Person Page - 3

     Durward was born at Watkins, Meeker Co., Minnesota, USA, on 1 October 1904. He was the son of Cyrenus Bowman and Edith Gobel. He married Margaret McCambridge at Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, in December 1931. From the Dewberry Valley Memoirs 1991, published by the Dewberry Historical Society

Durward and Margaret Bowman

by Durward Bowman

In the year of 1907 my father, Rene Bowman came to Canada from near Watkins, Minnesota. Dad filed on the NE 1/4-18-52-4-W4, eight miles north and a mile west of Islay. This quarter was pretty well covered with bush: poplar trees, willow and patches of prairie wool hay. Uncle Tom and Aunt Maggie Kielty had come to Canada the previous year and Tom had filed on the NE 1/4-24-52-5-W4. The two homesteads were just a little over a mile apart. The Kielty's four children, Doris, Mildred, Jimmy, and Harold were all born in Vermilion.

The first summer Dad stayed with the Kielty's. He was a carpenter and he hewed out all the two-by-fours and rough lumber and got started on his house. That winter he went back to the States and got ready to move out to the homestead.

We arrived in Vermilion on March 29, 1908. There were five of us; my Dad (Rene Bowman), my mother, Edith Gobel (Gobbel), and us kids; May 9, Frank 7, and Durward 3. There were no buildings in Islay at that time so we stayed in Vermilion and then Uncle Tom Kielty moved us out to the homestead with his team of oxen, Duke and Dime. Mom and Dad brought all their furniture and machinery, two horses, Dan and Queen, three cows, pigs, chickens, and some lumber he had for building on the homestead.

The house Dad built was half way across the quarter to the west. It was a good sized house with an upstairs in it and lots of room. They soon got a garden spot ready and grew potatoes, carrots, cabbage, beets and onions. They missed growing things like watermelon and muskmelon that they had grown in the States, Dad said in the States they had grown so many watermelons that they had had to give them to the pigs to eat.

Dad was getting more land cleared and broken but it was a slow job using a walking bottom plow with a breaking share and a fin for a colter. We did get 20 or 25 acres broken with that plow.

In 1909 the twins, Dorothy and Dora were bom. Mom had fought a prairie fire the day before. They were born at home, there was no doctor and Aunt Maggie helped deliver them.

May and Frank went to Deer Lake to school and then later we went to Trimbleville. We walked most of the time or maybe rode the horse that Dad had. The twins grew like weeds and it didn't seem like long till they were going to school too. It was three miles to Trimbleville so they rode Dick, the white horse. T'hey would fall off now and again and Dick would stop and drop his head and go to eating grass. Then they would get back on and go again. He would never go faster than a little trot, but he got them to school and back and that was the main thing. The Kielty's were close and us children played together all the time.

The winters in Canada were long and very cold at times, but Mom kept us well dressed for the cold days. Most of the boys wore felt socks on their feet and rubbers over them and that kept their feet warm.

Us kids were getting older and could help do lots of things and we sure did help a lot. Dad kept getting more cattle and more cows to milk. We milked 24 cows for a while. I remember one time they were away and I started milking and I was on the last cow when they got back!

There was a well south of 'the house. It never had a lot of water in it but there was enough to hang the five gallon cream can in it. There was a pulley over the well so the can could be pulled up and the cream dumped. We had a two wheeled cart with the cream cans on it to haul the milk back to separate it. The separator was small and it took lots of turning to get the milk through. Twice a week they took the five gallon can of cream to Islay and sold it to George Young for making ice cream. The rest of the cream was shipped to Vermilion.

Dad had built log barns with sod roofs in a row and we stacked hay along the barns to feed the cows. Dad had a lot of cattle besides the milk cows so it took a lot of prairie wool hay to feed them. The cattle lived on the prairie wool hay and did well. Frank and I cut it and raked it and hauled in over two hundred hay rack loads. In 1917, Uncle Tom, Aunt Maggie and their family moved back to Minnesota to care for Uncle Tom's aging parents.

As the years went by Islay grew to be a nice little town. There was a Wheat Pool elevator, a UGG elevator, and a Searle elevator run by Roy Jory. There was the Darrah Store run by Jim and Bob Darrah, the Billy Bames Store, the butcher shop run by Hart Bames, and two restaurants: one run by Fred Guptill, and one run by the Chinaman. Tony Farrel had the hardware store, the poolroom and the hotel. There was also the bank, drug store, and the hospital. Jack Fife ran the post office.

Dad's homestead was eight miles from Islay, so that was where they did their shopping and got their mail, By this time the farmers had lots of their land broken and they were growing wheat and other grains, There was no place for the farmers to sell their grain but Islay, so lots of grain was hauled from the Dewberry area and north clear to the Saskatchewan River and also from the area south of Islay south to the Battle River. The grain was hauled mostly by team and sleigh though some farmers had tanks and they could haul more grain with a four horse team.

We worked the land with horses and we used a team all winter long to haul feed for the cattle and to go to town. I went threshing when I was 16 years old. I think I got $4.00 a day for team, wagon, and rack. We were threshing on Ernie Keast's place where George Davies now lives. After that year I threshed with Eddie Potvin for at least seven years. We got $5.00 or $6.00 for the wagon, team and rack.

When Dad was on the homestead he used to stack his wheat bundles in four round stacks and thresh four stacks at a setting with the threshing machine. I hauled lots of loads of bundles for Dad. He always felt they were safe in the stack. Jim Armstrong threshed the stacks sometimes with a steam threshing outfit. It kept three or four men busy throwing bundles to keep the separator full. Sometimes Johnny Habstritt threshed the stacks with a small outfit. You had to cut the bundle string and push the bundle in a bit at a time or you would plug the machine.

Dad loved baseball. He had played ball in the states and he played some here. He also loved to play horseshoe with Bob Braithwaite, Billy Muir and others. The first years Dad was on the homestead he would go muskrat hunting. He would walk as far west as Campbell Lake with his dog, Shep, and a bag to carry the pelts home in. The rats were plentiful and day after day he would get his fifty rats.

Then a little town thirteen miles north of Islay started to build, it was called Dewberry. Frank Bowman had a ton truck and he would take a load of grain to Islay and bring back a load of lumber to Dewberry. Cattle and pigs had to be taken to the Islay stockyards. Bob Braithwaite bought most of the cattle in the area.

