This could not have applied to Edna McGowan for on October 13, 1890, at the age of 18 years, she was married to Thomas Canavan. Over the next 21 years, they would have eight children.

Edna lived in Charlotte County for the majority of her years. Life was not easy for her, and this is best expressed in a letter she wrote to her cousin Catherine Brehent(#41) in 1938. I have typewritten this letter exactly as Edna wrote it. A copy is attached at the end of this document. As the letter indicates, Edna did lose a number of her children and her husband at an early age. She was 65 years old when she wrote this letter. From what research I have done concerning details of her letter, I can verify her memory was exceptional. I have found no other information that contradicts any of the details in her letter.

My mother told me Edna was one of the nicest people you could meet. She was kind, never angry and had nothing but good things to say about others.

She died in 1950 at the age of 78. She was buried in Rollingdam alongside her husband.

Following is a copy of the letter mentioned above:

Woodland Maine

Feb. 13, 1938

Mrs. Catherine F. Brehent
#111 Locust St
Danvers
Mass

Dear Cousin Catherine

I was very glad to hear from you. Personally, I always have heard from you through your letters to Aunt Maggie. My home is in St Andrews right near Susan. But my family have all grown up & away & some have died. I always live here with Edna and her husband in the winter & go home in the summer. Now do you remember when you visited us on Tower Hill, you & Nana Farrell. I think Kevin my boy was the baby. Reta, Mercedes, Annie & Susie were older. Susie died when she was 10 yrs old & two years later my husband Tom died. He has been dead 24 yrs. Edna & Mary are both younger than Kevin. He died 7 yrs ago, left a wife & baby 3 wks old. They lived in Bridgewater, Mass. Then Mercedes was a Sister of Mercy in Manchester N H for 6 yrs & she died 2 yrs after Kevin, Mary my baby was only 2 yrs old when her father died & his brother John Canavan in Portland came & took Mary, as I was on the farm & had to work out doors a lot, so you see I have had my own troubles. Reta & Annie are both married & live In Milltown, N.B. Reta has a large family also. Her oldest girl is in her 22nd year. Annie has 2 girls & 2 boys, her eldest one in her 14th year. Edna was a Nurse trained in Manchester when Mercedes was there In the Convent & Mary is a Nurse in Portland. She is not married. & Edna & her little boy he is in his 4th year are in Portland now visiting for a couple of weeks & I am Keeping house for her husband. He is the grandest man. He is lots older than Edna & just thinks the world of her & he is so nice to me. No son could be better. He is a paper maker. This is a paper town a large Mill here. He makes good Money. Now this is all I will tell you of my family. Now what I want to know is your father's add. I sent him a card & note xmas add. to Texas & it was returned unclaimed. I told him how much Aunt Maggie would love to hear from him. Last fall before I left home she used to talk so much about him & tell me how much she thought of him. I remember so well as a child how we looked forward to Aunty Farrell & George coming out to Rolling Dam to visit 3 or 4 weeks on Vacation & the good innocent times we children had playing together. Not much like the children of today. I always liked him so much. Now would you please let me have his add. & I often think of your mother also. Where is she now. We had such a nice visit from your father & Mother & the 2 boys after I moved to St Andrews. I never met Louise but Aunt Maggie has told me how hansome she was. Poor old Aunt Maggie. She Is a dear. She will be 97 on April 15. She has failed a lot the last year & dont she always love to have me coming back to St Andrews. She loves to play cards Auction 45. 1 have to play with her about every night for Susan won't take the time. Oh I could ramble on & you will be so tired reading this. I would love to see your husband & littie girl. Hope you can come & see us next summer & see Aunt Maggie. Will close for now. With Love to you all. Cousin Edna. Add. Mrs Edna Canavan C/O E.J. Wahl Woodland Maine.