cut down trees in order to clear a space to erect a blacksmith shop and a log house. For many years the chief project in the shop was making nails. The blacksmith shop still remains on the scene. Most of New An¬ nan was woodland at this time. He was given a lease of land from Henry Thornton Todd, a receipt for quit rent payment still remains in the home. Finding his way back through a timber trail to what is now called Wilmot Valley , he fell in love with Sarah Elizabeth Dickieson and they were married January of 1845. One would wonder what these early set¬ tlers would live on, however they strongly believed that "where there is a will there is a way". Their nearest church was at St. Eleanors . As time went on and the family increased they built a house and later added to it, the house still remains on the homestead. The nails used to build this house as well as many other houses were made in the shop. In 1872 the Government sold him the land, 56^4 acres, payments being made yearly; the deed and first receipt of payment is still available. They had a family of eleven children and he died March 1, 1878. Following are the children: John Lewis , Elizabeth, Elijah, Mary Anne , William Henry , Elisa Jane , Martha Hall , Robert Thomas , Elijah Parr , Herbert Reid , Louisa Hall . John Lewis married Isabella Burrows of Wilmot Valley in 1873 and settled on a farm on the opposite side of the road quite near his old home. He died October 7th, 1903. 62