In 1928 Dad bought a half section of land north of Dewberry. The move from the homestead was only about ten miles so it didn't take them long to get settled. They had a nice little house and a barn. They only took a cow or two and some chickens so they had milk and cream and butter and eggs. They had a good garden spot for vegetables, and they grew beautiful strawberries, pumpkin and tomatoes too. By this time May was married to Bob Braithwaite and Frank was working out. I stayed on the homestead to look after the cattle and horses. Only Dorothy and Dora went with Dad and Mom.

Dad had a ton truck on the homestead and I'd haul his bit of grain with it and then I'd haul for other farmers. The truck had no creeper gear in it and sixty bushels was about all you could get away with hauling. I'd always helped Dad put his crop in and take it off so he gave me that truck, Nineteen thirty was a pretty good year for the farmers. The crops were good in most places though the prices were low. I was 27 years old. I sold the truck for $1,500 to George Miller in Islay and then I went to Lloydminster and bought a new 1930 Chev truck for $1,300 and some odd dollars. I hauled 80 -85 bushels on truck all the time.

Not many farmers could afford to build granaries so they threshed it on the ground, and there was lots of grain to haul. It was hard work shoveling grain off the ground into the truck, but I would haul four or five, 80 or 85 bushel loads a day. Everyone wanted their grain off the ground so they could turn the cattle in to their fields and they all wanted theirs hauled first. I hauled a lot of grain from 15 to 20 miles south of Islay. Often I would notice the big white house set back from the side of the road. One fall I hauled 10 thousand busheld of grain for the Jack brothers; Alf, Ernie and George. I loaded it all myself with a scoop shovel.

The winter of 1930 I was batching on the homestead and feeding the horses and a few cattle. I went to all the dances and card parties. The MacDonald Boys played the music for dances all over the country and Leonard MacDonald stayed with me sometimes when I was batching.

There was a card party being held at Trimbeville so of course I went. A sleigh full of girls and boys came out from Islay that night. I knew some of the boys and girls but not many. As they were pairing off to play cards, Claude Underdown came and got me and introduced me to Margaret Cambridge, my wife-to-be. Now I knew who lived in the big white house.

Margaret was born at Ballycastle, Ireland. She came to Canada with her parents, Francis and Rosetta Cambridge, and her sisters Cathy, Nellie, and Rose and her brothers, Fred and Harry in 1927. They were quite some time crossing the ocean and Mrs. Cambridge was sea sick. Margaret, being the oldest, had to look after the twins, Nellie and Rose.

The Cambridges settled on a quarter of land ten miles south of Islay and a half mile west. The house they moved into was large, painted white and was known as the Big White House. There was a coulee just to the north-west of the house and a spring with water running between the house and barn all summer. When they arrived in Canada the family all attended the Koknee school. After Margaret was finished school she worked at the neighbors, and then got a job working for Fred Guptil at the restaurant in Islay.

I'd go there for dinner when I came in with a load of grain. Then one day we went out to her house so I could meet her family. We went through the east gate on the quarter that Tom Watt had and the next gate into the Cambridge quarter was wired shut. I unwired the gate, drove through and shut the gate behind us. The next day was Sunday, and I stayed all night at the Cambridge house . I remember Fred and Harry trying to wrestle me down and I had all I could do to handle the two of them at the same time. Sunday we went to Dewberry and Mom and Dad sure thought Margaret was a nice looking lady.

I was still hauling grain east of their house on the road, and Margaret's Dad would come out to the road and ride into Islay with me. He would go to the beer parlour and then when I went to take him home he didn't want to come till the beer was all drank on the table. Then he would come, but then he was sick for a few days. One night on the way home he told me, "Tom Watt's boys are sweet on Margaret and they don't want you coming to see her through their land so that's why they wired the gate shut." The next year we got married: Dec. 5, 1931

We lived with Mom and Dad for a while, helping with the farm and finding time to go to lots of dances. We lost our first little girl, Dorothy Dean. Then in 1933 our son Leslie was born.

We rented the Bass place, a half section of land right by the Trimbleville school. The house was old but there was a nice barn and a well for water. When I left home Dad gave us two cows, chickens and some pigs. There was room for all of them in the barn. I bought three more heifers from Bill Axley and broke them to milk. Then we had five cows milking. We had milk and cream, and Margaret churned some cream for butter to sell in Islay.

Frank Bowman rented the Pete Kennedy land south of the Bass land and we farmed together. Frank had a tiller and tractor, but I just had horses for farming.

Joe Belton, our neighbor, had three boys, Bill, Tom, and Allie. Bill worked for us a long time plowing with six horses and bread and he would buy a hundred pound bag of flour and Margaret would bake it for him. He gave her the bags which she used to make pillow cases or tea towels or things.

Margaret boarded the teacher at Trimbleville while we were there. His name was Max Grant. I don't remember how much he paid her but it wasn't very much at that time. Money was scarce and the teacher never got much money for teaching school at that time. Mossie Edwards (McPhee) also boarded with us while she was teaching at Trimbleville.

While we were on the Bass place we never had a lot of chores to do so we went to lots of dances in the winter time. We used the front runners of a bob-sled with the back seat of an old car bolted on to the sleigh runners. You could not upset it. Sometimes we used stones heated in the oven to keep our feet warm.

In 1936 we moved up to the homestead quarter and took over the taxes that needed to be paid. We only had a shack to live in that first summer. In winter it took lots of wood to keep the house heated even though it was small. There was lots of poplar wood on the quarter but it had to be cut and hauled in. Every winter I put up 20-24 wide bunk loads of wood. Then we got out wood sawed up. It took two or three weeks to saw all the wood in the neighbourhood. We went from one farm to the other and sure had fun doing it.

We had a good garden spot and Margaret grew lots of vegetables. She had hens setting all over and raised lots of little chickens and turkeys. There was lots of wild fruit and wild game; mule deer, prairie chicken and bush partridge.

We were getting more land broken every year. Then we bought the north-west quarter and the south-west quarter and broke all that we planned to break.

Our daughter Willa was born the 4th of April, 1940. Carole was born January 22, 1947.

