Malcolm James MacKenzie Family

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pg 574 More Big Hill Country 2009

Malcolm James MacKenzie Family Malcolm (Mac) MacKenzie was born on December 25, 1932, in Calgary and lived on the family farm, NW Sec 32 Twp 25 Rge 3 W5M. He was the second son of Norman MacKenzie (1894-1977) and Louise (Bennet) MacKenzie (1908-1999). They had a family of four sons and one daughter.

Malcolm attended Glendale School, a one-room country classroom located one mile north of IA highway. He took grade 10 at the red brick Cochrane School, travelling by bicycle with his brothers Angus and Alex.

 Also accompanying them were two former students of Glendale School, Jens and Ken Jensen. Malcolm did not return to Cochrane School for grade 11 . The school principal, Walter K. Gish, asked Angus why his brother didn’t return to school as he was a straight “A” student in all subjects?” Angus replied, “He just wanted to be a cowboy.”

Malcolm had worked the summer holidays helping with the haying at the Cartwright “D” Ranch, S.W. of High River and decided to stay in the Longview/ High River area the following year.

During the summer at the Cartwright Ranch in 1946, Malcolm met Jack Preddy, a fellow ranch worker, who taught him how to paint on canvas with oil paints. At summer’s end, Jack drove Malcolm home to Cochrane in his car so that he could return to school. During the autumn and winter months 1946, Malcolm painted the design on Gordon Dingwall ‘s Chuckwagon Canvas for the Calgary Stampede. Mac also taught his brother Angus how to paint with oil colours.

In the spring of 1951 , Jim Cartwright and Malcolm helped with Alan Baker’s first branding at the Bar U Ranch. In 1953-1955, Malcolm worked for Lloyd Wambeke on Lloyd’s Uncle George’s farm, bacheloring together. During those years the young men played hockey on the frozen farm sloughs or ponds during winter Sundays, and played baseball during the summer Sundays. Teams were formed at East Longview, High River and Turner Valley.

Malcolm worked for Bert Sheppard at the TL Ranch on the south fork of Sullivan Creek in 1956 -1957, then at the OH Ranch, west of Longview 1958-1960.

From 1961 to 1968 Malcolm worked for Brewsters at Banff for the summer trail horseback rides with co wrangler Ron Warner. In the fall they both worked for Bob Machum, of Priddis, hunting and guiding for big game hunters. In the winter Malcolm worked for J.B. (Jim) Cross trucking polo ponies from Okotoks, Alberta to Santa Barbara, California. He tended to them at the polo field and drove them back home to Okotoks in the spring.

While working for Jim Cross in California, Malcolm met Franco Vianello, an artist and sculptor from Santa Barbara. Franco was impressed with Malcolm’s clay and wax models. He cast some of them in bronze for Mac and also taught him the art of casting in the Lost Wax Process.

In 1969, Malcolm formed a company with Ron Warner, renting Bill Martin Stables. They called the company Warner & MacKenzie Guiding and Outfitting Ltd. In 1969, Warner and MacKenzie Ltd. bought the Sundance Stables in Banff and in 1976, they bought out

Brewster’s Stables as Brewster’s were now focusing on the Brewster Bus Tours and Columbia Glaciers Tours.

In 1967, Warner and MacKenzie had bought the George Webb farm on the comer of Weedon Trail and Highway 22. Malcolm spent time in 1969 – 1970 converting George Webb’s wooden quonset building from a school bus garage to an art studio and bronze casting foundry.

 In 1974, Warner and MacKenzie bought the Martin Stables. Bill Martin retired from Banff and he and his wife bought an acreage on Glenview Road South of 1 A highway, between Glendale Road and Glenbow Road.

On May 28, 1971, Malcolm married Judy (Harries) MacKenzie. They have one son Casey MacKenzie, born January 17, 1972, and one daughter Annie, born March 14, 1976. Annie married Ron Kelly, March 14, 1994 and they have two daughters, Tayla and Isabel, and one son Kael. The Kellys live on the west quarter of the farm, just north of the former MacKenzie log home. Casey has been living in Australia for the last several years.

During the 1970s when the summer trail rides and hunting and guiding out of Banff were over for the year, Mac spent more time with his family at their farm off Weedon Trail, north of Cochrane. He began focusing more on his bronze art casting.

Malcolm MacKenzie’s first exhibition and sale of bronze sculptures was held at Gainsborough Galleries in Calgary in June I 972. A second exhibition and sale of bronze sculptures was held at Gainsborough Galleries in 1979.

In 1981 , Malcolm left Banff and devoted more of his time to his artistic talents and the family farm plus his many friends. Bill Kewley helped Mac in his bronze studio.

On June 6, 1982 Malcolm’s Log Gallery opened with a show and sale at the old George Webb home quarter. Also in 1982 he started to build a log home on the west quarter of his farm and in 1989 Mac, Judy and family moved into their new log home.

In 1978, Mac was selected from over 30 Alberta sculptors and commissioned by the Alberta Government to create a 1 1/3 life-size sculpture of an old-time cowboy on horseback, to be located on the bluff overlooking the original 1881 Cochrane Ranche site headquarters. The bronze statue was cast in Surrey, England, south of London, from the original three-foot-tall wax casting. The finished bronze statue was flown back to Canada by air cargo jetliner in three parts, and then bronze welded together at the Cochrane site.

Malcolm went to England to supervise the casting. He took his wife and family and his mother Louise with him

Malcolm (Mac) MacKenzie was a well-respected and valuable member of the Cochrane community and was instrumental in supporting the Dream of the Western Heritage Centre. Malcolm passed away on June 22, 2002.

Deep dive

D’lyle W. and Virginia Wilson Family

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pg 812 More Big Hill Country 2009

Starting out we married on November 9th, 1956, in St. Andrew’s United Church, Cochrane.

We lived in a two roomed house on Lyle’s father’s farm north of Cochrane just north of the Weedon Hall on Highway 22. Lyle farmed with his father, two brothers and Dalred there until we moved to our own property on Section 10, a half mile north, up highway 22 in 1961 .

We had four children by this time: Martin, James, Terry and Dean. In 1965, Marjorie was born, finally a girl. In 1959, York Shaw had moved a house from Centre Street North in Calgary for us at a price of $300.00. We only paid $750.00 for the forty year old, four roomed building. When we moved into our new home it had snowed and it was wet and cold. There was no furnace or running water in it yet. Lyle installed a temporary fuel oil burning heater. It was September 19th, Martin’s birthday. We had forgotten what the date was but we made up for it and had a cake and dinner the next day. He was happy.

Later on when the boys were old enough they helped with the haying. It wasn’t all one with machines. The bales of hay were handled by hand. The two older ones, then nine and ten, stacked the bales of hay and drove the tractor and raked hay.

Then there was the milking of forty dairy cows. Marty, Jim and Terry had to do the milking while Dad finished the day in the hayfield. When it came to harvesting the grain crops. I trucked the grain to the granary, unloaded it and augured it into the granary. The kids and cousin Ross would have thistle fights during lunch break in the field. This was their fun time. They also had fun wrestling in the corral. There was bath time before bed or they were thrown in the water trough. Later on Marj helped raking hay and when we got the bale stacker she stacked bales and also worked in the house.

Lyle and I fostered two teens and lots of town kids. We also had many nieces and nephews that loved to come out to the farm. There were always many vehicles being worked on by our boys and their friends. The yard was always full.

Martin and Jim moved up to Edson, Grande Cache and High Level to work on the Rigs. Jim moved back and in 1982 married Roxine Raby. In March 1983, Amanda was born and in 1986, their son Kyle was born. They moved onto the southwest quarter of the family farm and lived there until they sold it in October 2007. They moved up to a quarter north of Sundre, Alberta in June 2008. Amanda and her husband Jesse became the parents of a son, Zander Wiklin, grandson to Jim and Roxine Wilson, and our great grandson. Jim worked off the farm as a framer with Dave Manachuck for a few years. He has his boiler ticket and worked at the Remand Centre for years and at Big Hill Lodge as maintenance for three years until his injury.

Martin moved back to Cochrane in 1988 and worked for Joe Kells as a backhoe operator. Partner Sandy Johanson, from Debden, Saskatchewan came down to live with Martin and work here. In 1990, they moved onto the family farm on the southeast quarter on Highway 22. Martin has worked for the Town of Cochrane as a machine operator for eighteen years and is now retired as of December 2007. In 1997, a son Jason was born and on November 11, 1999, Sandy and Martin were married. A few years went by, like twelve, and Miss Becky was born October 6, 2006. They sold their place in October 2007 and in June 2008, they will be moving to Canwood, Saskatchewan where they bought a quarter section of land.

Terry had a tough time in his life. He suffered from diabetes and this kept him from having a normal life. He lived at home until his accident at twenty one years and ended up a paraplegic. He Iived in handicapped housing in McEwen in northwest Calgary, Alberta with help from A.I.S.H. He died on August 8th, 2000. He lived a single life but had many friends.

Dean lived on the farm helping his Dad in the evenings and performing with the Young Canadians at the Calgary Stampede for three years. He sang with different stage groups too. He moved away for a few years and then moved a modular home on our home quarter in 1988. He lived there working at his own business, On The Spot Cleaning, until he sold the house in November 2006. This is also when Lyle and I sold the home farm, southeast quarter of section 10. Dean moved into a beautiful home in Tuscany, northwest Calgary. He lives a single life.

Marjorie lived on the farm until she moved to Cochrane, Alberta where she worked for Lucky Penny Pizza as a main cook. She operates her own cleaning business “Inch by Inch Cleaning” and has for 20 years. She now lives in Calgary in Beddington.

DLyle and Virginia, the Mother and Father to all of these siblings moved to James River Bridge. Alberta, ten miles north of Sundre. Alberta on the north side of the river. The James River runs through our beautiful 88 acres, all wooded.

Deep Dive

Cochrane RCMP Detachment

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pg 207 More Big Hill Country 2009

Cochrane RCMP Detachment Cochrane Detachment was first opened in 1907 under the jurisdiction of “E” Division with headquarters at Calgary. There was a Corporal stationed at Cochrane that first year but the detachment usually consisted of one Constable. I am unable to provide the names of these first members except for a Constable Watt who was stationed there in 1914 and who played a role in the Wilson murder case. The

Cochrane Detachment remained open until 1917 when many of the detachments were closed because of the requirements of the war and the Alberta Provincial Police took over the responsibility of policing the province. Cochrane Detachment was re-opened in April of 1932 when the Force absorbed the Alberta Provincial Police and resumed provincial policing duties. Constable WB. Shaw, Regimental Number 6483, re-opened the detachment and he remained at Cochrane until Constable A.N. Brown, Regimental Number 9307, took over the detachment March 15, 1933. The Force occupied the quarters that previously had been used by the Alberta Provincial Police. Quarters were located on Second Street and were rented from the Alberta Department of Public Works. During the war some consideration was given to closing the detachment because of the lack of work in the detachment area and the proximity to Calgary but this idea was quickly abandoned. In 1950 major renovations were carried out on the building that was now commonly known as the RCMP Barracks. At this time the location is given as 2212-22nd Street. Constable C. Ross and Constable S. Grayson each served in Cochrane in these early times.

On May 29, 1957 a transport truck left the highway at the bottom of Cochrane Hill and crashed into the back of the detachment quarters. The gasoline in the truck exploded and the subsequent fire virtually destroyed the building. Temporary quarters were obtained from the Village of Cochrane in the Town Fire HaIJ at 230622nd Avenue. The Alberta government rebuilt the old quarters and built an escape road at the bottom of the hill which eliminated the sharp turn that had caused so many accidents. The temporary quarters were vacated and the detachment moved back into the restored previous quarters. A double garage had been added to the stucco bungalow.

Cochrane RCMP Detachment Members 1977

In 1965 a Highway Patrol was added to the Cochrane Detachment establishment. bringing the total number of members to ix. The current quarters were clearly too small. Two office were rented for the detachment in the Graham’s Pharmacy building on the first floor. The old quarters continued to be used as living quarters for the member in charge and his family. The Force began to seriously look for build-for-lease a accommodation in Cochrane. Sites were difficult to find but one was finally purchased in 1967 and an agreement was signed with J. T. Miller Construction Limited. The offices in Graham’s Pharmacy building were vacated and the detachment moved into the new building on June 1. 1968,  on Main Street and Centre Ave.

By 1977 the new building was in need of some repairs but the Force found that Mr. Miller was reluctant to undertake them.

In 1979 the building was sold to Mr. E. Boothby of Honeyking Industries. Little progress was made with the new owner and the Force decided that the detachment would vacate the building in 1983 when the lease expired. The building was vacated on June 14. 1983 and a new Force-owned building was occupied by the Cochrane Detachment. 

Deep Dive

T. Stanley Cope

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pg 367 More Big Hill Country 2009

Arriving in Jumping Pound in 1905, from Oxbow, Saskatchewan, Stanley, with four of his brothers, settled on a ranch purchased by their father Thomas Cope. The boys later took out homesteads of their own. Stanley’s homestead was the SW Sec 22 Twp 25 Rge 5 W5M.

Two of the brother did not stay in the district long after they acquired their homesteads and their land was purchased and added to the main ranch holdings. One brother, Arthur, remained on the ranch with Stanley until May 1927 when he left to go prospecting in British Columbia.

After Stanley’s parents one brother and four sisters, who were living in Calgary, moved to the coast, Stanley managed his father’s ranch as well as his own. He raised Shorthorn cattle and heavy horses and during hard times, as with many farmers and ranchers, he milked cows and shipped the cream to Cochrane. He built and maintained roads, plowed fireguards and did almost everything ranchers did to keep alive. However, there were a few unique things about Stanley.

He was probably the only one in the area at age 75 years that was still doing all his own work by himself and without the aid of modem equipment. He used a walking plow to break up his fields and hayed and fenced with teams of horses.

It was not until later years that Stanley gave up driving his team and wagon across country to Cochrane to get his mail, do his banking and visiting on the street comers so he could catch up on the latest news in town and area. He was very fond of children and when the population in Cochrane increased he became very worried that he might have a runaway with his team as he was driving up the road from the old bridge that crossed the Bow River. There were many children along this road and a team of horses pulling a wagon was a real fascination for them. Stanley was always afraid they might get hurt as they ran out to greet him. In the late 1960’s Stanley, upon consultation with a close neighbour, purchased a second hand jeep so that in case of bad roads and he was getting older, his neighbour could get him to Calgary, whatever the weather, as it was 4 wheel drive. Although he never drove his jeep it gave him great peace to know that it was there if needed.

One luxury that he did afford himself was natural gas in his house. When the main gas line from the Shell Jumping Pound Plant went through to Banff, just a short mile from his house he had his wood cook stove converted to natural gas. This stove was the only source of heat in his house but he made sure that everything about the gas was safe and posted a sign on his door that read “Beware of natural gas used in this house. Enter at your own risk.”

The telephone was always Stanley’s link to the outside world as well as the radio. Whenever the phone rang in anybody’s house Stanley always picked up and listened in. If he thought the story you were telling the other party on the line was not like he had heard it, he never hesitated to butt in and correct you (even if you were right!) If you happened to be talking to the vet, just before you hung up he would butt in and talk to the vet about some horse that he had a problem with or a cow that looked not to bright. This all on your nickel!

Stanley was a very brusque man, but very shy in nature. This showed in acts of belligerence toward other people. Underneath this ornery surface was a person people seldom saw. He never married but often courted the local school teachers and he was extremely fond of children. He could never pass up a child selling tickets for raffles or fundraisers but he never put his own name on the ticket stub. Many times we have wondered how many people, through the years, won prizes on tickets that Stanley had purchased and put their name on.

Friday was always Stanley’s day to go to Cochrane. He would go by way of the Tower/Wearmouth ranch, stopping in for a cup of tea and a chat. Once in Cochrane he tied his team up at the hitching post behind Andison’s store, fed them and went about his business. 

When Moore’s built the new grocery store they moved the hitching post across the street to the vacant lot beside the Post office (presently Oliver Twist Bistro). He then went to the Bank and lastly the grocery and dry goods stores. All his purchases went into a large canvas bag which he carried over his shoulder while getting all his needs fulfilled. One often wondered what his bread and fruit looked like when he got home as they were slung back and forth, off and on his shoulder.

In the early 1960’s there were no roads to speak of past the Shell Plant and none into Stanley’s or his next door neighbour’s, the Buckleys and the only way in was across the fields where the Pile ‘o Bones Creek runs through. As Charlie Rhodes owned one of the quarters and he and Stanley and later the Buckleys used this trail as their access, Charlie and Stanley had built a bridge across the creek. The bridge was anchored with cables so that it floated during the spring floods and when this happened they just had to move it a bit to put it back in place. Through the years the bridge needed to be replaced and by this time Charlie had a robust son and Stanley had a new young guy as a neighbour so Charlie and Stanley arranged a day to build a new bridge across the creek (with their robust help of course). The big day arrived and Charlie and Herb arrived and Stanley came along in his wagon and team with Harvey Buckley at his side. It took a lot of planning on the part of Charlie and Stanley as to how they would approach this project and a lot of talking, looking and talking again, with the odd comment from the two younger fellows, who according to the older gentlemen didn’t know a thing about building a bridge. Soon the talking between Stanley and Charlie turned to arguing over who was right and the young guys standing there went ahead and started moving planks etc. around. As the arguing continued, so did the bridge building and by the time that Charlie and Stanley finally agreed on how the job should be done, the young guys had the job finished and were ready to go home. Somehow that was the last job that Charlie and Stanley ever organized together to put those young guys to work.

Another must for Stanley was to get to whatever auction sale was being held that he could get to with his team and wagon and he got to many. In fact, it got so that the auctioneer did not start until Stanley was in his spot at the front, under the eye of the auctioneer. He bought many things, some he needed and some just in case. You never know when someone might come along and need just that something and you could be sure that Stanley had one or maybe even two or three! 

He catalogued everything he bought along with the price he paid. To the person who needed the object, the price was usually doubled or even tripled if it was in the many buckets and boxes of leftover miscellaneous stuff that he purchased for two dollars. Every article in that box he bought for two dollars would be sold for two dollars each! Many of his purchases caused much speculation among other buyers at the sale, a couple being a wicker baby buggy and at another sale a wooden high chair. No one ever knew what he did with them. When he got older and he had his neighbour Harvey Buckley to take him to the sale in his big truck Stanley’s bidding got more interesting. One of the funniest loads that Harvey hauled home for him was a horse, a 7-foot by 9-foot framed oil painting, an enamel bathtub (he had no plumbing) an old bedstead and numerous buckets of junk which sold for two bits.

Indeed one of Cochrane area’s special people that kept the wheels of tales turning about their next move and character that added to the humour and stability of that small town.

Stanley worked hard until a few days before he passed away in 1970. He had a mild stroke one night at home and a more severe one later as he reached the hospital. He recovered from the stroke but was not too happy in his own home alone so spent the last year or so of hjs life in the Mayfair Nursing Home in Calgary. He was never idle there either and all winter kept the walks, driveway and parking lot for the staff, clear of snow. He wore out his snow shovel and the staff chose to take it away as they felt it was too much for rum. He complained how bored he was and when the staff was told he was getting a shovel from the barn on the farm, so he could shovel the snow, suddenly a brand new snow shovel appeared on the front step and Stanley was happy shovelling again. (For more about the life of Stanley Cope see Big Hill Country page 743)

Thomas Stanley Cope is buried in the Cochrane Cemetery.

