Charles Pedeprat

To Cochrane “Old Timers”, Charlie was a master axe man, they still talk of the way he could dovetail the corners of a log cabin. For a time he worked for the C.P.R. at Banff building the Mount Assiniboia cabins,

Towers Ranch

During the 1930’s the government was paying men $5.00 per month to work on farms and ranches and paid farmers $5.00 per month towards room and board. This was the first so-called “government assistance” Grandpa ever got.

James Quigley Family

Our brother Tom was a big lad and very handy at building things. He built a wagon from old brake wheels, thrown away off the boxcars. He bought an old horse and drove around gathering up buffalo bones for the sugar refineries. They used these bones for bleaching the sugar. Tom piled the bones along the railway track and they were loaded into boxcars when there were enough to ship. We kids had lots of fun playing on the big piles of bones. 

Construction, Builders and Contractors

At one time a carpenter built the whole house, doing the plumbing, electrical and gas fitting but as construction became more complicated, sub trades appeared.

Lodgings and Hotels

In 1904, Mr. C.M. Burnham helped to build the Cochrane Hotel and managed it for a while. This Hotel was originally a clapboard building later to be covered in brick. In 1908, D. Alexander bought and ran the Hotel. In 1912 the hotel was managed by H. Moulu and then W. H. Tepley became the manager. In 1916, the Hotel was closed due to Prohibition and the assets were seized for non-payment of taxes.

Towers Family

by Mrs Leslie Towers Big Hill Country pg 786 Francis Towers, born in 1848 in Birmingham, England, left home at the age of 18 years. Having heard so much of Canada, he decided he would manage to get there some way. The captain of a cattle boat took him on as a helper and he … Read more

Jean Dartigue

JEAN D’ARTIGUE ALSO NAMED JOHN D’ARTIGUE PEYRON BROCQ – by Ellen Buckler  Jean D’Artigue, known locally as John D’Artigue, was born in France in 1855 and educated to be a teacher. He travelled to Canada and answered an advertisement in a newspaper calling for volunteers for The North West Mounted Police. His experiences are recorded … Read more

Clement and Margaret Edge

by Shirley Edge Every Sunday one could see a rider heading down the Grand Valley road and, sure enough, it would be Clem Edge going to see his best girl, Peggy Morrison. Clem was a big strapping man who was making his living breaking horses. He was born in Derbyshire, England, on June 6, 1890, … Read more

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