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The Citizen, 1994-08-31, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31,1994. Former Brussels woman turns 90 By Shane Taylor Jessie Miller was bom in a stone house on Lot 5, Cone. 12 of Grey Township, southeast of Brussels, on Sept. 1, 1904. She was the first daughter of Robert Miller, formerly of Morris Twp, and Margaret Den­ nis, formerly of McKillop Twp. Nine decades, one great depres­ sion, two World Wars, five chil­ dren, 12 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and 13 prime ministers later, Jessie Boyd is still running strong. Over 40 people, from as far away as Windsor and Toronto, gathered recently at the Londesboro-area farm of Laurence and Edith Taylor, Jesse's daughter, to celebrate her 90th birthday. Mrs. Boyd's children were all present, Margaret Dale and Edith Taylor, both from near Kinburn, Marjorie Hamilton and Joan Oke, both from the Exeter area and Doug Boyd of London, as well as many other friends and family. In her 90 years, she has devel­ oped a strategy for handling life's many problems. "Just worry about one day at a time. That's enough to worry about." It's been a long time since Mrs. Boyd went to public school at a red brick building in Grey Township, yet she still remembers how she used to get there "When I was small, my dad made a hand sleigh and my brothers pulled my sister and I along in the sleigh off to school." After she took her public school examinations, Mrs. Boyd went to the Brussels Continuation School. There she took 12 subjects, includ­ ing Latin, French, Chemistry, Alge­ bra and Geometry. Mrs. Boyd says there was more employment right in Brussels than there is today. "The grist mill down at the river employed quite a few people. In the wintertime as many as 12 teams would bring the logs into the planing mill from the bush lots in the country." She also remembers what a treat it was to go to a restaurant for ice cream in the limes before electrici­ ty and refrigerators. "Sometimes on Saturday we'd go into a restau­ rant and have a big tin roof or david harem sundae for maybe 25 cents. And they were really something to look at.'' Mrs. Boyd believes children back then had to make their own fun and amusement because they couldn't go far away from home. "Every year we'd look forward to the Sun­ day school picnic down by the river. They'd have a booth and games and everybody would go swimming." The same river that went through Brussels also passed right by her home farm. That’s where she spent a lol of time swimming in the sum­ mer. "And in the winter we'd clean off a big chunk of ice and all the neighbour kids would come and skate. The older boys and a bunch from Brussels would come out and they'd have a hockey match." The first World War had begun while Jesse was still in high school. Her oldest brother Stewart was drafted but was never called on. "1 remember we got these war books in school, about 12 in all. We had to read those and it kept us up to date about the war." After high school Jessie went to teachers college at the Stratford Normal School. In 1923 she started teaching at #4 Grey school, north­ east of Jamestown. She also taught at #8 Grey in Moncrieff and at Elmwood, north of Walkerton. Her starling salary was about $800 and by her last year of teaching she was making about $1,100. That may not sound like much, Mrs. Boyd said, but money went a lot further in the 30s than it does today. Jessie remembers when a postage stamp was three cents, eggs were 17 cents a dozen and a pound of pork was just three cents a pound. She met her husband, John Boyd, at an Old Boy's Reunion in Seaforth and they were married at the Brussels United Church in 1936. They lived on the 10th con­ cession of McKillop Township until 1972 when they moved into Seaforth. Mrs. Boyd got her first radio in 1938 and she remembers the Sec­ ond World War being declared over the radio. She also recalls the hard times that followed. "We had ration books for gas, sugar, meat and butter during the war. We also knitted sweaters for the Red Cross to send overseas." However she also remembers the local musical talent that played on CKNX. "I remember listening to Cora Robin­ son and the CKNX Ranch Boys as well as singer Mary Eliot. They played at garden parties and dances and all those functions." Mrs. Boyd still recalls the first television they got. "We