LIFE IN OLD COUNTRY SETTLEMENTS.
THE SETTLEMENT OF CANNINGTON MANOR.
(By Capt. Pierce's daughter, Lily, afterwards Mrs. Geo. Shaw
Page.)
There were ten of us altogether :-My father, mother, four boys
(Duncan, Harvey, Ted and Jack), and four girls (Lily, Annie, Frankie
and Jessie). Owing to a bank failure, we decided to leave England, and
start life in a new country where we could be all together. My father
and Harvey left England on June 20th, 1882, and the rest of the family
followed on July 4th. My father secured a nice house in Toronto for us
to come to, until land had been chosen for our future home.
Duncan went off at once to the Northwest to look for land. He then
sent for father to come, as he had heard of some very desirable land
near the Moose Mountains. They were quite satisfied with it. My father
returned to the fourth siding on the C. P. R. (now Moosomin), which
consisted of four tents, viz.: those of R. D. McNaughton, a North West
Mounted Police tent, a Land Guide tent, and a Land Office, in which my
father wished to enter for homesteads and pre-emptions for himself and
four sons. He was informed that all land south of the railway belt was
withdrawn from homesteading. He went back to Ottawa to try to get
this regulation relaxed in his favor. There he met Sir David McPherson,
who on giving him his card, was much struck with the name "Edward
Michell," because Brigr. Sir Edward Michell was a great friend of his;
and for this reason Sir David got him an introduction to Sir John A.
Macdonald, the Premier. Permission was given to throw open the land
for one day and my father entered at once for the land he had come for.
Returning to the fourth siding, he obtained the service of the Land
Guide (Mr. Osler) and they started to locate the land near the Moose
Mountain. Halting at the Pipestone Creek, they saw teams of oxen
coming down driven by some tough looking men; my father put his hand
on his revolver but Mr. Osler laughed and assured him there was no
need of it. Imagine his surprise in hearing "Wa-hah-there" in a de-
cidedly London accent. They soon made friends and were told they
were on their way to their homes near the Moose Mountains, and the
new found friends offered to help them, with regard to the selection
of land.
When in Ottawa my father told Sir John A. Macdonald, that one day
he would write a letter and get it published in a newspaper in England,
which would bring out from there more people of his own standing, and
they would make an English Settlement, where they could live like
princes on the little money they had and which would go in rates and
taxes at home. He wrote that letter and through it the people came.
A Sergeant of the N. W. M. P. was detailed to look after and help
my father. On November 4th he told them they must all help dig a
cellar at once as the winter snow was coming. They did this, pulling
the lumber over the top, and placing a window also for light. Next
morning there was at least two feet of snow on top of them. With the
haelp of the two experienced men, who had just completed houses for
two of the settlers, they raised ours. Being such a large family we had
two ordinary houses side by side, with a passage between, one roof going
over both. (A west room was added later.) I have omitted to say that
the family came to Winnipeg in the month of October, 1882, so as to be
nearer to our destination. While in Winnipeg we stayed with Captain and
Mrs. Tinling whom we had known in England. Duncan came
for us on January 25th, 1883, and we reached our future home on the
28th. It was very cold, and 46o below zero on the 21st. The only team
of horses available when we arrived at Moosomin belonged to Homer
Smith, who lived on the Pipestone; and he agreed to drive us out, a
journey of about 40 to 50 miles. We had to sleep in two places to break
the journey, on account of the snow which made the trails so heavy. At
one house 12x16 were 14 people sleeping there that night. Six
women were upstairs and eight men slept below. We peeped down through
a knot hole in the floor, and saw them lying in rows, rolled up in their
blankets with their clothes for pillows--the usual way in those days when
they could not find bheds to sleep on.
We left next morning after having our feet rubbed with oil ofcapsicum
to prevent them from freezing. In those days none of us knew the danger of
taking a long journey in such severe cold. There was the "Big Plain"
to get over, a distance of 18 miles, without the least shelter in the event
of a blizzard. It need hardly be said that we were extremely glad to
reach our destination, and to be all together once again. The sight of our
brothers in overalls, mitts and queer fur caps amused us girls immensely.
