by Annie Derrick pg 268 Big Hill Country
My mother, Sarah Quigley, was born in Westville, Nova Scotia, and came to Cochrane in 1885. Dad was born in Pembroke, Ontario, and came West with a harvest excursion. Dad was on his way back to Centralia and decided to stop at Cochrane to visit his brother Jack, who had come to Cochrane in 1904 and took out a homestead in 1905. Uncle Jack moved to Gleichen in 1906. Dad was persuaded to stay at Cochrane and work at Uncle Tom Quigley’s sawmill, as a millwright. Mother was cooking at the mill and it was here that she met Dad. They were married in September 1905. I was born in the old Quigley house at the east end of Cochrane (Barnharts live there now). Mother and Dad were still working at the mill when I was born and they used to tell the story about Dad keeping the horses ready several days before I arrived, in case there was a rush trip to Cochrane.
Later Mother and Dad moved to Cochrane. Dad and the Chapman brothers built our house just across the road from Grandpa Quigley. Edna was born in the old Quigley house, and my brother Jim was born there too, but it had been made into a hospital by the time Jim was born. Jack was born in Grandpa’s little brick house (Sibbald house).
Later Mother and Dad moved to Cochrane. Dad and the Chapman brothers built our house just across the road from Grandpa Quigley. Edna was born in the old Quigley house, and my brother Jim was born there too, but it had been made into a hospital by the time Jim was born. Jack was born in Grandpa’s little brick house (Sibbald house).
I can recall the flu epidemic in 1918. Grandma Quigley was kept busy nursing all the ill members of her family. She went from house to house tending to them all.
Dad did carpenter work for a few years and also ran a garage. We moved to the house beside Chapman’s garage. I attended school in Cochrane and took part in the Drama Club. In 1922 the family moved to Exshaw, Alberta, where they lived until Dad’s death in 1942.
We have many happy memories of our parents’ parties, Quigley reunions and picnics at Big Hill Springs. One time I took the dance crowd home because it was too cold in the Orange Hall. Mother and Dad got up and made lunch for all of us. Our friends were always welcome at our house. Mother often spoke of the Cochrane races and the one thing that she recalled was the oranges and bananas. She said they looked forward to the races because that was the only time they could have such fruit.
Edna married Maurice Walker of Exshaw, they have one son, Russel, and a daughter, Jean. They have seven grandchildren.
I married Dan Derrick of Warner, Alberta, and we have three sons, John, and twins, Ronald and Donald. Dan passed away in 1938 and I went back teaching school.
Jim married Doreen Dewell of England and they have three children, Marilyn, Michael and Martin.
Mother lived with me for several years until she passed away in 1972, at the age of 89.
Interesting that the town of Centralia is mentioned in this excerpt. Centralia is located very close to Ilderton where we last lived before moving to Cochrane. Just as Cochrane thrived with the coming of the railroad so did Centralia with the building of the London Huron Bruce RR in 1875.