====== Eppstadt, George ====== (died 23 Feb. 1972, aged 76), businessman, philatelist. Native of Hanover, Germany. George Eppstadt came to Canada in 1914, and settled in Maxville in 1919. His first businesses there were swept away by a fire on 17 March 1921 (//Glengarry News// 18 March 1921). This was not, it should be noted, the same as the fire that destroyed the Duperron properties and much of the Maxville business area in May. Quickly re-establishing himself, Eppstadt operated a convenience store and restaurant (in his later years the store only) in Maxville for many years. In his //Glengarry News// obituary he was described as “the genial merchant at Maxville’s main intersection for more than half a century” and “perhaps the best known individual in Maxville.” For the restaurant, see also [[ishikawa_mary_catherine|Mrs Ishikawa]]. Widely known as a stamp and coin collector, in Canadian philatelic history, George Eppstadt has the distinction of having produced a printed first day cover in 1927 for the Confederation commemorative stamps. His cover and one produced by a stamp company in Montreal were the first Canadian commercially cacheted first day covers. “Among collectors, the Eppstadt Maxville cover is a 20th-century philatelic classic.” (David G. Anderson) Eppstadt also had a collection of wall plaques and weapons with the coats of arms of German towns and cities. He headed the decorating committee for Maxville’s celebration of the 60th anniversary of Confederation in 1927. A promoter and generous benefactor of Maxville Manor, he wrote occasional articles for the Cornwall //Standard-Freeholder// on the Manor, and contributed a giant gingerbread model of Hansel and Gretel for Manor fundraising. In 1963 he revisited his 95-year old father in Germany. George Eppstadt died at the Hotel Dieu Hospital, Cornwall. Roman Catholic. Two Protestant ministers spoke at the funeral. Osie Villeneuve was one of the pallbearers. George Eppstadt was married to Mildred (Millie) Rolland, of St. Elmo East. She was closely associated with her husband in their businesses, and ran a confectionery in Maxville for some time after his death. She died at Maxville Manor 10 Aug. 1992, aged 91. ---- //Glengarry News// 2 March 1972 * //Maxville (1991) //307, 316, 551-553 (portrait) * David G. Anderson, “The Eppstadt Maxville Covers,” GHS //Newsletter// Sept. 1993 * //Canadian Stamp News// 25 May 1999 * report (partly written by himself) on Eppstadt’s visit to Germany, //GN// 12 Sept. 1963 * obituary of wife and comment in cols. of Gordon Winter and W. MacKinnon, //GN// 19 & 26 Aug. 1992 * marriage of (1) his son pilot officer Earl George Eppstadt to Beatrice Marie Villeneuve, //Standard Freeholder// 10 Sept. 1943, and (2) his dau. Pearl Cora Eppstadt to Donald Grant, //SFH// 23 & 29 Oct. 1948 * death of his dau. Pearl Cora Eppstadt (Mrs Grant), aged 75, Winter //GN// 3 Nov. 1999 * Winter //GN// 29 Nov. 2006: biog. data on George Eppstadt, death of son Earl mentioned * group photo (Earl Eppstadt, various public figures), notice, on opening of Kelly’s Sports Bar, Maxville, located in the building of the former Eppstadt store, //GN// 26 Aug. 1992 [<6>]