James Ross

On March 22, 1856, David Egan conveyed a building lot to James Ross, then a school teacher at Savage Harbour, and a career of almost half a century in the village’s retail trade was thereby inaugurated. Lo- cated near the present home of James Affleck, the business, upon Mr. Ross’ death in 1902, passed to his widow, Rose Alice, who, in 1906, mar- ried James McCarthy. Mr. McCarthy, who had a store of his own in the vicinity of what is now Hamilton Douglas’ garage, was well versed in legal matters, and his advice and help in this department were much sought after. At the time of his death in 1928, it was remarked that he had “drawn up more wills, deeds, etc. and prepared more addresses for differ~ ent occasions than any other man here.”

Peddlers

In a letter in the Examiner for June 21, 1888, a Savage Harbour correspondent complained of an “oily—tongued scamp” who, in his capacity of itinerant clock and watch repairer, had succeeded in “fleecing” the community “to the tune of ten or twelve dollars” and had also succeeded “in stopping every time-piece in the settlement with which he had any- thing to do.”

Mr. Elias Kays, himself a peddler between 1913 and 1916, in an interview with the late Neil Matheson, published in the Guardian, June 1, 1962, remarked that travellers such as the above occasionally “soured” a community against all peddlers. In the main, however, the visits of these men constituted a welcome break at a time when radio and television were unknown. People were glad to chat with someone who brought news of what was happening elsewhere in the Province and who could give them the “town time.” The contents of the peddler’s pack were also a source of much interest. There were commonly two of these: a big pack carried on the back and a smaller one in front. Both were strapped to the should- ers, and one helped balance the other.

Of all the peddlers who visited Mount Stewart and Island communi- ties generally, none was more welcome than Stephen Franklin Tarbush. News he had and a pack that was as intriguing as any other, but to these was added a specialty which none but he could offer; namely, a much- enjoyed, and inevitable, display of his ventriloquial powers. Mr. Tarbush walked the length and breadth of the Island many times. He died in Charlottetown, May 27, 1962, in his 98th year.

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