John was his first given name, however he was generally known as Fred and was said to have been a general all-purpose tradesman. He moved to Nova Scotia for a while where he reportedly became the construction superintendent for the Moirs Chocolate factory built in Halifax. He met his wife Rose at the factory. Sometime after their marriage they moved west in 1917 where they settled and raised their family in Saskatchewan. There were 12 children with the last 8 born on the family farm in Saskatchewan and the births registered at nearby Lafleche. Fred built his own house on his father's farm then later moved to a farm of his own. As well as farming, he operated his own blacksmith shop repairing neighbourhood farm machinery. His carpentry skills were also used to make coffins for the neighbours when they died. When his sister and her husband, (Clara & Bob Fogal), decided to travel and take on custom farming in the USA, Fred built them their first house trailer.
In 1936, I met Fred and Rose for the first and only time. My mother and I had taken a train trip west and were making the rounds visiting the families of her sister, brothers and her father. I was only 8 at the time, and a city kid who had never been on a farm, so the rural prairie lifestyle in the mid-1930's was quite an experience. (No flush toilets or electricity, and the heat, dust and a plague of locusts, were all hard to get used to). Their 3 youngest boys and I were all about the same age and they were soon showing this city kid how to set traps for gophers -- (although I don't recall we ever caught any). What I do recall, is I thought it was great fun to sneak away behind the barn and chase the hens to get them flying every which way. They had a young pup which soon joined in with me. That was fine, until one time he caught, killed and started to eat a hen. I went back to the house and told on him. One of the older brothers then said, "Well, we can't have a dog on a farm who kills and eats chickens". He then took the dog out behind the barn -- AND KILLED HIM. This certainly left a lasting impression on me. I was smart enough to keep the circumstances to myself, and my mother never did hear the truth of it. (It's certainly not something I'm proud of -- but I was only 8 -- and it WAS fun chasing the hens).
Rose was born in Nova Scotia and was reportedly a miner's daughter. She apparently had worked at the Moirs chocolate factory in Halifax and is where she met her future husband. In 1917, age 22, and already with 3 young children, the family moved to Saskatchewan to live a life of pioneers where another 8 children were born to this family. Rose was in her 99th year when she died in 1994.
Reportedly died soon after birth.
Reportedly died of a ruptured appendix at about 2 years.
Reportedly died of Measles and Chicken Pox before her first birthday.
Gordon is a graduate of Toronto and McGill universities with degrees in both English and French Law. For a number of years, he was a Senior Treaty Negotiator for the Federal Department of Justice based in Ottawa. Gordon is also a published author of a book on Canadian Law practices. He met his wife Natalie while they were both members of the same Naval Reserve military band. They presently reside in Apple Hill, a small rural community south of Ottawa where he has now set up his own home-based law firm.
Natalie has a Bachelor of Music Degree. She is also very artistic and presently works from her home as a graphic artist. She must love her husband Gordon very much as she let him talk her into a 10-week back-packing honeymoon trip throughout southeast Asia.
Reported to be three children in this marriage - no other details available.
Reported to be two children in this marriage - no other details available.
1/2 brother to Nan Stewart (#95)
Reported to have been three children in this marriage. No other details available.