William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9

Diary of William A Quantz © Lived 1854 – 1945

Volume 9 1937 – 1942

Source and Copy Reference Information While copyright and ownership remains with all direct descendants of William A. Quantz, the family welcomes inquiries from readers about additional usage consistent with the spirit and purposes as stated by the author." You can contact us at [email protected].

Book No. 3

This is book No. 3.

Behind it in books number one and two there is 1000 ledger sized pages of written matter. What all this writing is worth is just a problem. No one can solve that problem now. It is always liable to be accidentally destroyed and its usefulness – if any – cease. But I hope such will not be the case. I would like it to be the means of some people getting better acquainted with me after they can’t see me especially my own people. The first insertion in number one is dated January 8, 1876, the last one October 23, 1909, nearly 33 years. The first one in number two October 30, 1909, and the last December 31, 1936; 26 years, in all 56 years. Looking over the preface of number two I see that I expected number one to hold what I had to say, now the second book is full, coming towards the end of the book I began to see that there was a choice of two things left for me to do, die, or by another book. But you can’t digest when you want to, so buying another book is the only alternative. Moreover, I think it would be advisable not to say anything at all about number four book, then I can’t make any mistake about needing or not meeting it. So this is book number three – and it differs from the others in that it contains only 300 pages while the others contain five.

No fortuneteller can tell what it will, or will not, contain. Let us hope that whether it be much or little it will be wise and helpful matter.

W. A. Quantz

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1937

Book 3, Page 2 Happy New Year, January 9, 1937.

Here we are again, with a new year, a new book, a new leaf and a new pen. A thoughtful friend has again presented me with another Diary, a much larger one than usual. What are we going to do with it? With our thinking machine rattling around with a lot of cogs loose how are we going to manufacture enough thoughts to fill the large pages. I don’t know. I don’t expect to fill is entirely but I would like to make it worthwhile – I am talking of the year’s diary not this book – and as I have a year to dig up thoughts and chronicle the passing events, unless our thinking machine breaks down entirely, we will give it a try. And here’s hoping.

John and Eileen were both home last Sunday. There was communion service and reception of members at the morning service. Ten members were received, namely Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Wagg, Mr. and Mrs. Carruthers and son, Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Stafford, Miss Lotten, Mrs. Greer, the pastor’s Mother and Dorothy his sister.

This is the Universal Week of Prayer. The arrangements for Stouffville are, Monday in the Baptist Church, speaker Rev. L.E. Atkinson, United Church pastor; Tuesday in the Christian Church, I. B. Brubaker, Mennonite pastor, speaker [JQ note: Isaac Brubacher was pastor of the Stouffville Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church from 1935 to 1938.]; Wednesday in the Mennonite Church, W. H. Fuller, Presbyterian pastor, speaker. Thursday in the Presbyterian Church, A. Greer, Christian Church pastor, speaker and Friday in the United Church, C. S. McGrath, Baptist Church pastor, speaker.

Gordon came home on Wednesday and we will have his company for a few days. Icy roads and wintry weather.

January 16:. Gordon took us to church last Sunday in the old car. The pastor’s text was “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost”. Gordon is making some repairs to his car and Flo found some patches in the ragbag and is making me a shirt out of them. About all I do is to eat and sleep. Most people want holidays. I am of the opinion that

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Page 3 too many are as bad as too few. There has been heavy rains and damage by water in some sections. Gordon went back to Toronto on Wednesday.

January 23:. Flo and I where to Sunday School and Services last Sunday. Mr. Farmery, a student, took all Mr. Greer’s appointments. The weather has been foggy and the roads slippery. Mr. William Boadway, son of Isaac Boadway of our town, was instantly killed and his wife badly hurt on the highway near Bradford. Had another ice storm on Wednesday. Thursday was the yearly date of the Markham Township Sunday School Convention held at Victoria Square, but I failed to get there. Flo is still piecing my ragbag shirt together and quilting it. It is going to be nice and warm. Don’t know whether it is for weekday or Sunday yet. I have been reading “The Prince of the House of David”. Let me recommend it to any person inclined to read good books. John has had the flu but is better. He and Eileen came home on the train this evening.

January 30:. The pastor’s subject last Sunday morning was “Being on the Right Side”. Gordon came out from the city with his car. We had a great visit with them and they started home at 11 o’clock. There has been tremendous floods in the United States but they are subsiding to a certain extent. The present estimate is, loss of life 350, loss of property $450,000,000. Thousands are homeless and destitute. Those figures will likely be added to. Speaking of it in the Wednesday evening prayer meeting Mr. Collins gave it as his opinion that God was chastising this people for their national sins. I wonder.

I have been lucky enough to catch – without running after it – an attack of my old complaint, namely severe twinges or shooting pains in my head. There seems to be an open space there and these special pains seem to be retilizing the space for playing hide and go seek.

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Saturday night, February 6, 1937.

Flo and I went to church last Sunday in a heavy snowstorm. Flo had Grace Ratcliff as a visitor in the evening and I went alone. There was a session of the Ladies Aid at our place on Tuesday and they are talking of making extensive repairs to the church. The regular yearly skating party of the Sunday School was held in the arena last Wednesday night.

I am finishing up my memorandum, book number two each book contains 500 pages, so now my weekly insertions, historical chapters, family history, poems, addresses, etc., fill 1000 pages of ledger size. Whether it is, or will be of any benefit or use to those who come after me is a question I cannot answer why I have persisted in writing these things 56 years is more than I know myself, but I expect that these insertions will be continued as long as I can write legibly.

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Gordon, John and Eileen came out this evening. Gordon is taking a long trip on his rail road pass, Effie and Ruth Bain have motored to Delray Beach, Florida, and intend staying two months in a rented cottage and Gordon will stay three or four weeks with them.

February 13:. Bradford Paisley was buried at Church Hill last Sunday afternoon. Gordon started from the Union Station at 8:15 bound for Delray Beach, Florida. We have had another cold rain and it has left everything coated with ice. Wednesday evening the crowd gathered at the parsonage and the congregation gave Mrs. Greer a shower. Our present consisted of 100 bright one-cent pieces with about 50 wrappers with a joke on each wrapper. On Thursday morning Mrs. Vincent Wagg, nee Veola Stapleton, was found dead in bed by her husband when he came in from doing chores. There are three small children left by the Mother. Yesterday was the Women’s Day of Prayer held in the Baptist Church. Today was Mrs. Wagg’s funeral. Mr. Morton conducted the services. Interment in Stouffville Cemetery.

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Saturday night, February 20, 1937.

We had a card from Gordon, written from Washington on Monday. Tuesday Flo was quilting at the church. The Ladies Aid are agitating a redecoration of the church. Wednesday there was a business meeting to formulate plans and get estimates of the cost of the undertaking. Thursday a number of us met at the church to overlook the furnace and take measurements. Friday I was visiting Sam Hoover and William Crossin. Mr. Hoover is blind and bed-ridden and suffers with a nervous ailment but he is a Christian and bears it bravely. Mr. Crossin is not a Christian and I have been visiting him frequently trying to persuade him to become one. Flo has received a check for $200 from J. H. Rengel re-Mildred’s estate. The weather is mild. John and Eileen are home this evening. Gordon is likely hobnobbing with the nabobs at Delray Beach. Who knows.

February 27:. Last Sunday was a rainy day. When I’m went to church in the evening the water was pouring past the end of the church and part of the sidewalk was covered. We have heard since that the water did a lot of damage in other parts of the country. There has been considerable talk lately among the members of the Amoss family about surrendering their claim to the Brown Cottage at Boyer’s Crossing and they have given it over to the Theosophical Society in Toronto. Flo has written letters to San Francisco, Agincourt and Lefroy. We where expecting Gordon home but he is staying another week.

March 6:. Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday morning and in the evening John and Eileen went too. The pastor is preaching a series of sermons on the book of Ruth and they are very interesting. The Ladies Aid held a business meeting at Allan Clossen’s on Tuesday and the men’s committee of the church decoration scheme joined with them and discussed the matter of painting the inside of the church. I have been reading my “Trip

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Page 4 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 to the West” to the Stapleton family by way of entertainment. Gordon came home on the train this morning. He started for Delray on February 7, so he has been away nearly a month. He is tanned the color of an Indian and is feeling fine.

March 13:. Last Sunday all four of us attended church. The pastor preached a fine sermon on the “I Will’s” of Jesus. For painters have sent in their tenders for the church decorating job, namely, Walter Melven, Lincolnville, $90; Orvil Roach, Markham, $100; Frank Mowder, Stouffville, $165; and Harmon Hoover, Stouffville, $235. Some odds.

Flo has been quilting three days (Ladies Aid work) and I have been keeping house, or perhaps I should say the house has been keeping me. There was about five inches of snow fell last night and it looks as though the world had a nice white blanket spread over it this morning.

March 20:. Mr. Preston, the station agent and his wife, have been wanting our house for some time and they have tried to arrange a three cornered deal. Their house in Belleville was to go for a Toronto house and if suitable we where to take the Toronto house in exchange for ours. The number of the house is 1660 Gerard Street East. We declined making the deal. Thursday evening we had Mr. Hunter giving us a lecture on the life of C. H. Spurgeon, England’s great preacher. The lecture was accompanied by lantern slide pictures of the quaint old homes and churches and people of England. Mr. Hunter was acquainted with the Spurgeon family. The meeting was called for the raising of funds for the church decorating, and $54.00 was raised by collection and subscription. We inserted an ad in the Tribune offering our house for sale and the neighbors want to know if we had gone crazy. Had a little snow during the week but the sun is getting stronger and the good old summertime will soon be here.

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Saturday night, March 27, 1937.

I had to put up a “For Sale” sign on the house the former part of the week to please my wife and it showed up so nicely but I kept walking up and down on the opposite side of the street looking at it. And it is working to for there has been people in looking the house over. I expect some of them would take it if you gave it to them and paid the taxes on it. There was a Good Friday entertainment in the Olivet Church in Toronto – Mr. Hunter’s church – to which all the Christian Churches where invited and I thought I was going but circumstances prevented.

There has been high winds and colder weather this week. The weather man said it was the coldest Good Friday in a long time. John was home for the holiday.

April 3:. I taught Nora’s class last Sunday and Flo and John came to the preaching service. When we got home we found Gordon and Eileen there and dinner nearly ready. Gordon and I attended the evening service. We received a letter from Will Reid on Tuesday saying that Edna had taken suddenly ill with severe pains in her head. Also a letter from California re-Malcolm’s latest addition to the family. The baby was born February 25 and the word was that they were greatly disappointed because it was a boy

Page 5 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 and they wanted a girl. When the Mother and baby came from the hospital it came to light that it was a girl after all. They have both kinds now.

April 10:. I was working at Frank Williamson’s last Monday. John has been working at his car. It has been dismantled and standing in the garage all winter and he is fixing it up for use again. He is enjoying a week’s holidays. He drove us up to Keswick on Thursday. We wanted to drive down some fence posts while the ground was soft but it was too soft and we came back home. I was up to the church yesterday. The decorator is at his work with a lot to do yet. John has gone back to work.

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Saturday night, April 17, 1937.

The church services are being held in the basement on account of the decorating above. There is another Ladies Aid quilt in the frame and Flo has gone up to the church to help. Wednesday we started bravely into the house cleaning. It is hang-on job, but we expect to get through it if we hang on. Friday we got in for tons of coal at $10.30 per ton. I have put in a few garden seeds.

April 24:. I went to church alone last Sunday morning and that concluded the family attendance for the day. Flo got dinner ready and the expected visitors arrived. There was Will Reid, Edna and two Armstrong brothers, strangers to us. They left in the afternoon leaving Edna with us. Shortly after they left Gordon, John and Eileen came in. We had a nice visit, especially with Edna here. Walter Reid has gone sailing on the Great Lakes and Clayton may get a job with the Philco people. Will is traveling for a merchandise firm. On Tuesday all the best looking people were up at the church cleaning up. The decorating is done and the painters gone. The ceiling and walls have two coats of ivory and buff mellotone paint and it is trimmed with gold paint. The cost was $105. The radio is bringing us a lot of news about the differences between labor and capital. There has been an epidemic of strikes in the States and it has come nearer home. The General Motors of Oshawa are involved and how.

May 1:. Last Sunday the services were held in basement for the last time. The pastor has arranged for a special service next Sunday and we will have a special speaker. There has been torrential rains in the Western districts of Ontario and there has been loss of life in London, Tilsonburg and other places. The land is very wet and the farmers have been unable to seed on the heavy land. It was a little dryer the latter part of the week and I have put in more garden seeds and made a bed for the David Harum “Babs” seeds. Edna has been visiting friends in Ringwood.

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Saturday night, May 8, 1937.

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Last Sunday seem to be visitors day. Edna went to Sunday School with me and I taught the Bible class. Flo brought Miss Chapman with her to the service. The speaker was Mr. McNicol, Superintendent of the Toronto Bible School. Mr. Barrington, a noted singer, was with him. In the afternoon Gordon and Clayton Reid came from Toronto, and in the evening John and Eileen came down from Keswick where they had been spending the weekend. Monday Flo and I put a coat of white enamel on the bathroom and it is shining like nigger’s heel. Tuesday I started into my garden work and Flo into her house cleaning. About nine o’clock Will Reid came driving into the yard and the day’s work was shot. He and Edna started for Lefroy about five o’clock.

Just two of us around here now and the tension has slackened. We have allowed the furnace to go out. The house is beginning to look spic and span from cellar to attic. I have been working at my potato patch at the church.

May 15:. Last Sunday was quite an eventful one. Our pastor is a way on a two weeks holiday. He was played out after his final examinations at the Bible College and by the way he was chosen to deliver the valedictory address at the closing exercises. Mr. Barrington took charge of the services here. Elder Morton called for me and I went to Church Hill in the afternoon. John and Eileen came in, in the evening, and we did not go to the evening service.

Wednesday was a great day in Stouffville as well as all over the world, a day that will be remembered in history as the coronation day of King George the sixth of England. The English and indeed nearly the whole world have let loose and gone hooey for the time being. Millions upon millions of dollars have been spent and half-a-million people have been injured, more or less

Page 10 seriously. Stouffville’s parade consisted of sixteen floats, namely, Junior Institute, Fire Brigade, B. A. Oil Company, Stouffville Planing Mills, Muston’s Greenhouses, Gold Fish Supply Company, Stouffville Creamery, School floats.

Aleck Scott has sold his house cheap and they are selling their household effects today.

May 22:. Our own pastor was back in the pulpit last Sunday and gave us two good sermons. The yearly business meeting of the church was held on Tuesday evening. Officers of the church were elected and the pastor’s salary raised. I have planted more potatoes and Collins and I have “did up” the church boulevard. This afternoon John brought us to Keswick and we are looking around and seeing what is to be done.

May 29:. We slept in the old roost Saturday night and in the morning Flo and I went down to Sunday School and Service in Keswick. The Conference of the Christian Church is to be held there on June 10 – 11 – 12, and we are expecting to get up at that time. Monday was Victoria or Empire Day and folks are not supposed to work, but John and I put in part of the garden although the ground was rather wet. There are folks up there who have not started seeding yet. Came home Monday night. Tuesday Flo and I

Page 7 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 put out the washing a day late because Victoria happened to be born on that date. Flo has bought a camera and one dozen tuberous begonia plants to decorate our front lawn and we set them Wednesday. Thursday hoeing through the home garden. With the garden at home, one at the church and one at Keswick I will have to keep on my toes. It seems to be a blessing to have lots of employment outside for Flo has the house so clean and shining that there don’t seem to be any room inside for a dirty man. Friday I was making garden for Miss Chapman and Mr. Greer and Saturday he took me down to Charlie Harper’s barn raising.

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His goods have increased so that he must have greater barns. When I came home I found John and Eileen here. They are going to the lake for the weekend.

June 5:. Flo and I attended service morning and evening last Sunday. The morning service was about worship in the text taken from Revelation 22:9. “Worship God”. The evening service was the most comprehensive explanation of Noah’s flood that I have ever heard. In the afternoon we were surprised by a call from Fred Flath and Lizzie and two of the daughters. Was glad to hear from my old friend Ebenezer Pryne who is not expected to live long from the effects of cancer. Yesterday helping the preacher get his garden in. This forenoon getting ready to go to the lake and this afternoon John took us up.

June 12:. Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday and heard Serrick preach. We are enjoying ourselves at the lake. John and Eileen made an early start for Toronto and Flo and I are here alone and expect to stay for some time. Monday morning I started into the garden work and Flo into the house cleaning if you can call cleaning a garage house cleaning. Tuesday I finished planting the garden. Flo is working hard to get things in shape for conference.

Thursday the Congregational – Christian Churches of Ontario convened at Keswick at 10 AM with a good attendance. Mr. Serrick, the pastor of the church, gave the message of welcome. Registration of delegates, election of officers, etc. took up the morning session. Reports of the Executive Board, churches and church property took up the afternoon session. Address by Mrs. Wilson, foreign missionary. Friday morning devotional exercises led by Elder Morton, roll call and reading of minutes of previous meeting by clerk Pollock, report on the ministry by W. A. Quantz, report on publication

Page 12 by Elder Morton, report on Educational Board by W. S. Alexander and address by W. H. Rollins from New York. Afternoon session, reception of Trinity Church of Toronto who are becoming affiliated with the conference. Afterward an ordination service was held when Arthur Greer of Stouffville, S. D. Percy of Little Britain, R. W. Serrick of Keswick and Mr. Ray of Toronto were ordained to the preaching of the gospel. Saturday 9:30, Devotional services led by W. S. Alexander, report of resolutions committee and

Page 8 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 unfinished business. The next conference is to be held in Stouffville. The afternoon fellowship was led by Arthur Greer and a large number of testimonies given. Afterwards a communion service was presided over by Hunter and Morton with the four newly ordained ministers administering the sacrament.

June 19:. There was three services in the church last Sunday beside Sunday School. Elder Morton took the morning service taking for his text the words, “I am thine”, Psalm 119: 79, the subject, the happy results of belonging to God and the peaceful ending of a life of service. The afternoon service was taken by S. D. Percy. Text, “The Church”, Acts chapter 2, A common cause, a common Lord, a common fellowship, a common work, and the results of that work. Evening service, A. Greer. Text, “Worship God”, Revelation 22:9. So ended the conference and it was a good one.

It has seemed good to have a stopping place of our own within easy distance of the church. We have had Mrs. Harvey Quantz with us all through the conference. Gordon came up Monday afternoon and in the evening John called him long distance on the phone and gave us the very sad news that Nancy, brother Wellington’s wife, had died of a stroke and would be buried at Newmarket on Wednesday. Tuesday I started digging under the rear pole fence of the lot. All the fence, including

Page 13 three sides, has been heaved about a foot by the frost since it was built and I’m attempting to lower it and fix it so it will stay down. Gordon went back to Toronto by way of Stouffville and while there mowed the lawn and attended to things in general. We are staying until the end of the week.

Wednesday. A good woman has lived out her life and passed on. A cheerful helpmate and a loving mother has gone to her reward. Nancy J Doan, brother Wellington’s wife took a stroke on Tuesday, June 8 and died from the effects of it Saturday night. Friends and relatives are feeling her loss keenly. Wednesday afternoon she was buried in the Newmarket Cemetery beside Naurice, the son, who was laid there in 1906. Flo and I went down on the bus and met many friends and relatives during the day. The funeral was at 2 PM and the services were conducted by Rev. Alexander, the pastor of the Christian Church, in the chapel of Roadhouse and Rose. Representatives of the Quantz family, the Doan family, the Wonch family and Madill family were present.

Heavy rains fell on Thursday and there has not been much work done since. John came up this afternoon and helped me finish sinking the fence.

June 26:. We attended services at Keswick last Sunday and came home in the afternoon, glad to get back after being away two full weeks. I have put in the week planting and hoeing and seeing to things in general. Gordon and a new girl, a Miss Emery, called on us on their way to Keswick this evening. John and Eileen and Bob Rose and Beatrice were coming up by way of Yonge Street.

July 3:. To Sunday School and Service last Sunday morning and heard a sermon about conscience which tallied closely with my conception of it. In the afternoon we went to

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Church Hill Cemetery Decoration Service and met a large number of old friends and acquaintances from far and near. Sermon by Greer, also an address by E Morton. In the evening we had another sermon at our home church by Greer, “This one thing I do”. Great day for us but hard on the preacher. Tuesday afternoon Greer took me to Bethesda to the Whitchurch Township Sunday School Convention. Had a fine address from Greer in the afternoon and another from Rev. Smalley in the evening. We had our tea at William Burkholder’s. The president of the convention was Mr. James Hope of Pine Orchard. Wednesday I picked nine boxes of berries and sold them off hand. Also did some carpenter work for Robinson. Also transplanted some flowers. We have an abundance of flowers but Will Reid says you can’t fill your stomach with flowers. Thursday was Dominion Day. Half of 1937 gone already. Stouffville is celebrating. I was down to the park seeing the ball games. Collins and I mowed the grass around the church yesterday and today I applied some fertilizer to the potatoes at the church.

July 10:. The service at the church last Sunday was taken by the Ladies Aid and was a very fine one indeed. The address was given by Mr. Davies and there was extra singing of well-chosen hymns. We had Mr. and Mrs. Stafford and Miss Chapman for dinner. Attended the Baptist Church in the evening. Pastor Greer is attending a Young People’s Convention at the Eagle House, Muskoka. Monday was washing day and berry picking day combined. Picked fourteen boxes off our little patch. They sell two for a quarter and Flo is turning the money over to me which makes me anxious to get all I can. Effie came out for berries on Wednesday. Flo has been quilting at the Ladies Aid and I have been cutting wood at Williamson’s. Have been doing some work among the sick folks today.

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Saturday, July 17, 1937.

Last Sunday both the pastor sermons dealt with the subject of “Closed doors”. He tried to show us the folly of trying to serve God in a partial way or in other words, trying to keep Him in part of our lives and make the other part a closed-door. Monday we were picking fruit and preserving it for our own use. Tuesday painting. I have taken Miss Williamson’s verandah floor to paint and by the way it is some verandah. It is twelve feet wide and extends around nearly three-parts of the house. Thursday I went down to see Charlie Harper’s barn after it is enclosed. He has a large barn now and a large crop to put into it. John has notified us that he is coming to take us to Keswick and we are making preparations to go.

July 24:. We have settled down in the garage again. Went to service last Sunday morning. John went away early in the afternoon. We had unexpected visitors from Stouffville consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Holden and their little girl and Mr. and Mrs. Truman Holden. Grace Ratcliffe called on us yesterday and her and Flo had a long talk. I have cleaned the garden and cut the grass and we are ready to go home and we will get there for Gordon and his girl are ready to take us.

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July 31:. Last Sunday I went to the morning services alone and heard a good sermon about the Good Shepherd giving His life for the sheep.

Gordon and his new girl, Miss Audrey Emery, were enjoying themselves at, or in the lake part of the time. We had supper at six o’clock and came to Stouffville afterwards. Gordon drove on to Toronto after ten o’clock. So endeth another holiday – so-called – at least we have enjoyed it, and it was a nice change. There has been heavy rains in Stouffville

Page 16 since we left and the garden is doing fine. We have new potatoes, cucumbers, beets and carrots in use. Mrs. Boadway and Flo have been over to Ringwood visiting Mrs. Harvey Quantz. Had a letter from Myrtle saying that Wellington was thinking of paying us a visit shortly. John and Eileen, and Bob Rose and Beatrice were here on their way up to Keswick.

August 7:. Flo and I attended both preaching services last Sunday and enjoyed them very much. The pastor’s text for the morning was “Launch out into the deep” and the evening’s a discourse about the joy of service. It ended by singing, Joy Bells Ringing in the Heart. There has been good congregations at each service. The day has been a beautiful one and it seems good just to be living.

During the week I finished painting the big verandah floor and helped Flo put a new top on a quilt, took a lot of weeds out of the lawn, etc. Flo has been doing up fruit and making jam to jam us through the winter. Yesterday was baking day and being pie-ous people Flo was busy making pies and pies must have filling or they won’t fill the people that eat them, so I was picking fruit of different kinds to fill the bill – and the pies. Had another letter from Myrtle re-Wellington’s coming down and still the matter is not settled. John Stapleton has passed into the beyond and is to be buried at Bloomington on Monday. John came up from Toronto and brought Grace Ratcliff with him.

August 14:. We had a strange preacher last Sunday morning but our own pastor was back at night. There was a poor attendance all day. Gordon spent the day at home and took us to church at night. Flo and I did our washing in the morning and in the afternoon I went to John Stapleton’s funeral. A. S. Collins, Everet Barnes, George Vaughn, Oliver Johnson, Robert Brown and myself were honorary pallbearers and John’s nephews were the real ones.

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Elder Morton took the services assisted by Mr. Greer. At the time of conference Mr. Hunter asked me to give him as much information as possible about the membership and history of the old Christian Church and I have given him the history of Church Hill Church as written by myself, and the history of the Bloomington Church as written by Miss E. Hill. Apart from that I have given memory sketches of three generations of Christian preachers entailing the compilation and transcribing of nearly twenty-five pages

Page 12 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 of foolscap, all of which goes to show where a considerable amount of my time goes and proves that I am not sleeping all the time.

