abandoned seekers – Page 5 – CRUMBLING MEMORIES

January 27, 2019January 27, 2019

SPECIAL CALL

Every once in a while, when speaking to a landowner, they will ask me if I would be willing to share with them some of the photos that I have taken of their property. I always do.

Just this last week I got a phone call from Mr. H calling to thank me for the prints that I sent him. He also welcomed me back anytime and told me that my photographs were “really, quite impressive.” Thank you very much, Mr. H.

I will certainly be heading back when the weather warms up. I want to capture the sunset through these trees.

January 5, 2019January 5, 2019

1908

The first descendants of this family farm purchased this land in 1908. It has been in the family for 3 generations. The land had 3 previous owners and the first recorded land owner was recorded in 1901.

Mr. H’s parents married in 1942 and this home was built for their new family. They moved to the original family homestead in 1952. Mr. H doesn’t recall living in the home but advised me that he was told he moved when he was roughly 5. He has made every attempt to prevent the home from being damaged and vandalized.

The family has been very active in farming and Mr. told me that until a while ago he made use of the graineries on the property but said age and advances in technology made it hard to use and utilize the way he’d like to. Mr’s parents were the third generation to farm this land and were very successful. Over the years they witnessed vast changes in the farming industry. The land was first farmed with horses and threshing machines, they survived the depression and spent their lives keeping up-to-date with the changes in their industry. They farmed till they passed.

Mr. now lives in the original family homestead which was built in 1886. In the early 2000’s a two story barn built in the 1900’s was destroyed by fire. Mr. had hired a mason to repair the stone foundation but the fire was to much for the old building to withstand.

December 18, 2018

HILLSIDE MANOR

Remember this place that I made my family stop at when it was -47 or so out?

The family of John and Emma McFadyn was the first family to settle in what would become Parksbeg, Saskatchewan. John became the second station agent. He was born at Augustine Cove, Prince Edward Island in 1852.

This house stands on the on the North hillside beside the East bound TransCanada Highway.

It was one of the first houses in the area to have central heating and complete indoor plumbing.

In 1941 the Lawson’s moved into this house on the hill.

December 15, 2018

WANTING MORE

I came upon this home driving around down the back roads one afternoon with the girls. I do recall that on this day we made many finds.

I headed home and started calling around for permission.

Mr. & Mrs. M were married in 1890 and came to the area and purchased this section of land. It remained in the family until 1996 when another family took over the land to farm it. A small section of land is still owned by descendants of this man.

Mr. & Mrs. M had 3 sons. One married and raised his own daughters on this land. He had been farming the land on his own since he was 17 years old when he father passed away. The youngest, Stafford went away and joined the RCMP but later came back to farm the land with his brother and mother.

One of S’s daughters stayed on the property and was the third generation to farm this land. It was her pride and joy.

I have to admit that I wasn’t happy with my photos of the house as there was a hydro line running right across the front of it. You can see from this photo though, where the photo of the family in the car was taken.

D’s passion was horses. Following in her mother’s footsteps she started raising purebred Tennessee Walking Horses. Evidence of this love was all around the home and this barn built in 1916. Horses were purchased from D and sent to Minnesota, Montana and all over Canada.

This is another one of those homes where they left but knew they were going to keep coming back. Everything is inside. You could move right back in, except age and time won over and the floor has given to the test of time.

There was no way to get upstairs for a look but I imagine that this home and property was stunning in its time. Except for the floor, the home stands tall. The curtain from this upstairs window kept blowing in and out, inviting you inside.

This property is truly a timeless treasure.

December 15, 2018

ELKHORN

On the Saturday morning on our way to Elkhorn for a hockey tournament the fog was so thick I didn’t even notice this house on the side of the road.

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I had been waiting for this weekend for a long time as I was determined I was going to get photos of the Scallion House in Virden, once and for all. The fog had other plans for me.

So on Sunday afternoon heading to the rink for the championship game, I spotted this. I made a quick stop on the way home for a couple of road side shots.

December 15, 2018

LONG HISTORY

The third owner of this land immigrated to Canada in 1846. I do not know if it was on this particular quarter section of land for sure but the documentation I found says it was. The record of the landowner documentation does not indicate when the land was sold or purchased nor does the history of the family. I do know that Mr. died in 1940 at the age of 63 but his Mrs. spent 10 more years on the farm before moving to Brandon.

