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Obadiah Lot Vardon in his blacksmith shop in Malbay.
1930
Malbay, Quebec, Canada

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Obadiah Lot Vardon:
Village Blacksmith of Malbay, Quebec

Obadiah Lot Vardon was born in Malbay Jan. 8, 1871. He was the son of Thomas Vardon and Ann Lucas of Jersey. On June 19, 1895 he married Eliza Lucas. He built a home for his bride well back from the highway. The property had a meandering brook which was called Obadiah's Brook. He was a blacksmith, farmer, and family man.

Obadiah built himself a small forge near the ocean. He was kept very busy and within a few years he built a larger forge near the highway. His workmanship with iron was admired by all and he soon earned a reputation of craftsmanship at the forge.

In the winter months Obadiah would travel into the woods to earn money to keep his family. His wife would look after all the housework, barn work, and anything else that needed attention. His arrival home in the spring was eagerly awaited. Not only did the spring return him to his family, but winter supplies would also be running low. He would immediately return to his forge and start working again. This was the time of year when fishermen and farmers got ready for the short summer season and they all required the services of Malbay's blacksmith.

Obadiah was very well read and he was looked upon as somewhat eccentric. He always stood by his convictions and many felt he was "stubborn". He kept a dairy in which he recorded only the weather and an occasional birth or death. He kept ledgers up to date with his daily sales and expenses. The uncollected sales were never mentioned anywhere in his bookkeeping.

There are not many pictures of Obadiah as he was a shy man and did not like to draw attention to himself. Without medicare or social assistance, he kept his whole family well cared for on his meagre earnings. He was a very private man and that is how he should be remembered. He left this world on October 16, 1951 at the age of 80. He went to work at the forge that day, came home for his noon dinner and nap, and never woke up. His funeral procession was one of the largest the coast has ever seen.