The December News
Part I
The December articles are rich in the life of what the people in Dalhousie were experiencing as winter started to set in and the preparations for the Christmas Season started to occupy their time.
Once again, please send along any old photos you have that would help make
these articles come alive. Any and all will be greatly appreciated.
The background photo here is of Black Duck Lake.
1903 December 3rd
- Mr. E. H. Saunders is in the employ of the Davison Lumber Co.
1903 December 24th
- Mr. Lawrence Gaul and Company of Dalhousie are building camps and making preparations to lumber after the new year.
1903 December 31st
- Mrs. David Taylor, (Martha “Jane” Toole 1816-1903) an aged and respected resident of this place, passed away on the morning of Dec. 24th, after many years of suffering, borne with patience and Christian fortitude. She leaves an aged husband, four sons and three daughters to mourn the loss of a kind wife and mother.
In 1903 Elton Saunders was married to Etta May Roop (1864-1925). Elton & Etta had four children: Robie Clair, Laurie Winfield, Harry Carrol & Bernice Marie. Later after Etta died, Elton married Ethel Muriel Gaul in 1927. They had no children.
David Taylor (1825-1909) was a son of the first Taylor family to arrive in East Dalhousie, George & Jane Taylor, in 1818. One of their children, Martha (1853-1943), was the second wife of Patrick Gaul (1844-1918).
1913 December 18th
- The sum of $12.81 was realized at the Pie Social at Mr. Robert Wilson’s recently. Mr. Wilson has been sick and confined to his bed.
- Arthur Boylan had his leg badly injured while trying to board the Springhill Railway Company’s train near Crossburn.
Arthur James Boylan was a brother to Naomi Zwicker and a half-brother to Vonnie Casey both of Lakeview. He was a conductor for the Davison Lumber Company at the time of this incident in 1913. He enlisted and fought in the WWI in 1916. After the war he was a conductor for the CNR.
Above is the No. 2 Engine in the train yard at Crossburn.
1914 December 14th
- Constantine and Douglas Gaul have exchanged places, the former has moved his store on his premises.
- Mr. James Gaul took a drove of fat cattle to Aylesford this week.
- Councillor Laurence Gaul is doing some contract logging for the Davison Lumber Co.
1914 December 24
- Mr. Frank Michaud had his house burned
with most of its contents on Thursday.
Constantine and Douglas were two sons of Laurence & Cecilia (Matthews) Gaul. Apparently this home had become the property of Douglas who in 1914 exchanged homes with Constantine. It was later around 1920 that Constantine sold it to Ray & Ella (Kaulback) Hiltz. They ran the store (I believe) until sometime in the 1970's.
At the time of this photo the house was divided into two apartments. For a time Thaddie & Norine Gaul rented this left side of the house. The landscape has changed so much from when this scene was captured. Notice the field and woods in the background. If you look closely, I am sure you can see the brook that ran behind the house from Black Duck Lake!
Also take a look at the hood of the car. Is that a fox tail tied to the hood ornament?
David Francis "Frank" Michaud (1880-1938) lived in Lakeview where he married Catherine "Cassie" (Forrestall) Boylan in 1910, after her first husband, James "Raymond" Boylan, had been killed in a logging accident. Frank was a blacksmith and traveled a lot for his work, thus his being in Winnipeg, Manitoba when he died.
After his home in Lakeview burnt down in 1914, he rebuilt on the same site.
1915 December 29th
- Laurie W. Saunders, son of Elton H. Saunders of this place (Dalhousie), has enlisted for overseas service and is training with the 106th Batt. N.S. Rifles, under Col. Allen in Truro.
Corporal Laurie W. Saunders 1915
1917 December 6th
- Catastrophe! The city of Halifax Shaken to its Foundation and a Large Area in Ruins. The great explosion that occurred in the Halifax Harbour on Thursday, Dec. 6, 1917 at 9:05 in the morning was felt as far away as East Dalhousie. This story as told by the Long family remembers that terrible day.
One day in December, Mrs. Eddie Long, Louie (DeAdder), was on her way to the hen house carrying a pail of water for the hens, when she heard a rumbling and felt a swaying sensation in the ground. In fact it was strong enough to cause her to fall down and spill her pail of water. She quickly returned to the house fearing an earth quake and further tremors; however, nothing more occurred and the rumblings remained a mystery. A mystery until the next day, that is.