We had 30 range cows, milk cows to milk, pail bunter calves to feed and pigs to look after. We were getting short of pasture. Fred Cambridge had three quarters of land rented right by the Koknee school, and he was letting it go. When he asked me if I wanted it I sure did. After that we drove most of our range cows the 20 miles south to Koknee.

Leslie and Willa went to the Deer Lake brick school. It was two miles north of our place and most of the time they took the horse. After a few years this school was closed and a new school was built a half mile south of the old one on the land that John Thompson now has. Leslie, Willa and Carole all went to the new school. When the Deer Lake school closed in 1955, the girls were bussed to Dewberry. Leslie attended Kitscoty school for one year and then decided to quit and come back to the farm. He was helping at home a long time before he quit school. All our children helped us a lot.

Willa was the first to get married. She married Jim Byrt from Kitscoty on July 23, 1960.

We were thinking of leaving the farm and going to Vermilion. We had bought a house in Vermilion a few months before and Al Treber had rented it. In 1960 Leslie bought our land and then Margaret, Carole and I moved into the house in Vermilion. Carole taught piano lessons and finished her schooling at J.R. Robson high school.

Leslie and Dorothy Mathison were married April 16, 1966. Carole and Barren Graham were married April 20, 1968. Margaret and I have 7 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. (More now.)

Margaret worked at the Valley Lodge for a few years and I worked at the Vermilion Hotel for 5 or 6 years. I enjoyed hunting beaver and muskrats and we went out and helped Leslie with the farming.

Then on the 29th of September, 1986, I lost my dear wife, Margaret, and I lost half of myself too, at the same time.

As they say, you just have to keep going on - them things happen every day. Margaret had lots of friends and they all loved her. She was always buying and taking things to the grandchildren and family, and God will bless her for the good things she did in life. We took square dance lessons with Walter Parker at Dewberry and went lots of places dancing. We belonged to the Gay Nineties Club in Vermilion and helped on the committee and went to lots of Old Time dances so Margaret and I had a lot of fun. And I thank God for the good times we had together.


As of 2000, Durward Leslie Bowman lived at Gen. Del., Vermilion, Alberta, Canada. He died on 31 August 2003 at Islay, Alberta, Canada, at age 98. He was buried on 4 September 2003 at Dewberry Cemetary, Dewberry, Alberta, Canada.

     Under Dominion Land Grants 1870-1930 at the National Archives Online, Rena Bowman, NE 18 52 4 W4. This is the location of his original homestead, filed on in 1907. The family arrived in 1908. In 1928 Rene and family moved to a farm north of Dewberry.

In 1908 there were four families ranching along the Vermilion river and with the latest edition of the Kennedy family, enough children to warrant a school. Rene, the Kimble brothers and Mr. Kennedy got together and made sure a school was built that summer. The school was called Trimbelville and the first teacher was Miss Bishop.

In March 1967 Rene celebrated his 96th birthday. Five generations of the Bowman family and many friends gathered at the Dewberry Hall.

In March 1971 Rene celebrated his 100th birthday. 175 attended a party for him in the Dewberry Hall.^1,2 Cyrenus Bowman was also known as Cyrennus Bowman. Cyrenus was born at Minnesota, USA, on 24 February 1871. He was the son of William Bowman and Rebecca Neugen. Cyrenus Bowman appeared on the census of 1880 in the household of William Bowman at Middleville, Wright County, Minnesota, USA; His occupation was farmer. Homer was listed as a farmer also and Lura (or Laura) was a school teacher.³ He married Edith Gobel at Meeker Co., Minnesota, USA, on 1 February 1897. Cyrenus died on 6 January 1973 at Islay, Alberta, Canada, at age 101. His body was interred on 9 January 1973 at Dewberry, Alberta, Canada, at Dewberry Cemetary.

     Edith was born at Minnesota, USA, on 7 September 1876. She was the daughter of David Gobble and Sarah K. Gobble. Her common name was Edie Gobble.¹ She married Cyrenus Bowman at Meeker Co., Minnesota, USA, on 1 February 1897. As of 1 February 1897,her married name was Bowman. Edith died on 12 November 1956 at Islay, Alberta, Canada, at age 80.

     Margaret was born at Ireland on 8 May 1912. She was the daughter of Francis Edward McCambridge and Rosetta McClements. She married Durward Leslie Bowman at Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, in December 1931. As of December 1931,her married name was Bowman. Margaret died on 16 September 1986 at Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, at age 74.

      Francis Edward McCambridge was also known as Francis Edward Cambridge. Francis was born at Ballycastle, County Antrim, Ireland, circa 1863. He was the son of Alexander McCambridge.¹ He married Rosetta McClements at Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland, on 29 June 1911.¹ It All Began In Ireland, Reunion Flyer ca. 1990

Francis Edward McCambridge was born in approximately 1860 and his wife Rosetta (McClements) was born in approximately 1884. They made their home at Losset, Ballycastle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. They had a family of six children; Margaret, Kathleen (Cathy), Fred, Harry, and the twins, Rose and Nellie, all born in Ireland.

The Cambridges owned two farms and Francis was a road builder and contractor. All hauling was done with horses and Francis also owned horses that he put out for hire on the road. Fred remembers hauling rocks, iron and blacksmith coal for his Dad when he was eight years old.

Their house was made of stone and cement and had a thatched roof. They lived in Ballycastle town, and the ocean was just four miles away. The school was just down the field and across the road. English, prose and poetry were emphasized. Margaret and Cathy could recite poetry (Shakespeare, Tennyson, Browning) for hours.

Cathy remembers their trips to the dressmakers, one dress for summer and one for winter.

Ireland was over populated and times were hard. Francis made a good living but opportunities for the children in Ireland did not look good. At the time Canada was advertised as the "land of great opportunity". There were posters declaring Canada, "the new homeland", and there were picture shows illustrating the land of milk and honey, showing trees laden with fruit. Of course, nothing was ever said about the 30, 40, 50 and 60 degree below zero weather in the winters.

Francis was not a young man and it must have taken a lot of faith and courage and personal sacrifice for he and Rosetta to make the decision to immigrate to Canada, leaving home, family, business and roots. The only family in Canada was Rosetta's sister, Margaret and Bob Butler and family, who had come to north east of Vermilion in 1926. The Cambridges sailed on the ship "Athenia" leaving Ireland on March 26, 1927.

