THE BECK BULLETIN

Number 57 June 1, 2008

Beck Family Reunion, August 1,& 2, 2008 in P.E.I.

Much excitement has been generated by the Vere Beck Family Reunion to be held Friday at the Murray Harbour Community Center and Saturday at the Northumberland Arena in Murray River. Relatives with be coming from many provinces of Canada and states of the USA. They will be traveling thousands of miles with young (at least as young as 2 years) and maybe as old as nearly 100! As mentioned in the announcement of the last Beck Bulletin, and repeated near the end of this one, reservations are required for several items. These include:
1)The Clambake on Friday evening at Cape Bear.
2) The dinner on Saturday evening at the Arena.
3) Orders for the spiral bound, laminated cover 500 page book of the Vere Beck genealogy, as prepared by Kathie Sencabaugh. Due to the large size of the book, the cost is $60 as delivered at the Reunion. CDs will also be available for $15 each; however, a computer is necessary to obtain the information on the CD.
We plan to sell family-related material such as books, CDs and other items. If you have such material (including items such as art work of pottery, pictures, photographs, etc.), we would like to offer it for sale at the Reunion. It would be sold on a consignment basis.
If you have art work, old family pictures or whatever that you would be willing to display, we would be happy to know about it. For this item and for selling family-related material, contact Jim Beck, beck@msu.edu, or Wade Hawkins, WTTV@pei.sympatico.ca or 902-962-2766.

YOU CAN'T BE TWO PLACES AT ONCE

By Ivan Munn

It has been accepted over the years that when Vere Beck and his family landed at Guernsey Cove he was joining a thriving community of settlers from the Isle of Guernsey. These people came out in 1806, seven years before the arrival of the Becks. That would have given them time to become well established in their new homes.
J. Vere Beck (1.4.3A.3.1.) an employee of The Guardian newspaper summed up the accepted feeling in his introduction to the 1983 listings.

“In the spring of 1813, probably in May, a ship came in from the Atlantic Ocean, through the Strait of Canso and into Northumberland Strait. As she approached Prince Edward Island it became apparent to the few watchers that she was intending to come very close to land. Finally off Guernsey Cove, on the Island's south shore the ship anchored and preparations began for landing a boat. Any arrival like that provided a big break for both young and old settlers, and no doubt everyone that could manage gathered at the Cove to watch.”

The ship was bringing Vere Beck,(1) his wife Elizabeth, and their young children, and the watchers' on the shore were supposedly the Guernsey Settlers. But before accepting this, let's look at what the Guernsey people were doing at this time. They originally headed for the Hillsborough River, near Charlottetown, but were not happy with the location because there was no waterfrontage available. So they boarded a ship and headed east stopping to have lunch on the beach at Guernsey Cove. From there they continued on to Murray Harbour, landing first at Beach Point. Details of what they did are contained in a history of the Brehauts (one of the Guernsey Families) written in 1906 by J. Hedley Brehaut of Roxbury, Mass. He summed up the situation this way:

“After coming from the old country, it must have taken brave, stout hearts to land on these forest-clad shores, where they knew nothing but hardship and toil could await them. But nothing daunted. They found such shelter as they could, in an old house, near what is now called Beach Point, and from there they afterwards moved to what became known as Machon's Point (in Murray Harbour.) Perhaps had they been as much alive to the needs of farming as their descendants, they would have settled about the Cove, where they first landed, but they were coopers by trade, so they considered the woods were all that were to be desired and therefore they settled there.”

The History of Murray Harbour, written recently by a group of local history buffs, tells much the same story, but in greater detail. I don't have that document in front of me, but I read it several times and it recounts their years on Machon's Point and outlines when the first of the group moved to Guernsey Cove. It was years after the arrival of Vere and his family.

