About the Work
“The Bridge” is a substantial community history of Abernethy, Saskatchewan, and the surrounding districts, compiled from a remarkable range of sources: pioneer diaries, municipal records, newspaper accounts, church archives, organizational minutes, and personal family reminiscences. The work is structured as a collective memoir, weaving together the voices of homesteaders, their descendants, and local historians into a single narrative tapestry. The book draws heavily on the detailed diaries of Sam Chipperfield, an early settler who recorded the daily rhythms of pioneer life with remarkable fidelity, and extends forward through successive generations to the late twentieth century.
The geographic focus is the Pheasant Plains region of the Qu’Appelle Valley, an area that includes the towns of Abernethy, Balcarres, Lemberg, and the surrounding rural municipalities. The chronological sweep is ambitious, beginning with the first waves of settlement in 1882 and continuing through the major events of prairie history: the Riel Rebellion, the coming of the railway, the establishment of schools and churches, two World Wars, the Great Depression, and the gradual modernization of rural life. The book is clearly the product of a community history committee, drawing on the collective memory and archival resources of the district, and it bears the characteristic strengths of the genre: an intimate knowledge of local detail, a deep respect for the pioneer generation, and a determination to preserve the record of a way of life that has largely disappeared.
The title “The Bridge” carries both literal and metaphorical weight. The building of railway trestles and road bridges was a practical necessity for the settlers, but the word also suggests the connections between past and present, between the pioneer generation and their descendants, and between the scattered communities of the district. The book itself serves as a bridge across time, allowing contemporary readers to understand the experiences of those who came before.
Context
The settlement of the Pheasant Plains region occurred during one of the most significant periods of Canadian expansion. Following the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Dominion Government’s active promotion of western settlement, waves of immigrants from Ontario, the British Isles, and continental Europe moved onto the prairies in the early 1880s. The land system that shaped this settlement was a complex patchwork of homestead provisions, railway grants, and colonization company holdings. Even-numbered sections were generally reserved for homesteaders, who paid a ten-dollar entry fee and fulfilled cultivation and residency requirements to obtain title. Odd-numbered sections were granted to the CPR in payment for railway construction, while certain sections were set aside for school support and the Hudson’s Bay Company. Colonization companies such as the Primitive Methodist Colonization Company and the Ontario and Qu’Appelle Land Company acquired blocks of land and actively recruited settlers from eastern Canada and England.
The settlers who came to this region were predominantly of British origin, many from Ontario and the British Isles. They brought with them the institutions of their home communities: the church, the school, the Orange Lodge, the Masonic Lodge, and the various fraternal and benevolent societies that structured social life in Victorian and Edwardian Canada. The Primitive Methodist connection was particularly strong in the Pheasant Plains area, with several families arriving together under the auspices of the colonization company.
The period covered by the book encompasses extraordinary change. The settlers of 1882 arrived to a treeless prairie, living in tents and sod shacks, hauling water and fuel, and facing the constant threat of frost, drought, and fire. Within a generation, they had established thriving communities with grain elevators, banks, hotels, churches, and schools. The coming of the automobile in the early twentieth century began to reshape settlement patterns, and the two World Wars drew young people away from the farms and exposed them to a wider world. The latter half of the twentieth century brought the familiar pressures of rural depopulation, as small towns struggled to maintain their institutions in the face of centralization and the movement of young people to urban centres.
Structure of the Book
The book is organized into several major sections, each approaching the history of the district from a different angle. The opening chapters follow the earliest years of settlement, drawing heavily on the diary of Sam Chipperfield, who arrived in 1882 and recorded the establishment of the community in remarkable detail. These chapters trace the journey to the Pheasant Plains, the first winters in tents and shacks, the breaking of the land, the harvest of 1885, and the gradual accumulation of the infrastructure of civilized life: roads, bridges, post offices, and schools.
The political development of the district receives careful attention. Sam Chipperfield’s home served as a polling station and meeting place for the early elections, and his diary records the contests between Liberal and Conservative candidates, the emergence of the Patrons of Industry, and the sometimes questionable practices of the era, including the distribution of dollar bills to voters. The establishment of local government, from the Local Improvement District to the Rural Municipality of Abernethy No. 186, is traced through council minutes and records.
A substantial portion of the book is devoted to the institutional life of the community. The churches receive extended treatment, from the first services held in settlers’ homes to the building of permanent structures and the eventual union of denominations. The schools are similarly documented, with detailed accounts of the establishment of the Kenlis School District in 1885, the construction of school buildings, the appointment of teachers, and the daily operations of rural education. The various organizations that bound the community together are each given their due: the Masonic Lodge, the Orange Lodge, the I.O.D.E., the Red Cross, the 4-H clubs, the beef rings, the snow plow clubs, and the many other associations that flourished in the district.
The commercial and business history of Abernethy is traced through the rise and fall of its various enterprises. The book documents the establishment of general stores, blacksmith shops, implement dealers, hotels, bakeries, and banks, noting the succession of owners and the changing nature of commerce. The cooperative movement receives particular attention, with extended accounts of the Abernethy Farmers’ Union, the Co-operative Association, and the Credit Union, all of which played significant roles in the economic life of the district.
The latter portions of the book are devoted to family histories, with individual entries submitted by descendants of the pioneer families. These genealogical sketches trace the movements of families from their origins in Ontario, England, Scotland, Germany, Russia, and elsewhere, through their settlement in the district, and forward to the present generation. The entries vary in length and detail but collectively provide a rich portrait of the human fabric of the community.
Inside the Book
Albert’s Work and the Journey to Bob Ril’s
Since 1904, Albert had settled into a steady rhythm: winters spent in Regina, summers working for a farmer near Indian Head, with his employment tied to the CPR at a rate of $125 daily. He was an active member of the Anglican Church choir, playing the organ and singing. Albert spoke warmly of the Indian people and of his life as a hired man on the Keni Plains, saying nice things about “our people.” The narrator, Sam, traveled north of Sintaluta, a four-hour journey by wagon, to visit Bob Ril’s. They stayed at Boland’s place, where the food was good on the first night but poor on the second, and they slept on the floor of the living room. Bob was in good spirits. After packing his belongings, Sam started for Pilot Butte, where a man with a team and wagon offered him a ride, wanting a man for harvest—describing them as the best fellows ever.