Mr. Hunter is the pastor of the Olivet Congregational Church of Toronto and since the church affiliations has become President of the Conference and editor of “Tidings”, the small conference paper, so the desire of his part of knowing more about the Christian Church is not all curiosity. So Tuesday morning having completed the writing of these histories and memoirs, I bundled them together and sent them by the hand of our pastor Arthur Greer. Mrs. Elias Lehman, one of my old Bible class scholars, died suddenly on Tuesday of heart failure and was buried on Friday at the Wideman Dutch Church, on the eighth concession of Markham. I went down to the funeral with Collins. The service was taken by Greer, taking for his text the words “There shall be no night there”.

John brought us to Keswick this evening.

August 21:. As usual Flo and I attended Sunday School and Service at Keswick last Sunday. Serrick’s sermon was founded on the text in Isaiah, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee”. John and Eileen went back to Toronto in the evening.

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I mowed the weeds and trimmed our side of the hedge beside the garage Monday. We were down to the Ladies Aid supper in the basement of the church on Wednesday. Thursday Flo went down to the post office and received a certificate of the 100 shares of Wright – Hargrave Mining Stock lately purchased. This her second venture one-hundred each time. The price first time was $7.10, second time $6.40. It yields nearly 8% in quarterly dividends. I have started to revise my insertions from my diary intermediate book. Eileen gave me a regular diary at the beginning of the year, but if that were copied as a whole into my memorandum it would be too voluminous altogether so it has to be curtailed and corrected.

This week’s Tribune gives an account of the death of my old friend Ebenezer Pryne. He was 89 years old and his death was caused by cancer in the face. He was converted to the Christian faith at the same time and in the same place I was. The time was November 1870 and the place was the old Methodist Church in Ballantrae, still standing. So we were brothers in the faith, neighbors in our dealing and often mates in our manual labor. When the Church Hill Church was built in 1872 it started with thirty charter members. His death leaves but one of thirty, that is myself.

August 28:. John and Eileen came up last night bringing fresh supplies from the garden and we have been here all week. Monday Flo and I walked up to Boyer’s Crossing to see the old cottage. The Theosophical Society have slicked up and painted it over and it looks quite nice. Wednesday Flo and I wrote a joint letter to Harry Worling and sent it off. His address is Ammapetia via Bhavan, South India. Mr. Van Norman has been very sick for some time and he passed away Thursday morning.

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He was one of the older preachers and was pastor at Church Hill at one time. Somewhere back in these writings there would be considerable mention of him.

September 4:. D. V. Van Norman’s services were held in the Keswick Church last Sunday at 2 o’clock. Serrick preached from the text, “I have run the race, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith”. There was a number of people from Ringwood there and a few from Stouffville. John brought us home in the evening. Flo and I have been doing up tomatoes and other garden produce during the week. Our minister has been eating and sleeping here for the time being as his people are away. Yesterday evening Mr. Greer took me to Newmarket to see Rev. Alexander, the pastor of the church there. He had a bad car accident in which he received severe injuries. His upper spinal vertebrae was partially dislocated and his one side paralyzed. John and Eileen called this afternoon and went on up to Keswick later where Gordon and some other young folks will meet them.

September 11:. We had a sermon on forgiveness last Sunday morning and the evening service was withdrawn on account of special services at Bloomington. Monday evening we were there to services conducted by the Toronto Bible School Quartette and their speaker Mr. Ferguson. Tuesday Gordon took us to the Toronto Exhibition. We went in at the Dufferin Street Gate and stayed till the fireworks were over, then went up to 18 Gwynne Ave., Gordon’s boarding place and John took us to Effie’s. Wednesday Effie took us to the Exhibition again and we enjoyed ourselves all day. Thursday Flo and Effie went downtown shopping. Friday we went

Page 20 to the downtown theater to see “The Lost Horizon”. Today Flo and Effie are shopping again. John is having a week’s holidays and is going to Golden Valley to spend them there.

September 18:. Last Sunday Flo and I attended the United Church on the Kingsway, not far from the Bains’ residence. In the afternoon we visited the Park Lawn Cemetery, not far away. Effie brought us home on Monday and we called at Agincourt with the intention of bringing Maggie home with us but she was not able to come, but Effie brought her up on Thursday. We have been attending the meetings carried on by the Bible School people and they have been good. Maggie is enjoying her visit, at least she says she is. The CNR have built a wig-wag alarm at the railway crossing.

September 25:. I took the job of shingling and painting Tom Williamson’s house roof and I have spent most of the week at it. Flo has had too many visitors and she is not very well. She had a bad heart attack during the week. Maggie went home on the bus on Friday.

October 2:. Most of the schools, both Sunday and weekday have been suspended on account of the infantile paralysis scare. There has been three cases in Stouffville. In Toronto the cases reached into the hundreds. I have finished my roof job and have some spending money now, so I can quit work. I have

Page 14 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 also finished digging my potatoes at the church, twelve bags in all. I got a surprise on Thursday when I came home and found Wellington here. He looks rather old and used up to me.

October 9:. Last Sunday was Thanksgiving Services and the church was nicely decorated. The pastor gave us a very fitting sermon for the occasion. The text was, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest,

Page 21 and cold and heat, and winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease”. John and Gordon and their girls were here and we had a nice visit. Monday Collins took Wellington and I down to see the old Quantz Homestead, Lot 14 rear of Concession 6, Markham. We called at Ringwood to see Mrs. Harvey Quantz, from there to the old cemetery where the family connections to are buried including two of our own family who died in early infancy, then down to the old Homestead for a look around. The place seems to be in ruins and both orchards dead. From there went to Cashel and had tea with cousin Martha Houck, afterward home. Tuesday was a rainy day and I was in the cellar fixing things for winter. Wednesday was Provincial Election Day. The final election returns gave the Liberals 67 seats, Conservatives 23, 90 seats in all. Hepburn is still at the helm.

I wanted Wellington to see Hard Scrabble before he went home, so Thursday Collins drove us to Church Hill and we looked the cemetery over and afterward had a visit and tea with Wilford Lazenby and drove home by way of Ballantrae. The latter part of the week we were fixing to leave home. Wellington is getting his teeth repaired at Barker’s and his watch at Pollard’s and will be going home soon with his grinding machine and is timekeeping both in order and probably feeling like a new man. We expected John to take us to Keswick tonight but he was belated and we are bunking here for the night.

October 16:. Last Sunday Wellington and I attended service in the morning. After dinner we loaded up and we sure had a load - John, Eileen, Wellington, Flo and I were on deck besides grub and clothing for a week and Wellington’s dunnage.

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When we got to Sharon John gave us a surprise by going around the west side of the lake to Will Reid’s. We had our supper and a nice visit with them and came back and bunked at the garage. Monday was Thanksgiving Day and we spent it thankfully together and in the evening John took Wellington to Newmarket and left him at Smith’s and he will start on his return trip from there. Tuesday morning before we were out of bed a large airplane circled around the place two or three times flying low, and we wondered what was wrong. We found out afterward that the pilot was giving warning of a big fire on Keswick Beach. Three large cottages with their respective garages were totally destroyed. I have oiled the garage roof and dug the rest of the garden. John came up this afternoon and we put up the shutters, closed the place up for winter and came home.

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October 23:. John Stapleton passed away on Sunday the tenth and was buried in Stouffville on the thirteenth. He was 84 years old. Flo and I were taking paper off the walls the former part of the week. Thursday I started to put in a bathroom at the parsonage, Greer helping me. I have finished the bathroom, Sanders has finished decorating the rooms and the week has finished itself. We have had the parlor, dining room and hall redecorated at a cost of $8.58 for paper and $6.00 for hanging it.

October 30:. We had two remarkable sermons last Sunday. The Toronto Bible School quartette were there in the morning and took the Sunday School and Service with the exception of the sermon which was given by the pastor. The evening service was taken by the Kinsman’s quartette. It consists of Mr. Ramer, who always does the preaching – Mr. Sider, Mr. Pike and Mr. Steckley, all relatives.

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John came out and brought Grace Ratcliffe with him. We were busy part of the week readjusting the furniture and pictures, taking off the screen doors, painting the verandah roof, getting in more fertilizer and digging in the garden. Flo has been quilting two days. Our preacher has “been gone and got married” today. The bride was Miss Nellie Davies of Toronto and they were married there and are going across the line for their honeymoon.

November 6:. In the absence of our own preacher last Sunday we had two other preachers, and they both live in Stouffville. There are six living churches in Stouffville and one dead one. The six each have their own pastor and there are three superannuated ministers beside one other who preaches outside. So if preachers are a benefit to a village, Stouffville ought to be reasonably good.

Gordon paid us a flying visit on Monday and Effie Bain and Ruth were out on Wednesday. We had some other excitement on that day. A big black tean belonging to Jack Davis were frightened by Glenn Ratcliffe’s big Newfoundland dog and ran away, bringing up right in front of our door. One of the horses was dragging under the wagon and he never got up again for his leg was broken. Constable Quibell shot him. Thursday I finished the garden work and cleaned Williamson’s eave-troughs. Friday I was packing apples. Today I am still fixing up things for winter. Winter comes but once he year, but it is the time of year I do not like and it is best to be prepared for it.

November 13:. A representative of the Temperance Federation, 30 Bloor Street East, lectured to us last Sunday morning and his subject was the evil effects of the liquor traffic. We have sent our usual subscription of two dollars.

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In the evening we had a sermon from Lambert Stouffer a lay member of the Mennonite Church. I have had another bout of carpenter work this week and it reminded me of old times. I was building a

Page 16 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 cupboard and sink for Frank Williamson. Abram Stouffer brought us a barrel of fine Northern Spies to help us through the winter. A letter from Myrtle tells us that Wellington arrived home safely.

November 30:. Our pastor is safely married and his honeymoon is over and he and his wife are safely domiciled in the parsonage, and he preached a fine sermon last Sunday morning, basing his remarks on the story of Daniel and fat and lean years in the land of Egypt. In the evening John and I went up to the Bloomington Church Anniversary where the Kinsman Quartette had the service. The text was, “One thing I know whereas I was blind, now I see”.

Tuesday there was an entertainment held in the church to welcome back our pastor and his wife. Church Hill gave them a large reading lamp and a quilt and Stouffville another quilt, a fine clock and a ten dollar purse. During the week I have hunted up some cabbage and manufactured our winter’s supply of sauerkraut. I have also finished reading the much talked about of books, “Gone with the Wind”. It contains 1037 large pages of matter all written about one woman whom I would describe as a plain fool. I may be mistaken.

November 27:. Last Sunday was cold and windy. Flo and I went Sunday School and Service. The pastor taught the Bible class in the absence of the teacher, Mr. Harper was there as a visitor of the convention. The morning’s text was “Joy and Peace” and the evening’s, “What shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul”. I have been digging stumps out of Burnett’s lot, in fact

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I was finishing the job on Friday, my birthday. I have been kindly remembered for I have received birthday cards and letters of congratulation. We had invited the pastor and his bride and Mother-in-law to tea on that day but they had a car accident that put Mrs. Greer to bed and we postponed the supper. John and Eileen came home this evening and Effie sent me boquet of mums and Eileen brought me a pair of socks.

December 4:. I have worked up my stumps and they will be ready for the stove when they get dry. There was a Christian Endeavor rally at the church on Wednesday evening. People from Toronto, Newmarket, Ringwood, Altona and Church Hill were here. The ladies fed about 90 people in the basement after the services. The Lazenby family paid us a visit on Thursday. We get up in the morning in time to hear the Telegraph or Star broadcast at 8 o’clock. They give us the news and weather suggestions for the day. If the weather is going to be bad we shift the responsibility on the broadcast and stay in.

December 11:. Flo and I went to church last Sunday in a snowstorm. The pastor subject in the morning was the atonement, “He came to seek and to save the lost”. In the evening it was “The Touch of Jesus”, founded on the healing of the leper. He touched the man whom nobody would go near. Mrs. Greer was at church Sunday after being confined to bed for some time. We had our company Friday evening. The party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Greer, Nora and ourselves, but was given in honor of my birthday and postponed on account of Mrs. Greer’s accident. I have come to this conclusion that I will live in a good

Page 17 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 section of the country, because news are coming in over the radio that other sections not so far away are snowbound. We heard tonight that

Page 26 there was 100 cars stranded on the highways near Belleville. Here we have about three inches of snow. Vessels on the Great Lakes are scudding for their own respective harbors and tying up for the winter.

December 18:. John and Grace Ratcliffe came up last Sunday afternoon and Gordon later and we had a nice evening together. Flo and I broke an established rule on Monday. Instead of getting up at six and doing the washing, we postponed it till after dinner and got along fine. Thursday afternoon I went with Clossen up to his farm on the 6th concession of Whitchurch, near Pine Orchard. He has had trouble with a tenant who stripped the farm and left without notice. We went to fix a pump and got home after dark. Our house is taking on the appearance of a litter-ature shop and the burning question is what am I going to send to who: between us we have written to G. W. Quantz, W. E. Spring, Mrs. J. O. Quantz, Mrs. Minnie Paxton, Mrs. W. I. Scott, Ruth Amoss, etc. The griot has just begun.

December 25:. Mr. Lee preached for the pastor last Sunday morning because he had a sore throat. His subject was “A 100% Christian” and I was wondering if there was any. The pastor’s subject at night was, “What think ye of Christ”. Monday evening the annual Christmas entertainment of the Sunday School was held in the church. Santa Claus had a lot of presence to distribute. Flo has finished the task of sending off letters and cards and it seems to me that we have been working at it a week. They have been distributed from across the lane to California. Wednesday was the shortest day of the year and if we want to get in our good deed a day, we will have to hustle up. I wonder if we have done enough good deeds to entitle us to live in such an interesting place as this. I have been looking at the business block across

Page 27 the street and there is six Christmas trees on the sidewalk with about twenty colored electric lights in each tree, and they are beautiful. At the corner is Stiver Brothers, Grain and Seeds. Next, Holden’s Garage and Ford Sales, next Hodgin’s Grocery (two trees), next, Mrs. Watts, Millinery, and lastly, Birkett’s Insurance. All business people and yet all our neighbors, all honest, all friendly. We were booked to come last night, – as we were invited to Effie’s – but Gordon phone Thursday evening and said that John wanted us to come in then, so we have been here since Thursday evening. We enjoyed our Christmas dinner this evening. The party consisted of George and Effie, Gordon, John, Ruth, Flo and I.

December 31:. This is the last day of the last month of 1937. The farther we get on in life the faster the years seem to go. Last Sunday Flo and I went to the Kingsway United Church and heard a Christmas sermon. The pastor’s name is Rev. Barker. Flo and I heard him before when we were in to the Exhibition.

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Effie took us for a long drive in the afternoon. Monday Effie and Flo were downtown shopping and I was reading an interesting historical book called “Animal Treasures”. A bright light, an upholstered chair and an interesting book are a good combination. Tuesday evening Effie brought us home. So here we are back in our own nest, pursuing the same old routine and it seems first rate. The year is gone and it has brought us many blessings so we part with it thankfully and enter the new one thankfully.

W. A. Quantz

Page 28 – Old Age –

I read a quotation from a book – I have forgotten who the author was – but it read something like this. “The sting of old age is that you outlive all your generation. Old age doesn’t matter when it is only a question of failing strength or senses. You can use a cane or get stronger glasses, or if it comes to the worst you can get somebody to read to you. But when you live long among younger people you become nothing but a relic”.

Well, relics are things that are sometimes sought after, and sometimes people are willing to pay big prices for them. But when you come to think of human relics I guess they are not marketable commodities. Usually their upkeep is too expensive and their likes and dislikes interfere with the likes and dislikes of the younger generations and cause friction. It seems to me that it is a mighty good boy or girl who will shelter and care for parents or other relatives in extreme old age without getting tired of it. Thinking of after consequences might help them a little sometimes. I remember the story of the young man who was carrying his crippled father to the poor house and at a certain stage in the journey he let his father down off his back and sat down on a large stone to rest. The father was looking very thoughtful and the son asked him what he was thinking about. Well, the old man replied, I just remembered that I rested on that very stone when I carried my father to the poor house. The young man stood thoughtfully by for a few moments then got his father on his back again and carried him back home.

I wonder if I am an old man, if I am I don’t realize the fact to any great extent. It doesn’t bother me in the least. But I don’t like to say it that way for fear my wife or somebody else might accuse me of being a bluffer. I know that my eyes are beginning to fail

Page 29 and my hearing has failed to considerable extent, my strength is failing – quite slowly – my memory plays tricks on me, on account of which I have to take a lot of extra steps at times some of which I can’t conceal from others, and some quite apparent to everybody within sight, and taking a lot of extra steps is not as easy as it used to be because my long legs and stiff joints don’t crinkle around as they did fifty

Page 19 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 or sixty years ago. In the face of all these things, or in spite of them, I am going quite strong yet. Barring certain kinds of labor, such as stooping, straining, shifting around too rapidly, etc., I am able to do a fair day’s work, and would rather do it than be idle. I find that the work I have been accustomed to doing, such as gardening, carpentering, woodcutting, etc. are easier on me then other work. And I can’t think of all the things I have to be thankful for.

Outside of these minor inconveniences due to the approach of old age – and none of them are painful – I am free from any serious ailments or suffering. Due to the industry and economy we have practiced in our younger years, we have an income large enough to support our needs and a comfortable home to live in, a lot of good friends and other good things too numerous to mention. I have said many times in the past that I am living the happiest part of my life now. I have checked myself many times and ask myself if the statement were literally true, and after examination I have concluded it was right and I was justified in saying it. If I were asked to give my reasons for saying or believing it, I wouldn’t know where to start into the answer. There is too much personality in this bit of writing now. If I were to try and answer the why and

Page 30 wherefore of it, I would have to drag in a lot more and I can’t do it. If the person to whom the statement might be given can solve the question, well and good, if not, then there are two things left to choose from, they can’t believe it on the strength of my assertion without knowing the “why”, or disbelieve it, or in other words consider it as being untruthful. If they did the latter I would have no grudge against them.

“To Father Time”

Whene’er you care to turn my hair From brown to gray or white Whene’er you line this face of mine With wrinkles left and right, Nor will I pray for you to stay Your swift, relentless sting I shall not mind, nor call unkind Those changes that you bring. But Father Time, please read this rhyme And grant me this request, Take not from me the power to see A joke and merry jest. Let me not tire of my desire To try adventures new, Nor e’er destroy my deep keen joy In flowers of vivid hue

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Though eyes grow dim and stiff each limb, Please leave untouched my heart, So I will heed another’s need And act a friendly part. Pile on the years, give cause for tears, But keep my courage strong Then come what may, I’ll ease the day, With laughter and with song, Do what you will, you cannot kill My dreams forever fair For they are mine Old Father Time, In them you have no share.

From “Silver Linings” by Wilhelmina Stitch.

Page 31 Happy New Year – 1938

January 8:. Flo and I went to church last Sunday in the morning. The pastor’s subject was, “Every man in his place”, taken from the story of Gideon and the three hundred. John and Grace Ratcliffe were out but went back in the evening. The Universal Week of Prayer services have been going on in the churches during the week. Monday evening Rev. A. Greer preached in the Baptist Church, Tuesday evening Rev. Atkinson in the Christian Church, Wednesday evening Rev. Fuller in the Mennonite Church, Thursday evening Rev. Brubaker in the Presbyterian Church, and Friday evening Rev. McGregor in the United Church.

Today I have been to see E. Pennock who is seriously ill. I have had a cold in my throat and Flo is following after with the same complaint. Weather quite cold.

January 15:. The services last Sunday were taken by Mr. Brown, a Bible School student who is going to preach at Little Britain, replacing Rev. Percy who is preparing for the foreign field. Monday evening Gordon and his girl came in and stayed overnight. Miss Valentine is suffering from neuritis and Flo has taken her under her wing and goes over each day to see her. Some snow during the week.

January 22:. The morning sermon last Sunday was on “Justification”, and in the evening on “Love”. After the sermon there was a communion service and reception of members. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and son, Bert Carpenter and Mrs. Greer were received as members. The annual Skating Carnival of the Christian Churches of the Stouffville District was held in the arena on Wednesday night with a good attendance. Thursday the Markham Township Sunday School Convention was held in the United Church with

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Page 32 a large attendance and some fine addresses. We were there all day. Yesterday I went up to Mr. Collins’ and met Mr. Tarr and Mr. Gostic. The four of us had a fine talk best. Today has been just another day. The days come and go and the time passes quickly.

January 29:. I taught Nora’s class last Sunday and Flo and I attended both morning and evening services. We had the proverbial January thaw this week, but it hasn’t taken away all our snow. Had a letter from Gordon on Wednesday with news in it. He and Audrey Emery are planning to be married in May. As David Harum says, scat my cats.

Mr. Greer took me down to Charlie Harper’s on Thursday. He has been unwell for some time and is confined to his bed now. Elder Morton has bought Smithy Hill’s old blacksmith shop and is going to try and make a home of it. It is situated on Mill Street just north of Main Street. They have been here tonight looking at some plans. John and Eileen are home tonight. The weather at present is about zero.

February 5:. I had to take Nora’s class again last Sunday because she was sick. The pastor’s text was just a word “God”. God in creation, God in nature, God in our hearts and God in heaven. Gordon came home late Sunday evening and went back Monday. Flo has done over one of her French flannel quilts for Gordon. We pulled out and put back 1190 knotted cross-stitches of cord because she wanted more batting in it. Wednesday I attended the funeral of Elijah Pennock, a person I have known since I was ten years old. He died in his eighty-eighth year. The service was taken by Rev. Atkinson assisted by Mr. Lee and Mr. Young. Interment in Stouffville Cemetery. There was a large funeral.

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Saturday night, February 12, 1938.

The first part of the week I was helping Elder Morton at his house. He has been trying to get it loose from the frost and jack it up for moving. Thursday we received a letter from our prospective daughter- in-law, the first of its kind. The latter part of the week has been extremely cold and everything outdoor is coated with ice. Inside is the safest place for us.

February 19:. Flo and I started to church last Sunday morning but I just got to the verandah steps when I slipped and went tumbling down to the sidewalk, straining my shoulder, hurting my knee and getting bruised up generally. Monday was one of the roughest days of the year. Tuesday Flo and I managed to do the washing in the forenoon and Flo went to Collins’ to quilt in the afternoon. Wednesday Gordon and Audrey came home in the forenoon and went back late at night. Thursday was cold and rainy. Friday John came home looking the worse of wear. He has trouble with his teeth and is losing some more of them. He went back today.

February 26:. Flo went to church once and I twice last Sunday. She is not at all well. None of the children were home. Wednesday both of us were to the Baptist Church. The five churches are holding a joint

Page 22 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 prayer meeting once a month. The “Grippe” or “Flu”, or something has found its way to our house and got both of us. Flo has her headaches and neuritis pains and I have my sore throat and shooting pains in the head and we are keeping in the house and keeping sick and feeling as though we would just as live as die, and whose business is it but ours.

March 5:. Neither of us went to church last Sunday. We have been taking care of ourselves, but do not feel much better. John and I have been working at Audrey’s chest today. John has made a fine job of it.

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Saturday night, March 12, 1938.

I wasn’t able to go to church last Sunday but Flo and John went in the evening. Monday Mrs. Lunau – who has been living with Mrs. Helmkey, next door to us – passed on with an attack of flu. Tuesday Mrs. Madill, who used to be one of my Bible class scholars, passed away. The week has been cold and there has been considerable snow.

March 19:. I have been wheeling sand into the garden. It came off the street. The town sands Main Street during the winter and it has to be taken off in the spring. I have also been fertilizing the asparagus bed and doing some carpenter work for Frank Williamson.

My ailments took another turn the former part of the week and I had shooting pains in the other side of my head. Dr. Darling has been here and prescribed for both of us.

March 26:. Flo went to church alone last Sunday morning and I turned on the radio and heard a fine sermon by George Pidgin, pastor of the Bloor Street East United Church. Charlie Harper went to the General Hospital, Toronto, this week and they sent him home as incurable. His ailment is supposed to be cancer of the bladder.

April 2:. John came home last Saturday night bringing Grace Ratcliff with him. The three of us went to church Sunday morning and it was the first time I had been to church in four weeks. I have been working in the garden during the week cultivating the asparagus bed and making up a bed for strawberries.

April 9:. I had to take Nora’s class last Sunday because she was a way to a wedding. Her niece Miss Marguerite Hobson was married to H. Irwin Hyde, North Carolina, one-time pastor of Stouffville Christian Church. John, Grace Ratcliffe, Flo and I all went to church in the evening. Gordon and Audrey where also home. Flo and I have started housecleaning operations. There has been about four inches of snow during the week.

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Saturday night, April 16, 1938.