Deep Dive

Gina Cohoe

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pg 360 More Big Hill Country

I, Gina, have always loved horses and cattle. Actually they told me that I stole my first pony while still in Alabama, U.S.A. Naturally the pony was grazing in our yard and had a bridle on and needed a rider! My Mother and the police were all looking for the pony and me.

We moved to Canada when I was in grade two or three. Then on to the Bar C Ranch north of the Morley Indian Reserve, Mom, Gramma, Step-father Walter, my brother Jack and myself. We all loved it at the Bar C, lots of wildlife and wild horses. Jack and I made a Little money trapping and selling squirrel and weasel pelts. my brother Jack and myself. We all loved it at the Bar C, lots of wildlife and wild horses. Jack and I made a Little money trapping and selling squirrel and weasel pelts.

I’m sure our Gramma must have suffered a lot, as she left all of her friends in Chicago where I was born. As for Jack and I, we didn’t care about having the conveniences – no running water, ice on our bedroom sheets from breathing on them, and heating in a pot bellied stove with wood. My important job was keeping wood split and the kindling box full.

We went to school in the bunkhouse with the Ranger (the Measors) our closest neighbours who lived three miles away. Vivien McNamee was our teacher, who stayed with us, and was my Mom’s best friend. Vivien was from Cochrane, Alberta.

Finally, I grew up, or so I thought, and got married to Bob McDougall, at eighteen years old! We had three great children: Sally (Rod Griffin), Bobby (Carole) and Jeanie (Allan Minchaw). Our marriage ended after twenty-three years. Bob is now deceased.

Then after some time on my own, I met and married Ken Cohoe. We had a wonderful time together, he with his Thoroughbreds, and me with my Quarterhorses. He would smile when his colts sold for more than mine did. After a lengthy illness due to a stroke, I lost Ken, after ten years of happiness.

He was such a great person and didn’t deserve this. He once said, “It was the happiest time of his life”, which makes me very happy now. 

Somewhere in between, I also worked at the Bohomilic Ranch near Coleman, Alberta riding colts. After awhile, and “getting long in the tooth”, the body can’t keep riding colts so through desperation I turned to art.

I had no background training but with the help of Doug Stevens and Mac MacKenzie, I actually succeeded and Mac MacKenzie and myself were inducted into the Artist’s Hall of Fame. Thank you so very much, I am honoured.

I am now living with Ken Johnson, (who is a sweetheart) and Willie our pup, who weighs ninety-five pounds. I’m eighty years old and going on eighteen (or is that backwards)?

Thanks to Ken Johnson, we are living at Cremona, Alberta, with a few ponies on an acreage with wonderful neighbours. Yes I’ve had a pretty crazy life!

My brother, Dr. Jack Souther and his wife Betty, have done very well and live in North Vancouver, British Columbia. They also work at Whistler Mountain.

Deep Dive

Fred Maggs Family

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pg 242 Big Hill Country 1977

Born in Cairn, Wiltshire, England, Fred Maggs came to Cochrane with his wife and family in 1910. Their original plans were to go to Vancouver, where Fred was going to work as a grain buyer. However, they stopped in Cochrane to visit the Beynon and Davies families, with whom they had been good friends in the Old Country, and Mr. and Mrs. Maggs decided to stay.

Fred went into a partnership with Jack Campbell in a grocery store. A year later Fred bought out his partner’s interest in the building and the store. Fred took an active interest in the affairs of the Village, serving as mayor for a number of years. During the First World War he served on the Tribunal with Mr. Abell. Fred donated the land to the Cochrane Legion where the Cenotaph and the Legion Hall were located, and also donated a flagpole and flag to the Legion. He was made an Honorary member of the Canadian Legion. He bought and paid for the planting of the poplar trees that were planted on the south side of Main Street.

The Maggs were strong supporters of All Saints Anglican Church.

While Fred Maggs was on the council, he and Mr. Patterson, the Union Bank manager, tried to get a golf course made on what is now Cochrane Heights. The villagers would not agree to it, claiming that it was far too windy for a golf course. Some enthusiasts did try to play there, but they always said that the wind blew the ball off the green. For a number of years that piece of property was known as the old golf course. When R. B. Bennett was elected as Conservative leader at a convention of the party held in Winnipeg in the early 1930s, Fred Maggs felt honored to be chosen as a delegate representing Cochrane.

The Maggs had two children, a son Leslie and a daughter Enid. The children attended school in Cochrane. Leslie chose banking as a career and managed banks at Turner Valley and Strathmore. He retired to Victoria, where he still resides. Enid married F. L. Gainer.

Shortly before World War II Fred sold his store and business to W. Andison, and he and his wife moved to Victoria. He passed away in 1943. Mrs. Maggs moved back to Calgary, and passed away in 1965.

Maggs Ad - Cochrane Advocate 1925

Deep Dive

Cochrane and Area Historical Society Old Timers Tea Historical Tea Westbrook 1974

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pg 504 Big Hill Country 1977

Cochrane and Area Historical Society predates Cochrane Historical & Archival Preservation Society (CHAPS)

Click on any image to expand.

Deep Dive

Frank Wills

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by Frank Wills pg 421 Big Hill Country 1977

I am the oldest son of Harold and Mabel Wills. Both of my parents came from England: My dad was born in Canterbury, Kent, and my mother (Miss Everett) was born in the heart of London, within the sound of Bow Bells, which made her a true Cockney. They were married in Calgary on Christmas Day 1911. My dad homesteaded at Mossleigh, Alberta, and I was born at Gleichen, Alberta, in 1912.

There were five other children in our family: Phyllis, who worked for Wilf Carter at Carstairs at one time and also for the Pat Kerfoots in Grand Valley; Mabel, who worked for Archie Baptie in Cochrane, Cliff, John and Doris.

When I was six years old my family moved, in a covered wagon, to a two-storey house on a half section of land, twelve miles west of Airdrie. Their objective was to raise horses, and at one time they had about thirty head. My dad’s brand was Y Anchor Bar and is still owned by my brother, John, who farms part of the home place. Our neighbours were Bert Solley to the west and Porters to the east. Airdrie was our nearest town for mail and supplies. The well on the property was drilled by the late Dave Malloch. My dad broke our land with a Sulky plow.

I went to Abernethy School at the age of seven. I had to walk two and one-half miles each way in all kinds of weather. For three years our teacher was Miss Jean Lamont (Mrs. Laurie Johnson).

I left school in 1928 at the age of sixteen and went to work at the Merino Ranch, south and west of Cochrane. Dave Murray’s brother was the foreman at that time. I left the Ranch in the late fall and went to work for Stan Ward, clearing timber off the land for the lA Highway between Exshaw and Gap Lake. We used horses and cables to pull the stumps. Frank Ells was adjusting the cable when the horses jerked and his hand went through the pulley. His fingers were so badly crushed he had to have all the fingers on one hand removed.

In 1931 and 1932 I worked for Paul Swanson cutting mine timber, George Nelson and I worked from dawn till dusk on a contract and made $0.75 to $1.25 per day. While there, I helped cut some building logs for the Dartique Lodge. One night, while going to a dance at the Lodge, I had a f!at tire on my Model T Ford – this I repaired on the dance floor while everyone danced around me.

While working for Tom Baptie in 1934, I met Mary Clarke and we were married on December 26, 1935. We had $4.65 between us. We lived on several places in that area, including Joe Gray’s and Andy Garson’s. Later, we lived on Oscar Clarke’s farm where Mary trapped gophers. We put them in gunny sacks and took them to Colpitts’ Fox Farm at Springbank, travelling the distance with a horse and Bennett buggy. They were worth 2c per pound or $3.00 per sack. The smell still lingers but we were big-time spenders at F. W. Maggs’ and Billy Andison’s stores in Cochrane after each trip. Money was hard to get and we were grateful for every cent. One dry year, when relief feed was sent in by the Government, we were not allowed any because we did not own our own land. Walter Hutchinson Sr., rode over to our house and told us we could have one load of hay, as much as we could haul on one rack. We only had four calves and one horse to feed, but they would not have made it through

the winter without this feed. Around 1937 we moved to Joshua Glennon’s farm in the timber area of Grand Valley. I worked in the bush and Mary looked after Mr. Glennon for two years. We purchased a piece of Hudson Bay land close by (SE¼ 8-28-5-5), adjoining Paul Swanson’s ranch on the south boundary, for $5.00 per acre. I worked again, periodically, for Paul Swanson, where George Nelson and I hewed mine ties with broadaxes. Then I purchased a sawmill. I was rejected for War Service because of deafness in one ear, so instead I cut lumber for crates and boxes which were used for shipping food and supplies overseas.

 

I broke forty acres for Donald and Helen Patterson and received clear title to Helen’s homestead which was close to our Hudson Bay land. I had a Hart-Parr tractor with steel wheels, and in the summer I pulled the grader on the Grand Valley road to work off my taxes.

In the late 1930s we attempted to raise purebred Herefords and did not have much luck so we tried Holsteins. Their purchase price was $5.00 to $7.00 per head delivered from Yankee Valley, fifteen miles east of Airdrie, to our place south of Swanson’s. We sold our cream to the Cochrane Creamery and fed the skim milk to the calves and pigs.

Going to Cochrane in winter was a two-day job, snow was deep and there were no snow plows. In 1944 when the snow was really drifted, Mrs. Dyck, one of our employee’s wives, who was expecting a baby, started labor. It was early morning and I tried to go for Mrs. Jack Hammond, a Registered Nurse who only lived one mile away. The snow drifts were higher than the truck cab, and I had to return to camp. I sent a hired man on horseback and he returned sometime later with Mrs. Hammond riding behind him. We soon realized we needed an ambulance and Mr. Dyck and I towed our truck with the cat tractor to the nearest telephone, which was at the Harry Sherriff farm. We phoned for the ambulance, waited at Harry’s until it arrived, then towed it into camp and out again with the Cat. It was a sixteen mile round trip and took all day. Unfortunately, twin boys born, John and Frank, only lived a short time and died in hospital.

In the winter of 1946 I had a sawmill camp on Coal Creek in Grand Valley where the roads were impassable, even for a horse. Alex Howes, our neighbor, was stranded in Cochrane and unable to get back to camp. He hired Eustace Bowhay, of Cochrane, who had a plane, to fly over the camp and drop parcels of bologna and macaroni. The snow was so deep it took Jim Howes thirty minutes or so to find the parcels. We had numerous sawmills in Grand Valley and I remained in the lumber business until 1972.

In 1955 we purchased, from Jack Poynter, part of the NW¼ 17-26-5-5, ten miles west of Cochrane on the lA Highway. We built a new home on a hill overlooking the Ghost Dam and facing the mountains. Mary passed away July 18, 1964. We had one son, Glenn, married to Roberta MacKinnon. They have two children, Robert and James.

In 1968 I married Maureen Scholefield, who, in 1961 and 1962, taught Physical Education and was senior girls’ supervisor at Crowfoot and Old Sun Indian Residential Schools at the Gleichen Blackfoot Reserve. Later she worked for the Canadian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service in Calgary; she also worked for Agness Hammond at the Ghost River Ranch. While at the Gleichen Reserve she was adopted into the Red Gun family and given the name OTS•SKA•BIN• AGEE which is Indian for “Blue Eyed Woman.” We have one daughter, Kathleen, born July 1971.

In 1974 we sold our property on the lA Highway and moved to the SE¼ 25-26-7-5 where we are building a new home. For the past sixteen years I have been working with the youth of our area in the Boy Scout Movement, an interest shared by both Mary and Maureen. I formed, and was Cubmaster of the First Morley Indian Pack and was the first Cub and Scout Leader for Beaupre. For the last twelve years I have been District Commissioner for the Mountain Road District, which area covers Calgary to the British Columbia border.

 Bennett Buggy – In the depression years of the 1930s, many people had cars, but no one could afford gas. The body of the car was removed and a pole fastened to the chassis so the car could be drawn by horses. Mr. R. B. Bennett was our Prime Minister at the time and was blamed for the hard times and they called their converted cars “Bennett Buggies” after him.

Deep Dive

Herbert Alonzo “Soapy” Smith

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pg 732 More Big Hill Country 2009

Herbert “Soapy” Smith was born in Vermont, USA and came to Canada in 1904. He homesteaded the NE Sec 16 Twp 25 Rge 5 W5M. He obtained his title in 1910.

Soapy worked at various ranches in the Jumping Pound and then moved to Banff. He was a very good horseman and was in the business of buying and selling horses. He also raised some horses. During WWI he handled remounts for the army and brought in some very rank horses to sell to them.

In Banff Soapy was employed as a harness maker by Bill and Jim Brewster. He was anxious to get out on the trail and went out as a camp cook for Bill Brewster for about four years. He then started as a guide for Brewsters and worked for them for twenty years.

Herb “Soapy” Smith built a log house on his homestead but didn’t live there all the time. He and John Park were good friends and Soapy’s house was built close to the Park’s. His homestead was a ridge of rock and not suitable for anything except grazing so he sold it to John Park and bought Sec 9 Twp 25 Rge 6 W5M. He lived there during the winter and returned to guide pack parties for Brewsters in the summer.

Soapy settled at Seebe in 1922, raising horses and taking out parties on his own. He became well known to tourists from all parts of the world. He married Eva Mills in the Church at Morley and they had one son Michael. They acted as camp cooks on the rides of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies until about 1946.

Soapy was looked upon as a very necessary part of any trail ride. Soapy Smith passed away April 7, 1948, at the age of seventy years, after a six month illness.

He had a half brother, Fred Scott who ranched in the Jumping Pound and then moved to British Columbia.

Deep Dive

Dave Murray Cochrane Blacksmith

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by Marjorie Spicer pg 252 Big Hill Country 1977

Dave Murray, along with his brother Joe, They had been born and raised around Dundee, Scotland. Both were blacksmiths by trade.

With the Murrays, the blacksmith trade was as old as the hills of Scotland; their forefathers were blacksmiths as far back as they could recall.

In Dundee, Dave served his five years apprenticeship in blacksmithing, and then made the decision to come to Canada to seek adventure and fortune.

Upon arrival in Calgary, Dave went to work for Wetmore and Fullerton on 8th Avenue East, remaining there until 1912, when he went to Banff to work for Brewsters. At that time Brewsters had one thousand horses and a day’s work for Dave was shoeing twenty-five head of horses. They were used on tally-hos, trail rides, packing, as saddle horses and driving teams, so keeping their feet in good condition was an everyday job.

While in Banff Dave married Miss Elsie Hartman of Pennsylvania, U.S.A., and their son David Jr. was born while they were in Banff.

In 1922 Dave and his family moved to Seattle, where he was engaged in making tools. They remained there for five years, coming back to Banff.

Dave decided to go into business for himself, and in 1928 he purchased the blacksmith shop in Cochrane from George Hope. As well as being an excellent farrier, Dave was equally efficient of all phases of blacksmithing.

No job was too big or too hard for him. Dave kept pace with the times and the changes that came along. Shoeing horses and making horseshoes began to phase out, but he was kept busy making hay hooks by the dozens to handle baled hay, sharpening plow shares and making branding irons, at which he excelled. One wall of his shop was covered with brands stamped when testing an iron, testimony of the number of brands he had made for cattlemen in the area, as well as such places as High River, Black Diamond and other areas. He sharpened the steel for the drillers on the Lake Minnewanka Dam. He made bars for Calgary Power to take readings through the ice in winter.

For many years Dave was the only blacksmith west of Calgary to beyond the British Columbia border. A lot of customers came from British Columbia to get work done in his shop.

Dave once made the remark that horses and cars had one thing in common, both had to have change-overs from summer to winter driving; horses had to have ice caulks in their shoes and cars used knobby tires.

Of course Dave had other talents; he was fond of music and played a mean violin. He and Frank Laing used to play for local dances, never taking any pay, just doing it for the enjoyment they derived from it. He was a keen curler and 1t was not unusual to see him down at the curling rink dressed in his Scotch kilt.

He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, Elks, and Oddfellows and served on the village council.

Dave was fond of young children, and young lads about town delighted in being able to stand in the doorway of his shop and watch him plying his trade. To go near the shop and hear Dave whistling the Tarantella while hammering something on the anvil was a glorious sound to start anyone’s day.

In 1955 Dave became ill and the familiar sounds that came from his shop ceased. The doors were closed, thus ending a nostalgic era that was so much a part of the history of Cochrane. In 1956 Dave passed away. The old shop was torn down by Bob and Jim Baptie and parts of it were used to build a barn on the Baptie farm. I am fortunate in having some of the timbers in my home, so the old shop is still serving.

David Jr. enlisted in the Army in World War II and went Overseas. While Overseas he married Irene Blyth of Scotland. They have four sons David Donald, Duncan, and Dale, and one daughter, Anita. Elsie Murray now resides in Calgary.

Alex Howes Family

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pg 385 Big Hill Country 1977

Alex Howes was born in Guelph, Ontario, and Eva Sivigny was born in Littleton, Vermont, U.S.A. Both their families moved to Success, Saskatchewan, where they homesteaded. Here Alex and Eva met and were married in 1921

In the fall of 1940 they moved to the Cochrane district where Alex started a sawmill up the Grand Valley. In 1950 Alex and his sons started a lumberyard in the village of Cochrane as A. Howes & Sons. In 1953 Alex passed away and his sons carried on the lumberyard as Howes Bros.

Alex and Eva had fifteen children. A baby son, Oscar, died in Success. The other sons and daughters are: James, Cochrane; Orville (Bud), Edgar and Alfred, Calgary;- Arthur, Strathmore; Earl, Revelstoke, British Columbia; Gordon, Ann Raby and Margaret Clarke, Cochrane; Mae Sauvey, Marie Briscoe, Calgary; Emma Pepper, Edmonton; Pearl Campbell, Oakville, Ontario; and Agnes Moore, Prince George, British Columbia.

Mrs. Howes now lives in Calgary.

Deep Dive

Pete Helfrich Family

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by Helen Helfrich pg 501 More Big Hill Country 2009

 The Pete Helfrich family arrived in Cochrane in 1952. Pete was a Shell Oil employee and was transferred from Fairview Alberta to Jumping Pound in April. Tony, Linda, Ralph and I followed in June.

I will never forget my first look at Cochrane from the top of the hill. Nestled in the valley with the Rockies in the background, it was the most spectacular view I had ever seen.

There was a shortage of accommodations in Cochrane at that time. We rented a very smallcabin from Annie Gillies and a few months later we moved to the east end of town to a house owned by Mr. Zuccolo. Raymond was born while we lived in Cochrane.

In July 1953 we bid farewell to Cochrane as Peter was again transferred and moved to Okotoks, Alberta. The job the men were going to do didn’t materialize so they were sent back to Jumping Pound. Their families remained in Okotoks.