Harvest Work and the Keswick Area
Late in the season, a man from Wellington County, Ontario, near Picton, hired Sam. They cut grain for Kenlan and others. The workers were mostly young men with upper and lower berths who did chores. The hired man was an old hand who had “been there,” but that only made things worse. When the crop was ready for threshing, each farmer pooled his teams and racks, helping one another when the threshing machine came. Keswick was near Pheasant Forks, with the church on the corner. The area was home to people from Ontario, including the Bachman family. Sam worked with a team of horses hauling grain, and Les got him work. The Qu’Appelle Valley was slippery in the spring.
Social Life and Local Residents
Dances and socials were frequent. Sam attended dances at Wright’s place near Pheasant Creek, where there were good dancers among the women. One Mounted Police team played baseball against the Indians and lost, so they gave the Indians a prize. The baseball team at Kes included Geel Stor, Alon Brook, Gordon Bron, Haren Make, Bll Buxton, and Dr. Ral. At threshing time, rooms were sold. The Carper family had daughters who cooked, and Mr. Pare’s granddaughter sang in the church choir.
Politics and Elections
Sam attended political meetings regularly. On February 21, 1887, he walked to Peter Ferguson’s for supper with the Liberal candidate for MP, where six persons spoke for the Liberal interest. On June 12, 1888, 36 people voted in Sam’s house—a “test vote for Dill and Thompson.” Thompson beat Dill 19-17. Dill and Richardson became candidates for the North West Legislature, with nominations taking place in Sam’s house on June 27. Dill received 28 votes and Richardson 5, but Richardson won by 11 votes. In February 1890, Sam corresponded with Richardson about roads and the Hudson Bay Trail. A year later, Sam chaired a public meeting with Dill and Richardson. On February 18, Sam posted notice of a general election for Canada—nomination on February 25, polling on March 5. Richardson gave each voter $1.00. On polling day, Sam walked to vote for the Honorable Mr. Dill, serving as Deputy Returning Officer. “Sir William” John Teece, who had come from Ireland the year before, was dubbed “Sir William.” Dill polled 13 votes to Richardson’s 0, winning by 99 votes. In 1894, Dill won 21 to Fleming’s 2. On June 23, 1896, Douglas was elected as a “Liberal,” and the Patrons of Industry entered Farmer candidates. Arthur Garner replaced “Sir William” as poll clerk.
The Land System and Post Office History
Sam explained the surveying systems: the second system used 99-foot chains measured on one side of a section for road allowance; the third system allowed one chain (66 feet) along section lines running north-south and alternate lines east-west. Even-numbered sections (except 8 and 26) were reserved for homesteading, with a $10.00 entry fee. Odd-numbered sections were given to the CPR in payment for railway construction, except 11 and 23, which were set aside for school support. The Primitive Methodist Colonization Company and the Ontario and Qu’Appelle Land Company acquired land, and settlers purchased CPR land at about $3.00 per acre.
Mail service developed gradually. In January 1884, mail was picked up at Indian Head, with bachelors like Walter Gough and Eustace Maloy carrying it. By 1885, Pheasant Forks and Ellisboro had established post offices. Sam circulated a petition for a post office in 1886. John N. Blackwood became postmaster at Raney on October 1, 1884, and Richard J. Smith was postmaster at Abernethy from September 1, 1884. Robert Balfour Crawford of Indian Head organized mail runs. Sam was appointed postmaster effective May 1, 1887. By 1892, Sam received $48.00 per year in post office salary, and stamp business reached $325.00. Elijah Cook drove mail from Sintaluta.
Chapter VI (1911): Business Expansion and Municipal Formation
The year 1911 saw business expansion and population movement. T. Hammer became a lamp lighter, and a new jail was being built, with a tender accepted by July. Burton and McCall were discussed by the Village Council regarding unpaid dog taxes, and several individuals were threatened with removal of telephone service unless bills were paid. T.W.H. Turner and other government groups continued with the same personnel. The secretary prepared forms regarding the formation of the District into a Municipality. At a November meeting of the L.I.D. Council, a letter from the Minister of Municipal Affairs declared L.I.D. No. 186 to be a Rural Municipality. The Dales Board of Trade asked Council to change the name to Abernethy and Baleares Rural Municipality, but the request was declined. An election was held, and J.T. Seath became the first Reeve. Many businesses from the formative years of 1904-1905 were still operating. S.E. Riggs had taken over from Frank Anderson, and William Matos had taken over from David Ranson, who changed direction and was now selling Bain Wagons and Massey Harris equipment. J.B. Gillespie expanded his business. The Abernethy Bakery was advertising oysters and oranges, and T.A. Hunt was now sole proprietor of a business, installing new gasoline lights in several town buildings. George Mitchel was selling New Challenge Threshers and Canadian Stoyer gasoline engines. A printing shop opened. D.P.J. Atkin left the Bank of Hamilton to become a partner in merchandise distribution with Scott Mackay. T.R. Dinan and Hock Mackay attended the Grain Growers Convention in Regina. H.L.H. Torper became secretary of the School Board and the Farmer’s Elevator Company. The Masonic Lodge organized. People were on the move in 1911, with the automobile being a factor in satisfying the urge to visit. Archie and William Baron represented Abernethy at a funeral for Reverend Bell. John Burton sold his land and buildings for $5000 per acre, with Wn. Bens as the purchaser, prompting a reflection on Burton’s perseverance from a homestead shack to a position of affluence.
1912-1913: Water, Roads, and Complaints
The excess water problem dominated 1912-1913, with sloughs causing issues. A culvert was constructed to drain water into what would become known as “Lake Geneva.” The replacement of wooden crossings was discussed, and the text mentions the “Knockers of anything being Done” who complained about progress. The garbage problem was also addressed, with the Rural Council instructing H.L.H. Turner and the Council of the Village of Abernethy to clean up a nuisance ground. Marion and Agnes King’s application for an increase in salary as telephone operators was considered. There was a dispute over cement usage and labor costs, with the secretary instructed to deduct wages. Council was unable to make a payment to the Agricultural Society and met with the Bank of Hamilton about a note. Black and Snyder were hired as telephone operators at $25 per month. The business community continued to develop: R. Haller improved a pool room and barber shop, Mrs. Swayze operated a bakery, J.M. Poag was a tailor, and A. Gardiner managed Robin’s Butcher Shop. Wn. Kline advertised as an auctioneer. The Bik Hotel was in business, with proprietor Jemanet inviting people to try Temperance Lager. The Lumber Manufacturers Yards provided building materials. Automobiles and road maintenance received much attention. Fort Qu’Appelle Council wrote about the advantages of a good road between Fort Qu’Appelle and Abernethy.