A few years ago I stumbled upon a history of Guernsey Cove written by a student at Southern Kings Consolidated School in Peters Road. It stated bluntly that Vere Beck was the first settler in Guernsey Cove. I wondered where he got that information, until I reached the end of the item. He thanked Kimball LeLacheur, and Kay and Howard Glover for their assistance. There is another history of Guernsey Cove there now, this time written by “Mindy.” She quotes the same sources: Kimball LeLacheur and Kay and Howard Glover. She lists the first settlers as the Becks,followed by the Taudvins, LeLacheurs, Jordans, and Brehauts. Four of the eight Guernsey families moved to Guernsey Cove after the Becks.
So when Vere, Elizabeth and their children were being rowed ashore in 1813, there was no sign of human activity in the area at all. Not much wonder there was banter from the others who declined to embark. With that one act, Vere established forever his reputation for stubborness and determination in the face of adversity!

This is in no way meant to be a criticism of the work of J. Vere Beck. He worked with the information that was available to him, and in the years since 1983 these new facts have come to light.

LIFE AFTER THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

It was late April when June (Lowe) Sencabaugh (1.7.3.1A.1,2,) set out for Toronto and an unforgettable chapter in her life. She was to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as one of this year's RBC Local Hockey Leaders from across the country. RBC Insurance picks one outstanding volunteer from each province and territory annually.
June's husband, Grant, wasn't able to make the trip because of the need to get ready for the opening of the Lobster fishing season. So June took their daughter, Valda, and their granddaughter, 10-year-old Baily. They went up on Friday, April 25, and stayed with a relative. Other family members gathered there too, so they had, as June said, “something of a family reunion that weekend.”
The Hall of Fame ceremony took place on Monday, April 28, and followed a tightly-scripted agenda. At 5:15 the winners and guests were met at the Royal York Hotel and the party proceeded to the Hockey Hall of Fame. At 5:30 there was a meet and greet with Gordie Howe and pictures taken with the Stanley Cup. It was cocktail hour from 6:00 to 7:00 and autograph signing with Gordie Howe, Jean Labonte, Paralympic gold medalist in sledge hockey, and Jennifer Botterill, a gold medallist on the Canadian Women's Olympic Hockey Team. At 7 PM the formal part of the evening got underway with presentations made to the winners individually. This was followed by the unveiling of the display case that will hold the pictures of the winners.
June said they spent the night at the Royal York Hotel and flew back home on Tuesday.
June won for her many years of volunteer work and fund-raising for the Northumberland Arena in Murray River. The award comes with a $10,000 cheque for the Arena to be used as the directors see fit. June said the cheque hasn't been received yet, but it will be used for various upgrades to the arena and to support the local minor hockey program.

HAVE VIOLA – WILL TRAVEL

The Singing Strings Youth Orchestra of P.E.I. will be performing in Europe this summer. Rachel Harris (1.4.6.5,11.4.1,) of White Sands plays the viola in the orchestra, which is representing Canada at the International Festival of European Youth Orchestras. They are scheduled for concerts in Rome, Montecatini and Florence. Sixteen-year-old Rachel began playing with the Singing Strings intermediate orchestra six years ago and has been a member of the senior orchestra for the past three years. She switched from the violin to the viola at that time. “I liked it better, it's lower, and sounds more like a voice. It’s smoother sounding,” Rachel said. The orchestra has been fundraising since the winter for the trip, and Rachel said they’ve sold pies, flower bulbs, meat packages, and held concerts to raise money. The last fundraising concert before the trip will be held Sunday, June 8, at 2pm at the Kings Playhouse in Georgetown. The Ceilidh will feature Courtney Hogan, the Amy Swenson fiddlers, percussionist Philip Kromer, the Barry O’Brien trio, Caleb and Rowan Gallant, Jessie Periard, and Zach Bell will MC. Singing Strings directors John and Jenet Clement said the trip is a tremendous experience for the kids, and will not only be an opportunity to perform internationally, but to visit places of musical and cultural significance, such as Mozart’s birthplace in Salzburg, Austria. “We’ll go on a couple of tours, and see as much as we can in 10 days,” Rachel told Janet MacNeil of The Eastern Graphic. “The arts are what interest me,” she said. But she is also interested in journalism. She says she enjoys writing and is part of a writing group.

