Faithful as a Magistrate, Affectionate as a Husband and Father,

Kind as a friend through life; He exchanged it for eternity

On the 15th. day of Sept. 1819.

Aged 76.

William’s son Isaac lived on the bank of the Dunk River, opposite Robert E. Burns’, where Monty Gardiner now lives. The reason for building near the river was that in the early days the river was the highway, and also the source of all water supply, and just as to-day everyone lives as near the highway as possible, so it was in those days. Three of Isaac’s sons, Ralph, Caleb and Peter settled in Lower Freetown about the year 1846.

In 1848 Ralph settled on the farm now owned by Camden and Prowse Gardiner. He died in 1891. Ralph’s son Colin continued on the same farm till after the death of his son Ralph, Ur.) about 1912. He‘then moved to Summerside where he died in 1939. Woodland Simmons owned the farm for a time and in 1916 J.B. and Arthur Gardiner bought this farm. Their descendants, Camden and Prowse, still own and operate it in a very efficient manner.

Caleb lived east of Ralph on the adjoining farm. Caleb’s farm was quite prosperous and the farm buildings were rated worthy of a picture in Meacham’s Atlas 1880. The house of that day was replaced a few years later by a very beautiful structure, still standing, and modern in every way

for the time it was built. The stairway itself was a work of art, and is still greatly admired. In 1848 Caleb married Frances Wright of Middletown. He died in 1893. Their son Gordon farmed here until about 1914, when he moved to Central Bedeque. The farm was sold to Prowse Yeo and a couple of years later to D.M. Bernard. This farm successively passed through the hands of Walter Reeves, Lloyd Reeves, and is now owned by the Bernard? Profitt Amalgamation, with Lloyd Reeves retaining the house.

Peter purchased his farm from John Burns and his wife Abigail. This was part of the original Bum’s 1000 acres. He married Phoebe Schurman, a

sister of his brother Ralph’s wife. He died in 1869 at the age of 40. After his death his farm was sold to Andrew Burns and has continued in the Bums’ family ever since, presently being owned by Jesse C. Burns and his son Alan.

Though the Schurman name left the district over fifty years ago, no doubt many of the finer qualities which still persist could trace their roots to the character, thrift and intergn'ty of these early settlers.

l6