The Granite Industry of Southwestern New Brunswick: A Historical ...

44 The Granite Industry of Southwestern New Brunswick: A Historical Perspective
Left: Epps, Dodds & Co. granite shed, c. 1895. This two-storey
building was constructed in 1890 by Magaguadavic Falls (Map 4).
Co-owner Charles Epps stands farthest to the left, to the left of
the derrick pole. Compare this image with the one on the facing
page. The building is the same structure, about twenty-five years
later. The wooden sign over the door was removed when the
company changed its name in 1916. SGHA, H298
Opposite: Crew of the Meating, Epps Co., c. 1920. Charles Epps
stands farthest to the left. Henry Meating stands in the far back
right, leaning against the shed entrance. The man seated farthest
to the left in the front row is Percy Spinney, who later operated a
black granite quarry near Digdeguash Lake. SGHA, 1026
Sons (Granite Town Greetings, March 15, 1912). Whatever the causes, Tayte,
Meating & Co. suspended its operations around this time.
With the loss of Joseph Meating Jr., the departure of Tayte, and the death
of Nicholas W. Meating, the firm passed to George F. Meating and Nicholas J.
Meating. The two men were sons of Henry Meating, who at the time shared
what was left of Epps, Dodds & Co. with Charles Epps.
And so came to pass the natural merger of the granite interests of Charles
Epps; his partner Henry Meating; and Henry’s sons, George F., and Nicholas J.
Meating into the firm of Meating, Epps Co. The company was incorporated
in 1916 and consolidated its activities at the Epps,
Dodds & Co. shed by Magaguadavic Falls.
The elder partners worked a while longer but did
not make it through the Depression. Charles severed
his pulmonary artery by falling off a roof in 1921,
and Henry died of angina in 1931. Henry was the last
Meating of his generation to work with the St. George
granite; his younger brothers French and Thomas, also
stonecutters, had died earlier of ‘tuberculosis’ in 1914
and 1920, respectively.
By the time of Wright’s visit in 1932, Meating,
Epps Co. was more or less inactive. Milne, Coutts &
Co. acquired the Meating, Epps Co. shed at the falls
and all other holdings in 1945 and hired Nicholas J.
Meating as quarry foreman. Nicholas retired in 1950
and died in 1962, four years after the death of his
brother George. George had long since left the stone
business to become a tailor.