Peter was killed in a tragic accident on August 20th, 1953 and I moved to Whitelaw to be close to my in-laws. That was a brief stay because Ralph became ill and after a visit to a specialist in Calgary he was diagnosed with polio. He was immediately admitted to the Children’s Hospital where he became a regular patient for fifteen years. Because of these unforeseen circumstances I found my family and myself back in Cochrane.

I worked for R.E. Moore for a number of years and later on for Fred Keller. I was also very involved in different activities such as Brownie leader for 15 years, teaching catechism along with attending all the various school commitments. I was also a member of the Legion Ladies Auxiliary.

In 1960, I bought a house on Main Street from Duncan McFarquhar. It was formerly known as the Grayson House. It was ideal for us, close to the elementary school and to the downtown area.

After having lived in small cabins, this house was like a dream come true. A huge yard, four bedrooms and to all the family the biggest most exciting thing was having an indoor bathroom, which up until then we had never enjoyed. We all loved that old house.

After all the family graduated and left home, I decided to sell the house. I sold it in 1977 and moved to Fox Creek. I left Fox Creek in 1987 and relocated to Turner Valley. In December 2005, I once again found myself back in Cochrane but in a much different town than when I left in 1977.

The Wildrose Apartments are now situated where my old house used to be. I remember R.E. Moore telling me when I bought the Grayson House that I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone building across the street from me because it was Canadian Pacific Railway land. I do believe he would get a big surprise if he were to see now what has been built on the other side of the street! Except for one grandson, and myself, my family has all left Cochrane.

Tony resides in Bragg Creek and has his own Heating and Air Conditioning Business. He married Linda Cohoe on August 15, 1969, and they have 3 children, Peter, Cora-Lea and Jason.

Linda resides in Calgary. She has been a library technician at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for the past 20 years. She has two children, Stephen and Karen MacDonald. Linda is still employed at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

Ralph worked for Imperial Oil for twenty-five years. He married Terry DeGray on November 3, 1973, and they had four children: Leiah, Skylar, Nicholas and Garrett. Ralph passed away at Cold Lake, Alberta, in 2004 and his wife and family still live there.

Raymond married Colleen Moore, May 2nd, 1980 and they live in Surrey, British Columbia. They have two daughters, Alicia and Mikaela. Raymond is a carpenter and is self employed.

Deep Dive

MR. AND MRS. JAMES JOHNSTONE

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by Aileen Sibbald pg 241 Big Hill Country 1977

 Mr. and Mrs. James Johnstone came to Cochrane from California in 1884. They were originally from Ontario and were born around the Lake Simcoe area. They had four daughters: Margaret (Maggie), Janet (Jennie), Georgina and Edna. Margaret married Ike Foster and lived in Vancouver. They had four children: Lee, Ira, Edna and Aubrey. Janet married Frank Sibbald of Cochrane; they had three children: Wilfred, Clarence and Aileen. Georgina never married; she lived in California.

Edna married Dick Journey and they had three children: one boy, Nobel, and two girls, Edna Mae and Fern. The Journeys lived in California. Mr. Johnstone had a store and post office in Cochrane for awhile. In 1896 they purchased the SE¼ 12-28-4-5 from James Thompson. They sold the land to Angus McDonald in 1903, and went back to California. The Johnstones once owned property where Los Angeles is now situated.

Deep Dive

William (Curly) and Charlotte (Lottie) Rowan Family

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pg 692 More Big Hill Country 2009

Our Dad, William (Curly) Rowan was born in 1919 at the Calgary General Hospital. His parents were William Rowan and Isabelle (Lawson) Rowan. Isabelle taught school in Springbank before she was married. Curly was raised in Calgary and attended school there. He quit in grade 10 to pursue a career. He worked full time and attended Southern Alberta Institute of Technology part-time to obtain his machinist ticket. He courted Lottie who lived in Glenbow by bicycling to see her. Lottie was the sister of Sam Scott who had married Curly’s sister Helen. Our Mom, Charlotte (Lottie) Scott was born in Kilkeel, County Down, Northern Ireland in 1919. Her parents, William Scott and Adelaide (Spence) Scott, came to Canada in 1929 and, after living in Dalroy for

a couple of years, went to work for Eric Harvie in Glenbow. Our Mom worked on the farm at Glenbow until she was married in 1944. Lottie and her sisters Rose and Agnes were their Dad’s “she” crew who helped by looking after the cattle and haying.

Curly and Lottie were married February 4, 1944 and began their life together. They lived at the Calgary Power House across from Tom Bateman’s in Jumping Pound. Curly was working as a machinist for Barber Machine in Calgary. They then moved to Glenbow Ranch with Lottie’s parents. A few years were spent in Turner Valley while Curly worked as an operator at the Turner Valley gas plant. It was back to Glenbow when Curly worked for Fluor building the new Shell Jumping Pound Plant. During this time they built their home in Brushy Ridge on an acreage leased from Harry Edge, a local rancher.

In 1951 they moved into their new house as Curly was hired by Shell to work at their Jumping Pound Complex. All this time Mom was busy raising a brood of “holligans”: Jim, Eric, Janice Gary, Sam, and Donald. In the summer, Curly would load all the kids in the back of the Shell truck and go to the plant on Sundays. While Dad was working, us kids would swim at the pumphouse. We had great fun.

Through the many years in Brushy Ridge, Curly and Lottie were very involved in the Jumping Pound, Brushy Ridge, and Cochrane communities. Curly refereed hockey, coached flag football and was a big upporter of the Junior B Cochrane General . He was a major supporter of St. Andrews United Church, the Western Heritage Center, and helped gather information for the Chaps and Chinooks book

Lottie was always a great gardener and had beautiful flowers. She was a wonderful cook and butter tarts were her specialty. She belonged to the Rebekah’s Lodge and had great weekends at their bon piels with Ida Taylor, Ede Sibbald and Lila Edge.

Curly was always an avid community supporter and could be counted on to help with any project. After retirement in 1984, Curly became the neighbourhood handyman and walked miles around the countryside. Curly passed away suddenly in 2003 and Lottie moved to Calgary.

Their children have all grown and their stories follow.

Jim Rowan

Jim, eldest child of Curly and Lottie Rowan, started school in the one room Brushy Ridge School. This school was located on the SW comer of present day Highway #22 and Township Road 252. Here Jim has the distinction of getting the strap on the first day of school, in grade one, for climbing on Ted Callaway’s haystack after he was told not to.

Jim continues: I continued at Brushy Ridge through grade 6, then went to the old school in downtown Cochrane and up on the hill to the High School. I took my grade 12 at Mount Royal College in Calgary and then went to Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for electrical training and got my Journeyman Ticket.

I married Diana Newsome on May 13, 1967. Diana’s parents are Nonnan and Joyce (Watts) Newsome and her grandparents Frank and Hilda Newsome and Bob and Kathleen (Cornock) Watts. Diana’s Dad and Mom lived at Bearspaw where Norm farmed and hauled milk from Cochrane, Okotoks and points in between, to Calgary every day. Joyce worked as a “Domestic Engineer”. They sold the farm and moved to Cremona where they farmed until Norm retired.

Diana and I lived on the Newsome farm at Bearspaw then moved to Cremona for five years before buying land at Alder Flats, Alberta in 197 6. I worked in the oil patch for 43 years and have been farming for about 40 years. Diana went to school at Bearspaw then Glendale Silver Springs, Cochrane and Mount Royal. She took training as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. and has worked as an LPN while keeping me and “our hooligans” on the right path.

Diane and I have 3 boys. All the boys went to Alder Flats and Buck Lake Schools.

Scott married Shauna Mitchell and they have 2 girls: Chelsea and Cassandra. Scott works in Sales in Fort McMurray Tar Sands.

Duane went on to Mount Royal College, works as an operator in the oil patch and lives in Beaumont, Alberta. He married Nicole Ebbeson and they have one son, Turner.

Spencer took his electrical apprenticeship at Lethbridge. He works in the oil patch and lives in Alder Flats. In the days when we were growing up and lived at granny’s in Glenbow, Eric and I seemed to get lost some. Aunt Rose, I gather found us one day. When asked what we were doing, Eric told her that, “Just a touple of tharacters coming up the tooley”. (sic)

When our dear sister Janice came along she became our “crash test dummy” for things we weren’t sure would work!!! It is a wonder she survived.

Eric Rowan

Born May 6, 1947, the second child of Curly and Lottie Rowan.

I attended elementary school at Brushy Ridge and then on to Cochrane for high school. 

After graduating I attended Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for 2 years taking Agriculture Mechanics. I then went to work for Home Oil in Carstairs, Alberta. Next I moved to Wardlow, Alberta and drove trucks. While at Wardlow, I met my wife Elaine and we were married in Julyl970. Elaine is the eldest daughter of Dan and Jewel Pierson.

We bought the General Store in Cayley, Alberta and Elaine was teaching in Cayley. One month after we were married the store burned down and we lost most of our possessions. We rebuilt the store. It burned again in October 1972.

At that time I moved to Brooks, Alberta and started to apprentice at Martin Chrysler as a mechanic. Elaine stayed in Cayley teaching and finished out the year. We bought an acreage at Patricia, Alberta where we lived until 1982 when we moved to Seven Persons, Alberta and I was employed as a mechanic for Dome Petroleum. I worked there for 25 years.

Elaine and I have 2 children: Danelle, born March 1976 and Reid born 1978.

Danelle married Jared Bonhet from Medicine Hat. They have four children: Quinn, Nyah, Peyton, and Kohen. Jared works for Flint Energy and Danelle works at Cornerstone Christian School in Medicine Hat.

Reid is a Journeyman B. Pressure Welder and lives with his wife Lacy whom he met while rodeoing in Texas. Lacy is from Cleveland, Texas.

Elaine and I now live in Medicine Hat where she continues to teach school and I have taken a position of Service Manager for Medicine Hat New Holland Dealership. “Isn’t it funny how my life made a full circle back to ag. mechanics so many years later.” “As for now, our family just keeps rolling along.”

Janice (Rowan) Sturm

Third child and only daughter of Curly and Lottie:

I was born in Calgary and while Mom and Dad were building their house in Brushy Ridge, Jim, Eric, and I were cared for by our grandparents, William and Adelaide Scott. They lived at Glenbow and Granddad worked for the Glenbow Ranch.

I attended Brushy Ridge School from grade 1 to grade 6. Jim, Eric, and I rode to school on our horse “Roxy” lent to us by David Edge. Jim, being the eldest, was in charge of the reins with me in the middle and Eric behind me. Many fights ensued resulting in Eric sliding off the back end of the horse.

Some days we walked to school and if our timing was right, our teacher Eddie Edge would give us a ride if we were at her gate when she was leaving for school.

At recess in winter we had great games of fox and geese. If it was really cold we were allowed to dance at noon with records brought by whoever had some. A big favourite was Eddy Arnold, brought by Ellis Edge.

We all had to take turns going out to the well to pump water to drink and wash our hands before lunch.

Preparing for the Annual Christmas Concert held at the Jumping Pound Community Hall was also great fun.

After Brushy Ridge School closed I went to Cochrane for grades 7 to 12. After only having one other person in my grade for 6 years it was quite a shock with the many classmates in Cochrane.

I married Robert Sturm in February 1969, a large animal veterinarian, and started nurse’s training at the Foothills Hospital School of Nursing in September 1969. I graduated with my R.N. in 1972 and worked for two years before our daughter Patricia was born. We moved to Chestermere Lake in 1976 and lived there until 1995 when Robert and I divorced and I moved to the Varsity area in Calgary, where I still live.

Patricia attended University of Calgary and is now a Communications Officer with the Calgary Police Service. She lives in Strathmore

I worked part-time while Patricia was growing up and now work full time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Foothills Medical Centre.

Gary Rowan

Fourth child and third son of Curly and Lottie Rowan

I was born on April 22, 1952 and attended Brushy Ridge School to grade 4. Then it was off to Cochrane for the remainder of my school years.

I worked on farms and ranches in the area and when I was 20 years old I went to work for Wayne and Donna Sibbald. I am still there 35 years later.

In August 1981, I married June Fullerton from Bragg Creek and on February 2, 1982 our son Christopher was born. Christopher is now a plumber.

I curled for a few years in the Men’s and Mixed Curling and played Fastball for Cochrane. After finishing fastball, I started to umpire Little League baseball having been doing it for 27-30 years. It is really interesting to do. I watched Chris become a great ball player and got to officiate many of his games.

In February 2007, June and I became grandparents as Chris and his wife Courtney had a son Sean William Rowan.

Sam Rowan

Fifth child and 4th son of Curly and Lottie was born on May 20, 1955. I started grade one at Brushy Ridge but after that year they closed the school and the rest of my education was in Cochrane.

I then went to the University of Calgary and then to Southern Alberta Institute of Technology and graduated in 1976.

I married Linda Caine from Montreal and then Toronto, on October 27, 1979.

In 1979, I started to work with Barber Engineering which was also my father’s first job back in the 1940’s. I was fortunate to become one of the owners of Barber in 1998.

Linda has worked for various oil companies over the years in the land departments.

Linda and I have two lovely girls, Melissa, born September 24, 1982 and Katie born September 21, 1986. Melissa now has a child named Sophia who was born March 2, 2007 and Katie is studying lntemational Business as well as Political Science at the University of Calgary.

Linda and I have spent most of our lives together living in Calgary; however, we did have a farm in Strathmore from 2000 to 2004. After Dad died in 2003, we bought their house and moved back to the house on the hill in Brushy Ridge.

The original house that Mom and Dad built in 1951 was donated to the Girl Guide Camp in Cochrane by Mom and Dad, because of the widening and paving of Highway 22, in 1972.

They then built the house that we own just back of the original home. The original Windmill built in the early 1940’s which used to belong to Harry and Lila Edge still stands on the hill today.

Donald Rowan

Sixth child of Curly and Lottie Rowan

I am the sixth child of Curly and Lottie Rowan. I was born March 21, 1962 and grew up at the family home in Brushy Ridge. When I came along, most of my brothers and sister had already left home or were in the process of leaving home so I basically grew up with just Mom and Dad. I attended school in Cochrane and after graduating and doing different jobs, ranging from helping out the local farmers to landscaping, I attended Southern Alberta Institute of Technology for one year.

After Southern Alberta Institute of Technology I continued doing odd jobs because of economic conditions. Then in 1985 I followed in my father’s footsteps and joined Shell Canada in Sundre. I worked at their Burnt Timber Field and continued to work with Shell for the next 13 years.

In 1987 I married Adrienne Miller and in 1989 we had our first child Stephanie. Three years later in 1992, we had our second child, Carson.

In 1993 I was transferred to Swan Hills, Alberta with Shell Canada and worked at their House Mountain Facility. After five years I resigned from Shell to pursue other career endeavours.

After 3 years of contract operating, I went back to another major oil company in Rainbow Lake, Exxon Mobil. In 2005, after seven years in Rainbow Lake, I moved myself and family to Grande Prairie and got on with EnCana, where I currently am the Field Foreman of the Hythe Brainard Field.

Our daughter Stephanie has now graduated from High School and is planning to travel for a year. She wants to then go to college with the hope of getting into the police force. Our son Carson is starting High School with a promising career as an amateur wrestler.

Deep Dive

Cochrane Lions Club

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pg 161 More Big Hill Country 2009

The Cochrane Lions Club was Chartered in 1964 and was sponsored by North Hill Lions Club. Lion Gerry Sinclair was the President of the Club. In the early years, the meeting place was the Cochrane Legion. The first President of the Cochrane Lions Club was Lion Dave Longbotham and Secretary-Treasurer was Lion Jack McLeod. There were thirty-two members.

Every year the club hosted a Charter Night held in April, at the Cochrane Community Hall. Lion members and wives, guests, District Governor and Cabinet Officers attended a lovely banquet and dance.

In 1981, Bragg Creek Lions Club and Cochrane Lioness Club had their first Joint Charter Night and this continued until 1987. When Bragg Creek Lions Club retired in 1988, the Cochrane Lioness Club and Cochrane Lions Club continued to have Charter Nights until 1992. Then in 1999, when Cochrane Lions Club celebrated thirty-five years and Cochrane Lioness Club celebrated twenty years, they joined together with a Charter Night at the Cochrane Heritage Centre.

The first Rodeo to be held at the Lions Rodeo Grounds in Cochrane was on September 1968. Lion Bert Powlesland was President. Lion Ed Downs roasted beef on a large B.B.Q. with briquettes and served Beef on a Bun to a large crowd in attendance. Rangeland Frolics (named by a former Lion Ken Raby) has been held every year since on the Labour Day weekend. Three Special Rodeos were: the July 2, 1973 Rodeo of Champions, sponsored by Calgary Brewing and Malting Co. Ltd., the August 1986 Old Timer’s Rodeo and Parade and the Silver Anniversary Rodeo and Parade in September 1992.

The Activities of the Club in earlier years were many. The Lions Club erected a Christmas Tree on Main Street decorated with lights and Lion members gave out candy bags to anyone that came along, mainly children. Lions had an evening where they made up the bags and Lion Don Smith always provided the tree from his farm. Any candy bags that were left over were given to the Salvation Army.

Chuckwagon Races were held at Griffin Park and horse racing with Para Mutuals. Pony Chuckwagon races and Pony Chariot Races, Junior Barrel Races, Open Barrel Races, Calf Roping, Stake Races and the Cochrane Half Mile Race were some of the many attractions sponsored and run by the Lions Club. Pig Races, Catch the Rooster, and the Greased Pig Race, Media Pig Races where they had to lead the pig down the track as well as Mutton Bustin’ were popular and fun events.

Money raising is nothing new for the Lions. They built a $5000 playground in the east end of town near the former swimming pool and a $3500 Banquet Room in the Cochrane Community Hall. The Lions also donated funds to be used for a new Community Centre. Lion Auction Sales were held at the Cochrane Community Hall, for a number of years.

In 1977 the first Car Dinner was held at the Cochrane Community Hall. Tickets were $125.00 each. These

Lions Rodeo dedicated to Wayne Blood

Dinners were held for several years and some of the winners were Lion Tim Nowlin, R. E. Moore, Lion Harold Spicer, all deceased, and Lion Doug Sheriff, Cremona Lions Club. Many prizes were donated and a motorcycle was won by Lion Jimmy McArthur of Cremona Lions Club. The Lions Club changed their format to a Cash Dinner with a $5000 prize won by Lion George McBain, Cochrane Club and he donated it to the Cochrane Swimming Pool Fund. This continued until 1999 when it was discontinued and the last winner of $5000 was Bob Baptie, Cochrane.

Many functions have been held over the years. In 1979 the Cochrane Lions assisted with the opening of Cochrane Ranche Historic Site. Lion Christmas Parties held jointly in with Weedon Hall Christmas Parties in later years. There were Ladies Night parties, Walkathons at Richards Ranch from 1983 to 1987 and the Police Rodeo at Richards Ranch where Lions and Cochrane Lionesses prepared and served dinner and assisted with the rodeo. Campouts at Dog Pound Stampede Grounds were hosted by Cremona Lions Club and all Clubs of the District 37E joined in the fun.

Lions participated in the Youth Camp opening at Cremona June 9, 1985 where M.L.A. Connie Osterman, Governor Ross Yolland, and Heritage Lions Club presided. Cochrane Lions Club are still instrumental in the camp’s well being.

