RM of Grassland – CRUMBLING MEMORIES

February 7, 2021January 28, 2022

GREEN ROOF

The first recorded landowners of this property do not make mention of this land. Born in England, the family immigrated to this area in 1890.

I did find a photograph of the family taken in 1900.

The second recorded land owners came to Canada in 1921 when they decided that the freedom in Canada appealed to them. They packed up what they could carry and escaped Russia. They walked all night with their 4 children, two of which were under the age of two, and had to be carried for most of the journey. They arrived in Latvia and made the journey to Canada. They settled in Alameda, Saskatchewan and in lived there until 1937. Shortly after that they settled on this property.

I will make the assumption that they second recorded land owners did build this home and the land remains the property of the family.

The family started their farming career with several hundred cows. In 1979 they switched back to grain and mixed farming which was what Mr.’s father did when he farmed the land.

This property was conveniently located right at the edge of the highway and I didn’t even get out of the car to take these photos. I found this farmstead in Manitoba on my way to see Colton back in October, 2020.

January 24, 2021

WE MAY NEVER KNOW

I found this one this past Spring while out searching for other locations. Close to the road, we stopped so I could take a couple shots.

More intriguing than this house, which I cannot confirm anything about, were the eagles flying around. I actually stopped taking photos of the house to get the Sigma lens but of course, they were too far away and I couldn’t get any decent shots. As much as I love photographing wildlife, I truly don’t have the patience to sit and wait. I need to work on that.

The first recorded owner of this land was recorded in 1897. While I can find some information about this family coming to the area around that time, I cannot confirm that they actually purchased this land.

The second recorded owner of this land purchased it in 1981 but again, I cannot confirm anything. There was a large quonset on the property and several bins. In front of the house were a couple of old window air conditioning units.

And I never did get a decent shot of the eagles.

May 19, 2020

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

Well, not really but this house would be right smack in the middle of a section of land and of course, I can’t confirm anything with the material that I have here.

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I have had permission to photograph this house for some time. I went in the Fall and it was muddy.

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So Cade and the kids stopped with me on the way home from Brandon one day and Cade drove in part of the way and I hiked in the rest. I didn’t go into the house but I did wander around as far as the snow would permit to get this tractor and a couple different angles of the house.

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While it was the house that got my attention and led me to this old homestead, once I was there it was this barn that I really liked. Its held its own in our harsh Manitoba weather.

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When we were driving out, Cade spotted this little rodent in our tire tracks so I got out of the car to chase him away so that we wouldn’t drive over him. I truly think he was blind because I could literally reach out and grab him if I wanted to and I followed him down our tire tracks for some time.

March 22, 2020

THE MOVE FROM HOWICK

On June 8, 1881 this family left their 50 acre farm in Ontario and headed to Manitoba with a cow, calf, wagon, a small amount of oats and a few small articles. Arriving in Portage la Prairie by rail, the family waited there for two days before making their way west. At that time they bought a Red River cart and a team of oxen.

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Upon arrival to the designated spot to choose a homestead, all the decent farming land was spoken for. While having pancakes with another farmer, the man advised Mr. of land in another range. The next morning he set out and this land was his. Newly acquiring the property, the necessary arrangments needed to be finalized so he set out the next day to walk to Deloraine. The walked seemed to take forever with nothing or no one in sight. He finally came upon some aboriginals and spent the night with them, breaking bread. They next morning they finished the trek together. He then set back to Portage la Prairie for his wife and 3 children as well as their trunks, bedding, a churn for water and 7 fowl. Mrs. and the 3 kids slept in the covered wagon at night during the week long trek to their land. Upon their arrival they set up a tent at another farm while Mr. broke the land.

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Mrs. was handy when it came to bread making and baked many a loaf for the bachelors. At the time flour was $1.00 for a 100 pound sack. She also tended to the ill and was a huge help to other pioneer women.

In 1882 the family sowed five acres to wheat and broke more to oats. The crop was cut by cradle and was made to bands out of wheat ties sheave and stacked. The following year, two men came along with a threshing machine they had just purchased in Brandon. They cut the families crop for $25.00 and the families oxen were used to haul the machine to its final destination. Mr. sold his wheat in Brandon, a trip that would take him 3 days to make.

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In the winter of 1884 the wife and 3 of the children came down with diphteria. One of the children passed away as well as a female neighbor. The family traveled to Brandon for medical attention. That same winter, Mr. suffered from snow blindness but Mrs. poulticed his eyes with tea leaves until they were better.

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The men traveled to 8 to 9 miles for wood. They always took the cattle with them to allow them a good drink in the nearby river.

