SASKATCHEWAN AND ITS PEOPLE
1924

         HOWARD MCLAREN.  


One of the pioneer residents of Biggar is Howard McLaren, mayor,
who is also in the real estate, insurance and loan business here and is
conducting an undertaking establishment. He was born in the township
of Kittley, Leeds county, Ontario, on the 1st of October, 1882, a son of
William and Mary (Montgomery) McLaren, likewise natives of Ontario.
The father is a successful agriculturist and is operating the farm on which
he was born.
The public schools of Leeds county afforded Howard McLaren his edu-
action and he remained under the parental roof until he was sixteen years
of age, when he went on the road for the Percival Plow & Stove Company,
in whose employ he remained one year and then went west with the
Pembrooke Scale Company. In 1902 he located in Wales, North Dakota,
and there engaged in the butcher and horse business for six years, at
the end of that time returning to Canada and locating in Cobalt,
Ontario, where he continued dealing in horses for one and one-half years.
In 1908, in connection with the emigration department, he came to  Biggar
and remained in the employ of the government two years.  When Mr.
McLaren came to Biggar there were five inhabitants in the town and
he has witnessed and contributed in a great degree to its present growth
and prosperity. Subsequently, after resigning his position with the gov-
ernment, he entered the real estate, insurance and loans business and
likewise resumed his activities as a horse dealer.  Later he opened an
undertaking establishment and he has continued all of those enterprises.
Associated with him in the real estate business is Charles Davis and the
firm is known as McLaren & Davis. Mr. McLaren has extensive farming
interests here. He acquired a homestead near Biggar when he first came
here and for some time he made a specialty of raising pure-blooded short-
horn cattle, geese and bronze turkeys. He also bred race horses and at
the present time is the owner of a number of fine pacers. Mr. McLaren
has traveled extensively throughout Canada, the United States and Cuba
but to his mind there is no place like Biggar for a home.
	On the 1st of August, 1921, Mr. McLaren was married to Miss Maude
Langstaff. They are members of the Anglican church and generous con-
tributors to the various charities. Mr. McLaren follows an independent
course in politics, giving his support to the man best fitted for the office
without regard to party principles. He has been mayor of Biggar for
three years. For a time he was a member of the city council.

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