Interview with John (Jean) Presseau by telephone March 1, 2020 - Handwritten revision by John March 18, 2020
John: Would you like me to tell you a little bit about myself first.
Jeanette: Yes, sure.
John: My name is John Presseau. My Dad was a Superintendent at the mine in Stirling. My parents (Arthur and Exilda (Laroque) Presseau) moved to Nova Scotia in 1928. I was two years old at that time. The mine was running from 1928-1930. My dad remained as a caretaker until it reopened in 1935-1937, and at that time remained as caretaker until the mine was dismantled under my Dad’s supervision and sent to Calumet Island, Pontiac Co. Quebec, approximately 60 miles from Ottawa. While the mine was closed, Dad had to run the three big diesel engines to provide power and keep them running in case they would be needed later on. Also, to start the big diesel, he had to start a smaller diesel to give a boost to start the big one.
John: So, anyway now as you can see, I will be 94 in May of this year.
Jeanette: That’s great. I understand you are very active.
John: Yes, I try to keep active as I can. Obviously, at my age, I have a few aches. That’s about it.
John: The other, thing that I should mention, I went to school in Cheticamp from Grade 5 – 9 and then I took grade 10 in Stirling. The teacher had finished her Grade 11 in June and taught me Grade 10 in September. I just had a long talk with Mamie Morrison (MacMaster) today (March 18, 2020) and she mentioned it was possibly Bessie Babcock that taught me grade 10. Mamie lives in Barrie, Ontario now.
Jeanette: You mentioned that in your book that you wrote (“A diversified Journey as Factual as I can remember”.
John: The last time I was out to Nova Scotia it was about five or six years ago.
Jeanette: I came across your family name in my first interview with Bessie Morrison (note: and later from a newspaper clipping from Angus and Alice MacLeod featuring an interview in the Cape Breton Post with Bob Presseau and Bernie MacEachern).
John: Would you like me to tell you a little bit about myself first.
Jeanette: Yes, sure.
John: My name is John Presseau. My Dad was a Superintendent at the mine in Stirling. My parents (Arthur and Exilda (Laroque) Presseau) moved to Nova Scotia in 1928. I was two years old at that time. The mine was running from 1928-1930. My dad remained as a caretaker until it reopened in 1935-1937, and at that time remained as caretaker until the mine was dismantled under my Dad’s supervision and sent to Calumet Island, Pontiac Co. Quebec, approximately 60 miles from Ottawa. While the mine was closed, Dad had to run the three big diesel engines to provide power and keep them running in case they would be needed later on. Also, to start the big diesel, he had to start a smaller diesel to give a boost to start the big one.
John: So, anyway now as you can see, I will be 94 in May of this year.
Jeanette: That’s great. I understand you are very active.
John: Yes, I try to keep active as I can. Obviously, at my age, I have a few aches. That’s about it.
John: The other, thing that I should mention, I went to school in Cheticamp from Grade 5 – 9 and then I took grade 10 in Stirling. The teacher had finished her Grade 11 in June and taught me Grade 10 in September. I just had a long talk with Mamie Morrison (MacMaster) today (March 18, 2020) and she mentioned it was possibly Bessie Babcock that taught me grade 10. Mamie lives in Barrie, Ontario now.
Jeanette: You mentioned that in your book that you wrote (“A diversified Journey as Factual as I can remember”.
John: The last time I was out to Nova Scotia it was about five or six years ago.
Jeanette: I came across your family name in my first interview with Bessie Morrison (note: and later from a newspaper clipping from Angus and Alice MacLeod featuring an interview in the Cape Breton Post with Bob Presseau and Bernie MacEachern).
This image was copied with permission, from The Story of Framboise
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Photo restored by and permission given to use on this site by T. Power
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John: Just a little way from the mine gate lived John G. MacLeod in a big 2 story house (see photos above). He had an orchard and also the local grocery store. I believe Mr. MacLeod had something to do with asphalt from Jamaica, or something like that. He seemed to be pretty well off.
Jeanette: Do you remember if there were any other stores in Stirling other than John G’s store?
John: No, that’s the only one I remember. The last time I was there I don’t remember if the house was there.
Jeanette: Oh, the house is still there, but the store is not there now. When the mine ran in the 50s, the store was rented out by Spinner’s Men’s Shop, the men’s wear company from Sydney. They had a branch in Stirling. They are still open in Sydney.
