Person:John McLean (11)

In 1914 Florence gave birth to Jack and Mary gave birth to Theresa. Jack w as always known in the area as "the boy who fell down the well". For the f irst seven or eight years the McLeans had no well nearby. They walked qui te some distance to a well shared by three families. Getting a little tir ed of this trip every day, they decided to round up a dowser, George Hacke tt. He was also a local farmer. He chose a spot for a well out in fro nt of the house.

Hugh, Dick and Eddie tackled the job. The work was all done by hand. Hu gh was down in the hole filling a bucket with dirt. He was armed with a pi ck and a shovel. Dick and Eddie were at the top. They would take turns pul ling the bucket up with a rope and emptying it. The well ended up bei ng 60 feet deep. It was clay at the top but quick sand at the bottom. Th ey should have cribbed the well as the hole got deeper but they hadn't tak en the time for that important extra step. When they hit the sand, it ke pt falling in from the sides of the well and into the water.

Jack and Theresa were about seven years old at the time. They were playi ng horse. Theresa was behind Jack and held him by the braces. Once in a wh ile they would take a peek down the hole to see how deep it was. Jack we nt too close and the loose dirt around the edge gave way. He fell in the h ole - head first.

Hugh was at the bottom. As Jack landed, he hit his father's shoulder. He l anded head first, with his head buried in the sand right to his shoulder s. Luckily, he missed the bucket which was half-way up and the shovel a nd pick at Hugh's side.

Hugh shouted up, "Which one is it, Jack, Mike or Mark? Whichever one it i s, he's dead!." Dick and Eddie told him it was Jack. Hugh tied a rope arou nd his waist and they pulled him up. When he got to about half way he star ted crying. He only bled a little around the lip. A doctor never did che ck him out.

1. ↑ e-mail 03 Apr 2002 from Carol LaFreniere.