The next morning, her father-in-law, John Long, went to Springfield and heard the devastating news via telegraph. Returning home the family recalls John standing in the kitchen doorway wearing his fur coat, the one from the trunk in the attic, and solving the mystery of the previous day’s rumblings. There had been a terrible naval disaster in Halifax Harbour, approximately 100 miles away, as the crow flies. The Imo had collided with the Mont Blanc causing the horrific Halifax Explosion of December 6, 1917!
Click to enlarge the newspaper articles, the stamp and the clock that stopped at the exact time of the explosion.
1918 December 4th
- Mr. E. H. Saunders, foreman of camp #12 of the D.L. & M. Co., spent the 25th at home.
1923 December 12th
- Thaddeus Gaul has taken a contract to log for the Berwick Cooperage Company.
- Mr. Daniel Lonergan has been appointed Postmaster for the Dalhousie Road office.
- Mr. Freeman Kaulback has moved his mill on the Robert Wilson lot.
The home of Daniel & Alvarette (Rettie) Lonergan.
1900
1924
To read about the history of the mail service in Dalhousie, click the stamps on the left & right.
Freeman, Quint
& Louisa Kaulback
~1913
1923 December 26th
- Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus Gaul have moved into their new residence, which is prettily situated opposite the old homestead.
- Mr. Ray Hiltz, who has charge of the cooperage business, has manufactured 8,000 barrels.
- Our mill man, Mr. Freeman Kaulback, has manufactured the past season: 14,700 staves, 36,000 feet of lumber, 100,000 heads and 68,000 laths.
- Messrs. Ronald Smith and Howard Burgoyne left on Monday for New Brunswick where they have employment in the lumber business.
Margaret (Long) Russell holding Francis (5 months old) in 1928.
Margaret's mother, Louie (DeAdder) Long, and Francis' mother, Norine (DeAdder) Gaul, were sisters, so Margaret and Francis were first cousins. Here we can see them still working on the Gaul house in the background.
1932 December 23rd
- The death of Margaret, the relict (widow) of the late John Long of East Dalhousie, occurred on Friday, December 23rd, death being due to heart failure. The deceased was 73 years of age and was in her usual health up to the time of her death. Her sudden death has been a great shock to the community in which she lived. Mrs. Long was born in East Dalhousie and before her marriage was Margaret Lonergan. She was the last of a family of eight children of Michael Lonergan and Sophia Floyd. Her husband predeceased her five years ago. She is survived by on son, Edward, who lives in the old family home with whom she resided, two sisters, Mrs. Charles Russell and Mrs. Charles Cogley both of New Ross.
John Long Jr., Margaret holding their first grandson, Francis Russell,
Charles Russell, Alma Long & Agnes Long.
Photo 1910 - Agnes & Charles Russell were visiting her parents from their home in New Ross on a Sunday afternoon.
1933 December 19th
- It appears that winter has arrived the way it has settled in. On Dec.9th we experienced a heavy sleet storm, which is still on the trees.
- Wallace Lowe has succeeded in trapping another wild cat recently.
- The storm of a week ago has blocked the roads so that the cream trucks could not make their regular trips and cream had to be shipped to Middleton and Kingston.
- The Lloyd Milling Company is getting their mill erected this winter to begin sawing in the near future.
1934 December 5th
- Eddy Long, of this place, employed with the Mersey Paper & Pulp Company, while cruising the wood near Lake Rossignol, walked into a large bear. He says he was only a foot or so from it. It was lying down, apparently asleep, and raised its head to look at him, after which it composed itself again. It looks as if the winter was just around the corner and the bear was getting ready for a winter’s sleep.
Eddy Long with his team of horses.
1934 December 5th
- Mr. & Mrs. Maurice Taylor and little Judy, who have been at Lake Pleasant the past few months, spent the weekend at their home here.
1934 December 5th
- Councillor Ray Hiltz bought the mill stand of the Berwick Cooperage Company near this place and is clearing the premises making preparations to move his mill at Black Duck Lake Cove, to be ready for next Spring’s sawing.
1934 December 19th
- Misses Margaret Long and Marjorie Russell spent the week-end at Mrs. Russell’s home in New Ross.
- Mr. & Mrs. Charles Lowe, Mrs. Douglas Lonergan and Colin Lonergan made a business trip to Bridgewater on Monday.
- Mrs. Thaddy Gaul and son Francis, visited Mrs. Eddy Long on Saturday.
