Originally published by the Salmon Preservation Association for the Waters of Newfoundland (SPAWN)

My first recollection of Murdock Jesso was when I started school at St. George’s NL in the fall of 1947. Murdock was living at Path End, Flat Bay Brook with his parents Jim and Lucy. At that time there was a road from St. George’s that went up along Flat Bay Brook into Look Out Brook as far as the power plant. This was before Confederation with Canada and, of course, at that time there was no Trans Canada Highway across Newfoundland, only the Newfoundland railroad.

At a young age, Murdock and his sister Marie went to live with their uncle Henry and Aunt Viola in St. George’s so they could attend school. Murdock only went to grade two, but his greatest education came from his native grandfather, his father, and his many uncles and cousins of Mi’kmaq ancestry.

They taught him the way of the woods and passed on to him a wonderful appreciation for Mother Earth, particularly how to hunt, snare, fish, tie salmon flies, travel in the wilderness, read the weather, travel by night, build a shelter, tan hides, make snow shoes, handle a canoe and how to make home remedy medicines from trees, plants, berries and herbs.

By the age of 18 years, in 1956, Murdock was old enough to get a guide license and, as there was an American Air Force base at nearby Stephenville, it afforded him an opportunity to guide the American sports and earn some much-needed extra cash.

In 1957 young airman First Lieutenant Richard “Dick” Hall and his wife Sue were stationed at Ernest Harmon Air Force base. Dick was passionate about hunting and fishing and he needed a guide. He was introduced to Murdock by his uncle Cornelius “Corn” Muise.

That introduction started a life-long friendship that endured until Murdock’s untimely death in 2004. Dick was stationed at the airbase until 1960 and then returned to the USA. During Dick’s three years in Newfoundland, Murdock guided him and taught him how to hunt moose, caribou and bear, catch trout and fly fish for the wild Atlantic salmon. They fished Flat Bay Brook for salmon and successfully hunted for moose and caribou up at Butt’s Pond, Fox Pond, Joe Dennis’ Pond and Cross Pond country. Murdock later had the pleasure of guiding Dick’s dad Gene.

Life passed by and Dick got very busy running his business in the US to earn a living. Sue was busy with her art and raising their family. Some 30 years later Dick returned to Newfoundland and reconnected with his lifelong friend and guided. Each time he went fishing he would invite Murdock to join him for a salmon fishing trip up the Great Northern Peninsula and into southern Labrador.

Murdock, by nature, was a very quiet man who did a lot of listening. He had a close circle of friends along the river – Leo Renouf, Danny Muise, Alan Bennett, Terry Muise and Frankie White – to name a few. Despite his limited early education, Murdock was extremely intelligent and became very well-read. He was talented in making knives and other necessary tools plus he was very generous towards others.

In September of 2004 Dick received a letter from Murdock’s sister, Marie, informing him that Murdock had passed away. He and Sue wrote her a letter of condolence and asked for a copy of the obituary. He also asked whether he had a grave marker and where he was buried. Marie, through a family member, wrote back to the Halls and passed on the information. Dick wrote back asking permission to bring a grave marker from the USA and erect it at his final resting place in the Roman Catholic Cemetery in St. George’s. He contacted Keith Piercey whom he had met years ago at Forteau Salmon Lodge on one of his trips with Murdock and informed him that he and Sue would be in the St. George’s area on the 11^th of July, 2010, and wondered if he could arrange a day’s fishing for him. He noted that he was bringing something special that he wanted to donate to SPAWN.

Over the years Dick has been a contributor of stories to the SPAWNER magazine, a member of SPAWN and very generous with financial donations to the organization. Keith contacted me and we agreed to meet Dick and Sue at my cabin on Flat Bay Brook. When they arrived, the rivers were up in the woods, way too high to fish, but we were able to share a great meal, some excellent wine  and have a wonderful evening reminiscing about his years on the Ernest Harmon Air Force base along with the good hunts and fishing trips he had with Murdock.

It was during our conversation that we found out that the main reason for his visit to St. George’s was to place a headstone on his good friend Murdock’s grave.

Bob Mercer
Corner Brook, NL