The Memoirs of James Albert Hirtle (1866-1958)


      
James Albert Hirtle was born 1 November 1866 in Hemford, Lunenburg County, and 
moved west with his young daughter in the early 1900s after being widowed. He 
remarried, and died 9 December 1958.

James's father was George Frederick Hirtle, the son of John Jacob, son of Johann 
Michael, son of Philip Christian, son of Hans Michael who immigrated to Nova 
Scotia in 1751. James' oldest brother was William George (1860-1919), and 
younger than James was Caspar Isaiah (1865-1945), Stanley John (1871-1892), and 
Allister Sterling (1873-1953). His sisters were Bertha Louise (1861-1924 married 
Austin W. Silver), Zella Ann (1863-1897), Louise Catherine (1876-1938), Mary 
Elizabeth (1878-1896), Esther Jane (1882-1950 married Malcolm Robinson), and 
Carrie May (1884-1962 married Fred Coonan).].

This is his story.
Debbie Haughland Chan, Editor
September 1998

________________________________________
Sketches of My Life
by
James Albert Hirtle
315 Queen Street
St. James*, Manitoba
1955
[St. James is now a part of Winnipeg]
________________________________________

I was born in Hemford, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, November 1st, 1866.

My ancestors came from Stalsberg, Germany, in April 1751 and settled in Halifax 
and Lunenburg counties, Nova Scotia.

Now who am I, well, I am the oldest of the family dead or alive and I am now in 
my 89th year. Have one sister living, 18 years younger than I.

And I am the oldest man alive today, of all the young men of my time in the home 
settlement, (and I knew them all) by name. In the home family of 11 of us and 
Dad and Mother, all have passed on, except the youngest of the family, Carrie 
and myself. Of the entire family I will write later on many things I remember.

In sketches of my life, some dates that I give may not be quite correct.

- - - - - - - - - -

My Father and Mother
George Frederick William Hirtle was born in Mahone Bay or Feltzen South, Nova 
Scotia. Louisa Ann Meisner was born in Center Range, Nova Scotia, both in 
Lunenburg County. The youngest of both families.

After marrying they settled on bush land, some 33 miles from their original 
homes to eke out a living. Dad's work in his younger days was fishing.

Dad showed us a stump of the first tree that he cut down on the place, a little 
way below the house.

Now I presume Dad and Mother lived with my uncle and aunt for several years, 
till they got their own house, for my sister Bertha must have been born there, 
for she got used to the place so much so that when Dad said she was to stay at 
one place or the other, she went to her Aunt's and stayed there ever after.

My Aunt and Uncle
They were about half a mile from us, they had no family of their own, but they 
brought us seven children all adoptions.

The Home Settlement
The home settlement was known as Ohio and covered a considerable area, but later 
in order to get a Post Office the name was changed to Hemford.

Then later still, it was divided into two school sections, and the other one was 
and is still called Nineveh.

Then as far as I know now the other end of the district is still known as Ohio.

The Old House
The old house was a frame building, having an entrance to a living room, and two 
small bedrooms, and an attic or loft, all one large room. There were two windows 
in the living room; a shutter in one bedroom, and a shutter in the attic. We 
went to the attic by a ladder. Now the house was double boarded outside, and one 
side of the roof was shingle, and the other side was battened. There was a stone 
fireplace for cooking, and a large box stove for heating, and the inside of the 
house was just boards, and if at all papered it would be magazines.

The Old Barn
The old barn was a log affair, a stable, a feed passage, and a hay mow.

Then outside was a hay rick, this was about 16 or 18 feet square; four poles at 
the corners, set in the ground, and a roof framed around the poles, so that when 
empty it could be lowered to the floor, and when full it could be lowered on the 
hay as a protection from rain and snow. This roof was covered with birch bark.

The New Barn
Probably 1875 or 1876 a new barn was built, and about 2/3 of the roof was 
shingle.

Now for several years Dad had been away fishing, and if my memory serves me 
right, this was the first year, and my older brother with Casper and I did the 
work at home; Dad would be away from home from about June 15 to the end of 
August.

Now among other things, Brother undertook to finish the shingling of the barn; 
and with the help of two other young men, (one a cousin), who died a year ago, 
(98 years old). They went on a scaffold used the year before, without any 
inspection or nailing, they just got nicely to work when the scaffold gave way, 
and that was 18 or 20 feet above ground, and a pile of stones at the bottom.

Brother came down with the pole, and the other young man followed the boards 
down, and landed on his back near the pile of stones. A hatchet came down near 
his head. But poor cousin, caught hold of the roof and his legs dangling in the 
air, and, he holding on for dear life with both hands, and I only a kid was on 
the ladder at the other end of the scaffold.

The ladder was tied or perhaps I would not be here today, well of course no time 
was lost in getting me off the ladder, and getting the ladder over to cousin so 
he could get down without being killed; well when it was over, with only a few 
scratches, we stood up and had a good laugh, but I see it all today, and what 
might have happened, for which I am truly thankful.

The New House
Sometime after I left home in my 18th year they built a new house which made 
things at the old home more comfortable; The new house was built down toward the 
barn.

The Barn Burns Down
Sometime later the barn was hit by lightening one night about eight o'clock, and 
burnt to the ground. Then with the help of the insurance, about $600.00 and the 
help of the good neighbors, a new barn was built on the old foundation and is 
doing duty till now.

The Stock
We always had a pair of oxen, two cows, and some young stock, 8 or 10 sheep, a 
pig, and some hens and geese.


Martin Uhlman
Martin Uhlman had a lumber camp a mile or more up in the bush from my home, and 
the hauling road, passed just back of our house, at the edge of the clearing, 
how he knew that I would like to have a ride behind his team, I don't know, but 
he was always on the lookout for me and would stop and pick me up, take me to 
the landing, and set me down on the way back, so I could toddle back home. How 
old I was, I don't know, but I can just remember about it.

I had been up to the camp, one or more times. His team was a pair of grey 
horses, and at the camp they had three big dogs, Jeff, Bounce, and Sam.

Somehow I never got back to the old camp site since.

Bear Stories
In the spring of 1870 two head of cattle were killed by a bear, about half a 
mile from our house. The cattle used to go out in the bush and feed during the 
day, and return or were brought home in the evening, but this day two were 
missing. A party of men, went looking for the animals and soon found them, and 
that a bear had killed them.

These two cattle belonged to my uncle, they were both two years old.

A band of men at once started to wreak vengeance on the bear; and a huge steel 
trap was set. But for six days, no luck, so a plan was laid to set guns and four 
guns were set, and on the seventh morning as they were nearing the scene of the 
tragedy a shot was heard, and of course, a rush was made and they found the bear 
down with a broken shoulder, well, he was killed at once, and hauled out to our 
house, and skinned, just in front of the house, and then the carcass was 
disposed of. Now all this was told me by my older brother, how the guns were set 
and all, but I remember seeing the cattle passing our place that morning, when I 
was only 3 1/2 years old.

Brother was in there years after when the skulls of those two cattle were grown 
over with moss. What I remember is that the bear was big and he was black. The 
trap that they had set for him, was a huge steel trap with double springs, one 
inside of the other, and wicked looking teeth and I imagine would weigh about 60 
pounds.

Another Bear Story
Years later another bear came along, and for three years was a complete 
nuisance, for he killed sixty or more lambs and sheep. It was necessary to keep 
all sheep up at night during the summer months. He came into our barn one night 
and killed six lambs, and clawed an old ram pretty bad; and three nights later, 
went into another barn, about 3 miles away and killed six more. But at the end 
of three years he disappeared and we had no more trouble. I do not know what 
happened to him perhaps he died.

The Brook Near the House
A small brook ran through our place just below the house. There we built a small 
dam. Every summer, for quite a few years, especially when I got old enough to do 
this. This served several purposes, for our own enjoyment, and Mother did her 
washing there, and Dad took his sheep there and washed them thoroughly before 
shearing, and it improved our fishing some; for we had a head of three to four 
feet of water. When playing in the water we were naked and our only protection, 
if we needed any, was the bridge, but it was not often that we needed any 
protection.

Our Fishing Tackle
This consisted of a birch rod, and a homemade line, and sometimes a bent pin; 
but more often we could get good fishhooks. A little special fishing, I used to 
take a pole out of the bridge and use a short line, and a midge hook; lay down 
and fish mullets; These fish as we had are very small, about four to six inches 
long, (and we knew them as mullets). I would get perhaps 25 to 35 in a half pail 
of water, then take them and dump them in the old pig's trough water and all, 
then watch her fish them out, and she would have some fishing to do.

Clams
For several years, my brother and I used to get Fresh water clams from a small 
lake about two miles away, and place them in the brook, and four or five years 
after, I found some clams still left there.

Birds
Just below the bridge, on the brook bank, there was a tall stump of an old tree. 
It was hollow, and a pair of flickers took up their residence there for a number 
of years. They came back every year. We also had black birds nesting in the 
alders on the brook bank also; and Robins; then in the field there were numbers 
of swallows nesting in hollow stumps, barn swallows, and we had a chimney swift 
for several years, also linnets, and a small bird we used to know as a blue 
bird, woodpeckers, hawks, owls, crows, partridges, cranes, humming birds, 
finches, jays, etc.