No one ever forgot the voyage. Rosetta and Cathy were terribly sea sick. Margaret, being the oldest, was responsible for the others. Rose and Nellie were a handful. Margaret was afraid that they would fall overboard, and she spent a lot of time chasing them. Sometimes she felt like throwing them over!

Fred, who was 12 years old, entertained every night on the ship. He would sing and someone would pass the hat for the "wee fella". He would sing Irish songs - "There is a Pretty Spot in Ireland", "Larry O'Connor", "My Wild Irish Rose", or Scottish songs like "I Love a Lassie". There were quite a few Scottish immigrants on the boat and Fred would usually get double the money for the Scottish songs.

Off Cape Brace (the place where the Titanic sank in 1912), they encountered a terrific storm at sea. The ship was bucking like a horse, and was thrown every direction on the waves. Water came rushing in the portholes. The sailors came in and tied everything down with ropes; the piano, the tables and chairs. No one was allowed on deck lest they be swept overboard. To the kids it was a lark! On April 3, they docked at Halifax.

From Halifax they came to Islay, Alberta by train, arriving April 9, 1927. They spent the first night in the Empire Hotel. Someone said to Francis, "step out and see your town", to which he replied "Is this all the size of it?" Fred's first question was "where is the road?" He was used to good cobblestones, not muddy trails.

The Soldiers Settlement had made arrangements for them to be taken to their farm, 10 miles north of Islay (NW 32-49-4 W4) the next day. Ernie Moore drove them out in his 1927 Chev. Jack McNeely, the drayman, hauled their furniture with team and wagon.

They were pleased with the farm when they arrived. There was a big barn which held 24 head of horses and a big house too. On the main floor there was a large kitchen, pantry, dining room and sitting room. Upstairs, there were six bedrooms. There was a well in the cellar and a pump in the kitchen. There was a creek which ran between the house and the barn, fed by a spring and a place in the spring where they put the cream can. Fred said that after the cream was hauled to Vermilion, on a hot day with a team and wagon over rough roads, it was pretty near butter.

All the children were in school. The Koknee School was just one quarter of a mile away, on their land. They walked to school and even went home for dinner at noon.

There was plenty of work and everyone had to do their share. In the fall, Rosetta milked the cows, fed the pigs and calves, sent the kids to school, and then walked three miles to stook all day, walking home againt to repeat the chores plus get supper ready.

Those were not easy times, with six children in school, but as the elder ones finished school at Koknee, they went out to help at neighbours. Wages were poor, but they managed to help out with their clothes and books for the younger ones at school. Fred and Harry went out to help thresh grain, and in the fall hauled bundles. They were young and so it took two of them on a hay rack. Their wages were $2.00 per day with team and rack.

There were no modern appliances, washing was done on the wash board, wood had to be cut and piled for winter, cows to be milked, and a large vegetable garden had to be looked after.

There were fun times too; skating on Hutton's Lake and swimming and wading in it in the summer, playing basketball on the school grounds and school house dances and card parties.

In 1933 Francis returned to Ireland. Rosetta continued to farm with the help of the boys. In 1935 and '36 Fred worked for the OK Ranch, for $10.00 per month taking his wages home and Harry stayed home to help. In the mid forties Fred took over the farm and Rosetta moved to Vermilion. Rosetta died October 24, 1959.

In 1930 Cathy married Tom Gannon. They had a family of seven; Dorothy, Bill, Frank, Sheila, Leo, Gloria, and Kevin. Cathy still lives in Vermilion.

Margaret married Durward Bowman in December 1931. They had three children; Les, Willa and Carole. They farmed south of Dewberry, and later moved to Vermilion. Margaret passed away in September 1986. Durward lives in Vermilion.

Fred married Alice Landells in 1942. They had one daugher, Frances. Fred still lives on the homeplace.

Harry married Lorraine Randall, and they had one son, Dennis. Harry was killed overseas in World War II, on December 17, 1944. He was 26 years old. Lorraine later married Herb Moon and had another son, "Junion" Moon.

Rose married Henry Tondu, and they farmed north of Wainwright. They had four children; Denise, Trevor, Kim and Shane. Rose still lives in Wainwright.

Nellie married Lorne Wilson, and they had four daughters; Patsy, Lois, and twins Susan and Ellen. Nellie is now Mrs. Ken Stanbury and they live in Edmonton.

We have never been sorry we came to Canada; it's a good place to live and we have been very happy here. We went through some hard times, but it was worth it all.
End

Francis' death notice was posted Friday June 21, 1946 as follows:
"McCambridge (Ballycastle), June 20, at Dalriada Hospital, Ballycastle, Francis McCambridge, formerly of Lossit, Ballycastle, RIP. Funeral from hospital tomorrow (Saturday) to Culfeightrin Burying Ground at 2pm."^2,3 Francis Edward McCambridge died on 20 June 1946 at Dalriada Hospital, Ballycastle, County Antrim, Ireland.

     Her married name was McCambridge. Rosetta was born at Ireland in 1884. She was the daughter of Henry McClements and unknown (?). She married Francis Edward McCambridge at Ballymoney, County Antrim, Ireland, on 29 June 1911.¹ Rosetta died on 24 October 1959 at Wainwright, Alberta, Canada.²

     From the Dewberry Valley Memoirs 1991

The Story of Frank Bowman recorded by Loretta Bowman

I, Frank Bowman, was the second child born to Rene and Edith Bowman on December 10, 1899 in Minnesota, 40 miles from St. Paul. I came with my parents, my older sister May and my younger brother, Durward to Vermilion, Alberta on March 29, 1908.

My only recollection of living in the states was one day when I was hoeing the garden. There were many garter snakes and BIG ones, too. I was hoeing and this huge snake came slithering along and gulped down a frog. I stood in amazement as I watched the frog slide down inside the snake's body. Well, I took a whack at that snake with my hoe and cut him in half. Out jumped the frog to freedom!

I remember coming on the CN train with two flat boxcars to carry the settlers effects. We brought on Jersey cow, a team of horses, chickens, turkeys, oak planks, a democrat and a sleigh, and household effects. We crossed the border at Humboldt, Saskatchewan and a man, Art Hamilton, came along to feed the stock while we were on the train. Art also homesteaded here, but returned to Minnesota a few years later. I would say 15 to 20 families came from Minnesota to Alberta.