John: Just a little way from the mine gate lived an Anglican Minister by the name of Babcock (Bessie’s dad) who was also a night watchman. When he went on leave, my brother Raymond and I took over as watchman. I took 6pm to 12 and Raymond 12-6am. We had to walk through the mill with a lantern and then out to the mineshaft, and of course, had to punch a clock at various places. In these days Dad still had to run the big diesels, for power.
Jeanette: Was that when the mine was closed?
John: Yes, when the mine was closed. The mine was running from 1935-1937 and was closed again. In 1943, Dad was in charge of dismantling the mill and shipping it to Calumet Island to the Venture Mine because it was war time.
Jeanette: So, when the mine closed in 1937, your parents didn’t leave the mine until 43?
John: The only one left after the mine closed was my parents and family of course. Mr. Babcock was kept as the Night Watchman. There was a gate at the entrance to the mine that was kept locked.
Mr. Hearn, the head of the British Metals Corp, had a two-story house and offered it to my Dad. He declined and chose to take the cottage next to Mr. Hearn’s house. It was a 2-bedroom house. A few feet away was a duplex where we children stayed at night.
We had running water from the tank that was atop of the hill and was used to flush the toilets. When the tank was low, Dad started a pump at the lake to fill the tank.
Jeanette: So, after the mine closed and your family stayed there, there was a night Watchman. Other than that, nothing was going on?
John: That’s right, correct. We stayed there from 1928 to 1943 and Dad was in charge of keeping the diesel in good shape and running in case the mine would reopen. They stayed there (while the mine was closed) between 1930 and 36 and then from 1938 to 1943 so he was in charge of keeping everything going, the diesels going and everything else, so if they needed to open the mine again, everything would be running.
Jeanette: So, he did that twice when it closed.
John: That’s right.
Jeanette: And at some point, the Venture Mine Co. in Calumet Island had to get the mill shipped to them?
John: An Engineer came from Saskatchewan, I believe, who helped Dad to dismantle the machinery and ship it to Quebec by rail from St Peter’s to Campbell’s Bay a few miles from Calumet Island.
Jeanette: Then they used that equipment over in Calumet Island?
John: Yes, that’s right. So, we moved to Calumet Island. The Venture Mine was told by Mr. Hearn, Head of the British Metals Corp. to hire Dad and pay him X dollars more than he was making in Stirling and also to provide a home.
Jeanette: So that was a contract – part of the deal, I guess.
John: Yes, that’s right. In Stirling, while I think of it, at the mine near the Main Office there were two tennis Courts used by the office staff and others.
John: Dad worked at the Calumet Ventures Mine until his retirement. Shortly after arriving at Calumet Island, I left home and in early 1946 joined the Navy taking my training in Cornwallis, N.S. and from there was sent to England and Scotland to a Royal Navy Air Station for training for aircraft carriers. After some training aboard a carrier, we were sent to Belfast, Ireland to pick up a new carrier on loan from England to go to the war in Japan. However, the war ended there and so we came back to Canada.
Jeanette: That was an interesting life you had.
John: And in 1946 I retired from the Navy and went home to Calumet Island. At that time, I wrote a few times to a girl in Belfast, but as I figured I’d probably never go back to Ireland, I stopped writing. Sometime after, I met Marie Ella who eventually became my wife for 63 years. In 1950 I joined the RCAF and retired after 20 years to Saskatoon as my children had finished high school and were in the West. This has been my home since.
Jeanette: Do you remember if there were any other stores in Stirling other than John G’s store?
John: No, that’s the only one I remember. The last time I was there I don’t remember if the house was there.
Jeanette: Oh, the house is still there, but the store is not there now. When the mine ran in the 50s, the store was rented out by Spinner’s Men’s Shop, the men’s wear company from Sydney. They had a branch in Stirling. They are still open in Sydney.
John: Just a little way from the mine gate lived an Anglican Minister by the name of Babcock (Bessie’s dad) who was also a night watchman. When he went on leave, my brother Raymond and I took over as watchman. I took 6pm to 12 and Raymond 12-6am. We had to walk through the mill with a lantern and then out to the mineshaft, and of course, had to punch a clock at various places. In these days Dad still had to run the big diesels, for power.
Jeanette: Was that when the mine was closed?