Swimming Pool – Cochrane Leisure Pool: Cochrane Lions Club raised $250,000 toward the cost of the Pool, which opened April 7, 1990. Cochrane Lions were the main sponsor in this project and it was built on land originally leased by the Cochrane Lions Club. Fundraising events were held by many organizations and private donations.

Cochrane Lions Club was instrumental in building and operating the Cochrane campground. It was built on the edge of the Bow River and was named Rivers Edge Campground. It was managed by the Cochrane Lions Club and Lion Wayne Hilland acted as manager for years.

We now have a beautiful new campground next to the Spray Lake Sports Centre and operated by Cochrane Lions Club and Rotary Club of Cochrane.

Fundraisers

1. An annual Golf Tournament called th Chris Montague Memorial Golf Tournament held each May. Proceeds go to the Lions Youth Camp and High School Scholarships.

2. Catering over 1200 Breakfasts for the Footstock in June of each year. Footstock is Western Canada’s premier marathon race weekend and is held in Cochrane.

3. The annual Labour Day Rodeo continues, and has been going for over forty years.

4. Volunteering at the Frank Sissons Casino is a major source of income for the Club.

5. Catering and Bar keeping events throughout the year.

6. Tent and BBQ rentals.

Recent Donations of note:

1. $20,000 to the Big Hill Senior Citizens Activities Society to maintain their buses.

2. $30,000 to the new Children’s Hospice in Calgary, funded by the Cochrane Lions Troy Thompson Medical Fund.

Deep Dive

THE TAYLOR AND BRISTOW FAMILIES

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by Marjorie Bristow pg 622 Big Hill Country

Many a milestone has loomed on the horizon since my father, Sykes Taylor, was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1868, and my mother, Annie Smith, was born in Suffolk, England. My father, at the age of 12 years, came with his father to Minnesota, U.S.A. There did not appear to be a way of earning a living there, so they left Minnesota and went to Jarvis, Ontario. The slogan at the time was “Go West Young Man” so this is what the Taylors decided to do. The mother and seven other children had arrived from England and they all came to Morley.

where there was just a station and a stopping house. Just a few years previous the railway had passed through. ‘Twas here my grandparents and their family found plenty to do. At the stopping house, Grandmother cooked for as many as 100 persons some days: railroad men, train passengers, many Indians (sic) and a few local people. In a short while my grandfather Taylor became ill and passed away. He was the third white man to be buried in Calgary.

After Grandfather passed away, Grandmother Taylor married my mother’s brother, George Smith. They moved to Agassiz, British Columbia, where they lived until they passed away; my grandmother was in her nineties.

A few years later my mother, Annie Smith, her parents and family also came to Morley, where they found employment. They arrived there on the 24th of May and there was three feet of snow. For anyone just coming from England – what a sight to behold!

In 1893 my parents were married in the little church at Morley, a landmark still standing.

They were married by the Reverend John McDougall. The marriage certificate is still in the possession of one of my family.

A short time later my parents, grandparents and their families moved to Springbank and took up land. My parents’ first child, a girl, was born there, but at five months she passed away with erysipelas. Mabel (Mae) was born in 1895. I was born in 1898. Two years later a son was born on my birthday, but he passed away at birth. My grandfather Smith passed away and was buried in the Union Cemetery beside Grandfather Taylor. My grandmother Smith was in her eighties when she passed away and is also buried in the Union Cemetery.

My father decided he should have a home of his own, so he bought a quarter section from Oliver Mickle and took up a homestead next to it. He and Mother and their two daughters moved about ten miles west of their Springbank home. This new home was a well-built log house. The barns were log with sod roofs. Our place was surrounded by teepees. The Indians (sic) still used travois pulled with ponies and the squaws (sic) carried their papooses in a laced leather cradle strapped on their backs. The squaws (sic) wore bright coloured scarves, had Indian blankets wrapped around them for coats, and wore high-beaded buckskin moccasins. As there were few white women here, many white men married squaws.

My parents got together a team of horses, some chickens and a few milk cows. Milk was put in pans, the cream was skimmed off and made into butter, which they sold or traded for groceries. At this time there was no bridge over the Bow River to Cochrane so if you wished to go there you had to go a short distance west to Radnor Crossing. A few business places were being built in Cochrane and soon a bridge was built south of Cochrane.

A daughter Laura was born in 1902. In 1904 a daughter Lesley was born.

Father travelled miles to cut wood. He hauled it to Calgary and sold it for fuel for $3.00 a load. He also cut wood for home use. About 1904 soldiers were returning from the South African War. I faintly remember the many songs they sang. One was “Goodbye Dolly Grey, I Must Leave.” About that year gunslinger Ernie Cashel was being sought for murder. One evening he came to my grandmother’s house; my aunt, who later married Bill Bradley, was there too, and at gun point, he forced them to hide him in the attic and feed him. He stayed there for three days, but one night he left on their little pony. He turned the pony loose near Calgary and it wandered back home. Shortly afterwards, Cashel was burned out of an old shack by the police and sentenced to death. Everyone in the district had been frightened and hoped he would not come to their home.

Radnor - Google Earth

By now some children in the district were getting to be school age. The school was built 1905 and my father was trustee for many years. My sister Laura had to start at the age of four and a half years to make up the number of pupils required to open the school. I was nearly eight years old before I started school. The school was opened in June 1906. It was called Brushy Ridge. In 1936 the school was destroyed by fire. It is believed that I am the eldest living pupil in 1975 who attended the Brushy Ridge School.

My dad required some help on the farm. My dad and I and my sisters, who were old enough, milked 20 or 30 cows by hand, fed calves and separated the milk before breakfast; then my sisters and I went to school.

Now Chris Bristow comes into the picture. He was born in Norfolk, England, very near to Sandringham Castle, the home of Kings and Queens. His parents were millers and bakers. His father was also a Methodist Lay Minister. The first seven children born to them were boys. On one occasion the mother bathed each one and sent them to bed; after all seven had had their turn, their mother went to see if they were in bed and she found them sitting on the front lawn with not a stitch on. They were right close to the roadside and passersby were all stopping to look. Chris was the ninth child of 13 children. He left home at the age of 17 years and in 1907 came to Canada. My father and a neighbor picked Chris up in Calgary and took him to our home where he worked for one year. He went to Yahk, British Columbia, and worked in the lumber mills, until the First World War started. Then he went to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, and joined the 46th Regiment, training in Manitoba. He went Overseas in 1915.

In 1908 a daughter Anne was born. Mother found the home too small, thus in the same vicinity my father built a new home into which the family moved. The phone was installed in 1910. In 1912 Father and Mother really rejoiced and we five daughters were thrilled to no end, for a son and brother, George Sykes, was born on May 24, 1912, Queen Victoria’s birthday.

In 1914 I took a trip to Jarvis, Ontario. I spent some time in Toronto and I visited Niagara Falls. I visited the parents and grandparents of Jack Pickersgill. Jack later became Minister of Transport in the Federal Government. His grandfather and my grandmother Taylor were brother and sister.

In Jarvis, where I had an uncle, I worked part time in a munitions factory and learned to drive a car. I stayed there for a year and a half. When I returned home, and because I could drive, my father bought a new Ford car from the first garage built in Cochrane, which was owned by Tom Quigley. There were only a few cars in the West at that time and no lady drivers. On one occasion, when I was driving in Calgary, a streetcar and I, in the Ford, collided on a very slippery street though I had the right of way. Very little damage was done so no charge was 623 getting to be school age. The school was built in laid; bent a fender some and punctured a tire.

Later an item came out in the Calgary Eye Opener, stating: “The First Lady Driver in the Calgary Area, Driving a Ford Car, and a Streetcar Collide on City Street.”

On one occasion Laura, Lesley and I went to a dance in Cochrane. Coming home, Laura thought she’d like to try driving, so coming up the Bow River Hill south of Cochrane, she ran over quite a deep bank and the three of us landed upside down in the ditch. Many others, driving teams and buggies, helped to push the car back on the road and we continued on our way home; only a headlight was cracked. We never did tell our father what went on.

No men were available as the War was still on so four of us girls and our father put up as much as one hundred tons of hay in a haying season with teams and older equipment.

Chris Bristow returned from the War; he was discharged due to a dislocated cartilage in his knee. His intention was to go to Australia, but my father persuaded him to stay and work with him. Chris worked for us for one winter. Later he helped to build the Central Alberta Sanatorium at Keith (now part of Calgary), then he went to Sibbald, Alberta, to look for land but found none to suit him. On his return we were married in my parents’ home in 1921. We moved to the Cochrane Lakes district where we rented land by the Lakes, but with no satisfaction. Spring was coming on soon and we wanted to get some different land, so we came to the place where we still live. We took a contract with the Soldier Settlement Board and bought the land for $19.00 per acre. Taxes at this time were $25.00 a year. What a dilapidated place it was. Soon we reboarded the house inside and out, thus making it as warm as any place could be. There was not one tree on this place when we came. We set out evergreens which we hauled with a team and stoneboat, seeded caraganas, and set out other small trees for protection around our house and garden.

Calvin was born August 7, 1924, our only son. We lost a daughter at birth, a couple of years later.

We got together ten head of milk cows, a few pigs, two teams of horses, and poultry. Chris worked with four horses on Municipal roads, going many miles away at times. I milked the eight or ten cows by hand and did all the other chores required. Chris broke more land; frost did not do too much damage, but hail and drought prevailed. We grew some wonderful crops especially wheat, but one year we threshed only 25 bushels of wheat and 12 bushels of oats through drought. We cut hay on roads and every nook and corner to get enough fodder for our stock. Another year we were hailed twice in June when the crops and gardens were just nicely through the ground. In September 1949, we had a grand crop and garden. We took Chris’ brother to the train en route to England and it hailed; when we came home we drove over ice which held the car.

The countryside looked like the Arctic Ocean; the hail took every kernel of grain and bashed it into the earth. The garden was cut up like so much salad. We saved nothing. Hail had come through the windows and the floors were all covered with ice. Our trees were all stripped on the north side. Animals were also badly bruised. It was the worst hailstorm I’ve ever seen. The worst blizzard I’ve known was in the year 1927. Chris and I and Calvin, who was about four years old, were at the barn when it hit. We could not find Calvin. Finally he came from somewhere and we had to start around the corner of the barn thrice before we could make it to the house. The storm lasted two full days.

When we first came here, all our neighbors were bachelors. Soon they visited us and enjoyed my homemade bread and a cup of tea. Now. all these people have passed on.

My dad gave me the 1917 Ford car, and on one occasion Chris figured he and our nearest neighbor, Jack Watkin, should drive it to town. After parking it, Chris hid a valuable pair of beaver mitts under the car seat. While coming home he rose up to get his mitts and when he looked up he was going over the road bank. He shouted, “Whoa,” but forgot he was not driving a team. Everything was over in the ditch, mail, groceries, egg crates and all. A neighbor came along with a team and pulled the car back on the road and they continued on their merry way with just a cracked windshield.

Calvin, now school age, rode his little pinto pony to Cochrane Lakes School. Chris was school trustee for many years. At the age of 15 years, Calvin, in Grade 8, watched an eclipse of the sun and burned the optic nerve in his eye. The optometrist said he must quit school and not read, not even a funny paper, for two years. He had started on piano and voice, but this deprived him of a future or any other career we had hoped for him. At first, he had to have his glasses changed every two months. In 1964 we finally located an eye surgeon, who operated on his eye and straightened the optic nerve; too late now to catch up on lost time. He went to work on ranches where he worked over the years for 29 years.

For entertainment in the winter, we drove with team and sleigh to many school concerts or to each neighbor in turn for dances. We had wonderful times. When Calvin first started to work he was paid 50 cents a day. Having gone through the Hungry Thirties, the three of us know what hard times are like. I worked in hay fields, threshed, stooked, bought my own team and worked side by side with Chris and Calvin and loved it.

In 1936 a fire went through the Brushy Ridge country, taking everything my folks owned except their house. My dad’s lifetime earnings were all gone; horses, cattle, poultry and all the buildings, grain and hay stacks too. My dad was ill with pleurisy and the loss was such a shock to him he passed away in the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary at the age of 68 years. His son, George, took over the farm and it was like starting all over again.

Although I was suffering from arthritis, I went to work at the Holy Cross Hospital in 1942 and took treatments in Calgary. I worked there until 1946. Chris managed alone while Calvin earned his own money working away from home. In 1946 I started work as cook for the Assiniboia Engineering Company for James R. Paget (father of Ken Paget, owner of the Two Rivers Ranch). We started at Cochrane, then worked at various towns on the way to St. Mary’s Dam, near Lethbridge, Alberta, where I cooked for 75 to 100 men. Here I had three girls to help me. I travelled from place to place in planes with Chuck Hodgson, whom many will remember as he trained many Cochrane recruits in World War II. He once landed in our field at home and picked me up. When finished at St. Mary’s Dam, we were moved to the Kananaskis where there was barely a trail. I wondered where we were going, but finally we got there. I could not get help to come and work there and as there were 40 to 50 men to cook for, I said, “I’ll get my own help,” so I sent for Calvin to come, which he did, and he turned out to be the best helper and waiter I ever had. In the fall when work was stopped, we came home, as Chris was not well. Calvin went back to work at Hutchinsons and we did not hire out anymore. When the crew went to Castor, Alberta, Mr. Paget was killed in a car accident.

My mother passed away in 1962, at the age of 87 years, at the home of my youngest sister Anne and her husband, with whom Mother had lived since she left the old home at Brushy Ridge.

What a wonderful personality my mother had. When she was first married she weighed less than 100 pounds. She washed clothes with a tub and scrub board for all of us. She made all our wearing apparel and she did all the baking for the family. At one time she made as many as 100 pounds of butter a week. She always went around the house singing.

Calvin, as a child, and I had two lovely horses and we rode through the fields and by the streams for hours. We loved the open spaces. One time Chris and Calvin were fixing fence and had the wheelbarrow with them. Suddenly it started to hail; they both got their heads underneath the wheelbarrow like two ostriches with their heads in the sand. I

n 1971 Chris and I celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. My immediate relatives made a wedding cake and came to our home, bringing all the food with them. We are the only two of all the family who lived to celebrate such an event. We had just had the power installed so we received many lovely electrical appliances for gifts, from neighbors and community organizations. My own relatives gave us a gold-trimmed tea set and various other things. The Canadian Legion in Cochrane also gave us a party and gifts.

Though I am still able to do the garden and the lawn, Chris isn’t able to do much, but he still tells me some of his jokes. We have seeded the farm down to hay-so much for hail and drought – and turned the place over to Calvin to do with as he wishes.

Some folks ask Chris to what he attributes his long life and he answers, “Our happy home, contented mind, and because we are satisfied with what we have, not bothering about what others have and we have not.”

I would like to live again the freedom of my wonderful childhood days regardless of the modernized today. In the early days our mail came posted North West Territories. The Police were called the Royal North West Mounted Police. It was not until just before the First World War that pennies (l c – pieces) came into use, ’twas just even monies.

When we first came here, Chris was carrying two pails of water for the house, in the moonlight. When I opened the door in the hall and saw him standing there, with both fists I let him have full force. “Oh,” I said, “I thought it was a man standing there.” He replied, “What do you think I am?” From then on he told neighbors to whistle before they came in.

On another occasion Chris was driving the team on the stoneboat down to the slough to water the horses, when he hit a rock and fell off, breaking a bone in his leg. I unhitched the team and got him into the wheelbarrow and pushed him across the yard. The wheel came off the barrow, tipping him out on the ground. I looked about to see that no one was watching, then I practically carried him to the house.

Chris is now 85 and I am 76. We will keep right on to the end of the road. We hope a Senior Citizens Home will soon be built in Cochrane, so we may spend our last years there, if necessary. After 54 years it would be hard to leave the old place. Note: Mr. Bristow was asked the other day how he was feeling. He replied, “I’m like the government. I’m not in very good shape.”

Deep Dive

2025 Museum Opening

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Step Back in Time at the Cochrane Historical Museum!

Discover Cochrane’s rich agricultural and town history through fascinating displays, artifacts, and stories from our past.

Opening for the Season: May 17 – September 1, 2025
Open Wednesday to Sunday & Holiday Mondays
Hours: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Admission: FREE

Bring the whole family and explore the roots of our community!

Contact Us:
Phone: (587) 777-6926
Email: contact@chapscochrane.com
Website: chapscochrane.com
Follow us on Facebook: Cochrane Historical Museum

Proudly presented by CHAPS Cochrane.

Cochrane Lioness Club

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pg 160 More Big Hill Country 2009

Cochrane Lioness Club Cochrane Lioness Club certification was held April 7, 1978 at the Cochrane Community Hall and the club was sponsored by the Cochrane Lions Club.

President – Shirley Laye

1 Vice President – Diane McClennon

2 Vice President – Laura Kells

3 Vice President – Shirley Patterson

Secretary – Pearl Winkel

Treasurer – Dorothy Andison

Lioness Tamer/Tail Twister – Shirley Cox

2 Year Directors – Rose McGonigle and Marion Powlesland

1 Year Directors – Karen Schoettler and Marjorie Spicer

When we were first organized we held our meetings at the Cochrane Legion and finally to the Cochrane Lions Den where we meet twice a month. We have always been an active club. In the 1980’s we went caroling to many homes, dropping off poinsettias and Christmas cake, to the surprise of each recipient. December 22, 1992 was our first Christmas Dinner held in conjunction with Rebekah’s and the Eastern Star at the United Church. Invited guests, at no cost to them, enjoyed dinner, entertainment and prizes. Our Friendship Dinner has carried on for sixteen years and has provided dinner to one hundred invited guests, with the help of the Rebekah’s.

On October 18, 1980 our First Annual Cochrane Lioness Dinner was held at the Cochrane Community Hall. This is a fundraiser for our club and still continues to this day at the Cochrane Curling Club. Funds are donated to various organizations at a later date.

Many of our service projects are Cookies for Cancer, Bethany Birthday Tea, Happy Hour for Big Hill Lodge residents on Friday evenings. Our club has donated funds to 4-H Clubs, Life Line since 1985, Alberta Children’s Hospital, Hospice Calgary, Flames/Rotary Children’s Hospice, Ronald MacDonald House Academic Awards at both Cochrane High School and Bow Valley High School, Cochrane Lions Club Annual Rodeo, the Cochrane Lioness Club Garage Sale and Craft Fair. We have also, donated funds to many other organizations in Cochrane and area, too numerous to mention.

Lioness Club Members

In our membership we still have seven charter members.