The snow melted the former part of the week. Tuesday I was helping excavate a cellar for Elder Morton on Mill Street. He bought the site of the old “Hill” blacksmith shop and intends to build a house on it. Yesterday was Good Friday and a number of the church members visited Hunter’s church – Olivet Congregational – by invitation and took part in the services. Thursday we received a telegram from Edgar Quantz, of Kirkland Lake, saying that George W. Quantz had passed-on suddenly, on Wednesday and would be buried at Newmarket on Saturday. So today John took Flo and I to the funeral. There was a large number of friends and relatives present and we laid his remains to rest beside his wife Nancy and his son Naurice in their plot in the beautiful Newmarket Cemetery.

I am here copying an obituary notice of G. W. Quantz as it appeared in the Stouffville Tribune of April 23, 1938.

George Wellington Quantz, brother of W. A. Quantz of Stouffville, died suddenly at the residence of his daughter, Leeville, Northern Ontario, on Wednesday, April 13 and was buried at Newmarket on Saturday 16th. He was born on the old Quantz Homestead, Lot 14, Concession 6, Markham and spent the early part of his life in Markham and Whitchurch Township’s and the latter part in the districts of Northern Ontario. For a number of years he was with a government surveyor, surveying in Northern Ontario, Algoma, Saskatchewan and other places. He also spent some time as prospector in the cobalt district and at one time had claims there of his own. Afterward he homesteaded land in the Township of Cane and he held this homestead until his decease. His address while there was Mountain Chutes. In 1884 he married Nancy Doane and she predeceased

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him ten months. Four children were born of this marriage. The first – a daughter – Beatrice died in infancy, the second – a son – George Naurice – was drowned in the Montréal River at the age of twenty while trying to rescue a companion worker, the third – a daughter – became Mrs. Johnstone and he died in her home, the fourth – a son – Edgar Doan – who is a mine inspector in the Kirkland Lake mine. Three Brothers of his remain, namely, W. A. Quantz of Stouffville, Ontario, J. D. and E. A. of Innisfail, Alberta. Good Bye Brother till we meet again.

April 23:. Flo, John and I attended the morning services last Sunday. There was a program of Easter songs by the children, communion service and reception of members. Next day was Easter Monday and stove cleaning day. Always something to take the joy out of life. We have been trying to make the place as attractive as possible for the coming celebration.

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April 30:. The land is working fine and I have all the early vegetables planted and also some potatoes at the church. Yesterday I was doing some carpenter work for Nolan. Gordon has been gathering up some of his effects and having them taken to Toronto.

May 7:. Effie came out last month Sunday. Her and Flo are laying plans for next Saturday. Tuesday I finished planting potatoes at the church. Wednesday Mrs. Jacob Fockler died at the great age of 96. Thursday and Friday working in the garden and yard. Today is Gordon’s wedding day. His Mother and Dad have waited a long time for a daughter-in-law, and she is here now. He is 37 years old so he has not been in a hurry about it. Possibly I had better give the “write-up” as contained in the

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Tribune first and then if I want to say anything more I will be at liberty to do so.

Wedding Announcement. A pretty wedding took place last Saturday, May 7th, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Quantz in Stouffville when Audrey Luella Emery, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Emery of Peterborough, became the bride of Gordon Amoss Quantz, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Quantz. The ceremony, which took place amidst a beautiful setting of spring flowers, was conducted by Rev. Arthur Greer, pastor of the Christian Church. Miss Nora Stapleton played the wedding music. The bride, given in marriage by her Uncle, G. Vernon Dredge, of Toronto, was beautifully gowned in pale blue chiffon with wide sash of rose pink. She wore a head dress of orange blossoms and carried a shower boquet of pink Briarcliff roses and Baby’s breath. Miss Eileen Taylor attended the bride wearing a gown of powder blue silk lace and carrying a boquet of pink roses. Mr. John Quantz, brother of the groom, was the best man. At the reception which followed Mrs. W. A. Quantz received with the bride wearing black flowered crêpe with corsage of roses, and Lily of the Valley. Mrs. G. Smith, aunt of the bride, gowned in brown printed net also assisted in looking after some thirty guests. Mrs. George Bain and Mrs. W. R. Reid poured tea with Mrs. Carl Boadway and Mrs. Archie Harding serving the ices. After the reception the bridal couple left for a short honeymoon in the United States, the bride traveling in a tailored gray suit with navy blue accessories. On their return they will reside on St. Clair Avenue in Toronto. Good luck and best wishes from Mother and Dad.

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Explanation. Seeing this is my book and my writing, someone might make the mistake of thinking I was responsible for the composition of this announcement, but I am not. I suppose it is right up to date, but it is out of my line and I am giving it just as I got it, and hope no charges will be brought against me.

May 14:. Last Sunday was Mother’s Day and the services were taken by a Baptist Bible School student. From Tuesday morning till Saturday noon I have been working on Morton’s house. Gordon and Audrey

Page 25 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 came back from their honeymoon trip on Wednesday evening and went on to Toronto Thursday. John came home this evening.

May 21:. There were about thirty Forward Baptist young people from Toronto last Sunday and they took the services during the day. I was working the first three days of the week and then quit because I couldn’t go any longer. Planted corn and tomatoes on Friday.

May 28:. Flo has been confined to bed during the first part of the week. Both of us have a fresh dose of “Gripe”. They say that misery loves company, so we can be company for each other. Dr. Darling has been to see us twice. The young people have been here this afternoon and have gone on up to the lake.

June 4:. Mr. and Mrs. Collins, Flo and I went to Keswick Tuesday and came back yesterday. I planted the garden while there. We have had needed showers during the week.

June 11:. Effie came up from Toronto last Sunday morning and John came later bringing Grace Ratcliff. We had a nice visit around the fireplace in the evening. We are getting frequent showers and vegetation is growing rapidly.

The 113th Christian Church Conference of Canada assembled

Page 39 at the church in Stouffville on Thursday morning. Rev. George Hunter presiding. The first day’s program consisted of an address of welcome by the pastor, Arthur Greer; President’s Address, Roll Call of Delegates, Election of Officers, etc.

Friday reports - Moral Reform, William Reesor; Church Property, J. M. Grove; Educational Board, William Webster. On The Ministry, W A Quantz; Publications, E. Morton; Missions, B. Morton. Saturday forenoon - Unfinished Business; afternoon, Fellowship Meeting led by Hunter and Communion Service, led by Alexander. Splendid addresses each night.

June 18:. We enjoyed the conference services last Sunday. Stouffville had Schumacher in the morning, Hunter in the afternoon and Alexander in the evening. Other churches were supplied by Conference preachers. Monday evening Gordon took us down to his new home and we are enjoying ourselves greatly. His address is 522 St. Clair Avenue West, Apartment 2. Gordon was at home on Tuesday and we went to see Casa Loma and Nulls Hill. Wednesday Flo and I walked down Bathurst Street and across DuPont, the street where we lived so long, and up Christie Street to Gordon’s again. John came on Friday and took us up Yonge Street to Grace Ratcliff’s apartment and we came home with Glen Ratcliff.

June 25:. We have decided to repaint the house and have chosen ivory for a ground color and cherry red for trimming. It will replace the old white trimmed with black. Gordon and Audrey came up on Wednesday and took us up to Vivian for an afternoon picnic. Had a very enjoyable time in the “Silent Places”. The old schoolhouse where the boys went to school stands close by. It may not have been any

Page 26 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 too silent during school sessions. The boys and Maggie gave the place its name. Effie came out yesterday and will be staying overnight. The weather has been very hot.

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Saturday night, July 2, 1938.

Our pastor is on his holidays so we have the Bible students supplying the church services. Ray Sanders has put in three days painting on the house and I have been helping him. There was a Lions Club celebration on Friday, and Holden, the Ford dealer, gave a car away by lottery to his customers. It went to G. Swift, Unionville. I picked up and sold 12 boxes of berries today.

July 9:. The pastor is attending the CE. School at the Eagle House, Muskoka. I expected the painter back on Monday but he didn’t get here until Friday and I had painted so much in his absence that he finished the house proper in a day. There is pieces of picket fence and a few odds and ends to do yet. The painter’s wages amounted to sixteen dollars at the rate of $.50 per hour. The house looks elegant. Picked the last of the strawberries.

July 16:. More painting this week. Flo has painted all the verandah floors two coats and I have been at the side fence, storm and screen doors, shutters, etc., also picking fruit, including raspberries, gooseberries, currants – read, white and black – all of them a good crop.

July 23:. No boys home last Sunday. Had another fresh preacher as our pastor is still on his holidays. I have painted the seams between the blocks of the foundation and stored away the brushes. We got our hardware bill and found that outside of our own work the material and painting has only cost us $35 for putting on two coats. It will likely be the last time I will be called on to do this work.

Today we invested $1888.50 into debentures issued by Stouffville for building an addition to the school. We only get 3 per cent interest for it. John went to Keswick this afternoon.

July 30:. We had another student to preach for us last Sunday, the fourth since the pastor went away. Flo has been stripping the garden and doing up more fruit. Gordon and Audrey have been here during the week. Our pastor is back from his holidays and has called on us. We have been looking forward to the holiday and this morning John brought us up from home and here we are at Keswick and it depends on us whether our days are hollow or not.

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August 6:. All of us attended the services of the Keswick Church last Sunday morning and in the afternoon John drove us up the lake shore as far as Sibbald’s church. Monday was Civic Holiday and John and I took down the east side of the lot rustic fence in spans. The frost heaved the fence up and we are attempting to reset it so it won’t heave. Thursday Gordon, Audrey, George Dredge and his wife came

Page 27 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 from the city. Gordon had a few days off work and he came on to help at the fence. The weather is extremely hot and Mrs. Dredge and Audrey have blistered themselves with the sun and are sick. I have been digging the post holes deeper. John and Grace Ratcliff came out this afternoon. We have reset some of the fence. Gordon and his company have gone home.

August 13:. Us “old uns” went to service last Sunday morning. John took Grace Ratcliff to Eastborne in the evening and then went to Toronto. It is still very hot weather and some of the people around here are going around with nothing on them bought a breech clout. Wednesday we had unlooked for visitors. Rev. Irwin Hyde, his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Hobson were here. He is one of our old time pastors and he came back for a wife who by the way, was Marguerite Hobson. I have been niggling away at the fence and have it all replaced. We put it down about ten inches, nailed a cross-piece on the bottom of the post and put four wagon loads of stone on the pieces. We are hoping they will stay put.

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Saturday night, August 20, 1938.

Flo and I went to the Keswick United Church last Sunday and heard Mr. Hyde preach. John brought us home in the evening. I have been cleaning up the lawn and garden and helping Flo can tomatoes. The beefsteak tomatoes weighed as high as 22 ounces each. Four new houses have been built in Stouffville this summer and now there are two new stores in course of erection.

August 27:. We went to both services last Sunday. Our pastor is going to leave us at the end of the month. He is going to Knox Presbyterian Church, Spadina and Harbored Streets, Toronto. He will occupy the position of second pastor. Wednesday I went with the Sunday School picnic to Woodlawn Park, a place I have never been before. It is a beautiful park, near Cedar Grove, Markham. I have been busy slicking up the garden and picking fruit. John brought us to Keswick again tonight.

September 3:. Heard a good sermon from Serrick last Sunday. He has improved as a preacher very much. We are supposed to rest here two weeks but I am not sure that we know how, but we are certainly taking it easy. Gordon and Audrey came up from Toronto this afternoon and will stay with us over Sunday. They are out for a holiday as they only had a short one when they were married. The C.N.E. is in full swing now.

September 10:. Flo and I went to service last Sunday morning. Serrick preached and his subject was, “How to use the Sabbath Day”. He will be married next Saturday to Miss Sinkler of Ringwood. Gordon and Audrey started north Monday morning on their trip. They do not know yet where they will stop. Flo and I went to Boyer’s Crossing to get some bone-set. We might be breaking some of our bones on the ice next winter. We have eaten all the corn in the garden, cut up the stocks and dug them in. John came home this afternoon and we are enjoying his company.

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Saturday night, September 17, 1938.

The services in the Keswick Church were conducted by Elder Morton last Sunday morning as the pastor was away on his honeymoon. Gordon and Audrey came back Monday afternoon and we packed up and came home in the evening. Tuesday Gordon fixed his Mother’s sink, washed his car and went home. Wednesday Flo and I were canning tomatoes, making catsup and tomato juice. Thursday working on the lawn and in the garden, Friday picked six baskets of prune plums off our tree and sold some of them. Also digging some of the potatoes.

September 24:. A young man from Halliburton preached for us last Sunday and gave us good sermons. Monday digging in the garden, Tuesday the annual school fair was held in Stouffville. It was quite a success and the children did well. Wednesday I finished digging potatoes at the church. Thursday was a wet day and threshed and sorted the winter beans. Friday was bright and sunny again and I was back in the garden. The weather continues fine and the root crops are being taken up rapidly. And while we are enjoying such fine weather word comes to us of great loss of life and property in the Western states from flood and storm.

October 1:. Flo and I were stepping out to go to church last Sunday when a car drove in and it contained Walter Cole, his brother – the driver – Edna, Evelyn and the small children. Effie and John were also here during the day.

I have undertaken a new job. It consists of taking the hand cart down the 9th concession a mile, knocking out a load of cedar stumps, hauling them home and cutting them into stove wood, a load each day. It is hard work but it is supplying Flo with light wood and saving the other fuel. There is wonderful war news from Europe. Lately war was considered inevitable but the other powers, through Chamberlain, the British Premier, have

Page 44 brought Hitler to his senses for the time being and peace negotiations have been entered into at last. Gordon and Audrey were out to see us yesterday. Today I went to Booth’s and bought three bushels of Blenheim Orange apples for $.75 per bushel.

October 8:. I took the Bible class again for Nora last Sunday. A Mr. Lake from Toronto preached for us. We entertained him for dinner and I went to Church Hill with him in the afternoon. Took tea at Lazenby’s. I have managed to get a load of wood each day this week.

October 15:. The preachers come and go preaching for a call. We had a Mr. Trantor from Toronto last Sunday. The church was beautifully decorated for Thanksgiving. John was home on the holiday and done over his car and went home in the evening. I brought up and cut the last load of wood I am going to haul

Page 29 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 up by hand on Thursday. There was an interesting letter from E. A. Quantz, Innisfail, in the Tribune this week.

October 22:. Last Sunday we went to the United Church to hear Mr. Banfield lecture on Africa and show his lantern slides. He was in Africa thirty years and occupied our house in the summer of ‘21 when he was on furlough and we were in the West. I have been digging leaves into the garden etc.

October 29:. There was no service last Sunday because there was no preacher on hand. Gordon and Audrey were here. Monday was hunting apples for Gordon, Tuesday I went to Douglas Booth’s, Mongolia, to help build a henhouse. Worked there two days. Thursday Effie came out and took Flo and I home with her. John is in bed with flu and we went to see him at his boarding house, 207 Margueretta Street. Effie took us for a long drive today. We went down through High Park, out the lake shore, through Mimico, New Toronto, Port Credit and around home.

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Saturday night, November 5, 1938.

Flo and I attended the Kingsway United Church last Sunday and heard a fine sermon by Mr. Barker. Monday Flo and I had our photos taken at Eaton’s and then went to the uptown theater and saw the production, “You Can’t Take It With You”. Tuesday was Halloween and there was a large rumpus in the city among the children. Wednesday Effie took us to Gordon’s in the morning and John brought us back at night. Thursday Flo and I went through Park Lawn Cemetery, a very large burying place in the old Mill District. Friday after lunch Effie took us to Gordon’s again and he brought us home in the evening. We have had a very enjoyable outing.

November 12:. No service in the church last Sunday because no preacher came. I have worked in Burton’s swamp half each day of the week and have quit the job. There has been snow squalls, rain and cold winds.

November 19:. There has been some difficulty in the church about the choice of a pastor for the district, but I think they have come across the right man now. His name is R. K. Vickers from Hamilton. Church Hill belongs to the Stouffville circuit and their consent has been obtained and the pastor employed.

November 26:. This is the 84th Anniversary of my Birthday. I thought a little about trying to describe myself and saying how I looked and felt at 84 but I gave it up. Some old people complain about feeling tough and stretch the truth talking about their ailments, others stretch the truth telling how capable and smart they are at their age. Onlookers can’t tell exactly what is, or is not, the truth of the matter concerning these old people, so what? Gordon, Audrey, John, Miss Valentine, Flo and I sat down to a chicken supper and visited around the fireplace afterward. Charlie Harper was buried on Tuesday. He has been a long time dying of cancer of the bladder. Greer and Morton conducted the service.

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Page 46

Saturday night, December 3, 1938.

Allan Clossen drew the wood up from the swamp for me with his truck and since that I have been amusing myself a part of each day getting it ready for the stove and piling it up to dry. There was an accident at the railway crossing on Tuesday. Edgar Storry, Bloomington, got caught by a train and his car was demolished and he was wedged in between it and the crossing signpost and is going to lose his arm. He is in the Toronto Hospital. We have had hard frosts but the weather is generally fine.

December 10:. Monday Gordon and Audrey came this way on their way from Peterborough and were here overnight. We sent a gift, a calendar and a letter to Harry Worling in India. Also made our little barrel of sauerkraut so that is another little job done.

A letter from Gussie says she is very much disappointed that we had to decline her invitation to go to California and stay the winter months. John came home this evening.

December 17:. Went to Sunday School last Sunday and had to take Nora’s class again without warning. John brought Flo up to the church service. A vote was taken and carried to retain the services of R. K. Vickers as pastor of the church so that matter is settled after a long wait. I went to see Robert Brown and Andrew Graham today. Neither of them is at all well especially Mr. Brown. Santa Claus came to Stouffville this week. The village put up a large Christmas tree in front of the Fire Hall and Santa handed out 600 bags of nuts and candies to the boys and girls. Conundrum; where did all the boys and girls come from?

December 24:. The Christmas Market nearly filled the town streets with cars and people. The best estimate that could be given was that between eight and ten tons of foul were sold on the market and that about three-quarters of the

Page 47 weight were turkeys. Flo bought one for our Christmas dinner. The market was held on Wednesday. The Sunday School entertainment was held in the church on Tuesday evening but the walks were slippery and we did not go. The weather is mild and there is a blanket of snow on the ground making it a white Christmas.

December 31:. Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday and heard a good Christmas sermon followed by a communion service. John came home on Sunday and Gordon early Monday morning and we celebrated our Christmas on that day. Audrey went to her parent’s home. Flo and I have been to Watch Meeting tonight. We would like to say that the passing year has been good to us. We are getting on in years and are not as strong physically as heretofore but we are quite able to do our little chores yet and enjoy ourselves. We have had Christmas greetings by card and letter from nearly fifty people and appreciated them all.

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Count your garden by the flowers, Never by the leaves that fall. Count your days by golden hours, Don’t remember clouds at all. Count your night by stars – not shadows, Count your life with smiles – not tears. And with joy at this year’s ending, Count your age by friends – not years.

Make the best of everything. Think the best of everybody. Hope the best for yourself. W A Quantz

1939

Saturday night, January 7, 1939.

Perhaps we ought to be thankful that the year is starting with a Sunday, just a rest day before we start into another year. And we may be glad that we had that one day of meditation and church-going and service and rest, giving us a good beginning, no matter what the ending of the year may be.

The weekly insertions contained in these books – this is No. 3 – commenced January 6, 1873, in other words, 62 years ago yesterday. The insertions are continuous since that date. They are supposed to be written Saturday night and after the date is written it is necessary to go back to the beginning of the week to give a summary of it. In transcribing it from one book to the other and giving news of the previous Sunday, care has to be taken not to confuse the Sunday before with the Sunday after the date.

When the Memorandum was first undertaken, the week’s insertion was written in the book off-hand – and by the way when I look at it now it seems to be tremendously off-hand – but in after years it came to be written carelessly in small diaries. From these diaries – or daily writings – it was curtailed to a considerable extent and written in an intermediate journal and afterward revised and inserted in the large books, or what I have got in the habit of calling my Memorandum. Memorandum means, “a note to help the memory”, so I guess the name is all right. As a rule the large book has been filled in in the winter time when work was not pressing. Of course, writing it over three times has made it a little more difficult. As far as we have gone yet, there has only been about ten hundred and fifty ledger size pages – three times over. How many more there will be his only a matter of speculation.

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Page 49

The five Stouffville churches are celebrating the annual Week of Prayer. Monday it was held in the Baptist Church, sermon by Rev. L. Atkinson, Tuesday in the Christian Church, sermon by Rev. Smalley, Wednesday in the Mennonite Church, sermon by Rev. D. McGregor, Thursday in the Presbyterian Church, sermon by Rev. H. Shantz, Friday in the United Church, sermon by R. K. Vickers.

January 14:. I have been improving my time by writing up my books and reading “From Manger to Throne”, (650 pages) by T. DeWitt Talmage. Elias Lehman was buried at the Wideman Church on Thursday. Mr. Vickers took the service. Another of my Bible class gone. We have had the proverbial thaw during the week. John came home today and brought us $600, balance of borrowed money.

January 21:. Cecil Wagg took Flo and I to the Markham Township Sunday School Convention, held in Unionville on Thursday. It was the 70th Anniversary of the Convention and an old timer said it was the best in their history. Mr. Williamson was president. Gordon and Audrey came out on the morning train Friday and went back in the evening. I have my Memorandum and accounts all straightened out until the end of the year and am putting in time reading and sleeping, at least Flo says I read awhile and sleep awhile and it is just possible she may be right.

January 28:. Our pastor went to London last Sunday, and sent three young men and two ladies to carry on the services. We entertained three of them at our home. Elder Morton and his wife favored us with a visit on Friday evening. It has been stormy and a lot of roads are impassable. Temperature 12° below. The wife and I are just sitting tight and letting the rest of the world go by. John and grace came tonight.

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Saturday night, February 4, 1939.

Last Sunday the worst storm of the winter hit us. There was a strong north wind and the snow filled the side roads. I have done a lot of shoveling. The latter part of the week was milder. Wednesday was February 1 and it brought me old recollections. Aunt Christeen Wonch and Mother were born on the first day of February and there used to be a birthday party alternately at their homes. The good things that belong to parties didn’t come our way very often in those days, but when they did come they were a rare treat and – well we were just boys. Robert Brown died Thursday night at ten o’clock and will be buried in Stouffville Cemetery Sunday afternoon.

February 11:. The funeral services of Robert Brown were held at the home on Edward Street last Sunday afternoon. Mr. Cockburn preach the sermon, Mr. Vickers read the lesson and Elder Morton led in prayer. He died in his 81st year.

Readin’, Ritin’, and Rithmetic, the three Rs, were the first essentials of an education in my early days, and they were about all I got, and I am using them quite frequently now, especially the first two. They fill up my spare hours nicely. Wednesday I went up to Garfield Kellington’s for a visit. Yesterday I was

Page 33 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 shoveling snow off Williamson’s house. John came home tonight. He is losing more of his teeth from Pyorrhea.

February 18:. There was a supper and entertainment for the Sunday School children at the church on Monday evening. There was some singers from Toronto and we had a pleasant evening. Tuesday was St. Valentine’s Day and John sent his Mother a lovely card, saying she was his best Valentine yet. He ought to have a younger one. Gordon and Audrey came out on Thursday evening. He got his hand caught in some of the engine machinery

Page 51 and had one of his fingernails torn off, so I guess he will have a holiday. John and Grace Ratcliff came home yesterday evening. John has had some more teeth extracted and his mouth is bleeding badly. We had to send for the doctor. He has a terrible looking mouth and is feeling tough. Grace is taking care of him.

February 25:. John has lost his nurse as she was called on another case. The doctor was here on Tuesday and advised him not to go to work for another week. Gordon came out on the train last evening and took him home with him this afternoon. He will likely stay there until he is able to go to work. There has been three deaths in Stouffville and vicinity this week. Dr. Ira Freel, Mrs. Boake and Darius Field.

March 4:. Flo is feeling the effects of waiting on John and is on her back most of the time. The weather has improved the latter part of the week. Today is milder and a lot of folks, including myself, have been getting the ice off the sidewalks.

March 11:. Flo and I both attended church last Sunday. The pastor is giving us a series of sermons on the life of Jonah. I am attempting to write a little book for pastor Vickers similar to the one I wrote for Tyler. It will contain the “Study of the Great Commandment”, besides a number of the best essays and poems from my Memorandum. John came home on Friday. There has been a lot more snow and the shovels are wearing out.

March 18:. About four inches of snow and I had to shovel snow before I went to church. Thursday was Gordon’s birthday and his Mother sent him her congratulations and something more substantial. Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day but it seemed a good deal like other days.

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Saturday night, March 25, 1939.

Gordon and Audrey came out last Sunday and on Monday morning Audrey took the train for Peterborough and Gordon went back to Toronto. The weather is milder and the snow gradually melting

Page 34 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 away, but many of the side roads are still snowbound. Clarence Stafford came for me this morning and I went to the parsonage. We were fixing the walls and ceiling where the fire damage them.

April 1:. John and Grace came home last Sunday. John has the rest of his teeth out. I have bought two cords of wood from W. Shell and have started in to cut it. It will take a lot of work before it is cut, split and piled up to dry. I went to the United Church last night to hear Nellie McClung deliver a lecture.

