Uncle Peg’s Chronicles
July 24, 2025
“The Best Review”
“These
were their settlements. And they kept good family records.”[i]
Don’t
forget to look for the title which is embedded in the chronicle.
FAMILY ALBUM
I just love this photograph, so much so I shared it on my Facebook. This
is c. 1934. The little girl on the left is our matriarch, Janet (Minella)
Nolte. Beside her, I’m quite sure, is my aunt, Nancy (Holmes) Lutes. Both are
in the Charles R Holmes line. The Minellas and some of the Underhills came to
New Brunswick every summer for several years – I don’t know how many. In this photo
you can see so much. Janet appears to be holding a daisy, and both girls have cute
little bare toes. Seems to be a summer thing at the Hill Grove farm. I think
that’s my grandmother Minnie’s face in the top right of the photo. There are
three buildings. In the foreground is a shed of sorts, seems to be holding a
car. That probably belonged to one of the guests – maybe Mac Minella. In the
background is the granary, and in front of that is the pig pen where Uncle
Cecil was born in 1893, while they rebuilt the house that had burned. The tall
square thing in the center back is the tower, from which they watched over the
foxes. For more photos, visit my
Facebook, where I am posting a series of our farm buildings – some of which
were gone before I was born.
AND I QUOTE (replies from the last newsletter)
Julia: I am familiar with pies, but what are
bangbellies and grunts?
Jeanni:
So much of YOU in this Chronicle . . . I feel I know
you better because of it.
That might be the best review I have ever
had. Thanks, Jeanni. You are so faithful.
Call them rabbit trails, or, if you
like, fox holes. That’s where your attention gets diverted to a topic that your
ancestor/protagonist leads you to, and it’s hard to get out. They are
wonderful. Last week, as I researched “Riverbank Visitors,” the guest book of
Uncle Billy and Aunt Maggie, I hopped off to two topics: The “Dead March” from
the Saul Oratorio by Handel, and the Pierce-Arrow automobile. They both
fascinated me. Can you find them in this chronicle?
1924
to 1928
Those are the
years that our Holmes ancestors spent renewing relationships that had somehow
fallen by the wayside but with organization, letter writing, and challenging
travel – by hook or by crook – they managed to come together again. They
reacquainted and rediscovered their family ties. And then, one by one, they
died, and many of those ties died with them.
2024 to 2028
The subject of old recipes came up
lately, with my cousin, Cindy. She was going through her recipe box, and
remembering the eating of this dish or that. In looking for one particular
recipe, she told me, it took her half an hour, as she stopped to read and
remember some of the recipes. I’m sure many of us have been there, done that.
Then, in reply to the last chronicle, Julia asked me what a blueberry grunt or
bang belly was. Isn’t that a fun name for a recipe? I thought those were family
words, but you can google them. They are an Atlantic Canadian thing. Has to do
with the burps and gurgles the sauce makes while cooking. I picture my Gramp
patting his belly after enjoying a good meal, or in this case, dessert.
I promised Julia I’d share Phoebe Jane
(McMonigle) Holmes’ recipe for raspberry dumplings. If you wish, you can
substitute blueberries; you can also call it a grunt or a bang belly, if you
prefer. It’s similar.
There is a story. I have told it
before, but maybe you have forgotten or you are new to the group since I told
it. Phoebe didn’t share her recipes (a common trait in her day). It didn’t
matter much, as she wasn’t a good cook anyway. (Quoting Mum.) Raspberry
dumplings was an exception – or, more likely, Mum remembered it. I asked her
once, and I think she just told me how it was prepared. I also have a dark
fruit cake recipe that has Phoebe’s name on it – I haven’t tried it. Mum
substituted oil for shortening, and that is the ingredient I have – not sure
how much shortening (or lard?) Phoebe would have used.
Phoebe’s Raspberry Dumplings
1 1/3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tablespoon oil
¾ cup cold water
Mix dry ingredients. Add oil to water and add to dry
ingredients. Cook in a dutch oven. Place by spoon on a rack over boiling water.
Cook 15 minutes. Do not raise lid while cooking.
Split each dumpling. Butter each half, and sprinkle with
sugar. Cover with raspberries which have been cooked in a sugar syrup. Mum’s
estimate: 1 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar with the berries – no amount given.
Take your best guess.
Does an old
recipe take you back in time? Please share your recipe and story.
An Interesting Obituary
This obituary will be part of my
article about Uncle Billy and Aunt Maggie. I am presently working on the Riverbank
Visitors guest book. There are 40 pages of names, some with comments, in
the book. Can’t do them all, but I’m trying to pull out a few interesting ones.
One guest was the professor and organist of the St. John’s (Stone) Church in
Saint John, New Brunswick, D Arnold Fox. 1877 – 1921.
“Arnold Fox Has
Passed Away
Former Organist
of St. John’s Church, Stricken With Incurable Illness, Went Home to Die –
Will be Mourned
by Many
The Daily
Telegraph, St. John, N.B. May 17
A cablegram
received by the Rev. A. L. Fleming, rector of St. John’s (Stone) church, on
Saturday evening brought the sad news of the death of D. Arnold Fox on Saturday
at his home in England. The Cablegram, presumably sent by his father, contained
only the three words, ‘Arnold passed away.’ Mr. Fleming made the announcement
of Mr. Fox’s death at the morning service in the church yesterday and spoke
feelingly of his faithful and splendid leadership while organist of the church.