The left half of our house was only "chinked and plastered" just in
time for our arrival. We girls had one bedroom, and father and mother
the other upstairs. The large sitting room was downstairs. Entrance to
the cellar was in the passage, one-half of which was used for our stores,
the other half for the kitchen, which also served as a sleeping place for our
boys and any visitors, they all lying on the floor in rows "like sardines."
They said, sometimes when the visitors were numerous, they were so
tightly packed that if one turned over, the whole row had to do the same.
Later on the right half was the smoking room and kitchen.
It was all such a change from our luxurious life in England, but we
were young and full of life, had the great joy of being all together, and
everything seemed a joke and so we were very happy. We possessed two
yoke of oxen, a buckboard, and "Billy," a remarkable white shaganappi
pony, with one eye dark and the other white, who had a queer crafty
temper. He always insisted on having his own way on the trail, which
my father allowed him to have as he knew the best way to go; if "Billy"
refused to go through a "slough"-well it was no use attempting it, for
he swerved away from the water, and returned to the place he had left.
Our four brothers broke some land and sowed grain, by hand, and on the
30th October, 1883, some threshers came and the threshing resulted in 80
bushels of wheat, 45 of barley, and 130 of oats. I do not know how much
land was in crop, because a small part was broken on each of the five
homesteads. Archibald Machray wrote to my father, saying he had been
told he was a good churchman, and asked his assistance in building an
Anglican Church for ourselves. On October 21st, 1883, he sent Arch-
deacon Pinkham (now Bishop Pinkham), who held the first service, with
celebration in our dining room and christened the first baby born in the
settlement, a girl (Lily Hindmarsh), and the first boy (Alfred Turton). My
father gave some of his land, and we set to work to "raise" our church,
my brother Ted bringing the first load of logs on December 22nd, 1883,
and the "raising" taking place on June 16th, 1884. On June 20th, 1884,
Bishop Anson came to "open" the church, the nave of which was 20x18,
and the transept 18x26. The Sanctuary was added later. He was so
pleased at finding it in such an advanced state with good pews, Altar,
Font, Lectern, Reading desk, Bell, organ and organist (myself) that he
told my father that it was the wish of the settlers, he would "Consecrate"
the church instead of merely "opening" it, as he had intended, and asked
what name we had thought of. Finally we decided on "All Saints," this
being the name of Rev. A. S. Page's church at Selsley, Gloucester, Eng-
land (father of three of our "boys"), who had helped us very materially,
as did many of our relations and friends "across the water." And this
name was also the name of the Bishop's first Curacy. Our church was
therefore the first consecrated in the Diocese of Qu'Appelle.
We were very fortunate in having two skilled carpenters (Cornell and
Higgins), in the Settlement, and they made the windows and doors, etc.,
also all the furnishings of the church. The picture of it was taken April
27th, 1889, and being a very early spring, we were able to decorate it
with Pasque flowers, a kind of wild anemone of a lovely pale mauve. Our
first wedding was on November 8th, 1885, between Spencer Page and
Frances Michell Pierce, Rev. W. W. Bolton officiating. Later on we were
able to support a clergyman of our own; the Rev. W. St. John Field came
and he was succeeded in turn by Rev. A. Agassin, Rev. H. B. Cartwright,
Rev. Bernard Barton, Rev. Nelson Dobie (now Dean) and Rev. L. Shella.
In 1887, my father, Harry R. Montagu Bird and Ernest Maltby formed
themselves into "The Moose Mountain Trading Co." and built a lovely
little Roller Process Flour Mill, also a general store, which included a
Post Office, and the "Mitre" Hotel. We also had in the village a vicarage,
a Dominion Land Office, a Club House, School, two other houses occupied
by R. M. Bird and Ernest Maltby, with blacksmith, carpenters and shoe-
makers' shops. The school had a large hall over it, where we sometimes
held dances, wedding receptions, dinner parties, agricultural exhibits and
other proceedings of a like festive nature. Our settlement grew and flour-
ished; we had a surpliced choir of men, the ladies sitting behind them.