The fourth owner of this land came to Manitoba in 1881 and was a partner with a real estate agency in Brandon. He traded this piece of land for a piece of property he owned in Wawanesa and this became the beginning of the family farm.

The family was active in their community and established Min-Mar Siding.

Their oldest son enlisted in the World War II and upon his return lived her with his wife and two kids. He then assumed the position of Secretary-Treasurer with the Turtle Mountain School Division.

The current owner purchased this land in 1978 and is a successful cattle farmer. He started building his herd at the age of 15. He married in 1980 and lived at this farm until 1985 when the home was partially damaged due to fire.

The property was full of valleys. The summer was dry so I can’t tell you if a lot of water ran through this property but I do know that the land is used for storing hay and I’m sure the cattle roam the property too.

December 9, 2018

LITTLEST HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE PART 2

While Reg goes along with me to shoot houses, his true passion is the farm equipment and old vehicles. He knows that I go home and I start researching to find out the history of the home with the hopes that I can find some connection in the town history books and word of mouth and through what we are told from landowners when we ask for permission to enter upon their land and photograph their buildings.

I found out this week that this was in fact a house, a very small house. The family divided the rooms with cloth for privacy.

This small home was built in 1946 when Mr. R returned from the war. He lived in the home with his wife for many years.

And I was right when I assumed that the home had been moved off the wood pile we found to where it currently rests.

And while it appears that today might not be a good day for me to try to wrap around my head around pages of family history, I can say that there is some relation from this home and the home of the unmarried lady whom took the bus to school with the kids once in a while.

November 24, 2018

COUNTY DERBY, ONTARIO

This family purchased this land in 1903.

I cannot tell you when this house was built but I can tell you it was very large and spacious with large sliding doors which separated the dinning room from the sitting area at the front of the house.

On the one side of the house there was a stairway leading up with a large wood banister and railings.

The view from the top floor of the home was amazing. There is a large bathroom and 4 bedrooms with a big hallway and large linen closet. This is also where we found the door to 3rd story of the home where someone took it upon himself to get a look around from the roof!!! There was a large eat-in kitchen with a side door off of it and a stairway to the basement which is wasn’t brave enough to try.

November 24, 2018

KITTIES EVERYWHERE

We weren’t expecting to find a house but we did. And a whole lot of cats. We were lucky enough to meet the gentleman who owns the land and was very familiar with the old homes surrounding him.

His ancestors were born in England but immigrated to the area in the late 1800’s. He started working for a gentleman in the area and in 1899 bought this section of land and built a house and married his wife.

The area school was on the corner of the road leading to his property and history reports that the current teacher allowed the children in her class to watch Mr. drive by with the first car in the area.

In 1914 this home was built. He was a four bedroom home with electric lights and a power washer.

Mr. had a threshing outfit and threshed for many of his neighbours. Farming changed, horses were replaced by combines. That didn’t happen for this family on their sloughy land until 1929. The drought came.

The current land owner is the third generation to farm this land.

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018

ONE HORSE TOWN

My dear husband and son found this place for me a couple weeks ago on their way fishing. After a quick phone call I was granted permission to have a look and received an invite to check out another place when I had time.

The home is now in the middle of a pasture and on that day we were visited by a very vocal mare.

Behind the home was a large body of water that was likely a source of water for cattle and now, the mare. I was told by the current land owner that his friend lived her and was actually knocked into this water by his bull, knocked out cold and drowned.

We did find an old barn and a piece of old equipment which was really neat.

This was a neat old machine.

I really liked how the setting for your different grains was attached right to the machine for your easy reference.

I have done some searching on this family and the property but have come up empty handed. I won’t stop though and if I do find more info, I will be sure to add it.

November 20, 2018November 20, 2018

HAUTE

I was lucky enough to be told the location of this home from a fellow abandon seeker in the area whom I believe’s great grandmother or grandmother once lived in the home.

The original owner of this land came to Manitoba in 1885 from Quebec. He married in 1894 and then bought this land. The first buildings on the land were a low frame house a log barn and a shop. The two latter were sod covered.

