Welcome Home~Part 1

 

Alexander Burke was one of the first settlers in the Town of Camden Corners . He had come to New York City from Ireland as a young man only to find himself missing the green meadows of his home in County Donegal. He worked diligently at what ever job he could find ending up at a brewery near Five Points. There he met Duncan Mackenzie who had left his home in Glasgow two years before. The two young men hit it off immediately. They both had their memories of a quieter life in their native lands.

They were roommates in a brownstone operated by Mrs. Geraldine O'Sullivan who told them stories of growing up in the town of Greensboro. Her memories included going to a place called Camden Corners for summer holidays. Geraldine was the only girl in a family of six boys and had learned how to rough it long before it was proper for a young lady to do so. She talked about the hills and lakes and how beautiful it was to see the sun come up over the water. Alexander and Duncan listened to Mrs. O'Sullivan tell stories of all the animals and birds in the area and the trout that she and her brothers caught for supper. They decided they needed to explore Camden Corners and worked hard and saved their money until they had enough to purchase a horse and buggy. They packed their few belongings, hugged Mrs. O'Sullivan goodbye and started their trek to their new home. They would miss some of the hustle and bustle of New York and a few of the pretty girls they had met while there but the excitement of seeing another part of the country kept them going on the long trip to their new home.

They were surprised when they arrived in Camden Corners. It wasn't quite the wilderness area Mrs. O'Sullivan had described from her times there. It wasn't a big city but it did have a general store, a post office, church, some homes and even a library. As the boys drove into town they noticed a railroad station was being built. This was going to be a fine place to settle down. They were lucky to find work around town helping the construction crews.

The railroad itself was almost completed and would go through Camden Corners from New York City to St. Louis. Alexander and Duncan were grateful to Mrs. O'Sullivan, without her they would never have known this lovely little town existed.

For the next few years, the town grew, the boys were busy with their construction jobs and had learned a great deal about the building business. They knew it was time for them to start their own business and what better business than a pub.

Miss Olivia Simon was the town's librarian. Even with her hair tied securely in a bun at the nape of her neck and her prim and proper attire, Miss Olivia was a beauty. Alexander took a shine to her the first time he saw her. Alexander and Olivia were married in the Hilltop Chapel with Isabelle Marshall and Duncan Mackenzie as their witnesses. Three months later Isabelle and Duncan were married in the same chapel.

Between the two couples, they had twelve children.

The years went by swiftly and the two chums continued running the very popular pub. Their children all married and kept their fathers happy presenting them with grandchildren on a continuing basis. Alexander and Duncan had a hard time remembering which grandchildren belonged to them and which belonged to the other. Even the grandchildren were confused since the two families were happiest when they were all together.