Snakes
We had several varieties of snakes, but I am interested in only two; a gray and 
a green, and I hate them both. The green snake was small, probably two to three 
feet long, and the gray one was larger; probably up to five or more feet long 
and larger than a broom handle.

Now Here is Where I Was Scared
Dad had cut down a pine tree, and sawed it into blocks shingle length, and split 
it in shingles, so there was some shaving to do, and this left a pile of 
shavings, a good place for snakes to live in. Now this was also a good place for 
bunch berries, and Brother took me out there one day, to get bunch berries, and 
Brother was some distance away from me picking berries, and all at once I saw a 
large gray snake as I thought coming toward me, and I began to scream. I see him 
yet coming toward me, I was probably four to six years old; and you don't wonder 
why I hate snakes. However today I don't think there was anything wrong. Our 
snakes were hard on small birds and their nests and young. Brother and I were 
after the bunch berries, and I guess the snake was just looking onto see what we 
were doing.

What I Told Caspar One day
Casper and I were below the house, and talking things; and I tried to tell him 
how nice it would be if we could have something on two wheels that we could ride 
on. Now at that time I did not know, nor did he, anything about or like 
bicycles.

Barefoot in the Snow
We do fool things many times, our barn was over four hundred feet from the 
house, and one winter day, we got saying something about going barefoot to the 
barn over 400 feet away and back. Who all did the trick I don't remember, but I 
know that I did, what for I don't remember, only foolishness.

Flies and Skeeters
We had plenty of flies, and mosquitoes, house flies, black flies, sand flies, 
bull dogs etc. and at that time no protection.

Our Beds
Our beds were usually a homemade affair, boxed and a board or slat bottom, and 
tick filled with oat straw and a feather bed cover and feather pillows.

Geese
Here is a story that today I see where people did things years ago that were 
cruel, and perhaps not any more cruel than many things that are done now. My 
Mother plucked her geese two or three times each summer for feathers she needed 
for bedding; that to my mind certainly was cruel doing.

Axe Grinding for Winter Work
In the fall, Dad would prepare for his winter work; and as the axes especially 
had to be put into shape; that is thinned down, and sharpened, and that meant a 
lot of grinding. The grinding stone was brought into the kitchen, for two or 
maybe three days, and we kids had to do the turning of the grindstone, at 
perhaps half hour shifts, and that was no easy job.

Rabbits
We would make a low brush fence around a fairly large yard in some place where 
the rabbits were in the habit of feeding and also leaving holes in the fence so 
they could get used to go in and feed, now we cut down some small yellow birches 
just what the rabbits like to feed on; then when they were used to go in to feed 
after several nights, we would snare the holes in the fence, and of course here 
is where we got the rabbits, we sold these for five cents each. Sometimes we got 
one alive, and I got two in that way, and had them in a little building for a 
few days then a neighbor came in one day, and when he was told about the rabbits 
he said they would get stiff and die if they could not move about, so I made a 
large pen for them, and covered it over, and I thought all was well, but they 
found a way out, and the next morning they were gone and I have not seen them 
since.

Casper Who was He
Well I must not leave him out, he was my brother, next to me by three years 
younger.

The Butcher Knife (and one on me)
Dad was the settlement butcher for some years, and of course he would have a 
pretty good kit of tools for that job those days, and these tools would be lying 
by for most of the summer, and we kids, if we needed a knife usually went to 
Dad's basket and used one of his knives, and that is what I did, and I happened 
to break one; (now what was I to do) so I made a pattern of the broken knife, 
and I hunted up an old file of the right size and took it to the old neighbor 
blacksmith whom I could trust and asked him to make me a knife exactly like the 
pattern of the broken one; (so far so good). Now I had a lot of grinding to do 
to get all of the broken one; (but now), soon after a call came, and Mother was 
asked to get his kit ready. He had a basket to carry his tools in, about 20 
inches long, 10 inches wide, and about 8 inches deep (roughly) and the next 
morning he was going away before daylight, so he looked over his basket to see 
that all was ok, and at once said this is not my knife, so Mother had to tell 
him what had happened, now, I was in bed, just over his head, trembling, for I 
heard all that he said, (well) he said I have a good mind to go up and pull him 
(me) out of bed, and give him (me) a good licking, and I knew that that would be 
no easy job for me.

However he went away, and I was shaky all day, not knowing what might happen 
that evening, but when he came home that evening, nothing was said, and I felt 
somewhat better. Sometime later a neighbor, John Smith, came in to have a chat 
with Dad, and I heard some of the talk and it was about the knife, so I kept out 
of the way, but took it all in, and this is what I heard. I presume he told Mr. 
Smith all about the breaking of the knife, but this is what interested me most; 
Dad said, Do you know it was the best knife that I ever had; that of course gave 
me relief. But Dad should have acknowledged that to me.

Lamp Chimneys
The time of the kerosene lamps, we had trouble with lamp chimneys breaking, and 
the trouble of replacing them, so one day Dad was in a store and he asked the 
storeman for a lamp chimney that would not break easily, he went to a shelf and 
reaching up, put his hand behind a chimney, threw it to the floor, he said how 
will that one do. It cost Dad 25 cents, and we used it, as far as I know over a 
year, then one day, there was a crash and the chimney went into hundreds of 
pieces, it was on a cupboard shelf (all by itself).

Homemade Candles
The mold that Mother used made four at a time. Cotton warp was used for wicks 
probably six or seven strands twisted about like a heavy cotton twine, and for 
the candles beef or mutton tallow, and when we had good supply of tallow Mother 
would make a good supply of candle.

Our Lanterns of those Days
These were made of tin about 4 1/2 inches square, and maybe 10 inches high 
glassed in on all sides, one side hinged for a candle [stick?] to hold a candle 
for light, and that was our light around the barn and stable at night.

Fitches
I use the word fitch because we knew what I am going to tell you about by that 
name that is in the 1870s we used a button covered with a piece of cotton tied 
tight and placed in a saucer in melted tallow and used the fluffy end as a 
light.

Matches of those Days
Matches in those days were in cards about 2 1/4 inches square, and about 1/16 of 
an inch thick, cut in from one end by about 1/2 inch, 12 matches to each card, 
and packed cards to a bunch, packed with the business ends laid alternately to 
prevent combustion; 36 bunches in a 1/4 gross. They were very inflammable.

Another Oldtime Lighting Device
This must have been in use before I came on the scene for I found it later, and 
found out what it was for. Well it was a dome with a pipe going into the 
stovepipe, and supported by a wire from the ceiling at the dome end.

There was a wire across the dome on which hung a torch, like an old-time 
fireman's torch, filled [with]oil, and a stout cotton wick in a spout on one 
side of the torch, and this was evidently the light in earlier days.

The Old Flint-lock Gun
Dad's gun was an old muzzle loader, a 12 gauge, and a very long barrel; now Dad 
cut off the barrel 9 inches, and left it without a sight; Now it was something 
like this. It had a small hole drilled at the back end of the barrel to a pan 
with a hinged cover, this cover had a steel face upright. The hammer had two 
jaws, one regulated with a set screw to clamp [unsure of this word] a piece of 
flint, a few flakes of powder would get into the pan, and the hammer was at half 
cock most of the time; but when firing the flint would strike the steel plate 
and cause the charge to explode. If bullets were needed they were home made. 
There was always a mold and plenty of lead, and bullets could be made. The old 
gun could give you an awful kick, unless you knew just how to handle it. I 
imagine my sister in Toronto has the old gun now.

Burning Charcoal
In my time at home our blacksmith used charcoal, and Dad was clearing some land 
on which there was quite a lot of birchwood, so with some help Dad cut a lot of 
wood into cordwood [something seems to be missing--I'm transcribing from a typed 
copy, not the original which I haven't seen] wide at the bottom, and to a point, 
probably 12 feet high; covered all over with earth, also a place to set it 
alight; now this must be watched day and night for it must not burn openly, but 
only char. How long it took to complete this charring I don't know, but probably 
two weeks. I suppose it had to be put out, about that I don't know for I was 
only a kid. They had a shelter, a one-side roof and the other side open. My big 
brother, and a friend of his, later his brother-in-law, took care of it night 
and day; and I used to be with them till late in the evening. 

Our Cooking Utensils
The pots and pans that my Mother had, were all cast iron. Most were round and 
had three legs, these were pots, and she had only three, one small one, and one 
that would hold two gallons or more and a very large one, used only when a large 
quantity of water was used; also a water kettle, a frying pan and a baking 
kettle, all cast iron. The baking kettle would be about 14 inches in diameter 
and 5 to 6 inches deep.

Quills
Here is something else I did. We had growing up sometimes around the stumps in 
the field a shrub called pithwood, because it had a thin shell of wood on the 
outside, and a large pithy center. Now as my Aunt had a loom and did weaving, 
she used shuttles, and in those shuttles were quills or spools, filled with yarn 
or cotton, so we needed a lot of those quills, and I used to get pithwood of the 
right size, cut them to the right length and burn out the pith so they would go 
over a shaft in the shuttle; and when weaving a web of cloth for Mother, I would 
go over to her house and fill these quills or spools for her.

Oddities -- Hand Sled
The only handsled I ever had I made myself; sometimes we used a bend in a tree 
for runners, and hewed them and shaved them out of the tree; but more often we 
got a piece of ash made it to the right size and bent our runners, and this I 
had to do for myself.

