Page 46 - Venie's Letters to Her Dad, 1898

ISSUE : Issue 65

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1994/1/1

first class to graduate from St. Joseph's in Glace Bay. Emily went to the U.S.A. and trained as a nurse. She served as a nurse in 1st World War when America entered. Lennie married Dan MacMillan and went to live in Sydney, where Dan had a grocery store, then later moved to Grand Lake where Dan had a saw mill. My grandfather Robert Armstrong lived with Lennie when he died in 1921. A quiet well dressed man who had a little dog that al? ways sat on his knee. He saved these letters and when he died they were among his papers, so Lennie saved them. He also had a house in Sydney, so perhaps lived there when family were gone. This then is the family background of Ve? nie Armstrong who married Harry Carmichael of Georges River in 1909 and came.to live on the Carmichael farm in Georges River, where she lived until her death in 1958, age 76. The Armstrongs and Howies were honest, hardworking, law-abiding, relig? ious, neighborly, but due to the economic situation of the times, never acquired very much of this world's goods. Robert Armstrong was clever, skillful and hardworking, but he had acquired a dying skill, that of shoemaking, and so until he was able to get work with a contractor, the family lived in very difficult circum- "W'Cape Breton YMCA I Enterprise Centre "TURNING YOUR IDEA INTO BUSINESS" A NEW SPIRIT Is BORN ~' In GLACE BAY ARE YOU UNEMPLOYED? DO YOU NEED CONSULTATION? DO YOU NEED SUPPORT SERVICES? W 1 • 'You may be eligible for our free Entrepreneurial Training Program. • We can help you develop and implement your business plan. • We provide rental space, pho? tocopier, computers and printers, typing, answering services, etc., below market cost. P. O. Box 250 Cape Breton YMCA 100 Reserve street Enterprise Centre Giace Bay, n. s. 849-1794 stances, then later he was away so much. Alex Howie had been granted land and acquired a lot more. His family lived a- round him on land he had provid? ed. James, Donald, La? venia, Mar? garet all lived in Sydney Forks area. The fami? lies all helped one another and all lived in about .'' r Jean Carmichael MacDonald the same circumstance but perhaps Cathe? rine (Armstrong) was a little worse off, as her family were almost grown up before her husband Robert was able to earn a good living, due both to economic changes and sickness. Our thanks to Jean Carmichael MacDonald of Reserve, who shared this portion of her on-going work in family history. For more on Jean Carmichael MacDonald's family, see the story "Making Bricks at George's River" • 'which is a conversation with Jean's father, Harry Carmichael (in Issue 18 of Cape Bre? ton's Magazine • ayaabe In libraries). Our thanks as well to Laura Baker-Verner for her work toward this article. Ms. Baker-Verner • a student in the Bachelor of Arts Community Studies Program (BACS) at University College of Cape Breton • did her work placement with Cape Breton's Magazine. "We will give Life Insurance to anyone age 1 to 80. No one turned down. No Health Questions asked." Druker Insurance a 363 Charlotte Street, Sydney, N.S. B1P 6J1 562-5504 Call Toll Free In NS & PEI 1-800-661-3500 'our Budget Plan Available Midway Motors Ltd. Now with Two Locations: HEAD OFFICE '' NEW OFFICE Middle River wS Port Hastings 295-2290 '' 625-3641 We've Been CHRYSLER Since 1926

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