CHAPS commemorates community members lost in 2023, highlighting their contributions through obituaries and articles. Notable passings include Dorothy May Edge, Janette Whittle, and others, with Valerie Wilson’s life celebrated on January 13, 2024, and Beryl Sibbald’s funeral on January 22, 2024. CHAPS offers condolences for any omissions.
Our brother Tom was a big lad and very handy at building things. He built a wagon from old brake wheels, thrown away off the boxcars. He bought an old horse and drove around gathering up buffalo bones for the sugar refineries. They used these bones for bleaching the sugar. Tom piled the bones along the railway track and they were loaded into boxcars when there were enough to ship. We kids had lots of fun playing on the big piles of bones.
Her two most favourite memories in Cochrane were getting the George Fox Trail named for George Fox, and being part of the entourage of pioneer women who came down the big hill at Cochrane’s Centennial.
Caroline’s dedication and love of community lives on in other female Mayor’s and Councillors who came after her and those who are yet to serve their community.
1964 was an exciting year when Ray and Marilyn built a new house. On application for a mortgage from CMHC, they were told that they couldn’t have a full mortgage since the house would never have any resale value in Cochrane.
Smallpox still occurred although vaccination had been available for many years. In 1908, an epidemic occurred in Cochrane. Tents were erected down by the river and anyone with smallpox was sent there. Guards were stationed on the roads and at the railway station to prevent anyone from entering or leaving the town for any reason. These guards carried rifles and enforced the quarantine to the letter.
Harold Payn Le Sueur homesteaded on Spencer Creek, and he and Edward lived on the Glenbow Ranch and played polo with the Glenbow team in 1909.
R. B. Bennett was Prime Minister then and I think he was the only Prime Minister to keep his promise. He said if he were elected he would have Canada on its feet in sixty days; within thirty days there were thousands walking across the country looking for work.
When the Special Train from Montreal to Vancouver, with Sir John A. Macdonald and party aboard, arrived in Calgary on July 21, 1886, negotiations took place with Frank White et al. The Government settled the dispute in favor of Rev. John McDougall.
Tractors were becoming popular as well as grain binders and threshing machines so in 1916, a local blacksmith George Hope, acquired a John Deere franchise.