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The family built their first home in 1899 with logs from the Turtle Mountains. During their life they had 9 children, two of which died very young. Mrs. passed away in 1932 at the age of 80 years and Mr. passed in 1937 at the age of 96. Mr. was the son of Samuel, a descendent of Ireland to traveled to Canada by ship. James obituary stated he was practical farmer and a first class manager which resulted in him being a great success in his farming operation. He was a great friend and was made an honorary member of the Manitoba Grand Orange Lodge. At the time of his passing, he was the oldest Orangeman in the Province.

Their son Samuel who never married took on the family farm and upon his death gave it to his nephew Harvey.

March 22, 2020

THE DONLEY’S

Oh, this has been a tough one to wrap my head around but, I promised myself that I would not go out and photograph more properties until I dealt with the ones I had already taken, so….

Born in 1853, Mr. came to Manitoba as a young man from Ontario and purchased this land in 1881 for both surface and mineral rights. In 1892 he purchased the SW 1/4 with surface rights only.

This photo was taken back in December during the Christmas break. Looking at this photo now, I am actually impressed with the quality given that it was taken from the road, with the 600mm lens, hand held. I must have had steady hands that day!

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His wife Susan arrived in Canada in 1882. She lived with her brothers around the Brandon area and then headed down towards Souris to live with another. Soon thereafter she met Mr. and they married in 1884.

As a couple they went through all the trials of an early pioneer family. They lost their home to fire in the early 1900’s and were forced to live with neighbors until their home was rebuilt. In 1906 their lost their 19 year old daughter to Brain Fever. Conditions that may now be described as brain fever include encephalitis, meningitis, cerebritis or scarlet fever.

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Mr. accepted a position as the secretary-treasurer for the RM. He was also a police magistrate and would act as an arbiter and then Judge. Often, infuriated citizens would enter his office only to leave as his friend. Mr. was said to be a a wise man. He was part of a committee who pledged to build the local community hall. On top of that, he was also the secretary treasurer for the local school.

A staunch Conservative, Mr. suffered a stroke while at the polling stations in 1923 and later developed pneumonia. He died on June 29th. Mrs. went to live with her son until her death in 1947.

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I cannot confirm when this house was built, if this family ever lived in it or if it was the second owners of this land that built the home.

On the day I visited this property for the second time, it was windy and cold and I walked through sometimes knee high snow to get a better shot of this house.

I’m not sure that I won’t go back there again for yet another look.

February 2, 2020February 3, 2020

GRAHAM HOMESTEAD

James, born in 1841 in Mitchell, Ontario migrated to Manitoba on June 8th, 1881. When leaving Ontario, he sold 50 acres of land. He had 9 children with his wife Jane. When they arrived in Portage la Prairie, he purchased a team of oxen and a Red River cart. He left his family in Portage.

Upon his arrival at Palmer’s Landing he was given a list of homesteads. Because he was out of food he went back to the crossing with some other people and they advised him of homesteads of where his land is still farmed to this day. Upon his arrival he needed to walk to Deloraine to make entry for the land. His hired man stayed behind to break the land.

They homesteaded on this piece of land that I found while wandering. James passed in 1937 and his wife Jane in 1932. Their son Samuel took over the farm until 1945 when him and his wife retired to Brandon.

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I thought the red barn and blue skies looked sharp together along this field of corn that seemed to go on forever so I stopped for a couple roadside shots. Digging around for a little more history, I was thrilled to find some information on the barn.

In the winter of 1884 three of his children and his wife had diptheria when they lost one little girl.

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Samuel’s nephew took over the farm in 1946 and his son now farms the land.

When Jack & Jane moved to Manitoba, they first lived in a tent and then a soddy. The original home is no longer on the property. What remains is the barn, built in 1898 consisting of a 8 foot high field stone foundation. The logs were dragged to the farm from the Turtle Mountains.

The family hauled their firewood from the Souris River, 8 or 9 miles away.

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While the photography is therapeutic for me, I can’t tell you how much I love being able to come home and find a history on something that caught my attention. Imagining his trek to this piece of land and breaking this land by hand to earn a living to feed his family. Love the history.

February 2, 2019

LEFT WONDERING

I drove by this old farmstead what seems to be 100 times during hockey try outs but never had the time to stop. Just after Christmas we headed that way again for a weekend long tournament and thought this is my chance.

I didn’t call ahead to get permission to drive onto the property and sometimes road shots are far more intriguing. I also don’t have much of a history but I’ll work on that too.

I had a good chuckle when I got back into the Jeep after taking a couple photos. The coach from my son’s team had texted to see if we were okay. My son took care of the text by replying “all good, my Mom just had to pull over to take photos of that old house.”

My new favorite hastag, #ipulledoverforthis

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.

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 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.