John: Yes, when the mine was closed. The mine was running from 1935-1937 and was closed again. In 1943, Dad was in charge of dismantling the mill and shipping it to Calumet Island to the Venture Mine because it was war time.
Jeanette: So, when the mine closed in 1937, your parents didn’t leave the mine until 43?
John: The only one left after the mine closed was my parents and family of course. Mr. Babcock was kept as the Night Watchman. There was a gate at the entrance to the mine that was kept locked.
Mr. Hearn, the head of the British Metals Corp, had a two-story house and offered it to my Dad. He declined and chose to take the cottage next to Mr. Hearn’s house. It was a 2-bedroom house. A few feet away was a duplex where we children stayed at night.
We had running water from the tank that was atop of the hill and was used to flush the toilets. When the tank was low, Dad started a pump at the lake to fill the tank.
Jeanette: So, after the mine closed and your family stayed there, there was a night Watchman. Other than that, nothing was going on?
John: That’s right, correct. We stayed there from 1928 to 1943 and Dad was in charge of keeping the diesel in good shape and running in case the mine would reopen. They stayed there (while the mine was closed) between 1930 and 36 and then from 1938 to 1943 so he was in charge of keeping everything going, the diesels going and everything else, so if they needed to open the mine again, everything would be running.
Jeanette: So, he did that twice when it closed.
John: That’s right.
Jeanette: And at some point, the Venture Mine Co. in Calumet Island had to get the mill shipped to them?
John: An Engineer came from Saskatchewan, I believe, who helped Dad to dismantle the machinery and ship it to Quebec by rail from St Peter’s to Campbell’s Bay a few miles from Calumet Island.
Jeanette: Then they used that equipment over in Calumet Island?
John: Yes, that’s right. So, we moved to Calumet Island. The Venture Mine was told by Mr. Hearn, Head of the British Metals Corp. to hire Dad and pay him X dollars more than he was making in Stirling and also to provide a home.
Jeanette: So that was a contract – part of the deal, I guess.
John: Yes, that’s right. In Stirling, while I think of it, at the mine near the Main Office there were two tennis Courts used by the office staff and others.
John: Dad worked at the Calumet Ventures Mine until his retirement. Shortly after arriving at Calumet Island, I left home and in early 1946 joined the Navy taking my training in Cornwallis, N.S. and from there was sent to England and Scotland to a Royal Navy Air Station for training for aircraft carriers. After some training aboard a carrier, we were sent to Belfast, Ireland to pick up a new carrier on loan from England to go to the war in Japan. However, the war ended there and so we came back to Canada.
Jeanette: That was an interesting life you had.
John: And in 1946 I retired from the Navy and went home to Calumet Island. At that time, I wrote a few times to a girl in Belfast, but as I figured I’d probably never go back to Ireland, I stopped writing. Sometime after, I met Marie Ella who eventually became my wife for 63 years. In 1950 I joined the RCAF and retired after 20 years to Saskatoon as my children had finished high school and were in the West. This has been my home since.
Stirling school copied from John Presseau's book "A diversified Journey as Factual as I Remember"
The One Room School
John: I went to Sterling from grade 1-grade 5 and then to a convent in Cheticamp from Grade 5-grade 9. Back in Stirling in that same schoolhouse I took grade 10. Later it was used as a lumber mill. I believe my teacher for grade 10 was Bessie Babcock.
Jeanette: Yes, that was Dan Alex MacLeod, later on. But that school, when you went to it, was one room but when the mine opened in the 50’s, there were so many people there that the mine paid a contractor to add on to that school (Note: See Douglas Landry’s interview for details). In your booklet you have a picture (see pic above) of the school, but I believe that may have been taken in the 70’s or 80’s, would I be right?
John: Right, yes. It wasn’t like it was in the 30’s & 40’s.
Jeanette: No, it was much smaller, then.
Jeanette: And when you were in Stirling till grade 5 you mentioned about a teacher named MacLean.
John: That’s correct. Yes, my Dad went to see him quite a few times because we spoke French and of course we spoke French because we were kids, see; that was our language, so for some reason, he didn’t care for us too much, and Dad had to go down and talk to him. And some time after, I think he moved to Halifax. Anyway, he moved somewhere else.