weren't going to get one because the girls were in high school and we thought they might watch TV instead of doing their homework," she jokes. There are several things Mrs. Boyd says have changed since the good old days. "You didn't go gala- vanting around the country the way they do today, you went visiting people a lot more." She also misses window sill ledges. "Houses used to have big window sills, so you could put lots of plants on it, now some of the houses don't even have window sills," laughs Mrs. Boyd. Although Mrs. Boyd misses some aspects of the old days, she has seen many beneficial techno­ logical advances over her lifetime. "All the conveniences we have are really something that I enjoy to the full. I will say that about this day and age." When asked what the secret is to living a long and healthy live she replies, "You have to have a posi­ tive outlook, a good sense of humour and the ability to not worry about things. I've always had great family support and some­ thing to keep me interested. I'm interested in what’s going on in the world and what all my grand chil­ dren and great grandchildren are doing. " Mrs. Boyd believes hobbies are a good way to keep interested in things as she enjoys spending lime reading and looking after her flow- crs. She also used to do a lol of quilling and says she's thinking about taking up knitting again. It appears that a long and healthy life might just be in Mrs. Boyd's genes. Her mother lived until she was 93 and her brother Stewart died when he was 92. Her other brother Bill, still alive and well, turns 94 this fall. Editor's note: The writer is a grandson of Mrs. Boyd. Milestone Jessie Boyd (Miller), now of Seaforth and formerly of Brussels celebrated a milestone with family and friends recently. The one-time teacher will turn a spry 90 on Sept. 1. Form 9 Sale of Land By Public Auction Municipal Tax Sales Act, 1990 THE CORPORATION Of THE COUNTY OF HURON Take Notice that the land(s) described below will be offered for sale by public auction at 10:00 o'clock in the forenoon on the 4th day of October, 1994 at Huron County Court House Square, Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2 Description of Land(s) Minimum Bid $ (set out the cancellation price as of the first day of advertising) 1. Part Lot 13, Huron Road Concession As per Instrument No. 256137 Township of Goderich, County of Huron Province of Ontario 2. Unit 10; Level 1 Huron Condominium Plan No. 1 And its appurtenant common interests As per Instrument No. 261487 Township of Goderich, County of Huron Province of Ontario $ 2,542.58 $ 11,418.60 3. East Half of Lot 11 Concession 13 As per Instrument No. 127521 Township of Stanley, County of Huron $ 15,781.44 Province of Ontario 4. Part of Lot 5, Lake Road East Concession Designated as Part 1, Reference Plan 22R-1730 As in Instrument No. 242045 Township of Stephen, County of Huron $ 9,316.72 Province of Ontario "Extra Specials" at Scrimgeour's Food Market 'til closing Sat., Sept. 3/94 Knechtel 180 g POTATO CHIPS .88pk9 Knechtel 1 litre __________KETCHUP A A1,99 Knechtel 1 kg PEANUT BUTTER2.99 Knechtel 2/60 g CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP MIX 0Q Knechtel 3.6 litre FABRIC SOFTENERu gg Knechtel Hot Dog or 8*s HAMBURG BUNS 7Q ■ ■ WPkg Knechtel 350 g ■ ■ .. : . SNACK Knechtel 19 oz. tin PINEAPPLE .79 Knechtel 10's 1|| GARBAGE BAGS* OQ Knechtel 27*s & 32's DIAPERS 6.99 Knechtel 450 g SODA CRACKERS^ .29 Wheels We Can gaway© Specialized Personal Transit 357-4074 All amounts payable by the successful purchaser shall be payable in full at the time of the sale by cash or money order or by a bank draft or cheque certified by a bank, trust corporation or Province of Ontario Savings Office. The municipality or board makes no representation regarding the title to or any other matters relating to the land to be sold. Responsibility for ascertaining these matters rests with the potential purchasers. This sale is governed by the Municipal Tax Sales Act and the Municipal Tax Sales Rules. The successful purchaser will be required to pay the amount bid plus accumulated taxes and the relevant land transfer tax. For further information regarding this sale, contact: THE CORPORATION OF THE COUNTY OF HURON Court House Square Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2 Knechtel 20's ICE CREAM CONES .99 Knechtel 1 litre PRUNE nectar2.29 Knechtel 28 oz. APPLESAUCE 1.59