Thunderstorm
We used to gather some marsh hay that we needed, where ever we could get it, 
there was a patch of grass down the [brook?] and brother and I went and he cut 
it down, the next day we went down to put it up into a stack. Nearly 1/2 mile 
from the house; and about as we finished the job, a thunder storm came on; so we 
took shelter for awhile, but as it got worse, Brother said we had better get 
home for it might strike somewhere; (now I did not know what striking meant) but 
I do know that when he got out of the bush, I was about at the house; and I 
haven't quite got over that yet; I was then only a kid. Please don't scare 
anyone, anywhere, and in any circumstances.

I Saw Stars at Noon
I was driving one day, and by going out of my way about half a mile, I came to a 
gold mine, I tied up my horse there; and the people working there took me down a 
shaft about 100 feet. Looking up to daylight, I saw two or three stars; and 
another time at my work, about noon, there was a total eclipse of the sun and 
there I saw one or two stars; again one night on a load of hay on the way home 
from where the hay was made I saw an eclipse of the moon from beginning to 
finish.

Some Lickings that I Got
I got lickings three times that I have thought of many times, but today I think 
we all should be very careful in what we do, and how we judge.

Uncle's House Burns Down
In 1877 late July or early August my Uncle's house and workshop burned down, and 
the heat was so great that apples on a tree back of the garden were roasted on 
one side.

Silver's Mill
A mill about 3/4 miles back of the home place, where we used to go fishing quite 
often, and where Dad often sawed logs into lumber. It was a one horse outfit, 
mostly homemade. Had a rolling bridge where logs were hauled up on, and then 
rolled in the mill and on to the carriage. The whole thing to me now is, that it 
was all out of balance, and therefore very dangerous.

I saw Dad put his shoulder to the saw gate to give it a boost, when water was 
low, and if the saw gate ever came down on him, he would have been killed on the 
spot. In the dam there was a square hatch probably 18 x 20 inches to let the 
water run under the penstock or floom*, When the water was too low for sawing. 
One day when Brother and I were there we found a turtle dead jammed in this 
hatch, so much for the old mill.
* [unknown, possibly floor?]

[Indians]
We had some Indians come around, and they would camp close by the school house, 
they would be around there for some time each summer, who they were and where 
they came from I never knew, nor where they spent the winters.

They would make baskets and what else I don't know. Those baskets were made with 
some material, evidently it was wood, a lattice, no a splint, that is a thin 
strip of some kind of wood about a 1/4 inch wide and very thin, and it was 
smooth. Where they got this material I don't know.

Our School Days, etc
First of all, the school house was on the north-west corner of the cross road, a 
fairly large building for a country place. Inside I don't know much about what 
things were like when I first began school; (what about desks) I don't know; but 
I do know there was a large stove in the centre of the room, and that we could 
pull the benches up around the big stove when we were cold, but in later years 
the schoolhouse was finished inside, and long desks were put in, that would hold 
about five or six scholars. They were from one wall to an aisle to another 
aisle; then a third row of desks from the second aisle to the wall. Somethings 
that took place all through my school years, or better my school time, for I 
could not attend school regular; we had only one blackboard, and it was only 
about four feet square, no scribblers, (as now) but slates and pencils; for copy 
books we used foolscap paper and made up our own copy books and the teacher 
would set us a copy; till later we could buy copy books, containing copies. Our 
books were, primer, 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th readers; then later, a new reader 
came out known as the Royal Reader, from no. 2 to 7; now, these were our grades, 
according to the book we were in, that would be our grade; then there were 
spelling books, arithmetic, grammar, history, etc. (Next is Teachers) My first 
teacher was Mag Morgan, now I can't get her to mind, next was Mary Cameron; Then 
after that all were men teachers; Wilson Johnson who studied under Mary Cameron; 
afterward married her; and he afterwards taught the school for years, and one 
day while I was visiting at my home I happened to meet Mr. Johnson, and we had 
quite a chat, and he said there was no one in the school then, who was there 
when he and I studied there years before. I was always a pretty good scholar, 
for while the rod was used often those days, I got it only twice, and then only 
one clip at a time. One year I understood we had 76 names on the register, and 
an average attendance of 56, these would be from small children to young men and 
young women; There was a time when I took a class for 1/2 hour in the morning 
and Lavinia Dory took a class for 1/2 hour in the afternoon, to help the 
teacher. Now one teacher used to go out at noontime probably for a walk, and he 
would leave a monitor in charge, and one day, when he came back, he had quite a 
list of unrulies handed to him, and of course it would be read out so we all 
could hear the names; now James Silver was in charge, this day, and at the 
bottom of the list was Mr. James Hirtle; my last teacher was James Falconer, who 
came to us, bought a farm, about a mile from the school house, and ended his 
days there.

In my school days they used to call me a philosopher, for I used to talk about 
things away in the future. Now something about the outside, we played ball, we 
used a woolen ball wound very tight, and then darned thoroughly to make it hard 
and also to prevent it from ravelling; and most anything would do for a bat; 
sometimes we went half a mile away for a dip in the water during noon hour. Now 
when the spring work began, I was needed at home, and that with the offtime 
during the winter was quite a handicap to me, and yet among our boys, and there 
were five of us in a row, I managed to get the best education; later the younger 
girls did a lot better than we boys did.

College
We had a young Lutheran Minister whom I got to know very well, in fact so well, 
that if I was in town (Bridgewater) and was to stay over night, and he saw me, 
it was always come over to the parsonage and stay for the night, I only stayed 
there one night; and during the evening a young man Robie Crouse, and a young 
woman Sarah Tompkin, after knocking at the door, were admitted, they came to get 
married; The lady was a school mate of mine; and I knew Robie quite well. After 
the service was about over the man asked the minister how much he owed, the 
minister said I usually get five dollars, the man said how will two fifty do. 
Now that minister had the privilege of sending a young man through college free 
of charge, and I heard him say to Dad, if you let that boy go to school till he 
is nineteen, I was then about sixteen, I will give him six years in college. I 
then heard Dad say, you could not keep that boy in college six years. But when 
Dad talking it over one afternoon some time later he said, the other boys 
couldn't go to college, and so I couldn't and that settled that for me. I still 
feel sure that I could have gone to the parsonage for that three years, and had 
my schooling, board and clothes, for what work I could have done. The minister 
had a horse and a cow to care for and wood for the house, He was married and had 
two little boys. The school was a graded school, two blocks away from the 
parsonage.

More About School
When I was able to use an axe and care for the cattle, I was needed at home, and 
Casper and I went only day or week about, for a long while so I did not get the 
education that I should have had, and this was a handicap to me all my life. 
(This I may have mentioned before.).

Caspar and I Played Hookey
Now a special story where I should have known better. This day Casper and I went 
to school as usual, but before going into the schoolhouse, two other boys about 
our ages, who had a punt, that they called a boat, persuaded us to hook from 
school and go with them for the day. Should anything have happened nobody would 
have known where we were, nor anything about us. Now this punt affair, was on a 
river about two miles from the schoolhouse, so we walked till we got where the 
punt was. About the size of the punt I don't exactly know. It was just an oblong 
box, maybe six to eight feet long, maybe fifteen inches wide and eight or ten 
inches deep. Now for all time I think it was a most foolish and very dangerous 
thing to do. These two boys coaxed us to leave school and go with them to where 
the punt was, and then we would go down river and on the lake. Well we got to 
the mill, got the punt over the dam, and down onto the lake, we went down shore 
perhaps a mile or more crossing coves and places where the water is very deep. 
Along in the afternoon we heard some people talking, some berry pickers. So we 
went ashore, and there was my aunt and others picking berries; and aunt was good 
enough to offer to take Casper and I home in the buggy. I have forgotten just 
what the other two boys did, or if they ever got their punt back. However, we 
got home safe, and I expect the other boys did too. As for me, never again did I 
go away from school. And my aunt was very good, not to give us away, for if Dad 
would have ever found out about our escapade I know there would have been a 
severe trouncing for me.

Hand Organ Man
When it began to get warm in the spring, we would hear the handorgan man come 
along. He would have a monkey, or perhaps a bear for company.

[Dad]
Dad was pretty strict in many ways. However he was my Dad, and I crossed him 
only once, and we had quite an argument for awhile, and I told him what I 
intended to do. That was one evening, and he went away somewhere the next 
morning before I was out of bed; however Mother had a message for me, and she 
said I had permission to do what I had planned. Dad was very handy (or clever) 
is the best word. He could do things with crude tools, that I never could do, 
with a good kit of tools in later years.* He was for a long time the community 
vet, looking after sick animals. He did all our shoemaking at home; and clothing 
was all home spun, and home woven, and Dad did the cutting and Mother did the 
sewing and making up. The shoes were from cowhide, local tanned. Then he made 
pipkins or small tubs, that were used instead of crockery or metal dishes, to 
put milk in to set for cream. He also made heavy baskets from withs, and did 
many other things. He made his own sleds for hauling etc.** Now his tools were a 
good picket knife, an axe, a hatchet, a draw knife, a gimlet, a big plane about 
4 by 4 inches, and about 3 feet long, that he used upside down, a router, and an 
inside shave, then he borrowed some from my Uncle. I think he had a smooth 
plane, a hand saw and a square. I think that is about all he had. Some more 
things to Dad's credit; he made his own hand hay rakes, I will try and explain 
how they were made; the head was 18 to 20 inches long and about 3/4 by 3/4 
inches square, had 12 teeth and he would bore the holes with a gimlet, make the 
teeth and put them in and they were in a perfect line, the handle was made from 
a small spruce tree, dressed with a smooth plane, then there were 2 braces going 
through the handle and into the head. He made them from pieces of white ash, and 
they were nicely rounded and bent, our spruce trees grew up quite tall and slim. 
Here is one on Dad; now Dad was very careful of his oxen and from the barn to 
where he would meet the main hauling road was about a mile; well, Dad would 
leave his bobsled there, unspoke his oxen and let them go home loose, and in the 
morning he would tie the yoke on one ox's head and drive them loose out the main 
hauling road again; Now one of those oxen was a little tricky and one morning he 
got away before he was yoked up, and he went back that mile to the barn and poor 
Dad had to walk all the way back to get the ox and also to lose about one hour. 
So much for Dad, instead of letting the oxen haul him home in the evening and 
back again the next morning.
*[James Albert Hirtle was an excellent craftsman].
**[The editor has two chairs made by James' father].