John: I went to Sterling from grade 1-grade 5 and then to a convent in Cheticamp from Grade 5-grade 9. Back in Stirling in that same schoolhouse I took grade 10. Later it was used as a lumber mill. I believe my teacher for grade 10 was Bessie Babcock.
Jeanette: Yes, that was Dan Alex MacLeod, later on. But that school, when you went to it, was one room but when the mine opened in the 50’s, there were so many people there that the mine paid a contractor to add on to that school (Note: See Douglas Landry’s interview for details). In your booklet you have a picture (see pic above) of the school, but I believe that may have been taken in the 70’s or 80’s, would I be right?
John: Right, yes. It wasn’t like it was in the 30’s & 40’s.
Jeanette: No, it was much smaller, then.
Jeanette: And when you were in Stirling till grade 5 you mentioned about a teacher named MacLean.
John: That’s correct. Yes, my Dad went to see him quite a few times because we spoke French and of course we spoke French because we were kids, see; that was our language, so for some reason, he didn’t care for us too much, and Dad had to go down and talk to him. And some time after, I think he moved to Halifax. Anyway, he moved somewhere else.
John: Just a little distance from John G’s MacLeod’s store was a road that lead to the mine and on the left of the mine road were 3 houses (See pic above). The first a 2- story house was for Mr. Hearn. The next was for the Accountant and the 3rd a duplex for two Foremen.
They shipped the ore by boat from Fourchu
John: While I think of it, while the mine was running (in the 30’s), they shipped the ore by boat from Fourchu. My Dad supervised the loading of the ship and I was just a kid, but I’d go up on the hill up there and watched the ocean and dreamed of many things, so maybe that is why I joined the Navy.
Jeanette: So, you were influenced (or inspired) by Fourchu. Do you know when they were taking the ore down to Fourchu, did they just dump it there for a while till the ships came in, or would they just be going there when the ship was in?
John: I’m not sure, but I knew that when the ship was in, the trucks would be coming and unloading on the conveyor belt to the ship. The mine had Zinc, Lead, Copper ore plus a little Gold and Sliver. Close to where they loaded the ship was a lighthouse and at low tide, I could walk to it. As I understand the ore went to Belgium – but not sure.
Jeanette: That was interesting because I heard that story before. Madeleine mentions it. Bernie made a tape with he and his mother, an interview he had with her, and she mentioned that. They shipped it out from Fourchu in the 30’s.
Jeanette: So, Belgium, that was as far as it went?
John: As far as I know. It went by ship to Belgium or somewhere in Europe.
John’s brothers who worked in the mine in the 30’s
John: My brothers worked at the mine in the 30’s. Armand drove a truck. My older brothers, Horence and Gerard, and Rene worked in the garage where they had “White“ Trucks. In 1940 Rene joined the Navy. Gerard worked for Ford dealer and Horence went to Montreal. After the mine closed Rene went to MIT in Boston.
Jeanette: So, Armand, did he work in the mine in the 50’s?
John: I don’t know. I know he worked at the Steel Plant. When the mine closed in 37 I believe Armand went to Sydney to the Steel Plant and so did John Joe MacEachern, married to Madeleine.
Jeanette: He (John Joe) also worked in the mine in the 30’s.
John: That’s correct. I think he was a miner.
Horses, Cows, Eggs and Tea
Jeanette: I saw a picture of the old mine in the late 20’s and there were some old trucks but there were also some horses. Did they use them around the mine, do you remember?
They shipped the ore by boat from Fourchu
John: While I think of it, while the mine was running (in the 30’s), they shipped the ore by boat from Fourchu. My Dad supervised the loading of the ship and I was just a kid, but I’d go up on the hill up there and watched the ocean and dreamed of many things, so maybe that is why I joined the Navy.
Jeanette: So, you were influenced (or inspired) by Fourchu. Do you know when they were taking the ore down to Fourchu, did they just dump it there for a while till the ships came in, or would they just be going there when the ship was in?
John: I’m not sure, but I knew that when the ship was in, the trucks would be coming and unloading on the conveyor belt to the ship. The mine had Zinc, Lead, Copper ore plus a little Gold and Sliver. Close to where they loaded the ship was a lighthouse and at low tide, I could walk to it. As I understand the ore went to Belgium – but not sure.
Jeanette: That was interesting because I heard that story before. Madeleine mentions it. Bernie made a tape with he and his mother, an interview he had with her, and she mentioned that. They shipped it out from Fourchu in the 30’s.
