Alec Bruce

20. Maurice E. (Mike) Bruce born January 20, 1931, Red Point Prince Edward Island, married 1956, Joan Malloch. Maurice was born on the family farm on the Snake Road. He was no stranger to work at an early age, helping out on the farm and with the horses and machinery while still attending Red Point School. Life was not easy when World War Il broke out and he remembers the shortages of tea and sugar. Home was a busy place, but not luxurious. In the winter, the water in the pail in the porch would freeze overnight, and there would be a drift of snow across the blankets in the morning. As a young man he spent a lot of time at their farm in the Baltic and

with their neighbour, an old man named Mike Sandy. People started calling Maurice little Mike and the name stuck.

When was Mike was 14, he left home for the first time to work in a lumber camp in Nova Scotia. It was a man's job and "little Mike" earned his pay there for the next five winters. Lee Coffin accompanied him on the first trip and they created a stir in the Pullman car, when they discovered the luxury of indoor plumbing. Mike thought the cord hanging from the ceiling was to flush - he had heard about such things so he pulled the cord - but everyone on the train was as surprised as he was to learn that the cord was the emergency stop.

In 1949, even though he had missed the first term, Mike travelled to Charlottetown to Trade School to learn to become a carpenter. He received his accreditation and was recommended for a job at the Charlottetown Experimental Farm. The next year he left P.E.1. for Vancouver, and stopped off in Kingston Ontario to visit his cousin Sterling Robertson, who had settied there. Sterling convinced Mike to stay if he could get work, and he did, building the arena in the town. He was employed at various building sites until he was laid off, then he went to work in the Shipyards working as a reamer and repairing boilers. Later he boarded the Great Lakes Freighters as a fireman and then as an oiler.

Later employment saw him working as a carpenter for a contractor, Joe Mason, for eight years. He did everything from digging a septic system by hand, to roofing and cement work. It was during this time that he met and married Joan. They still live in the home they built in 1958, although it has been added to several times since. In 1959 Mike started his own construction business and still runs it successfully today, 40 years later. He would work all week on construction projects and then shingle roofs on the weekend. Besides single-family dwellings, he has constructed apartment buildings (which he owned and ran for many years), a drive-in-theatre, fire halls, township garages and commercial buildings. Today he concentrates on repairs and renovations.

Despite establishing his home in Kingston, he has returned to P.E.|. every year. In 1947 he came home for Christmas, but found himself stranded in Souris on Christmas Eve in a blizzard with no winter boots. He walked the six plus miles home through three feet of snow. He has never missed a summer returning to the Island. He always found it to be a challenge to drive through Montreal, especially before the roads were improved. Mike's hearing was bad, but his French was worse and he frustrated himself trying to follow directions given to him in French by a local man. he was looking for a particular bridge but all he could find were signs indicating the ‘Pont’ Bridge.

Mike has always taken great pride and interest in his automobiles. He has owned many cars and trucks over the years - one troublesome van had a habit of getting stuck in gear and had to be driven home in reverse. He fulfilled an ambition to own a large antique car when he purchased a 1967 Buick Wildcat in 1967. He bought half of the family farm in the 1970's, and has made a policy of renting the land only to farmers who will treat the land in a responsible manner. He also owns several hundred acres in Lanark County in Ontario, where he hunts each year. He founded the Centennial Hunt Club in 1967 and has remained its President for over 30 years.

Children: 51. i Brenda Bruce. ii Jennifer Bruce resides in Whitby Ontario, married Paul Nebesny, resides in Whitby Ontario. iii Bradley Bruce resides in Kingston Ont.

21. Florence Helena Bruce born August 2, 1933, East Baltic Prince Edward Island, married August 21, 19__, at Toronto Ontario, by Rev. W. Pister, West End Alliance Church, Lloyd Edmond Pound, born Fredericton Prince Edward Island, (son of William Pound and Clare Blanche Taylor) died March 27, 1998. Children: 52. i Norris Pound. 53. ii Connie Pound. iii William (Billy) Pound resides in Brazil, married Brigida Brito, resides in Brazil. The live in Sao Paulo. 54. iv Julie Ann Pound.

Fourth Generation

22. David Livingstone Young resides in Ft MacMurray AB, occupation: Carpenter, married separated, Alice (surname unknown to researcher). Children: i Shane Young resides in Ft MacMurray AB. ii Andrea Young resides in Ft MacMurray AB.

Ohe Bruce Gramily of Red Point Prince Edward sland 1840~1999 29