10 - THE INDEPENDENT, BIGGAR, SK
MONDAY, JULY 4, 2011
Celebrating 100 Years!
Tenth in a series by Louise Singer
Looking back at the RM of Biggar
RM Wrap-up More than 100 years ago, pioneers came to settle this land. They faced the awesome task of physical and mental survival, adapting to a new land that was sometimes harsh and hostile. Notwithstanding the financial strain, these settlers had to be independent, self-reliant and resourceful. The rigours of pioneer life on the Prairies were compensated by the social life, which was an indispensable part of pioneer living. Settlers’ homes were almost always the centres of social activities. The foundation on which these social activities was based was hospitality. The homesteaders considered each other “next-door neighbours”. Travelers were never turned away at nights or at mealtimes. Two examples of hospitality were the holding of “bees” and “chivarees”. If a home or barn was needed in a hurry a “bee” would be held with neighbours getting together to build it. The women would provide the food. Emergency “bees” were hastily organized if a family was stricken with a sickness or accident and needed help with the farming. One of these “bees” took place in the district of what was once the Goldberg Post Office located on 1-34-16. In 1932 a large farmer who had an even larger family -- 11 or 12 -- took sick one spring and the neighbours all pitched in to put in his crop. In the fall, the community “bee” cut and stooked two hundred acres of wheat in one day. There were 14 binders, 20 men, 14 women and 10 children. Women had their own “bees”, usually quilting quilts, mittens and toques for families who were unprepared for our harsh climate. The “chivaree” was one of the more rowdy forms of entertainment. People would congregate outside the home of a newlywed couple and make a great noise by shouting and beating on old pails and tubs. They would keep this up until the couple let them in. The odd dance or social would last until morning and for a very good reason. It was easier to find your way home in the daylight,
particularly if a blizzard should blow up. Today there may not be as many neighbours but the neighbouring community has expanded. Industrialization and modernization has changed farming and travel and made life easier. Many families have followed in the footsteps of their ancestors and farmed the same land continuously for over 100 years. The first Century Family Farm Award for our area was Robert Atkinson who is farming his greatgrandfather’s farm (NW 32-35-17). Francis Atkinson homesteaded in 1906. Ronald Hawkins is still farming Henry George Hawkins’ land (SW 2535-17). His grandfather homesteaded in 1908. Also in 1908 William Beckett homesteaded on the SW 17-35-16. Grandson Kenneth and Sherril Beckett are farming this land. These are the awards for the homesteaders from 1909, Dorothy Larlham farming her father-inlaw’s Lewis Larlham (NW 9-36-16), Norman Howard Nodwell farming his father’s land Howard Nodwell (SW 25-36-14), William Turner on his grandfather’s land Edward Griffiths (NW 7-3517), Doreen Dubreuil on her grandfather-in-law’s land Dolphus Dubreuil (NE 12-34-16), H. Kent Dubreuil on his greatgrandfather’s land Dolphus Dubreuil (SE 1334-16), Dale and Derek Thomson farming their grandfather’s land Wynn Thomson (SW 19-3416), Robert Parker on his grandfather’s Rueben Parker (NW 19-34-14), and Weldon and Denise Barber farming Weldon’s grandfather’s Albert E. Barber (NE 1-35-17). The following are families whose ancestors homesteaded in 1910. Terry and Barry Farrell on their grandfather’s Terrence Farrell (NW 17-34-16), Evalynn (Vera) Mann for her grandfather William Mann (SW 24-35-14), James McKay farming his father’s James Andrew McKay (NW 28-37-15), Glen McLeod farming his father’s Alexander McLeod (SE 2-36-16), and John and Shirley Bennett farming Shirley’s greatgrandfather’s homestead
Walter Pemberton Forsythe (NW 4-34 -16) which he settled on in 1911. There may be some who qualified for this Century Family Farm Award but did not want to have their names published. The Rural Municipality of Biggar has experienced its full share of “ups and downs”, but years have not changed the “Good Old Days”. The unpredictable weather, unstable markets, the proverbial “next year”, the meadow lark’s song, the singing frogs and crickets, the hoot of the owl, the yapping of the fox and coyote, the
northern lights, the beautiful sunrise and sunset, spectacular lightening, a beautiful rainbow, crisp cool winter mornings, the haunting train whistle in the clear prairie air, the antelope, deer, elk and moose browsing on grass and ducks and geese swimming in sloughs. The country still shimmers with new green in the spring and flaunts glorious colours every fall. Let’s remember but not dwell on yesterday’s “history” but live today and look forward to tomorrow’s “future”.
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