The Aldous Family Chronicle
Robert Sylvester Aldous, known as Bert, was the son of Robert Benjamin and Hannah Elizabeth Aldous. In November 1924, he married Kathleen Swallow of Lemberg. Their working life followed the rhythm of the land: they rented the family farm from his father from 1924 to 1930, then moved to Rleton to work another farm from 1930 to 1931. In 1932, they returned to a farm near Lovie, where they remained for three decades until selling it in 1962. They then moved to Reins, where both remained active in church and community affairs. The couple had two children: Vera, who married Jack Walkington of the Flane-Duff district, and Robert, who settled in Pance Alber.
The Allen Family Arrivals
The Allen family story in the region began when an uncle arrived at the Pheasant Forks Primitive Methodist Colony in 1882. A nephew, William Jobs Allen, born in Theford, Norfolk, England, first visited him in 1905. He returned to England, then came back in 1907 to settle in the Rosetown area. He married Bessie Lia Halls from “Tira,” and they had five children: Bit, Sy, Bi, Ale, and Gladys. Their son Sydney, born May 23, 1915, attended school at Rosetown and served in World War Two with the One and Three Special Wireless division of the Royal Canadian Signals. Upon returning to Canada, he married Keitha Minsh of Rosetown, daughter of J. Minsh, whose family had come from Ontario to homestead near Rosetown. In April 1946, Sydney and Keitha moved to their own land, SW 13 and NW 12-20. They raised six children: Sydney Job (born 1946, graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in 1981), Douglas Archir (born 1947, a veterinarian who married Alet Herzog of Mayvien and practiced in Ponce Alber), James Ence (born 1949, a science graduate from the University of Regina who worked for Sask Computers and married Del Fisher of Lipton), Robert Wiis (born 1950, also a veterinarian who worked with Doug in Prince Alter and married Jean McKen of Lemberg), Sandra Ruth (born 1950, who worked for Canada Agree and graduated from the University of Waterloo in 1981), and Gregory Herbert, who remained on the home farm. Pheasant Creek ran through their south quarter. Sydney and Keitha moved to town in 1980.
Gregory Herbert Allen
Gregory Herbert Allen was born December 6, 1953, at Baleares and was raised on the farm in the Abernethy district. He attended public school at Abernethy, high school in Baleares, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He eventually took over the home farm in the Abernethy district. On June 14, 1980, he married Louise Miller, who was born March 28, 1956, at Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and had moved to Lemberg in June 1977. She completed high school in Lemberg and worked for the Royal Bank for six years in Lemberg and Saston. On March 7, 1982, she gave birth to their son, Derek Regen.
The Anderson Pioneers
Mr. and Mrs. George Anderson were among the first settlers on the Kea Plains. They had come to Rapid City, Manitoba, from Ontario, but finding the land too stony for farming, Mr. Anderson decided to push farther west. In the spring of 1882, he filed a homestead claim on SE 34-19-11. He returned to Rapid City for the winter and came west again the following spring. After three years of farming, only a small amount of grain was saved from the frost. They raised a family of seven: Mary Ann (who married Edwin Foster), Joseph (who married Edna McDowell and preached in Chicago), Robert (who married Maca Garrat), Charlotte (who married George Tyser of Kennedy), Richard (who married Angeline Woeg), Emma (who married Wan H. Ineadan), and Jennie (who married Dan Pere). The Andersons were pillars of the community—Mr. Anderson with his writing and nursing work, and Mrs. Anderson with her efforts in building the Keals church and school. Their home was always open for services, and two of their sons were ordained ministers. In 1902, they sold their Keni farm to their son-in-law W.H. Irmond and moved to Milestone, where they lived until their deaths, later being remembered in Victoria, B.C. Robert and Richard were both active in building Masonic Lodges. The four daughters are buried in Keni Cemetery, while the parents rest in Ross Bay Cemetery, Victoria.
The Arksey Family
William Ernest Arksey was born in Ope Toshi, Ontario, on June 3, 1875, and died March 30, 1942. His wife, Hannah Jane Wells, was born in Mariposa Township, Ontario, on November 5, 1875, and died March 18, 1959. They had four children: Robert Wa (1902-1989), Laverne Ora (1907-1968), Shirley Bernice (1912), and Graydon Wells (1915-1970). The family lived in Lindsay and Toronto before coming to Abernethy in 1919. Hannah was a sister of John Wells, who farmed a few miles from the village, and a relative’s visit to Abernethy likely influenced their decision to move. The family attended the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches and later the United Church, with both parents deeply involved in church life.
The Burton Family Roots
Thomas Burton, son of William and Margaret Burton, was born November 16, 1869, in Teeswater, Ontario. He homesteaded on SE 22-20-11 in November 1888 and married Sarah Tims in August 1900. They had three children: Arthur, Alex, and Mariel. Thomas died March 17, 1919, after which Sarah and the family moved to Vancouver. Mariel died young, leaving a husband and a small daughter, Ethel May, who spent her growing-up years with her grandmother Sarah. Sarah visited Abernethy in the summer of 1955. Arthur Burton, the eldest son, returned from Vancouver to farm southwest of Abernethy in 1920 after his father’s death. After the war, his wife Mabel operated a store on Main Street, and they eventually retired to the Vancouver area.