Our 2007 – 2008 Executive is:

President – Shirley Laye

Past President – Donna Tomecek

1 Vice President – Yvonne Veldhuis

Secretary – Bonnie Garner

Assistant Secretary – Joan Westerson

Treasurer – Wendy Price

2 Year Directors – Mary Ann Kish and Laura Negard

1 Year Directors – Joan Westerson and Rose McGonigle

Tail Twister – Sue Mellor

Tamer – Deadra Watt

Dennis and Kathleen Welham Family

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by Kathleen Welham pg 795 More Big Hill Country 2009

Dennis and I first moved to the Cochrane area in 1961. We are both Alberta natives, born and raised. Dennis was raised in the Springbank area, and Kathleen in the Cremona, Okotoks area. Dennis’s parents were both born in England and came to Canada in the 1920s. Dennis’s Dad had served in the British army in the First World War, enlisted and discharged in England. Mr. Albert Welham left England to come to Canada, arrived in Alberta and worked on farms for a short time. Several years later Albert wrote to a girl he knew in England, Rose Wyatt, and persuaded her to come and join him in Alberta, Canada. They were later married and started their life together, living in Calgary, Alberta.

Kathleen’s parents were of Scottish decent. Dad’s relatives first arrived in Canada in 1774, at a place now called George Town in Prince Edward Island. My Dad, Chester Crockett, was born and raised in Nova Scotia. He came west in 1909 then returned to Nova Scotia when his father became very ill. His father passed away at that time. My Dad came west again, in 1910, and purchased a farm in the Grainger area of Alberta. Dad joined the Canadian Army in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1914 and served with them until the end of WW I. While in the trenches in France, a bomb landed close by and buried him alive when the dirt caved in. He was rescued and continued on in the rank of Sergeant and also taught Physical Education to the troops.

My Mom, Catherine Lamont, was also of Scottish descent. She was born and raised in Ontario and came west with her family in 1910; they lived in Elboya in Calgary. Mom took a job as a stenographer, working for Cockshutt Plow Co .  She was 16 years old. On weekends and holidays, Catherine would go on

visit friends by the name of Wyndham in the Granger area. That is where she met Chester Crockett, the fellow she would later marry. Their first home was on the farm in the Granger area, which my Dad already owned.

Mom and Dad remained farmers for all of their married life. My sister and I were both born in Calgary and we later moved to Cremona area when I was two years old. Mom and Dad had purchased a quarter section north and west of Cremona. That is where we made our home, until we moved to the Okotoks, De Winton area. Dennis attended West Calgary School, then Western Canada High School. Dennis, his two sisters and their parents Lived in what was then Springbank on the west side of Calgary. They had horses, and some cattle. Dennis’s Dad was the head shipper for T. Eaton Company for 29 years. Dennis’s Mom was a wonderful cook, and a lovely homemaker. Their door was always open and you were greeted with a warm and friendly welcome.

The summer holidays for Dennis consisted of looking after the cattle, working on the Gardner Ranch, west of Calgary, riding and training Arnold Ferguson’s race horses, working on his own horses and getting together with friends.

When Dennis finished school, he hired on with a road construction company that was building roads in the Kananaskis Country. Dennis was always happy when he was in the mountains, and enjoyed running heavy equipment. That is what this job was all about. When the job finished, Dennis went back to Calgary and hired on with a company that was building rural telephone and power lines in the De Winton, Okotoks areas.

Kathleen attended school at Big Prairie School, Cremona, Melrose School, Pine Creek School and DeWinton High School. I was in Grade 10 when my family moved to Salmon Arm, British Columbia I took Grades 11 and 12 in Salmon Arm High School. My sister and I rode horseback to school for all of our school years, except when we moved to Salmon Arm. I walked a mile to catch the school bus. There were bears, so it did not take me long to walk that mile. When I finished school I came to Calgary and attended Hollingshead Business College and from there I applied for and got a job with General Motors in Calgary. I was with GM for seven years. Summer holidays, or any holiday, would find me on the train heading west to Salmon Arm to see my Mom, Dad and e, friends, to go to the country dances, swim in the lake at our place or go riding with my friend Molly. Dennis and Kathleen met in 1953, were married in 1957 and lived in Calgary. Dennis was building telephone and power lines and Kathleen was a billing operator in the office of General Motors.

The first place we owned was a half section north of Water Valley. We did not intend to live up there but bought it on speculation. There was a lot of work to do on this place~ nobody had lived there for some time, if ever. There were no buildings. Dennis built a portable shack which we hauled out on our truck and set up. Our little shack had a big old cook stove, bunks to sleep on and a table of sorts. This little shack was only 6′ x 12′. This little house was where we lived on weekends when we went out to our place. It was okay, kind of a cute little shack.

 

We both had jobs in Calgary but we spent a lot of time at the Water Valley place, fencing, building gates, clearing, etc. When the Mennonites approached us to buy one quarter for a Church Camp, we sold it. It was the quarter that the Little Red Deer River ran through. Later we sold the other quarter to Mr. Beveridge, from Calgary, who wanted a place in the country. As far as I know he is still there and the church camp is still there also.

We now had Beverley Catherine and when the opportunity to move to the Two Rivers Ranch west of Calgary came up we took it. We were both eager to get back to living in the country. The bad thing about that was we had to sell our cattle and horses as the Two Rivers management would not let us bring either with us

We have lots of happy memories and long lasting friendships from our time working at the Two Rivers Ranch. We now had Beverley Catherine and Patricia Rose. We left Two Rivers Ranch for a short time, then went back to Calgary and bought a house. Dennis was again working for Ken Paget with Con Force Construction. Two years later, Ken Paget asked Dennis to come back to the Two Rivers Ranch. They needed him there.

We were at Two Rivers Ranch for 15 years. Dennis became manager of the ranch. This was the time that exotic (so called) cattle were coming into Alberta. Dennis did the buying of the Simmental cattle for the Ranch. He had several trips to the Ontario sales. It took a considerable number of years but he built up a good herd of Simmentals, full bloods and half bloods. When Patricia was in Grade 9, I decided it would be okay, for me to take a job. I was hired as a secretary at Petrofina Oil and Gas, west of Cochrane. I was with them for three and a half years. I left Fina to take a job with Shell Canada Jumping Pound Field Office. I was there for seven years. When I left Shell Canada I started two businesses of my own and ran them from our home.

Beverley and Patricia took all of their school in Cochrane. Beverley graduated in 1978 from Cochrane High, and Patricia in 1981 .

We left Two Rivers Ranch for the last time in 1976 and in 1978 bought the acreage that we still own and live on. It was just great to once again have our own place.

Before we left Two Rivers, Dennis was offered a job with Plains Engineering in Cochrane. They were building a new office/shop there and wanted Dennis to engineer the job of building it. Harry Wanjo, owner of Plains Engineering, presented a job offer to Dennis “that after the shop was built Dennis would manage Plains Engineering”. Dennis accepted this job offer and managed Plains for four years.

Peter George, from Houston, Texas, had a company which was Mep Industries. Peter met Dennis at Plains Engineering and offered Dennis the Job of managing the Canadian Division of Mep Industries. Dennis did not accept the job offer at first. However, the following year another offer came from Mep and he accepted it. He was hired as Canadian Operations Manager. Dennis held this position for the next 20 years until he retired in May 2000.

Working for Mep Industries, Dennis had all of Canada from coast to coast. Most of the work was in Alberta because of the oil and gas. Work on the east and west coasts was for large ships and ferries with Fairbanks engines in them. He was called to Houston, Texas periodically to fill in a managing position in that office. Dennis would be in Texas for three weeks, and back to the Cochrane office for two weeks. Mep Industries was later sold and the name was changed to Fairbanks Morse Engine Division. The staff of the Cochrane office was usually six to eight people.

Beverley took a job at Petrofina Oil Co, in Calgary for one year, and then entered Nursing School at the Foothills Hospital. She lived in residence but was always home on weekends. Bev graduated in 1982 as a Registered Nurse. She has worked ever since graduating. Her first job was at the Foothills Hospital, and then she changed jobs and was head nurse for Conley and Hawes, Oral Surgeons. She is now back at the Foothills Hospital in Coronary Intensive Care. Beverley took time off working long enough to get married and have three children. Pamela is a dental assistant and married Blaine Havens. Kayla works in Calgary and Mason graduated from Cochrane High in 2008.

Patricia (Trish) worked for an accounting office in Cochrane for one year, before entering accounting at  Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Trish graduated in 1984 with a diploma in Business with an Accounting Major. 

She applied for a job with Shell Oil Canada Ltd. in Calgary in the Accounting/Payroll Department where she stayed for four and a half years. Trish married Jim Young from Calgary and lived in Calgary then Boston, Atlanta, Cochrane, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia. They have two boys, Jordan and Alexander, and they all live in Roswell, Georgia now. Trish worked as an accountant for part of her married life, now she is at home busy with teen-aged boys activities. Jordan is presently attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida and Alex is attending high school in Roswell.

Dennis was a member of the Cochrane Volunteer Fire Board. He was also a member of and President of the Trail Riders of the Canadian Rockies and for eight years he was a director on the Stockmen ‘s Memorial Foundation in Cochrane. 

Kathleen was secretary for the Board of Directors of the Western Heritage Centre, also secretary and director on the Stockmen ‘s Memorial Foundation, and secretary/treasurer for the Canadian Rodeo Historical Association in Cochrane.

Dennis retired in May 2000 and at that point we began to look for a place to buy where we would have more land. Dennis started a company of his own, and bought out my two businesses.

We have always had Quarter Horses. Both of our girls showed at the Quarter Horse Shows through their school years. Dennis never missed an opportunity to gather cattle with his friends. He would never miss a branding that he was invited to. Dennis always had a good rope horse, and took the time to keep him that way. He liked all aspects of roping. He broke all of our young horses.

Dennis and I went on several trail rides for the Western Heritage Centre, also the Stockmen’s ride celebrating their 100th anniversary. We rode in the second ride the Stockmen put on; this was two years after the 100th anniversary ride. Both rides were in the Suffield Block. Daughter Trish and granddaughter Pamela went with us on the first ride. Trish and granddaughter Kayla went with us on the second ride. Dennis and I rode together as often as we could.

 

While the girls were home we had many good holidays together. We would get our camper on our truck, load up including our 125 pound German shepherd dog Toby. We would be gone for three weeks each summer. We had lots of fun and good times and good memories. Most times we went to a lake in British Columbia, however we saw lots of new country

Dennis I would fly down to Arizona each year to visit with friends in Scottsdale. We would scout around there, live in a resort hotel and enjoy being waited on. These were all great times together. We enjoyed all the holiday time.

It was a great life. I love the life I lived.

The saddest day of my life was when we lost Dennis to a heart attack suffered at home. Dennis died February 11, 2005.

Deep Dive

Leigh and Jean Blackwell Family

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pg 297 More Big Hill Country 2009

Leigh Blackwell was born on December 28, 1928 in Simcoe, Ontario. Leigh’s brother Bob and their mother Dorothy, and Leigh lived their lives alone through most of the 30’s until Bill McNeill from Calgary came along. In 1938 Bill and Dorothy married. When the Second World War broke out in 1939, Bill was called back to Alberta by his father, Mac McNeill, to operate the family farm in Bearspaw. In the early part of April 1940, they boarded a train in Toronto and headed to the great and wide-open spaces of western Canada. They arrived three days later on a cold, wet, snowy and muddy day. There was no electricity, no running water, no car or means of transportation and worst of all from Dorothy’s point of view, they had to live with Bill’s parents in the same house! Everyone survived and after a while life improved on the farm.

Bob and Leigh attended Bearspaw School. This school has been restored and now resides near the current school. Bill and Dorothy became very much involved in community events. Dorothy played the piano for the annual Christmas concert at the school. Bill became president of the local Bearspaw Mutual Telephone Co. and also the local Rural Electrification Association. They had four children: Jim, Mary, Terry and Anne. Terry resides in Bearspaw with his wife Lorna. Bob moved back to Ontario and finished high school. He attended Trinity College in Toronto and became an Anglican minister.

Bearspaw School Courtesy Glenbow Archives

In October of 1949 Leigh enrolled in the Olds School of Agriculture and graduated in 1951. Upon returning home to the dairy farm, Leigh also worked as a lineman for Bearspaw Mutual for twenty years.

In 1952, Leigh met a girl from Calgary. Her name was Ogenia (Jean) Chalack. They were married on July 17, 1954. They moved to the farm on Woodland Road where Leigh still lives today. Over the next few years they were blessed with three children. Robert was the first born on April 2, 1955. He married a girl from Lomond, Alberta, and they have two children, Kimberley and Ryan. Robert and Marla presently live on a farm on the Horsecreek Road northwest of Cochrane. Their children are grown and live in Calgary. Leigh and Jean’s second son, Michael was born on November 10, 1958. He married Ricki Amantea, a girl from Kimberly, BC. They have two children, Andrea and Mark. They all presently reside in Calgary. Kathy, Leigh and Jean’s only daughter, was born on September 23, 1962. She married Kim Courtney from Lacombe, Alberta and they have two children, Lexie and Graham. They all live on an acreage near Leigh.

Leigh’s wife Jean was the stalwart one of the family. She was always willing to give of her time and expertise within the community. Jean was a devout WI member for many years and was an integral and hard working member of All Saints Anglican Church. Jean was very particular on how things were done. She knew how to make any occasion special. Her friends and co-volunteers remember her insisting that when they made sandwiches, that the filling must be all the way to the edge of the bread – no cheaping out! In December of 1998, Jean succumbed to a lengthy illness and is missed by all who knew and loved her.

Leigh’s life has been filled with great and satisfying events and rewards. He was councillor for the MD of Rockyview from l 983 to l 986. He has been a member of the Bearspaw Lions Club since l 953 and a volunteer with the Bearspaw Fair since its inception in 1968. Leigh and Jean were members of the All Saints Anglican Church for thirty years. One of Leigh’s most enjoyable pastimes is singing and he has been in several choirs over the years. Leigh enjoys his life in Bearspaw and is grateful for his family and friends who have enriched his life

Deep Dive

Franciscan Order and Mt St Francis

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by Fred Williams pg 108 More Big Hill Country 2009

As a Franciscan Friar, I was assigned to the Retreat Team at Mount Saint Francis Retreat in October of 1960. I spent only one year at this posting, but came back in 1966 for three more years, then again for seven years from 1971 to 1978. A final posting was in 1990, though not on the Retreat Team.

The Franciscan Order was established in 1223 by St. Francis of Assisi in Italy. The Order spread rapidly throughout Europe. These Friars served as chaplains aboard many of the ships coming to the New World at the time of John Cabot, Champlain and Christopher Columbus. The first Franciscans took up residence in Quebec in 1615. Today the Franciscan Order is found in nearly every part of the world. Land northeast of the town of Cochrane was purchased in 1948 from the McConachie family, and Mount Saint Francis Retreat Centre was opened in 1949. It was known then as “The Just Home Guest Ranch”. Charles W. Fisher, a prominent Cochrane merchant, who owned the first general store in town, built the original sandstone house in 1907. A historical note is that Mr. Fisher was elected to the Alberta Legislature when Alberta first became a province in 1905. He became Alberta’s first Speaker in the House. His portrait hangs in the Legislative Building in Edmonton.

Mount Saint Francis Retreat was established to see to the spiritual needs of Roman Catholics of the Diocese of Calgary in southern Alberta. It was the first such Centre in western Canada. Fr. Timothy Gilker, O.F.M. became the founding Director. Most retreats are held on weekends from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. There are guided retreats with a series of spiritual conferences on a theme. People have private rooms where they can reflect on these talks, or can do so in the chapel, library, and lounge or in summer out on the vast lawn area. The Retreat Team is also available for spiritual direction. As noted already, the Centre was originally meant for Roman Catholics. By the end of the 1960’s, people of other Christian faiths were attending the retreats, mostly Anglicans, United Church and Lutherans. Annual retreats for the clergy of these churches are a regular occurrence. Their own clergy conducts these retreats. When I returned in 1971 for my third posting at The Mount (as it is affectionately called), the Friars were conducting a few retreats for members of Alcoholics Anonymous. I am delighted to say when I left in 1978 on sabbatical we had nine retreats annually for these members, including several for spouses (Al-Anon). Eventually, retreats were held for professional businessmen and women, for married couples and for high school students. Marriage Encounter Calgary had its first weekends at The Mount in 1973. When the Retreat Centre celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1999 over 100,000 people had made these retreats at The Mount. It really became a spiritual oasis for the people of southern Alberta.

Two historical notes about Mount Saint Francis need to be stated here. The first is that when the Retreat Centre was established in 1949, the land was being used as a ranch. The Friars did not let that part of its history slide by. The ranch was maintained. We used to run about 100 head of cattle, 200 hogs and 200 or so chickens. There used to be a five-acre vegetable garden. When the Friars boasted about fresh food on the table for the retreatants, back then most of it came from right off the land. We were able to run a ranch because a good number of the early Friars came off the farms of western Canada to join the Franciscan Order. Local ranchers, too, pitched in with work and advice. One very notable rancher of the Cochrane area was Mr. Lloyd Dolen, who helped annually with our branding of the cattle. The second historical note would involve directly townspeople from Cochrane. In 1968, the Franciscan authorities decided to move our Postulants

(those beginning training in the Order), to Regina. We no longer had the availability of these young men to help run the Centre from a practical side. It would also lead to the demise of the ranching at The Mount. So, we had to start hiring people from the town of Cochrane. Among the first were members of the Roy Buckler family. Iris and Bernice came to wait on tables for the retreatants. Roy was a master carpenter for us when it came to fixing things. Dot Patterson and Jean Mitchell were among the first to do cleaning of the retreat area. Mary McArthur also helped in the cleaning and then moved into helping with kitchen work. Mary has now been associated with The Mount for over thirty years. She is still on staff.

To conclude, Mount Saint Francis Retreat has had a long association with the town of Cochrane. When the Franciscans arrived in 1949, Cochrane had a mere population of about 250 people. As the Centre grew, a lot of purchasing had to be done in town. Then, there are the thousands of people who have come to Cochrane due to the location of the Retreat Centre. It is hard to say what will happen in the future for Mount Saint Francis as the ranks of the Franciscans are diminishing and few young men today are corning along to replace the ageing Friars. We hope and pray for the best for this spiritual oasis here in southern Alberta.

Deep Dive

Frank and Martha Brown

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by Ruth Davies and Edna Copithorne pg 201 Big Hill Country 1977

Frank Brown married Martha Moore Thompson in County of Renfrew, Ontario, on February 21, 1900. They lived on the family farm in Cobden, near Pembroke, Ontario, for four years, where Ruth was born in 1902. Frank’s older brothers Robert and John came to Cochrane, Alberta, prior to 1904 and settled here. Frank sold the Ontario farm and with his wife and small daughter moved to Cochrane in 1904.

He purchased the NW¼ 19-26-3-5 and Robert McNamee built a house and barn on it for him, near a fine spring at the head of a coulee leading to Big Hill Creek. This land was purchased for about three dollars an acre. This same coulee had a seam of poor quality coal showing in its banks. Frank homesteaded the SE¼ 30, and obtained title to that quarter in 1909. The country was mostly open range, and looked like rich, lush land compared to his rocky Ontario farm. He said that when riding a tall saddlehorse the grass would brush his feet in the stirrups and was rich in pea-vine. However, you couldn’t grow potatoes here, at that time or for several years later. Coyotes were plentiful. There was any amount of prairie chicken, and trout in the creek. He had a coyote hound that would pull Ruth on a hand sleigh. One day while doing this, it saw a coyote and took off. Driving to Cochrane from this home, they had to follow the trail just south from Cochrane Lakes, down Horse Creek Road and across the bridge over Big Hill Creek and near what is now the creamery.