April 8:. Our own preacher, with the Bible Quartette, were at Newmarket last Sunday and we had a Mr. Taylor from there in return. Cutting cordwood and cleaning house has been the order of work for the week, outside and in. Finished sawing wood by the help of Elder Morton. Yesterday was Good Friday but why it is called that I do not know because it is held to commemorate the greatest tragedy in the world’s history. Have had a snowstorm today. Late spring. John came home last night.

April 15:. Last Sunday was Easter and a cold day. Sunnyside boardwalk fashion parade was a failure. Easter Monday brought us nearly six inches of snow. Flo has been at her house cleaning and quilting at Collins’ and I have split and piled out the wood. The war news are very discouraging. Somebody will have to back down soon – or else.

April 22:. Flo and I attended church last Sunday morning and Gordon and Audrey came out and went with us in the evening. Three Toronto singers

Page 53 were there during the day. We have been following up the house cleaning operations and I have taken down the back garden fence with the intention of building a new wire one. Effie, John and Grace came out this afternoon.

April 29:. Tom Kellington passed away last Sunday and I have had to take Nora’s class because she was helping out there. Tuesday he was buried at Church Hill. The preliminary services were held at his son Garfield’s and Flo and I went up with Mr. Green, one of the neighbors. The services were taken by Elder Morton. Housecleaning, gardening, drawing street-sand into the garden, cutting some posts into wood, etc.

May 6:. We have decided to lay a new sidewalk from the street in and build new steps for the front verandah and I was breaking up the old ones the former part of the week. Wednesday we had a visit from Gordon and Audrey. Friday I went to Bloomington to Annie Stapleton’s funeral. Elder Morton conducted the services. She is the last of a family of eight.

Burgess and his man have finished the cement work, his charges amounting to $10.50. Other expenses were, gravel $3.00, cement $6.90, lumber $.50, Total $20.90.

May 13:. John went back to Toronto early last Sunday to attend Gordon and Audrey’s first wedding anniversary. The weather has been better so I started putting in the garden. Have sowed carrots, beets,

Page 35 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 parsnips, peas, onions, chard and spinach. Wednesday taking the forms off the cement and cleaning up the driveway. Thursday carted some cinders from Muston’s and grading up the driveway. Got in the remaining part of the coal, 3 tons stove, 2 nut. Total cost $57.75 (11 per ton and delivery).

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Saturday night, May 20, 1939.

Last Sunday was Mother’s Day and there was a beautiful display of flowers in the church. The pastor gave us a Mother’s Day sermon. John and grace came in the afternoon and we had a nice visit around the fireplace. Monday in the garden, Tuesday painting ladders, tools, shovels, rakes, hoes, etc. - all just red. Red stands for danger, so folks won’t take mine. Wednesday makes history. The King and Queen of England landed at Québec in the morning. He is the first ruling sovereign that ever trod Canadian soil. Something doing sure. From Québec to Ottawa. The King sitting in the seat of the Canadian Federal Government. Tremendous ovations. Populists going wild. The King giving consent to legislative procedure, the Queen laying the cornerstone of a new legislative building. Today we fix things up ready to go and see the King and Queen.

May 27:. Flo and I went to church last Sunday morning and I went to the Baptist Church in the evening. John came out late and took us to Gordon’s Monday forenoon. The regal procession passed Gordon’s home, 522 St. Clair Avenue West, at six in the evening and we saw the royal pair going by in an open car. It was only a glimpse, as they were traveling 18 or 20 miles an hour but we were with the mob and saw the King and Queen. What of it? I’ve had a long time to think this matter over since the King went by and some of my thoughts have taken queer twists and shaped themselves into doggerel verse and I am going to insert it here, just for fun.

Old man, old man, where have you been, I’ve been to Toronto to see the Queen, Old man, old man, what did you do there, I saw the Queen and began to stare.

For she was pretty and clever and sweet, And she had the heart of the crowds at her feet, And while her clothes were a find a style, She wore with them a winsome smile.

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That caught the big crowds on the spot, And helped cheering along the lot, And if cheering could be sold by the yard, you bet, Toronto might have paid off her civic debt.

But I’ve been talking about the Queen, While the King himself was on the scene, And of course the King – is King, And so you must speak respectfully, whether or no,

And the King by right should be mentioned first, But the way I started got things reversed, And he smiles, of course, and his smiles are seen, But they don’t compare with the smiles of the Queen.

The Queen works the “keep smiling” business all day, But the King forgets and it fades away. And the King speaks slowly, in a way, But he has some clever things to say.

The Queen must look up the King to admire, Because the King is one foot higher. Be they long or short it is but fair, To say they are a comely pair, And judging by the way the people cheer, They are getting a royal welcome here.

Now I’ll tell you the strangest thing, I began comparing myself with a King, His parliament holds rule over his life, Nobody does that to me, but my wife.

He gets his living by right of birth, I scratch my note of Mother Earth. His meals cost eight dollars a plate, Mine comes about the ten-cent rate. I go to sleep when I lie down, But “uneasy rests the head that wears the crown”.

He is always watched when he goes on the sly, I’m not worth watching and so get by. He shakes hands till his fingers crack, And all I must do is just stand back.

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It sure is fine to be heir to a throne, But happy the man whose life is his own. And while he is pampered with pomp and pelf, I’d sooner be my own old self.

And the King would not trade places with me, And so both of us may happy be, And “comparisons are odious” and so, I beg the King’s pardon, though he may not know. And I’ll dismiss this whole blamed thing By shouting once more “God save the King”.

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Tuesday Effie took us up to her home and we came back to Gordon’s late in the evening. Wednesday Flo and I spent some time down in the St. Clair ravine and in the evening went to see a moving picture called “Stand Up And Fight”. Came home Thursday in Effie’s McLaughlin Buick, Gordon driving. Effie and Audrey came along for company. Friday working in the garden. Planted the tomatoes and tuberous begonias. Today John brought us up to the Crow’s Nest again and we will likely be here a week or more.

June 3:. I got up and went to Sunday School and Service at Keswick last Sunday. Mr. Serrick gave us a good message talking about the King and the King of Kings. I have been cutting grass and digging garden. Wednesday planted cucumbers, carrots, beets, onions, lettuce, and radish. Also seeded part of the garden with grass seed. Had a visit from Fred Flath and his daughter Mrs. Mahoney, also a call from Mr. and Mrs. Collins. John and Grace came in late tonight.

June 10:. I went to Keswick Church service last Sunday. Elder Morton was the preacher. He is visiting in the neighborhood. The former part of the week I was helping Mr. Hogg in his garden across the road from the boy’s lot. Saturday Gordon, Audrey, and John came up from Toronto and we have been prying up and underpinning the garage.

June 17:. Packed up and came home last Sunday, arriving before dark. The young folks went on to Toronto. The former part of the week I got the grass off the lawn, which looked more like a meadow that a lawn and planted some potatoes and corn in Boadway’s garden.

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Thursday morning I went to the 114th Christian Church Conference, held at Bloomington and have spent the latter part of the week there. The ladies of the church are feeding the crowds in the basement. Emerson Sanderson was ordained to the ministry yesterday.

June 24:. The last services of the Conference were held in the different churches last Sunday. There was no service in the Stouffville Christian Church so John took us to the Cemetery Decoration service in the

Page 38 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 afternoon. Rev. Smalley was the speaker. Monday evening Earl Tate took us to his home at Baker Hill where they were celebrating Arthur Houck’s birthday. Percy Puterbaugh and family from Vaughan, Harvey Houck and family from Cashel, Mr. and Mrs. Young from Stouffville and ourselves made up the crowd. Flo has been down to Cashel two nights and I have been keeping house, or perhaps it might be nearer the truth to say that the house has been keeping me.

July 1:. We went to three services last Sunday, twice to our own church and in the afternoon Mr. Vickers took us to the Church Hill Cemetery Decoration Day services where we saw a lot of old friends, living and remembered a lot of them, dead. Gordon was home during the day. I have been burning out, cleaning and painting a coal tar drum to be used as a rain barrel, also picking a lot of strawberries. Flo does them up and I expect to help her do them down in the winter. This is a holiday, so John came out last night bringing Art Rose with him and we came up to the Crow’s Nest again last evening and today we are mowing the lot, painting on the garage, etc. Rose has a girl up here and Flo has extra work putting up the grub stake for all of us. Whether the girl belongs up here or in Toronto is more than I know.

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Saturday night, July 8, 1939.

Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday morning and John and Rose went back to Toronto in the evening. We have been painting on the garage. Colors, silver gray trimmed with drab, old colors, blue – gray and black. The weather is excessively hot and I find it hard work to stand on a ladder and paint all day. Have planted late corn and beans in the garden here. Flo went to the post office and got the “Tribune” and quarterly cheques from Wright-Hargraves. Had a tremendous electrical, wind and rain storm last night. John came out this afternoon.

July 15:. Nobody went nowhere from our place last Sunday morning. Both of us were tired and we laid in and rested up until evening and then came back to Stouffville. Have been at the usual work in the garden, hoeing, watering, etc., trying to make the young plants live. Had a little rain yesterday for which we are thankful. Started putting the wood we cut in the spring into the wood house.

July 22:. Monday Gordon and Audrey came for some fruit and a little visit. Tuesday I finished getting in the wood, Wednesday we seeded the space where the wood killed the grass and taking some weeds out of the boulevard. Thursday picking Mrs. Helmkey’s cherries and our own berries and setting up the rain barrel. Friday the veterans held carnival and Street dance and Flo and I went down street to see it. We didn’t dance.

July 29:. Our pastor, Mr. Vickers, was married July 21 and is a way on his honeymoon, so Elder Morton did the preaching last Sunday. Gordon and Audrey came out on Monday and the four of us went to the “silent places” at Vivian for a picnic. Tuesday at the fruit again. Done up gooseberries, black, red and white currants and raspberries. Yum Yum for next winter. Wednesday

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Page 59 painting posts, digging up strawberry bed, etc. Thursday took us to Keswick, so we are roosting in the Crow’s Nest again. Yesterday Gordon got the boat out and the motor going and took us over the lake to Will Reid’s. In the afternoon the lake got rough and the motor damp, so it wouldn’t go, so we were there overnight and came home this forenoon.

August 5:. Gordon did some painting on the garage on Monday and I mowed the lawn and then we packed up and came home. The Baptist minister, Mr. McGregor, was ordained to the ministry in the Baptist Church here today. I attended the services in the afternoon and evening. The great (?) Dr. Shields preached in the evening. Flo bought a bag of sugar yesterday and I tried to carry it upstairs and found my knees would not lift it up the steps without my hand pulling on the banister. Do I call myself a man yet?

August 12:. Our preacher is back from a wedding trip to Manitoulin Island. He seems happy and preached us a good sermon. Monday was Civic Holiday. Flo and I were washing and John has been simonizing his car to go on some holidays. We were to the surprise party on Wednesday evening, given in honor of the bride and groom. There was a large crowd, a fine time and a lot of expensive presents. Have picked the remains of our strawberries, trimmed and tied up the young canes and dug between them.

August 19:. Effie intended taking us to Golden Valley on Tuesday but her car was undergoing repairs and we didn’t get there until Thursday evening. We started from Stouffville in good time Friday morning and got in about dusk. Today I have been looking at the improvements that have been going on since the cottage was built three and a half years ago.

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Starting from Stouffville, the in-between towns and villages are Ringwood, Ballantrae, Vivian, Holt, Sharon, Holland Landing, Bradford, Churchill, Stroud, Barrie, Orillia, Washago, Severn, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Huntsville, Novar, Emsdale, Burk’s Falls, Sundridge, Trout Creek, Commanda, Golden Valley, and Walter’s Camp. Striking No. 11 highway at the Landing we never leave it until we turned west at Trout Creek. The distance is over 200 miles.

August 26:. Last Sunday just seem to be an off Sunday. No Sunday School, no church service, no one to look at or shake hands with, just the lake on one side and the woods on the other. O solitude where are the charms that sages have seen in my face etc.

I started the week putting in ventilator screens under the cottage sills to keep it aired underneath, also inscribed a corner post with Effie’s name and planted it on the corner of her lot. After that logging and underbrushing along the lake shore.

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September 2:. Sunday is just another day to the natives here. It was just that to us last Sunday, but we didn’t work, we went to the head of the third lake to see a dam built in the woods, then over the second lake to see a big sawmill, and after that to Graham’s Island to see his nice house, built the same summer I built Effie’s cottage. Our cleaning up along the shore went for all of us and all of us meant myself, Flo, Effie and Marjorie the hired maid. Friday morning Graham brought us out to Walter’s Landing and we reached Stouffville by nightfall. Today fixing up things after two week absence. Paid taxes amounting to $65.87.

September 9:. We were back to church last Sunday. John was home. The veterans had a reunion in the park and they formed a parade in the front of our house and we had a good view of them from our verandah.

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War is going on, ships are being sunk, lives lost and property destroyed. A German army is in Poland, a French army in Germany and the English army are getting on the scene. Canada has made an official declaration that they are at war with Germany.

September 16:. There has been three days of rainy weather, and vegetation is thriving and the farmers are getting their fall wheat sown. The preacher and his wife were here for tea Wednesday evening. Thursday Vickers took Morton, Vague and I to Baldwin to help shingle the Christian Church. The temperature has been up to 80° again the latter part of the week. John came home today and we came up to Keswick. Gordon and Audrey were here.

September 23:. Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday. We had a nice visit with the three children and late Sunday evening John went back to Toronto. Gordon and Audrey went fishing Monday morning and then home. Serrick took me back to Baldwin and we finished shingling the church. We went to the Ladies Aid on Wednesday evening and I gave an address and called it “Thoughts About Thought” . I have been cleaning up the garden and digging it over. Fine days and cool nights.

September 30:. John brought us up from Keswick to Stouffville last Sunday evening so here we are again. Flo has been canning tomatoes, making juice, pickling things and I have been digging garden and potatoes and picking apples. We have had some much needed rain and slight frosts.

October 7:. Last Sunday was rally day and the services more especially for the young people. I have done a job for Williamson and brought home three bushels of Blenheims and three of Ontarios from Booth’s, at a cost of three dollars.

Hitler has taken Poland and wants peace now but he hasn’t got it yet.

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Saturday night October 14, 1939.

Our pastor was away last Sunday and Elder Morton did the preaching. A bolt of lightning put the lights out of business in this circuit on Sunday evening. I took Boadway’s orchard to pick for one third of the fruit and have finished the job and picked up a quantity of fallen apples for cider. Will Reid and Edna were here from Wednesday till Friday.

October 21:. There was a Harvest Home service last Sunday and the church was beautifully decorated. Clossen took the cider apples to Altona, and got twenty gallons of cider. We have boiled some of it down, gave some of it away and made sauce of the rest. Have been digging over the garden for winter between times.

October 28:. Rev. Smalley preached in the Christian Church last Sunday morning and general services were held in the United Church in favor of Foreign Missions. Rev. Banfield showed lantern slide scenes of Africa. I finished digging the garden and brought in a pile of leaves off the street for fertilizer. Also doing some work for Williamson. Have been over to Ringwood twice to hear the blind evangelist.

November 4:. Gordon has moved and they have a very fine home at No. 61 Pinewood Ave. He brought us down last Sunday and we have been visiting and doing chores all week. Wednesday had tea at George Bain’s. John brought us home today.

November 11:. Monday night the blind evangelist gave the story of his life and left carrying away eighty dollars. We bought half a quart of dry hardwood and I got some cedar out of the swamp and I have been cutting it up, also wrapping apples in the cellar. Hard frosts.

November 18:. Finished the apples and have filled up the wood space in the cellar with mixed wood. Flo has been working at the Young People’s bizarre, held in the Council Chambers yesterday. Started the furnace.

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Saturday night, November 25, 1939.

Flo and I went to Sunday School and church last Sunday morning and in the evening I went to the United Church. Gordon, Audrey and John came home after I went to church. Gordon has purchased a new Dodge car. Tuesday I had a visit from Harvey Houck who wants help in his house building operations. Friday making sauerkraut. Today Flo has been making bread and buns and pies and cakes. Looks as though somebody were coming. We have sent out our Christmas gifts and greetings to Worling in India and Tyler in China. Their photos hang on the walls of the church with the inscription “Our Missionaries”. The little old church at Ballantrae, where I was converted in November 1870, was burned this week.

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December 2:. Last Sunday was the 85th Anniversary of My Birthday and we celebrated with the children. It was fine to have them with us. Monday Gordon took us to Ballantrae for a drive and saw the remains of the church where I attended so long ago. They went home in the evening. Yesterday Flo and I went to Ringwood to see Mrs. Harvey Quantz. Russia has let loose her dogs of war on little Finland.

December 9:. We attended our own church last Sunday forenoon and in the afternoon took us to Bloomington Anniversary Services which were taken by the Rev. Mr. Scott of Toronto. Wednesday we went down to Harvey Houck’s and I laid floors until this evening when he brought us home.

December 16:. John and Grace came home late Sunday and we had a good visit. Got a new fire insurance policy of $3500 on the house and contents for a premium of $18.50. The Stouffville public treat for the children was given today. The junior band was playing and the streets crowded. Eight- hundred parcels were handed out by Santa Claus. Persons under ten were eligible but I didn’t qualify. The show was held in front of the Fire Hall.

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Saturday night, December 23, 1939.

Gordon and Audrey came up last Sunday and brought us home from church. Monday washing and doing chores. Tuesday it took me nearly all day to buy a turkey for Christmas. The streets were jammed at the Christmas market. Wednesday evening the Sunday School entertainment was held in the church. The programme was fine. Thursday I started to write the Quantz Family History for Harvey Houck. Flo is busy preparing for Christmas.

December 30:. Christmas Day we had Gordon and John with us and spent a happy day. Audrey went to her folks in Peterborough and came back this way and they went home by train on Friday. Mr. and Mrs. Morton and Mr. and Mrs. Vickers were in for tea Friday evening and we had a pleasant time.

December 31:. This is the closing day of the year and we will have to say Good Bye to it. We do it regretfully because it has been a good one to us.

When nothing whereon to lean remains, When strongholds crumble to dust, When nothing is sure but that God still reigns, That is just the time to trust.

‘Tis better to walk by faith than sight, In this path of yours and mine, And the pitch black night when there is no outer light Is the time for faith to shine.

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He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much, who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children, who has always looked for the best in others and given the best he had himself, whose life was an inspiration, whose memory a benediction.

Page 65 Happy New Year, 1940.

This is Monday, New Year’s Day and election day, the first election day there has been in Stouffville in three years. The Council consists of Weldon, Reeve; Brown, Russnell, Silverthorn and Holden, councellors. Holden is the only new man on the list.

This is the annual Week of Prayer. Tuesday the meeting was held in the Baptist Church, sermon by Vickers, Christian Church pastor; Wednesday, meeting in the Christian Church, sermon by Shantz, Mennonite Church pastor; Thursday, meeting in the Mennonite Church, sermon by Atkinson, United Church pastor; Friday, meeting in the United Church, sermon by McGregor, Baptist pastor. Good attendance and fine addresses. John was home on New Year’s Day.

January 13:. It was 12° below zero last Sunday but Flo and I went to church in the morning. Tuesday we had a Mr. Weaver, from Castor, Alberta, to see us. Clayton had asked him to call and he gave us a lot of news about Clayton and his doings. Wednesday evening Flo was entertaining and had Mrs. Helmkey, Mrs. Harper, Miss Power and Miss Valentine to tea and for the evening. The pastor opened a fortnightly prayer meeting and we went to Mrs. Hamilton’s, it being our first attendance. John came home today.

January 20:. We had John, Gordon, Audrey and Audrey’s Mother with us last Sunday. Sent a letter to Julia Bovair – or rather Pressen now – who is in a convalescent home in Gormley since the death of her husband by motor accident. The temperature has been around zero all week.

January 27:. Mrs. Sam Hoover died from a stroke last Sunday and was buried in Stouffville Cemetery on Wednesday. Thursday I went to Markham by train to attend the Markham Township Sunday school Convention. There was a large attendance and fine speeches by Rev. Orr of Melville, Atkinson of Stouffville, Medhurst, 2nd Baptist and Burkholder of Kitchener. Gordon and John came home tonight.

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Saturday night, February 3, 1940.

All the family were at church last Sunday for a wonder. Clossen’s house is in my care while they are in Florida and I have been seeing to it. We get up at eight o’clock to hear the newscast over the radio and go to bed at ten which gives us ten hours to sleep – when our conscience lets us sleep and the other

Page 44 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 fourteen hours are put in at random. Perhaps we will get through the winter all right as we are in the last winter month. Got a letter from John today with a lot of good advice in it.

February 10:. Flo and I attended church last Sunday and I taught Nora’s class in her absence. Mr. Robert Leslie of the Shaw store died in the morning from heart failure. He was buried in the Stouffville Cemetery on Tuesday. Atkinson and Mitchell took the service. Thursday’s Tribune says that Wesley Hill has taken to himself another wife in the person of Barbara Jane Piper. Friday evening Flo went to a concert given by the Stouffville Choral Society, held in the United Church, and I went to a prayer meeting at Jack McMullen’s, east end.

February 17:. Gordon, Audrey and John were home last Sunday and we had a good visit with them. John Buchan – otherwise Lord Tweedsmuir – Governor General of Canada, died yesterday from the effects of a fall. We are hearing about blizzards and snowstorms and blocked roads, some of them not so far away, while we in this district have fine, reasonably cold weather and about a foot of snow. Isn’t this a good place to live.

February 24:. We had a short visit from Donald Closson last Sunday. He is back from England after working on the Air Force there for some months. I am working in the shop for exercise. Started to build a snow shovel when the winter is nearly over. Went to Garfield Kellington’s on Wednesday. Friday evening we went to prayer meeting at Carpenter’s in the Christian parsonage.

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Friday was Ruth Bain’s wedding day. We were not in attendance. Below is an announcement copied from the Stouffville Tribune.

With pipe Major Williamson of the Black Watch in attendance to give the wedding a Scottish air, Miss Alberta Ruth Bain, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Bain, the Kingsway, and niece of Mrs. W A Quantz of Stouffville, was married to Lieut. Ian McLachlan of the Medical Corps attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wills McLachlan. The ceremony was performed by Rev. M. T. Newby in St. George’s Church, Islington. The bride has frequently visited at the home of her aunt here, it will be remembered by some of our people. – Tribune –

March 2:. John and Grace Ratcliffe were home last Sunday and we had a pleasant visit. Monday washing, Tuesday Flo got an invitation from Grace to go to Toronto and she went in with Glen. I am making pickets in the garage. I may build a picket fence on the west side of the garden if I live long enough.

March 9:. Gordon and Audrey came home last Sunday and stayed overnight. Tuesday Flo went to Collins to quilt. Friday went to Collins to a prayer meeting. I have been working at the pickets. John and Grace are here tonight.

March 16:. Tuesday evening the Church Hill people took the Endeavor Meeting and afterward the two churches gave the pastor and his wife a pantry shower. Large crowd and eats. The Russian – Finnish war

Page 45 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 is over. The Finnish people have fought bravely, but have been overpowered by numbers. A report says that 100,000 Russians have been frozen or killed and 1500 Finnish people have perished in the defense of their country.

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Saturday night, March 23, 1940.

Mrs. Sarah Hamilton was buried in Stouffville Cemetery last Sunday. She was 100 years old, lacking 15 days and Grandmother to the James Ratcliffe family. I have finished making pickets, helped Elder Morton saw some wood, and have a new job. Flo has bought a pattern rug that will probably take her a month to fill in and I am cutting rags for her. She has promised to board me for a week for my work until it is done. There has been two snowstorms and about six inches of snow fell and the high wind piled it up and blocked the roads. Even our local train was stranded between Goodwood and Uxbridge for five hours. We attended a Good Friday service at the Baptist Church. Cockburn, the Ringwood pastor, did the preaching.

March 30:. John came home and attended the Easter Services with us last Sunday. Gordon and Audrey also came home in the evening. Each of the boys brought their Mother an Easter Lily. People are digging themselves out of the snow and a lot of voters will not be able to get to the polls. Tuesday was Dominion Election Day and the Liberal Party are returned to power with a larger majority than they had before. Clossen’s are back from Florida where they have spent the winter.

April 6:. There was a Sacramental Service last Sunday morning. Flo and I attended both morning and evening services. The boys were not home. Rev. Dr. MacLeod of Formosa, started a series of Evangelical Services in the United Church Monday to last during the week. There has been a large attendance and wonderful preaching and singing. The snow is slowly melting and seeping into the ground.

April 13:. The McLeod services in the United Church ended last Sunday evening. John was home and took the preacher to Toronto. Flo is still working at her rug and I am still boarding with her and cutting rags. Effie paid us a visit

Page 69 on Wednesday. We had four inches of snow the latter part of the week and winter coats are still in use.