William Burton and His Son Alan
William Burton, born at Teeswater, Ontario, on May 25, 1881, came west with his parents and homesteaded NW 36-20-11. He married Emma, born in Toronto on September 9, 1887, whose family had moved north of Glen Even, Saskatchewan, in 1898. William and Emma lived in a house until 1914, when it was moved. With World War I causing shortages of materials and labor, they bought a house in Abernethy, living there in winters and farming in summers. William kept horses in town and traveled to the farm with provisions. Their house was completed, and they moved in permanently in the summer of 1919. They were eventually forced to Parkland Lodge in Baleares in 1962; William died in the nursing home in September 1965, and Emma died June 28, 1963. Their children included Ady, who married Ch. Thacker (a school principal and later superintendent), and Wil, who worked for the Game Department. Their youngest son, Thomas Allan Burton, took over the family farm. Born in 1916, Alan was given an airplane ride by his father in the 1930s, which sparked a passion for flying. He received his pilot’s license in 1934, bought a homemade Heath Parasol plane, and crashed it in 1938. He then worked with M&C Aviation Company of Prince Albert, flying supplies to remote northern communities. He met and married Margaret “Peggy” Fraser, born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1922. After the war, Alan spent a year in Toronto before returning to farm with his aging father in the spring of 1950. Alan and Peggy took over the farm in 1946, and Alan flew a Taylorcraft for years; in 1950, when snow made roads impassable, he flew his family and neighbors to school. Their children included Louise (a physiotherapist in Vernon, B.C.), Jack, Donna (a legal secretary), and Brian (a professional golfer). Peggy worked as a nurse’s aide from 1960 to 1977. The family moved to B.C. in the 1970s, and Alan retired from farming in 1982.
The Motherwell Family of Lanark Place
Robert Talmage (Tal) Motherwell was born on July 8, 1880, the son of William Richard and Adeline Rogers Motherwell. He attended a school about a mile and a half from his home and helped plan the farm buildings that would become known as Lanark Place. His mother was unwell, and he assisted her until her early death. He later attended school in Regina and spent a year at the Ontario Agricultural College. On November 22, 1913, he married Mary Anna (Marion) Dish, a native of Faribault, Minnesota, who had come to Canada in February 1912. Tal once won a prize at the Tor Carnival wearing a uniform his father had worn when presented to King George V in 1911. Marion helped at the post office, and the couple farmed one-half mile southwest of Abernethy, persevering through early crop failures. Marion served as postmistress again in 1919. Their children were Richard Edward (Dick), born September 15, 1914, and Laura Adeline (Dot), born June 15, 1916. Tal joined the Masonic Lodge on January 15, 1924, became Master in 1937, and was active in Farm Boys Work, serving as president of the Abernethy Liberal Association, on the Agricultural Society and School Board, and as a United Church Elder. Marion helped organize the I.O.D.E. on October 31, 1936, sang in the choir, and was active in the Women’s Missionary Society. She passed away on May 25, 1940.
Richard Edward (Dick) Motherwell
Richard Edward (Dick) Motherwell, born September 15, 1914, was the only son of R.T. and Marion Motherwell and the only grandson of W.R. Motherwell, the Federal Minister of Agriculture from 1921 to 1930. Active in the Farm Boys Club, he learned to care for and judge cattle. He joined the United Church, sang in the choir, and took church services during the minister’s vacation. In 1938 he was stumping for the Liberal Party with Chris Dunning, a former Saskatchewan Minister of Highways. He became president of the National Young Liberals, and a journal dubbed him “Canada’s young Abe Lincoln.” He was proud of the Abernethy Agricultural Fair, noting the community had produced a North American Wheat King, a Brome Grass King, and two Federal Ministers of Agriculture. During the depression, he took out insurance policies to pay for university. At age 24, he entered the University of Saskatchewan, saying education was his only opportunity to get ahead. He lived with other top agriculture students in a basement suite on Bromley Avenue. He became Debating Director for the College of Agriculture, and he and Bob Estey, later a Federal Supreme Court Judge, won the inter-varsity McGoun Cup. On February 28, 1941, the university paper announced “Motherwell elected President of S.R.C.” During 1941-42, Dick instructed at the University of Saskatchewan Farm School, helped his mother, who died in May 1940, and put his sister through business college. In April 1943, W.R. Motherwell drew up a contract with his grandson for the sale of Lanark Place. On July 10, 1943, Dick married Mary Patricia Ferguson, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. R.G. Ferguson of Fort Qu’Appelle. Turned down by the Canadian Army three times due to poor eyesight and a malfunctioning heart, he worked on the farm and pursued research during winters. He worked for the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool, studied economics at the University of Saskatchewan and Toronto, and then worked with The Hon. James G. Gardiner, Federal Minister of Agriculture, as Executive Secretary, traveling to Europe and the United States. In 1953 he resigned his position in Ottawa and moved his family back to Lanark Place to seek the leadership of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan. On September 6, 1953, he picked up an American ten-cent piece reading “In God We Trust” and remarked on what a great nation would place such trust in God. His last wish before leaving for the hospital was that Lanark Place be returned to the people of Saskatchewan. On September 9, 1953, he asked for the Twenty-Third Psalm and then quietly passed away.
The Moulding Families
Fred Moulding arrived in Lemberg on May 1, 1912, and married Rena Jones Moore of Lemberg in October 1920. Their children included See, born in 1920 with Dr. Simes attending; Aletha (1921); Marjorie (1923); Audrey (1925); and Mary Irene (March 1932). A baby named Jane died of pneumonia in the cold winter of 1934. Three more children followed: Lorne (1935), Grace (1937), and Frederick T. “Dick” (1939). The children married: Aletha to George Cobbe (1945); Marjorie to Eric McCaw (1947); Audrey to Russel King (1950); Lorne to Henry Fike (1957); Grace to Joseph Saboi (1982); and Dick to Donna Copia (1965). Fred created carved models of old-time farm machinery that were displayed around Saskatchewan. His brother, Thomas Moulding, came to the Lemberg area seeking work with Mr. Gibson, but the harvest was slow, so he worked for Mr. William Tat, four miles west of Lemberg, for two years, and then for Mr. Dave Ballagh.
