“Logan and Martha Ashton had purchased their store in 1916. They had come north on their honeymoon to visit one of Martha’s aunts. Logan’s family were store owners in the Toronto area. His two older brothers would eventually take over the business from their father. Even though Logan had a job at the family store, he knew that he didn’t really have a future there. He needed to find another way to provide for his new wife.
Martha’s aunt had spoke of the General Store being for sale, and they went to check it out. Martha fell in love with it right off. It had a quaint setting in the little village. The store itself wasn’t all it could have been, but with Logan’s retail experience they saw lots of potential. Logan discussed the details with the owners and cut a good deal. He and Martha became the new owners within a month. They got busy right away. With lots of elbow grease and a new coat of paint inside and out, the store soon took on a new appearance.
The previous owners had mostly stocked leather goods and blacksmith supplies. They carried only the basics where groceries were concerned. They had no yarn goods and a limited quantity of dried goods. Logan had lots of connections from his years of working for his father. His store had one of the few telephones in the area, and the railway stationhouse was across the road. With these tools to help him, he soon had lots of new stock in the store. The surrounding community was enthused with the Ashton’s new variety of supplies and greatly supported their business. The locals had been having to make the long trip into the bigger settlement to the west to get a lot of supplies for years. Now Ashton’s was bringing those necessities closer to them.
Logan and Martha were soon able to expand the store and carry even a larger variety of supplies. They had been fortunate to buy the store at a time in history when things boomed. The war had brought prosperity to the local farming community. In return, the farmers gave their business to Ashton’s General Store. In no time the store turned into a very prosperous business.
It took a few years before Martha and Logan were able to start a family. The doctor had told Martha that he wasn’t sure whether she would be able to bear children. Then after much disappointment, James came along. Then with no trouble at all, they were blessed with John and Janice.
Janice was only a year old when Martha had a fourth baby. The baby had its umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. It had been another girl, but she was born dead. Martha was guilt-ridden. There was no way anyone could have known. There were no such things as ultrasounds or technical equipment that they use today. Lots of terrible things happened back in those times during childbirth.
Six months later Martha conceived again. As it turned out, that baby was too big for Martha to deliver. Martha exhausted herself trying, but they both perished. Logan felt responsible. He and Martha had agreed not to conceive again after their fourth child was born dead, but things happen, and Martha died.
After I had accepted Logan’s offer to take the position of housekeeper and nanny, I got busy and packed up the farmhouse. Moving was always a difficult task. Logan brought his truck over, and we piled all our belongings on it. The Harmons came and got our last cow and chickens. They had been the remaining livestock we had kept after the farm was sold. It was heart-wrenching to walk out of the farmhouse door that final time. Even though it had not belonged to us that last year, it was still home. Now we were starting over. For the very first time in my whole life, and my children’s, we would be residing in a settlement. We had always lived on farmland out in the countryside. It surely was a new beginning for us all.
We moved to the Ashton’s home in June of 1926. It proved to be a favourable opportunity for everyone. After a few months, we all adjusted to the new living arrangements and formed a level of comfort with each other. Logan’s oldest son, James, was the only one to show any sign of resentment towards me or my children. That was very understandable considering the circumstances. In a short time, he accepted our presence in his home and warmed up to us.
School was out for the summer by the time we moved. Murray and Mary Beth were home to help get things sorted out. We hadn’t brought many things from the farm, mostly just our clothes and some of the children’s furnishings. The other things we wanted to keep, but had no use for at that time, were put into storage in a shed behind the store.
I had my hands full with seven children and a household to run. The twins were ten. Logan’s eldest son, James, was six. His second son, John, was four. He was the same age as Charity. Chase was three, and Logan’s youngest child, Janice, was two. It was a real house full.
Logan was a very generous man. He gave the big bedroom to Mary Beth and me to share. Charity shared a bedroom with Janice. John and James already shared a room, and Murray and Chase shared the fourth bedroom. Logan moved downstairs into his study.
Since he owned the store, we were never in need of groceries. We had never eaten so well, nor had I ever had the privilege of not worrying how to stretch a dollar. I still maintained my thrifty ways and never took advantage of the situation. For that, I think Logan admired me.
It didn’t take long before the Ashton children won over my heart. They were all good little ones. Janice was a sweetheart. She got on real well with Chase and Charity. They all played well together.
That fall when school started, Murray and Mary Beth enrolled in the school in the village. It was just down the road. James started school that year as well. They all headed out together that first day. Mary Beth was holding James’s hand. He was really apprehensive about the whole idea, but was comforted to have a companion to go with.
Life settled into a routine. We all seemed to get along and lived together in a peaceful fashion. Logan had taken Murray under his wing. He often got Murray to do chores for him in the store or sent him out on deliveries. For his efforts, Murray was always compensated generously. I wasn’t so sure I was in total agreement as I felt the children all needed to learn responsibilities without always being offered payment. Logan didn’t want to take advantage.
Mary Beth was given opportunities to help as well. She really liked to help clean and stock the shelves when new merchandise came in. She had a real flair for setting up the displays of woolen and yard goods. Logan said she had a keen sense for colour matching.
Logan would ask for my opinion when it came to the ladies’ wear. He said that Martha had always looked after the ordering of those things. He especially wanted my input when new colours and styles came available. The world had changed somewhat by this time. We were in the roaring twenties. The “Charleston” was the new dance craze. It was a time of the flappers and bobbed hairstyles for women. I hadn’t had much interest in keeping up with the latest trends. My lifestyle had never offered me that luxury.
At first I wasn’t sure if my ideas were beneficial. I had never had any experience in storekeeping. I had never been able to afford store-bought ladies’ wear either, never mind staying attuned to style. I soon discovered that I enjoyed being somewhat involved in the store business. It was interesting learning all that was entailed in running a store.
I started to get to know Logan on a different level. I soon realized that we were becoming good friends. We were comfortable spending time together, and we respected each other. We were no longer just employer and housekeeper. We were all melding and bonding. The children looked out for each other and acted like siblings. Without even thinking about it, we were all becoming a family.
It sure did my heart good to see all the children in a happy environment. They seemed to be thriving once again, and I was finally starting to make peace with the sad events of the past years. It had been a good decision to take Logan up on his offer. Ashton’s General Store offered us a new beginning and a new life. At twenty-nine years old, I started what was to become a new era of my life.”