From The Scrap Book
By Dr. Bill Randall
Memories of The Taylors
This winter we’ve said good bye to the Taylor Hall. We’ve not said good bye to the memory of the Taylors.
John Taylor Sr. was born 1825 in Scotland and it is not known precisely when he came to Harvey. In 1857 he had married Elizabeth Swan but they had not, family, nor did John by a second wife Phoebe Hart. Whenever and however John came he was a major contributor to the life of Harvey, operating Woolen Mills, building a hall, operating furniture store, making caskets and writing poetry. “The Progress of Harvey’, and some (or all) of it was sung to the air of “The Kings Coronation”.
Twas four and twenty years ago
There came a sturdy band, sir,
Of border men to New Brunswick
From old Northumberland, sir,
To Stanley first they meant to go
But disappointed were, sir,
The company did not suit them quit
Thus they could not go there, sir,
But land by Brown was found
Near Oromocto Lake, sir,
And then these worthy borders
Went a settlement to make, sir.
Sir John Harvey, then Governor,
Much kindness showed to them, sir,
So after him the settlement full —-?
Received its name, sir.
Here Wilmot too must get his due
A man of great renown, sir.
I think ‘twould seem that but for their cause
Must have gone down, sir.
The judge it was who plead their cause
For them did intercede, sir.
Whilst Fisher he and Brown all three
To them were friends in need, sir.
No other road but logging roads
To Harvey then were found sir,
Nor house, nor hold, nor cleared land
For many miles around, sir.
Log cabins reared and land they cleared
And burned the hemlock too, sir.
So now potatoes they did plant
And grain likewise did sow, sir,
Herbs, grass and clover too was sowed,
And all right well did grow, sir.
From Fredericton to Harvey soon
A turnpike road was made, sir,
At which they all employment got
And wages good were paid, sir.
In common they all worked at this
In common shared their gain, sir,
And as they went ahead, they got
Two pounds for every chain, sir.
This paid their land and bought them stores
Their families to supply sir,
Till from the produce of the ground
They mostly could rely, sir.
Betimes with cattle, hogs and sheep
They did themselves provide, sir,
With horses, sleds and wagons, too,
Betimes they were supplied, sir.
And when the stumps began to rot
Out they were pulled and burned, sir.
The stones hauled off, up with the plough
The cradle knolls were turned, sir.
The land, buckwheat, oats, barley,
Hay in plenty all did yield, sir,
And when a saw mill Wilson raised
Frame barns they did build, sir.
Ere this the boards were sawed by hand
Laborious work it was, sir.
Frame houses too were built, but now
They need not use whips, sir.
A house of worship now as built
But sad 0 sad to tell, sir,
The old man here did interfere
Their progress to repel, sir.
The hardships they had undergone
Was neither few nor small, sir,
But when this house was pounced upon
It vexed them more than all, sir.
A mill was built on North East stream
The buckwheat for to grind, sir,’
Which was too small for grinding all
That come they soon did find, sir
They therefore pulled her down
And built one in her place much larger
Which ground so fast the miller said
The new mill was a targer
Now down this steam about a mile
Another mill there stands, sir,
Where boards, clapboards and shingles too
Are sawed for all demands, sir.
Here bedsteads too with whirley hue
And patent joints are made, sir,
With varnish fine and made to shine
And sold for cash or trade, sir.
But time would fail were I to tell
All what these men have done, sir.
In all the land a settlement
Like this, ’tis said, there’s none, sir
From Canada to Fundy Bay
All that and more between, sir
In public print and parliament,
The people praised have been, sir.
These people have been, praised sir.
Source: Rev. Bill Randall’s “From The Scrapbook“