Jeanette: So, Belgium, that was as far as it went?
John: As far as I know. It went by ship to Belgium or somewhere in Europe.
John’s brothers who worked in the mine in the 30’s
John: My brothers worked at the mine in the 30’s. Armand drove a truck. My older brothers, Horence and Gerard, and Rene worked in the garage where they had “White“ Trucks. In 1940 Rene joined the Navy. Gerard worked for Ford dealer and Horence went to Montreal. After the mine closed Rene went to MIT in Boston.
Jeanette: So, Armand, did he work in the mine in the 50’s?
John: I don’t know. I know he worked at the Steel Plant. When the mine closed in 37 I believe Armand went to Sydney to the Steel Plant and so did John Joe MacEachern, married to Madeleine.
Jeanette: He (John Joe) also worked in the mine in the 30’s.
John: That’s correct. I think he was a miner.
Horses, Cows, Eggs and Tea
Jeanette: I saw a picture of the old mine in the late 20’s and there were some old trucks but there were also some horses. Did they use them around the mine, do you remember?
The three houses. Courturier, Biron and Presseau. MacLean's Farm in behind.
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John: No, I don’t remember seeing any horses around the mine. The only horse that I remember is the local farmer - Mr. MacLean - had one. He had a horse and a cow, a little farm there. At the top of the hill past the mill were three houses - the one my Dad lived in and the other two were occupied by Managers, which were a Mr. Couturier and the other Mr. Biron.
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Picture copied with permission from The Story of Framboise
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I believe mother used to send both my brother Raymond and myself to get eggs from a Farmer who was also a Blacksmith by the name of Matthew MacDonald (see picture to the right). The Mrs. would call us in and give us a cup of tea and strawberries.
Jeanette: That was a standard thing to do in those days. John: That’s right. Tea was on the stove; they always added more tea and therefore was very strong (laughter). Jeanette: It was on all day I think. John: Yes, that’s right. |
Jeanette: And how did you find the people there? Your family spoke French and (the people around) they all probably spoke Gaelic, but I understood they all got along together.
John: Yeah, so I didn’t learn Gaelic but my brother, Armand, he married a Gillis (Florence) from Grand Mira, across the river from the church, so he learned a few Gaelic songs and a few words.
Jeanette: Did your father work in another mine before he came to Stirling?
John: I believe in a mine North of Quebec City. As I was only 2 years old, I’m not sure where.
John: Montaban DesMines – is where Dad worked prior to this in the First World War. Dad was a machinist in an ammunition factory making casings for ammunition used in Tanks, etc.
People from Quebec
John: There were quite a few French families that lived at the mine site. They came from the same area and mine that Dad did. As a matter of fact, Horence married a daughter of Mr. Biron.
Jeanette: Was there a family called Couturier?
John: Yes, that’s right. And Mrs. Couturier had a goiter down to her chest.
Jeanette: I know what it is. I haven’t seen one, of course, because now they put Iodine in the salt.
John: So, the boys, when the mine closed, I guess, everybody probably went back to Quebec somewhere. I don’t know where they all landed.
When Yvette and Charlie got married
Jeanette: One of the (Presseau) girls, Yvette I think, married, Charles Cote. Was he from down here or was he from Quebec?
John: Well he was working at the mine. He came from Quebec to work at the Stirling mine. Charlie and Yvette were married by the Justice of the Peace or a Minister as was the law in Nova Scotia at the time. My parents wouldn’t let her be with him until a week later when they were married by a Catholic Priest. Then she moved with him in his little place.
Church
Jeanette: And the Priest, was there a priest when the mine was working?
John: Yes, there was Father Bryden from Grand Mira. Father Bryden often came to have mass at our home but otherwise Dad drove us to church in Grand Mira and at other times to L’Ardoise and Arichat and after church had races at Point Michaud Beach.
Jeanette: Races – would that be car races?
John: Yes, at the beach and Dad would be racing too.
When Madeleine and John Joe and Armand and Florence got married
John: So of course, my sister Madeline married John Joe MacEachern, which is Bernie’s mom.
Jeanette: So, Madeleine, in her interview with Bernie, said she met John Joe at confession that was taking place at your mother’s place, in Stirling.
John: I wasn’t too sure where they met but anyway they were married in a double ceremony with Armand and Florence.