While the congregation stood in sorrowful silence, E. MacDonald Miller, the new
organist, played the solemn music of the ‘Dead March.’ As I typed this, I played Handel’s Dead March on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUst3hDzFJI Although it was known when Mr. Fox left St.
John on Oct.26 for Montreal to sail for England that there were no hopes for
his recovery, the news of his death has brought grief to all who knew him and
were associated with him in St. John. Only five Sundays had elapsed since he
had occupied the organ seat in St. John’s church. Mr.
Fox’s illness came as a great shock to the whole community. He entered the
General Public Hospital for treatment in the week of Oct. 16 but his case was
pronounced helpless. The doctors gave him but a few weeks to live and their
verdict proved only too true. He sailed on Oct. 28 for England. His father is a
canon of Canterbury Cathedral, England and although ninety-ne years of age
retains his voice well and conducts services in the Cathedral where he also
preaches once every six months. It is not known what relatives besides his
father and two brothers survive. D. Arnold Fox was brought to
this country about nineteen years ago by Rev. John de Soyres, then rector of
St. John’s church, and was organist of the church from that time until he
sailed for England last month. He was a leader in musical circles in the city
and his reputation as a brilliant performer on the organ was an international
one. The
following history is taken from the International ‘Who’s Who in Music’: Fox,
Dennis Arnold – Organist, conductor, teacher, accompanist, b. Pembury Kent
(Eng.). Feb. 28, 1877. [Credits follow; I didn’t type them out.] A Farewell Message In
a letter to a near friend written by Mr. Fox less than three weeks ago while
lying in bed in Montreal awaiting passage overseas, a pathetic and yet
admirable sidelight is thrown upon the late musician’s inner character after
expressing deep appreciation of the kindness and helpful words and action of
many St. John people during his stay here and especially after the discovery of
his fatal malady, Mr. Fox made used of some phrase which indicated his thoughts
in leaving here to die at home. ‘I
have been conscious of failing power for the past two years,’ wrote Mr. Fox,
‘but the rapidity with which this newer trouble has developed has of course
been a great shock to me. My first thoughts were of my home and aged father,
who sent for me to come. I am afraid it is a race against time, my getting back
to England. I feel I have to prepare for the inevitable and try my best to get
in tune with the Infinite. There is so much wrapped in that phrase, in fact it
sums up everything. I am frank to admit to anyone that I have been somewhat out
of tune for a long time due to a somewhat cynical view of life’s conventions
brought about by tragic misfortunes, but I feel I am getting into alignment
again. I realize all cynicism must go to get in tune with the Infinite, that
tremendous and overpowering orchestra. Wilful individual discord is futile and
unreasonable and should carry with it conviction of its own futility. It was a
great wrench to part from my dear friends in St. John and I often think of you
all in tenderest remembrance. The hope that I shall ever again clasp your hands
is, I confess, a remote one, so I will close with my very best wishes and
heartful thanks.’”
FAMILY HISTORY LESSON
What can you learn in studying a life?
I’m not talking vital statistics here, but historical stuff that happened to
affect a person’s story in some way. I mentioned rabbit trails early in the
chronicle. I’ve been looking at the guests who came to Riverbank House, where
Uncle Billy and Aunt Maggie entertained guests in the later 1800s until 1915. I
made a bunch of lists in the following categories. Soon, patterns emerge. Some
people signed the book once, some, several times. Some names overlap, for
instance, some of our family members came from the US, so they would be included
in both lists. Some people didn’t say where they came from, and some writing
was illegible. My compiling was rather quick. I have my work cut out for me.
Hopefully, I will find a few more distracting rabbit trails.
Lists I Made from the Guestbook
Warner – signed 3 times
Fox – signed 5 times
Neighbours – people who lived nearby,
and could pop in. May have needed a horse and buggy. I counted 40.
Holmes and Snider family
members – 45
Other places in New
Brunswick
– 199
Other Provinces -15
USA – 65
International – 4
There were six comments
about fishing.
There was one poem.
Some came for a day, some
stayed days or weeks. Some probably boarded, but I know them from newspaper
articles, not the guest book.
There were three different
kinds of groups that came – a Liberal Conservative Club meeting (I wonder
how that went); two automobile parties, and a cribbage group.
In the automobile parties –
there were two or three of them:
- Page seven – 1910.
This does not mention an automobile party, but it could have been. If so,
my sample car photo is too late.
E R Rising, R G Haley, W H Cookson.
- Page 16 – Auto party –
1911, from Saint John, NB. Mr. and Mrs. E R Rising, Mr. and Mrs. W B
Tennant, Dorothy Tennant, Nigel Tennant, R G Haley, Bernard Haley, and an
unnamed chauffeur. Tight squeeze. W B Tennant caught trout.
- Page 31 – Pierce-Arrow
Party – 1913, from Saint John, NB. Glenn, this would make Butch happy.
Thomas Bell, R G Haley, W B Tennant, Wm Woodhouse,
chauffeur. This is a Pierce-Arrow automobile.
Hopefully, the link will take you to the car. If not, ask for an email if you want to see it.
https://www.prewarcar.com/664848-1911-pierce-arrow-model-36uu-five-passenger-touring#group-1
This ends
week thirty of our centennial virtual celebration of 1925 – 2025.