The Land System and Early Settlement
Sam and most homesteaders knew land by its number. Even-numbered sections, except for section 26, which was given to the Hudson’s Bay Company, were reserved for homesteading. A $10.00 entry fee entitled the settler to occupancy. Fulfilling cultivation, building, and residency requirements entitled the holder to apply for the title. A further quarter could be obtained by purchasing a pre-emption, named at the time of entry and purchasable after homesteading requirements were met. A second homestead could be applied for, as Sam did for the NE4. Odd-numbered sections in a 20-mile area on both sides of the railway were given to the C.P.R. for railway construction, except sections 11 and 29, which were set aside for a school system. Exceptions were made for land colonization companies, such as the Primitive Methodist Colonization Company, which received odd-numbered sections while even ones were reserved for homesteading. The Ontario and Qu’Appelle Land Company received some odd sections; Sam called this ‘Syndicate Land’. Early settlers often purchased Syndicate and C.P.R. land for about $3.00 per acre and were still considered homesteaders. It was advantageous for the C.P.R. to have settlers, as they collected revenue for transporting supplies and commodities.
Settlers became aware of injustices in these services, and Sam related these grievances to Frank Bridges on a winter evening in 1902. After a Local Improvement District meeting Sam chaired in March 1900, conversation targeted the C.P.R. and grain companies. Sam did not defend the C.P.R. but suggested that through its building, civilization and settlers came to the land, and it bound Canada together. Building the railway through British Columbia’s mountains was a wonder to Sam; it had brought Middleton’s troops to quash the 1885 rebellion.
The History of the Post Office
In exploration days, mail followed Indian trails and the fur trade. The North West Company and Hudson Bay Company merged in 1821, and the latter relayed mail annually between Fort Garry and western posts. Fort Garry settlers set up a post office with monthly contact to Fort Ripley, Minnesota, established in 1853. When the U.S. opened a post office at Pembina, North Dakota in 1857, Toronto was two weeks from Fort Garry, and couriers made three deliveries weekly. By Confederation in 1867, 3,401 post offices operated, and the Canada Post Office became operative on April 1, 1868. Some areas depended on the U.S. for mail until 1886. Railway mail clerks sorted mail on the Winnipeg-Brandon run as settlers of 1882 went to Pheasant Plains. By October 1883, when Sam traded his tent for a log cabin, the railway and daily mail reached Calgary. Pheasant Forks and Elisboro post offices, established December 1, 1883, were to receive mail from Wolf Creek (Wolseley). In January 1884, mail was picked up at Indian Head. Bachelors like Walter Gough and Eustace Maloy delivered mail. Walter arrived three times in January with oxen and sleigh, bringing Sam and Hattie Christmas cards, a registered letter, a $1.00 Christmas present, and papers. On February 5, Sam recorded that Walter and Malony brought letters, almanacs, and papers.
Fire Protection and Community Organizations in Abernethy
The passage opens with a reflection on how economic pressures often forced small towns to centralize services into larger urban centers, a gradual decline for most. Abernethy, however, experienced abrupt change through fire, first in 1932 and again in 1959. Unlike towns that withered slowly, Abernethy survived its second fire and subsequently saw increases in business, recreational services, and population.
In the two years following the 1959 fire, the need for improved firefighting equipment was repeatedly noted. In July 1961, the Council decided to purchase a truck and build a fire truck with a pumper and 500-gallon tank. Doc Callow assembled the truck, which was ready by October 1962, and a new fire hall was built. Doc Callow had become chief in 1960, following John Bartley, who had served for 16½ years. Thorb Thompson served from 1962 until his retirement from the Pool elevator. Fires continued over the years, destroying the Western Elevator office, the barn on the fair grounds, and Allan Racette’s house.
By 1980, the slow truck and rural residents’ desire for better coverage led to meetings and the formation of the Abernethy Fire Protection Association. The first annual meeting was held in 1981. The village appointed two Board members and the fire chief, while rural residents elected four members. Neil Legaarden, Dave Bates, Ray Heil, Bryan Bittner, Don Vanin, and Wayne Sanguin became the interim Board of Directors, and Barry Howe became the first fire chief. Rural residents paid membership fees, and the village council paid one-third of new truck costs up to $15,000. Operating costs were collected by both local governments. Truck and equipment capital costs to the end of 1982 totaled $36,849. Barry Howe’s garage caught fire from a car under repair, but the building was saved. A humorous poem titled “The Small Town Fire Brigade” by A.S. Humphries follows, describing volunteer firefighters, the mayor as chief, the Fireman’s Ball, and their comically disorganized fire response.
Abernethy District Lions Club
The Abernethy District Lions Club held its charter night on April 11, 1981, with twenty-five members. Mr. Bob Bertram, District Governor, presented the Charter to Paul Pelletier. The first officers included President Paul Pelletier, various vice-presidents, Treasurer Don Vanin, and Secretary Tom Bray. Fundraising included auction sales, raffles, dances, Octoberfest, pancake breakfasts, and a poker derby. Projects included a Senior Citizens Dance Evening, sponsoring Colleen McCall at a horse riding school in Kipling, and donations to the Minor Hockey Club, an ice making machine, the Junior Ball Club, the Fire Association, and the new rink. The C.N.L.B. work interests Lions Clubs, especially the Eye Bank and eyeglass collection. The President for 1983 was Harry Moulding.
Farming Photographs
Numerous captioned photographs depict farming history: threshing operations, tractors (Hart Parr, Allis Chalmers, Gray, Massey Harris), plowing, binders, combines, horses, haying, butchering, ice harvesting, and various farm activities with named individuals.
Christ Church — by Evelyn Foster
Rev. D. Lewis of Fort Qu’Appelle held the first services at the Morrison home in 1884-85. Rev. P.K. Lyons, the first resident minister, led the construction of Christ Church in 1886 on land farmed by C.S. Dickinson, opposite “Lanark Place,” the home of W.R. Motherwell. George Cameron was the paid carpenter, and lumber was hauled by oxen from Qu’Appelle station. Communion vessels with twin chalices came from England, and Bishop Anson consecrated the church in 1886. In 1904, the church was moved into Abernethy by steam engines, with men lifting CPR rails for passage, and the belfry tower was added. Rev. D’Arcy was the first minister after the move. Records include a Minute book from May 1, 1905; the first baptism was November 20, 1904; the oldest cemetery stone dates to 1888; and the first marriage was William Barnsley and Florence Gertrude Large on August 6, 1906. Hailstorms damaged the church in 1915 and 1916. By 1925, W.A. ladies installed electric lights. In 1967, the church was repainted and the bell tower rebuilt under Rev. Lionel Rowe. The 90th anniversary in 1976 included chancel carpeting as a memorial to Mr. P. Gaye. The 95th anniversary in 1981 featured re-dedication by Archbishop Jackson and Bishop Michael Peers, with a cake made by Mrs. Mildred Balfour and candles blown out by Mrs. Ethel Lyster and Mr. Harry Page, who served as Peoples’ Warden and treasurer for thirty-seven years.
