Trueman by marriage or blood, as Squire Wm.Avard, Bristol; Collector Prescott, Bay Verte; Albert Carter, C.F.McCready, Sheriff McQueen, ex-collector James D.Dickson, George M.Black, I.F.Carter, James Main, Botsford; John Glendenning, Cumberland; Geo.W.Ripley, Mrs.
J.M.Trueman, Thorndale, Pa; Gilbert Pugsley, Rupert Coates, Nappan;Hibbert Lawrence, Gilbert Lawrence, Burgess Fullerton, Southampton;Mrs.Sarah Patterson, Linden; Alex.Smith, Nappan; Dr.Chapman, James Colpitts, Point de Bute; J.L.Black, ex-M.P.P., Sackville; Mrs.Burke, Toronto; E.E.Baker, Fort Lawrence.
"Amongst the visitors were: R.Robertson, W.S.Blair, Experimental Farm, Nappan; Dr.W.F.Ganong, W.C.Milner, W.Fawcett, Charles George, W.F.George, John Roach, Thomas Roach, Nappan; Frank Beharrel, Lowell, Mass.; Dr.Allison, President Mt.Allison; Dr.Smith, Dr.Brecken, Prof.Andrews, Sackville; Rev.Mr.Batty, Amherst; Douglas Fullerton, Leonard Carter, J.H.Goodwin, Point de Bute; Hiram Copp, F.A.Dixon, Sackville; George Copp, James Fillmore, Bay Verte.
"A platform was erected under the shade of the vine-covered walls, and interesting speeches made.Dr.Chapman presided.In his introductory remarks he said he was pleased with his Yorkshire descent, and was very sorry that Mr.Batty, who was to tell sometime of Yorkshire at the present day, was not present.Mr.Howard Trueman, who was then called upon, told something of the settlement of the Truemans, the building of the house, the clock two hundred years old that was still keeping good time, the chair that came out from England with the family, and the bench there on the platform that came from the first Methodist church built in Canada, a stone church that stood by the Point de Bute Cemetery.
"Mr.J.L.Black spoke of his first visit to the old house.When not more than fourteen years old, he had been put on a horse and sent to the mill with a bag of wheat.On telling who he was he was sent to the house and fed with gingerbread and his pockets filled with cake.
Mr.Black paid a high tribute to the sterling character of the men of the old days, but was of the opinion that the men of these days scarcely were their equals.
"Dr.Ganong, Mr.Milner and Mr.George not responding.Dr.Brecken was called upon.He claimed Yorkshire descent and supposed the stubbornness his wife complained of was due to the Yorkshire blood in him.He sometimes wondered, as Mr.Black had done, whether the race was not degenerating.He certainly could not stand as much exertion as his father could.The style of oratory was also very different from what it used to be.We have few of the finely finished speeches that characterized the old days.
"Dr.Allison said: 'All the speakers claimed some connection with the Truemans or Yorkshire, but he had not a drop of English blood in his veins, using English in its narrower sense.None, however, had a keener appreciation of the Yorkshire element than himself.Charles Allison, the founder of the Institutions, the one who had done more than any other to make the name of Allison to be remembered, chose for his partner in life a member of the Trueman family.Mankind was not degenerating.Wonderful things have been accomplished since this country was first settled.Divine providence has not constructed the railway and telegraph, but man.Dr.Brecken was just as good a man as his father, and a much greater orator than the men of those days.The men of the past suited the past, but a different type is required to-day.
"The chairman then announced that lunch would be served, and the other speakers would say a few words later in the afternoon.
"After lunch Judge Trueman, of Albert, took the platform.He said it gave him much pleasure to be at the picnic, not only to meet so many friends, but to see the old place where he was born and spent his youth.He knew every knoll and hollow of the old farm.He thought everyone who had the Trueman blood in him ought to feel on excellent terms with himself after hearing so many nice things said about the family.
"Prof.Andrews, who followed, agreed with Dr.Allison in thinking the race was not degenerating, and claimed if the people to-day would spend as much time out of doors as did their fathers, they would be even stronger.He gave some proofs that actually the race is improving physically.In the old times the weakest all died off, and only the tough old nuts remained.He told some remarkable stories of what he had undergone when a young man, that he claimed to be saving for his grandchildren.It gave him much pleasure to attend this celebration which would pass into history.
"Rev.Mr.Batty, of Amherst, was introduced by the chairman as a true bred, native-born Yorkshireman.Mr.Batty said, judging from the number around him, if all the Yorkshiremen had prospered as the Truemans there would be a new Yorkshire more prosperous than the old.He had not realized what kind of a picnic this was until he saw the lines of carriages driving through Amherst.On inquiring he found it was the gathering of the clans at Prospect.He considered these historic gatherings most important in the development of a country.He then gave a most interesting account of Yorkshire and Yorkshire Methodism.He had never seen a wooden house until he came to this country, and it stirred old memories to stand again under the shadow of a brick house that reminded him strongly of his grandfather's house in Yorkshire.If people here want to see Englishmen come to Canada they must do away with snake fences, sulphur matches, and bad roads.Agriculture is done for in England, and the fathers realize that their sons must come to Canada.No Westmoreland man would complain if he knew how well off he was.
"In closing he thanked all for their attention, Mr.Trueman for his invitation, and said he was going to write a full account of the gathering for the Yorkshire papers and send it at once.
