"I have set my hands to get out some timber this winter.I think about 150 tons of yellow pine and 50 of hackmatack, if the sledding continues three weeks longer.My crop of grain on my new farm did not answer my expectations, a great part of it was struck with the rust.I suppose Iwill get on the whole 16 acres something more than 100 bushels of grain, viz., wheat, buckwheat and rye.I have since exchanged it for an old farm (and pay 170 pounds) situate one mile below Matthew Fenwick's, formerly owned by Benj.Kierstead.It cuts 30 tons of English hay.The buildings are in tolerable repair.Susan Freeze talks of coming to see you shortly.Through the mercy of God I and wife and family are all as well as common.
"Dear children, from your loving father.
"SAMUEL FREEZE."
"MR.THOMPSON TRUEMAN, Westmoreland:
"You will please accept of our love and impart it to our children and friends.
"If, hereafter, you have beef to sell, and wish to take advantage of the St.John market, let me know, and I will get a butcher's letter what he will do, and if that suits, you can drive your cattle, but Idid not get your letter in time to get an answer and send it back to you by the first of March.
"S.F."
A son of Samuel Freeze was sheriff of the county of King's, N.B., for a quarter of a century, and a grandson is at present acting as deputy sheriff in that county.
Polly Freeze left her home in Sussex to take care of her grandmother in Point de Bute, and was married there.She had visited her before, making the journey of eighty miles on horseback, in company with a friend.A great part of the way was through the woods, with no road but a bridle-path for the horses.
Thompson brought his bride to Prospect on the 11th of March, 1823.The marriage certificate reads:
"I hereby certify that Thompson Trueman, Bachelor, and Mary Freeze, Spinster, both of Point de Bute, co'ty of Westmoreland, were married by license this eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three by me,"CHRIS'N MILNER, Missionary at Sackville.
"In the presence of:
"JOSEPH AVARD, "WM.TRUEMAN."
Rev.Mr.Bamford was the Methodist minister on the Sackville Circuit, which also included Point de Bute, but a Methodist minister had not the right, at that time, to solemnize marriage.In 1822, the year before Thompson was married, a Methodist minister, writing of the Trueman family, says:
"It consists of an old gentleman, his wife and ten children, eight of whom are married, making twenty souls.Of this number only two are not members of Society, and they live so far from the means that they cannot attend.Eighteen of the family, and for anything that can be seen to the contrary, the whole family, are doing well, both as to this world and that which is to come.Nearly all those who are in our Society meet in one class at their parents', who are just tottering into the grave ripe for eternity, and they have lately subscribed one hundred and fifty pounds towards the erection of a chapel in their neighborhood."This chapel was erected that year, and used for a place of worship till 1881, when it was superseded by the present church, built at Point de Bute Corner in that year.
I find the following entry in the journal, dated Oct.2nd, 1820:
"Picking apples; had twenty-one grandchildren to dinner; picked about 100 bushels; very dry weather." The last entry is dated June 21st, 1824: "Apples trees in full bloom; fine growing weather."The date when the apples trees were in bloom was scarcely ever omitted in the twenty years' record, and it varied from the fourth of June to the twenty-first, which was the extreme limit.There is scarcely any change noticeable in the handwriting from the first entry to the last, and he would be seventy-two years of age when the last entry was made.
On April 22nd, 1825, Mrs.Trueman died, in the sixty-eighth year of her age.She had lived to see all of her ten children married and the birth of more than a score of grandchildren.The last years of her life were years of suffering.Her husband outlived her a year and a half, passing away on the 9th September, 1826, in his seventy-fifth year.William Trueman and Charles Oulton, of Jolicure, died at nearly the same hour, and both were laid away in the old burying-ground at Point-de-Bute.
Prospect Farm was left to Thompson.He has been managing it for some years, and the business was settled without much trouble.Little change was necessary, as all the other members of the family has been provided for.There were legacies to pay, of course.Ruth and Albert, Thompson's two eldest children, were born before their grandfather's death.
The routine life at Prospect for the next ten or twelve years was without much change.Two sons and two daughters were added to the family.There was sickness, but the doctor's visits were not frequent.
Mr.Trueman suffered at times from acute rheumatism, often so severe could not turn himself in bed.
In 1829 another attempt was made to aboideau the Aulac River, and this time it was successful.What proved good ground was found less than a half mile below the place chosen in 1805.Work to the amount of L 1,09615s.6d.in the construction of this aboideau is credited to the following persons.I do not know that this is the full cost of the work.
Harmon Trueman L 311 14s.9d.
Joseph D.Wells 142 35
William Trueman 104 75
Robert K.Trueman202 79
Thomas Trueman64 154
Thompson Trueman 110 6 10
William Trenholm 100 00
William Hewson60 00
This aboideau was superseded in 1840 by the Etter aboideau, which was thrown across the Aulac about two miles nearer the mouth of the river.
This latter work was very expense to maintain.The foundation in one place seemed to be resting on quicksand, and was constantly settling.
In 1860 it was decided to abandon the structure and build a new one about two hundred yards higher up the river.Two years were taken to finish the new work, and in the meantime the old aboideau was kept in repair, which gave much better facilities for working at the new one.
