Pearce

(from Settlers)

Mrs. Cornelius Pearce and her husband came to Canada two months after their marriage in England, probably in the 1870s. They promised their parents they would come back to live in England once they made their fortune in Canada. Many young people believed the advertisements shown in England, telling what a wonderful place Canada was and promising every emigrant 10 shillings, a free house, an acre of land and a cow if they would only settle the new land. The Pearces never did see the free house or the cow. The government did issue certain articles, such as hand saws, gimlets, nails, door hinges, axes, spades, and scythes to pioneers.

The Pearces came to Watford to be near her cousin Mr. Nash. In the early days Watford was nothing but bush, and John St., on which they eventually lived, had buckwheat growing on it.

Mrs. Pearce lost most of her sight for fourteen years and was completely blind for a year before an operation removed the cataract from one eye. The other eye always remained blind. She baked bread, made soap, smoked meat and did everything she could to save, to help raise ten children. Mr. Pearce worked on the railroad for 28 years. His pay was 90 cents a day.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Pearce Family

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