Dad's Shaving Bench
We called it a shaving bench or shaving horse. This was a plank about eight feet 
long, having four legs, and another plank about six feet long fastened at the 
far end to the first plank, and the seat end maybe six or seven inches up of 
course sloped, now there was a head having two cheeks, a stem maybe 2 1/2 x 3 
1/2 inches down through the center; the head facing the seat end, swinging on a 
cross bar in the lower plank, and a cross bar at the bottom for the feet. To 
operate, you sit on the seat, put your feet on the cross piece at the bottom; 
put your work under one cheek of the head and hold it down by clamping it with 
the feet; and doing the work by shaping with a draw knife. This is a fairly long 
knife with a handle at each end; and operated by drawing it toward yourself.

Our Hoes
At that time our hoes were mostly all claw or tine hoes, that is, two claws or 
tines and an eye for a handle to go in, mostly made by the blacksmith.

They were made in different sizes according to the work they were to be used 
for. Then we had a flat hoe to use in new land where there were roots to cut. 
This was something like the present grub hoe.

About our Work on the Farm
At that time it was all hand work, and all hard work. We put up hay enough to 
winter seven or eight head of cattle and about ten sheep. Our plowing was all 
done with a walking side hill plow and a team of oxen, and I was the teamster 
most of the time, from the time I was big enough and old enough to lead the 
oxen. In haying time again the work was all by hand, mowing and raking. We grew 
oats, barley, rye and potatoes. In earlier years all grain was cut with sickle 
by hand; Then later years oats and barley was out with the scythe, and raked by 
hand. The threshing was done by hand on the barn floor, all by hand. Our 
planting and digging was all hand work. Now at that time we had very little in 
the way of weeds to bother us, not like now. Now let us go over some of the 
gadgets that we used.

Some the Gadgets--The Plow
Our work was all done with a side hill plow; having a reversible mold board, and 
going back and forth in the same furrow, this work was on a side hill and so 
prevented a water course in rainy weather; and since coming out here, and 
telling people about it, they said I would need a long leg and a short one, some 
said the turning was too slow; you could not get your plow around quick enough; 
well, I can say this a kick and the hook will go over the beam, and a toss up 
and the moldboard goes over and the plow is ready by the time the team is half 
way around. So much for the plow.

Hilly Land
Our land was all cradlehills, (well you say what is cradlehills), small hills 
and hollows that is hard to get over with a team and wagon. When breaking up 
this land we usually used two teams on the plow; and have help enough to level 
off the ground as fast as the plowing is done.

Brooms
Well we had no brooms those days, as we have now, so we made our own brooms, cut 
down a small yellow birch or hornbeam tree, about three inches in diameter and 
go from the butt up about 12 inches, clean off the bark, leaving a half inch of 
bark ring, then with a good sharp jackknife start at the butt, and cut very thin 
and begin to draw each strand, The first time around they won't draw very far 
back, but they will get longer each time around until they come to the bark 
ring; so keep on cutting and drawing the strands till you get nearly through the 
butt, then cut the core off as close up as possible, then turn down the strands 
where they were before cutting; now clear the bark about the half inch ring for 
about 14 inches, and start cutting and drawing again until you are about thin 
enough for a handle; these strands are to be drawn over the first lot and tied 
real tight; and the end cut off even. Then the upper end is to be cut and 
trimmed down to the size of a broom handle; and that is the broom my Mother used 
for many years, and I have made some of them.

Barn Brooms
For a barn broom we used the same twigs that Dad in his basket making.

Make a bundle of withs about 6 inches in diameter, and about 2 feet long, cut 
off the butt even, tie them very tight in two places about 6 inches apart, then 
make a stem or handle, point one end and drive it in the center.

On an Errand to New Germany
Dad sent me to New Germany one day, on an errand, about 9 or 10 miles away, and 
while in this village I saw my first mowing machine, they were training horses 
to the clatter of the machine. While I was there I was taken into a barn where I 
saw two young bears, my mission was a failure so then I started for home, so the 
next day, Dad sent me 12 miles away another way to get the job done.

I am Sent to Midville Branch
The next day Dad sent me to another place to get the job done and this time I 
was able to get the work done.

Harrow
Our harrows were 3 1/2 x 5 feet, made with 4 long timbers about 4 x 4 inches and 
two 1 x 4 cross timbers, in there were 28 steel teeth, and an iron bar across 
the front, on which was a ring to pull by; this ring would go from side to side 
when turning and the whole affair was drawn cornerwise harrowing in new land 
where there were lots of stumps etc. The harrow was made from the crutch or fork 
of a tree, having an iron bar across, and on this bar three or four clogs, the 
whole had six or seven or eight teeth and was about 2 1/2 to 3 feet wide.

Scythe
This is a gadget for cutting grass. In haying time a snath*, and a scythe 
attached to the lower and used for hand mowing.
* [unknown. Snatch?]

The Sickle
The sickle, now known as a grass cutter, but in the 70's and 80's a much better 
tool, so be careful for they had serrated teeth and could make a nasty cut and 
tear the flesh.

The Flail
This was a very necessary tool away back in the 1870s and 1880's, usually a 
maple handle and a green beech for a billet, having a cord, or we used an eel 
skin and hitched around a nick on the end of the handle so that it would turn 
when being used.

I Made Some Shoes
I got quite handy on shoe repair work, and by watching Dad carefully, I got so 
that I made quite a few pairs on my own or by myself.

Half Cent Coins
Away back in my early days we had half cent coins, a Nova Scotia half cent. I 
somehow think the last issue was 1863 before Confederation; but they were in use 
well on into the 1897's.

A Log Jam
When I was in my 15th year a man came along looking for a boy to help him in his 
planting for a month, so I went along with him. His place was right near the 
LaHave River, where drives of logs came down every spring, and sometimes the 
water gets low, and logs jam and that is what happened near where I was working, 
so one Sunday morning I went down to the river, and there I saw a log jam, and I 
walked up the river for about half a mile on logs, but I saw no water, just 
logs. In that drive there was supposed to be 67,000 logs.

Road Work
All boys over 16 years of age were required to do two eight hour days each year 
of work on the road, and property owners were to do according to their property 
value. One man in the district where the work is to be done, was named as 
overseer and he was responsible for the road for the entire year.

Now this work could be paid for at $1.00 per day of eight hours, and then could 
be worked out at the rate of $2.00 a day of ten hours. A team was rated at the 
same rate as a man. But as we needed all the work we could get on our own road, 
we hardly ever resorted to the second plan. If we worked away from home, where 
ever we were working, we would be called on to do roadwork, or furnish a 
certificate from our overseer that the work would be done on our own road.

Some of our Winter Work
Dad and Brother Bill did the chopping, and I did a lot of the teaming, for I was 
the teamster. They would load me up and I would make three trips a day to the 
landing, about three miles away. I always had a pretty good team of oxen. (Thank 
Dad for that). One year I had a special team, one ox had horns, nearly two feet 
long, and turned out, Dad cut away all the trees along the hauling road, on the 
going side, so that there was no danger of this ox getting a horn hooked to a 
tree, and with a load behind him, I would not be able to get him clear. He was a 
big red ox, and the other had large horns too, but they went forward, and turned 
in, he was a sort of roan. They were a real team.

About the Old Ox Team
Why I come back to the old ox team the attached picture* brings back old 
memories, and, from [three illegible words] Toronto, April 23, 1955 the paper 
says something about the land of Evangeline. Well, the land of Evangeline is 
about 100 or more miles away from where the attached picture was probably taken. 
This is near the fishing town of Lunenburg on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. 
The picture shown was probably taken at Blue Rocks, about five miles down shore 
from Lunenburg, where the cod fish are ours, at the close of the fishing season. 
The picture shows how the oxen were yoked up for work at that time, and are 
yoked up the same way now. If I were to go on the streets of Winnipeg with a 
team of oxen yoked up in that way today I would at once be arrested for cruelty 
to animals. But I say this I believe oxen can haul as much by their horns or 
heads, as they can by their shoulders. I also think it must be hard on them, 
because of the vibration and thumping on a rough road. I also think that a 
wooden bow or neck yoke must be hard on their shoulders. I only used one pair of 
oxen with a neck yoke, and I had very good satisfaction, except that I did not 
have the same control with a neck yoke, as with a head yoke. About curing 
codfish we will pass that up for now.
* [No picture in copy received by editor]

Oxen Again
Oxen must be shod especially for winter work, now how is this done. Well, an ox 
can kick, so a frame is made, usually 6 x 6 timbers is used, foot rests are made 
slightly sloped, so each foot can be tied to it; four rollers and a canvas 
sling. The ox is taken into the frame, his head fastened, and he is raised up in 
the sling high enough so he can't get any weight on his legs, the feet are 
fastened on the leg rests, then on each foot is placed two shoes, and the 
operation is complete.