We stayed overnight in Vermilion at a hotel, and waited the next day until Tom Kielty came in and helped us move our belongings to the homestead. Dad had been here in 1907 and filed a homestead NE 18-52-R4-W4 for $10.00 (where Leslie Bowman now lives). We lived in a 12x14 tent for six weeks until Dad built teh house with upright logs blazed with an axe. It had an upstairs and a basement. Before coming to Canada Dad had made his living with his carpentering skills and they had an orchard. Water was so plentiful here, you could dig a well any place ten feet deep and you had water. Dad built a barn for fall, and the buildings had to fenced and a fireguard had to be plowed. The fireguards were always three furrows. Between the two rows of furrows which surrounded the buildings the land was plowed and burned. This was a necessity because there was no protection from prairie fires. Our means of living was a dairy herd. Dad hunted and trapped which brought in some extra money from the furws which were sold in Islay.

Dad brought a hunting dog, Shep, from Minnesota, a collie. I remember one time Dad was hunting rats in the river. He shot a rat and Shep was in the river, looking for the rat. He was a smart dog, Shep went straight home with the rat and laid it on the doorstep. Mother was worried because he had brought the rat home before Dad arrived.

Shep had one fault and that was eating chicken's eggs. It all started when Art, the man who tended the livestock on the train, started feeding Shep the eggs that the chickens had laid. After a few lickings and some cayenne pepper Shep finally broke the habit.

My family was one of the first to attend the Trimbleville school in 1908. We walked three miles until we got a saddle horse. There were 15-20 kids and I earned $.25 a week for lighting the school's fire every morning. After three or four years we were transferred to Deer Lake school because it was closer. We even boarded the school teacher for two years. I only got to go to school in the winter months because I had to work. I put the crop in when I was 12 years old. I went to sixth grade. I always had rocks in my pockets and I do remember one day at school when I threw one at a prairie chicken and knocked it cold instantly. Well, the girls were some excited and all ran to tell the teacher that I had killed a prairie chicken with one shot! (But I probably could never have done it again no matter how many times I tried.)

In 1909, my twin sisters Dora and Dorothy were born right at home. Mother had fought a prairie fire the day before, and probably the exercise brought on the premature births.

During very hot weather in August of 1919, six of us were going to a dance by horseback, Gordon Kennedy, Alfred and Martha Nichols, Mabel Loutit (Mrs. Rob Hagen), and I. It was a very dark night, and a model T came along and must have changed gears because the lights became very bright. This startled my horse, which went beserk and ran into a three wired fence. The horse straddled the fence, with the wire right across the horses right shoulder and my right leg. Blood was spurting out of my leg and of course I wasn't at all concerned that I might bleed to death! We had to shoot the horse and somehow I was taken to Vermilion where Dr. Miller Sr. gave me 30 to 40 stitches with the biggest old thick needle you ever saw. He didn't sew it up until the next day and, of course, there was no penicillin, my wound was bathed with cheesecloth dipped in wood alcohol. I spent a couple weeks in the hospital and Dr. Miller told me I was lucky to be alive. I had been having nosebleeds regularly and had an oversupply of blood. I never had another nosebleed for a year. It took me three months before I could walk on my leg again, and I never did find one shoe!

The winter of 1919 was the worst we lived through. The snow came on October 8th and you could still find snowbanks on June 3, 1920. World War I had just ended and the economy was very low. A Chinook came in February which caused ice. Snow was three feet thick on the level and many horses would paw and paw for food finding nothing but ice. Many horses died right there in the snow mounds and many were shot because of starvation. There was no feed. Somehow Dad had kept telling Durward and me to put up more prairie wool. We would say, "We have enough Dad," but he insisted we stack more. Fortunately, we had enough feed. Mom would take a couple pails of eggs to town and always come back with groceries. We even had to feed and board the railroad workers.

In 1921 I left home. I spent the first two years working for Bob Braithwaite for $25 a month. I bought NW 3 from Dad for $2,000 and batched there until 1927. I bought a shack from Hann and Rudie Stack and skidded it onto my quarter, built a barn and dug a well. Dad gave me two heifers when I left home and since then I have never been without cattle. During this time I bought NE and SE 7 from the Hudson Bay Co. and NW and SW 8 from C.P.R. I had a driving team of horses, Cook, Barnie, Prince and Dick. I bought a buggy, cutter and sleigh and went to Islay for supplies.

Before I was married I used to go to dances at Hazeldine, Allandale, and Trimbeville and dance till daylight. Rufus Omness and his sister, Nora, made most of the music.

In 1927 I sold my quarter for $6,000 and bought the Clark place, a section for $25,000. I paid $3,500 down at 6% interest so I owed $21,500. Then years later, after I had paid $13,000, I still owed $23,000. I went through Credit Arrangement Act and they wouldn't even give me a clear title to one quarter so I moved off, went to Dad and he gave me $2,000 to buy NW 28-53-R4-W4. I was lucky that the first crop paid for it. One night while we were living on the Clark place, we went to the lake for a swim. About ten o'clock we had a fire in the barn in which we had just put fresh bundles in the hay loft. The fire destroyed the barn and one old hen house.

In 1927 I married Jessie Verna Elliot. In later years when the economy was booming I purchased Chappy Hensel's quarter, Albert Isert's quarter, Jimmy Anderson's half section, Dave Munro's half section and Dave Finlay's quarter. I was lucky because most first paid for the land.

In the 1930's - the hungry thirties - I bought the butcher shop from Bob Braithwaite. We had a combined grocery store and butcher shop with a big cooler in which we could put a couple animals. We butchered cattle I bought from local people at 6 cents a pound dressed, and then sold T-bone steak for 15 cents a pound. In 1934 a fire destroyed the butcher shop along with H.R. Leavitt's General Store and the M.D. of Ethelwyn office.

Jessie and I raised 8 children; Harvey (1928-1989) married Bertha Lunden, deceased 1985; Bernice (1930) married Harold McKnight; Mildred (1931) married Frank Molineaux; June (1933) married Wm. Romanchuk and then Bruce Craige; Jean (1935) married George Prouse; Edsel (1937) married Jean Holmen; Bruce (1938) married Cynthia Lindgren; Alvin (1940) married Loretta Holmen.