April 20:. We attended church last Sunday morning. The pastor is preaching a series of sermons from the book of Ruth and they are very interesting. Gordon and Audrey came out in the evening. We started the annual housekeeping operations and it seems like a tale that has often been told. Have been at it the greater part of the week.

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April 27:. John claims that Mother and I are working too hard to keep this big house in order and attend to the garden, so it was agreed upon that we make another effort to sell it. I have contacted a number of persons without effect. Have been building a picket fence on the west side of the garden. Gordon and Audrey have been to Peterborough to see her folks and came this way home and called on us.

May 4:. The house cleaning business is about ended and we bid farewell to it for a year without shedding any tears. Flo is about off her legs and I am too weak to carry her around. We have taken in five tons of coal, 2 1/2 of stove and 2 1/2 of nut at $12 per ton. Total cost including delivery $62.50. Hope we will be warm the winter.

May 11:. William E Spring died on Monday the 6th and we got word from there shortly after but were not able to go up. I am inserting the notice of his death as it appeared in the Stouffville Tribune.

W. A. Quantz Mourns the Loss of Brother-in-law” The death occurred at the Victoria Hospital in Barrie on May 6 of William E Spring in his 84th year. He was the son of Jacob and Anna Spring, who lived at Church Hill many years ago. On June 1881, the late WE Spring married Mary Jane Quantz, sister of WA Quantz of Stouffville. Three children and a number of grandchildren survive. At the date of their marriage they migrated to

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the Township of Tiny in the Elmvale district where he bought a farm and in which vicinity he spent his long life. He was buried in the Allenwood United Church Cemetery where he worshiped so long. Kindly hearted, unassuming and Christian living, he has run his course and passed on to be judged accordingly as his works shall be.

I have planted – or sown – carrots, parsnips, beets, peas, onions, beans, cabbage, spinach, peppers, etc.

May 18:. The pastor gave us the morning service last Sunday and in the evening Rev. Mr. Tyler, father of our one time pastor, gave us an account of his work in China. He and his wife are on furlough here. I went with them to Church Hill in the afternoon.

The trim paint on the house – cherry red – put on last summer did not stand up very well and I have been patching it up, or rather giving it another trim coat. It has an ivory colored body and red trim and looks very fine now. I have also painted Mrs. Helmkey’s verandah floors. The deacons held a business meeting in the church last night after which there was a supper and musical entertainment.

May 25:. We were to have gone to Keswick last Sunday but did not go, so we went to Bloomington with Mr. Morton and heard Pastor Cockburn preach. It has been a very wet week. I have planted the tomatoes and done a little work in the garden, but it has mostly been just keeping in out of the rain. John came home on Thursday and painted a little on the gables of the house.

June 1:. I went to church last Sunday and taught Nora’s class. In the afternoon John took us to Church Hill to Arthur Vaughan’s, but they were away. We saw their place but not them. Have been painting the

Page 47 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 seams between the cement blocks and second coating the windows. Wednesday I went with Elder Morton to the 50th Anniversary

Page 71 of the Whitchurch Township Sunday School Convention held at Vandorf. Thursday planted the tuberous begonias in front of the house. Friday working for May Mowder. Saturday finished the painting operations. How time flies. We will soon be to the longest day of the year.

June 8:. The war news are heart rending. There is continuous fighting on a large scale and Hitler is slowly crowding his way through France. The young people of the church have bought a new carpet for the pulpit platform and I have been putting up a railing to curtain off the choir. Pastor Vickers brought us to Keswick yesterday and I am putting in more garden here. John and Bob Rose came in tonight.

June 15:. Went to Sunday School and Church. Sermon by Serrick. In the evening John and Bob Rose brought us home. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I attended the Christian Church Conference being held at Altona. There was an ordination service yesterday and our pastor Mr. Vickers and a Mr. Stein from Kingston were ordained for the ministry. Did not go to the Conference today. Mr. Hunter, the president, has been with us overnight. Gordon and Audrey were here and have gone on to Keswick.

June 22:. We went to Altona last Sunday morning and heard a sermon by Arthur Greer, our one time pastor. There was a full house and a fine service. So the 114th Annual Conference services are over once more. The former part of the week I was helping Morton fix up his lawn. John came home this evening.

June 29:. We came up to Keswick last Sunday. There has been more rain and farmers have been unable to seed low-lying land and it is too late now for regular crops. John went back to Toronto Monday and is trying to get into war service. I finish the garden and visited Mr. Hamilton. We are looking for Gordon and Audrey.

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Saturday night, July 6, 1940.

Gordon came last Sunday and took us to Sutton for a drive. We went fishing Monday forenoon and in the afternoon he brought us back to Stouffville. The former part of the week I have been in the garden. Planted the last bare spot with corn – the third patch. Friday I went up to the 10th to help pastor Vickers with his garden. His wife went to the hospital to find him a daughter. John came home today.

July 13:. I went up to the Sunday School last Sunday and Flo and John came to the church service. In the afternoon the three of us went up to the “silent places” at Vivian and had a picnic supper and afterwards John went back to his work. I have been oiling the garage and woodshed roof’s. Flo got

Page 48 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 another cheque from Mildred’s estate for $100. All told, up to the present, we have received $1300 from it.

July 20:. We attended both services last Sunday. Had a fine sermon in the evening about the unruly tongue. Flo has finished up the long drawn out job of hooking a large rug. Tuesday had another heavy rain. Bad hay weather. Wednesday picking and snipping and doing up gooseberries. Thursday Vickers took us to Joe Martin’s, Church Hill, to an ice cream social in aid of the Red Cross. Friday more showers. A lot of heavy grain is going down in the farmers’ fields. Saturday slicking up the lawn for a shower party. More particulars later.

July 27:. In the evening service last Sunday we had a Danish singer and a religious moving picture show with scenes from the life of St. Paul. A very fine exhibition. Miss Virginia Boadway, our near neighbor, is to be married shortly and about sixty women met on our lawn Monday evening to give her a shower of housekeeping requirements. Wednesday afternoon I went with Vickers to Glenwood near Markham. It was the yearly picnic of the circuit Sunday Schools. There has been more rains.

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Saturday night, August 3, 1940.

The weather is very warm and farmers are cutting their wheat. Garfield Kellington was cutting the Sangster field on Wednesday and I went over and helped shock it up. Got an ice cream cone for doing it. The fruit is ripening very fast and we have been picking it and storing it up for winter.

August 10:. Monday was Civic Holiday and people are not supposed to work on that day, but Flo and I did the washing. Tuesday I was moping around the streets and Closson told me to get in his car and I got in. He was delivering onions and he took me to Toronto to Loblaw’s and the A&P wholesale houses. Quite an outing for me and I didn’t have dress-up. Wednesday afternoon is Stouffville’s half holiday, but it doesn’t matter much to a man who gets so many holidays. Thursday I was over at Mill Street where Robert Burnett is building two new houses, and he gave me some cedar posts for digging them out. More wood. Friday Douglas Booth’s son took me down to Mongolia to build a grain bin for him. In the evening the newlywed Malloy – Boadway couple’s reception was held on our lawn. Ninety people were in attendance. They were married by Pastor Atkinson in the United Church. John is home.

August 17:. John brought us to Keswick last Sunday. The weather has been mostly fine and we are enjoying ourselves. C. E. Fockler – long ago pastor at Church Hill – lives next to us in a garage and we have been visiting together. I have spent a portion of the week copying “a Study of the Great Commandment”, for Charlie Anderson. Closson’s came from Stouffville today to spend the weekend with us.

August 24:. The Clossons and Quantzs went to the Keswick Sunday School and Services last Sunday and the visitors went home in the evening. Monday was the first of the three registration days for all Canada. Every person

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Page 74 over 16 years of age must report or suffer a heavy penalty. Mr. Fockler, being one of the helping registrars, came to our place before we went to the booth and wrote our registration cards. I have finished the garden work, mowed the lawn and fix the gate way entrance. Got the Tribune from Stouffville and a card from Gordon saying he would call for us Monday or Tuesday.

August 31:. To Sunday School and Service last Sunday. Heard Serrick preach and Mr. Anderson brought us home and got the writing I had prepared for him. Tuesday Gordon called for us on his way from Dunchurch, Muskoka where they have been holidaying. Shortly after he came, Edgar Quantz and family, from Kirkland Lake, drove in. All of us drove to Stouffville, afterwards they went to Toronto. Edgar’s are attending the Exhibition. Monday was Labor Day except for the colored people singing in the arena, afternoon and evening. They are here in the interests of the Mennonite Church and have had audiences up to 1000 people. There has been a number of conversions.

September 7:. The Veteran’s Association had a large gathering in the park last Sunday at 3 PM. Edgar’s were with us Saturday night and started home Sunday. I have dug the potatoes and put them in the cellar and have started my fall ploughing with a long handled shovel. The annual flower show was held in the arena on Tuesday. Gordon and John brought us back to Keswick tonight.

September 14:. We have settled down in the Crow’s Nest again and no one got up last Sunday to go to church. I have been condensing my diary for insertion in the medium book. Yesterday Will Reid came over the lake from Lefroy on a big excursion boat that he was running for another man, and took us over. This forenoon they brought us back and this evening John came from Toronto.

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Saturday night, September 21, 1940.

We came back to Stouffville last Sunday, and have come to the conclusion that it is a very nice place. I have been working in the garden and for R. Burnett. Had a visit from George Baxter and Maggie. The war is in the air for the most part. England is being heavily bombed and is giving it back.

September 28:. I have been looking around for apples. Went to Altona with Morton who is also looking for some to ship to Manitoulin. They are a poor crop and inferior quality. I have bought some Blenheims from Booth and a tree of Spies from Stouffer.

October 5:. We entertained John, Grace Ratcliff and her sister Marion last Sunday. Flo has put $1000 into war bonds payable in ‘52, with interest at 3% payable semi-annually.

October 12:. We had visitors last Sunday in the persons of Mr. and Mrs. Griffiths of Toronto. Before her marriage she was Grace Brubaker who used to visit us with Ruth Amoss. Tuesday I patched Red Forsyth’s roof. Wednesday we went to Newmarket where Allan Clossen took Jim Thomas to the barracks

Page 50 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 to undergo his first training course, afterwards he landed us at Gordon’s door in Toronto. Thursday John drove us from 61 Pinewood Ave., to 203 Parkside Dr. where Gordon has rented a large house and is moving in. From there we went to the Western Hospital to see Edna who has underwent a critical operation and will be confined there for some time. John came for us last evening and took us up to his boarding place and this evening to see Edna again, and left us at Bain’s, 97 Kingsway.

October 19:. We spent Sunday at Bain’s. Flo and I took a long walk in the afternoon. It seems lonesome not getting to church at least once on Sunday. Effie brought us home on Monday. Have picked and brought home the apples from Stouffer’s. Got twelve bushels for $6.00 but

Page 76 a lot of them are culls. Taking vegetables out of the garden the latter part of the week. Have had three nights frost.

October 26:. John has been up to Keswick and closed up the garage and brought home the vegetables out of the garden. Managed to wash on Monday although Flo is quite unwell. The work of the week has been getting in leaves for a mulch pile, picking apples for Garfield Kellington and digging apple tree stumps out of Stouffer’s orchard for wood. Farmers have a lot of grain in the shock yet on account of the excessive wet weather.

November 2:. There was a mass meeting in the United Church last Sunday and Vickers did the preaching. Afterwards there was moving pictures of Bible scenes. John was home. I did some more stump digging, finished my compost heap and garden digging, cleaned the eaves troughs, etc.

November 9:. We went to the United Church Anniversary Service last Sunday evening. Mr. Cockburn, of Toronto, was the speaker. I have managed to worry out the rest of the stumps at Stouffer’s during the week. Just finished this afternoon and felt quite relieved. Believe me, digging out green apple tree stumps and splitting them up is no child’s play. I have also carried a lot of dry wood into the cellar, so no one need go outdoors until spring unless they want to.

November 16:. I taught Nora’s class last Sunday morning and went to Church Hill in the afternoon. Monday was Armistice Day anniversary. I wonder when the next armistice will be here and if the Hun will be let go free as easily as before to make preparation for the third war. I have been helping Elder Morton saw a large tree at Mrs. Latchford’s and he gave me a portion of the wood. Two inches snow fell this evening.

November 23:. John came home last Saturday evening and the three of us went to church Sunday morning. Morton and I have been exchanging work and sawing up the wood he got at Latchford’s. We had supper and a visit at Morton’s Wednesday evening.

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Friday evening there was a musical entertainment put on by the young people of the church.

November 30:. Gordon and John came out last Sunday in honor of my birthday and we had a chicken dinner and a good visit. On Tuesday – my real birthday – we had the Vickers family, Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Hamilton in for tea. I am 86 years old and going strong yet. Stouffer drew my stumps down for me and I got them into the garage, and then there was six inches of snowfall. I can work at them in any kind of weather now. Thursday was sauerkraut day and we filled the little barrel again so we can have a little in case of sickness. Clossons are on their way to Florida.

December 7:. I had to get up last Sunday morning and do a lot of snow shoveling before I went to church. There is a foot of snow. The weather has been down to zero and the roads blocked in places. I have finished the wood, it is ready for the stove when it gets dry. Have had a lot of fun busting it up, but seem willing to forgo the pleasure now. There is about two cords, with an estimated value of $12. John is home and we are having a good visit with him.

December 14:. To Sunday School and Service last Sunday. Had the “Who is My Neighbor” lesson and paid in $.86 as a birthday offering. Tuesday the Collins and Quantzs were invited to supper at Nora Stapleton’s. High class people and entertainment. My outside work is done now and I appreciate the privilege of staying in out of the cold if I wish. Flo says if I am not reading, I am writing, and if I am not writing I am reading. Of course I try to find a little time out of it to sleep, and I do sleep a little, sometimes in bed and sometimes in the rocking chair.

December 21:. Gordon and Audrey were here last Sunday for a short visit. We have had letters from Jake and Ed and have answered them. Ed’s address, at the present time, is Franchere, Alberta, where he is still teaching.

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Jake and Sophy are putting in the winter at Victoria where they go so often. Friday was Stouffville’s Christmas Market day, and I bought a goose. We are sending out Christmas greetings by the score.

December 28:. Monday evening we attended the Sunday School Christmas entertainment. The weather is mild and Christmas was an ideal sunny day. We expected to have Christmas at home but Gordon wanted it there, so John took us down and Audrey brought us back on Thursday. Just the Emerys and the Quantzs were in attendance.

December 30:. This is the last day of the year, but not Saturday. John was home on Sunday and all of us went to church service. Monday Flo and I put out a big washing, so we expect to start the new year with clean clothes. We wish they would stay clean all year so we wouldn’t have to wash. Possibly Flo’s might but I don’t think mine would. Tuesday I did some carpenter work for Mrs. Helmkey and Flo did her

Page 52 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 ironing. And then we went to bed and slept the old year out and the New Year in, and everything looked about the same in the morning as they had the night before.

1941 – Happy New Year – 1941.

The New Year is here, the old one has passed. Whatever it held of good or evil, is now woven into the pattern of life. We cannot recall one unkind word, nor trace one foolish step. They are woven into our web of life and wound upon the beam of time. We may remember and regret some of the threads of selfishness and the lines of indifference, but we cannot remove them for they are now a lasting part of the web. We may search with remorse for a thread of human kindness, we may look in vain for a touch of love and beauty to give color to the web, but if we did not weave them into our gleanings of the year we cannot add them now, for the year is gone.

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But if another year comes it may offer us fresh strands of hope, and we may be able to weave a more lovely pattern, with less of the grey of care and purple of pain, and add more of the gold of truth, and the blue of trust, and the white of faith. Let us try to focus on the beautiful instead of the ugly, on harmony instead of discord. And let us try to remember and ponder the question, “What will our web of life look like when it is unrolled in the light of “Eternity”.

The Ending. – Ecclesiastes 7:8 Give me a day with its son in the West, And hear what it has to say. Give me the year as it near if it’s rest, On the glow of a winter’s day. Give me a life where the path is unrolled To the shores of God’s limitless sea. For the end is the test, and the tale that is told Be it written in grayness of silver or gold, Is the tale of “Eternity”.

January 4:. I have written “Happy New Year”, and I wish it heartily to all, but it doesn’t seem very cheerful or happy in our own home just now, because the good lady of the house has had an attack of the grip and is in bed, and the other inmate of the home is neither a good housekeeper or nurse, and we are just floundering along. John came home this afternoon, so we will have good company over the weekend.

January 11:. It has been a long time since we have spent a Sunday without anyone going to church, but the grip has been in the house and a lot of people seem to be afraid of it, so we didn’t go last Sunday.

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This has been the annual Week of Prayer and I have attended all the services. Monday evening services in the Baptist Church, sermon by Rev. W. E. Smalley,

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Tuesday in the Christian Church, sermon by Rev. D. McGregor, Wednesday in the Mennonite Church, sermon by Rev. L. Atkinson, Thursday in the Presbyterian Church, sermon by Rev. R. K. Vickers and Friday in the United Church, sermon by Rev. DeCourcy Raynor. The attendance was large and the sermons excellent. Two collections were taken during the week and after the expenses for printing etc. were paid, over $100 was sent to the War Victims Fund being collected by the Telegram paper. Up to the present time that fund has gathered over $250,000 to be used expressly for the benefit of war victims.

January 18:. We have had a lot of cold weather and icy roads during the week, but Flo and I have got along fine – in the house. Our work consists mainly of getting the meals and stoking the furnace. Most of that work is Flo’s but I help her occasionally. I suppose people, as a rule, are disappointed when they have been looking for something and don’t get it. I have been expecting to get the grip and haven’t got it yet, but I am trying to be as cheerful as possible under the circumstances. John came home this evening.

January 25:. There was a cold north wind last Sunday, and the sidewalk was slippery. Flo and I got to church but the attendance was small. Some people have to go half a mile or more to church sometimes, and it seems difficult, but the people who go skiing from Toronto to Huntsville and other places, seem to get there all right. I wonder if there will be any skiing in heaven. According to accounts there won’t be any at the other place.

Fred – otherwise Griffy – Johnson, Stouffville’s odd park resident, put two bullets into his own chest and died from the effects of it. Thursday the Markham Township Sunday School Convention met at Victoria Square. I did not get there and was disappointed. John bought his Mother another hundred shares of Wright-Hargrave mining stock at $6.50 per share. Seems like taking chances at the peak of war.

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Saturday night, February 1, 1941.

Flo and I were to Sunday School and Service last Sunday, and in the evening Gordon and John came to see us. Monday I was making calls on some of the old people. Wednesday we had a letter from Edna. Will is catching herring and they intend sending us some, so we are waiting for them.

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The war news are not as alarming in the sense of destruction by bombing operations. On the other hand some people who ought to know, think that it is the lull before the storm and that Hitler is preparing to invade England when the weather becomes more favorable in the spring opens.

February 8:. John came home on Sunday and brought a Mr. McLean with him. He is a lumber dealer and a businessman of Toronto, quite witty and a good storyteller. Tuesday Flo made some pigs in blankets and we had Mr. and Mrs. Morton in for dinner and the evening. Had a pleasant time telling yarns around the fireplace. I know of some people who have taken down their radios and put them away so they could not hear the war news, but ours is up yet. We “listen in” and try not to get “het up”. The announcer said today that the war was costing England $42,000,000 a day now. Where does it come from? It is cold getting out of the warm bed these mornings but my wife usually lights the fire. I am like the sympathetic husband who couldn’t bear to see his wife get up first so he turned his face to the wall. He is related to the man who couldn’t bear to see a woman standing up in a streetcar so he shut his eyes.

February 15:. A lot of roads were snowbound last Sunday and there was a very small attendance at church. I have shoveled out our side entrance so that if any of our rich relatives come to see us, they could get into our yard. Wednesday a plane from Brantford flew over Stouffville at a low altitude and parked in Brillinger’s field. The pilot lost his way in the fog and ran out of fuel. Thursday morning the school children were let out, and nearly everybody else came out without being let,

Page 82 and Brillinger’s field looked like a fall fair until the plane took off again about four o’clock. It was a twin- engine bomber with a sixty foot wing spread and it looks quite big to a lot of small people like me. Yesterday Morton and I went to see Sam Hoover, the blind man. Today I got a letter from Allan Closson saying they were coming home and he wanted me to start the furnace and shovel the entrance into the house.

February 22:. John came home Sunday. He is having a slight attack of grip and didn’t go back to work until Tuesday. Clossons arrived home Tuesday. They – Allen and Donald – the son brought Mrs. Closson from Palm Beach, Florida, in their trailer. She is quite helpless and cannot live much longer. The war bombing business has gone into a decline but is not dead yet. England seems to be doing the greater part of it at the present time. To Collins’ today, Mrs. Collins has been bedfast for some time, threatened with pneumonia.

March 1:. Flo and I have started a new industry, we are taking in washing. Of course we are starting on a small scale and do not know, as yet, how large the business may grow or how long we may work at it, but the fact remains we have started. Homes have been supported that way in the past. That boy John, has paid three dollars for a subscription to the “Reader’s Digest” and sent it, as at present, to his Mother. I have never been interested to any great extent, in the Digest before, but I am finding out that it deals with a multiplicity of subjects in an excellent way. I am getting interested in it. Flo has spent two

Page 55 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 days on a ladies aid quilt. Yesterday was the last day of February, the last day of the last winter month. The days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger. The sun’s rays are eating holes in the South sides of the snow banks. And yet, nearly all week, the weather has not been very much above zero. However, we have the greater part of March to deal with yet and shouldn’t expect too much.

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Saturday night, March 8, 1941.

Nora is fully engaged taking care of Mrs. Clossen so I taught her class last Sunday. Mrs. Clossen died Monday morning at 2 o’clock. Wednesday she was laid to rest in the Stouffville Cemetery. She was in her 53 year. R. K. Vickers conducted the services assisted by Elder Morton. Monday the 10th was Brother Ed’s birthday and I had a letter from him. He is 75 years old and still teaching but he intends retiring on pension in June. The latter part of the week I have been doing odd jobs. Had another serious talk with Ed Walls and was glad of it. Today we are getting a March blizzard. If you were to look through the hip-roof house on Lot 9, Main Street, Stouffville, you would see a white-haired old lady knitting soldier socks and an old man trying to write in his diary.

March 15:. Nora taught her own class last Sunday and the preacher gave us a good sermon from the text “What in the world am I going to do for Heaven’s sake”. Last Sunday was Gordon’s birthday and he and John were home. The weather is very cold again and a lot of snow has fallen. There has been high winds and the snow has been drifting freely. Some country roads are completely blocked. In northern sections 30 lives have been lost by exposure.

March 22:. War. President Roosevelt’s lease-land law has been passed and has put heart into the British. The sum of $7,000,000,000 is an enormous amount of money to be spent principally for assisting other nations and the Americans say it will be forthcoming if it is needed. In the meantime both countries are suffering greatly from air attacks.

Just after we got to bed last night we were surprised to hear John driving in. He has been here all day and has kept things stirred up and his Mom and Dad in good humor. The snow is gradually melting away.

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Saturday night, March 29, 1941.

Wendell Wilkie, the unsuccessful presidential candidate for the United States, and his wife, paid Toronto a visit and Monday evening 16,000 people listened to him speak in the Maple Leaf Gardens. King, Hepburn and others made speeches. The authorities are planning to raise 5½ million dollars in a campaign to be put on immediately. I asked Flo what I had been doing this week, and she sort of grinned

Page 56 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 but didn’t tell me. I have been moking around the village seeing what was going on and telling people what they ought to do but not expecting them to do it.

War. Hitler has been trying to make the Slavs sign on the dotted line and some of their government authorities agreed but it created a rebellion, and they are trying to set up a new government that will defy him. I hope they succeed.

April 5:. I have been cutting and getting in two dead trees off Holden’s boulevard. They were good and tough but I got them ready for the stove during the week. Flo and I have started housecleaning, so it must be spring. We waited for the robins before we started. Tuesday was April Fools’ Day. I don’t know whether that makes any difference to the work but I think the women do a lot of foolish things in the process. We received a letter from Edna containing special news to the effect that “William Walter Reed, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Reid of Lefroy, was married to Zina Augusta Davis of Guilford”. The date was March 22nd and the officiating minister Rev. G. Berner of Churchill, Township of Innisfil.

War. The United States authorities have seized some German and Italian ships illegally harboring in their ports and arrested some of the crews for scuttling and burning some of the ships. Hitler is howling like a hungry wolf but it hasn’t got him anywhere.

April 12:. Last Sunday morning we attended church and Gordon and Audrey came at noon and after dinner all of us got into Gordon’s big Dodge and went up to the “Silent Places”

Page 85 at Vivian, not for a picnic, but to see if we could get some maple syrup. They went home in the evening. Flo has been working at the house cleaning with a little help from me over the hard places. I have planted a strawberry bed and carted in a lot of sand off the road for use in the garden. Yesterday was Good Friday and I attended two church services.

War. Hitler’s armies have invaded Slovakia and Greece and are making it hot for the Greeks and English. It is rumored that the English lost 4000 men in a series of battles. No account of the losses of Germans or Italians. Germany is being heavily bombed bombarded by the R. A. F.