Old Stone Church — by Evelyn Foster
The first Presbyterian church was built in 1892, three miles southwest of Abernethy, on land purchased from Wm. Rogers for three dollars. It opened on October 30, 1892, with John Burton leading the singing. Rev. Alex Robson was the first minister, driving 24 miles from Indian Head; he was also a stone mason, and James Dick gathered the stones. Knox Presbyterian opened in the fall of 1905. In 1980, for Saskatchewan’s 75th anniversary, the old church received repairs. The last service was held in 1949 with Rev. F. Waite.
Kenlis Churches — by Marion Lyster
The Kenlis Methodist church was built in 1896. The first service was held at the Willard Garratt home, conducted by William Dayman. Rev. Thomas Lawson and Rev. Oliver Darwin were the first ordained ministers.
The Abernethy School and Its Districts
In 1936, an Inspector praised the new principal, Mr. Collins, for his deep interest, ability, and tact, noting the school was closer to his ideal than ever before. In 1937, he wrote of Collins’s “sterling influence” and capacity to secure superior attainments from pupils. At this time, G. Smith-Windsor taught grades seven to nine and French throughout the High School, and the Inspector commented that school life could not be anything but pleasant under such leadership. Miss Bjarnason, the Primary teacher, was described as teaching with zeal and conscientiousness. The school was reorganized in 1938, adding a second High School room. Miss Ranson taught grades five, six, and seven and received accolades in 1939 for her work in art and music. By 1940, the building, once “unsurpassed” in 1906 and too small in 1929, was criticized for inadequate heat registers, classroom temperatures reaching 90 degrees, unsatisfactory floors, and inadequate library accommodation.
In the spring of 1943, Principal R. Wagner organized a group of army cadets. Eight students, without uniforms or training, departed by train for Maple Creek cadet camp. One participant remembers platoons from southern Saskatchewan assembling in Regina, marching through the Union Station, and their own platoon being out of step. A week at camp caused an amazing transformation. Mr. Wagner attended a leaders’ course in the summer. Cadet activities began with the opening of school, culminating in June 1945 with marching in the V-E Day parade. Wagner converted the school attic into a firing range for rifle practice, nailing planks over the west window and using a step ladder to enter, bolting the trap door to prevent accidents.
In 1948, the school was renovated. Debentures were issued to cover the cost of insulating walls, laying new masonite floors, remodelling classrooms, equipping a new laboratory, and adding a passageway to the fire escape. New coat stands, library cupboards, and fluorescent lighting were supplied. In January 1954, there was discussion about forming a larger school unit. Foster school voted in February, unanimously opposed to the larger unit, and discussed amalgamation with Abernethy. When Abernethy voted on entering a unit, the vote was negative. The “trump card” was a fire. The school burned down on the evening of May 31, 1954. There was no loss of life, but notebooks, school records, and teachers’ possessions were lost. The library of the late Dr. W.R. Motherwell, presented to the school in 1953, was a tragic loss. The community spirit went to work. The little children went to school in the basement of the United church; the rest were housed in the Exhibit building at the Fair Grounds and/or the Memorial Hall.
The Machuik Family of Abernethy
Nick Machuik was born on September 10, 1917, on a farm twelve miles north of Goodeve, and walked three miles each way to attend school. In 1939, he went overseas to serve in World War II, fighting in Scotland, England, Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. After the war, he returned to Abernethy and married Mary Lypka, daughter of Andrew and Rose Lypka, in 1945. He built a house in 1946 across the street from Otto Miller’s, and in 1951 built another on a lot purchased from Walter Fleming, across from Andy Lypka’s. In 1950 he bought a truck and worked for many companies over the next fifteen years. After an accident in 1965, the family moved to Regina, where he drove a truck hauling products around the city, then worked for Percival Mercury until his retirement in 1979. Mary has done much volunteer work and is currently employed at the Hotel Saskatchewan. While living in Abernethy, Nick and Mary became friends and family to Tom Daniels, a man with no known relatives. After moving to Regina, Nick persuaded Tom to spend winters with them, and eventually Tom gave up his Abernethy home and stayed with them until he passed away on September 8, 1981. Nick and Mary had seven children.
Lillian was born April 18, 1947, at Balcarres, attended school in Abernethy and Balcarres, and was active in C.G.I.T. and figure skating, showing an exceptional talent for drawing. In 1965 she attended Balfour Technical School, graduating in 1966, then took one year of education at the University of Regina. In 1967 she took a job with Sask. Telephones, drafting in the outside plant engineering department for five years, and still does part-time drafting for Sask. Tel. as well as drafting at home for housing contractors. In 1968 she married Joseph Suwala at Goodeve; Joe is a finishing carpenter, and they reside in Regina with their three children.
Jeannette was born July 16, 1948, in Balcarres, attended school in Abernethy and Balcarres, and was active in C.G.I.T., figure skating, and music lessons from Mrs. Monica Dich. In Grade XI she won first place in a regional public speaking contest. She moved to Regina in 1965, took Grade XII at Central Collegiate, graduated in 1966, and enrolled for one year at the University of Regina in a Lab. Tech. course. In 1967 she switched to a cytology course at the Grey Nun’s Hospital, graduating in 1969, and married Raymond Heil in 1968. They resided in Abernethy, but Jeannette continued working at the Grey Nun’s until 1971. Ray and Jeannette have two sons: Bradly, born June 4, 1971, at Balcarres, a student in Division One whose favourite sport is curling, and Scott, born August 28, 1975, in Regina, a Grade I student at Abernethy who enjoys skating and hockey.
Allan was born September 14, 1949, at Balcarres, attended school in Abernethy and Balcarres, and took figure skating and hockey. He moved to Regina in 1965 and worked at various jobs until 1970, then took a mechanics course at S.T.I. in Moose Jaw. In 1971 he started work at IPSCO, where he still works as a physical tester in the spiral lab. He married Dorothy Meyer of Lemberg in 1969, and they have two children.
