By Rev. Bill Randall May 25, 1990 It is a pleasure for me to hear the response from the readers of the “Scrap Book” and to realize that there are so many genuinely interested in local history. This week I want to lead you back a little further in time in an attempt to understand … Read more
Isabella MacLaren
By Dr. William Randall March 1999 March 1999 Our winter is almost over, and we haven’t had all the “fun in the snow” we’ve had other winters – in fact we haven’t yet had “Winter Carnival.” My source says they may be a ‘SPRING FLING” instead. But since I’, “old fashioned” I’ll report a “Winter … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall April 1999 Emma has a Scrap basket. From it she showed me an item which I want to share with you. Its about Church Organists. Emma, my wife of nearly 56 years, is my favorite organist. On our first date (A blind one Emma had never seen me), her father suggested … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall September 1998 I have written brief histories of some of the local churches in the Harvey area, but have not written about the Church at Thomaston Corner. It may be, because I realize that those people refer to it as the Meeting Room, and this in turn reflects a rather vital … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall October 1998 Telephones become increasingly efficient, but some of us older people a bit complicated. Wouldn’t it be nice to go to that big box on the wall, grab that crank on the side, and accomplish three long and one short! or just one long and be able to talk to … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall March 1998 Fifteen kilometers west from the railway tracks in Harvey, Route #3 makes a right angled turn south, and that corner is known as Thomas’ corner. I thought you might be interested in knowing a bit about the history of the Thomas family. Alfred Thomas was born the 27th of … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall June 1998 I personally have a new Scrapbook, prepared for Emma and me for our 55th Wedding Anniversary celebration – a celebration in which many of you participated. Emma will probably write to you individually to thank you, but this is sort of the man’s easy way out, to sort of … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall July 1998 Another family reunion! The time for the Gass Family. On August 1, Saturday, Allison and Pat Gass will be hosting a reunion of descendants of Marshall and Elizabeth Gass at their home on the Murray Road, once known as Gass Settlement. It is expected that over a hundred people … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall February 1998 The fiddle should be the cultural symbol of Harvey. Popularized by the International Radio and television performances of Don Messier and his Islanders, it was an outgrowth of a musical tradition that you can see whenever you get a glimpse back in time to the social life of these … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall December, 1998 Among interesting people in the history of Harvey are some ladies, who, as time flies by may be forgotten. As we approach a new year I’d like to remind you of one of these ladies – Inez Davis. I remember her as the person at the Davis Store – … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall April 1998 Our modern telephones are wondrous machines! Why you can tell who is calling you before you ever answer the phone—- and if you don’t want to talk to him or her—take a walk! Earlier phones served a wonderful purpose. Here’s a story about our phone’s history. From – N.B. … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall September 1997 Harvey is justifiably proud of its FIRE DEPARTMENT. One of the earliest organizers of the Fire Fighters was T. Kay Craig. “Kay” was an innovative man and devised and built much of the early fire fighting equipment. He also housed, stored and cared for this equipment, working long hours … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall November 1997 One of the benefits of writing for the Lionews is that it directs people to me in their search for family history, and we sit down and share our findings. A good example of this is the communication I have had with Roger McCully by visits and letters. Roger … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall May 1997 Reprinted from The Harvey Lionews I was thinking about an item for the May issue and suggested to Jocelean Hall that I hoped to find an interesting story about some early Harvey wedding. She told me that she and Helen Craig in their research had come across some interesting … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall March 1997 When I first came to Harvey in 1954 Arnold Little was making some carpentry renovations to the Manse. I was delighted to hear the pronounced Scottish brogue, and of course asked him “How long have you been in Canada?” His answer surprised me, “I’ve lived here all my life. … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall June 1997 Summer campers and year around residents living near Lake George are hearing rumors that the bear population in the area is increasing. It seems unlikely but there is a bear story that goes back into the early 1800’s. It was written by John McMurray who was born May first, … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall July 1997 Recently our son Bill was visiting with a student in Ontario who is writing her Ph.D. thesis on the History of Early Farming in Ontario. She was asking Bill if there similar writings from New Brunswick authors, and suddenly there flashed across his memory a poem he had heard … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall January 1997 Here we go again — already using up almost a month of the New Year! It is also a time of winter’s recurring ills — so I thought you might take an interest in a very special book “The Doctor Book” prepared a hundred years ago “in the late … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall February 1997 After reading January’s issue, Louie Messer phoned me and identified the Nell Lister whose name appeared relating to Home Remedies. I’m very grateful for people who will share these bits of information with “From The Scrapbook. Most of you who are interested in the History of Harvey know that … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall August 1997 The summer of 1997 has been a summer of nostalgia for many Harvey people — especially we who are older. The 50th anniversary of the High School with its excellent display of memorabilia and the many well planned opportunities for get togethers, warmed many hearts. Many families organize, family … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall April 1997 I have a special treat for my readers this month. I have been reading other people’s stories, and I know you will enjoy them as I have. Poetry, imaginative fiction, dramatic moments, humor and romance – and these are written by young teenagers. Just in case some of you … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall October 1997 We have enjoyed a beautiful autumn with the great array of colors and as the leaves fall we recognize that our summer season is near it’s close. But there are memories of summer and Lynda Coffey has recorded her memory in a poem which she is sharing with us … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall September 1996 Did you ever stop to think how the month’s which have R’s in them are the colder months, but wasn’t the first day of September beautiful! For me, it was especially beautiful for I fulfilled a dream – I had a full tour of Oromocto Lake, second largest lake … Read more
By Rev. Bill Randall October 1996 On October 8th, I was invited to talk about Harvey History to a Senior’s Group from Fredericton who came to Harvey for their autumn celebration of the autumn colors. I enjoyed this as always and as a part of my research for material I once again scanned old scrapbooks. … Read more
FROM THE SCRAP BOOK By Dr. Bill Randall November 1996 Looking through my Scrapbooks I came across an item written by Alistairs Cameron and published in a Woodstock newspaper some years ago. It seems an ideal item to share with you so close to Christmas. I phoned Alistairs, whom I have known for many years. … Read more
FROM THE SCRAP BOOK May 1996 By Dr. Bill Randall Dewitt Lister is working on a project to document the history of the Jersey breed of cattle in the Harvey area. We are sharing some information that I have here in the Harvey Historical Association’s library, and in the process he has shown me some … Read more