We built our house in 1937. The carpenters were Gib Nichols (paid 50 cents/hour), Louis Open (paid 35 cents/hour), and Johnny Walker (paid 25 cents/hour) and ourselves. It was finished in 1940 because we built it as we could afford it. The basement was dug with a team and slip. In 1945 I built the most modern dairy and cattle barn with steel stanchions and running water to every two stanchions. I kept 48 head of purebred Hereford range cattle locked in stanchions.

We had two barn dances and the money went to the Dewberry Sports Association. I also donated 20 acres of land for the Dewberry Sports Grounds in the 1930's and when they wanted more land so they could expand for rodeos I gave them 3 more acres. They finally paid me $3,000, and the agreement was for the Association to look after the fence. The dairy barn has since been converted to a pig barn with liquid manure for a 'farrow to finish' operation. It is now used as a calving barn.

I have always lived within less than a ten mile radius of where we first homesteaded. Baseball was a favorite sport which I played until I was 50 years old - as the catcher. I have been big game hunting every year since 1923, and I remember one year near Wandering River we had toboggans behind the cruiser and someone remarked, "Look at that crazy bugger, 71 years old, standing up on the toboggan!" I have been fishing at least six times every year since 1918. Since 1948 I have been going to La Plonge and always caught trout. You name the lake, and I've beent there. I curled for many years and now I am an avid spectator of all sports - curling, baseball, hockey - whether it's in person or on TV. I still have a keen interest in farming and especially in cattle. I enjoy reading, playing pool at the Dewberry Senior Citizen Centre, visiting with my 31 grandchildren and 33 great-grandchildren, and coffeeing at the local Coffee Shop. I have always had a dog, now it's Buster and wherever I'm at he won't be very far away.

Frank was born at Kingston, Meeker Co., Minnesota, USA, on 10 December 1899. He was the son of Cyrenus Bowman and Edith Gobel. Frank died on 26 December 1995 at Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, at age 96. He was 96 years old.. His body was interred on 30 December 1995 at Dewberry, Alberta, Canada, at Dewberry Cemetary.

     He married Bertha Lunden. Harvey was born in 1928. He was the son of Frank Bowman. Harvey died in 1989.

     Kathleen was born at Ballycastle, County Antrim, Ireland, on 24 November 1913.¹ She was the daughter of Francis Edward McCambridge and Rosetta McClements. As of 1930,her married name was Gannon. Kathleen McCambridge died on 9 October 2006 at Alice Keith Nursing Home, Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, at age 92.¹ She was buried on 13 October 2006 at Vermilion Catholic Cemetary, Vermilion, Alberta, Canada.¹

     Harry was born in 1918. He was the son of Francis Edward McCambridge and Rosetta McClements. Harry McCambridge began military service on 28 May 1941 as a Private in the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps.¹ Harry died on 17 December 1944. He was buried in 1944 at Brookwood Military Cemetary, Brookwood, Surrey, England.²

     Rose and Nellie were twins. Her married name was Tondu. Rose was born circa 1919. She was the daughter of Francis Edward McCambridge and Rosetta McClements. Rose McCambridge was also known as Rosalie Maria Cambridge.¹

     "Junior" died.

     May was born at Watkins, Meeker Co., Minnesota, USA, in August 1897. She was the daughter of Cyrenus Bowman and Edith Gobel. She married Robert Braithwaite at Alberta, Canada, on 29 March 1916. As of 29 March 1916,her married name was Braithwaite. From the Dewberry Valley Memoirs 1991

May (Bowman) Braithwaite by May Braithwaite

I was born in 1897 at Watkins, Minnesota. My parents, Edith and Rene Bowman, my two younger brothers, Frank and Durward, and I left Minnesota to come to Canada, arriving in Vermilion on the 29th of March, 1908. That first summer on the homestead (NE 18-52-4-W4 where Les Bowman now lives), we lived in tents while Dad hewed out logs for our house and barn and chicken house.

You can't imagine how beautiful the countryside was! The flowers were gorgeous. The golden rod was almost as high as my head. There was pea vine, mountain aster, fire weed and wild roses growing everywhere. The cattle did so well on it. There were many, many sloughs. Any low spot was full of water and there were lots of ducks and geese and prairie chicken.

Dad had come to Canada the year before to file on the homestead so when we came up he knew what to bring, planed lumber and shingles. He built our house differently than most: one and a half stories high with the logs standing on end instead of lying down, making the wall more smooth and easier to plaster. Because he'd brought lumber with him we had a ship-lap floor and a shingled roof. Many houses at that time had sod roofs and dirt floors. The house was plastered inside and out with plaster made of sand and cow manure. Every spring Mom would replaster the odd spot and then white wash the inside and out with a mixture of lime and water. It was a well made house and it was warm and looked nice.

Inside there was one large room with a kitchen-living area at one end and the bedroom area at the other end. There were two windows at one side and the door and a high window on the other side. Dad built a half ceiling over the bedroom area and I had a four rung ladder to climb up to my little room above where I was comfortable and happy.

We brought with us a bureau with a mirror in it, a wood heater and wood cook stove, two beds and a little cot for me. Mom brought all her dishes and cooking utensils, clothes, pictures, rugs, rocking chairs, small sofa and chair. We had a heavy trunk, and Dad made a clothes cupboard, shelves for dishes and a woodbox. Up in my little room I had a bed, a homemade set of drawers, looking glass, a homemade rug, a few pictures, a little red trunk for my clothes, also some books and a doll or two.

When we first arrived there was no school house and we waited one year until Trimbleville was built. Frank and I walked the three miles to school and that first year Dad was afraid we would get lost. There were no roads and nothing to go by so he stakes to show us the way. At first there was no well at school so we carried out water with us in a crockery bottle. On hot days we would by dying for a cool drink of water. We didn't worry about germs - if someone's bottle was empty we would give them a swig from ours.

We carried our lunch in a gallon syrup pail. Mom would always give us two jelly dishes of fruit, (usually raspberries) a spoon each, sandwiches, and either homemade doughnuts or cake. Frank and I took turns carrying the lunch pail. One morning I had other things to carry so Mom made Frank carry it. He always had his pockets full of rocks as he loved to throw them at gophers and partridge or whatever he saw on the way. There was so much wildlife to see that often he was late for school! At recess we were all hungry from the long walk to school so we ate a bit of lunch then. But this morning there was no lunch pail. We looked all along the trail and Dad looked but we never did find it; the grass was so tall. Losing that pail and the spoons and jelly dishes was quite a loss in those days. After that we each had to use a little lard pail.

