ALPHEUS C. MCEOWN.
 


	Alpheus C. McEown, district manager of the Confederation Life As-
sociation, is one of Saskatoon's most representative citizens.  He was
born in Lynedoch, Ontario, on the 16th of November, 1856, a son of John
P. and Pheobe (Carter) McEown, natives of the province of Ontario.
For the greater part of his life the father engaged in agricultural pur-
suits in his native province and became prominently known in that con-
nection. He was one of three men who built the three cheese factories
in Norfolk county, Ontario. He was a man of keen foresight and energy
and was a dominant factor in the promotion of many movements for the
benefit of the community in which he resided. For some years he was a
member of the council of the township of Charlotteville, Ontario.  His
death occurred in March, 1904, at the age of eighty-three years.  Mrs.
McEown died in August, 1912, when in her eighty-third year.
	In the acquirement of his education Alpheus C. McEown attended
the public schools of his birthplace and remained with his parents on the
home farm until he was twenty-three years of age.  For two years he
clerked in a general store in Michigan, United States of America, and
in 1882, he went to Winnipeg and accepted a position as traveling sales-
man for D. MacKenzie & Company, occupying that position for a year and
then formed a partnership with J. W. Cockburn, under the firm name of
McEown & Cockburn, for the conduct of a retail grocery, flour and feed	
business.  Later they engaged in jobbing as well.  Mr. McEown was
active in that partnership until 1887, when he opened a general store in
Boissevain, Manitoba, conducting that business until 1894, when he sold
his store and went to Brandon, where he made his initial step in the in-
surance business. For two years he was connected with the Mutual Re-
serve Fund Life Association of New York and then became general agent
for the Confederation Life Association. In 1990 he was transferred to
Winnipeg as city agent and in 1901 went to Brantford, Ontario, as dis-
trict manager. He remained there until 1906, when he was transferred
to Saskatoon as district manager of the Confederation Life Association.
Mr. McEown is a business man of proven ability and he has the confidence
and esteem of all with whom he comes into contact. For a number of
years he maintained extensive farming interests in this province and
operated a gravel pit north of the city for a time. In every relation of
life he has been successful and is readily conceded a place among the
foremost citizens and business men of Saskatoon and the district.
	In May, 1884, Mr. McEown was married to Miss Minnie Buchanan, a
daughter of David D. and Salome (Ketchum) Buchanan, natives of New
Brunswick. For many years Mr. Buchanan engaged in shipbuilding in
New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and later emigrated to Winnipeg, being one
of the pioneers of that city. He resumed his shipbuilding there until
1884, when he acquired land and engaged in agricultural pursuits until
about 1900, when he retired from active life and moved to Griswold,
Manitoba, where he resided until his death in April, 1918.  Mrs. Bu-
chanan's death occurred in April, 1917, at the age of 
ninety-three years.
	Both the McEowns and Buchanans are descendants of United Loyalist
stock for some four generations. To Mr. and Mrs. McEown. twelve chil-
dren were born, nine of whom are living: Frank B., associated with his
father in the insurance business as district manager; Sarah E., a trained
nurse and now matron of the Hafford, Saskatchewan, Hospital, which is
run under the direction of the Methodist church; Nellie B., the wife of
James A. Nickason, who is engaged in farming on an extensive scale near
Wiseton; Mary A., cashier in the National Trust Company of Saskatoon;
John Wilford, advertising manager and window dresser for Henry
Brothers of Saskatoon, who at the age of seventeen years took a course
in window dressing in Chicago. He was eighteen years of age upon the
outbreak of the Great war and he immediately put all personal interests
aside and enlisted in the service of his country. He went overseas as a
sailor with the British navy and won advancement from private to the
rank of skipper in 1918, receiving his honorable discharge in January,
1919. Returning home, he engaged. in the insurance business for. a time
but did not find that line of work entirely to his liking. So he deter-
mined to make use of his pre-war training and accepted his present posi-
tion with Henry Brothers of Saskatoon; Bessie S. graduated from the
University of Saskatoon, with the B. A. degree in 1922; A. Colborne re-
ceived his B. S. degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 1923.
He withdrew from the university one year to teach school, and became a
member of the faculty of the Collegiate Institute at the age of nineteen
years. He is now on the Yorkton high school staff; A. Eloise is a gradu-
ate of the Collegiate Institute and the Normal School of Saskatoon and
is now engaged in educational work; Frederick W. A., a freshman at the
University of Saskatoon, is quite a musician, being a skilled pianist. The
deceased members of the McEown family are: Minnie Olive, whose death
occurred in September, 1885, at the age of five months; Adena Blanche,
who died in May, 1905, when thirteen years of age; and Pheoba, whose
death occurred in August, 1905, at the age of five months.
	Since attaining his majority Mr. McEown has given his political al-
legiance to the Liberal party and has firm belief in the principles of that
party as factors in good government. Although he has never sought nor
desired political preferment he is ever cognizant of the duties and re-
sponsibilities as well as the privileges of good citizenship and to that end
is never too busy to give his aid in the furtherance of any movement for
the benefit of the community. While a resident of Boissevain he was a
member of the board of trustees of the local school board and he has
always been a stanch advocate of education. Fraternally he is identified
with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Canadian Order of
Foresters and he is an active member of the Canadian Club. Mr. Mc-
Eown has been interested in poultry and was an influential factor in the
organization of the first Poultry Association, of which he was president
and secretary. The religious faith of Mr. McEown is that of the Meth-
odist church, in which he is a zealous worker. He has been a member
of both the quarterly official and trustee boards and for a number of
years was superintendent of the Sunday school of Grace Methodist church.
He is treasurer of the Northern Saskatchewan Branch of the British &
Foreign Bible Society.  For recreation from his many interests Mr.
McEown turns to the great outdoors and his hobbies are gardening and
driving. His life has been vigorous and active and the success he has
achieved may be attributed to his close application to business affairs,
integrity and laudable ambition.


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