April 19:. We had a large congregation, a special collection and a communion service on Easter Sunday. Monday Flo and I were working in the cellar. Flo thinks the cellar belongs to the house and every hole and corner must be gone through. Good thing this business only comes once a year. However the house cleaning is getting on and the garden dug and fertilized. Gordon and John came home yesterday. Today they have been working hard in part of the upstairs and the kitchen walls and ceiling are shining like nigger’s heel.

War. Hitler’s army seems to be making some progress but their heavy equipment is bogging down some places and the R. A. F. is harrowing them from the air. The Slovak’s and Greeks are standing up to them fine.

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April 26:. Audrey came out last Sunday and took the boys home. Flo and I have been painting. Monday I was up to Church Hill with Percy Tarr to see brother John’s headstone. There was not a proper foundation put under it and it is going out of plumb, and will have to be re-foundationed. A man dressed in a soldier suit came to our door Friday afternoon and told us his name was Paxton. He proved to be Ed’s son-in-law, Minnie’s husband from Innisfail, Alberta. He is located at camp

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Camp Borden at present and come from there to spend the weekend with us. Today I have been roaming around the village with him. John is home tonight.

War. Hitler has overcome the small Slovak Army and gone to the Greek frontier and is being faced by the Greeks and English. It is estimated that he has lost 50,000 men in the mountain passes of Greece.

May 3:. We have had a good visit with Paxton and John. The four of us went to church last Sunday and John took Paxton to Toronto in the evening. He was due on his job Monday morning and went back to Camp Borden by the night train. Housecleaning, planting early vegetables, painting, etc. John came home last night and is painting today.

War. After the Greeks and English had gained the mastery over the Italians in Greece, Hitler’s army has stepped in and driven those armies out and taken over the country. The English have withdrawn leaving a portion of their army as prisoners and losing a lot of equipment.

May 10:. John went home early last Sunday and Effie came out to see us. Flo had a good visit with her. I have all the garden planted now with the exception of a little late planting. Wednesday did some gardening for Mrs. Hamilton, also taking dandelions out of the boulevard. Thursday patching the front verandah roof. The weather has been colder and there has been frost in some districts. Received word from John, they – including Gordon and Audrey – were going to the lake for the weekend.

War. The war seems to be spreading all over the Eastern countries. There are armies fighting in Iraq, Ethiopia and Palestine. The total in shipping losses has been tremendous, both sides losing several ships recently. Small towns in England have been blown to fragments.

May 17:. Last Sunday was Mother’s Day and the sermon was in keeping with the day. In the evening I went with

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Elder Morton to Baldwin and when I came home I found Gordon and Audrey with Flo. Monday and Tuesday at the verandahs, both front and sides. Have given the roofs two coats of oil. Flo went to Toronto on Thursday, intending to do some shopping and have a visit with Effie, also to see Ruth’s baby. I have planted potatoes in Closson’s garden, some for him and some for myself and have helped A.

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Graham out with his garden as he is quite crippled up. John brought his Mother home today so I have lost my housekeeping job.

War. I expect to teach Nora’s class on Sunday and the lesson is the story of Saul’s conversion on his way to Damascus. The war has extended to that 2000 year old city in Syria and the news told us that the Royal Air Force bombed Hitler’s forces after he invaded the city.

May 24:. I taught Nora’s class last Sunday, and both Flo and I were at the after services. Heard that Pastor Vickers was going to leave us, which was quite a surprise. He is going over to the United Church and they are sending him out west. I have been doing small jobs, such as painting verandah floors, varnishing in the house, etc. The weather is dry and hot and I keep watering the garden to help the small seeds get their toes in. I have hilled up the early potatoes, also helped preacher Brown plant his potatoes. He is the newly installed pastor of the Bloomington district and a resident of Stouffville now. He is also Irish and needs potatoes. He came from Little Britain, and is taking the place of Pastor Cockburn, lately resigned. We were surprised to see Gordon’s car coming in early this morning. Gordon, John, Audrey and Eileen were on their way to Keswick and come this way to see how we were faring.

May 31:. As usual Flo and I were at Sunday School last Sunday morning. The pastor preached us a “Never-the-less” sermon [something missing??] three texts. We wonder greatly sometimes at the terrible

Page 88 things that are happening, nevertheless, they work for our good if we think of them rightly and receive them in the right spirit. Tuesday afternoon I went to Church Hill to the Whitchurch Township Sunday School Convention with Elder Morton. There was a fair attendance for the first day’s proceedings. I saw a lot of the old Sunday School workers and revived old acquaintances. Had supper at Mr. Lageer’s and came home after the evening services. Flo and I both went to Church Hill on Wednesday. There was three sessions during the day. Had dinner at Albert Clark’s and supper at Herb Pegg’s. There was singing by the Ratcliffe Quartette. Convention closed by a very fine address by Rev. Atkinson. Working in the garden the latter part of the week. Planted the Gladiola bulbs and some Carnation plants, thus finishing the flower bed in the front of the garden.

War. The war centre has recently been in the island of Crete, in the Mediterranean. The English Navy has bombarded the Nazi troops coming in by water and drowned 5000 of them and yet they are getting in by plane and otherwise. It will likely be a fight to the death because there is no immediate retreat.

June 7:. We attended church last Sunday morning and after dinner we packed our grub and other effects and drove to Keswick where we will likely hang out over the week. I have mowed the lawn, which has been enlarged, hoed the garden and read a book. Flo has found some housecleaning to do which makes her more contented. There has been, and still is, tremendous forest fires raging in Québec and northern Ontario. The atmosphere here, hundreds of miles away, is blue with smoke, and likely will be until heavy

Page 59 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 rains come, and I suppose thousands of people are praying for that. I brought my intermediate memorandum book when we came and I am transposing from my diary into it. I have a table on the lawn and a cushion on a chair and there you are.

June 14:. Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday at Keswick and when we came out of church Gordon, John and Eileen were there waiting for us. After supper we came

Page 89 to Stouffville. Audrey was at Peterborough and came around by train and went home with them. Flo and I have both taken lame backs during the week. Mine has a kink in it and I get out of plumb, it lets me down. That is one way of keeping a man straight. Conference convened at Newmarket this week. I was appointed by the executive board to give the report on the ministry, so I went up on Thursday, read my report, saw a lot of my old friends of long ago and enjoyed myself very much. It was the 116th Conference of the Christian Church in Canada. I remember being there in 1877 and have attended a lot of the sessions since.

War. There seems to be a cessation of heavy fighting at the present time. Another 32,000 recruits have been called for and a $6,000,000 loan. Canadians are getting overseas and into the front lines. The Government haven’t called for me yet. Perhaps they think I am too old or something.

June 21:. We had heavy showers last Sunday and it is going into the thirsty ground and doing a lot of good. It was Conference Sunday and there was a preacher sent to Stouffville from Conference, but there was a heavy downpour at the service hour and a small attendance. John was home. I have been painting the verandah and garage roofs again and picking the strawberries.

War. Toronto had “blackout” Wednesday night affecting 800,000 people in and around Toronto. It lasted fifteen minutes. I suppose they will be “all set” now, if, and when Hitler’s airmen comes. There was two cases of breaking the law, one of a man smoking a cigar, and another of a small boy snapping a flashlight on and off.

June 28:. Flo and I were to Sunday School and Service last Sunday morning, to the Stouffville Cemetery Decoration in the afternoon and back to our church at night. McGregor, the Baptist minister, took the Decoration Services and Vickers preached his farewell sermon in the evening. He is going to Kelvington, Saskatchewan. I finished painting the roofs the former part of the week and Flo is going to put me

Page 90 and my clothes through the wash next washday to take the red out of us. We had Greer and his wife and two babies for a visit on Wednesday. Thursday dug up the old strawberry bed. The temperature has been over 90. The latter part of the week I didn’t earn my salt. The cold I caught gave me a sore throat. I

Page 60 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 seem to be all twisted up inside and my head is dizzy and my legs are wobbly and I would rather sit down than stand and lay down than sit, and do nothing than work.

War. The Germans and Russians are at war now. Hitler’s demands on Russia could not be met, so he invaded their country and now millions of men are fighting over a thousand mile front. What has possessed Hitler is hard to say unless he is running out of supplies which can only be obtained in that direction.

July 5:. John and Eileen came from Toronto last Sunday and in the evening we all piled into the car and landed at Keswick after dark. I attended service on Sunday. Eileen went back to Toronto in the evening but John stayed over the holiday. Monday there was heavy showers at Keswick but not in Stouffville. Dominion Day we were fishing – but no fish – caring for the garden and transplanting a walnut tree. Thursday I was up to R. Hamilton’s on a visit.

War. The weight of the war centres here and there along the Russian frontiers. The Germans are making some headway in spite of stiff resistance and heavy losses. The R. A. F. are taking a heavy toll in German ports and the German planes are coming down two to one of the English.

July 12:. The Keswick service was taken by Elder Morton and Serrick is preaching in Stouffville. John came from Toronto after dinner and brought us home in the evening. I suppose we ought to be rested up, but I don’t know. I have a new contract in my hands, namely, painting the garage. It was painted buff and leather brown quite a few years ago and now it will be dark gray and light green for a change. I fell off the ladder today and shook myself up

Page 91 and painted part of myself instead of the garage.

July 19:. We had a heavy rain on Wednesday. It was much needed and we are accordingly thankful. Gordon, Audrey, John and some friends are going on their holidays this weekend. Flo has a lame back and is going to Mrs. Radcliffe, the chiropractor, for treatments. I don’t know whether I will have a made- over wife when she is through, or not, but I am like the Scotchman, “I hae’ mah’ doots”. The weather is cool.

War. The latest news from the war zone are rather favorable to the Russians. The weight of the war is on Russian territory. The Germans say it is going according to their schedule, the Russians say they are lying, so what? Whatever gains the Germans are making appears to be done at heavy cost to themselves. Evidently Hitler has complicated his affairs by invading Russia. However, it is giving England time to recruit and they are making good use of it.

July 26:. Last Sunday was a beautiful day. I was at church three times. A Mr. Kerr, from Toronto, did the preaching. He and his father were here for dinner and I went to Church Hill with them in the afternoon. We had Mr. Feasby and his wife from Toronto here on Tuesday. They were hunting updates and a

Page 61 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 tombstone for Minnie Helmkey, wife of Bradford Paisley, late of Mount Albert. I suppose they are the executors of the estate. I picked three boxes of strawberries on Thursday and sold them for $.38 so my financial outlook is above par. I am in need of some articles of use to me and the amount will tide me over for the time being. Pay your way and prove your character. Weather insufferably hot, up in the nineties. Rain – playing hide and go seek in the clouds. Vegetation – gasping for breath and leaning away from Old Sol. Prospects for grub not too good, but better than in some of the countries that Hitler has been through.

War. The war talk now centres around Indo-China wherever that is. The Japanese are crowding in there, evidently

Page 92 intending to create air bases, possibly to the advantage of the Nazis. It is just possible that they may come to grips with the Americans about it in the near future but that remains to be seen.

August 2:. Mr. Closson drove us to Keswick last Sunday and we are here once more among the throng of pleasure seekers. We tried to fix up the lawn first and had our troubles because the old lawnmower has gone on strike. It is like me, too old to do much. We have also tried to patch up the garden after the drought. John has been talking about cleaning up the rustic fence around the lot, so we are working at it, if you can believe me, it is some job.

War. One of the largest convoys that has crossed the seas yet has arrived safely in England. It carried $400,000,000 worth of weapons, ammunition, and foodstuffs, and a large number of flyers and troops were in the convoy. Canada has paid twp billion dollars war, which is between thirty-five and forty percent of the national income.

August 9:. Last Sunday we had a surprise. Somebody knocked at the door and in walked Will Reid, Edna, Clayton and his new wife and one of Evelyn’s little girls. They came across the lake in Will’s motorboat and went back in the evening. Have been working at the fence and finished it yesterday. Percy Brillinger and wife were in to see us. They are looking for a cheap lot.

War. The German armies are making some headway in Russia, although at a much slower pace than expected. The Russians are conducting a guerrilla warfare that is causing the Germans a lot of trouble. They have changed their commanding officers because they are not satisfied with the progress of the war.

August 16:. John brought us home last Sunday so we are in the old nest again and carrying on the old routine. Working at the painting part of the time. Yesterday was Flo’s birthday. I remembered it this year and surprised her when I wished her many happy returns in the morning. We had a bigger

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Page 93 surprise in the afternoon when John, Gordon and Audrey walked in on us. They came to celebrate and we had a happy time together. Flo is 72 years old.

War. The war news are so complicated and far-reaching that unless you study them carefully – which I do not – they resolve themselves into a mess. The weight of the fighting is still in Russia and while the Nazis are making some headway the Russians are resisting stoutly and losses on both sides are heavy.

August 23:. I finished painting the garage on Tuesday and suits me pretty well. It was painted before in 1936, and if it stands as well this time as it did before, it is likely I will not have to do it again. I don’t expect to stay here that long. Premier King has gone to England to confer with the English authorities and gather information about the war at first hand. The farmers have had a difficult time getting in the harvest on account of the shortage of labor but the weather has favored them lately and it is nearly all in now.

War. Churchill and Roosevelt’s eight points, to come into effect at the conclusion of the war.

1. No aggrandizement. 2. No territorial changes imposed by force. 3. Restoration of sovereign rights to those who have been deprived of them by force. 4. Equal enjoyment by all nations of world trade and raw materials needed for prosperity. 5. Improved labor standards, economical advancement and social security for all. 6. A peace assuring safety and tranquility the world over. 7. Freedom of the seas to all. 8. - Abandonment by all nations of the use of force and disarmament of aggressive nations, pending the establishment of general security. These articles were worked out secretly on the sea by the above mentioned authorities.

August 30:. John came from Toronto last night and brought us to Keswick and we are again in our second home. The boys bought five gallons of creosote and some tar and made a mixture to put on the pole fence and Flo and I have put it on during the week, also attended the garden and lawn and painted the roof

Page 94 and everything is in good shape once more. This is the first week of the Canadian National Exhibition.

War. The Nazis and Russians are at it hot and heavy. Hitler’s forces are getting a little nearer Leningrad but the Russians are fighting savagely. Reports say the R. A. F. have destroyed huge quantities of oil in Eire which is needed badly by Hitler’s forces.

September 6:. Last Sunday Gordon brought us back to Stouffville. The first part of the week we were attending to the garden and doing up tomatoes and vegetables. Tuesday was tax-paying day. Our taxes were $65.76, the same as last year. Our sporting proclivities are not all dead yet, so on Wednesday we

Page 63 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 decided to go to the Exhibition and in the afternoon Mr. Closson set us down at Gordon’s door. Thursday Gordon took us to the Dufferin Street entrance and we had a great day at the fair. Effie met us in the fairgrounds and brought us back to Gordon’s. Friday morning Effie and Flo went down town shopping and I went along to hold down the car while they went to help buy out Eatons and Simpsons. On the way back went to Mildred’s old home on Dingwall Avenue, then home with Effie. Saturday was a wonderful day for us. We were thinking of getting back home but a ring came in telling us that Gordon was coming over and it wasn’t long till he was there. Gordon, John, Audrey, Effie, Flo and I piled into the big Dodge and started for Niagara. We followed the Queen Elizabeth Highway leading through the fruit district to Niagara. Bought some peaches right off the trees and then went to the Niagara River Whirlpool. The six of us went over the pool and back on the cable car, 80 feet above the whirling waters. After dinner we promenaded the river sidewalk and saw the Canadian and American Falls with the colored lights flashed on them, and the new suspension bridge, then drove the sixty miles back to Bain’s. A lovely day’s outing.

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Saturday night, September 13, 1941.

Sunday and Monday were just two quiet restful visiting days. We expected to go home, but Effie wanted us to stay over and go with her to Ruth’s. Tuesday George flew from Malton Airport to Montréal on business and Effie, Flo and I started from Toronto, bound for Dr. Maclachlan’s. He is Bain’s son-in-law and is Medical Officer and Squadron Leader of the Mountain View bombing and gunning military school, No. 10, beyond Belleville, on the Kingston Road. They live on the shore of the Bay of Quinte in a hundred year old house. This is one of the oldest settled districts in Canada. A house in that neighborhood claims the honor of having entertained Governor Simcoe and his lady. There was an old cemetery nearby and saw headstones where people were buried in 1813 and 1815.

We started home Tuesday after dinner and stopped to see the Military School. No car could get past the sentry, and no ladies were allowed in. I had to go to the office and tell who I was and where I come from and my business there. Of course Maclachlan’s name gave me a passport and it was worth seeing. 3500 men are stationed there. Planes are taking off continually when the weather is fair, and behind the taking-off runway a machine gun battery is stationed. When a plane takes off, it trails a line below it to which is connected an objective target at which the machine guns fire. After the firing the plane drops the target and the bullet holes test the accuracy of the firing.

Effie dropped us off at Stouffville in the evening and went on to Toronto. We have had a wonderful outing, and seen a lot of things and places we never saw before but it seems pleasant to be in your own garden and your own bed again. I have written an account of our outing and gave it to the editor of the “Tribune”, but he took it out my hands and cut some of it out and rearranged it, probably, because it may have been too long for his space. It may seem to be a lot of repetition but I think it is worth inserting here.

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“Our 86 Year Old Rides the Whirlpool” Mr. W. A. Quantz, whose comfortable home is situated almost opposite the mansion house on Main Street, may be one of our oldest citizens in years, but when it comes to travel and a lot of other things, he certainly has a place in another group. In response to repeated invitations for readers to tell us their holiday experiences, he has done so in an interesting manner. Mr. and Mrs. Quantz first spent a day at the Exhibition and missed nothing but the grandstand performance after a whole day covering the great grounds. They stayed with their son Gordon at 203 Parkside Drive and the next day they spent in downtown, among the big stores. Then with Gordon and his wife and John and Mrs. Bain, they motored over the Queen Elizabeth Highway to Niagara Falls. They tarried some time in the fruit belt and bought peaches right off the trees. They found the Niagara River Whirlpool most interesting and even got into the basket and rode across the cable 80 feet above the whirling water. Many a stouthearted and younger one have shied at this venture. Enroute home they stopped at 97 Kingsway, spending the night at Mrs. Bain’s, who later motored Mr. and Mrs. Quantz to see her son-in-law Ian Maclachlan, squadron leader of the Mountain View bombing and gunning school, beyond Belleville. Here they had a chance to enjoy the beautiful Bay of Quinte district. Through the courtesy of Dr. Maclachlan Mr. Quantz was permitted to see through the military camp. 3500 men are stationed there. Mr. Quantz delights in a bit of humor and said that although, during the outing they had traveled over 450 miles, it was without cost to themselves and without thumbing any of the way, and let Mr. Quantz tell the homecoming in his own way. After we settled down at home again, we got the idea

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that for an 86-year-old tenderfoot and his 72-year-old wife we had been going some, and if any other couple in the neighborhood as young as we are can beat the record, we would like them to write in and tell us.

September 20:. A stranger preached for us last Sunday but I couldn’t [???] him. Possibly there was a lot of the other folks there that did, but they were excited about the latest neighborhood scandal. Cecil Wagg’s son left his wife in the hospital with their firstborn and ran away with Carl Harper’s wife, she leaving two small children in their home. Monday I was down cellar with the stamping barrel and the wash tub. Also dug some potatoes because I wanted to work the ground for winter, some carrots to keep the worms from boring holes in them and some beets because they are getting too big. Tuesday collected $66.56, interest on two school debentures, so we are safe as far as our finances are concerned as long as that lasts. Seeing we have not been away from home for more than a week we are slated to Keswick once more. John brought us up today.

War. The British have sent what they call an expeditionary force into Libya. The Army have forged ahead for 80 miles capturing Resegh and are nearing Tobruk, one of the besieged cities of Russia. A number of tanks were captured and prisoners taken by the way.

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September 27:. We had two sizable jobs for the week. One of them was cutting up the wood pile and getting it in out of the wet, the other was painting the front of the garage and the building in the rear. We have all our jobs done. I have been teaching Flo the art of managing one end of the crosscut saw. If we ever decided to go on a bush farm again and went at clearing up land, this education would be useful. It is always best to learn to do things when you are young. There was a terrible wind storm Thursday.

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War. The Russians claim new successes before Leningrad. Combatants on both sides are planning for a winter’s campaign. Soviets sink five enemy ships. Oil is getting scarcer and being without it would halt the war or lose the victory for the side that lacked it.

October 4:. I was cleaning up the premises after the wind storm on Monday and started picking apples for Garfield Kellington. Tuesday we did our washing and when Flo was putting the last article on the line, it broke and let her clothes down in the mud. Little incidents like that muss up the temper sometimes. Wednesday I got the line fixed and picked up some more apples. Thursday dug the potatoes in Closson’s garden and picked more apples. Gordon is firing one of the passenger trains on the Midland division this week and he pops off once in a while to see his Mother.

War. The Nazis have put to death more than 1000 persons in their occupied territories. Sabotage, espionage, armed resistance, arson, treason, aiding the enemy, listing to a foreign radio, carrying firearms, etc. all call for the death sentence. It seems to be some trouble trying to rule people by brute force.

October 11:. Monday I finished picking apples. Tuesday was a wet day and I managed to get my apples home on the cart. I have worked 3 ½ days at it and I have 12 bushels of nice apples. There are Snows, Baxters, Greenings, Grimes Golden and a red apple I can’t name. Gordon and Audrey came on Wednesday and we went to Keswick and dug the garden and took up the vegetables. On the way home we called at Albert Clark’s and bought some potatoes of Kahtadin [sp. Katahdin} variety. Have been getting vegetables into the cellar and a lot of leaves into the garden. I don’t think we will starve in the winter unless Hitler takes it from us, and it doesn’t look as though he would be here yet. We have a good crop of vegetables of all kinds.

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War. The Germans are trying viciously to break through the Russian lines and have succeeded in a small measure and with heavy losses. The Romanian armies are fighting with them and wanted to quit, and they promptly shot 12 of their generals. War and murder mixed.

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October 18:. John and Eileen came from Toronto last Sunday and were with us overnight and Sunday morning they started for Windermere in Muskoka where they are going to spend Thanksgiving with Eileen’s Uncle and Aunt. Monday was Thanksgiving and I was wondering what it meant to most people, and whether they where more thankful on that day than other days. Our nearest neighbors have two chickens for dinner and a lot of relatives to eat them. The visitors ought to be thankful for a chicken dinner at least. I have been digging in the garden and taking screens off the house. I don’t seem to be much good. Want to sit down, or go to sleep. Through the kindness of Mrs. Bain we are getting the “Globe and Mail” until the end of the year. We are subscribers of the “Family Harold and Weekly Star” , also the “Stouffville Tribune” also the “Country Gentleman” , also the “Reader’s Digest”. What is a feller like me going to do with all this litter-a-toor. Gordon is working on this line again and his Mother is toting apple pie over to him for his lunch.

War. The bloodiest fighting of the war is going on now, the Germans trying to take Moscow, the capital of Russia, and the Russians putting up stiff resistance. They may have to vacate in the future but they have the Germans longer than any other country since the war began. Three cheers for Russia.

For some years now Brother Ed has been a subscriber to the Stouffville Tribune and, to a certain extent, we keep in touch with each other through that source. Just lately a rather remarkable item of news has come to us from there. The circumstances relate to Brother Jake and his

Page 100 wife Sophy, the composition sounds like Ed. I am inserting it here because I think it is well worth inserting. The heading says;

Pioneer Markham Man and Wife 50 Years Married. Friends, relatives and neighbors met at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Quantz on Sunday, October 12 to extend greetings and good wishes on the occasion of their 50th Wedding Anniversary and to enjoy a social cup of tea and a dainty lunch served by Mrs. O. P. Quantz and Mrs. J. Paxton. On behalf of Antler Hill, Alberta, Mr. Harry Newton presented Mr. and Mrs. Quantz with a gold satin comforter and chesterfield cushion to match. Mr. Quantz acknowledged the gifts on behalf of Mrs. Quantz and himself in a happy speech. Mr. Quantz is a brother of W. A. Quantz of Stouffville and has visited here several times in the past 20 years. He was a graduate and classmate of the late J. T. Storey V. S. They were both born and grew up on farms in York County a few miles north of Toronto. Mr. Quantz is descended from one family of a large colony who came from New York State and settled in Markham in 1794. Mrs. Quantz, whose maiden name was Sophia Doan, is from a Quaker family who came from Pennsylvania to Ontario a few years later. Mr. Quantz graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1889, and was practicing in Maysville, Kentucky when he met his bride and they were married in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1891. The lure of the west caught them and in 1895 they came to Alberta and settled six miles northeast of Innisfail and have been living on the same section ever since.

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Farming during the day and practicing as a veterinary at night was rather strenuous, so he gave up the latter practice but was always willing to serve on emergency. Mr. Quantz is now 78 and his wife 76. They have turned over the farm to their only living

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son, O. P. Quantz. A rather unusual, but very pleasant coincidence is the fact that three of Mrs. Quantz’s sisters have lived to celebrate their golden wedding anniversaries.

