Over 100 barns blow down in 1930 Winter Storm

     The following comes from, 150 Years of Prince Edward Island Weather: Some weather we're having! 2015 PEI Weather Trivia Calendar by Don Jardine and Adam French with David Weale, and the Climate Research Lab at the University of Prince Edward Island.
     February 16, 1930: "A terrific gale, reported as the worst hitting this area in many years, blew down over 100 barns in Kings County.  Winds hit a maximum of 65 km/h at Charlottetown and 37 cm of snow fell.  Two young sons of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Noade of Launching Place narrowly escaped death when they were feeding cattle in the barn and the barn collapsed.  Large pieces of the barn roof were found on Boughton Bay and shingles were found on Boughton Island, three kilometers away."  

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     It's always nice to have an image with a story - since we don't have one from 1930, here's an old barn at the Stetson's on the O'Leary Rd. in Union (between O'Leary Corner and O'Leary) destroyed by a wind storm in the fall of 2009.

Wells/ Clark/ Ashley House, Union (beside Alberton)

     I had a chance to see through this 1850's house the other evening - located at 33 Dock Road.  The present owners have just listed it for sale - http://33dockroad.ca/home.html
     The house was originally built by William Wells (1830-1909).  He was the son of James II Wells; and grandson of James I Wells, a shipwright first employed with James Hill, who came to the Dock to take up land and where boats were also being built on the Dock River. 
     William Wells first married Barbara Stuart Ramsay (1838-1886) - they had ten children including two daughters who married into the Clark family.  William's second wife was  Jane Brander (1837-1894) and his third wife was Mary (MacArthur) Donald (?-1920). 
     The following information comes from the book: Wandering Back:  History of Dock - Hills River - Mill River - Rosebank. 1983.  Published by the Three Rivers Historical Society.  Printed by William & Crue, Summerside.
     William had a brother Malcolm and one sister Jane. "Little is known about Malcolm, although he was the original owner of the Dock Carding Mill, to which his brother succeeded."  - pg. 97.  "Over a century ago, a carding and grist mill, operated by a local farmer, William Wells, was located at the pond.  He made use of the availability of water to generate power to run the mill.  An unfortunate accident in the mill caused William's daughter, Jean F., to be killed when her hair became entangled in the carding machine." - pg. 24
     Following the Well's living here, the Clark's lived here for years until in the 1960's when Charles Ashley bought it.  The Ashley's sold the house 3 years ago to the present owners.
     Below are photos from the above noted website.

     Above: the front entry door facing north - you can see the square newel post to the left edge of the phone - this is not original - the stairs from the main floor to second was rebuilt likely around 1900.  Below: the former dining room with piano window and modernized fireplace to the right.

     Below: top of stair over the front entry facing North.  The original stairs and handrail can be seen here.  This stair goes to the large third floor.

     Below:  interesting detailing on this second floor bedroom located on the northeast corner of the house facing towards the town of Alberton and the intersection of Rte. 150 and Rte.12.  This is the only room with this detailing - it's unusual, however, likely original to the house with panels below the sill to the floor.  Much of the glass in the windows are original throughout the house.

     During renovations to this house over the past couple of years the owner has found a couple of letters (one dated 1859) and a prayer book.
     The present owner told us that kitchen wing from the back of this house was moved across the road and renovated for the use as "Union (or Dock) School".