Community

Church     |      Ministers     |      Builders

The economic mainstay of the community from the beginning was lumbering, with farming in the off-season to provide for the needs of the settlement. Allan Leopold has noted the extraordinary fact that "almost every family had their own saw mill". It was of no small import that the community was initially named "Mill Brook". When the Post Office was established with a rural office in 1907, they requested a name change to avoid confusion with another community of the same name. It is not recorded how the name Leminster was chosen, although it has power and is more felicitous.

Given that sawmills and lumbering were central to the economy of the community, it is appropriate to record the families who were involved in the mill enterprises, as detailed by Mr. Leopold:

• Elkanah Deal - up and down saw mill - water-powered;
• Ahab Hebb - up and down saw mill - water-powered;
• Jacob Swinimer - up and down saw mill - water-powered;
• Arthur Hebb - rotary saw mill - water-powered;
• James Hebb - rotary saw mill - water-powered;
• Uzziah Wile - rotary saw mill - water-powered;
• Elias Bennet Wile - rotary saw mill - water-powered;
• William Swinimer - shingle mill;
• Earl Wile/Harden O'Leary saw mill;
• Rueben Hebb - motorized saw mill;
• Wilfred Hebb - motorized saw mill;
• Milton O'Leary - motorized saw mill;
• Cecil Wile - motorized saw mill.

These Leminster pages refer to the central role of the Church in constituting the first institutional formation of Leminster, the first collective project transforming Leminster from a settlement to a community with aspirations to serve the common good. The next institutional development was establishing the first school in 1874. The Leminster school district was registered by the Province a few years later in 1880. The boundaries of the school district became a powerful influence on how people understood the geographic scope of their communities, who belongs and who doesn't. It is to the credit of the provincial authorities of the time that the Leminster School District largely conformed to the boundaries of the Leminster Parish. The meshing of the Parish and the School are shown in the structuring of the school year. Leopold educates us about this kind of symbiotic relation:

For the first several years the school was only in session from May to October, later it operated on two six month terms May to November, and November to May. This afforded the children who were needed on the farms for planting and harvesting to attend the winter term and those who were not to attend the summer.

This state of affairs continued through a magnificent series of school teachers until 1964. The Leminster school closed in June, 1964. From there forward, elementary school students travelled by bus to the new Elementary School in Windsor Forks. Those in Junior High and above travelled to Windsor Regional High. This was a key break: the administrative convenience of provincial authorities trumped the life of the parish. It was not the end of Leminster, but the community slowly became enfolded in larger geographical formations.

It is not clear what the future holds for Leminster. At this point, a word should be said about a countervailing moment in the community. Jacob Swinimer had a three story building beside his home. The top floor served as a meeting house and dance hall for many years. The question is how this community space was related to the institution-building which happened. Was it an accident that Jacob Swinimer is said to have carved the font in All Saints Church? Perhaps the spirit of Jacob Swinimer will provide a dream for the way forward.
 
 
 
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References:

• Leopold, Allan W. (1995). "Leminster N.S.: A County Line Community." Windsor: West Hants Historical Society.