At about this time smallpox broke out in Cochrane and they could go further than the bridge. Groceries were brought to them there.

The Victims of the smallpox were put in tents down by the Bow River to recuperate.

 

Here are a few prices of groceries at that time:

Snowflake Baking Powder – 1 pound tin lOc

Soda biscuits – 8c- a pound.

Reindeer Brand Condensed cream – 15c- a tin.

St. Lawrence Corn Starch – 8c- a pkg.

Blue Seal brand flour – 24½ pound, 50c

Beans – 3 pounds for 10c

Baker’s 1/2 pound tin cocoa – 27c

Cheddar cheese – 15c- a pound.

Jamaica coffee – 25c- a pound.

Dried Apples – 20c a gallon.

Strawberry jam – 30c- a quart.

White sugar – 20 pounds, $1.

China black tea – 20c- a pound.

Yeast cakes – 4c- a pkg.

Lard – 3 pounds 35c.

Icing sugar – 7 c – a pound.

A good Mexican saddle cost from $27 to $35.

The Brown’s first near neighbours were people from France named Arden who spoke very little English but became very good friends. There were several bachelors nearby, Ernie Perrenoud, Gordon Carling, Mac McNaughtonand Harry Bullock to name a few. Later, Mr. and Mrs. Milligan from Ontario, and others, were near enough to be called neighbours and remained life-long friends, sharing the memories of those early years.

The Browns missed the beautiful orchards and flowers of Ontario when spring came to Alberta, but summer brought a wealth of wild flowers on the rolling hills, and the ever-present view of the majestic Rockies always filled them with pleasure.

The first two winters, 1905 and 1906, are remembered for their severity. The cattle from Ontario had less chance of survival and there were many losses. After that Frank raised and also bought and sold horses. He loved them to a fault and would spend his last cent on a good horse. His grey Percheron teams were his pride and joy and he often challenged their strength at pulling heavy loads, against other teams in the district. He lost a valuable team with lightning. Sometimes he would deal with Indians for saddlehorses, and made a few friends among them. A few of the people who bought his horses were the Creightons, Bowlens, Mr. Wallace and Wheeler Mickle.

When Ruth became of school age, Frank bought four lots in Cochrane and built a house and barn, a large corral, wood shed, and other outbuildings. The woodpile with its splitting block was standard equipment, also the outdoor plumbing. Ruth’ s first teacher was Miss Inez McNaughton, sister of one of Cochrane’s well known ranchers.

Ruth was born in 1908 in the home in Cochrane, with Dr. Park in attendance. The name Dr. Park is a dear memory to many in the Cochrane district. He was a dedicated family physician and friend.

Frank kept the ranch for a few years and brought horses in from there to break in the corral in Cochrane, and sell. It was a fascinating sight to see the gentle skill of halter-breaking those wild colts at the snubbing post in the centre of the corral. The ranch was sold to Mr. Claxton, a brother of a former St. Andrews Church minister. Frank took over the Bruckshaw homestead three miles out of Cochrane.

About this time, Martha, who could play the organ and piano, purchased a piano from Mr. Strickland, editor of the Cochrane Advocate, and started teaching Ruth to play. Until then, the only music available was on the records for the old-fashioned gramophone. The records were cylinders, and the machine had a big horn.

During the summer months, about 1910 or 1912, Frank was foreman of a crew of men constructing and surveying roads up on the Ghost River, Little Red Deer, Jumping Pound, Bragg Creek and Sheep Creek areas. Mr. Greenwood was his surveyor. The countrv he worked in was very wild; the game, such as mountain sheep, were quite curious and tame.

During the early summer, the rivers were raging torrents to ford with all their equipment. At one time, he became very ill with rheumatic fever, and always claimed that Mr. and Mrs. Jack Bevan, who were doing the cooking for the crew, saved his life by their good nursing and getting him to a doctor – a long rough journey in a wagon. The illness left him with a heart condition. The forest rangers, Alf Bryant, Jack Atkinson and others became his life-long friends. He also knew a few of the hardy pioneers out in those remote regions. Stan Fullerton of Bragg Creek tells about helping Frank to haul logs and build the first Forest Ranger Station in that district. While Frank was away all summer, Martha rented half of her home to Mrs. Alex MacKay, who was also alone with her small son Donald, while Alex worked at the Merino Ranch.

Among the highlights of those years in Cochrane was one night of terror when all Big Hill was on fire and Brown’s well was one of the few that didn’t go dry. Imagine hauling water up Big Hill in buckets to put out that fire! But the town was saved.

The Twelfth of July was something to look forward to. All the Orangemen, Frank included, took their families to Banff by train to march down Banff A venue with bands. The fun of riding on the train with so many friends, and going to the zoo in Banff were highlights to remember.

The Indians always camped up on the hill where the High School is now. During the winter we used to feel sorry for the children crying inside those thin tents. The children in Cochrane would pay friendly, timid visits to the Indian camps, sometimes taking gifts.

For many years after Edna was born, Martha suffered ill health and had a succession of nurses to care for her. One well loved one was Mrs. Mose de Repontendy, whose husband ran the bowling alley in Cochrane and later owned the hotel.

Miss Bruce was one of Edna’s earliest teachers. When the Bruces first came to Cochrane there was a pile of buffalo bones as high as a hill beside the railway tracks·. They were being gathered and shipped to a sugar refinery. Bruces lived where the police barracks now stands and the school she taught in is now the Masonic Hall.

Many times during the fall, in the daytime and at night, the sky would be full of geese honking and circling the town. The men would rent democrats from the livery barn, and hunting parties would go out to Cochrane Lakes.

Between 1914 and 1918, the troop trains moved slowly through Cochrane. The windows were jammed tight with the young faces of soldiers eager for the cheers and the parcels thrown to them. One time the Duke of Connaught came, and a group on horseback met his train.

The brickyards and stone quarry were operating then; there was also an oil derrick set up near the bridge below the cemetery.

Bobby Butler’s first car caused quite a sensation in town; he was a colourful figure. Frank Brown bought a milk cow from him, called Sloppy, who lived for many years. Martha churned butter and Edna would take fresh buttermilk over to her friend Aunt Minnie Bailey, later Mrs. S. Allen. Jean Russell, Minnie’s niece, spent almost every summer holiday with Edna during their school years. They spent many happy hours in Jock Bailey’s bakery and ice cream parlour.

In 1918, Frank and Martha sold their home in Cochrane and moved out to the Bruckshaw farm, the NE¼ 14-26-4-5. The first thing needed was a quiet pony for Edna, which they bought from Mr. Ripley. Next, they bought twelve milk cows from Sid Chester, a small flock of sheep from Bob Hogarth, a number of pigs and horses, and went into mixed farming.

The first requirement was a good well and this was dug with the help of Tom Spicer and Orr Fenton. When the well reached a depth to use dynamite, Tom and Frank let Orr down the hole in a bucket on the windlass. Orr set the dynamite in a hole in the rock and lit the fuse. They pulled him up and sat at a safe distance from the hole then waited and waited. Finally, Orr, against the advice of the other two, persuaded them to let him down the hole again, as he was sure the fuse had gone out. When he got near the bottom of the hole he yelled, “Let me up! Let me up! It’s lit!”

They got so excited that the rope jumped the windlass and they had to pull him up by hand. All three ran for their lives and just got clear when the blast went off, shooting rocks and boulders high in the air. The next time they had to use dynamite, the fuse seemed to go out again, and despite much pleading from the other two, Orr walked over to the hole and looked in just as the blast went off. His big hat was blown in the air and riddled with holes, but he only received a few bruises and scratches. The rocks from that well were very interesting because they were full of fossils. William Camden also helped with the well, and being a stonemason by trade, he could pick up a rock and know exactly where to hit it to make it break open.

During the winter of 1919, many cattle died of starvation. Frank had some feed to spare and Steve Peyto came over to buy some for his dairy herd. They had a long argument over the price of the feed, as Steve wanted to pay the current high market price and Frank wanted to give it to him to save his cows. They finally came to an agreement on a lower price.

Crops were good on that farm, but the knotter on the old binder gave a lot of trouble, and Alex McEwan had to be brought out in the buggy many times to fix it. The threshing was usually done by Mr. Callaway, Lloyd Fenton, or Tom James, who had a portable steam engine and a conveyor for the straw. The granary and the straw stacks were on a knoll where the prairie chicken danced. It was lovely to see and hear them doing this, and also on moonlit nights the

Cochrane Advocate April 3 1919

straw stacks were a meeting place for jackrabbits. They were so plentiful, they had well-worn paths across the fields in the winter.

Martha became well known for her fine cooking. Her Sunday dinners were enjoyed by many bachelor neighbours. The Sunday singsong around the piano was enjoyed by all. George Dodds was an especially fine singer. Phillip Eyers built the Browns a crystal radio set. It was great fun listening to W.W. Grant on CFCN with the two ear-phones, but woe betide the person who jarred the little wire off the crystal and lost the station.

Martha was also a skilled seamstress, having taken a tailoring course when a girl. She could make old clothes look like new. Throughout the years she was a faithful member of St. Andrews Church and a member of its earliest Ladies Aid. Her grandparents were pioneers in Ontario and although she suffered ill health much of the last half of her life, she had that pioneer spirit that carried her through the hardships of the depression years. At one time she had a knitting machine and knit wool socks by the dozen, to sell. Ruth and Edna helped with the milking and would take the cream to the Cochrane Creamery in the buggy. Mr. Loughery had such a pleasant personality that they always enjoyed their trip there.

The Carlson place along the Big Hill Creek was leased for more pasture and Ruth and Edna had to ride after the stock besides riding to school. Ruth quit school near the end of high school as her mother’s health was very poor.

The McNamee place was purchased and the family moved over to the buildings there beside the spring. Andy Garson and Frank put up hay in nearby fields, and the Garsons camped in the yard. Flora cooked for the hay gang. There was much fun and card games with the hay gang in rainy weather. Jimmie McEwan did custom baling in the winter and his stay at the place was always enjoyed.

As Ruth and Edna grew up, most of their social life was in Cochrane where their school friends lived, but they attended dances at Weedon and the local picnics. Ruth married Edgar Davies in February 1927, and lived in Cochrane, while Ed walked back and forth to work on Beynon and Davies’ dairy farm just out of town. Edna finished school in Calgary then worked in Mrs. Allen’s confectionery store for a couple of years. She married Percy Copithorne in 1931, and they live on the Richard Copithorne place.

Frank sold all the cattle. Martha became so ill that he had to rent a home in Cochrane, and their dear friend Mrs. E. C. Johnson nursed her until her death in 1935. After that, Frank’s interest in the farm seemed to be gone, and the heart just went out of him. One morning he stoked the fire and went out to feed the horses as usual before breakfast, and the house burned down. 

The many neighbours for miles around rallied to help build another house for him, but he soon sold the place and rented a housekeeping room in Calgary. Here, in 1942, he died of a heart attack.

Ruth and Ed have two children, Aileen, an R.N., married to John Copithorne of Whirlwind Dairy Farm, and Gordon, who is Vice-Principal of Cochrane High School. Aileen and John have three children, Lloyd, married to Clara Bakker, Sandra and John.

Edna and Percy have three children. Sheila, an R.N., is married to Ted Burger, a wheat farmer at Arrowwood; they have three daughters, Dixie, Betty and Lynn, all at school. Marshall, a graduate of Olds Agricultural College, is married to Trudy Flumerfelt and they run the C. L. Ranches Ltd. They have three daughters and one son, Cheryl, Kathy, Michelle and Ryan. Margaret, a lawyer, is married to John Ramsay, also a lawyer. They have two daughters, Melissa and Gillian.

Frank and Martha lived a quiet life, seldom in the limelight of the community. In the memories of their children, however, they were always happy to assist anyone in need and to offer a warm welcome to a visitor at their door.

Deep Dive

Roy and Iris Buckler Family

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By Bernice Buckler (Klotz) pg 334 More Big Hill Country 2009

 Roy was born May 14, 1915 to Lillie Mildred Faggetter Buckler and David (Dave) Henry Buckler on the homestead farm near Bottrel, Alberta. He was the third son and new brother of Magdelene (Maggie), Albert, Violet, Frederick (Stan), and (later) Henry. Albert was fond of telling the story of the day Roy arrived. Albert was in the front room of the house lying on the floor drawing. Outside there was a snowstorm raging. Suddenly he heard a wail,jumped to his feet and ran to the window to see what the storm had brought. The midwife came out of the bedroom and told the kids they had a little brother.

They lived in a two storey log house, 28’x 28′, built in 1912. The attic had two rooms, one for the boys and one for the girls. The main floor consisted of a 4’x 8′ pantry, 8 ‘x 10’ washroom, one bedroom, kitchen and sitting room, and there was a cellar. The house which Walter Vaughn and Jack Reeves helped Dave build, had a cottage roof with dormer windows on the east and west ends. The barn had a peaked roof so Dave and Jack Reeve made a hip roof on it for storing feed. Roy was always under foot while building was going on, enjoying and trying to build too.

Attending Summit Hill for his schooling, Roy enjoyed the competition of sports days, baseball games, hockey and sometimes rodeo. One of his favourite memories was going to the Calgary Stampede for the first time. This was his first train ride from Cochrane to Calgary. They joined the King family for this outing. While in Calgary Dave and Lillie took their brood to a photographer for a family picture. Young Roy (two or three years old) refused to remove his hat. The photographer offered Roy a nickel to take it off but Roy took the nickel and kept his hat on.

Being the two youngest, Roy and Henry spent a lot of time together. They built a hut out under the cordwood saw fence. One night the boys got all settled and comfortable in their hut when they heard howls from the wild. Tumbling over each other it didn’t take long for them to beat a path back to the safety of the house.

There they discovered Albert had snuck out into the pasture and he was their “ferocious” animal. In 1925 Roy and Henry raised ducks to make money for a little red wagon. On September 26 there was a big snowstorm, leaving drifts so high that on the way to the pond the ducks actually walked over the fences. Roy remembered selling the ducks to Andison’s Meat Market in Cochrane. One way to get to town was catch a ride with the mailman for a cost of 25 cents. Roy did this one winter day when Mr. Johnson was delivering the mail but it was so cold that Roy walked most of the time to keep from freezing. When they arrived in Cochrane, Roy had to help Mr. Johnson from the sleigh and into the house to thaw out, then unhitch the horses and stable them. He was not happy to have paid 25 cents to have his suitcase ride into town.

Summit Hill was the local school and went up to Grade Eight. In Grade Two Roy was good at his times tables and, out of the twenty-four pupils, only Albert was able to beat him. By the time Roy was school age, he and his older brother Albert were very close. Roy would find out when his parents were planning a trip away for shopping and would play sick the morning they left. Once he was sure the folks were well on their way, he was out of bed and ready for any adventure Albert had planned. One day it was to bake raisin pies; both boys loved raisin pie and one piece was never enough. As soon as the pies were out of the oven they dug in, figuring as least one pie each. After sharing the first one, they couldn’t face the second. It took years before Lillie found out why they suddenly didn’t like raisin pie.

Summit Hill had joint school picnics with Westbrook, Lochend, Weedon, Cochrane Lakes, Horse Creek and Inglis. There would be horse races at these picnics and Bucklers had two of the fastest horses in the seven schools. Roy, Stan and Violet learned to ride on Gertie, a horse Dave bought from Henry Hoffman.

Jay Bowlen’s grandfather raised sunflowers in the field next to the school. He told the kids they could have all they wanted. Schaffers also raised sunflowers and would get upset if the kids got into them. Of course this meant it was much more exciting to raid Schaffer’s crop and sit on the school roof eating the seeds than to bother with the Bowlen ‘s crop.

The boys played shinny hockey and were on the Boggs hockey team. The ice was on the Boggs Ranch, Dog Pound Creek, Beaver Dam Creek or the slough below Ramsay Parson’s house. Some winters the springs behind the barn would be made into a rink and they could skate to Jim Reeves’ place. They would ride the calves in the corral at the barn when the folks were

away, but usually got caught. Invariably brother Stan would get thrown and catch his pants in the wire fence and have to explain to Lillie why they needed repairing. They would make bows and arrows from willow branches. Needing targets, they would get Lillie’s chickens and throw them into the air. If they were (un)lucky enough to hit the target, it got buried in the manure pile around the slough. Lillie sure lost a lot of her hens to the “chicken hawks”. Like most kids, they had to try smoking. They started out with pigweed leaves in newspaper and graduated to swiping tobacco from Dave’s tin.

In 1929 Stan had a job doing the Copithorne’s haying for three weeks in August but became sick and Roy took his place. All Roy’s wages went to pay for the mower Stan had purchased for the job. The haying crew consisted of Jim Reeve, Jack Reeve, Ray Schultz, Ed Young and Ed’s hired hand. They got a half-ton of prairie hay per acre.

At age 15 Roy finished school and went to Cochrane to live with Albert. They worked for Maggie and her husband Alvin Nelson at the Texaco station. Roy learned the hard way about motors. Alvin had him tear apart three different types of motors and clean them up, mixing the parts. When it was time to put them back together, all Alvin said was: “Nothing will fit where it doesn’t belong.” Roy couldn’t handle inside work because he got terrible headaches. It was hard to leave a job that paid $5.00 plus room and board. Roy returned to the farm.

One day Stan asked for some help to repair the windmill for his boss, a neighbour just across the road. When it came time to hoist the repairs into place, Roy asked how they would hold it and fasten it at the same time. Stan had organized that by calling two of the boss’s daughters to help hold the rope. Roy did not believe Pearl and Iris could do it, but they did. This was Roy’s first meeting with Iris Balderson.

Dave taught all six children to box and the boys joined the Boxing Club in Dog Pound. Albert went on to professional boxing with Roy acting as his second. He had only one professional ring fight, an exhibition round, but his opponent didn’t show up. During this time the Bucklers and Baldersons were becoming fast friends. Stan and Pearl married December 9, 1935 on Stan’s twenty-fourth birthday. Roy and Iris were dating. At age 19 Roy was told by doctors he had two weeks to live. Iris was in Duchess at the time helping her sister Bessie and Will with their five daughters. Roy headed to Duchess to share this news. Bessie and Will had gone away for a short holiday and Iris was there alone. She knew the neighbours were watching out for her

and thought it had been planned for Roy to arrive at that time, so she was not as welcoming as she could have been. Roy, unaware, thought Iris rather uncaring because of the news he had to tell her. Roy was staying at the hotel and as he walked over to the Lauvers in the dark, he stepped into the canal that ran down the street filling the local cisterns with water for drinking. He wasn’t very impressed with Iris’s welcome and now may have ruined his good suit to boot.

Returning home Roy went to see a new doctor in Canmore. Trained in Rochester, New York, Dr. Gelfand gave him some small pills that had a limited amount of arsenic in them, to thin the blood. Whatever the pills were they did the trick as Roy was to live another 70 years. Dr. Sid Gelfand became a good family friend. Roy remembers riding along with Dr. Sid in the car from Canmore to Cochrane. The good doctor was opening and reading his mail, while steering with his knees, never slowing down (travelling about fifty mph). About half way he looked at Roy and asked, “Are you scared?” Roy replied, “If you can ride it out, so can I.” The old Packard was a good heavy car and stuck well to the road. It was a hairy ride, the old road was really crooked.