Mrs. Hanson became our organist and choirmistress, having acted in that
capacity for 25 years in an Anglican Church in Constantinople (Turkey),
our services were choral and very beautiful. No history of Cannington
Manor can be complete without mention of the racing stables of the
Beckton Bros., to whom the credit belongs of introducing thoroughbred
race horses into the Northwest Territories. In 1889 the three Becktons
imported eight horses and began systematic breeding, with Keale in charge
of their stables, as stud groom. About the same time the Cannington
Manor Turf Club was formed and many excellent little race meetings
were held, and the Becktons' horses were sent to all the races in the West,
and it may be said that for many years they set the standard for racing
in the Territories, while the present high stamp of horses In Saskatche-
wan may largely be attributed to the influence of the Beckton stables,
which were headed by Jase Philips, with Cloe Martin, Miss Tax, Gertie B.
and other mares, from whom came Imogene, Piccaninny, Uncle Dick, etc.
It was only last year, I saw a horse in Moosomin and on enquiry found it
was bred from one of the descendants of Jase Philips. We certainly had
to work very hard as only the pioneers can testify, but we had happy,
lovely times. There were enough for players for two cricket teams and
many an exciting match we had with teams of the other districts. We
had tennis, football and fox hunting, all the dancing we wanted, and
parties and entertainments to our hearts' content. With regard to the name
of our Post Office, my father chose "Cannington" being the name of the
place where some of the Michells had lived near Bridgewater, Somerset-
shire, England. But as there was a Cannington in Ontario, he was re-
quested to make some alteration, so that there might be no complication
over the mail. So he added the word "Manor" to it.
Here are some names of those who came out from England and made
homes in our settlement: Harry and Frank Sayer; Spencer and William
Page; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Taylor (were there when my father came)
Mr. and Mrs. Hanson (three sons and one daughter) ; Mr. and Mrs. Hum-
phrys (five sons and five daughters) ; Mr. and Mrs. Jack Baker; Mr. and
Mrs. A. H. Field (three daughters); Mr. and Mrs. Tripp; Mr. Harry
Tn pp; Sidney, Henry and Percy Brockman; Charlie Cooper; Alan and
Felix Troughton; C. D. Rushbrook; Geo. Shaw Page; Mrs. Sheldon Wil-
liams (two sons and two daughters) ; Harry and R. Montagu Bird; E. N.
Maltby; Ernest, William and Herbert Beckton; Mr. and Mrs. Stanier
(seven sons and two daughters); C. Gerald Napier; C. Steedman; A. Bell-
house; Ashton Lyon; Stuart George; A. LeMesurier; Cecil and Paul Le-
Mesurier; Tony Purser; Dr. Hardy; C. Fleming; H. Dreweath; Harry
Moore; Mrs. Pigott (three sons); Mr. and Mrs. William Taylor; Fred
Blagdon; C. R. A. Hinds; Charles and Jack Dawson; Mr. and Mrs. John
Turton and family; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Turton and family; C. Royal
Dawson; L. and R. Neish.
We had lots of excitement at various times, being only a few miles
from "White Bear's" Indian Reserve. On one occasion at the time of the
Northwest Rebellion in 1885, two Indians arrived at the house early in
the morning, and according to our custom when Indians turned up, were
offered breakfast and tobacco by my brothers. The former was accepted
and the latter refused. One of my brothers came to us girls and said
quietly "Go and tell father there are two Indians who will not smoke with
us." My father arose instantly and came down. He took out his pipe
and offered them tobacco which they again refused. My father being
convinced that for some reason they were hostile to us, commanded them
to smoke, moving over so as to prevent their escape. Seeing they were
unable to get away, they obeyed, then my brother quietly opened the
door and called in several Indians who were outside; I showed them the
two men smoking with my father. We heard later that these two men
were "Runners" sent by Riel to incite our Indians to "rise" but they failed
in this instance, since they had been seen smoking with our men, and the
evidence of the other Indians turned the scale against them, as the tribe
refused to listen to men who had been guilty of preaching war against a
"smoke companion." For three nights we remained on the alert with
rifles loaded and ready but the precaution proved needless, though we did
not hear the reason till afterwards.