There were about eight of us in class; Wildred and Rosie (Kennedy) Potvin, Ben Axley, the Trimble family. Ben Axley was the oldest and he came only in the winter. He lived closest to the school so he started the fire.

I loved to go to school. One morning it was so cold that the folks didn't want me to go, but we had no thermometer and I was determined. It wasn't long till I realized how terribly cold it was. I was almost numb when I reached the school to find no students, no teacher and no fire. I knew I had to build a fire immediately but for some reason there was no kindling or paper and at first I couldn't even find matches. I tore paper out of a book and finally I got a fire going. I was very lucky. No one else came; apparently they had all realized how cold it was. I stayed at the school till afternoon and never told my parents what had happened.

If there was extra work to do we would have to stay home from school to help, especially at harvest and berry picking time. I can't describe easy the berries were to pick. Mom always canned between three and four hundred quarts of wild fruit.

After school we would walk home. I'd change my dress and then Mom would often have freshly baked bread for us. We'd cut off a big slice and spread it with butter and sugar. Then, because I was the oldest it was time to go for the cows. There we no fences so the cows roamed wherever they chose and it was my job to bring them in for milking. There wore bells so if I could hear the bells I knew where they were. Our bells sounded differently than those of the neighbours. Sometimes our cows would be mixed with another herd. Occasionally they would be joined by a stray bull. The bulls would be bawling and fighting and it would scare the life out of me. I worried more about meeting a stray bull than about wild beasts like bear and lynx.

I had two dresses for school and a better one for Sunday. We all wore plain print dresses, starched and ironed. There were no slacks for women in those days.

For entertainment we went to house parties. We were never short of music. Nearly every house had an old violin. We danced to waltzes, quadrills, lancers, 7 steps, 3 steps, 4 steps, schottisches and polkas. Often it would be five o'clock in the morning and we would be driving home with the horse and sleigh.

I married Bob Braithwaite on the 29th of March, 1916. We had two children, Edith, born in 1917 and Bobby born three years later. I went as a bride to the NW 28-52-4 W4 (about a mile north of Gus Hodgson's) where we lived for the first four years. Then we moved to NW 2-53-4 W4. Bob farmed and bought cattle until his death in 1949.

In 1982 I sold my home to my granddaughter, Bonnie and Sandy Robinson and moved to Dewberry where I now reside. May Bowman died in December 2001 at Islay, Alberta, Canada, at age 104.

     He married May Bowman at Alberta, Canada, on 29 March 1916. Robert died in 1949.

     Dora and Dorothy were twins.

Dora and Frank farmed all their lives, in later years in the Dewberry district. They raised a girl and a boy.¹ Her married name was Mead. Dora was born at Islay, Alberta, Canada, on 24 May 1909. She was the daughter of Cyrenus Bowman and Edith Gobel. Dora died on 1 August 1997 at Vermilion, Alberta, Canada, at age 88. Her body was interred on 5 August 1997 at Dewberry, Alberta, Canada, at Dewberry Cemetary.

     Dorothy and Dora were twins. Her married name was Ford. Dorothy was born at Islay, Alberta, Canada, on 24 May 1909. She was the daughter of Cyrenus Bowman and Edith Gobel. Dorothy died on 9 April 1988 at age 78.

     Louis was born at Hambledon, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1856. He was the son of Thomas Huttons Deane and Emily Susan Clift. His long name was Louis William Francis Deane of Huttons & Colstrop. He married Harriet Webster at Eton, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 19 April 1881. The 1891 British census shows Louis as head of Huttons House, Hambledon, Buckinghamshire. He was 35 at the time of the census. His wife Harriet was 33. Their children were Louis W., age 9, James W., age 7, Norman W., age 5 and Frederic C., age 2. Also living with them were Louisa Fuller, a 19 year old Nurse and domestic servant and Emeline F.J. Kenedy, a 17 year old general servant.

Louis was farming the land his father left him. Louis died on 27 February 1928 at The Beeches, Hambledon, Buckinghamshire, England. He was buried on 1 March 1928 at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England.¹ His estate was probated on 18 December 1935 at London, England.¹

     Harriet was born at Dorney, Buckinghamshire, England, on 21 September 1857. She was the daughter of William Webster and Elizabeth Winder. Harriet Webster was baptized on 8 November 1857 at Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England.¹ She was a witness at Arthur George Barnett and Kate Webster's wedding at Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 18 November 1873.¹ She married Louis William Francis Deane at Eton, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 19 April 1881. As of 1881,her married name was Deane. Harriet died in November 1931 at age 74.¹ She was buried on 20 November 1931 at Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, England.¹

     Ruth was born at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 2 December 1924. She was the daughter of James Webster Deane and Phyllis May Bayley. As of 12 October 1955,her married name was Pollard. Ruth Eleanor Deane died on 11 August 2004 at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, at age 79; She died of cancer.

     South Australia Electoral rolls noted 1990 and 1994 Alan Bayley Deane at 26 Warren Ave., Glenelg. Also in 1999 Jennifer Marion Deane at the same location. He resided at Adelaide, Australia,. Alan was born at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 10 December 1933. He was the son of James Webster Deane and Phyllis May Bayley. Alan died circa 1996 at Australia.

     William was born at Britwell Farm, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 3 July 1861. He was the son of William Bayley and Sarah Mills. He married Ellinor Webster at Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 17 September 1891. William died on 11 October 1937 at age 76.

     Ellinor was born at Dorney Wood, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, in 1868. She was the daughter of William Webster and Elizabeth Winder. She married William Mills Bayley at Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England, on 17 September 1891. As of 17 September 1891,her married name was Bayley. Ellinor died in December 1952 at Eton, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, England.

     In the 1881 census Albert,22, was listed as a printer, most likely working in his father's shop. He resided at South Side 7 St. Ostry, Shepton Mallet, with his wife Kate, 22, infant son Albert 1 month, and two servants. Sarah Parker, a 67 year old widow from Stone Easton, Somerset was a nurse and Elizabeth A. Lumber, 15 years old of Shepton Mallet as a general servant. Albert was born at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England, on 20 August 1858. He was the son of Albert Francis Byrt and Eliza Anne Brown. He married Kate Cox at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England, on 27 December 1879.¹ Albert died in 1939.

