14 A Bridge To The Past

William Schut'man died on the 15th of September, 1819, a month after signing his last deed. His obituary notice appeared in the Prince Edward Island Gazette for Wednesday, Sep. 23rd, 1819:

DIED. On the 14th inst, at his House in Bedeque, WILLIAM SCHUREMAN, Esq. an old and respectable Magistrate for Prince County. He was one of the oldest Loyalist Inhabitants of that settlement. His public duty as a Member of the Assembly and as a Magistrate were ever of a piece with his other conduct, marked with strong discernment and vigorous activity of mind, which were always evinced by his purity of intention and sound judgment. As a husband and parent he was no less conspicuous. His numerous family, whom he lived to see flourishing around him, with his numerous and attached neighbours must ever retain a truly affectionate and grateful remembrance of the virtues of a good father and a staunch undeviating friend. (c)

This summary of the life of William Schurman, the Loyalist was prepared for the Wilmot Valley Community History. Of necessity it is brief and does not do justice to the life of this great man. Information used was from William Sehurman, Loyalist of Bedeque, Prince Edward Island, and his descendants. by Ross Graves.

Published by Harold B. Sehurman, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, [973.

Used by permission.

THE LEGEND OF THE KLONDIKE

What thoughts arise in the mind of the reader at the mention of this far sounding name! Does it really apply to that little strip of land extending towards Freetown but still part of Wilmot Valley? Was there ever a mill in the Klondike — that fascinating clearing upstream on the Wilmot River? If so it has almost passed from present-day memory. A trip to its somewhat mythical site where several evacuations suggest that buildings and a mill— dam were once located, might help to confirm its former existence. Was this the first site where the giant pine, spruce and mixed hardwoods were sawn in a saw pit with a vertical saw and then rafted down the river to load a waiting ship? Was this the first venture for William Schurman, the Loyalist, when he acquired a large tract of land from the estate of Sandy Rhetland MacDonald in 1808, or was it the work of an earlier settler trying to get established in this wilderness location? Research has failed to prove or

disprove any of these legends.

The deed of this property in 1826 does not mention a second mill. The surveyors who drew up the early maps were very exact in marking all the