In 1918 Mr. decided it was time for a new house and planned for a two and a half storey home that was 25 by 32 feet. The materials were purchased from G.B. Robinson, a lumber dealer in Elgin, Manitoba. Recorded total cost for the materials and labor to build the home was $4,448.53.

Mr was an avid goose hunter and I would imagine the hunting was very good off the Whitewater Lake. It is said that many loads of geese were shipped to Winnipeg via rail and served as a delicacy in posh hotels.

Mr. & Mrs. had five children.

The home was a stop over for men hauling wood from the Turtle Mountains across the Whitewater Lake who would warm up and have refreshments before carrying on to the Elgin District.

The youngest son farmed the land until 1966 when they moved to a nearby town.

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018

RIVERSIDE SCHOOL

Remember the little boy that rushed to the school to sit with the teachers until dismissal? Well this is the school.

Built in 1883 on the SW corner of his parents property for $843.00. They collected a further $10.00 for benches as well as a heating stove for $9.00, 22 lengths of pipe for $0.18 cents each, a broom for $0.35, a box of chalk for $0.30 and desks for $8.50 each.

Church services were held in the church starting in 1884 until 1915.

As the nearby village grew, it was decided that the Riverside School should be moved to its current location in 1902. In 1904 a storm prevented the children from getting home that evening and they were stormed stayed until noon the following day.

Changes to the school happened over time and in the summer of 1912 metallic shingles were put on the roof. The inside walls were changed from tin to wallboard and wainscoting in 1936. In 1951 electricity was installed. An oil burning furnace was added in 1953.

The last teacher employed was Aggie Jean Martin in 1956 where she was paid approximately $215 per month. The school, like many other small, one room schools in small communities were the centre of activity where they would hold dances, card parties or box socials. The school closed in 1956.

October 20, 2018

OUT and ABOUT

This Spring when my mission to find and shoot as many abandoned properties around me began I traveled to and from work searching for barns and rooftops. Here is one I spotted from the highway on my way to work.

October 20, 2018October 20, 2018

BISCUITS & BASEBALL

On the way to a property Reg asked me to take a turn to “check something out”. Off we went down a muddy, not maintained, gravel, not lets call it mud, road to a barn we could see in the distance. I’m sure I’ve seen this before but when I didn’t see a house, I didn’t make note of the property. Its a good thing we had the Jeep cause it was muddy. Well all the mud was worth this stop.

The house was gone and all that was left was the stone foundation, the fridge, freezer, a couple pieces of furniture and many, many knick-knacks. I found several kettles that day.

In a metal/glass pile away from the house I even found what was left of an old gravy boat. I found it fitting, considering it was Thanksgiving weekend.

Mr. D. C’s father was born in Perthshire, Scotland in 1856. They moved to Ontario in 1876. D was born in 1877 and helped his father farm the original homestead purchased upon their arrival in Manitoba. In 1926 he married E and they lived on his father’s land for 4 years. Then in 1930 he purchased this particular piece of land and started building the barn and the other buildings. D was a member of the Oddfellows Lodge. He was interested in the education of his children and served as a school trustee for the nearby school district.

A, D & E’s youngest son remained on his father’s farm after his retirement. He had helped his father farm the land his entire life, even while going to school. As a youngster is played with the local fastball team as well as the local Linament League.

One of the neatest things about all the exploring I’ve been able to do is when I get home and look over my pictures and then start researching the family only to find that I actually have a photograph that helps solidify the facts that I am reading and researching, like these baseballs.

There were many outbuildings on the property and some old equipment. And just my luck, an old wooden door knob – I love old door knobs and latches.

I loved this little old building tucked away in the trees.

And of course, this old cart.

A was the second generation to farm this land. I am told that this original home that stood on that old stone foundation was moved to town when Mrs. left the farm and was put up near our town school.

October 18, 2018

THE LONG HAUL

I am told that this home was hauled 40 km to its resting place by a 40 horse team wherein 3 ravines had to be crossed. While I did not get this confirmed in writing, I will say that the information comes from a reliable source and a fellow abandoned home seeker in the area.

The home has been designated a heritage site by the RM that it is in and is now home to several bee hives.

