Saunders, Joshua

(from Settlers)

Joshua Saunders (1848–), the son of William Saunders and Mary Kerfoot, was eight years old when the family moved from Lanark County, Ont. to Brooke Twp. His father bought 200 acres of what was then called the Brooke swamp.

His mother used to bake big loaves of bread in the grate. There was a big iron crane which would swing into the fireplace and when the bread was baked it would swing out and the loaf would be lifted out.

The baby slept in a sap trough, as did all the neighbourhood babies.

There was a schoolhouse nearby with a mud chimney on it and a bit of the mud had fallen out, so whenever there was a west wind the kids had to take turns standing in [sic] the hole to keep the wind out. The teacher used to send the children out back to the bush to cut blue beeches, then he would use them on the children until his breath gave out.

Two years after their arrival in Brooke, Mr. Saunders’ father died and he had to leave the farm to learn a trade. He took up the trade of blacksmithing in Watford, then practised this trade for 56 years. The profusion of flowers that surrounded the shop camouflaged it as if it were a greenhouse.

Joshua Saunders served on the Village Council, on Defiance Fire Company No. 1, and many other community organizations. He was one of the originators of the Horticultural Society in Watford. His wife was Nancy, and they had three children: William, Florence and George.

Joshua Sanders in his blacksmith shop, c.1900. Courtesy G Richardson.

Chapter 24 of 25 - Saunders, Joshua

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