DEATHS

BECK: Jesse R. Beck (1.4.3A.2A.1.) died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown on Sunday, April 6, 2008, at the age of 96. She was the wife of the late Preston Vere Beck, and the mother of Kathryn (Louis) Wilchyski, Vincent (Eileen), Adele (predeceased) (Bernard) Savoury, Rosina (Dr. Barry) Norris and Pauline (Ron) Friesen. She was the grandmother of Kim (Peter) Ewart, Cynthia (Peter Yu), James (Lisa Murray) Wilchyski, Rebecca Wilchyski, Michael (Prista) Beck, Rachel (Terry) MacCabe, Mark (Erin) Savoury, Wayne Savoury, Sean (Lisa) Norris, Heidi (Scott) Pence, Adam (Katrin Sannit) Norris, Jill (Reuven) Gordon, Brock Friesen, Brad (Terri) Friesen and Trent (Mandy) Friesen. She is also survived by 16 great-grandchildren.
The funeral service was held on Thursday, April 10, at the Sherwood Church of Christ followed by interment in the Sherwood Cemetery.

BELL: A private family Grave Side Service was held on Wednesday, May 7, 2008, for Joan Audrey (Harris) Bell (1.4.6.5,1.1,). She died on Wednesday, January 9, 2008. There was no visitation or funeral service at that time by personal request. Joan was 73 and the wife of Alton Bell.
The Committal Service was conducted by Fred Osborne.
The Pallbearers were Jimmy Stewart, Fred Chapman, Jim Cook, Mark MacNeill, Shawn Hume and Stephen Chapman.

JACKSON: Elizabeth “Dorothy” Jackson (nee Gosbee)(1.4.1,10,2,) died at the Riverview Manor in Montague on Thursday, May 29, 2008. She was from Beach Point and was 95 years old, and the widow of Clifford Jackson. She was the mother of Hughie (Sarah) Jackson, Beach Point, and Betty (Carlos) Borges, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Grandchildren include Tammy (Hal) Clements, Mark (Cheryl) Horton, Tracy (Glen) Chaisson, Teresa (Paul) Penny, Tobi Jackson and seven great-grandchildren.
Sister of Louis, Elmer (Vaughn), Lovell Gosbee, Ruth Hawkins; and sister-in-law of Kimball LeLacheur. Predeceased by her brothers, William, Murray and Charlie; and by her sisters, Sadie Bell and Florrey LeLacheur. Also predeceased by her brothers-in-law, Lloyd Hawkins and Roy Bell; and by her sisters-in-law, Jean and Marion Gosbee. Resting at Ferguson’s Montague Funeral Home until today, Sunday, June 1st then to the Church of Christ, Murray Harbour, for funeral service at 3 p.m. Interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

MURDOCK: Frank Russell Murdock (1.6B.5,2.5,) died in the Palliative Care Unit of the Prince Edward Home in Charlottetown on Thursday, May 8, 2008. He was a resident of Stratford, and formerly of Murray Harbour. He was 84 years old and a veteran of the Second World War. He is survived by his wife, Ethel (Beck) Murdock, and children David (Sharon), Gaspereaux, and Charlie (Debbie), Mt. Herbert.
He was the grandfather of Kevin Murdock, Keith Murdock (Terri), Kirk Murdock (Ulanya Walsh), Carli Murdock (Aaron Hansen), and Abbie Murdock (Ryan Moir), and the great grandfather of Madalyn, Tanner, Megan and Coady.
Frank is survived by two sisters, Jacqueline Cress, Ontario, and Jean Stedman, B.C. He was predeceased by seven sisters.
The funeral service was held from Ferguson's Funeral Home Chapel in Montague on Sunday, May 11, with interment in the Murray Harbour Cemetery.

EVERYDAY MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES TO BE EXPLORED

David Weale (1.6A.4,6.2.1,)will offer a short course at the Murray River Library on everyday mystical experiences.
The first session was held Thursday evening, May 29, and the course will be completed over the next three Thursday nights. It will examine some of the deep experiences in life that are often referred to as “spiritual” or “mystical.” These “soul moments” will be explored, not as religious occurences, but as natural and common openings to spiritual awareness that all humans experience, no matter what their beliefs.
Topics to be discussed include the spirituality of landscape, music, hobbies, gardening, animals, sports, friendship, sexuality, dreams and aging. The goal of the sessions is to both inform and stimulate discussion.
David is a former professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, and a well-known writer and performer. As a young man he started out as an ordained minister. His first pastoral charge was at the Church of Christ in Murray Harbour.

