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Hill
Archive
Some 45 years
ago
as a lad I was out duck hunting with my dad near
a reservoir east of Calgary, Alberta, around Stathmore . There we stumbled upon
an old abandoned homesteader's shack. Since almost anything is more interesting
than waiting around to kill ducks we investigated through the widely ajar door.
Inside everything was in place though heavily covered in
prairie dust. It was as if the homesteader had just turned his backside to
the place... or else met some fate which permanently prevented his
intended return.
Rightly or wrongly we took a small wooden case stuffed
with vintage photographs from the life of whoever once put up stakes
there. The wooden box spent the next 4 decades in the jumbled junk of my
father's basement.
When dad recently moved into a
seniors' lodge, I found the box once more while clearing his
basement. I took them home to Nelson and digitalized the photos and cautiously enhanced
and repaired the collection. They give a glimpse of Albertan pioneer
life of nearly 100 years ago.
From notation on
the photos it is possible to deduce the family surname was " Hill ", originating
from the Dorset area of England. Most convincing was
this tombstone shot
.
(If any descendents of the
homesteader contact me I will gladly return the
originals.)
All
queries to B. Max
Shaw
bmaxim@telus.net
COWBOYS
 CHILDREN
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 FARMING
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