Rayner, Alberton; 4, Florence Rennie, Alma.
*Green Tomatoes C 1, Gladys Campbell, Montrose; 2, Charles Johnston, Hills River; 3,
Blanche Rennie, Alma; 4, Elizabeth Leard, South Kildare.
*Apple (Alexanders) C 1, Joyce McArthur, Union; 2, Thelma Larkin; 3, Ethel Hardy, Alma; 4, Irene Hardy, South Kildare.
*Sewing and Knitting C Apron (Girls over 12) 1, Ethel Hardy, Alma; 2, Mamie Foley, Central Kildare; 3, May Kinch, Alberton South; 4, Margaret Kinch, Central Kildare.
*Knitted Socks C AC 1, Shirley MacArthur, Union; 2, Edith Dunn, Alberton; 3, Catherine Gordon, Montrose; 4, Ethel Hardy, Alma. 

Gertrude S. (Wallace) MacNeill - Obituary

1922-2008

     Peacefully at Prince County Hospital, Summerside on Monday, April 21, 2008 of Gertrude S. MacNeill of Alberton formerly of Alma aged 85, wife of the late Stanford MacNeill. Born on June 2, 1922 in Coleman, the daughter of the late Herman and Minnie (Griffin) Wallace. 
     Cherished mother of Betty (Clayton) Arthur, Alberton; Irene Butler, Alberton; Norma (Jim) Millman, Folly Mountain, NS; Mary (Ronnie) Hutt, Northport; George (Chris) MacNeill, Alma. Beloved mother in law of Bonnie MacNeill (late James) , Alberton; Betty MacNeill (late Wayne). Loving grandmother of Heather, Steven, Pam, Roger, Shelley, Michael, Brenda, Jason, Morgan, Melissa, Jake, Patti, Joslyn, Ashton, Amber, Spencer, Katie and 22 great grandchildren. Dear sister of Annie Getson, Carleton, Lot 6; Mary Dunbar, Alma; Cowan Wallace, O’Leary; Ewen (Mary Alice) Wallace, St. Margaret’s Bay, NS; sister in law to Eddie (Florence) MacNevin, O’Leary. Special aunt to Jean (Edgar) Oatway, Summerside. 
     Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. Predeceased by grandson Jamie Butler, brothers and sisters Erma (Lawson) MacNevin, Florence MacNevin, Margaret (Russell) Lockhart, Albert (Etta Mae), George & John in infancy, sister in law Erma Wallace, brothers in law Chester Getson, Jack Dunbar, nephews Douglas Dunbar, Billy Getson, James Getson, and Cecil Wallace. 
      Resting at the Ferguson Funeral Home and Chapel, O’Leary with visiting hours Tuesday 2-4 & 7-9pm. Funeral on Wednesday in the Chapel at 1pm. Interment to follow in the Holy Trinity Church Cemetery, Alma. Memorials to James Wallace MacNeill Memorial Library Fund at Three Oaks School or the Cemetery Fund would be appreciated. 

Francis Charles "Frank" Murphy - Obituary

1973-2013

     Peacefully at the Palliative care Unit of the Community Hospital, O'Leary, with  his loving family by his side, on Friday, July 26, 2013, of Francis Charles (Frank) Murphy of Alberton, age 39 years, following a courageous battle with cancer. Loving husband to Joni (nee Bell) Murphy. 

     Born on September 11, 1973, he was the son of Preston and Helen (nee Ramsay) Murphy of Alma. Cherished father to Tianna and Makayla. Dear brother to Judy (Dennis) Peters, Rose (Mike) Barbour, Trevor (Jill), and Amy (Ronnie) Murphy. Son-in-law to Laurie and Linda (nee Abrams) Bell. Brother-in-law to Alvin (Beverley) Bell, Brenda (Timmy) Robertson, and Justin Bell. Dear uncle to Kelsey, Candice, Chad, Jordan, Victoria, Georgia, Carter and connor. Grandson-in-law to Pearl Bell (late Hillard) and James Abrams (late Jean). He will be sadly missed by his many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Amos and Margaret (nee Cahill) Ramsay, and Wilbert and Geraldine (nee Gavin) Murphy. He was also predeceased by uncles, Roy, Amy and John Ramsay.

      Resting at the Rooney Funeral Home, Alberton. Visiting hours Sunday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Funeral on Monday afternoon, July 29th from the Gordon Memorial United Church, Alberton, at 2:00 p.m., Rev. Lynn McKinnon officiating. Interment to take place in the Elmsdale United Church Cemetery. 

     As an expression of sympathy, memorials in his memory made to a trust fund for Tianna and Makayla Murphy would be gratefully accepted.

Lupins

     Lupin seeds were distributed to local Women's Institutes by Prince Edward Island Government in 1972-1973 to be spread in their communities to beauty The Island for our 100th anniversary.
     Here's a few photos from around Alma.

      Above left: Wilbert & Verna Jeffery home. Above right: Jack & Mary Dunbar home - on Centerline Road.

 Holy Trinity Alma Anglican Church on Western Road ( aka Rte. 2 ).