The family of this homesteader originated from Ireland and settled in Ontario. The homesteader, Mr. B was born in 1899 on a nearby farm. He was the eldest of 11 children. He was the first baby baptist in the nearby church. At a young age he left school to help his sickly father farm and his sisters fondly remember him taking care of them and ensuring they had skates and knew how to skate, took them to dances and traveled back and forth with them to and from their boarding schools to ensure they came home on the weekends.

In 1918 he tried to enlist in the Army, under-aged. His mother sent his birth certificate to headquarters before he could be sent overseas. He trained as a barber for the military.

In 1942 after farming with his father, working in Alberta and farming with his new wife’s brothers he purchased the land that this home stands on. At the same time he purchased his very first shorthorn heifer and this began a long career of breeding and showing them. He was described as a good herdsman who loved his animals. He was a hard working man who did many things to earn money.

Mr. & Mrs. B also had sheep, chicken’s, turkey’s, ducks and geese. They also had a bountiful garden and many berry bushes which they sold to others. They were active in their community.

They were well loved in their community and fondly remembered by their children.

I have passed this home many times over the years and appreciate it a whole lot more given the knowledge of its history.

I was also told that the home was vandalized, virtually over night, many years ago, leaving a large hole on the exterior. What a shame that someone would/could do this to something that 1. doesn’t belong to them and 2. that holds many memories to many.

October 8, 2018October 9, 2018

SHORT WALK TO SCHOOL

Mr. W was born in Cornwall, England in 1854. He came to Canada and settled in Ontario. He found love and married his missus. In 1881 they came to Manitoba and settled on this property. The first home built there was a log home and then in 1896 this home was built.

In 1883 a school was built on the SW corner of his property. It was moved in 1902, 2 miles North. Mr. W also owned the local Canadian Elevator in 1913 but it burnt down in 1917. It was valued at $7,000 but he did not carry insurance.

His youngest son A, born in 1896 loved having the school close to home and at 5 years of age he would go to the school at 3:00 p.m. and sit with the teachers until school was dismissed.

A married M in 1921 and lived on the farm. M raised 50 ducks, geese and chickens every year. She kept them in the coop during the day in incubators and at night time she moved them into the house until the warmer weather arrived. There was evidence of one or two buildings that could have been chicken coops.

The raised 3 children on this farm, too.

A & M’s only son, E born in 1938, started to farm with his Dad in 1953. He married W and they had two children of their own. They purchased the farm from E’s parents in 1966.

We found so many outbuildings and different machinery on this land. I especially loved this old wheel the the tree it was resting upon which claimed it.

E & W had one son whom still farms the land but lives nearby. It was K & H that granted me permission to photograph the property and have asked me for copies of the photos that I take for her Mother-in-law as a keepsake. I hope that the photos I have taken can do justice to the memories they must have of this farm.

October 7, 2018October 8, 2018

1900 CENTURY FARM

The H family came to Manitoba in the Spring of 1890. The family settled in the area, his wife and 6 children. In 1900 one of his young sons married, during a double wedding ceremony, with his sister and both settled on different sections of this land. The siblings lived out their lives farming as neighbors on this section of land in the heart of Boissevain-Morton.

The son played a role in the organizing of the East Lynne School District in 1904. They belonged to the Ninga Methodist Church where Mrs. played the organ.

Water was always an issue on the farm. Water was hauled in barrels from another section of land.

In fact, one year on a hot July day Mr. had been working hard for days breaking sod and took a drink from the nearby slough. He ended up with typhoid fever and was bedridden for weeks. Luckily his sister-in-law was a newly trained as a nurse and nursed him back to health.

In 1938 the government paid for a 120 foot long by 60 feet wide and 14 feet deep well. The farm never saw a dry day after that.

They were kind and generous people who in 1931 adopted a six year old boy. The boy was only to stay with them for a couple days. He became an integral part of their family. He joined the World War II and returned home in 1945. He unlike his siblings moved to the Virden area while the rest stayed in the area.

Mr. suffered a major heart attack in 1941 and was not able to work again. He passed away in 1952. Mrs. passed away in 1968 at 91 years of age.

Two of his children then took over the farm until 1971 when they passed on the farm to their Grandson.