NEW HOLIDAY FOR PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

The announcement of the new holiday was welcomed by most Islanders. It will be observed on the second Monday in February, thus breaking up the long stretch between New Year's and Easter. The PEI government announced the new holiday, to be known as Islander Day, in the Throne Speech in the legislature. Some businesses were not happy with the announcement but it did not appear to be a concern for business owners in the eastern part of the province. They said the fact that it falls in the middle of winter, normally a slow time of the year, makes it less of an issue. Darryl MacKenzie of Souris Home Hardware told The Eastern Graphic, “If it was spring, summer or even early fall when it's our busiest that would be a different matter.” Mark Beck,(1.11.9.3.2.1.) of Stewart & Beck Ltd in Montague, also approves of the holiday. “It gives everyone a boost in February. It’s nice to have a day off in the middle of the winter,” Mark said.

POP IN BOTTLES HAS BEEN CANNED ON PEI

Prince Edward Islanders hit the stores on Saturday, May 3rd, to buy pop and beer in aluminum cans for the first time in many years. The government banned beer in cans 35 years ago, and extended the ban to carbonated beverages 11 years later. Plastic was also prohibited, with glass bottles the only approved container. The purpose was to protect the environment, since glass bottles can be recycled more effectively than cans. It also preserved jobs at a Charlottetown bottling plant. However, Islanders have been pushing for change, and the issue played a part in the election of a new Liberal Party government last year. Residents of Charlottetown celebrated the lifting of the ban at a street party organized by a local radio station, where the Minister of the Environment George Webster had the privilege of opening "the first" can.

Now a summary of the Reunion Activities

OPEN HOUSE:Friday Aug.1,2008, Murray Harbour Community Centre,10:00 to 4:00 pm.

Activities: Registration ($10 per adult or $20 per family with children)

Meet and greet relatives and guest speaker from England

See displays. Buy family-related CDs, books, novelties, etc.

Lunch at noon

FRIDAY EVENING OPTIONS:

* Clambake at Cape Bear (reservations needed)

* Lobster dinners (group going to North Rustico or ?)

* Visit with relatives

SATURDAY Aug. 2, 2008:

9:00 am 1:00 pm Tours

2:00 pm 3:00 pm Registration, mingling time

3:00 pm 4:30 pm Main Program, Clive Killick, a relative from England, is the main speaker.

A childrens program is also available.

5:00 pm 6:30 pm Dinner at the Arena. Reservations needed

7:00 pm 8:00 pm. Closing program

Reservations needed for a)Clambake. Contact John Brehaut, email: jhbrehaut@pei.sympatico.ca, phone: 902-569-3758

b)Dinner at Arena, 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Contact John Brehaut, email: jhbrehaut@pei.sympatico.ca, phone: 902-569-3758

c)Paper copies of the list of the Vere Beck family members (and some pictures and information about Vere). It will be available in spiral bound form(about $60). CDs will be available for less and do not need to be ordered. To order your paper copy, spiral or hardbound, of the family members,contact Jim Beck, email: beck@msu.edu, phone: 517-349-6688.

Invitations:

1. We invite Beck family members to submit items to sell on consignment. Items include CDs that they have recorded, cookbooks and other books that they have written or compiled, personal artwork, pottery and whatever. The items will be on display at the Centre and also at the Arena. Contact Wade Hawkins, WTTV@pei.sympatico.ca or 902-962-2766

2. We would like to get more copies of family photographs, both candid and professional. Contact Sarah Jackson, email: hsnjackson@eastlink,ca, phone: 902-962-2173 or Doug Beck, email: beck.family.cos@gmail.com, phone: 717-532-1289.

The Vere Beck Family Home Page

The Marfleet Home Page

We're always looking for news of Beck family members. If you know of any interesting events drop me a line with the information.

imunn@accesswave.ca

That's it .. please share it with relatives who aren't on line. The next edition will be out in early August, 2008. The reunion will be underway on Aug. 1st

Site Meter

Copyright © 2008 The Beck Bulletin