John E. Standish: (1853 - 1940)

John E. Standish, third child of Richard Standish (1822 - 1908) and Anne Bachelder (1826 - 1896), was born in a small cabin across the road from the house at 71 Rang de la Montagne to which he moved in 1885 (this house is now owned by Anne Standish and Sylvain Dansereau).

John E. kept an orchard, raised cows and grew vegetables on this land.

In 1881, he married Priscilla Leggat (1856 - 1936). Together, they had six children. There were four girls, Pansy, Hazel, Daisy and Glena (known as the flower sisters), and two boys, Angus and Urban.

Interestedly, all six children later died in the order they were born.

Passed-down memories of John E.

• He added the initial E. to his name to differentiate himself from the many other men named “John Standish” living in the Rougemont area at the time.

• He was a member of the first municipal council of Rougemont; first meeting held in 1881.
• According to Priscilla Turnbull (John E.'s granddaughter), her mother Dorothy said that John E. loved to tell stories, and that she would sit and listen to him and forget to do her housework. She said John E. enjoyed sitting by the wood stove, while using a string attached to the old mahogany cradle to rock his grandson, John H., to sleep.
• Gilbert Standish (his grandson) recalls that John E. used to drive to Cookshire to visit his son Angus and would stay overnight before returning.
• Colin Standish (his grandson) said he was told by his mother that John E. had very soft hands; she felt it came from milking his cows twice a day for decades.
• Audrey Eastwood (his granddaughter) remembers his big mustache and a head of white hair.