- Mr. Charles Kaulback recently purchased a cow at Falkland Ridge.
- Mr. & Mrs. Eldon Acker have moved into the old Lonergan house.
1934 December 26th
- Basil, Charlie and Colin Lonergan were at Berwick on business this week.
- Curtis Gaul is the guest of his cousins, Margaret and James Long.
- Laura Harris, teacher at Lakeview, is a patient at the D.M. Hospital, Bridgewater.
- Doris Keddy and brother, Birk, are guests of their sister, Mrs. Guy Fancy (Florence Keddy).
- Carrol and Phil Gaul made several trips to Mahone Bay last week (probably hauling Christmas trees).
Phyllis & Colin Lonergan & Joan Gaul
Hauling trees to Mahone Bay.
Bertha Gaul visiting with Henry & Beatrice Matthews in 2009.
1936 December 2nd Dalhousie Road
- Miss. Beatrice Keddy, our teacher, (she later married Henry Matthews) spent the week-end at her home in Kingston.
- Misses Phyllis Gaul, Margaret Matthews and Dorothy Lonergan, who are employed at Aylesford, spent the week-end at their homes here.
- Miss. Lavinia Gaul is spending an indefinite time visiting friends in New Ross (she was getting ready to be married to Harold Meister at this time. Their wedding was April 23, 1937).
1936 December 2nd East Dalhousie
- Charles Kaulback of this place and Miss. Pearle Broome of New Ross, were married at New Ross, Nov. 23, 1936. A reception and serenade were given at the home of his mother, Mrs. Louisa Kaulback.
- Colin Lonergan, one of the Dalhousie boys, underwent an operation at the Sanatorium in Kentville and had some pieces of his ribs removed that were pressing against his lung. Last reports are that he is improving slowly.
- T.U. Rhodenizer and Sons, who are lumbering on the Aylesford road, had the misfortune to loose a horse recently. It was injured and bled to death.
- We hear of new discoveries in the disappearance of Willian Veinot, of Lake Pleasant, four years ago last spring. This was suspected of being foul play. It is hoped the investigation will be followed up, and if it is foul play,the criminals will be brought to justice.
1936 December 23rd
- Mrs. C. E. Wright (Fay)recently underwent a throat operation at the D.M. Hospital in Bridgewater. We are pleased to report that she is recovering.
- James Long has returned home from Antigonish to spend the holidays.
- Earl Young has returned home from Kentville where he was employed in the Christmas tree business.
- The “stork” called on Mr. & Mrs. Guy Fancy on Dec. 4th and left a baby boy (Grover B.). Congratulation.
- Philip DeAdder, of the USA, is guest of his sister, Mrs. E.A. Long.
- Joseph Gaul has gone to the USA to spend his Christmas holidays.
- Aseph Aalders and William Zwicker, of this place, who were employed in the Valley during the apple picking season, have finished and returned to their homes.
- Two very heavy rains last week and the heavy Christmas tree traffic and other trucking, have left the roads almost impassable. The snow storm which was forecast, turned out to be a slight coating of snow to whiten the ground, turning to rain, after which it froze, and left the wires and trees with a very heavy sleet.
1937 December 22nd
- Several lumbermen in the vicinity are making preparations for a winter’s work. Mr. Hicks, of Bridgetown, who bought lumber in this area one year ago, we understand is letting the logging out to contract and plans to move a mill in the spring to cut it out.
- James Gaul has built camps for a winter’s logging. To all appearances men needn’t be idle for the want of work.
1938 December 31st
- Mr. & Mrs. Austin Casey of Lakeview and Basil Lonergan left on Tuesday for Sherbrooke, Guys. Co., to attend the funeral of Mrs. Casey’s father, the late Mr. Frank Michaud.
- Miss. Margaret Matthews went to Aylesford on Monday, where she is employed.
1939 December 13th
- Mrs. Austin Casey and daughter, Eileen, of Lakeview, were visitors
at the home of James Veinotte on Wednesday.
- The County Health Nurse paid a visit to the Dalhousie Road school
on Thursday.
- Mr. & Mrs. Asa Aalders, who have been spending some time at
Berwick, have returned to their home here.
- Pearlie & Frances Barkhouse and family, and Mr. & Mrs. Vernon
Barkhouse and baby, who have resided in Berwick for the past few
months, have returned to their home here.
Bill Gaul's Mill
1955
Asa & Marie (Lonergan) Aalders
1966