Evelyn was born October 28, 1952, attended school in Abernethy, and was active in figure skating and C.G.I.T. She played clarinet in the Balcarres band and won an Abernethy School oratory award for reading a poem. She moved to Regina in 1965, joined the Poltava Dance Ensemble, and in 1971 travelled overseas with the Ensemble to the Ukraine to study Ukrainian dancing. After graduating from Central Collegiate, she attended the University of Regina for two years in General Arts and Science, then worked for Sask. Unemployment Insurance. She married Marvin Cleatin in 1974, and they resided in Regina until 1979 when they moved to Mississauga, Ontario, where Evelyn attended the University of Toronto for three years and graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Lynn was born October 14, 1955, attended Abernethy school until moving to Regina in 1965, and graduated from Balfour Technical High School in 1973. She worked with a business consulting firm for five years, was a member of the Poltava Dance Ensemble, and travelled with them to concerts across Canada, including the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. She presently attends the University of Regina. Gloria was born in 1957, attended Abernethy school until grade two, then took the remainder of her schooling in Regina, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Administration Degree from the University of Regina. She furthered her studies in a Chartered Accountant program, completed her articling period, and now works with an international C.A. firm. She is married to Dave Collins and resides in Regina.
Neighbouring Families and Their Stories
Anne Moulding has been deeply involved in community projects, teaching Sunday School at Kenlis Church, belonging to the Kenlis and Heather community clubs, and serving as a director on the horse committee of the Abernethy Agriculture Society. She also worked in the R.M. office and served as Saskatchewan President of the Canadian Charolaises for one year and Secretary-Treasurer of the Parkland Charolais Club for two years. A herd of purebred Charolais cattle was built up under the name “Sands O’ Gold Charolais” Farm. Her daughter, Dianne Georgina, born in Regina on February 23, 1945, attended Heather and Abernethy schools, belonged to C.G.I.T. and the Abernethy 4H Grain and Beef Clubs, studied at the University in Saskatoon, and taught school in Calgary and Kyle, Sask. She married Dennis Nelson Fox in the Kenlis United Church on July 13, 1968; they reside on a farm in the Herbert district, where her husband is the Co-Op Manager, and have four children. Their son, Dennis George, born in Regina on August 8, 1948, attended Heather, Abernethy and Belcarres schools, worked with Dr. George Wilson, and attended the University of Saskatchewan for one year. He took a two-year Business Administration course in Moose Jaw, receiving a scholarship and the Merit Award, and now works in Ottawa in computer programming, data processing, accounting, and management. Another son, Robert Stuart, born in the Indian Head Hospital on July 25, 1956, took a two-year course in automobile mechanics in Moose Jaw, purchased a garage on No. 22 Highway in 1976, and married Donna Rose Cyca that same year. They later moved to the farm to work with his father. Robert has a purebred herd of Charolais cattle and is a member of the Abernethy Lion’s Club and Recreation Board. Robert and Donna have two children, Marsha Lee and Jonathan Edward, and suffered the loss of twin sons at birth in January 1979.
A letter from Ken Munro of Frobisher, Sask., recounts his work for Almer McCall, Kenny Foster, and Wes Purdy. His wife, Winnie Slater, also worked at McCalls. Winnie writes that her mother came to Abernethy in 1911 to keep house for her brother, Sam Lowe. Ken Munro passed away on March 10, 1980. Carl Nessel and his wife Josephine were born in Poland in 1900. Carl worked in his father’s blacksmith shop and enlisted in the Polish army in 1917. He married Josephine Sawinska in 1922 and immigrated to Canada in 1926, arriving at Ituna, Sask. He worked for a blacksmith named Ernie Hilbert in Balcarres for ten years. By 1932, Carl had a house in Balcarres, and his family joined him. In 1936, the house was moved to Abernethy by Arthur Cooper’s steam engine, a seven-day journey of nine miles, with the family living in it during the move. Their children are Adam, Kaysia, Julian (Butch), and George. Carl died in 1975, and Josephine lives in Abernethy.
Ernest Nicholson was born in 1886 in Yorkshire, England, and came to Canada in 1913 to work for John Willy Stilborn.
Main Arguments
The book makes a sustained case for the significance of local history and the value of preserving the record of pioneer life. Through the accumulation of detail, it demonstrates that the settlement of the Canadian prairies was not an anonymous process of westward expansion but a human story of individual families making decisions, facing challenges, and building communities. The authors implicitly argue that the qualities of the pioneer generation, their perseverance, their mutual cooperation, and their commitment to building institutions, deserve recognition and remembrance.
The narrative repeatedly emphasizes the theme of progress through cooperation. The settlers did not succeed in isolation but through the constant sharing of labour, equipment, and resources. The threshing crews moved from farm to farm, pooling teams and racks. The beef rings provided fresh meat to shareholders through a cooperative plan. The snow plow clubs cleared roads for the benefit of all. The rural telephone companies were organized by groups of neighbours who built and maintained their own systems. The cooperative movement, from the Farmers’ Union to the Credit Union, represented a natural extension of these pioneer practices into the commercial realm.
The book also argues for the importance of institutions in creating community. The church, the school, and the lodge were not merely adjuncts to pioneer life but central to its meaning. They provided the occasions for social gathering, the frameworks for moral and educational development, and the sense of continuity with the wider world. The detailed attention given to the establishment and maintenance of these institutions reflects a conviction that they were essential to the success of the settlement enterprise.
A further argument concerns the relationship between the settlers and the land itself. The book documents the constant struggle against frost, drought, hail, and other natural adversities, but it also conveys a deep attachment to the prairie landscape. The descriptions of the Qu’Appelle Valley, the Pheasant Creek, and the rolling plains suggest a genuine affection for the country that the settlers made their own. The land was not merely a resource to be exploited but a home to be loved.
Key Concepts
The land system of the Canadian prairies is a recurring subject of explanation throughout the book. The distinction between homestead sections, railway sections, and school sections shaped the pattern of settlement, determining who could settle where and under what terms. The book explains the surveying systems, the road allowances, and the various categories of land tenure with careful attention to detail, recognizing that these technical matters had profound consequences for the lives of settlers.