     Kate died. Kate was born at Crewkerne, Somerset, England, circa 1859. She was the daughter of Henry Cox and Elizabeth (?). She married Albert Byrt at Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England, on 27 December 1879.¹ As of 27 December 1879,her married name was Byrt.

     From South From Lloydminster, 1970's and West of the Fourth 1980

The Laws Family by H.F. Davis

For many generations the Laws family of Northumberland, England, lived either at or in the shadow of Prudoe Castle. Joseph Burnett Eldon Laws must have had mixed feelings when his eldest son Burnett, left home at the age of eighteen, and came to Canada to join the North West Mounted Police.

In the late 1890's, Burnett Laws, oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. J.B.E. Laws, and one of a family of eleven children, came to Canada from Northumberland, England and joined the North West Mounted Police. From headqaurters in Regina, he was stationed first at Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek and then sent to the Klondike (Yukon Territory) as Bailiff in Gold Run Creek and Dawson during the latter part of the gold rush. He went overseas with the Mounted Police and fought in the Boer War. Upon his return to Canada he obtained his discharge from the Police force in Calgary and in 1904 he arrived in Lloydminster, coming across country from Red Deer by horse and buggy.

He homesteaded the NE 1/4 of 12-49-1 W4, four miles south of Lloydminster and also bought the S 1/2 of 13-49-1 W4, from Mr. Andy Robinson.

In 1905 he was joined by two brothers, Frank and Percy, and the home buildings were erected. One of these barns, built on a stone foundation, is still standing. Percy was a skilled stone-mason, carpenter, blacksmith and mechanic. When farming methods changed from horsepower to engine-power, he was the one everyone looked to to keep things running.

In 1910 they were joined by their two sisters, Florence and Edith, and their brother Frederick and in 1911 their parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.B.E. Laws arrived with their sister, Hilda and brothers Alan, Gerald and George. The farm was named "Burnbrae" and for a few years all the family except Harry resided there. Harry was a sailor before the mast.

In April 1913, Hilda married Francis W. Byrt, who had a homestead in the Blackfoot hills, in the Madresfield district, and in October 1913, Edith was married to Gordon Brew and they lived about a mile and a half north of where Mount Joy Ski Run is now situated, one mile south of the corner where the Golden Valley Church was built..

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Burnett, Fred, Alan and Gerald joined up and went overseas with the Canadian Forces. Alan died in a hospital in England as a result of wounds sustained in France in 1915. Burnett, Fred and Gerald were there till the end of the war. Burnett returned in 1919 with the rank of Colonel and an English bride, Ellie. Fred and Gerald also returned with English brides. Fred's wife was named Hannah, Gerald's wife was Elsie. George had also joined up as soon as he was old enough, but the war ended before he was posted overseas.

In 1919 Harry have up the sea and returned to farm with his brothers. He had sailed around the world three times. He was in port in San Francisco during the earthquake and great fire. His ship was not able to leave for six weeks due to the shortage of manpower for rescue and clearing work, also the lack of drinking water to take on board. He contracted malaria and was taken to sea by shipmates. The family was indeed relieved to receive a piece of brown papter without a stamp, letting them know that he was alive. The farm was enlarged by the purchase of the north half of section 13 from Mr. John Bell.

Burnett and his wife built their own house on the home farm and Burnett, Harry, Frank and Percy farmed together. Fred and George bought the Buckmaster farm two miles to the east and farmed in partnership at "Tynedale". Gerald bought the quarter south of Burnett's homestead and erected a house and farm buildings there.

Mrs. Hannah Laws passed away in 1922 and Mr. Joseph Laws in 1924. Florence kept house for her brothers, Harry, Frank and Percy.

Over the years Burnett Laws served his community in various ways. He was president at one time or another of the Lloydminster and District Co-Op, the Legion and the Lloydminster Exhibition Association. During World War II he served for a time as Commandant at Dundurn Military Camp, Colonel and Mrs. Laws had one son, Burnett, an engineer who now lives at Leduc, Alberta.

After George married Caroline "Pat" Morgan he built his own house and he and Fred continued to farm together until George joined the arm during World War II. Caroline had come to the district to teach at Spencer School. Fred and his only son Eric carried on farming.

Gerald farmed for a number of years and then sold out and in 1932 with his wife and four children, Alan, Stewart, Bill and Joy, returned to England. They returned to Canada in 1948.

Hilda and Frank Byrt moved to just south of Lloydminster in 1920 so that as their children became old enough there would be a school to go to. The homestead had been seven miles from the nearest school. They continued to live there until they retired to Lloydminster. They had four children; Hilda (Mrs. Roy Davis), Stanley, Helen (Mrs. Wayne Lacy) and Harry.

Edith and Gordon Brew moved eventually to the Spencer district and farmed there. They had three children, Clifford, Avice (Mrs. Nels Jensen) and Nora (Mrs. Arthur Benoit).

The living descendants of Mr. and Mrs. J.B.E. Laws are one son, George who lives with his wife Pat in Ladysmith, BC, twelve grandchildren, sixty-seven great-grandchildren and thirty-three great-great-grandchildren. He married Hannah Jane Spraggon. Joseph was born at Tynemouth, Northumberland, England, on 23 August 1848. He was the son of Cuthbert Umfreville Laws and Catharine (Kate) Burnett. He was christened at Tynemouth, Northumberland, England, on 24 May 1850. Joseph died in 1924 at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada.

     She married Joseph Burnett Eldon Francis Laws. Her married name was Laws. Hannah was born at Hexham, Northumberland, England, on 19 March 1855. She was the daughter of Mark Spraggon and Maria Hare. Hannah died in 1922 at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada.

     Hilda was born at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 20 March 1914. Might have been 1913.. She was the daughter of Francis William (Frank) Byrt and Hilda Laws. She married Thomas Roy Davis at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 27 November 1940. As of 27 November 1940,her married name was Davis.

     He farmed in the Furness district. He married Hilda Florence (Hap) Byrt at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, on 27 November 1940. Thomas died in 1983 at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada.

     Alan was born at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada, in 1920. He was the son of Francis William (Frank) Byrt and Hilda Laws. Alan died in 1921 at Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, Canada.

     Wayne died in 1991.