October 25:. Both of us children went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday. Had a sermon from Mr. McLaughlan. The preacher took dinner with us and in the afternoon Mr. Collins took us to Church Hill and I went with them. Monday getting leaves off the street and digging them in. Tuesday getting material to patch up one of the Locust trees in the backyard. We were getting afraid it might split down and fall on the house roof. Wednesday working for Leslie Rowbotham. Flo has had trouble with her heart lately so the boys notified her that they were coming to take her to a specialist, so Thursday evening John took us to the city and we bunked at Gordon’s. Friday John took his Mother to Dr. Pollock’s and she was thoroughly examined and x-rayed, but it will be about a week before we get his decisions. We went down to the railroad yards when Gordon went to work and afterwards to High Park Zoo to see the animals.

War. The Germans and Russians are still at it hot and heavy and there is frightful toll of death on both sides. The Russians are still holding them back. Bad weather and snowstorms are bogging down their heavy tanks and making it more difficult, especially for the Germans.

November 1:. Gordon, Audrey, Flo and I went to the Bob Morton Show last Saturday night. It was held in the Maple Leaf Gardens. It has been a long time since we were to a circus and it seems a queer place for people as old as we are, to be, but it was Gordon’s treat and we enjoyed it. Gordon brought us home on Sunday and John and Eileen came out with us. Wednesday I attended the funeral services of Mrs. Hewlett, held at Garfield Kellington’s, who is her son-in-law. Interment at the Church Hill Cemetery.

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The weather has been frosty and I have been taking up the bulbs and plants and digging the remaining part of the garden.

War. The Germans are getting anxious about the capture of Moscow before the winter closes in and they are making their third attack on the city. Enemy gains in the Crimea are admitted by the Russians. Twenty German ships have been sunk by planes in 72 hours. So the losses go, now here, now there. What a tremendous amount of wealth there is lying at the bottom of the sea.

November 8:. I have had a return of my old complaint, namely, sore throat and shooting pains in the head. I don’t know what to call it but that doesn’t matter because it comes without calling. I have been in bed part of the time and on the lounge another part. Gordon came for his Mother on Wednesday and

Page 68 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 she went to the General Hospital for another examination by another doctor. Flo and John came back tonight. My head is coming back to normal for which I am thankful for it is useless enough at that.

War. On Sunday, November 9, nine supply ships and one destroyer were sunk and a large tanker left in flames. The ships were Italian but were manned by German crews. Four British ships sank all these ships without casualties or damage.

November 15:. There has been a little snow during the week. I have been at the odd jobs getting ready for winter. Covered the strawberries and flowerbeds and getting wood into the cellar. It made quite a hole in the woodshed but it will put us through another winter. Good hardwood is $14.00 per cord and there are a lot of people needing some right now. I have always had a job on Friday morning. It is baking day and am the fellow that peels the apples and furnishes the wood for baking. It is also dumpling day and if I do my work right I am sure of my dumplings.

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War. The Right Honourable Arthur Meighen has resigned from the Senate and taken the leadership of the Conservative Party. He urges all out compulsory war service. Premier King says there will be no conscription until the voters approve of it, and so the scrapping is in process.

November 22:. Last Sunday Flo and I went to church in the morning. John and Eileen came and brought some bedsteads with them, some to be used here and some for use in Keswick. In the evening I went to the Bloomington Anniversary Services conducted by the Kinsman’s Quartette. Monday changing beds, etc. The furniture John brought was some of Mildred’s outfit which has been in storage for years. Tuesday a woman with the reddest hair I ever seen came for me to pack some glassware to go to California. Wednesday we made some sauerkraut. A lot of people would miss it if we didn’t make any, for apart from ourselves, Flo provides a feed or two for a lot of neighbors. I would like to send Hitler some with poison in it. Thursday we got a letter from Edna. They have moved to 116 Dovercourt Road, Toronto and left their house at Lake Simcoe vacant. Will has a job with the Moffitt company at Weston, and is working at war work. The weather prophet tells us that this month has been the warmest November in many years. There has been very mild days lately.

War. The United States have killed the neutrality act. The voting stood 212 for, 194 against. All US ships will become armored, and able to protect themselves while delivering munitions of war to other countries.

November 29:. John and Eileen went to Keswick last Sunday and nearly got stuck in the mud. Flo and I were to the services in the morning, and evening I listened to a sermon by Gypsy Smith, over the radio, of course. Wednesday was the 87th anniversary of my birthday and I am not bragging about being smart anymore, neither am I complaining about being old. I have great

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Page 104 reason be thankful that I am as healthy and as active as I am, and there are other reasons too numerous to mention that I should be. The weather is still holding fine, and the hard-working farmers are having a good chance to close up their fall work and finish ploughing.

War. The United States and Japan are still trying to arrive at peace terms. The US government have set their stakes and they don’t suit Japan. They want their own way without setting themselves in opposition to the Americans which would eventually mean war between them.

December 6:. Flo and I went to church last Sunday morning. Our expected visitors came after dinner. The crowd consisted of Gordon, Audrey, John, Eileen and Edna. Of course, they came to celebrate my birthday and we had a happy time together. Among the other ceremonies they presented me with an elegant housecoat for which I’m very grateful. They went home late at night. A year ago at this date we had a foot of snow on the ground and a touch of zero weather but the weather this week has been almost spring like.

War. The Russians seem to be on the offensive on most of the war fronts, with the Nancy’s calling on their slow back and Italian Allies for help. Reports say that swarms of the Soviet aircraft are raining death and destruction on the fleeing Germans. The R. A. F. are hammering the German troops in Libya.

December 13:. As usual Flo and I went to Sunday School and Service last Sunday. Nora has not taught her class for more than a month in the teaching is being done by the young minister and he is quite interesting. Flo has been away part of the week attending to some of her neighborly affairs and I have been writing in my memorandum. I have also been writing a letter to John in answer to a birthday letter from him. It takes care and thought to keep the happy medium between youth and age, and yet create impressions that might be beneficial. Two things are bad,

Page 105 the war and the weather. The weather has changed at last, and it is quite cold at night. I am sorry even for the Germans, when they have to fight all day and bunk out in zero weather.

War. The United States and Japan have been parlaying about whether it would be peace or war between them for a long time. In the meanwhile the Japanese were massing their troops on the European border, and on Sunday, December 7, they treacherously attacked by sea and land and air, and have sank ships and bombed ports and killed thousands of American soldiers and citizens indiscriminately. The United States, England, China, Canada and other nations have declared war against them and there will be more bloody fighting in the other sections of the world.

December 20:. Flo went to Toronto last week to see Dr. Pollack again. She had dinner at Edna’s and John brought her home. The three of us were to church last Sunday morning and heard a good sermon from our old time pastor A. Greer. Flo went to Gormley Wednesday with Boadways to a school concert. She

Page 70 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 said the program was excellent. Friday was Stouffville’s big market day. The Christian Church Sunday School entertainment was held in the evening. The children had a good time and perhaps some of the old children too. Andrew Graham, my old associate, has gone to the hospital.

War. The murderous attack of the Japanese on the big battleships at Pearl Harbor has become the talk of the world. The loss of the Prince of Wales and the smaller ship Repulse, along with the loss of 3000 of their crews, is a serious one, but a time of retribution will come sometime in the future.

December 27:. Flo and I were to Sunday School and Service last Sunday. Nora is back home and took her class. Had a good Christmas sermon and in the afternoon the pastor called on us and we had a good visit. Flo is busy writing letters and I have written a family letter to our people in Alberta.

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Tuesday I was to the east end and I called at the hospital to see Graham. He is in a very serious condition. I think he knew me but he isn’t able to talk to anyone. John and Gordon came home for Christmas and brought a big turkey with them. We have had green Christmas and the weather is mild. Have received about fifty cards and letters. Andrew Graham died in the hospital on Friday. He collapsed in his own home a week before. He had no particular disease but was just worn out.

War. The Garrison at Hong Kong has surrendered to the Japs. The allied force there was a mixed one. There was supposed to be about 20,000 Canadians in the ranks with a mixture of British and Indian forces, but they were greatly outnumbered by the Japanese. The casualties are not known yet.

December 31:. Sunday I went to Sunday School and there was an interesting lesson about Heaven and the mansions being prepared for those who prepare themselves for them. John and Eileen came and we had a good visit. Monday was wash day and we have our clothes all washed up ready to enter the new year with our clothes clean, whether our hearts are or not. Nolan has been here looking for data to write up Andrew Graham’s demise. Andrew Graham was buried in the Stouffville Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon. He was one of the old Musselman’s Lake residents of my generation. There wasn’t a month’s difference in our ages. He died three days after his 87th birthday. Elder Morton conducted the funeral services. Wednesday I went to see my old time friend Sam Hoover. Seeing him sitting there patiently in his blindness made me feel as though I wasn’t thankful enough for the blessings I enjoy.

And so I come to the last insertion of the year by saying Happy New Year to All.

W. A. Quantz

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My Favorite Hymn, Tabernacle Hymns No. 3, Hymn 28.

Love with everlasting love, Led by grace that love to know. Spirit breathing from above, Thou has taught me, it is so. Oh, this full and perfect peace, Oh this transport all divine, In a love which cannot cease, I am His and He is mine.

Heaven above is softer blue, Earth around is sweeter green, Something lives in every hue, Christ-less eyes have never seen. Birds with gladder songs o’erflow, Flowers with deeper beauties shine, Since I know as now I know, I am His and He is mine.

Things that once were wild alarms, Cannot now disturb my rest, Closed in everlasting arms, Pillowed on the loving breast, Oh, to be forever here, Doubt and care and self resign, While He whispers in my ear I am His and He is mine.

His forever, only His, Who the Lord and me shall part Ah, with what a rest of bliss Christ can fill the loving heart. Heaven and earth may fade and flee, First born light in gloom decline, But while God and I shall be, I am His and He is mine.

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Page 108 1942

Saturday night, January 10, 1942.

John and Eileen came home and we celebrated the first day of the new year together. On Saturday, the 3rd, we collected $28.80 from Wright – Hargrave Mining dividends. The mine is under strike now which will very likely affect the dividends adversely before long. Gordon, Audrey and John were out on Sunday the 4th. This week is the annual Week of Prayer. Monday evening it was held in the Baptist Church, the speaker was Rev. G. W. Brown, and the topic, What is a Christian; Tuesday evening meeting was held in the Christian Church, speaker, Rev. E. Morton, topic, The Christian in the Home; Wednesday evening in the Mennonite Church, speaker, Rev. D. McGregor, topic, the Christian in the world. Thursday evening in the Presbyterian Church, speaker, Rev. D. Davis, topic, the Christian in the Church; Friday evening in the United Church, speaker, Rev. H. Shantz, topic, The Christians in her life. The collections to be sent to the British war victims fund. The greater part of the week has been zero weather and the congregation’s small.

War. When the Nazis persuaded the Japs into the war, they hoped to get a respite for themselves, but that has been a failure. Internal troubles in Germany are on the rise. A food shortage in a whole nation is hard to bear. Both the German and Italian people have lied to themselves with regard to the success of the war, but these things will eventually come to light and work against them.

January 17:. Flo has caught a bad cold and has a cough with it, so she is keeping strictly in the house. The first half of the week was zero weather and I got as far as the post office each day. The latter part has been a little warmer turning wet. Flo has been to Mrs. Brown’s helping to quilt a Ladies Aid quilt and I have been writing part of the time. John and Eileen came home this afternoon and we are enjoying ourselves. It breaks the monotony when they come.

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War. Hitlerism is on the wane. There is dissension between him and some of his high command, some of whom he has dismissed from their leadership. Hitler is losing caste and is being forced to swallow his first bitter defeat of the war at the hands of the Russians. His armies have entrenched themselves in winter quarters time and again only to be routed out by the ruthless Russians.

January 24:. Flo and I were to the Young People’s Christian Endeavor meeting on Tuesday evening, held at Nora Stapleton’s. Thursday the 73rd Annual Convention of the Markham Township Religious Education Council, was held in the Stouffville Baptist Church. It was a fine day and there was a large attendance and inspiring addresses. Donald Ratcliff is president of the Association and E. J. Stiver Secretary – Treasurer. Dr. George Little, of Toronto, gave a rousing temperance address and Bishop Barnes of Toronto finished with another interesting address.

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War. There is so much war news on the radio that I forget the first before I get the last. Less than a month ago the news had Hitler’s Army on the run, and were “mopping” them up along the Russian front. Now we are told that Hitler has 100,000 men in and around Sevastopol. Perhaps I am not used to the vast numbers that go to make an army, but it is a stretch of the imagination to talk of mopping up 100,000 men. But I guess Hitler isn’t licked yet, not saying anything about the Japanese.

January 31:. Gordon and Audrey came out last Monday and Flo and I went with them to Keswick to take a stove to the cottage. The old stove was worn out and they have replaced it with a newer and better one. The Christian Endeavor met in our home on Tuesday evening. There was about 20 in attendance. I gave a short talk on “Thought”. Wednesday Flo was working at the Red Cross meeting, held in the Council Chambers. Erlene Tate was here. I was doing some writing. Had a letter from Allan Closson’s.

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War. The war seems to be scattered all over the old world and the fighting is here and there. The only people who seem to be making much headway are the Russians, who are retaking a lot of their lost territory. The Japanese are losing a lot of men but keep swarming in like flies and keeping the gaps filled up. Der Fuhrer is telling his people to be patient until spring and he will give them another summer’s victories.

February 7:. Flo and I managed to get to church twice last Sunday. The Stafford family brought us home in the evening and spent the late evening with us. The effects of the late Andrew Graham were auctioned off on Tuesday, but it was cold and I did not attend the sale. Wednesday Flo was working at the Red Cross and I was moking around the house. Thursday over to Allan Clossen’s house shoveling snow and finding out whether the frost was getting in or not. Friday Morton and I went to see Mr. Beach and his wife who live in the Terrace. He is crippled up so he can scarcely walk and his wife is blind. She was knitting war socks. There has been a heavy fall of snow and the wind is driving it all over today. John and Eileen came home this evening.

War. The war news of the week say there is not much comfort to be gleaned from its tale of Japanese advances in the near east and English losses in the Middle East. The Russians are still hammering the Nazis, and gaining back portions of their territory, notwithstanding the fact that the Germans are stiffening their resistance.

February 14:. The weather wasn’t zero last Sunday and the roads snowbound. John and Eileen went home by train. Monday was the first day of the “all over” new time. Everybody who were on Standard Time had to turn their clocks forward one hour. One good thing is that it cuts out the expression “daylight saving”, which always sounded foolish to me. Tuesday we had a visit from art and Clara Vaughan and got all the church Hill news.

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Had a letter from Jake. He thinks it is hard luck for one generation to go through to such wars as we are doing. Ed was home at Christmas time. He is quitting the school teaching at the end of the term. He has been a teacher for 60 years, and is eligible for a pension now. Jake was wondering who was going to pay all of the existing pensions and remarked that he had not heard of any pensioned farmers yet. I will have to write back and tell him that likely the farmers will pay them.

War. Singapore, the military stronghold which has been occupied by the British for 123 years, has fallen into the hands of the Japanese. The war outlook for the time being is quite discouraging, but it is to be hoped that the Allies will have their resources in better shape presently.

February 21:. John, Gordon and Audrey came home last Sunday afternoon and Flo went back to Toronto with them. She thinks the city doctor is helping her, so she went back to see him. Monday got a letter from Myrtle Johnstone. They appear to be getting on fairly well. One of their boys is going to college. Tuesday I am here alone yet. I don’t know whether I am keeping the house, or the house is keeping me. Anyway, I am monarch of all I survey, my right there is none to dispute, I can do things just as I like, from my cap right down to my boot. Wednesday I was looking out the window when the evening train came in and caught sight of my better half coming home. Flo has taken up the tasks of the household again and everything is going on smoothly. We have made our third subscription to the war loan.

War. The war has touched Stouffville. On Friday 13th the Rev. D. Douglas, pastor of the United Church, was notified that his son, pilot George Davis, was killed while on active service in England. William Castle is also supposed to be lost although his people are not notified.

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Saturday night, February 28, 1942.

Service was in the basement last Sunday and there was a small attendance. The cold weather is still with us but the days seem longer. Working people have to get up in the dark with the last time and then fool away the time in the evening. Thursday I went up to see Mr. Collins. His wife has a case of shingles and is at her daughter’s in Malvern and he is alone fending for himself. The latter part of the week has been milder.

War. It is just a little over two months since the Japs made their first attack on Britain and America. In the meantime they have moved with breathtaking speed, overcoming great military difficulties and demonstrating power, skill and courage to a marked degree. They have failed here and there but taking all in all their military achievements have been impressive. They have captured Manila and Hong Kong, many sea and air bases in the Philippines and the Dutch East, seized Thailand, Malaysia and Penang, secured basis in the Indian Ocean and at this time are besieging Singapore, roughly 3000 miles from their home bases. They have destroyed thousands of Allied planes, destroyed or damaged many Allied

Page 75 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 war vessels, captured much shipping and taken tens of thousands of prisoners. That would sound good to us if we were Japanese but we are not.

March 7:. Flo and I were at church last Sunday morning. We seldom go at night, especially now when the sidewalks are slippery. Had a good visit with the children. Flo was knitting me a pair of mitts in case we might have more cold weather. She has been doing more war work at the Red Cross.

There was a Centennial celebration of the Congregational Church in Stouffville on Wednesday evening at Merten’s. The church was started in the house we visited, 100 years ago on Wednesday.

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There was a large attendance, also sandwiches and a birthday cake. We had the first thaw of the winter in the latter part of the week. There has not been a large amount during the winter and it is going now.

War. The weekend war news says that the Russians have killed 25,000 more Germans and retaken more of their lost territory. Their losses are not given. That is about all the good news there is from the multitude of centers where fighting is going on.

March 14:. Monday was a blustery day. Flo was knitting and I was reading “Every Man A King”. I don’t feel like one myself. Tuesday Flo was off to the Red Cross and I peddled a few apples and got $.35 per 6- quart basket. They are scarce this spring. Wednesday evening Elder Morton took me to Altona to a prayer meeting and lesson review. Thursday reading a book called “Outline of Six Centuries”, a history of the early Christians. Friday we had a letter from John saying he was bringing Edgar Quantz and wife for tea tomorrow. Flo is baking up goodies. Saturday, the Kirkland Lake people have been here and we had a nice visit with them. They are starting home tonight.

War. Some time ago the Canadian Government asked the people of Canada to lend them $600,000,000 as a second war loan and they gave them $959,900,000 with possibly some more to come in yet. There was 1,200,000 subscribers. The first loan had one person in every twelve as a subscriber, this last one had one in every eight. Canada is waking up.

March 21:. Gordon, Audrey, John and Eileen came home on Sunday. It seems quite a treat to have them so soon after the Saturday’s visitors. The authorities are fitting up a portion of the large building south of our home for war work. The other portion is used for hatching and distributing gold fish. I have found a partly dead tree quite near home and the privilege of

Page 114 cutting it from the Council. It is tangled up with the electric and telephone wires and will be quite difficult to get.

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War. I have been looking over the war news in the Family Harold and Weekly Star and the news are depressing with the exception of the Russian front. They are hammering away at the Germans and gaining some headway. The Japanese are sweeping everything before them. Their last exploit has been the driving of three spearheads through the island of Java, cutting it into three sections and capturing the capital, Batavia. They seem to be pursuing the same tactics as Hitler, just overpowering the small countries one by one, by force of numbers and the big countries are still standing off and letting them do it. With the Germans likely to own one side of the world and the Japanese the other, it seems to be a tough proposition. We don’t hear much about England’s mighty armies these days. It seems to me as though it was a case of the British Lion standing pat and roaring for the small fry to fight to the last ditch. The small nations are being conquered quickly by force of numbers and their substance taken and they left starving and helpless. With the Germans on one side and the Japs on the other I have wondered if England would be the last piece of pie on the plate and be gobbled up. I hope not.

March 28:. I got the Jennings telephone linemen to help me cut down my wood tree and I and pastor Morton have been working at it during the week. Wednesday evening I went to Altona with pastor Brown and reviewed the Sunday’s lesson with them. This evening Clarence Stafford took us to their home at Lincolnville. They were celebrating their silver wedding anniversary. There was thirty-five people there and we had a pleasant evening.

War. Corregidor, in the Philippines, has surrendered to the Japanese. There was about 10,000 soldiers there,

Page 115 mostly Americans under General Wainwright. These successes of the Japanese have been remarkable. Let us hope it will soon be reversed.

April 4:. Last Sunday we had Gordon, Audrey, John, Will Reid and Edna here with us. Monday Mrs. Ratcliff and her Brother were here looking at the house with the intention of buying it. On Wednesday they came back again and have decided to take it at our offer which is $5000. John came home today and has written an agreement between Mrs. Radcliffe and Flo. It specifies that $1000 is to be paid in two weeks time and the balance at the time of possession, namely, the month of August. I am to have the garden and to take the produce as it ripens.

Good Friday, there was special devotional services at the Bloomington Christian Church afternoon and evening. The message in the afternoon was given by Rev. A. Stein of Kingston and in the evening by the Rev. T. J. Innes, of Knox Presbyterian Church, of Toronto.

War. Three thousand one hundred American and Philippine soldiers were overpowered by the Japanese and have been killed or taken prisoners and I have forgotten the name of the place.

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April’s 11:. Last Sunday there was special services in the church and an Easter musical program. The four of us attended in the evening. Got a letter from Clayton on Wednesday, the first in twelve or fourteen years. Friday night about six inches of snow fell. I have been working at the wood in the garage.

War. A summary of war news in the Family Harold and Weekly Star, looking from the inside gives a rather gloomy picture for the Allies. It enumerates some of the successes of the enemy and it goes a lot farther on their side than it does for the Allies. May God in His wisdom judge of those things and speed the right and bring peace once more on the earth.

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Saturday night, April 18, 1942.

I have finished the wood job completely and am glad it is done for I don’t feel much like doing hard work these days. The snow is gone and the land is drying up. My garden is in good order for planting and I’ve put in some early potatoes.

War. 3600 American and Philippine soldiers were overpowered by the Japanese forces and killed or taken prisoners during the week.

April 25:. John came home bringing John Paxton with him. He has returned from England and is going back to Camp Borden as instructor. Monday Mrs. Ratcliff was here and paid $1000 on the house as a first payment. Wednesday I went downtown and collapsed on the sidewalk and had to be toted home in a car. A lot of the time since I have been too top heavy to navigate and have been holding down the couch. Flo has also had a bad case of flu. They say misery loves company, so Flo and I are fixed up. Mailed a parcel to Clayton, Alliance, Alberta, containing one overcoat, one suit complete, one shirt, tie and so forth, two women’s dresses, handkerchiefs, odds and ends. Value $45.

War. The vote to release the government from previous pledges, re-conscription, has been taken. 60% of the votes in Stouffville gave a yes vote. The riding of East York, of which Stouffville forms part vote, as a whole 33,000 Yes and 2000 No. It is estimated that the whole vote stood at about 90% yes. Not much over one-half of the voters went to the polls.

May 2:. We are getting a little of the flu soaked out of us and have cleaned the cellar and have been working in the garden. Have planted some more early stuff. Flo went to Toronto yesterday for another engagement with her doctor. He says she is better.

War. One of the greatest naval battles of the war has been raging near the coast of Australia since Monday.

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The Allied troops, mostly U.S. and Australian, are pitted against the Japanese. Seventeen of the enemy’s ships of different tonnage are said to be sunk or disabled. No reports of the Allied losses are available yet. The end of the battle, which is still raging, will tell greatly for or against the Allies.

May 9:. The weather is wet and cold or and I am holding up the garden until it is warmer. We have Maria Quantz and Bruce Morton and wife as visitors. Flo went to Malvern last night with Boadway’s to see Virginia and her new home.

War. Corregidor has surrendered to the Japanese. There was about 10,000 there, mostly Americans, under General Wainwright.

May 16:. John, Eileen and John Paxton came Saturday night and Gordon, Audrey and two of their friends Saturday evening late. They had spent the day at Keswick. Paxton has been sent to a training camp at Saskatoon. Mrs. Ratcliff brought us another $1000, as a second payment on the house. She has also bought the coal in the cellar. I have finished planting the garden.

War. Two ships have been torpedoed and sunk in the St. Lawrence River just lately, so some of our enemies are getting close to Canada. Particulars are not being disclosed, but they must have been sizable ships for they carried 60 or 70 people, all, or nearly all of whom were rescued.

May 23:. We had a letter from John last Saturday with remarkable news in it. He told us he was coming for us to look at some new houses. He came for us on Sunday and we bunked at George Bain’s. Monday we had a busy day looking at some new houses for sale in the Kingsway district. John came from his work in the afternoon and Gordon was up from Parkside Drive and Effie was with us and we have been looking at and talking about houses but

Page 118 haven’t come to any conclusions yet. I have also been to Dr. Pollock’s on Bloor Street and have had a thorough examination. Tuesday Flo and I walked up to Sunny Lea Avenue to look over a house again that may be our future home. It is about one mile from George Bain’s. Wednesday John brought us home and took back cheques for three thousand dollars. The whole price is five thousand and four hundred. So the die is cast and we will be residents of Etobicoke Township after a little while.