Around the Barn
Around the barn Dad made all his fixtures, wooden hinges and latches, his 
threshing flails etc; He also made cattle ties. These were wooden bows keyed at 
the top, and usually two links from a yellow birch rod about the size of one of 
my fingers. This was twisted, and then made into links and around a wooden post, 
and so tie up the animal in the stall; The oxen were always tied with chains.

Our Income
We would get 15› [cents] for a muskrat skin, $2.50 for a good mink skin, $2.50 
for a good lamb, 10 to 20 cents a lb.* for butter, 8 to 12 cents a dozen for 
eggs, and sometimes taking a load, it may be hemlock bark, lumber, or ship 
timber to the town 20 miles away and a two day ox team journey, and we would get 
$5.00 to $5.50 for the load.
* [pound, approx. 454 grams]

Flax
I want to say something about flax. When this is nearly ripe it is pulled, and 
spread out on the grass stubble, and left to rot or be exposed to the weather, 
then after a time it is taken up, the seed is threshed out, and it is ready for 
drying over a fire in a kiln' the breaking is done. In the autumn, usually a 
plowing and a flax breaking bee is held; when neighbors are asked to come and 
give us a lift, men and women. Now the flax break is made from hard wood; four 
legs put together with wooden rungs. There are seven blades, about four feet 
long; about 3/4 inches thick at one edge, and trimmed to an edge on the other 
edge these blades are about 5 inches wide.

One blade has a handle, now four of these blades are put in thick edge down, and 
3 blades, with the thin edge down and the 7 blades are put in between the upper 
end of the legs and at the back end a pin goes through all seven, to form a 
hinge and a like pen, at the front end goes through the bottom four leaving the 
upper three blades free. They are fastened together by themselves, thin edge 
down, with the handle one in the center and with the upper blades as a cutter 
the flax is broken. The flax is thoroughly dried in a kiln over a fire, so that 
it is easily broken and course fiber is removed. Next comes swingling. This is 
done over a block of wood having a board nailed on the side, cut off leaving a 
small part extended up. A swingling knife is made about 16 or 18 inches long, 
and about 2 1/2 inches wide, 1/2 inch thick at the back, then to an edge leaving 
a handle at one end. The already broken flax is then taken over the board on the 
block; and flayed to take out all the tow that can be taken out that way. Next 
comes the hatchel, a gadget for cleaning the last of tow from the flax. What we 
had was a board about 8 x 18 inches. The small board was filled with nails one 
inch apart each way, and these nails were the real old fashion nail, square and 
tapered from head to point, and 3 inches long. This block of nails was fastened 
on the larger board for support. A handful of the swingled flax is drawn through 
these teeth and all the refuse tow was so taken out; leaving the flax ready for 
the spinning wheel.

My Mother's Wash Bench
I should have told you about this when telling you about the brook and dam.

Well the wash bench was a plank with two legs at one end, high enough to wash by 
after this fashion. The lower end was in the water fastened or weighted down 
with a stone, and far enough in the water so she could dip and wash in the 
water, and then use a paddle to beat out the dirt.

The Frame Work of the New Barn
For the getting out of the frame work of the new barn Dad had a man come and do 
the hewing for him. Dad of course did all the chopping and scoring, and all the 
man did was the hewing and framing. He used a large broad axe, the blade was 
perhaps 10 or 12 inches wide, and he hewed and framed about 100 pieces.

My Last Year at Home
This is a long story. Dad in his younger days before he married was a fisherman, 
so in later years when we boys grew up some, so we could do the farm work he 
decided to try fishing again. I presume he thought he would make a little extra 
money; so my big brother Bill with Caspar and I to help, was left to do the farm 
work from late June till late August or about two months. This was ok till 
brother Bill got married. That of course left Dad in a rather bad way. Brother 
Bill was about seven years older than I, However Dad took on the fishing job 
again, and this time, from sometime in April till September; that meant 
planting, haying and harvesting; and help reduced to two boys instead of three; 
and two months longer for Dad to be away from home. Brother Bill who was 24 or 
25 years old taken away and we, Casper and I only stepped up one year each 
making us about 15 and 18 or [so] in those years. However Dad must have figured 
that we could do the work; (and we did, so you will see) now, Dad made as he 
thought provision for food for the family, and for help, that was for sowing of 
grain that I probably could not do. But Dad had scarcely got out of sight when 
most of his plans fell through; so I decided to fend for myself; and not to 
depend on outside help and delay my work of planting etc, while waiting for my 
neighbor to come and sow my grain for me when I was ready and he was not.

I took a bag and filled it with grain, and there I did my first job of seed 
sowing; and I also found food for the family till Dad came home on the 3rd of 
September. Now Dad was home for a day or two in June; about my seed sowing he 
said some was rather scant but he was satisfied; next came haying, in former 
years our haying was done in 21 days of good weather; this year we went over 
about two acres more land, than in former years; and with the extra land we got 
over it in about the same time as in other years; Some people said I was lazy. 
(Here I will blow my own horn) At that time I could put a ton of hay from the 
wagon to the loft, or mow, as quick as any man; so lazy or not I think I did 
very well, for a boy in my [several illegible words] Dad came home, in early 
September he seemed to be well satisfied or he would have said something; OK 
neighbors had things to say, but I told Dad not to pay any attention to what he 
might hear.

Before I get away too far I must say this.

The Skunk
I remember him too well to leave him out of my write up. Skunks like eggs and 
young chickens, we had a large chicken coop to keep the hens in. In seeding 
time, and this story took place in June 1885. We had signs of a skunk being 
around several times. Tiny a little white dog made quite a rumpus this night, 
and between 2 and 4 in the early morning he was very noisy, so I got out of bed 
and went outside to see what it was all about.

Now, the old house had no foundation and when the banking was taken away, there 
was an opening under the house at one place beside the stairway; the skunk had 
been around and somehow had gotten in the cellar, through this opening; so I had 
to get him out, and to do this I had to deal with him at pretty close quarters 
(much too close) for comfort, However I got him out and gave him to Brother 
Casper to take him away, of course by this time he was dead. Now this day I was 
going to town 20 miles away, so I changed all my clothes and began getting ready 
for my trip, then I went over to my Uncle's place for I was to use his horse and 
buggy, and also to take along their adopted daughter Tamar. Well how she like me 
that day I don't know, but I still know that in the town everybody gave me a 
wide berth; and at home all the next winter, they told me that every soft spell 
of weather they could still have skunk scent around, still too close.

Leaving Home
I had been planning to get away from home for some time; and here was a good 
time. My summer work was done, crop here practically all in. A few days before 
Dad came home I went looking for work but so far found none; now I happened to 
meet Dad at an uncle's house, and at the supper table he was asked if he was 
going away the next year, he said he had spoken for a berth, so I made bold to 
say, if you do, you will need someone else to do your work for you. He took it 
easy and said he would find someone. Now he got home on Thursday evening, and I 
followed him home on Friday evening, and at about half past two the following 
Tuesday, Sept. 8 1885, with about $3.50 in my pocket, and not much more than the 
clothes I had on I left home, and I haven't done a day's work at home since.

Now My Journey
That afternoon I went to a cousin's place about four miles away, to get the 
address of their boy, (three days younger than I) working on a farm in the place 
where I was going to. I stayed there over night and the next day I started on my 
journey, after walking twenty-five or more miles I came to Springfield. There 
was a fair on that day, so I rested for awhile. While there I met an outfit who 
were my way. There were three men, a horse and wagon loaded with household 
stuff. The next place was Albany Cross some miles away. It was about dark when 
we left Springfield, and traveled at a snails pace, and about half a mile beyond 
Albany Cross, we camped beside the road till morning, and made a fire; The old 
horse was about played out, for he had too heavy a load. When morning came, two 
men and I started off leaving one man and the jaded horse behind. The two men 
were looking for something to eat and also for help; and I was wanting to shake 
them off so that I could eat my lunch that I had with me; so I let them move on, 
and I slowed down (I had lunch but they had none) Then I could eat as I went 
along. Next passing through Albany and over the south mountain, and down into 
the Annapolis Valley, I came to Lawrencetown, where I was heading for.

Then I began to inquire about where my cousin was working, so I kept walking and 
early in the afternoon I came to my destination for that day.

But the menfolk were away out in the field, and would not be home till evening. 
I went out for a walk, but they asked me to come back and stay for the night. I 
went out and lay down and slept for awhile near a railway track. Now I had never 
seen a railway before. I had quite a sleep. Later a freight train came 
thundering along, and woke me up. I thought the world had come to an end. Met my 
cousin, and we had a real good visit (Isaiah Lohnes) just three days younger 
than I. The people were Mr. and Mrs. William McKeown, and Hattie, very nice 
people.

