An Examiner reporter called on Mrs Ellen Conroy at her home on the 8^th concession of Otonabee township on Thursday afternoon. It was her 91^st birthday. // "Young man," she warned at the door, "I’ve paid up my newspaper subscription for the next year." // "But I want to talk to you about your birthday," said the reporter. And that put an entirely different face on the reason for the call.

Mrs Conroy was as sharp as a tack. She continued sewing on a patchwork quilt during the interview and reviewed her long busy life with many facets of good Irish humour. Born on the boundary line (Otonabee-Douro), she was the eldest daughter of Patrick Heffernan and Elizabeth Slattery and is now the only living member of a family of nine children. // She was married to Patrick Conroy at St Joseph’s church, Douro, by the late Rev Daniel O’Connell and raised 13 children. It was a hard life, she said, but her husband who died 12 years ago, was a "sociable man" and together with their large family and numerous friends, there was no lack of mighty fine gatherings.

"I worked on the farm like a man," she said, "and did everything but cradling." // The reporter was a bit nonplussed at this coming from a woman who had raised 13 children until she explained that she referred to cutting grain in the pioneer fashion. Mrs Conroy still likes to be outside around the barns and her garden and potted plants on her living room window sills, revealed her love of growing things.

Four sons and a daughter are still living. They are Mrs Timothy Garvey (Elizabeth), Mrs Loretta Allan and Mrs Thomas O’Connor (Pearl), all of Peterborough, and Mrs Gregory Thomas (Carrie) and a son James, both of Victoria.

"Are not prices awful now?" she asked. "I used to sell eggs for seven cents a dozen and butter for 15 cents a pound. And made a bit of profit, too."

Mrs Conroy has a family living in part of her home now and finds them good company. A birthday party was not planned for her but she said, regardless of that, everyone was very kind to her. The reporter left her waving at the open doorway in the cold February sunshine with her throaty chuckles ringing in his ears. He could not help but think that it really took something to be bright, happy and busy at 91. Her Irish ancestry, no doubt. #

Peterborough Examiner, 16 February 1951