I have been going over the garden and cutting up odds and ends into wood for use in our new fireplace.

War. A summary of war news in the Family Harold and Weekly Star and looking from the inside, gives a rather gloomy picture for the Allies. It enumerates some of the successes of the enemy and the count goes a lot farther on their side than it does for the Allies. May God in his wisdom judge of these things and speed the right.

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May 30:. John and Eileen came last Saturday night. Victoria Day was celebrated on Monday. With John helping us, we piled into the work. Have cleaned and sorted the garage loft stuff and crated a lot of wood. Tuesday I mowed the lawn, set the tuberous begonias and arranged the last of the flowerbeds. Thursday I planted Mrs. Boadway’s garden. It is a new kind of garden to me, planted between weeds and twitch grass. Friday I was down to the Market Square. Mrs. Stouffer had a sale of her household effects. I spoke to the auctioneer regarding our sale. This afternoon Gordon came for us and we went to Keswick to put in the garden and mow the lawn.

Peace, not war. Here is a poem full of questions and the heading is “To Certain Lovers of Peace”, and the author’s name is William R. Benet. I wonder how many people will trace it back to their own lives and get its significance.

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“To Certain Lovers Of Peace”, by William R. Benet

Did you work your hands to the bone that the wronged might have their own? Did you speak for justice – openly, loud and clear? What did you do for peace when peace was here?

Did you toil and sweat for a plan to better the lot of man? Did you hold the soul above mere goods and gear? What did you do for peace when peace was here?

Did you say to the plundering few, this is vile wrong you do? Did you rouse the land to free all men from fear? What did you do for peace when peace was here?

Did you mount the hustings then – trench truth with burning pen? Did you softly live – or buy your freedom dear? What did you do for peace when peace was here?

For love of your erring land – with head and heart and hand, Did you strain and strive that a better age appear? What did you do for peace when peace was here?

Gavel, and carp, and sneer, cheer – they are dying cheer, What did you do for peace when peace was here?

It is an old saying that history repeats itself. I wonder if it is God’s plan that the world be steeped in the horrors of war every half-century or less, or is it the inevitable result of the world’s wickedness and forgetfulness of God. When the Saviour was born into the world, the proclamation was, “peace on earth

Page 80 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 and goodwill to men”. When the Saviour left the world He told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you”.

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The Prophet said, “Great peace have they that love Thy law, Oh Lord, and nothing shall offend them. So we may have peace in the heart, or in God’s kingdom, even when the kingdoms of this world are engaged in the horrors of war. God doesn’t send war on earth, men’s evil passions bring those results and then some people asked the question, why does God allow war. And when war is working its ravages, men are crying peace, peace when there is no peace.

June 6:. The rain prevented us from finishing the garden planting at Keswick, but the greater part of it is done. We came home Monday forenoon. Dr. Pollock has forbidden me to work but I do a little at a time. I have been working so long that I can’t quit all at once.

War. One thousand planes swept over Germany and thirty tons of bombs were dropped over Essen and other places. The superiority of the air forces of the Allies over the enemy is becoming more apparent.

June 13:. Tuesday is the King’s birthday and public holiday. Some people work and some don’t, it depends greatly on inclination. Wednesday was John’s birthday which brings the matter nearer home. His Mother has written to him but I have neglected writing to the King. The 117th Anniversary Sessions of the Christian Church are being held in Stouffville this week. Flo and I have been in attendance. There was an ordination service and a communion service on Friday. Mr. Wainwright of the Little Britain Church was ordained. The Stouffville people gave the conference their dinner and supper each day.

War. Fifteen more allied ships have been sunk. The Germans are pushing into Karkov. Four thousand Japs have been wiped out in one engagement.

June 20:. Last Sunday at the closing of Conference we had a sermon in the morning by Dr. Bruce, visitor

Page 121 from the States and in the evening by A. Greer, very fine addresses. Wednesday I went to Toronto with Carl Boadway and he landed me at Gordon’s door. Seeing Dr. Pollock at 4 o’clock and he seems to think I am improving. Was at Gordon’s all day alone on Thursday, Gordon and Audrey are both working. She is at war work and seems to like it. Gordon brought me home Friday and Effie came with us.

War. The Germans have invaded Egypt and are within sixty miles of Alexandria, the capitol. The United States Army Air Corps entered the air service on their Independence Day, namely July 4. They didn’t get there until they were badly needed.

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June 27:. Last Sunday Gordon, Audrey, and their friend Bob and his wife went to Keswick for the weekend and came home by way of Stouffville. W. Morden took a truck load of wood to the new home on Tuesday. The cost was $12. Thomas Williamson, the richest man in Stouffville, is dead. He was over 90 years old. He is said to be denoting $50,000 for the benefit of the poor of the town. He has given me a lot of employment in the past years. I went to the city by train this morning and Gordon met me and took me to the doctor’s. John brought me home this evening.

War. Sevastopol, Russia’s greatest Crimea naval base, has fallen. It has been under siege so long that it was a mass of ruins. It made a magnificent eight months defense. It is announced that the Germans had 150,000 casualties, including 60,000 killed in the last twenty-five days of the siege. The Russian losses in that period were 11,385 killed and 29,390 wounded or missing.

July 4:. Jim McFadden and Ethel came from Elmvale yesterday, bringing Edna with them from Lefroy. Had a good visit with them and they went home on Monday.

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I have been getting out some material for screen windows. This morning I went to Toronto by train and Gordon took me to the doctor’s. Brought me home in the evening and took some packed things back with him.

War. Another blow to the Allies is the fall of Tobruk. It was a bitter blow, not only because it represents a major British defeat but also the British were anticipating a victory in Libya. Now it is admitted that the enemy were superior in tanks, artillery and air power. The cold facts are that while the British Armies fought with the greatest courage they were very inferior in numbers and weapons.

July 11:. Monday I ordered four screen frames at Shell’s. Have the screen on cellar frames and painted. We have decided to sell our not-wanted effects by auction on 8th of August. Flo and I keep grubbing around and packing what goes with us and collecting what goes into the sale. John came home early this afternoon and is arranging matters.

July 18:. Shell has made some more screen frames and I have them painted. There has been some more hot days which will help the farmers in with their hay. I went to Toronto by train this morning and got another injection in the hip. John brought me home this evening.

War. The news say that the situation in Egypt is desperate and that the German armies are advancing in Russia. The Japanese are pressing the Chinese in their territory in spite of fierce resistance. The outlook all around is anything but favorable.

July 25:. Gordon came out last Sunday and all of them went home in the evening. I have taken a list of articles for sale to the editor of the Tribune. Have had a lot of visitors calling to see us before we go away. Flo sent another $20.00 parcel to Clayton this week. We are expecting to work at the new house next week.

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War. The highlights for the week are as bad as usual. The news say that the situation in Egypt remains critical. Also the Russian position is becoming more serious. The Chinese have recaptured some of the places recently taken by the Japanese.

August 1:. I was up to church last Sunday morning and there was no preacher there, so I gave a short talk. In the afternoon we went to the city and were overnight at Bain’s. Monday Gordon came over from Parkside Drive to the new house and he and John were putting up window frame screens and hanging a storm door. Have been working on the floor the greater part of the week. Finished on Friday and got our dinner at Bain’s where we have been bunking. Afterwards went to the doctor’s and came back to Stouffville.

War. News highlights say that the Russians are retreating before the Germans and that the Egyptian situation is still serious and that shipping losses are heavy. All of which seems to sound well for the enemy.

August 8:. Both of us went to church last Sunday morning and Mrs. Filyer did the preaching. We have had a busy week getting ready for the sale and sorting out things to sell and things to keep. We have had a lot of callers coming in to see us. They say they are sorry we are going away. Maybe. Held an auction sale today which was a dismal failure. The day was cloudy and promised rain at any time and the auctioneers just let the goods go at any price. For instance our solid oak sideboard with a British plate mirror sold for $2.50, the framed oak dining table that I paid $20 for sold for five dollars, the fine cooking stove for four dollars and on through the sale. Gordon and John did the clerking and making out accounts. The whole sale brought less than $150.

War. The Battle of Dieppe. Dieppe is 62 miles from England across the water on the French mainland. The account says

Page 124 the Canadian and United States forces struck a telling blow against the Nazi occupation of Western Europe. But the whole thing seems to be a huge mistake and the Nazis had a vast advantage and were not taken by surprise as intended. It was simply fighting against an entrenched foe and the results were serious. 170 Canadians are listed as killed with others wounded or missing. Two Stouffville boys are missing. They may be prisoners.

August 15:. Flo wasn’t able to go to church last Sunday so I went alone and after the service we were presented with an address from the church and friends, with the gift of an elegant motor rug. Monday we were busy packing up and getting ready to move. We were reminded of the old saying that you never know how much you own until you move, and that was after we had sold a large percentage of

Page 83 William Quantz Old Memorandum - Volume 9 our goods. And leaving the good old town of Stouffville, after living there twenty-four years, is shaking us up quite a bit. Tuesday the Feasby Moving Van was on hand in good time and we had plenty of help so we were loaded up away about eleven o’clock and arrived at Sunny Lee Avenue in time to get fixed up for our first night in our new home. Wednesday Gordon and John were building shelves in the basement and stowing away some of the stuff. The basement seems to be about full of packing cases and no upstairs to help out. Thursday the three of us went to Stouffville and brought back some shrubs, flower plants and vegetables. Friday setting plants and flowers and getting out weeds and rubbish. Today is Flo’s birthday but she hasn’t given me permission to set down her age.

War. The German advance continues in Russia. The trouble in India is getting worse, and rioting has started there. The news from headquarters say

Page 125 that Gandhi is interned. The Chinese are attacking Japanese held cities with some success.

August 22:. John’s holidays – if you can call them holidays – are over and he is back at his work. Flo and I are still unpacking goods and trying to find places to put them. Tuesday the Bell Telephone Company installed a telephone in the house for us. Today the plumbers installed a jacket heater by the furnace. It is supposed to furnish hot water when the furnace is not in operation.

War. The Duke of Kent, the King’s brother, was killed August 25th together with thirteen others, by a plane crash in a desolate place in Scotland, only sixty miles after its takeoff. The Duke was 39 years of age and fifth in succession to the throne.

August 29:. Gordon came over and took us over to Islington and Lambton last Sunday. He came up again on Tuesday and he and I, mostly he, were cementing in window sills around the house. George Bain and Effie are back from Golden Valley and Effie was over to see us on Wednesday. Gordon, John, Audrey, Eileen and Bob’s wife, were over to the Niagara District today and came back loaded with apples and peaches.

War. Accounts of the Battle of Dieppe are dribbling in. The Nazis were entrenched behind barbed wire entanglements and the combined attackers were over anxious to get at them and exposed themselves unduly and were shot down like birds before they got near their enemies. Accounts rate up to nearly 1000 casualties while the German losses are not given and are supposedly few. The attackers are credited with fighting bravely, but there seems to be more bravery than discretion. Of course the news do not put it that way, it is just a personal opinion of mine and I may be mistaken. Hope I am.

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Saturday night, September 5, 1942.

We were at home all day last Sunday. Had a short call from Walter and Clayton Reid and Russell, one of Clayton’s boys. He has joined up and is in training for military service not far from here. I started painting the picket fence around the garden on Monday. Tuesday John and I went to Stouffville were he received the balance due on the house from Mrs. Radcliffe and settled up business there. Friday Gordon, John and Bob, with their respective partners, went to Dunchurch, Parry Sound district, for a holiday. The Stouffville neighbors are looking us up. Clossons were here to see us today and Edwin Quantz and family from Kirkland Lake this evening.

War. The news highlights say that the Germans have entered Stalingrad and desperate fighting is going on. Another ship, the Raccoon, has been lost by enemy action. A new war loan for $750,000,000, is being floated. Further restrictions are announced in Canada.

September 12:. Flo and I walked to Kingsway – Lambton United Church last Sunday morning, the first time we’ve been to church since we came here. The weather was wet part of the week which put a stop to the painting. Had a big rain on Thursday. Yesterday there was a mahogany dining room suite delivered here. We are getting fixed up. Come and see us.

War. The Great War lasted about four years and I am wondering if this one will last longer than the first. The other one goes by the name of “The Great War”, but it is no way comparable to the present war in scope of nations involved in slaughter and in brutality, and the pitiable thing is that the innocent have to suffer with the guilty.

September 19:. I went to church alone last Sunday and Effie brought me home. The preacher is a PhD. but he doesn’t interest me as much as some

Page 127 plainer preachers have. Monday evening Gordon came and took Flo and I to Dr. Pollock’s and we both went through the performance once more. I am still painting at the garden fence betimes. Gordon came over this morning and he and I and Flo went to Stouffville and dug the potatoes and brought them home.

War. The Toronto Daily Star issue of September 28th says, one of the bloodiest battles recorded in history is going on between the Germans and Russians at Stalingrad. The Russians are massing new troops and are still holding the city after thirty days of fighting. The report says that 4,500 enemies were slain in 24 hours and that 84,000 were slaughtered in 26 days and they lost 250 tanks. The Russians are even fighting from the house tops and windows. Stalin has forbidden any of his troops to surrender, but face the foe till victory or death.

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September 26:. We had Gordon, Audrey and Eileen for dinner last Sunday and we were a happy family. I have pitted the potatoes in the garden and painted till the paint ran out. John went to Kitchener again on Wednesday. Have trimmed the oak and black cherry trees that stand in front of the house. The house has been caulked and weather stripped during the week.

War. The fierce warfare between Germans and Russians still continues, but the Japanese are having some reverses. They are losing some of the territory they gained at the beginning of their warfare.

October 3:. This is finishing week. I have finished digging and leveling the boulevard, painting the picket fence, leveling the garden, etc. We have taken in 28 bags of mineral wool for insulating the house. The weather is colder with white frost at night.

War. The United States Marines have renewed their drive against the Japanese in the Solomon Islands. They are likely to fail at that point.

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Saturday night, October 10, 1942.

Monday Gordon, Flo and I went to Keswick and lifted the garden truck there and closed up the cottage for the winter, then went to Stouffville and took up the remaining vegetables there. Afterward Gordon and Flo went back to Toronto and I went to Garfield Kellington’s to pick apples. I enjoyed my visit there and finished picking apples Friday noon and took my share and left them in Morton’s garage, got a ride to Avenue Road and Bloor Street with a stranger who kindly offered to take me in. Took a Bloor car to their western terminal and walked from there home. Today John and I were planting evergreens around the house. How I am going to get the apples home I don’t know, but like Micawber, I am waiting for something to turn up.

War. The Russians are still holding out and are even talking of going on the offensive now. Bitter wet winter weather is gripping that country and after huge numbers of the Germans have been killed they are weakening down and the climate is against them. The Russian envoy says Hitler will quit a long time before they do. It makes news for the Allies.

October 17:. Flo and I were to the Westminster Baptist services held in the Kingsway Theatre last Sunday evening. Their minister was inducted to his pastorate and Dr. Bingham, one-time pastor of Walmer Road Church, preached the sermon. Monday was Thanksgiving Day and John was refitting screens around the house. Thursday we were over to Bain’s and spent the evening with them. I have been digging in the garden and writing.

War. The Germans have failed to overcome Stalingrad after forty-eight days of fierce assaults against the city, and are concentrating forces other places. A three-foot blanket of snow covers the ground in some places and is restricting military operations.

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Saturday night, October 24, 1942.

Flo and I went to the Baptist Mission last Sunday. I can scarcely hear anything the minister says. Guess I will have to break the habit of a lifetime and quit going to church. Had a visit from Gordon Monday evening. He and John were trying out laying mineral wool for insulation. Flo and I were at a show at the Kingsway Theatre Wednesday evening. I could see the pictures but couldn’t hear the programme, so I guess we will cut that out too. Gordon and John have been down to the Humber getting some flagstones this evening.

War. The news now is that the Germans at Stalingrad are nearly exhausted and have been beaten off there and at Mozdok. Timoshenki, the Russian general, has battled through a snowstorm to recapture an important height. Blizzards are sweeping over the steppes north of Stalingrad a month ahead of time. Another Russian success was reported from the Western Caucasus, where after ten days of hard fighting the Russians have stopped 45,000 Germans and killed 4000 of them. Bully for the wild Russians.

October 31:. There was no church going from here last Sunday but it was a fine restful Sabbath day. The weather continues moderate and is ideal for getting in the produce remaining in the ground. Working in the garden, taking in more black loam and digging it in. The ground was red, I want it black and red.

War. The war seems to be progressing rather favorably for the Allies. The Russians are still holding them down at Stalingrad and the Americans are using the Japanese rather roughly for comfort. Premier Hepburn has resigned the premiership of the province and Nixon, one of his principal supporters, has followed suit. The premier was generally opposed to the Dominion premier McKenzie King and the change will bring about better conditions between the Dominion and Provincial Parliaments. Hepburn has

Page 130 also been favorable to the liquor traffic and at odds with the Temperance Alliance authorities and has lost friends and supporters thereby.

November 7:. This has been a very uneventful week. Flo and I were to church last Sunday. Flo said it was a good sermon. Had a visit from Effie and Ruth on Tuesday. I built a shelf in the laundry room, painted over the window screens, etc. There has been hard frosts during the week. There has been quite a number of deaths in Stouffville since we left including Mrs. William Dougherty, Peter Lehman, Dr. Walter Sangster, Mrs. Latchford, Mrs. Leslie Rowbotham, and Isaac Boadway.

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War. The war news are decidedly better these days. The Russians are still holding their front and the British have Rommell’s Army on the run in Egypt. The Americans are getting into shape and are strafing the Japanese at different points.

November 14:. I went to church alone last Sunday and have been at my books part of the time. Last Saturday afternoon John, Flo and I went to Stouffville and brought home the apples I picked at Kellington’s and had a visit with Martha Houck. I have sorted the apples and wrapped the best ones. They are not first-class but I think we will be glad to have them before spring. Thursday I made a door for the fruit room so we can keep the window open and the apples and vegetables cool. Friday we had our first fall of snow, about four inches. This afternoon I took a tumble in the kitchen and my head came in contact with a metal drawer handle and the doctor put four stitches in it. Later Flo cut her hand badly and the doctor put four stitches in it so we are even and the doctor is manipulating both of us.

War. The British Army have broken the enemy positions in Egypt and Rommel’s axis forces are in full retreat, across the sands of western Egypt pursued by British

Page 131 forces and under constant attack from above by British, Canadian and American airmen. The dispatch says that less than 20,000 men remain out of Rommel’s original Army of 140,000, and these remnants are being pursued and hunted down. A Cairo dispatch says that six entire Italian divisions have been captured complete with all their equipment. Six divisions would total between 72,000 and 90,000 men. General von Strumme, second in command, has been killed in action. General von Thoma and other top- flight German and Italian officers have been taken prisoners along with 9000 of the army. Exceptionally high casualties in dead and wounded, 600 planes, 260 tanks destroyed or captured, 270 guns and 50,000 tons of shipping laden with supplies.

November 21:. Eileen was with us last Sunday and no one went to church. The recent snow is going away. Tuesday wrapping John’s apples. Wednesday evening there was a blackout that lasted nearly an hour. I wonder if there is any education in it, or is it just keeping up with the Jones. We were surprised to see Edna walk in Friday night, the first time she has been here. Clayton, her son, brought her. There are two more houses going up just over the street from our home.

War. War news for the weekend are startling. Simple people who are not accustomed to the bigness of war can scarcely comprehend the vast numbers talked about and reported. The heading of the Toronto Daily Star says “375,000 Nazis are in Soviet trap”, and “Russians hurl back 100,000 Nazis and rip great gaps in their lines”. Stalingrad drive has cost the enemy 3.333 men daily. Newspapers are saying, “The avenging hour has come” and urges complete annihilation of the foe. There may be a good deal of trouble yet before the curtain drops.

November 28:. Last Sunday we had a visit from Bob Rose and wife. Monday mowing some grass to cover the potato pit.

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Tuesday Flo and I started to wash and I collapsed and spent the day in bed. Bob Rykart [Reichardt or Reichart?] and his wife were here in the evening. Wednesday evening Bruce Amoss was here for tea. He is here from Winnipeg on a business trip and has been looking up his relatives. Thursday was my birthday [88th]. Got some gifts from the children and good wishes from everybody. Wrote a letter to Collins.

War. The astounding war news of the week is the scuttling of 62 ships, great and small, in Toulon Harbor by the free French. The ships were about to fall into the hands of the Nazis, indeed there was an Army of them there to take the fleet when they were sunk. It is a great sacrifice for the French and a great blow to Hitler who wanted them for his own use.

December 5:. It was snowing last Sunday morning but Flo got up and went to church alone. In the evening Gordon, Audrey and Eileen were here to celebrate my birthday. I have taken in the rain barrel, and also took the potatoes out of the pit and put them in the cellar. Winter seems to be fairly upon us.

War. The war news for the week does not seem to be very serious. There is considerable fighting in Africa and the results are satisfactory to the Allies.

December 12:. Flo and I attended church last Sunday. Monday, washee, washee. Tuesday had a visit from Sally and Penny if you know who they are. Thursday Flo and Effie went downtown and Flo came home with a new hat. Don’t know whether she will let me go out with her, or not after this. I went to the post office and sent a parcel to E. Morton. It is snowing again today.

War. The fighting is on a smaller scale owing to intense winter conditions. Churchill is asking Italy to sue for a separate piece, but the idea don’t seem to go with the general public. Italy has done some despicable things to the Allies and they think she should be knocked out instead of let out, otherwise her lesson would be lost.

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Saturday night, December 19, 1942.

Monday I got a nice letter from Alf Collins telling me the church news and the settling down of a new pastor and his wife in the parsonage. Got a ton of stove coal in on Tuesday. Price $14.75. Flo has been busy preparing for Christmas and has taken me on as a helper. It is rather a difficult job for me but I haven’t been discharged yet. Have been amusing myself by reading Hepsy Burke. The temperature has in below zero and us old folks are strictly in the house.

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War. The news this week is that General Montgomery has outsmarted the Germans and surrounded them and made good use of his advantage. England and Canada have ordered their German prisoners unshackled but there is no word of Hitler following suit yet.

December 26:. The temperature during the week has been very low, for instance, the Stouffville Tribune says it was 35% degrees there and higher odd places. I have written letters to Jake and Ed and Flo to Maggie Quantz and Ruth Amoss. Collected $50.00 interest from the road debenture. Tuesday was the shortest day of the year, so we have turned the tide back to the good old summertime. As the days begin to lengthen the sun begins to strengthen. John has bought a big Turkey and Christmas came to our house. Effie, Sally and Penny were here for dinner. Gordon was driving a passenger train to Lindsay, but he and Audrey were here later. John is off to work today.

Christmas has returned a fourth time since the war began, to challenge with a message of peace, a world at war. Christmas returns again and again, and it may speak to us in these dreadful times with power and comfort. War seems to bulk largely inner minds and seems to dwarf other events. Christmas brings our thoughts back to original methods and gives us a respite. Nearly 2000 years, with their attendant festivals, have passed since the first one at Bethlehem. We reckon everything in history as before that event. Such and such

Page 134 things happened B.C. or A.D. Our thought of war is colored by memory and the present state of things seem terrible, but it is also colored by hope, these are what Christmas in wartime mean to us, memory and hope. These things will pass, and when they have, we wonder if men will have learned their lesson. Will men realize that selfish ambition, greed of power and lust of the flesh can only bring evil into the world. God still rules and sooner or later right will prevail.

War. There has been a good deal of comment lately about the assassination of the Frenchman Darlan, who was interested too much with Hitler. The French have been seesawing around a good deal. Some of them who were in authority, as this man was, held on for Hitler because he had them in his power, others bolted and a considerable number are fighting with the Allies. Hitler swept through France and gained a swift victory. I wonder sometimes why he didn’t try to gain England the same way. France was a firm ally of England at the beginning of the war and was considered almost impregnable, but Hitler’s forces, undepleted at that time, made short work of it and France was out.

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December 31:. Last Sunday we had Gordon, Audrey and Eileen here for tea and had a pleasant evening. Monday it rained the greater part of the day. The roads are a glare of ice. Motorists are having a hard time of it getting around. Cars by the hundreds are in the ditches. A few are being got out, some are being slept in and some abandoned. The weather turned colder on Wednesday and instead of rain we had a big fall of snow. John is busy at his work and I am sitting in the summer to come.

And so endeth another year and we bid it “Good Bye”. It has been a year of great changes for us, we hope for the better.

W. A. Quantz. Sub 82. 39 Sunny Lee Ave., Toronto.

--- End of Volume 9 ---

Source and Copy Reference Information While copyright and ownership remains with all direct descendants of William A. Quantz, the family welcomes inquiries from readers about additional usage consistent with the spirit and purposes as stated by the author." You can contact us at [email protected].

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