Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web,

NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON


1882-1912

Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Genealogy, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Pioneer,Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web


the river. It went up in 1883 and stopped at Medicine Hat and came down
in June, 1884.  At that time there were also on the Saskatchewan the
"Northcote" and its sister ship the "Marquis".  The "Northcote" went
through here from Prince Albert to Medicine Hat in 1885. The "Marquis"
was built in Winnipeg in 1882 and the "Northcote" was built in the Grand
Rapids. There was a freight boat called the "Baroness".

   The cooking on these steamers was something to talk about. Andy La
Plante was a half-breed born in Winnipeg and had been on the Second
Relief Expedition for Franklin. He had wandered to Medicine Hat and
was cooking on one of the boat and it was some cooking. I was going to
Winnipeg once and took him with me to see the place where he was born.
The place was built up with magnificent buildings but he soon got tired
and wanted to come back.  He made a certain trip when he was about
seventy-five years of age and took with him his dog and her family of
pups. He got about 8 beavers and started for home. There were no rab-
bits that year so he could not snare a living thing and he couldn't shoot a
living thing. He ate the dog and the pups and he scraped the hair off the
beaver heads and boiled them down and ate them. He grew feebler each
day and finally reached the Indian Reserve at Moose Woods. When he
found he was in safety he collapsed and fell beside the water hole. When
te Indians came down to water their horses they found him there and
sent for Doctor Willoughby. He came round all right.

   You ask what brought us all in to Saskatoon. We brought a raft of
lumber down from Medicine Hat. It was sold to the settlers to build their
houses. Fred Kerr, Mr. Hattie and Hilliard were carpenters, while Fred
Smith was a tinsmith. These men expected to work in their various lines
on the 200 houses which were to go up. That is what lured them in here.
For myself I came because I had the chance to bring down the "May
Queen" and because I wanted to see the country. I had no intention
of staying, but I could not get my money from the Temperance Coloniza-
tion Society so I had to stop two or three months and by that time I be-
gan to like the place and took up a homestead. I never left the country
for fourteen or fifteen years except to go away for supplies. I homesteaded
about 300 yards west of what is now the Quaker Oats factory. It was on
the south half of 30-36-5.  "Louis" Gougeou homesteaded on 22-36-5.
Archie Brown and Wm. Horn homesteaded side by side touching the
northeast corner of my quarter section.
   I built the first house on the west side of the city. That was in 1885.
Mr. Gougeou did not build because, under the Hamlet Law, if a man had
children of school age he could live in the nearest school place to his home-
stead and was exempt from having to put up buildings, which the home-
stead law called for. The following people settled north of the city in
1884: Henry Smith, his wife, four sons and one daughter; Pickard took up
a homestead, stayed a short time and left; Steacy, who afterwards became
a member of Parliament in British Columbia; Halstead, a Methodist min-
ister; Canary Smith, Mason, and Seager Wheeler. Some of the Lakes came
in 1883 and some in 1884. They settled on the east side of the river and the
Caswells on the other side at Clark's Crossing hard by the present Clark-
boro. The names of the Lake boys were Parker, Frank and Charlie.
  When I came down on the boat I got $100 a month and all expenses.
Louis Gougeou got $8.00 a day.  The other fellows were working their
passage to get here to get carpenters' work when they arrived. The meals
were cooked in square oil cans. Some flour was dumped in and mixed with
salt and then it was boiled. That was the principal food. At that time
flour was worth in the settlement about $5.5O a sack. Sugar sold at 25 cents
a pound. Taking the freight into consideration things were not out of the
way at all. There was little or no cash in the place. The year after the
Rebellion I received a Government cheque for $2O.00 and there was not a
person in the whole settlment who had $20.00 with which to cash it. I had
to keep the cheque till next spring when I went to Moose Jaw.

   I was married to Mary Ellen Thomson, the sister of Mrs. Fletcher.
Miss Thomson came in in 1885. We had to go one hundred and ten miles
to a Protestant minister at Prince Albert. We started out just our two
         
                                      Page   46
                                          
         
         

Home
BackBack ......................Home ......................NextNext



NARRATIVES OF SASKATOON


1882-1912


Genealogy, Saskatoon, Pioneer, Saskatchewan history, Temperance Colony, Temperance Colonization Society, Pioneers,John N. Lake, John Lake, Saskatoon history, Saskatoon Gen Web, Saskatoon Genealogy
BY
MEN OF THE CITY

PREPARED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
OF SASKATOON

PUBLISHED BY THE
UNIVERSITY BOOK-STORE



Saskatoon Gen Web

Dive into the heart of Saskatoon's rich past with Saskatoon Gen Web's labor of love by dedicated volunteers since 1979. Imagine wandering through resources that unfold the tales of our ancestors, exploring cemetery headstones, unraveling the stories of one-room schoolhouses, and tracing historical place names and areas.

SaskGenWeb has been your go-to for Saskatoon and area genealogy and historical resources, sharing the vibrant history of this region. If you've ever unearthed family mysteries or strolled through the corridors of the past, you've felt the magic of Saskatoon Gen Web.

But here's the scoop: we've been powered by the generosity of Ancestry.com and Rootsweb.com, who've been our web hosting heroes. Now, as we bid farewell to the free ride, we're on the hunt for paid web hosting, and we're reaching out to you, our incredible community.

Why Support Us on Patreon
  • Preserve Heritage: Be a guardian of Saskatoon's legacy, ensuring it thrives for generations.
  • Fuel Discoveries: Empower volunteers to continue creating invaluable resources for historians, genealogists, and the public.
  • Keep the Lights On: Help us secure paid web hosting for Saskatoon Gen Web.
What's in It for You?
  • Exclusive Insights: Get behind-the-scenes peeks into historical discoveries and ongoing projects.
  • VIP Access: Be the first to explore new transcriptions, resources, and features.
  • Join a Community: Connect with fellow history enthusiasts who share your passion.
Join Our Patreon Family Today!

Your support makes you a vital part of preserving Saskatoon's genealogical and historical treasures. Support Saskatoon Gen Web and let's keep the stories alive!

Gratitude to Ancestry.com and Rootsweb.com for Past Support! Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey through time.


Web Master: Saskatoon Gen Webmaster,

for Saskatoon Gen Web Project

Re-published ?:

URL:

Guestbook



We encourage links to this page.

URL:

These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed Web master with proof of this consent.Athough we strive to ensure the accuracy of all information on this site, Saskatoon Gen Web is not responsible for errors or omissions of information contained within.