Looking for Work
The next morning I began to look for work, calling at every farm house as I went 
along. I passed through Lawrencetown, and about a mile or more beyond, I met a 
man hauling [a?] stone to a well to be used in the wall of the well. He asked me 
to go to his house and have dinner and I made a deal to go to work with him for 
three weeks; that kept me going for awhile.

Then his brother took me on for the winter at $5.00 per month. Then the next 
spring another brother came for me, and I worked with him all summer and up to 
Christmas at $9.00 per month. W. H. Norman, and Wesley, all good people to work 
for. Every year the Phinneys spent Christmas with one member of the family and 
there were eight brothers in the family. This year they were to be at the oldest 
brother Timothy about 12 miles distant. Now I was at Norman's place half mile 
away from my first place. They were all going away for the day, except the 
children and at Norman's place there were four, and I had to care for them for 
the day. I also had to go and care for the cattle and horses at the old place 
half a mile away, water and feed them for the day.

Some Storm
There was no snow on the ground that morning, Friday, so they all went away by 
horse and buggy. Now I think you have this clear for what is to follow; About 
half past nine that morning the storm began, a sleety snow that stuff that hits 
you like sand, and this was Friday, and it snowed till Sunday evening. Now, I 
imagine that soon after the storm began they or some of them started for home, 
but some of them didn't get their buggies home till the next spring. On Monday 
we were called out to bread [break?] road, and we had about one and half miles 
to town, and had to shovel the road all the way. The opposite way from us to the 
next town Paradise 2 1/2 miles was also shoveled all the way. I think today, 
that, that was the worst snow storm that I ever saw. Now I got the farm work 
done somehow, and got back again to my four children and we got along nicely 
till their Dad and Mother got home that evening.

Winter of 1885 and 1886, all Year
That winter at Norman Phinneys I had two horses and two cows to care for and 
some other work around the place, chopping wood and clearing up some land. The 
next summer with Wesley Phinney, it was mostly farm work, but I had also some 
driving to do, and while here I had 22 horses during my time here. Sometimes I 
had five and then again I might be down to one. Now Wesley was a harness maker, 
and he also bought, sold, and traded horses. In fact one day I hauled one load 
of apples in with one team and the next load with another team. I was at this 
place till Christmas, and then I went to Halifax.

Some Things I left Out.

I am now in my 21st year, and will talk about things that I did at various 
times, and in various places.

Some Things while at Phinneys
Now, Norman Phinney was a professor of music, and one evening he asked me to 
drive down to Paradise, about four miles, and get two blackboards of his, I was 
to go to a certain house and enquire for the boards, but when I got there the 
house was locked up. On inquiring I was told to drive six miles down the road, 
and going up a hill I would see a water trough on the left of the road, and a 
house on the right side and there I would find Mr. Piggot, the owner or 
custodian of the blackboards. Well that was ok but I had to go back to where I 
went first and there I would find the boards under some covering. See what a 
drive I could have saved.

Putting up Ice
Late in the winter that I was with Norman Phinney we put up some ice. Now there 
was a mill at the upper end of the town, and we cut ice on the river above the 
dam, and on a Saturday afternoon we got our last load of ice, and on Sunday the 
whole river where we got the last load was clear of ice, and probably 25 to 35 
feet of water where we were working the day before.

Piano
It was here in Lawrencetown that I heard the first piano in the home of Dr 
Primrose, and I wondered what kind of music that was.

Apple Blossoms
A word for the Annapolis Valley. In the spring of the year you can go for a 
least 100 miles through apple blossom country, except where the towns are; and 
also the high tides on the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin, and up the rivers. 
Tides 50 to 60 feet every 6 hours.

One on Wesley Phinney
I am still in Lawrencetown 1886, with Wesley Phinney. In my time there we had 22 
horses, but let us look at 5 or 6. A grey, Jerry, Maud, Dick and Bender; and 
another little mare that I liked very much. He would buy good horses, and when 
he had some he would take them for a good price. Now the grey was sold for a 
military horse, Dick, Maud, was sold in the U.S.; Jerry was his general carriage 
horse. Bender was just a general purpose horse, as also was the little mare. I 
had to care for these prize horses till they were sold. I only drove Dick once 
by myself and Maud, I only cared for, but Dick I rode on his back sometimes.

Now Here About Phinney
Mr. Phinney told me never take Dick outside of the stable without a bridle on or 
at least a good halter shank in his mouth, so as to have good control of him. 
Mr. Phinney was a small man, and one day he took Dick out of the stable, with 
only a halter on; I always obeyed his orders; but he did not obey his own order, 
and this time Dick threw up his head and took Mr. Phinney twice around the barn 
before he could get the horse under control.

While hitching him up one of us had to hold him by the head till they were in 
the buggy, and ready to be off; then they would travel all day and come back in 
the evening, as fresh as when they went out in the morning.

A Forest Fire
On the 12th of May, years ago a forest fire was started in the bush somewhere 
beyond the home place, and came to the settlement, and hit my old home late in 
the afternoon; took a neighbor's buildings, fences, our fences, brother Nill's* 
fences, and went as far as the cross road, a mile and a half away. Next morning 
it was held in check and finally put out. On the home place on 200 acres of land 
they told me there was not a green tree left; This fire burnt about 20 miles 
long, and about 7 miles wide. That fall a portable mill was brought in and set 
up on the brook just below the house, and they got out and sawed up into lumber 
all the burnt timber before it got wormy, over 200,000 feet; If we had today the 
maple that was on that place it would be worth over $200,000. Our fuel was 
maple, beech, and white birch in my early days and until the fire came; and 
after that they used any wood that they could get.
* [Bill's? - he had no brother Nill]

Christmas 1886 Went to Halifax
I went to Halifax to visit an uncle, Dad's older brother*. I visited for a few 
days; and then began to look for work. I sold milk for a time, and here I want 
to forget a few months of my time. I saw good days and bad days; the trouble was 
legal trouble, and I came off fairly good, in fact real good. I broke away from 
my relatives and went entirely on my own.
* [George Frederick Hirtle had four older brothers: Jacob b. 1819, Daniel b. 
before 1821, Edward b. 1826, and Benjamin b. 1833]

Started to Work
Those days wages were very low; $6.00 a week, $1.20 a day; $9.49 a week, in 
different departments of work. In my 21st year I began at carpenter work, at 
$5.00 a week, and in two years I was getting the going wage then 18› [cents] per 
hour; later we got 22›. Later I got on in the navy yard at $9.49 on one 
department, and $10.22 on another, fact I was in the navy yard when I left to 
come to Manitoba.

Married August 26, 1890
I married Carrie Margaret Rourke, August 26, 1890. Edna was born December 22, 
1891. Carrie died April 23, 1903; and Edna and I left Halifax for Winnipeg June 
18, 1903

Clerked in a Store 1890
We lived in a house belonging to the store owners, and one day they came for me 
to help them, for the day (at the store, at that time I was out of work) so it 
came in quite handy, and they kept me on for about nine months.

Parcel
One day a man came into the store with a small parcel and asked me if he could 
leave it there for awhile; and he would call for it; but he never came back, and 
to this day I have not seen him. A long time after, I opened up the parcel, and 
there was no name or mark of any kind on it; so of course I took it home and we 
had a nice lot of linen.

Bananas
While I was working in the navy yard, steamers were bringing in bananas; and the 
ripe ones were sold about as they came out of the ships' hold, so I went over to 
the wharf where a boat was unloading bananas, and I got the first bunch that 
came up. I got it for 50›, and I carried it home on my shoulder, I jammed about 
three on the way home, and I had 150 bananas. Pretty good as compared with 20› a 
pound today.

Horse and Buggy Trip
A sister of mine was quite ill at the old home; and word had come, that we had 
better come to see her. What are we going to do; we had a horse, but no buggy, 
and no one to care for the horse while we were away. A neighbor near by had a 
two wheeled cart, which he offered to me; so we decided to drive about 95 miles, 
so we got ready, and on Saturday morning at 6.40 we left home. This would be 
1895 or 1896. Edna was about 5 years old at that time. The horse was poor 
roadster for she would not feed on the road; and if a horse doesn't eat she 
would soon tire; However we were on our way and had a rest after going 47 miles. 
Now we did try to feed once in the 47 miles, and after resting we are off again, 
and went another 18 miles, and tried to feed again; and there I tried to get a 
fresh horse; nothing doing, but I might get one by going four miles out of my 
way; Now it was about 12 miles to Bridgewater, where I knew I could get a livery 
horse, and if I went the four miles out of my way, and then did not get a horse, 
I would have four miles back; so I figured I had better keep going, and try to 
make the extra 12 miles to Bridgewater, which I did.
* [Edna was born December1891]

It was slow going with a very tired horse, but we got there and into a livery 
stable, pulled the harness off her and she at once lay down. The livery man said 
he remembered me, and he knew my father and brothers. He said I will give you a 
horse that will take you through the next 20 miles.

So again we are on our way, and it was an inky dark night. And in this 20 miles, 
we met only one outfit all the way. We got safely to our destination at about 11 
PM and we had a good visit with my sister for the next two days. On Wednesday 
morning we started on our return journey.

Our Return Journey
When we arrived at Bridgewater all we had to do was to change horses, and again 
be on our way. That day we went to Chester about 48 miles, or about 28 miles 
with our own horse. We stayed at an uncle's for the night; and on Thursday went 
about 45 miles home with a very tired horse.