The post office system emerges as a central motif in the early chapters. The establishment of mail service was one of the first priorities of the new settlements, and the book traces the gradual extension of postal facilities from the initial dependence on Indian Head and Wolseley to the establishment of local post offices at Pheasant Forks, Ellisboro, Kenlis, Abernethy, and Chickney. The post office was more than a convenience; it was the community’s connection to the wider world, bringing letters from England, newspapers, and the official communications of government. Sam Chipperfield’s appointment as postmaster in 1887 was a significant milestone in his own life and in the life of the community.
The concept of the “hired man” appears frequently in the early records. Young men, often recent immigrants, worked as agricultural labourers, moving from farm to farm as the seasons demanded. The book records their wages, their working conditions, and their sometimes uncertain status in the community. They were essential to the operation of the larger farms but often remained on the margins of settled society.
The rural telephone companies represent a distinctive form of cooperative enterprise. Four companies were formed in 1909, each serving a group of neighbouring farms, with names derived from local geography or the surnames of the founding members. The rules of these companies, including fines for profanity and limits on conversation length, suggest the social character of the telephone system, which was as much a community institution as a technological convenience.
The cooperative movement receives extended treatment through the histories of the Farmers’ Union, the Co-operative Association, and the Credit Union. These organizations represented an alternative to the private merchant and the commercial bank, allowing farmers to pool their purchasing power and their savings for mutual benefit. The detailed financial records preserved in the book, including prices for coal, flour, and other commodities, provide a concrete picture of how these enterprises operated.
Themes
The experience of isolation and its gradual overcoming is a persistent theme throughout the book. The first settlers arrived to a landscape without roads, without neighbours within easy reach, without the institutions that had structured their lives in Ontario or England. The diary entries record the loneliness of the bachelor households, the eager anticipation of mail deliveries, and the importance of the occasional dance or social gathering. The gradual establishment of roads, bridges, post offices, schools, and churches represents the progressive conquest of this isolation, the building of what the book’s title calls “the bridge” between solitude and community.
The role of women in the settlement enterprise receives implicit recognition throughout the family histories and institutional records. Women appear as postmistresses, telephone operators, teachers, church workers, and organizers of the various benevolent societies. The entries on individual families frequently note the contributions of wives and mothers to the community’s life, whether through the Women’s Missionary Society, the I.O.D.E., or the countless acts of hospitality that sustained social life. The book does not make an explicit argument about women’s history, but the accumulated evidence suggests their essential role in building and maintaining the community.
The relationship between the generations is a recurring concern. Many of the family histories trace the movement of children away from the farm, to the cities, to the wars, to other provinces, while others record the succession of generations on the same land. The book’s attention to the education of children, through the schools, the 4-H clubs, and the various youth organizations, reflects a concern for the transmission of values and skills to the next generation. The entries on families like the Fosters and the Motherwells, which follow the careers of children into medicine, law, and other professions, suggest both pride in their achievements and a certain wistfulness at their departure from the district.
The experience of war runs through the book as a series of absences and losses. The Riel Rebellion of 1885 forms a backdrop to the earliest settlement, with the establishment of the Kenlis School District occurring during the “very trying times” of the uprising. The First World War drew young men away from the district, and the book records the departure of soldiers, the expressions of patriotic sentiment, and the contributions of the home front through organizations like the Red Cross and the Patriotic Fund. The Second World War similarly disrupted the community, and the family histories record the service and sometimes the deaths of another generation. The wars served as a reminder of the district’s connection to larger national and imperial events.
The theme of loss and change becomes more prominent in the later sections of the book. The gradual decline of the small town, the centralization of services, the movement of young people to the cities, and the passing of the pioneer generation are all recorded with a certain elegiac tone. The book acknowledges that the way of life it describes has largely disappeared, but it insists on the value of remembering it. The final sections, with their detailed family histories and organizational records, serve as a monument to the community that was.
The Author’s Conclusions
The book concludes with the family histories and organizational records that bring the story of the district forward to the late twentieth century. The final entries trace the descendants of the pioneer families through several generations, recording their movements, their occupations, their marriages, and their children. The overall impression is of a community that has dispersed but not disappeared, its members scattered across Canada but retaining connections to their roots in the Pheasant Plains district.
The organizational histories that close the book suggest both continuity and change. Some institutions, like the Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Eastern Star, eventually amalgamated with lodges in neighbouring towns as their membership declined. Others, like the 4-H clubs and the snow plow clubs, adapted to changing circumstances and continued to serve their communities. The fire department, reorganized after the destructive fire of 1959, represents the community’s determination to protect itself against the forces that threatened its existence.
The book’s final message is implicit rather than explicit. The community that was built on the Pheasant Plains in the 1880s has undergone profound changes over the course of a century, but its history has been preserved through the collective effort of its members. The book itself is the latest in a series of bridges that the settlers and their descendants have built, connecting the past to the present and ensuring that the memory of the pioneer generation will not be lost.
Significance
“The Bridge” stands as a significant contribution to the genre of Canadian community history. It demonstrates the value of the local history project, showing how the careful accumulation of detail can illuminate broader patterns of Canadian development. The book’s use of primary sources, particularly the diary of Sam Chipperfield, provides an intimate view of pioneer life that more general histories cannot offer.
The work is particularly valuable for its documentation of the institutional life of a rural community. The detailed accounts of the establishment and operation of schools, churches, fraternal organizations, cooperatives, and municipal governments provide a comprehensive picture of how settlers built the structures of civilized life on the prairies. The book’s attention to the cooperative movement, from the early beef rings and telephone companies to the later Co-operative Association and Credit Union, documents an important but often overlooked aspect of prairie history.
The family histories that occupy a substantial portion of the book represent a significant genealogical resource for descendants of the district’s settlers. The careful recording of births, marriages, deaths, and movements provides the raw material for family historians and contributes to the preservation of the district’s collective memory.
The book also serves as a testament to the value of community memory and the importance of preserving local history. In an era of increasing centralization and the decline of small towns, works like “The Bridge” ensure that the contributions of the pioneer generation and their descendants are not forgotten. The book’s existence is itself evidence of the community spirit it documents, representing the collective effort of many individuals to preserve the record of their shared past.
