On Monday, March 22nd 1915 the children, grandchildren and other
relatives of Mrs. Norman Pursel met at her home on lot 6, in the 8th
concession of the Township of Windham, in order to honor and give a
practical proof of their loving devotion and tender regard for their
now aged mother, on this her 80th birthday.
It was also proof of their appreciation and grateful remembrance of
the many kindnesses and sacrifices of a devoted Christian mother.
Mrs. Pursel is the daughter of Henry Bradley and Abigail Freeman,
and was born in the State of Maine,
March 22, 1835.*
She is a great-granddaughter of Sir James Bradley, who
distinguished himself at the taking of Quebec in 1759.*
When she was thirteen years of age, she came with her parents to
Canada, and settled at New Brunswick. Two years later they removed to
the County of Norfolk, and settled at Waterford.
On September 1st, 1861, she was married to Norman Pursel of
Windham, son of Jonathan Pursel, one of the pioneers of the township.
She is the mother of five children, two sons and three daughters,
who are still living. Her husband died August 4th, 1898.
Her children in the order of their ages are:
Alice (Mrs. Charles Pettit) of Detroit;
Clinton, who lives near her;
Abigail (Mrs. Wm. Jay) of Windham;
Ella (Mrs. Delos Campfield) of Otterville; and
Ara, who lives with her on the homestead.
These children, with their children, were all present on this happy
occasion, and did everything in their power to cheer and comfort their
mother in her declining years.
Nature has endowed this family with the happy and enjoyable gift of
song, and it was both pathetic and inspiring to hear them sing on this
occasion., "Home, Sweet Home; be it ever-so-humble, there's no
place like home."
Like sermons, lectures and addresses, every good one we hear seems
the best we ever heard, so every good dinner to which a hungry man
sits down, is the best he ever enjoyed, and there never was a better
than was enjoyed at Mrs. Pursel's on her 80th birthday.
It may be well to play the piano,
Yet it has often been said
That a girl is not fit to get married
'Till she can make a good loaf of bread.
The bread we enjoyed at this dinner was made from start to finish
by Mrs. Pursel's own hands, and all were a unit in pronouncing it
delicious.
To a child of ten years, looking forward eighty years seems like a
long time, but the octogenarian, like Mrs. Pursel, in looking
backward, says "How rapidly the years have chased each
other."
It is highly gratifying to know that Mrs. Pursel is still in the
enjoyment of her faculties, and also in the possession of the love and
esteem, not only of her own family, but of all who know her.
After the rendering of an appropriate program by the members of her
family, Mrs. Pursel responded, thanking all present for the part they
had played in make her life sweeter and happier.
The singing of that beautiful hymn "God Be With You Till We
Meet Again," brought all to the close of a well spent day, still
in the hope of a happy reunion in the "Sweet By and By."