Another morning a young brave (one of the chief's sons) called Sha-
wa-kal-coosh arrived, in scarlet attire, adorned with beads and eagle's
feathers. He walked into the sitting room to my father and sat down,
holding his Winchester rifle, with a red handkerchief between his knees
and bending his head down on it. He would not take any dinner and
when the sun was about to set (according to Indian customs the time for
asking favours) he said something in Chippewa, offering my father the
pipe. Rev. Mr. Baldwin (Baptist Minister), who was present and knew
their language, having heard of the Indian's intended visit doubtless
thought there was some fun coming, and also that he might assist as
interpreter. Do you understand what Sha-wa-kal-coosh is asking you,
Captain" Mr. Baldwin inquired. I haven't the faintest idea, replied my
father, do you know" He is asking you to give him that daughter (look-
ing at me) and offers his rifle for the price of her. My father's face was
a sight to behold. Duncan, he said, take that fellow out quick, if you don't
I shall kick him out. Needless to say he was removed by my brother with-
out loss of time. The old chief Wa-pe-ma-qua (White Bear), called my
father "Ogema Chimogonist" (English soldier chief'), and he was the
Indian Chief, therefore he considered they were on an equality and al-
though he had been told it was not considered so by us and thought
perhaps he was paying us a compliment in asking for me. For several
years the chief's son hovered about at intervals, trying to see me alone.
One day he succeeded and in a very insinuating way offered me a pretty
bunch of brightly coloured feathers. This I coldly and decidedly refused,
as I knew it was "bad medicine" and had I taken it he would have thought
it gave him some hold on me. I never dared go out alone at dusk,
for fear of his running off with me. One evening, Mounted Police
Sergeant Harper, with two specially sworn in Constables (Bertam Tenny-
son and Jack Williamson) arrived from Moosomin and requested to see
my father, who was J. P. for the district. It was a very wet misty eve-
ning and one could hardly see a yard ahead. They reported that the horses
from the Bell farm, Indian Head, had been run off and they had been
sent after them. They felt sure they must be somewhere about, but as
they couldn't get any trace of them asked if they might sleep in our house.
My father gave permission on their promising to be away at daybreak.
They were away all right only to find the band had been corralled on the
next quarter section; and were gone. There was a big ring of bare earth
where they had walked round to keep the horses together in a bunch. We
heard afterwards they had been seen coming down the creek bottom and
passed Downey's house at 3:30 a. m. and eventually they were caught by
Sergeant Hooper, now Rev. H. C. Lewis Hooper. Every settler who had
horses took every precaution against horse thieves. Two men with re-
volvers slept in the stable, with the door fastened across inside with a
logging chain and there had been instances known of their getting them
out after all without disturbing the watches. My father had been suffer
ing from several ailments for years and after a slight seizure passed
away on the 20th June, 1888, exactly six years after he left England.
He was buried in the middle of our church yard, by special request of the
settlers as he was "The Father of the Settlement." My mother went back
to England in 1901 to be with my sister Jessie (Mrs. Beckton) and lived
with her at Canterbury until her death June 26th, 1911. It has been said
that Cannington Manor stopped the day father died, and never went ahead
after. Just before he died he was writing about a line of rail being built
near, and eventually the station which was called "Manor" was placed
exactly where he wished it to be.
Author's Note. We are exceedingly pleased to be able to print the
foregoing and to add our own testimony to the hospitality and sports
manship of the Cannington Settlement. Captain Pierce will take his
place in the front rank of our British pioneers. Not only was he a man
of ability, courage and culture he was a fine exemplar of the very best
type of the English gentleman and British soldier. He was large hearted,
kindly and generous, and his memory is still affectionately cherished by
all who knew him. The Breckton Bros. have also left behind them a great
name for free-handed hospitality and genuine sportsmanship. Another
name also deserves very special and appreciative mention-that of the
late Mr. Spencer Page. He took a great interest in church work, and
was a prominent figure at the meetings of the synod. When the district
became an electoral division he was the first member elected; and he
subsequently became the first Clerk of the Assembly for the Province of
Saskatchewan. With this office he combined that of the children's Wel
fare Department of the Government; and when he died suddenly in the
prime of life a few years ago his demise occasioned most sincere regret
to a very large circle of friends.
Bibliography follows:
Next Page