Concrete: My First
Now this I believe was my first carpenter job and here is where I saw the first 
concrete job done. This was to be an electric light station. Now first we put in 
the forms, and then they were filled with big stones, and then with smaller 
stones, and wooden pins were put in to leave holes to bolt down the machinery. 
The forms must have to be made water tight for after all the forms were filled 
with stone then the cement was mixed to a very thick cream, and poured over the 
stone till it was all filled up. Now how this foundation stood up I don't know.

My Last Salt Water Bath
Right near where the Halifax explosion took place in 1917, I had my last salt 
water bath in 1903. A beautiful place, a nice bottom, no large stones under your 
feet. You could walk out in the water till it came up to your arms.

Horse Shoeings
One time I was down country, and was heading for home, but I had about 34 miles 
before me when my horse lost a shoe. Now it meant a shoe or a lame horse before 
I got home. Coming to a blacksmith shop I asked the man to nail on a shoe. He 
said why not put on a pair of shoes; I said I can't spare the time for it was 
getting on in the afternoon. He said it won't take long, not over half and hour. 
Ok, so while I got the horse in the shop he pulled down a bar of iron and cut 
off two pieces for shoes, and in about twenty minutes my horse had on a pair of 
new shoes, and I was on my way home.

The Orangemen's Excursion
While working for the I. C. Railway* one year on July 12 there was an 
Orangeman's Excursion. Now I was told off to help the baggage master and also to 
care for a later train by myself. The excursion train broke down about 14 miles 
out or near Windsor Junction early in the evening. A train was going out and 
would cross the Excursion train at the Junction; and as word had come of the 
break down, some of the train workers got on the train, and they asked me to go 
along too, which I foolishly did.
* [InterColonial Railway]

Going through the railway yards I began to think if I was safe in going out 
there, for I might miss the train coming in, and if I was not on hand to care 
for the baggage I would probably lose my job, so at Rockingham 4 miles out I got 
off and started to walk back. It was an inky dark night and slightly wet, so I 
walked maybe two miles, so from here I could go over a hill away from the 
railway, or keep on the railway. Now here I came to a colored settlement of 
perhaps 35 houses, and lots of dogs. However I kept on the railway, and armed 
myself I had a large pocket knife, and I got an armful of stones, and I was 
going to do wonders if trouble began. Well trouble did come sooner than I 
expected. A little further along two large dogs came up to the rails, one on 
either side, my weapons were of little avail, for it was too dark to try 
anything; my cap began going up in the air; However I walked on, and the dogs 
stayed where they were; so I got to my job before the train came in, and after 
all all was ok and I got my baggage off safely.

Two Special Bicycle Trips
One spring, work being scarce, I tried to do some canvassing for the Canadian 
Foresters. I went down shore as far as Sherbrooke and spent 15 days rambling 
around there, and I saw a piece of quartz taken from a new mine about 3 inches 
thick and maybe as large as a dinner plate; and around the edge peppered with 
gold so that there was no place to put the end of a finger without touching 
gold. While in Sherbrooke I was in the bank one day, and had in my hands a piece 
of gold that they said weighed 65 pounds worth at that time about $16,000.00. On 
my mission to Sherbrooke I had poor luck, and returned by boat to Halifax. My 
next trip was in June to a convention 100 miles the other way from Halifax and 
again I returned by boat, owing to excessive rain, while on this trip.

My Carpenter Work
Being naturally handy and sort of jack of all trades I started out on carpenter 
work in my 21st year at $5.00 per week of 10 hour days, and was to have some 
instruction and help, but about all the help I got was to do the work that I 
could do and as much as any other man on the job. However I had most always a 
good foreman, who helped me some. On my first job I only worked for about three 
months. The next job I got $1.00 a day of 8 hours, making me $1.25 when we got 
on 10 hours, and from here on I took pot luck on what I could do and also as to 
wages; for I got the going wage after I worked about two years at the trade; and 
our wages were at that time 18› and later 22› an hour. In the navy yard on house 
work I got $9.49 a week, and at boat work I got $10.22, also in the pattern 
shop. In the navy yard we got the same wages winter and summer short time and 
long.

I Saw Many Changes
The Telephone, came in, from horse cars to street electric boats, from oil 
street lamps to electric street lights and later motor cars and trucks etc. from 
balloons to airplanes, and what not, all the new gadgets and inventions, 
Electric stoves, washers and refrigerators and other things on the streets etc. 
and since then I saw electric light, electric cars, electric boats and what not, 
cars and airplanes.

Jeremy the Indian
While working on the Phinney farm I got to know a young Indian, the name was 
Jeremy, They were farming a few miles away from Phinney's as far as I know very 
nice people. I only knew the boy.

Fishing Trips
During my 16 years in Halifax I went fishing quite often and mostly on my 
bicycle, and alone; If ever anything had to have happened to me nobody would 
have known where I was, nor where to look for me. Only once I went with two 
other young men, but that was the only time, so it was always alone.

Skating
Practically all my skating was outside, I skated in rinks only three times in 
all my time. Around the old home there were several open skating places where we 
would gather when the ice was good and clear of snow.

Religion
In my young days, while Dad and Mother were strict in a way, there was no 
religion, or religious instruction around home, but all work.

Something about Working Conditions back in the 1880's and 90's and then Later 
We had a general election in June 1896, and a change from Conservative to 
Liberal, by a landslide; Conservatives were in power for about 16 years or more. 
Then when the Liberals came into power, practically all money lenders tied up 
their money. Now for a year or more I had five men besides myself, going steady, 
and at the time of the election, I had work enough in sight to keep us going for 
at least another year, but with money tied, there was no work going, on, so my 
men had to be laid off, and I did not earn money enough to live for over two 
years.

Then in late 1902, and early 1903 Edna's Mother* was sick with cancer and died 
April 23, 1903. There was another heavy expense and in June 1903 I sold 
everything off, and paid up expenses and came out here*, now by the advice of a 
good friend, I like lots of others took on some property, a slump came and I 
lost out, over $600.00.
* [His first wife]
**[Manitoba]

Four Years in Fort William
I was persuaded to go to Fort William [from Winnipeg], on a promise of $1000.00 
to help finance a building project, When I got there but I never saw any of the 
$1000.00. Now had I had that help things would have worked out real well, but a 
slump came and I had to get away from Fort William, and I went down over 
$300.00.

Next the War 1914
Three weeks after the first war came on, I finished the work that I had on my 
hands, and again I did little or no work for two years, Then I started something 
for myself and got into an old mill on Inkster Ave. [Winnipeg] and tried to make 
a living till 1920, then owing to the rent being raised every six months, I was 
forced to close up the mill, and we sold the East Kildonan house and went to 
Headingly*.
* [just outside of Winnipeg]

The Mill on Inkster Ave.
When the first war came on things went flat. I finished my work in about 15 
days, and then like lots of other people, I had nothing to do, so I tried to 
start something, We were living on Luxton Ave. at that time, so I started to 
make a few clothes dryers and took some to the T. Eaton Co. one day, and they 
told me they would sell all I could make. So I worked in the kitchen for awhile, 
and later in the woodshed and then I rented an old workshop on Inkster Ave. just 
west of Main St. It had some machinery and to that I added some more, and with 
that I made a variety of woodwork, and so made some kind of a living; and here I 
made the first clothes dryer* that is in use today. Now other things I made were 
garden hose reels, tub stands, bake boards, bedroom boxes, tool boxes, and a 
variety of other things, but owing to rent increases every six months I was 
compelled to close up.
* [Editor's note: Could be referring to a "clothes' horse"--a wooden affair with 
rungs that spreads out into an A-frame when open, but collapses when not in use. 
I have one which he made.]

Headingly*
Headingly was a failure, and after four years we had to quit because of no 
pasture, and through an error by the former occupant, as to the amount of land 
he had and passing it on to me.
* [Headingly is a little village just west of Winnipeg, where James had a market 
garden for some time.]

Headingly, 1920, I Believe
There again was some bungling, for the man who was on the place before me did 
not know how much land he had, and did not realize the price he was to pay and 
so I went really on the other man's arrangement, and the man who I had to deal 
with, R. J. (Bob) McDonald, and he did not know what land was in the deal, till 
I was there sometime, and then I looked into the matter and did some measuring 
and found out the exact amount of land that was really in the deal, and also the 
price, only 10 acres, and about half of that was creek, and the price was 
$5,750.00. Then after four years we were short of pasture or rather from having 
our cattle impounded, so we had to close up there, not much to it; Next was 
Marchand.

Marchand*
Now these two places were poor deals. Bob McDonald, when he knew about 
Headingly, said to me you will not lose anything, and I did not, but going to 
Marchand was quite different. There they said one thing, but did something quite 
different, and I came away from Marchand after almost four years, worse off than 
when I went there, and only for the goodness of the then Manager, when we went 
there. I had paid $250.00 down, and I had another $250.00 to pay, on speaking to 
the Manager I told him I had the $250.00 and he said if you have $250.00 you 
keep it, for you will need it, and I certainly did need it. Now, we came into 
the Depression, and again in five or more years I did not earn enough money to 
make ends meet. No wonder I have no money laid by, and I am not the only one. 
Here we met with disappointment in what we were to get in prepared land, and 
good stock and prices, so at the end of less than four years we were obliged to 
move back to Winnipeg, older and wiser. Now here we are in the throes of a 
depression during the 1930's.
* [Marchand is a farming community in southeastern Manitoba.]

