Biggar World Volume 1, No. 1, August 19th, 1909

Kershaw, Wm.

Wm. Kershaw, butcher, was born in Manchester, England thirty-nine years ago, was educated at Farnwith Grammer school for six years. He learned his trade in England and worked at it in that country for fourteen years. Mr. Kershaw afterward ranched and prospected in Australia for three years. He later butchered on board S.S. Ninevah and afterward was in South Africa for a period of time, after which he returned to England for a few months and in 1907 came to America and managed a butcher shop in Manitoba for a year and then came to Saskatoon and homesteaded. Mr. Kershaw then took a contract from Galloway Bros. to do butcher work on the construction of G.T.P. west and later had a butcher shop at Perdue, Sask., for nine months coming to Biggar, Dec. 12th, 1908, and building and entering on his present business here.

King, G.L.

G.L. King, of Mooney and King is a Medicine Hat railroad man, and will likely at a near future date come to Biggar to take active part in the firm's work.

Lobdell, E.

E. Lobdell, machinist came here from the C.P.R. where he learnt his trade. He is a young man of promise in his line as well as a ball player of note and has been eight years railroading.

Lyons, J.R.

J.R. Lyons, a native of Canada, came from Dauphin in the middle of July and has been engaged as engine wiper.

Martin, T.

T. Martin, car repairer, from Portage la Prairie, came here middle of last May.

Mattenley, George

George Mattenley, machinist helper, was born at Gilford, Ontario, twenty-seven years ago and educated there. After leaving school he took up electric work and was with the C.P.R. as electrician for two and a half years. On leaving the C.P.R., in Broadview, Sask., this spring came west and landed in Biggar on the 1st of May.

Matthews, G.A.

G.A. Matthews, manager for P.F. Woolhouse, jeweller, was born at Orangeville, Dufferin Co., Ont., twenty five years ago and received his education there. Mr. Matthews learned watchmaking with A.C. Stanners, C.P.R. watch inspector, in Toronto and is a thoroughly competent man at his business. He worked in Toronto five years and later at Kingston, Sarnia, and Fort William and eventually was C.P.R. watch inspector at Saskatoon, coming to Biggar two months since to manage for P.F. Woolhouse.

McBride, E.

E. McBride, the genial bar man at the Empire, was born at Goderich, Ont., in 1885 and was educated at London, Ont., and came west five years ago and has since been connected with the liquor business.

Howard McLaren, agent for the Massey-Harris implements, comes from Killtey township, Leeds county, Ont., where he attended public school in his youth and later acquired a good business experience at various places in the East and West. Mr McLaren started the first butcher shop in Biggar and laster sold to Louis O'dette. In the Massey-Harris implements he is doing a good and every increasing business.

McPhee, D.

D. McPhee, proprietor of The Biggar Trading Co., came originally from

Orillia, Ont. Mr. McPhee spent twenty four years of his early life in Toronto and them moving west to Winnipeg followed railroading in Manitoba and later in British Columbia, returning to Winnipeg in 1908. He came through here on the location of the G.T.P. line and in the spring of 1908 built a store on the prospected townsite of Biggar and installed a general store stock, also running a restaurant. Mr. McPhee is the pioneer merchant of Biggar.

Meek, W.R.

W.R. Meek, of the general store of Meek & Urquhart, is from Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia where he received his education and considerable valuable business training. He later came west to Medicine Hat and entered the employ of the C.P.R. and after three years with that corporation, when having become acquainted with Mr. Urquhart - they having some idle capital entered into partnership with the object of locating in business in the west. They heard of the bright future of Biggar and together came here on a prospecting journey last September. They are highly satisfied with conditions here and after returning to Medicine Hat, Mr. Meek, as the firm's representative came again at once to Biggar and bought property and built their store building and installed an excellent and varied line of general merchandise. From the first the firm's business under Mr. Meek's able management has been a lucrative one and the volume of their business rapidly increasing. Mr. Meek is Vice-President of the Board of Trade and was returned as councillor at the first election after the incorporation of Biggar. He is a sterling business man and on the alert constantly toward the welfare of this thriving town.

Miller, H.H.

H.H. Miller, proprietor of the Biggar Square Deal refreshment store, was born McGillvray township, Middlesex, Co. Ontario, on May 17, 1877. He was educated in the east and farmed afterward till twenty years of age. Mr. Miller was connected with the street railway company of London, Ontario, for five years as conductor and then started to learn cutting trade in a big ladies' costume store in London - was dissatisfied with that sphere of work and after a year came west to Saskatoon and was attached to the staff of the Canadian Northern Railway for a year and came to Biggar and homesteaded in June, 1908, later establishing himself in his present business in Feb. 1909. Mr. Miller is treasurer of the Biggar Board of Trade and in his store is doing a thriving and daily increasing business.

Mooney, A.W.

A. W. Mooney, member and manager of the hardware firm of Mooney and King, was born in Minden, the county seat of Haliburton, county, Ont. Mr. Mooney was educated in the east and in his early manhood came west to further his ambitions, and at Cranbrook, B.C., on the C.P.R., entered on a career of railroading as best suited to his active temperament. his course was speedily upward in his chosen avocation, and in record time he successfully passed his examination qualifying him as a locomotive engineer, taking his first engine at Cranbrook, later running out of Medicine Hat, where he built a modern residence and with Mrs. Mooney and their children made their home. He and Mr. King, having some money for investment and seeking a location for the establishment of a business pooled their capital and formed their present partnership, and hearing favourable reports of Biggar and district, Mr. Mooney, representing the new firm came to this place to investigate, arriving here on March 20th, 1908, and was so favourably impressed with Biggar and a business opening that he immediately erected a building and installed a comprehensive stock of hardware in the firm's commodious store. They have since added furniture and harness to their stock and do tinsmithing in all its branches, having in charge of this department E. Klump, a thoroughly experienced and competent tinsmith. The firm is doing a big volume of business and are highly satisfied with the destiny that brought them here. Mr. Mooney is well informed and well read man, not having neglected the cultivation of his mind in the pursuit of his railroading career. On the 7th of June, 1909,on the incorporation of Biggar, Mr. Mooney was elected unanimously as overseer, the highest dignity in the gift of the town. He is also a member of the council of the Board of Trade and is a public spirited man and one of the most energetic local workers in the exploitation and advancement of Biggar.

Mullholland, George

George Mullholland, born in Winnipeg, here about three months, engaged as engineer at the power house.