(COURTESY PHIL JACOBS)
[apss_share]
Dear Readers:
As an essential service that is still open during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Eastern Door is fighting hard to keep news like this flowing, in our print product, though an online subscription at www.eastermdoor.com and here, for free, on our website and Facebook.
But when a large portion of our regular revenue has disappeared due to so many other businesses being closed, our circulation being affected by the same issue, and all of our specials canceled until the end of the year, we are looking for alternative ways to keep operations going, staff paid, and the paper out every Friday for you to enjoy.
Please consider a financial contribution to help us keep doing what we do best; telling the stories of our people in a contemporary medium – a solid, continuing archive that documents our cherished, shared history. Your kind donation will go to a newspaper that stands as the historical record, in-depth, informative and award-winning news; colourful stories, and a big boost to the local economy by employing 95 percent local workers.
Also, please consider subscribing to our e-edition, which comes out Thursday night, at www.easterndoor.com today, or pick up your copy Friday morning in Kahnawake, Kanesatake or Chateauguay. Akwesasne delivery has been suspended due to the pandemic and border issues.
We exercise real freedom of the press every single day. Without our reporters fighting for the truth our community would be missing a whole lot of facts, separated from gossip and rumors.
E-transfers are accepted and very much appreciated at: stevebonspiel@hotmail.com.
This picture of Georgina Mary Phillips (left) and Mary Deer (right) was taken in the spring of 1958.
Phillips was born on July 3, 1942. Her parents were Doris and Alfred Phillips.
“The picture has my grandfather’s house, which was being built at the time, in the background,” said Phillips’ son Phil Jacobs. “It was the days when your neighbours came over to help.”
Phillips, who is 78, is happily living in retirement along with her husband, Edward Jacobs. The couple married on August 22, 1959.
“Four of her siblings are left (alive). So is my grandmother, who is 96,” said Phil.
Longevity seems to run in the family, as Phil said that her remaining siblings are all aged between 90 to 99-years-old.
The late Cecelia Tsiononkeri Phillips Kirby, who recently passed away at 106-years-old, was Phillips’ aunt.
Phillips, her siblings and parents lived with her grandparents on their land not far from the old traffic circle.
The family later moved into town when she was five-years-old.
According to Phil, the house the family moved into burned to the ground the same year this picture was taken.
Phillips went to school at the old schoolhouse located on Route 207. It later became the house of Jimmy Bush when the Kateri School was built.
“They rebuilt the house in town through the generosity of donations from community members. Almost no one had insurance at the time, and when there was a fire, the firefighters from Lachine had to be called. More times than not, by the time they got here, everything was lost,” he said.
Before marrying her husband, Phillips worked for a season at the Kanawaki Golf Club and spent one year working at the Kateri Memorial Hospital Centre.
The couple had three kids: Burton, Leann and Phil. “My dad worked in various jobs to make a living when we were young; at Elm Ridge Golf Club, and as a carpenter with my grandfather Jimmy Fineday Jacobs,” said Phil.
Jacobs worked at the old Bedard Quarry near the Kahnawake Peacekeeper station. He also worked at the Rivermont Quarry and finally, at the town garage, first as a truck driver, then as a mechanic after a few years.
“He worked 29 years for the town doing that,” said Phil.
Around the time that the Kahnawake Survival School opened, Phillips went back to work as a teacher and remained there for 29 years.
“She has many memories of living at her family farm and later here on this farm,” he said.
“One she will always remember is pushing to town for an hour in a carriage on the 207 when it was still a gravel road until the early 60s. She got a workout every time,” said Phil laughing.
Phil is very happy to have both his parents and grandmother around to keep him in check.
“Life on a farm was always hard work. I remember lots, growing up myself watching my family and helping out when I got big enough. Pictures bring back all kinds of memories for everyone along with the stories that come out from that time period,” he said.
For the Blast from the Past article last week (vol. 29, no. 39), Georgina Mary Phillips’ son is Phil Jacobs, not Joel Jacobs. The Eastern Door regrets the error.
marisela.amador88@gmail.com
