FRANCIS N. DARKE.
Photograph
 


	The years which have brought Francis N. Darke to his present en-
viable position as a financier and landowner have been characterized by
continuous progress that has resulted from his close application and keen
business discernment. He has never sought to figure prominently in any
public life outside of his strict path of business, for therein he has found
ample opportunity to utilize his ambition and energy-his dominant quali-
ties.  He was born near Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on the
25th of October, 1863, a son of Thomas and Jeanett (Harris) Darke, the
former a native of Devonshire, England, and the latter of Prince Edward
Island. The paternal grandfather, Thomas Darke, was born in Devon-
shire, England, and moved to Prince Edward Island at an early day.
He located on a brush farm, which he cleared and brought to a highly
cultivated state, and operated in association with his sons.  He was a
joiner in the old country and followed that trade for some time in Canada.
He was a man of keen business ability and laudable ambition and won
prosperity. His wife was Jane Brown. The maternal grandfather, John
Harris, was born in Devonshire, England, also and came to Ontario at
an early day. He was a prominent man in the community in which he
made his home.  Thomas Darke, the father of Francis N. Darke, en-
gaged in agricultural pursuits throughout his life and became widely
known in that connection. To Mr. and Mrs. Darke six children were born,
Francis N. being the second in order of birth. Their religious faith was
that of the Methodist church, in which they were active workers.  Mr.
Darke was an Orangeman and in his political views was a Liberal, and
he maintained an active interest in local affairs.
	The public schools in the vicinity of the home farm afforded Francis
N. Darke his early education, and he renamed on the home farm until
he was twenty-nine years of age.  In 1892 he came to Regina and went
into the wholesale and retail meat business, conducting it successfully
for fifteen years. In 1906 he disposed of the business and is now gradu-
ally retiring from active business life. He spends his entire time looking
after his personal interests, for he has extensive real estate holdings in the
city and vicinity. In 1907 he built a fine office building on Eleventh ave~
nue, which is one of the representative structures in the city.  It has
five stories and a basement and contains forty suites of offices. Mr. Darke
owns a beautiful home on the corner of Scarth and Victoria, very valu-
able residence property.  He is vice president of the Saskatoon Mort-
gage & Trust Company and has other extensive interests. He has made
nearly every dollar of his fortune since coming to Regina.  In all of his
business transactions he has been found thoroughly reliable, as well as
enterprising, and his success has come to him as the legitimate and well-
merited reward of earnest labor and keen business sagacity.
	In July, 1892, Mr. Darke was married to Miss Anna Elizabeth Mc-
Kinnon, a native of Prince Edward Island, who received her education
at Charlottetown.  To Mr. and Mrs. Darke four sons have been born:
Vernon Frank, engaged in farming near Condie, Saskatchewan; Clifford
Albert, now in the hardware business, is a veteran of the Great war,
having served overseas with the One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Division.
He was drafted into Forrest's Battalion and was training with the air
forces when the armistice was signed; Clarence Thomas, who is attend-
ing Toronto University, enlisted for service in the Great war and was
training with the air forces when the armistice was signed, closing hos-
tilities; and Trevyln Victor is a student in the Upper Canada College,
Toronto.
	The religious faith of the Darke family is that of the Methodist
church, in which Mr. Darke has been a zealous worker since he was six-
teen years of age. He has always been a public-spirited citizen and was
for nine years a member of the city council and served as mayor one year.
He is now a member of the board of governors of Regina College and
is on the board of the Saskatchewan Tuberculosis Sanitarium at Fort
Qu'Appelle.  He is a member of the city library board and is on the
advisory board of the W. C. A. He has been a member of the board of
the Young Men's Christian Association for a number of years, is an
executive on the local Board of Trade and serves in other important
capacities.  Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows and socially he is connected with the Regina Golf Club and
the Fort Qu'Appelle Country Club. He is an enthusiast of golf. Shoot-
ing is his hobby, and he spends a great deal of his spare time on hunting
trips.



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