Jeanette: Yes, they had a double wedding together.
John: That’s right. And everyone around were invited at the mine site in the dining room or mess hall for the Miners. Mother and other women cooked the meals, and everyone had a great dinner and a real feast.
Jeanette: Did you ever hear people say they had dances and things like that going on in one of those buildings back in the 30’s?
John: No, I didn’t hear too much about that. Of course, after grade 5, I was at school in Cheticamp to grade 9 for four years so I missed what could have been going on.
Who are left?
John: By the way also, out of the family of fourteen children, two of us are left. Brother Roland 89 years old and myself. Roland was the 3rd youngest and I was the 9th. (Note: the children of Arthur and Exilda (Laroque) Presseau in order of birth as per John Presseau’s book “A Diversified Journey, As Factual as I Remember”, are: “Horence, Gerard, Rene, Armand, Yvette, Madeleine, Irene, Raymond, John (Jean), Alberte, Gedeon (Gerry), Guy, Roland and Jacques”. He notes that the last three were born in Stirling, Richmond Co, Nova Scotia
John: Yeah, so I didn’t learn Gaelic but my brother, Armand, he married a Gillis (Florence) from Grand Mira, across the river from the church, so he learned a few Gaelic songs and a few words.
Jeanette: Did your father work in another mine before he came to Stirling?
John: I believe in a mine North of Quebec City. As I was only 2 years old, I’m not sure where.
John: Montaban DesMines – is where Dad worked prior to this in the First World War. Dad was a machinist in an ammunition factory making casings for ammunition used in Tanks, etc.
People from Quebec
John: There were quite a few French families that lived at the mine site. They came from the same area and mine that Dad did. As a matter of fact, Horence married a daughter of Mr. Biron.
Jeanette: Was there a family called Couturier?
John: Yes, that’s right. And Mrs. Couturier had a goiter down to her chest.
Jeanette: I know what it is. I haven’t seen one, of course, because now they put Iodine in the salt.
John: So, the boys, when the mine closed, I guess, everybody probably went back to Quebec somewhere. I don’t know where they all landed.
When Yvette and Charlie got married
Jeanette: One of the (Presseau) girls, Yvette I think, married, Charles Cote. Was he from down here or was he from Quebec?
John: Well he was working at the mine. He came from Quebec to work at the Stirling mine. Charlie and Yvette were married by the Justice of the Peace or a Minister as was the law in Nova Scotia at the time. My parents wouldn’t let her be with him until a week later when they were married by a Catholic Priest. Then she moved with him in his little place.
Church
Jeanette: And the Priest, was there a priest when the mine was working?
John: Yes, there was Father Bryden from Grand Mira. Father Bryden often came to have mass at our home but otherwise Dad drove us to church in Grand Mira and at other times to L’Ardoise and Arichat and after church had races at Point Michaud Beach.
Jeanette: Races – would that be car races?
John: Yes, at the beach and Dad would be racing too.
When Madeleine and John Joe and Armand and Florence got married
John: So of course, my sister Madeline married John Joe MacEachern, which is Bernie’s mom.
Jeanette: So, Madeleine, in her interview with Bernie, said she met John Joe at confession that was taking place at your mother’s place, in Stirling.
John: I wasn’t too sure where they met but anyway they were married in a double ceremony with Armand and Florence.
Jeanette: Yes, they had a double wedding together.
John: That’s right. And everyone around were invited at the mine site in the dining room or mess hall for the Miners. Mother and other women cooked the meals, and everyone had a great dinner and a real feast.
Jeanette: Did you ever hear people say they had dances and things like that going on in one of those buildings back in the 30’s?
John: No, I didn’t hear too much about that. Of course, after grade 5, I was at school in Cheticamp to grade 9 for four years so I missed what could have been going on.
Who are left?
John: By the way also, out of the family of fourteen children, two of us are left. Brother Roland 89 years old and myself. Roland was the 3rd youngest and I was the 9th. (Note: the children of Arthur and Exilda (Laroque) Presseau in order of birth as per John Presseau’s book “A Diversified Journey, As Factual as I Remember”, are: “Horence, Gerard, Rene, Armand, Yvette, Madeleine, Irene, Raymond, John (Jean), Alberte, Gedeon (Gerry), Guy, Roland and Jacques”. He notes that the last three were born in Stirling, Richmond Co, Nova Scotia