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In writing a memoir of my life I feel I must go back several years and tell some of the life of my Father and Mother in their years of pioneering before I came to dwell in this old world. Father was born in Bruce County which is in Western Ontario, on September 30, 1846; and Mother's birth place was on Walpole Island in Lake St. Clair, also in Southwestern Ontario, on September 18, 1850. Sometime during their early life both families, the Smiths and Roulstons moved to Huron County where Margaret and Lewis met and feel in love and were married in April of 1870. Those days when folks got married they stayed married 'until death do us part' and by all reports they were happy, in spite of the hard work and worrying times that were facing them. They were married three and a half years before their first child arrived, a boy, David Henry in 1873; the next year a baby girl, Rachel Ann, came along; a year later another boy, William Lewis, arrived. When he was about a year old, the three children took Croup Diphtheria, so their little girl died. William was very ill but finally recovered. A few months later wee Robert James arrived to take his place in the family. During this time of family arrival and lots of work, posters were being given out advertising the opening up of Parry Sound District. A couple of neighbours and Father decided to go and see what it was like. They all staked homesteads in the bush. The neighbours decided to stay but just then didn't appeal to Father; but he stayed for awhile to help the other men clear some land and build log homes. He was there long enough to realize he was feeling much better. The water in Huron County didn't agree with him. Mother suggested they move, but Father said he didn't like to take his family there for the place was all bush, rocks and water But he wasn't home long until he had another sick spell, so Mother insisted they go. So, in June of 1877 they left to make their home in Parry Sound District. I never heard much about that move except they crossed Georgian Bay by boat and landed on Parry Sound side, I believe at Rosseau, but still had thirty or more miles to drive in a wagon over a rough road to get to the homestead. It must have been a tiring trip with three little boys and Mother's five-year-old sister whom she took to raise after their mother's death. This road from Rosseau through Parry Sound District to Nipissing Village was and still is called the Nipissing Road. Nipissing Village was the end of the road to the north. It was a stage line, also all carting of supplies went up that road. At that time North Bay wasn't thought of. The Village of Magnetawan was about half way to where Father had his place staked. Magnetawan was a lumbering centre so was a busy place at that time; three hotels, two general stores and two blacksmith shops, with a few homes and farmers trying to hew out homes and clear farms. The family stayed there for a day and two nights' rest; but still had fifteen miles to drive and with no homes along the way it must have seemed a long trip. When they arrived at the place Father had staked, he said "well, this is our home". Will was quite small but he remembered seeing tears on Mother's cheeks. Mother was a brave woman, but guess that was hard to take when she was tired. They stayed at a neighbour's until Father and the neighbours cleared a bit of land and built