1936 found Roy working for Ed Young during haying season. He started at 5:00 a.m. bringing in ten milk cows, milking them, having breakfast, then riding four miles on horseback to pump water for sixty head of cattle, another mile to roundup horses and have them ready for the other hired men to harness up to mow the hay. The work day for Roy ended at 5:30 p.m. when he rode home four miles, had supper, milked the cows, sharpened six mower knives and turned in for the night at 10:00 p.m. All this for $25.00 a month or $0.75 a day with room and board. Once this job ended Roy got a job stooking for Floyd Banta. He was there for two days when he was put on the binder behind four horses. After this job, Roy went hauling bundles for Ellis Banta. Wages were $1.00 a day or $2.00 if you had a team of horses. Roy made enough money to cover the farrn threshing bill with a little over for Christmas and spending money. He worked for Ellis for 4 years.

In 1937 Roy broke thirty acres on the farm with a 1020 Titan. That fall they bought a 15/30 McCormick Deering Tractor. The next year Roy took the new tractor out to break land and do other custom work for neighbors at $5.00 an acre. They bought a threshing machine and after doing nine days of their own threshing they moved to Dave McDougalls over in the Grand Valley. Going from farm to farm they worked for Rodgers, Cotterill, Liddells, D.P. MacDonald, Mrs. Ford, Delbecks, Eymas, Hansens, and Andersons. 

The only rain that fell during this time was on the last day of November 3, 1938, at 2:00 p.m. Roy then headed for home, eighteen miles away arriving at 11:00 p.m. The next morning they awoke to six inches of snow. On November 5th, Graham Broatch arrived in the yard with a 1938 Plymouth. The car was a demonstrator that Graham and Molly had used for their honeymoon. Graham had a hand in getting the threshing jobs so D. Buckler & Sons was happy to purchase the car for repayment.

Roy invented a rock picker and had both the Canadian and U.S. patents for seventeen years. Unable to finance the production of his invention and anyone willing to put up the financing, the rock picker never became more than a model. Years later Roy saw it in a pamphlet of Balderstone Implements from Kansas. Turned out to be a distant cousin of Iris’s who was selling this machine!

Iris Irene was born June 2, I 919 on the family farm at Bircham, Alberta to Annabelle Fuller McLellan Balderson and Amos LeRoy Balderson. She grew up surrounded by fifteen brothers and sisters. There was Bessie, Duane, Clarence, Lenora, Mary, Laura, Jack, Jessie, Myrtle, Pearl, Patricia, Earl, Charles, Dorothy and Donald. She never lacked for playmates and, although a bit timid, didn’t lack for adventure.

The family moved to Calgary for a while and then back to Bircham. Iris attended the Beeman School for eight years enjoying ball games, dances, and yearly stampedes. She loved to play baseball and the outdoors and spent hours riding in an apple box fitted to her father’s binder. One of her favourite chores was to take the horses to and from the fields to give the teams a rest. Her least favourite chore was having to stop the water pump at the Waiteland place when the tanks were full. There was an old deserted building there and the rags on the windows would flap in the wind. Usually the tank was filled near dusk, so her imagination ran wild.

A big change came when Annabelle moved the family to Bottrel in I 934. Iris and Pearl found out what fanning was all about that summer. They had to do the stooking and fall work with the hired hand, Stan Buckler. Pearl later married Stan, and Iris later married his brother Roy. During this time Iris would go back to Bottrel for short visits to her mother, as well as looking for work.

When Iris turned eighteen her father gave her a chance to travel by funding a trip to see her sisters, who had married and moved to the United States. A three-month excursion turned into three years. She spent time in Oakland, San Francisco, Millionaire Island (Mercer Island), Seattle, Medford, Lakeview, and Los Angeles, working as a nanny or housemaid.

During this time away Iris and Roy had kept in touch through letters. On her return, she worked in Calgary until February 1941 when she married Roy James Buckler in the First Baptist Church in Calgary. The ceremony was officiated by Reverend Hall, with Roy’s brother Henry and Iris’s sister Pat standing up for them. They picked one of the coldest days of the year to marry and some of their dearest friends were unable to attend the wedding. On the way back to the reception at Roy’s sister Violet’s, in Cochrane, they rounded the corner at the top of the Big Hill and found a familiar car flipped over in the ditch. It was the groom’s brother Stan and the bride’s sister Pearl (Stan’s wife) and some other passengers. All were fine. The men righted the car and went on their way.

Roy and Iris moved onto his parent’s farm and shared the homestead for several months, while Roy built a new house where they lived for seventeen years. On April 25, 1942, their family began to increase with the birth of their daughter Mildred Iris. This young lady was the apple of her grandfather David’s eye. At an early age she spent time helping him with the farm chores. Later on Mildred spent hours with her “Granny” and Lillie. At the ripe old age of about two, Mildred went cranberry picking with Roy. This was a tiring job, so she looked around and saw a nice little hump to sit on. Next thing Roy heard was Mildred’s screams. The “hump” was an anthill and she was covered. After that, she inspected her “chairs” a little more carefully before using them.

Roy’s youngest brother Henry had joined the army and was shipped out from Vancouver. He had driven

his car and had to leave it there. Roy and his cousin Dave took the train over to fetch the car. This was not the best idea; Roy could have been in big trouble for leaving the farm as he was on twenty-four-hour notice if the Army needed him to join up. In Vancouver they picked up the car and set out for home, getting to Spence’s Bridge and spending the night in a hotel for $2.00. The next day they drove 30 miles west of Revelstoke and ran out of gas. They pulled into a post office lot and parked behind it, the manager discovered them and told them to get on their way. The manager had them drive into his garage and gave them gas from his rationed supply so they would leave. The mountain roads were very narrow in those days. When cars from opposite directions met, one had to back up until reaching a cut-out in the mountainside to allow the other car to pass. No Trans Canada Highway as we know it today.

On September 18, 1943, David Roy was born, missing his Granddad Dave’s birthday by one day. Being Granddad’s namesake, at a young age David decided to look like Granddad and big sister Mildred thought this a great idea. Iris discovered Mildred with scissors giving David a haircut. Granddad was bald on top with a fringe around his head. David almost got his wish before Mother discovered them. When they got a bit older, the two decided if Dad and Granddad could smoke, so could they. Around the house, they went gathering tobacco from leftover cigarettes and pipes. They took their findings to the barn where a helpful Dad and Granddad packed the bowl of an old pipe and helped the kids to light up. Iris had two very green children to contend with afterwards. On a windy day David and Mildred were out in the field near the slough and had a pack of matches. David swears to this day Mildred started the fire, but only he got the licking. Later on, if the two Davids went missing, you could bet the fishing poles were also gone.

On January 3, 1945, Ida Lenora was born Ida started her life in a hurry, arriving prematurely. As Ida got older, her love of animals was very evident. One evening as bedtime came, Ida was missing. An extensive search of the farm found her happy in the chicken coop. She was putting each chicken to sleep individually, by picking them up, cradling and rocking them, then setting the bird on the roost, all the while singing to them. One of her chores was to help David with the milking (a job he didn’t care for). Ida enjoyed milking and eventually took over the full milking chore, while David moved on to other jobs. Another pastime for these two was trapping gophers. Great fun until the day Ida caught her own thumb in the trap and had to go back to the house to get Iris to release it.

On August 17, 1946, another bundle of joy arrived at the Buckler home, Patricia Mary. She had not been home long when big sister Ida was packing her around the house. Soon “Pat” and “Mike”, as they were known, were both roaming the farmyard together. One morning soon after giving the girls their bath and sending them out in clean clothes, Iris looked out the window and saw a car in the yard. The people in the vehicle were bent over double with laughter. Iris discovered the source of cousins Hazel and Curly’s mirth. Two little girls peeping over the fence covered in mud. The only white showing was their eyes. One day one of the girls found a bird’s nest in the barn. They both hurried through lunch and shot out the door to go check the nest. As they left the house the dog barked, startling a horse tied in the yard. Just as Ida passed, Dick (the horse) kicked, splitting her knee wide open and leaving her with a large white scar. They never did get to see the nest.

By the time Mildred had started school, cousin Albert Henry Nelson had come to live at the farm. Henry was old enough to drive a team, so they rode to school in a wagon. Every so often when Mildred would get out to open the gate on the way home, Henry would urge the horses on so Mildred would have to run to catch up and get back in the wagon. One day Henry got out to open the gate and Mildred decided to get even. Once the horses got going, she could not stop them and they headed straight to the barn, Henry on the run one step behind. Fortunately, Granddad was there to stop the team. That ended the game. By the time all four were going to school they had horses, which they rode double. Iris told them time and again not to go through the barnyard bog, but Mildred and Pat were in a hurry one day. Right in the middle of the bog Ribbon, the horse, decided to rid herself of her passengers. Two very muddy girls had to go back for a bath. The children attended Summit Hill School until the Westbrook Composite School opened. Later on they attended school in Cochrane.

Iris’ father, Roy Balderson, offered to help Roy and Henry purchase some Canadian Pacific Railway land near Winchel Lake in 1945 then in 1947 Roy and Henry bought more land from the Royal Bank. This was timberland and the brothers started a sawmill to help cover the costs of farming. Roy worked all weekend on the farm getting things ready to make it easier for his Dad, Dave and the kids to do the chores during the week. From Monday to Friday Roy worked in the bush logging with Henry. During the summer Roy and Iris would take the family on a picnic and spend the time fishing. When the baseball season was on they took their picnics to the ball games. Sometimes two or three games were played in a day.

The spring of 1948 was extremely wet with the snow thaw. The family hadn’t been off the farm in months and travel wasn’t easy as the roads were washing out and the fields were muddy mires. Iris suffered a miscarriage and they didn’t know how they were going to get her out to the doctor. They contacted Violet Hogarth and she arranged to have Billy Andison fly out to the farm. Violet rode along to get him to the right place. They loaded Iris in the plane, but the wind was gusting making it difficult to take-off. Bill had Roy go stand on a hill in the field and when a gust hit him Roy was to wave and Bill would try to leave. It worked, with the plane just clearing the fence and tree lines. Roy and Violet took the car and made their way to Cochrane. It took over six hours as Roy had to get out and walk ahead of the car several times in deep water so Violet could drive the car and try to stay on the road. The summer of 1951, Roy and Iris took a rare vacation off the farm to visit cousins, Dennis and Alice Dendy, in Edgewater B.C. After a few days Roy was going stir crazy with nothing to do. Dennis got him a job with a local logger, which turned out to be very fortunate. When Roy and Iris came home they noticed car after car without windows and fields looked as if they were summer fallow. The day of the Dog Pound Stampede a hailstorm hit and did a lot of damage. Albert had been at the Stampede, but he had a blanket that he had put over his car and was able to protect his window from being shattered. Roy was glad he had worked during his holiday. He had $50.00 in his pocket; his pay had been $10.00 a day, a little fortune.

April 27, 1956 brought another family member, Bernice Irene. With four older siblings guess who was spoiled. There was always someone willing to look after baby.

The summer of 1957 brought some big changes into everyone’s lives. Roy had been ill for over two years, living on milk, eggs and little white pills. He could no longer continue to work on the farm, seven days a week. The farm and the sawmill were only making about $5,800 a year and had to support three families. The decision was made to sell off the cattle and divide things up. Unfortunately the fellow who bought the cattle didn’t have any money in the bank, so the cheque had to be held until he could make good on it. The family was uprooted and moved to the town of Cochrane. Roy and Iris rented a small apartment above Mrs. Moore for three months, while Roy finished haying and built a new home in Cochrane. He only had hand tools, but a cousin lent him a couple of power tools. Iris’s father Roy came out to help when he could and Henry’s wife Ellen’s brothers, the Norris boys also came by to lend a hand. The kids had to get used to being town kids, while Roy found it almost impossible to find a job. Iris had her hands full trying to keep the family going on just the $35.00 child allowance. Finally Roy found work taking care of the skating rink and helping Sid Norris on his dairy farm. He helped his brother-in-law, Harvey Hogarth, on the milk run from time to time. When delivering the milk to the depot in Calgary, a favourite place to eat was the Crystal Cafe. You could get coffee, full meal, and dessert for 25 cents. Later on, Roy ran a school bus route and worked for Frenchy Suel as a carpenter, learning the trade and branching out on his own. Roy built eight new houses for different family members as well as doing renovations on other homes and he built milking parlours for Sid Norris and for the Norris brothers. Both the Weedon Hall and Jumping Pound Hall were renovated and put on foundations by Roy with help from his brother Albert. During the ten years from 1963 to 1973 Roy worked for Fina Oil both at the gas plant and on the company houses on Cochrane Crescent.

Roy and David worked on the telephone lines in 1967-68 just before they were changed to rotary telephones. Their area was from Morley to Lochend, up to Mountain View county line down to the Bow River. Their territory had 300 miles of telephone lines.

Iris worked for Ellen Bryant as a waitress at the Chinook Cafe. The older kids took up babysitting for extra money. Bernice often went to the cafe with her Mum. She became fast friends with the cook Adele Sodonyte. Whenever Bernice ate at the cafe, she would

announce to Adele, “I want T-bone steak, please.” She always got her favourite pork chops. Sometimes, Bernice was allowed to help the waitress by taking the cream to the tables, but when people insisted on ‘tipping’, Iris stopped that. This was during the time that the Mannix pipeline went through town. The cafe often served 200-300 men for breakfast every morning. In later years Iris discovered that Adele could not read the orders the girls handed in, which were often just scribbles, but Adele had them call the orders as they set them down for her. She never messed up an order.

In 1963 Iris ran a kindergarten in the back area of the United Church, but at that time the grade school teachers felt it encroached on their territory, so she closed it down. Later she worked for R.E. and Alice Moore in the men’s department of their store. She ended up with a daycare home business. At one time she had twelve children all under school age. She always said the more children you had the less fights, as they always had someone else they could play with.

Mildred went to Calgary to keep a house for her Uncle Albert for room and board while she attended Henderson’s Secretarial School. She also worked for Ambrose Wise doing housework. She returned to Cochrane and worked in the Royal Bank for a few months. Mildred married John (Jack) Richard Elliott on August 13, 1960. They raised five children.

Around this time Patricia became ill with hepatitis. She was progressively worse over the next year, spending most of this time in and out of hospital. Mildred and Jack’s children, Jacquie and Darcy, were both born in the Calgary General Hospital where Patricia spent a lot of time. She was so happy to have a niece and nephew and treasured the short time she had with them before passing away on December 16, 1961.

Mildred and Jack lived in several areas of Alberta moving with Jack’s job on the oil rigs. They were in Cochrane when Jacqueline Irene was born and on the Whitfield farm outside of town when Darcy Norman came along, moving to Westward Ho and into their trailer just before Monesa Patricia joined them and to the Hollowood Ranch Store west of Cochrane before Marjorie Joy was born. Soon after they made their home in Exshaw where Gwendelyn Elizabeth completed the family. In 1974 with the help of Roy and several others, Mildred and Jack built a house in Exshaw and settled in that area. Jack worked for the Loders Lime plant, eventually working up to plant manager. September of 1995, Jack was offered a position in West Wendover, Nevada with the company. He and Mildred left family and friends behind to start out on a new adventure, on their own for the first time in about thirty .

years. All of their children were grown up. Jacquie had a stint in the Canadian Armed Forces and married Danny Strong. They spent six years in Germany before returning to Cold Lake where they adopted their son Andrew Johnathan. After moving several times they are now living in Crossfield. Darcy married Diane Berard and works at Spray Lakes Sawmill. They have lived in Cochrane for about 20 years and have a daughter Shianne Claudia Lynn. Monesa married Daniel Podmoroff and they eventually went back to their farming roots and are living outside of Wetaskiwin. Their son Keith David married Heather Jahnke and son Cody Adam is venturing into the working world now. Marjorie spent a lot of time in B .C. mostly in Radium Edgewater areas. She married Barry Cornelson. Unfortunately, she passed away on March 13, 2005, just before her 40th birthday. Gwendelyn Elizabeth married Leonard Lang. They lived and worked in Banff with their three children, Tero Parker, Xena Kennedy, and Chazz Alexander. Leonard passed away in November of 2000. Gwendelyn has been blessed with Robert King and they have two more children Tanzin Jadea and Corbin Texas.

It took some time for Mildred to adjust to the distance from family. She and Jack made at least two trips back to Alberta each year. Often Mildred would spend a month here with Roy after Iris passed on. Then on December 5th, 2003 Mildred lost her 4 1/2 year battle with cancer. The family has been fortunate to welcome Jack’s wife Arny into the fold. They have a large blended family and after retirement in 2006 will be busy trying to spend time with everyone.

December 21 , 1963 David married Patricia Lynn Black of Calgary. They, too, moved around before settling down. Starting their married life in Calgary, and spending a short time living with Roy and Iris, they welcomed a daughter Sandra Lee Ann. Moving into a basement apartment, their family increased with Clinton Roy. Another move to a house and yard and along came Kent David. In 1970 David and Pat were able to obtain a lot from their neighbour Robert Armistead and moved on a house, which they added onto and spent the next twenty years in. Also, during this time they completed their family with Cameron John. In 1989 David and Pat decided to move to the Winchel Lake area and made their home at Woodland Springs Ranching Ltd. After trying their luck at cattle and sheep ranching they returned to Cochrane and built a new home in Bow Ridge. David worked for Bill Wearmouth, the Alberta Highways Department Whittle Implements and Spray Lakes Sawmill. He spent one term on the Town Council in the 1970’s. 

Sandra married Kevin Joseph Kinch and they have two daughters, Kay Lee Marie and Josie Lynn, and a son, Taiten Lee. Sandy and Kevin have made their home in Didsbury. Clinton married Veronika Schlathler and they have a son, Colton Roy. Clinton and Veronika have a horse ranch near Fort MacLeod and Clinton works in the agricultural field. Kent took up commercial electrical wiring and has settled in Crossfield. He has a son Austin Robert. Cameron works in the oil fields and on construction framing houses. He lives in Cochrane.

Ida worked at Scott Lake Hill as a waitress at least one summer and had a short stint as an operator at the Cochrane Telephone Exchange, while taking courses to become a nurse’s aide. On April 8, 1968, Ida settled down in Radville, Saskatchewan and married John Earl Williams. Ida had spent several years as a nurse’s aide (now known as an LPN) working in Drumheller, Medicine Hat, Rayville, and Moose Jaw before becoming a farmer’s wife. She and Earl lived in trailers, which they moved from the farm in fall to Radville and back to the farm in spring. Rochelle Della and Blakley Errol were both born during this time. Then Ida and Earl bought an acreage on the edge of Radville, where James John completed their family. In 1983 they moved to Pangman area, the “four corners”, which is where Highways #6 and #13 intersect. While Earl continued to farm, Ida moved the boys into Weyburn to finish their high school, and she did some part time nursing. With Earls passing in July 1994, Ida and Blake continued to farm for a couple of years. Rochelle had moved to Toronto and James followed her once he finished school. Ida decided to join them in Toronto. In 1997 the farms were sold and Blake moved to Cochrane and worked at Spray Lakes Sawmill for a while. Rochelle married Drayson Hendricks and they have three sons: Austin Drayson, Matthew Earl, and

Drayson Beau. They live in Barrie, Ontario. Blake married Ellen Higgins and they have 2 daughters, Emma Alexis and Alexandra Ella. They live in Wedlock, Saskatchewan. James married Sandra Vilene. They live in Scarborough, Ontario. Ida remarried in February 15, 2003 to Robert Gifkins and they reside in Barrie, Ontario.

