the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第23章
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unged into the forest and tramped for some distance。 At last they concluded they had lost their way and were not likely to reach Kentucky on that route。 After some consultation； the father climbed to the top of a tall tree； and from this altitude the rich interval lands of the Upper Kennebecasis were full in view。
〃There is a valley；〃 said Mr。 Freeze； 〃and there is where my bones are to be laid。〃
Here Mr。 Freeze got a grant of nine hundred acres of land； enough to make farms for himself and his four sons。 William； a son； was a great reader and student。 He was very fond of mathematics； and it is said that sometimes when he and his boys would go to the field to hoe； he would take a stick and mark on the ground a mathematical figure； and then demonstrate it for the benefit of his boys。 The dinner horn would sound； and no potatoes had been hoed that morning。 John； another son； was a fine singer and took great pleasure in giving singing lessons to the young people in the neighborhood。 The Freezes could all sing； and most of the men were handy with the mason's tools； which led some wag to say that the Freezes were all born with stone hammers in one hand and a note…book in the other。 Charles； the fourth son； was a half… brother and inherited the home farm。 Charles was a great reader and was very fond of history。 He was eccentric in some ways and would take long journeys on foot。
He did not take kindly to railway travel； and his nephews liked to tell about his planning one day to go by rail instead of walking； but going to the station before the train arrived； he said he 〃couldn't be detained〃 and started away on foot。
There were two daughters。 Miriam married Matthew Fenwick； of Maccan； N。S。； who afterward moved to the Millstream； in King's County； and was the first to plant the Fenwick name in that county。
Mary was the wife of Thomas Black； of Amherst （brother of Bishop Black）。 They had a large family。 The youngest son； Rev。 A。 B。 Black； died in 1900。 The history of the Blacks in this country was written by Cyrus； another member of the family。
Samuel； the eldest son of William Freeze； was married three times； and had a family of twenty…one childrenseven by his first wife； Margaret Wells； of Point de Bute； eight by his second wife； Bethia Wager； of Dutch Valley； and six by his third wife； a Miss Scott of Petitcodiac。 The first family were all daughters。 The tenth child was the first son born。 Mr。 Freeze elected several times to represent King's County in the Legislature at Fredericton； and while attending to his duties there he was taken with the illness that ended in his death。
The following letter is among the old papers at the Prospect； written by Samuel Freeze shortly after Polly's marriage：
〃SUSSEX； KING'S COUNTY； 〃February 25th； 1824。 〃DEAR SON AND DAUGHTER； 〃I received yours； favored by Mr。 Stockton； and am happy to hear that you are all well； with a small exception； such as human nature is subject to。
〃I am sorry to hear that the crop of hay has failed so much the last season； which must be a great injury to that part of the country。 I believe that we will make out with what hay we have。 You speak of driving oxen to St。 John。 The southerly weather that we had about the 12th of this month has raised the water and ice to such an unusual height that it has swept almost all the publick bridges downstream in this parish； which cuts off our communication from St。 John by sleigh or sled； in a great measure； or I would have written the butcher； and then could have probably given you a satisfactory answer； but it is not the case。
〃Mr。 R。 Stockton informs me that you can get 4 1/2d。 at your own barn。 I think that； as the road is； you had better sell them for the 4 1/2 per lb。； than to risk the St。 John market； as there is but very little shipping in at present； and they get what they want from a less distance； and the butchers will take every advantage if they have not been contracted for。 This is my opinion； but do as you think proper。
〃I have set my hands to get out some timber this winter。 I think about 150 tons of yellow pine and 50 of hackmatack； if the sledding continues three weeks longer。 My crop of grain on my new farm did not answer my expectations； a great part of it was struck with the rust。 I suppose I will get on the whole 16 acres something more than 100 bushels of grain； viz。； wheat； buckwheat and rye。 I have since exchanged it for an old farm （and pay 170 pounds） situate one mile below Matthew Fenwick's； formerly owned by Benj。 Kierstead。 It cuts 30 tons of English hay。 The buildings are in tolerable repair。 Susan Freeze talks of coming to see you shortly。 Through the mercy of God I and wife and family are all as well as common。
〃Dear children； from your loving father。
〃SAMUEL FREEZE。〃
〃MR。 THOMPSON TRUEMAN； Westmoreland：
〃You will please accept of our love and impart it to our children and friends。
〃If； hereafter； you have beef to sell； and wish to take advantage of the St。 John market； let me know； and I will get a butcher's letter what he will do； and if that suits； you can drive your cattle； but I did not get your letter in time to get an answer and send it back to you by the first of March。 〃S。 F。〃
A son of Samuel Freeze was sheriff of the county of King's； N。B。； for a quarter of a century； and a grandson is at present acting as deputy sheriff in that county。
Polly Freeze left her home in Sussex to take care of her grandmother in Point de Bute； and was married there。 She had visited her before； making the journey of eighty miles on horseback； in company with a friend。 A great part of the way was through the woods； with no road but a bridle…path for the horses。
Thompson brought his bride to Prospect on the 11th of March； 1823。 The marriage certificate reads：
〃I hereby certify that Thompson Trueman； Bachelor； and Mary Freeze； Spinster； both of Point de Bute； co'ty of Westmoreland； were married by license this eleventh day of March； in the year of our Lord； one thousand eight hundred and twenty…three by me；
〃CHRIS'N MILNER； Missionary at Sackville。
〃In the presence of： 〃JOSEPH AVARD； 〃WM。 TRUEMAN。〃
Rev。 Mr。 Bamford was the Methodist minister on the Sackville Circuit； which also included Point de Bute； but a Methodist minister had not the right； at that time； to solemnize marriage。 In 1822； the year before Thompson was married； a Methodist minister； writing of the Trueman family； says：
〃It consists of an old gentleman； his wife and ten children； eight of whom are married； making twenty souls。 Of this number only two are not members of Society； and they live so far from the means that they cannot attend。 Eighteen of the family； and for anything that can be seen to the contrary； the whole family； are doing well； both as to this world and that which is to come。 Nearly all those who are in our Society meet in one class at their parents'； who are just tottering into the grave ripe for eternity； and they have lately subscribed one hundred and fifty pounds towards the erection of a chapel in their neighborhood。〃
This chapel was erected that year； and used for a place of worship till 1881； when it was superseded by the present church； built at Point de Bute Corner in that year。
I find the following entry in the journal； dated Oct。 2nd； 1820： 〃Picking apples； had twenty…one grandchildren to dinner； picked about 100 bushels； very dry weather。〃 The last entry is dated June 21st； 1824： 〃Apples trees in full bloom； fine growing weather。〃
The date when the apples trees were in bloom was scarcely ever omitted in the twenty years' record； and it varied from the fourth of June to the twenty…first； which was the extreme limit。 There is scarcely any change noticeable in the handwriting from the first entry to the last； and he would be seventy…two years of age when the last entry was made。
On April 22nd； 1825； Mrs。 Trueman died； in the sixty…eighth year of her age。 She had lived to see all of her ten children married and the birth of more than a score of grandchildren。 The last years of her life were years of suffering。 Her husband outlived her a year and a half； passing away on the 9th September； 1826； in his seventy…fifth year。 William Trueman and Charles Oult