Sawing Wood
Here I sawed wood for about four years for almost nothing to try and live, had 
some relief, perhaps in all $50.00.

Hobby Shop
In this I put my spare time and picked up some money. I made toy guns, stools, 
dancing dolls etc, until I began to get blind, and had to quit for fear of 
losing my fingers.

Moving a House
When we were living on Inkster Ave., years ago, the house was sold, and we had 
to move out, so I got a piece of ground 150 feet front, and a shack 12 x 30, I 
got them together and we lived there for over a year; then North Transcona was 
being sold out, owing to the C.N.R. moving their shops away. A friend of mine 
had a house there, and he sold it to me for $900.00 22 x 26, with a six foot 
veranda. It cost $125.00 to move it to East Kildonan*. It was placed behind the 
shack in March. When spring came, and things got dried up, I began to get it 
ready to move into place. I made rollers out of Poplar trees, got planks under 
the house, and also rollers, and began to move the house with a jack. This did 
fine till I got it up against the house or shack. Then the shack had to be 
moved. I did that with the help of my old Model T. Ford. Now that being out of 
the way, I had a double power winch, a fairly long cable, so I tied the winch to 
a tree, and the cable or wire rope to the house and with my plank and rollers 
under the house, I began my real work of moving; and I put force on the winch to 
move the house, and I got it into place. Then again I went to the shack and 
pulled that up to the end of the big lot; and all this with no help except my 
faithful Model T. Ford, the winch, a jack, and cable plank and rollers. I turned 
on the winch till I saw stars.
* [now a suburb of Winnipeg].

1904 Flood
This was my first winter in Winnipeg, a bitter cold winter. I started work on an 
elevator (later burned down) January 27, 1904 and from that date to March 1 we 
had 22 days registering 20 to 44 below zero, there was a lot of snow, and it 
went away gradually the early part of March, then on March 19, 20, 21 we had the 
worst snowstorm of the winter and that went away very fast, and the water began 
to rise, and it came up and up till May 18 I was told it was just two feet under 
the then C.P.R.* bridge. The water was up Water St. seven inches over the 
transfer track. Just below the C.N.R.** bridge, (the bridge that was) a boat and 
a barge were tied, and they broke loose and went down the river, and under the 
C.P.R. bridge setting it a fire. I crossed that bridge that evening and counted 
62 new ties that had been put in after the fire. The barge was left in the bend 
of the river at Nairn Ave. and the boat went on down the river. The Louise 
Bridge was open but the current being too strong the boat could not make the 
opening but hit the next span and set the bridge afire; and put it out of use 
for about two weeks, and the boat was beached just below the bridge, near the J. 
Y. Griffin, later Swift Canadian Packing House and I imagine the old hull is 
still down there burned to the water edge; a little later [several illegible 
words] building for McKenzie and Mann; and I left [several illegible words] June 
14 and going into Portage la Prairie the rails of the C.N.R. were still under 
water. I believe the highest water we had since then except the 1950 flood.
* [C.P.R. - Canadian Pacific Railway]
** [C.N.R. - Canadian National Railway]

Changes in Winnipeg in 52 Years
When I landed here June 22, 1903 Winnipeg was bounded by Seven Oaks, Sherbrook 
St., Osborne St., and River Ave. but look at the City now, today north, south 
and west. It is city everywhere you look, so much so that I get lost wherever I 
go.

Things I Saw Ahead
Many years ago I saw the need of an Old Age Pension, and being in a doctor's 
office one day we were talking, and I made mention of old age pension and our 
need, he said you are crazy, who is going to pay for it. My reply was Dr. I 
don't know, but I do know that it is coming, and that it will come (it has 
come). The next thing I saw many years ago, that we would see the time when we 
would have a five day week, and a six hour day, and today August 2, 1955 at 12 
minutes to 11.00 A.M. as I write, this condition is not far off. If we want to 
keep our people working wages must be the same as is paid now, and we must cut 
down severely on our immigration.

Just a [two illegible words]
In my writings I made mention of things that I remember, things that I did, 
things that I saw, also about our work, a lot of it was done with the crude 
tools we had to work with, Our living, our clothing, Schooling, housing, etc. 
Now, Mother and Dad we were all just morally good. We had no religious training. 
There were few if any prayers ever offered in the old home. My Mother tried to 
teach me some, but then she could not read English till we were able to teach 
her to read her English Bible, so what we got to know, that should have been 
told us, we had to get the hard way.

I never saw a doctor in the old home, and I was there till the youngest member 
of the family was about a year old. On the whole Dad was a pretty good boss; 
There was very little over time, and no night work, except after harvest there 
was some grain threshing that was done in the evening, and when on heavy work, 
along in the afternoon Dad would take a rest, and of course we also got a rest. 
Then we got to work again till maybe half past five, he would say, well boys we 
had better quit. At haying time I was never called out to work before breakfast 
in the morning, so Dad was a pretty good boss. We boys did not have very much 
play in summertime, and when we did have time to play, it was always at the 
brook. Now, as I look back over the years of my life at 89 I am thankful from my 
heart for all God's blessings, and also he has given me a fair measure of health 
all these years; and also that I heard my mother say, I am not worrying about 
you, and my wife told people she knew when I came home I could always find the 
keyhole in the door*, and that has applied all through my life to this very date 
September 8, 1955. Now at home we had little or no religious training. Now in my 
19th year when I began work with the Phinney's I got with religious people, and 
they warned me against certain places, and I took their advice very kindly and 
kept to myself. Now Dad had a brother living in Halifax of whom we knew very 
little except an old address, so Christmas of 1886 when I finished with the 
Phinneys I went to see if I could find my uncle and his family; and I spent 
about 16 years in Halifax, not with my relatives. I got in with two cousins, 
about my age, and three other boys for a time. Now they were city boys, and I 
was just a country rube; They did many things that I was not brought up to and 
did not do, and I thought I had better get away from them, so one day going down 
the street I came to a halt, turned around and went back to the next corner, and 
from that day on, I went by myself, and let the others go their way, and how 
thankful I am today that I made that move, and above all things that all these 
years, I had no temptation to drink or smoke, and one thing I can say that none 
of my family ever saw me take a drink or smoke. But had I had some good advice 
in my boyhood days I might have done a lot better than I did. Had I had anything 
to live on I would not have asked for old age pension, but I lived through very 
trying times, and therefore could not lay up anything, could not even carry on 
my insurance payments in the depression, but had to let that lapse, now I am 
sure that on the system of tithe paying** I have been much better off than I was 
before (you may not think so). But I know that God has blessed me abundantly, I 
do wish that you boys would quit smoking, for I read what Doctors say, the death 
rate for smokers is just about double that of non-smokers, that is for lung 
cancer, and I trust that you all are strictly tee-totallers. May I see you all 
in heaven. I haven't done much for you but we are praying for you and will do so 
while life shall last. God bless and care for you all, that is my earnest 
prayer, now and alway.
* [expression meaning he never came home drunk]
**[giving ten percent of one's income to the church and/or charity]


Glossary:

Billet (noun): A piece of wood cut to a proper length for fuel; billet-wood. A 
thick stick used as a weapon.

Fitch (noun): A brush made of the hair of a polecat, also, a small hog's-hair 
brush.

Hornbeam (noun): A tree indigenous in England, so called from its hard, tough, 
close-grained wood. Also in America the Blue Beech, earlier called hard-beam.

Penstock (noun): A sluice for restraining or regulating the flow from a head of 
water formed by a pen as in a water-mill. A tube by which water is conveyed from 
a head of water into a turbine. Also applied to the barrel of a pump.

Pipkin (noun): A small earthenware pot or pan, used chiefly in cookery. 
Pipkinet, a small pipkin.

Rick (noun): A stack of hay, corn, peas, etc, especially one regularly built and 
thatched; (verb) To form (hay, corn, etc.) into a rick; to stack.

Swingle (noun): A wooden instrument resembling a sword, used for beating and 
scraping flax or hemp so as to cleanse it of woody or coarse particles. The 
striking part or swipple of a flail; (verb) To swing or flourish about. To beat 
and scrape (flax or hemp) with a swingle, in order to cleanse it of the coarser 
particles.

With, withs (noun). Also withe, withes: A pliant twig or bough.




Surnames Hirtle; Uhlman; Silver; Morgan; Cameron; Johnson; Dory; Falconer; Crouse; Tompkin; Lohnes; Phinney; Rourke.
Material Type Memoir.
Document Author Hirtle, James (1866-1958) 
Added Entries Chan, Debbie Haughland 
Document Source Family papers

Contributed by Debbie Haughland Chan on 09/22/98 at 04:19 PM 
dchan@videon.wave.ca
Description Memoirs of growing up on a farm in Lunenburg County in the late 1800s. Technological changes seen. Later migration to Winnipeg (Manitoba).  With glossary of older rural terms used. Plain text version included in  file for downloading.Written 1955..
Suggested citation Hirtle, James (1866-1958): Chan, Debbie Haughland. "Hirtle, James Albert (1866-1958): Memoirs". (Posted by Debbie Haughland Chan). 


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