At the ripe old age of seven, Bernice had her parents to herself. The older kids and grandkids came by to visit often. The nieces and nephews were closer in age to her than the actual siblings. Iris and Roy seldom went anywhere without Bernice. By the time she was eighteen, the three had become quite dependent on each other. They made several trips together to Reno to see Iris’s sister Jessie and brother-in-law Vern. They stopped along the way to visit other family members, Lenora and Harry, Myrtle and Ken, Laura’s husband Paul, and several of Iris’s nieces and nephews. Bernice developed a liking for travel. In the 1970’s she and friend Heather (Robinson) Brosseau traveled to Britain, Europe and Australia. 

In 1980, Roy, Iris and Bernice took a trip to Ontario, Michigan, & Pennsylvania. Roy’s father David came from that area and they looked up his old school and then visited the house in Breslau, Ontario. area that David’s grandfather had built. Both buildings were still in use. This was the fourth trip to Michigan and Ontario for Roy, Iris and Bernice. Each time Roy would be upgrading his school bus so he would go to Brantford, Ontario and drive the new one back home. 1982 found the travelers in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Then in 1986, they journeyed to Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. This time they had grandson Clinton with them. Many other shorter and closer trips were made, especially after

they got a 5th wheel. They ventured up the Alaskan Highway, getting back through the mountain passes just before the first snowstorms.

On October 10, 1987, Bernice married Maurice Gerald Klotz. Their courtship was spent building a house with a lot of help from Roy and many other family members. Having always teased David about not leaving home (he lived across the street for 20 years), Bernice learned to be quiet as she built on the lot next door to the folks. She has literally never left home, having lived with her parents until age 31 and moving across the driveway when she did move out. Roy kept busy with his yard work and lots of carpentry projects, while Iris found lots of time to spend helping her neighbours. Bob Armistead was able to stay in his home until Dolly and Allister moved from See be to be with him in 1979. During this time Iris checked on Bob two and three times daily, usually playing several hands of cribbage on each visit. Many other seniors depended on her to visit regularly. Both Roy and Iris had been avid curlers, and as retirees, became golfers. September 20, 1998 Roy and Iris attended grandson Blake’s wedding and two days later Iris ended up in hospital and passed away September 30, J 998. Roy was able to stay in his own home and was happy to work in his garden and yard. The last two years he supervised and advised Bernice while she did the actual work. Roy attended his great-grandson Keith’s wedding in Red Deer on September 11, 2004. On October 10, 2004 he passed on. 

Martin and Catherine Hansen Family

by

by Linda Steeves pg 482 More Big Hill Country 2009

Another in our continuing series on Willing, Working, Women, the women behind the Cochrane Library coming into being.

Mark Boothby

Martin Ernest Hansen was born January 25, 1913 on the homestead of Andrea and Halvar Hansen at Harptree, Saskatchewan. Martin was the second youngest of seven children and enjoyed a “little house on the prairie” upbringing. Martin completed Grade 8 at Harptree with honours. This being the end of his formal education he was a self taught man. He had an excellent memory and sports were a special interest for him. Hockey and baseball games were recorded forever in his memory. Martin and his brother Cony worked in Manitoba during the depression, then Martin travelled to the west coast and worked in the logging industry on the Queen Charlotte Islands for a time. On a trip to Butte, Alberta in 1941 to visit family members he met Catherine Davis.

Catherine Davis was born in Bagot, Manitoba on October 24, 1918 to William and Margaret Davis. The Davis family moved to Alberta in 1929. They worked and lived in the northeast area of Calgary until 1933 when they participated in the “Back to the Land” government program and moved to Butte, Alberta to take up farming. Catherine and her sister, Victoria went to a Home Service Training School in Calgary. They lived in the Lougheed mansion in 1940. Both of them found employment working for households in the Mount Royal area of Calgary. During the war they returned to the farm at Butte where Catherine met Martin.

Martin and Catherine were married at the Presbyterian Church in Rocky Mountain House in 1942. They rented a farm at Condor, Alberta for two years before buying their own farm at Butte, Alberta. Farming became difficult with Martin having to work away from home both summer and winter. At this time there was no busing in the area and if they wanted the children to be educated beyond Grade 9 they would

have to send them to a boarding school or make some arrangements for them to stay with someone in Caroline or Rocky Mountain House. In April of 1955 they moved to Cochrane, Alberta where Martin had acquired a job with the Canadian Pacific Railway at Mitford.

Martin and Catherine had eight children: James Edwin born February 12, 1943 died February 13, 1943 at Eckville, Alberta; Linda Margaret born April 21 , 1944 at Eckville, Alberta; Eileen Andrea born December 9, 1945 at Eckville, Alberta; Allan Ross born June 16, 1947 at Eckville, Alberta; Fay Beverly born September 15, 1948 at Eckville, Alberta; Ernest Kenneth born June 5, 1955 at Calgary, Alberta; Doreen Mary born April 14, 1957 at Calgary, Alberta; Larry Douglas born March 11, 1962 at Calgary, Alberta.

When the family moved to Cochrane they could not find a house to live in. The Catholic manse had been built previous to 1912 and stood beyond the corner that the highway made as it approached Cochrane from the big hill. In the early years when speed was not a factor the location was likely safe. In the 1950’s as speed and traffic on the highway increased many accidents occurred. The Catholic Church had deemed it unsafe to live in and decided to sell it on the condition that it be moved. It had been hit by several trucks and cars as they missed making the tum at the bottom of the hill into Cochrane. Martin purchased the house for $750.00 and a lot in the west end of town for $250.00. He spent his spare time that summer preparing the house to be moved. The house was on blocks to be moved when it was hit again in June 1955 delaying the move of the house until October 1955. The family moved in on Grey Cup Day, 1955. Living was pretty rustic by today’s standards but it was very comfortable with indoor plumbing, power and gas heat. None of these services were available on the farm that the family had left.

In 1958 Gramma and Grandpa Davis left their farm at Butte and came to live in a two room apartment Martin had prepared on one end of the house. The children enjoyed a close relationship with their grandparents. Gramma passed away in 1960 but Grandpa lived with the family until his passing in 1965 and played an integral part in family life.

Martin retired from the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1978. He and Catherine sold the big old house and moved to the trailer court. In May of 1979 Martin was part of the Cochrane Ranche Historic Park Dedication Services. He represented the railroader in the ceremony.

In 1985 Bobby Hull was in the area promoting Bovair Ear Tags for the UFA Co-op. Son-in-law Walter Lewis was able to bring him to tea with Martin and Catherine. Martin, being an avid sports fan, had a wonderful experience meeting a hockey legend. It was a thrill of a lifetime for him to talk about some of the memorable plays of the sport with a real hockey hero.

Catherine worked for the Nan Boothby Memorial Library for 25 years and enjoyed the books and the people that she met there. All of her children developed a love of reading from her interest in written material. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge, the United Church Women and the St Andrews United Church in Cochrane from 1955 until her passing in 2004.

Martin and Catherine moved to the Big Hill Lodge in 1992. They made many new friends there. Catherine continued her volunteer work at the Tuk Shop and assisting others at the tables etc. Martin found companionship with other sports fans. They enjoyed a lot of company from their large family and grandchildren. Martin passed away in 1996. Catherine continued to be a part of the Big Hill Community until the last month of her life. Her 80th birthday was a significant social event for the lodge residents. Her children served 120 pieces of cake and ice cream on china plates, (some which had belonged to her) and tea in china cups. Catherine was further honored at the celebration of Cochrane’s 100th Anniversary by being awarded a special citizenship award recognizing her commitment to her community.

Raising a good family was a source of great pride to Martin and Catherine. The good of the children was always their first concern when making family decisions. Always life was to be better for their children than for them. Raising a family of 7 children on a single salary is a feat to be admired by today’s society. There was always room for one more at the dinner table. That meant there would be another opinion for the topics that were discussed around the large dining room table that was the center of this home.

Linda, the oldest child, married Floyd Steeves of Cochrane and had 5 children. Their story appears elsewhere as they were residents of Cochrane until 1979.

Eileen graduated from Cochrane High School in 1963, attended one year at the University in Calgary and then worked for the Royal Bank of Canada for nine years. She married Wayne Burkholder of Didsbury in 1968 at the St. Andrews United Church in Cochrane. Wayne worked for Mobil Oil at the Harmatten Gas Plant at Westward Ho. They moved to Westward Ho and built their own home in 1976. Grant was born in 1972, married Cindy Dawe in 1994 and now resides in Warburg, Alberta. Brenda was born in 1974, attended the University of Alberta in Edmonton, married Jay Losey in 2003 and works for the government in Edmonton. Brenda and Jay had their first child, Jacob Thomas in September 2006. Gayle was born in 1977, attended the U of A in Edmonton and currently lives and teaches English in Korea. Wayne was transferred to Drayton Valley in 1990. Wayne and Eileen are now retired, live in Drayton Valley, Alberta, and spend a lot of time travelling. They have been to Europe to visit students that had been exchange students in their home. They have been to New Zealand and Korea to visit Gayle. They have spent several winter holidays in warmer climates to the south of us.

Allan attended Cochrane School until he was in grade 7 when he attended the first Opportunity classes at Queen Victoria School in Calgary for four years. During this time he stayed with Uncle Ross and Aunt Charlotte Davis, Uncle Clarence and Aunt Joan Davis and then Floyd and Linda Steeves. Allan worked in a car wash for two years and at the Palliser Hotel as a bus boy for three years. In 1975 he entered a program for special needs at the Vocational Rehabilitation and Research Institute in Calgary. Following the completion of this program he lived on his own working at a bottle depot and at Inter-faith clothing in Calgary.

Allan now resides at the L’Arche Home in Calgary. L’Arche is a part of the International Federation of Christian Communities founded by Jean Vanier in 1964. The community of L’Arche, Calgary, is a place where men and women with developmental disabilities and those who assist them live and work together. They learn from each other. This has provided Allan a sense of home and family of cherished friends.

Fay graduated from Cochrane High School in 1966. She married Walter Lewis January 28, 1967 at the Cochrane United Church. Walter worked for Alberta Wheat Pool, Sure Gain and United Farmers of Alberta. Fay has worked at the Big Hill Lodge for over 20 years. They spent most of their married life northwest of Cochrane raising horses, sheep, chickens, cats and dogs. Dale Jonathon was born on March 19, 1968. He attended Cochrane School, Dr. Collett School in Calgary and Olds College for two years. He is an Agricultural Mechanic and currently works in Drayton Valley. He and his wife Jackie live with children, Ashley (14) and Mitchell (12) at Buck Creek, Alberta. Rodney Keith was born June 24, 1970 in Calgary. Rodney graduated from Cochrane High School, attended U of Calgary and Red Deer College for a total of 3 years. He currently works and lives in Red Deer. He married Dorine Labrecque in 1996. They have 3 children: Jonathon, Jessica and Ezekial. Christina Fay was born in Red Deer in May of 1972. Christina graduated

from Cochrane High School and took a two year course at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Graphics. She is married to Eric Levesque and has three children: Jade, Miller and Clare. Catherine Ava was born on November 11 , 1979 in Calgary. She graduated from Cochrane High School and attended SAIT where she studied Television and Radio. She is currently employed by Global TV in Calgary. Catherine married Scott Zieman in July of 2005 and now resides in Cochrane. Walter passed away in 2003 and Fay moved from Horse Creek Road to Cochrane in 2006.

Ernie was the first of the Hansen children to be born in Cochrane, a relatively civilized place compared to the rustic conditions of the farm the family left in 1955. Ernie has fond memories of growing up in a typical Alberta rural community, taking part in activities such as hunting gophers and rabbits, shooting birds with a pellet gun and fishing in the Bow River and Jumping Pound Creek. Ernie caught his first trout when he was 8 years old. His Dad had told him he would not be a true fisherman until he brought something home for the table rather than the suckers caught in the Big Hill Creek. To celebrate the event Dad took him downtown and purchased a real fishing rod, reel and several fishing lures to replace the stick and line he had caught the trout with. These were simpler times when parents were comfortable with their children biking several miles out of town and spending the entire day away from home. Ernie graduated with matriculation from the Cochrane High School in 1973 and obtained a Bachelor of Commerce in 1983 from the Unjversity of Calgary. Ernie obtained employment with Shell Canada and has lived and worked in Cochrane, Swan Hills and presently Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. He married Susan Holmes of Swan Hills in 1991 and acquired a stepdaughter Crystal. His son, Martin John Hansen was born in 1992 at Swan Hills.

Doreen graduated from Cochrane High School in 1976. She spent some of her growing-up years involved in piano lessons, Brownies, Explorers, CGIT, swimming and hiking in the hills around Cochrane. Doreen worked for the Royal Bank in Cochrane after graduation until her marriage to Norman Willey in April of 1979. Norm came to Alberta from Quebec and worked as a power lineman for Calgary Power. Norm worked in Cochrane, Spruce Grove, Hughendon, Evansburg, Cochrane and Vilcjng. Robin Delbert was born January 6, 1984 at Wainwright, graduated from Viking High School and is currently taking Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge. After graduation in 2006, Robin hopes to continue in graduate school. Andrea Linda was born July 27, 1986 in Drayton Valley, Alberta. She graduated from Viking High School in 2004 and is currently enrolled at the University of Alberta, Edmonton. Andrea aspires to become a lawyer. Natalie Lorraine was born November 19, 1988 in Drayton Valley, Alberta. She graduated from Viking High School in 2006 and plans to continue her education in Edmonton in the fall of 2006. Doreen works part-time as a receptionist at the Medical Clinic in Viking. She is the Choir Director for the Viking United Church, a member of the Royal Purple and still plays her piano. It is noteworthy that Doreen has the piano that belonged to Margaret Davis, her maternal grandmother, who earned a living giving piano lessons in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, before her marriage to William Davis in 1914. This piano was moved to the farm at Butte in the early thirties and provided much entertainment for the family. The piano was often loaded on a stoneboat and taken to other locations where Gramma Davis played it for dances and singsongs. Linda and Eileen remember their Grandma playing the piano to teach them the songs that would be played at church or Sunday School which was held in the Clear Creek School they attended before moving to Cochrane. The piano was moved to Martin and Catherine’s home for the girls to take piano lessons. All four of the girls took lessons from Winnie Neilson. Doreen took lessons for the longest time and became the best player of the girls and she inherited the treasured family piano.

Larry Douglas was educated in Cochrane as the rest of his family. Larry grew up in the unique situation of having his nieces Joyce and Donna, attend the same school as him. He was the oldest of the three but he did not appreciate being called “Uncle Larry” on the playground. Larry worked at various jobs in the Cochrane area before settling on groundskeeper for the Water Valley Golf Course and icemaker for the Cochrane

Curling Club in the winter. Larry and Ernie coached little league baseball in Cochrane for a number of years. Larry married Nancy Bach of Cochrane on September 9, 2000. Their daughter Grace was born in 2002 and as the youngest grandchild of Martin and Catherine she has a special place in the hearts of her aunts and uncles. Larry and Nancy have a home in the southwest area of Cochrane. They pass the old Jumping Pound swimming hole on the way to their place and are constantly reminded of the growth of Cochrane as they enjoy the view of the Horse Creek Road across the Bow River north of their home. Each year Larry and Nancy host a curling bonspiel for family and friends. This is a much anticipated event in the early spring for the family to gather for a potluck supper and some reminiscing of happy times spent growing up in Cochrane.

All of the children of Martin and Catherine Hansen grew up with a strong love of family and have always taken great pride in the strength and commitment to each other their family has given them. Along with this pride of family came a commitment to the communities that they have lived in. All of them have given of themselves in various ways to better the world that they live in. This is truly a way to honour the standards their parents had set for them.

Deep Dive

The impact of Fire in Cochrane and Area

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Cochrane has been threatened by many fires over the years.  Here are a few covered in More Big Hill Country, CHAPS YouTube channel and our social media channels.

This article was inspired by the Fire Smart program in Cochrane. 

Growing up on a ranch outside of Cochrane, Dad and the neighbours were called to many grass fires.  As a teenager, I recall a fire north of Camden Lane that got into the willows and was only stopped by a fire break created by Gordon Callaway and his plow. The wind was blowing from the west, as it always seems to. I recall the crews being desperate to stop the flames before reaching the willows. Using only water buckets, wet burlap, rakes and shovels was a tough battle. Gordon raced home, hooked up his plow and made a quickfire break through grassland and willows. Thankfully, it was pretty much over then. If it wasn’t stopped there, the fire could have gone east for kilometers through trees and native grass pasture.

My wife and I were in Williams Lake last year when a fire threatened the town. We could hear explosions as the fire got into a wrecker’s yard. The smoke and ash were all over town. We were a kilometer away and had to watch for burning embers and the grass fires they could have easily started.

The fire was only stopped by the intervention of a nearby fire plane base and the quick response of several fire departments. Else,  who knows how much of the town would have burned.

Fires recently destroyed significant portions of Jasper, Ft. McMurray, and Slave Lake.

1927 The Murphy Hotel was destroyed by fire. A few furnishings were saved but the big oil painting of Cyclone which hung there was overlooked and lost.  (Cochrane’s other Hotel)

Murphy Hotel (Alberta Hotel)
Murphy Hotel

Fisher Block 1928

Brushy Ridge School

1936 WAS THE DRIEST YEAR WE EVER EXPERIENCED. ALL THE CROPS HAD TO BE CUT WITH A MOWER AND EVERYBODY SCRAPED A BIT OF HAY WHERE EVER THEY COULD, THEN ON NOVEMBER 19 A FIRE, WHICH HAD BEEN BURNING FOR SEVERAL DAYS IN THE FOOTHILLS, FANNED BY A 90 MILE AN HOUR WIND BROKE OUT INTO THE OPEN COUNTRY. BY THE TIME IT GOT TO THE BRUSHY RIDGE DISTRICT IT WAS NEARLY SIX MILES WIDE. WATCHERS STANDING ON COCHRANE HILL SAID THAT AFTER IT CROSSED THE JUMPING POUND CREEK IT TOOK BUT THREE MINUTES TO COVER THE FIVE MILES TO BRUSHY RIDGE SCHOOL. (Alfred Callaway Family)

Vernice Wearmouth tells of Brushy Ridge Fire

Elevator Fire 1983

Elevator Fire 1983

 Esso Depot 1983

In 1983, the office and storage warehouse burned to the ground in a spectacular fire. Lorne helped to rebuild the business until his retirement in 1985. (Helmig Family)

Ramada Fire Cochrane Eagle February 2022
Ramada Fire Cochrane Times February 2022

February 6, 2022 Ramada Hotel

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