I was born in 1900 in Woodville Mills. That's half ways between Cardigan and Launching. I was born there but I went away when I was about 14. I went to Quebec to work in the woods, then I went to New Brunswick to work. I came back to Souris in 1920 and I've been in Souris ever since. When I started in first I was a millman, then I became a carpenter. That's what I did in New Brunswick. Then when I came here I ran the mill. Then I became a carpenter.

There was a man in Souris by the name of Herb Acorn and he had a Klondyke Lumber Mill. He hired me to come up and run it for him. That was quite an experience. I was there until 1939. Then I became a carpenter.

I never married. I met a lot of nice girls and women though. I just boarded. I never got a place of my own. I don't know why. I always had good boarding places. In 1973 I rented a senior citizen apartment and lived there until last summer. I lived 17 years in that apartment. I worked with different people. I built seven or eight houses. Some right in Souris. One in Charlottetown and one in Bunbury, not far from Charlottetown.

I had a very good life and a very long one. I was 92 on my last birthday on the 18th of May.

Well, here in Souris when I came here in 1920 there were two sawmills and I think there were five blacksmith shops. There was a cooper business, making barrels.

1939. That year the streets, in Souris were paved for the first time. There were few cars around. The wages were really low when I came here first. $0.20 an hour for 12 hours a day. The ordinary, the labour got $0.20 an hour. In 1980 I was named citizen of the year. I have this plaque. "Eastern Kings Citizen of the Year For Your Outstanding Contribution to the Community of Eastern Kings".

I was helping out elderly people. I had a car. In '73 I rented one of the senior citizen houses and I had a car so I used to taxi the senior citizens around. I'd take them to church or to the store. Wherever they wanted to go.

I did that up until last year when my eyesight got too bad. And I also had two strokes. I was scared to drive because I was scared I might have one in the car and might kill somebody. So I turned in my license and sold my little car.

That time I was working in New Brunswick at Plaster Rock. The mill closed so I came home. I was only supposed to be here 10 days and I'm here yet!

Copyright
Waldron H. Leard