When Duane visited Aunt Audrey in October 2013, he received some pictures of the Stewart family. The picture that follows contains
four generations. From left to right the adults are Etta Stewart, Abigail Watson and Florence
Harrison nee Stewart. The young boy is Florence's son George.
Hi Duane!
In response to your question, "Abigail Watson" was her maiden name, she was actually married to Aseph Elias Guinn. I suspect that
she was always referred to as "Abigail Watson" because there was this apocryphal tale circulating in the family that she was a first
cousin of renowned Canadian painter Homer Watson, although in researching the issue, we were never able to establish a clear link.
In an interesting twist, there was also a rumour in the family that Abigail's mother, Harriet Eisenhower, was related to Dwight D.
Eisenhower, former US president. Ironically, that's the link that we were able to positively establish! So if anybody asks, you can
say you're distantly related to the 34th president of the United States of America.
I'm not sure how much Guinn family history you have at your disposal, so I will pass on what I know. The records go back to William Gwynne, resident of Ireland, whose son, Richard Guinn, (born 1794, died 1871) emigrated to Canada. You'll notice that the spelling of the name changed at that point, so we assume that Richard was illiterate and the bureaucrat filling out the form at Grosse Isle just tried to spell the name phonetically.
Richard Guinn married Maria Stephens (1810-1897) and they had seven daughters:
Now this is where the story gets interesting! Jane, as a teenager, was impregnated up by Hugh Todd the husband of her sister Maryann. The baby born of that indiscretion was Aseph Elias Guinn, who was raised by his grandfather, Richard Guinn, as his own son, presumably. Since records show Jane was born in 1839 and Aseph Elias was born in 1855, the oldest she could possibly have been at the time of his birth would have been 16. (In other words, Hugh Todd's dalliance bordered on pedophilia!) I should mention that we were always told that Aseph Elias was born out of wedlock because his mother had been raped by some unidentified stranger. It wasn't until we got a copy of the Guinn family history that we learned the identity of the "rapist." (Jane later married Bill Grainger and had seven more children. I've got their names, if you'd like to know them.)
The family lived on an Indian reservation and at least two of the sons, John and Ted, became fluent in the Cree language. So much so that they were in the habit of frustrating their parents by using it around the house when they didn't want their Mom and Dad to know what they were discussing. I've asked my mother if her own mother (Etta) became fluent in the language, but my mother didn't think so since she'd never heard her mother speak it, although Granny did have a lot of aboriginal friends, apparently. Of course, given the prejudices of the day, the ability of someone of European origin to speak a native language might not be something one would necessarily want shouted from the rooftops. Since Granny grew up in a native environment I can't imagine she wouldn't have known the language--at least at some rudimentary level.
We also have a certain amount of information on the history of Aseph's wife, Abigail Watson. The records go back to William Watson, who had four children:
Graham Watson, of "Watson Wooling Mills," married Harriett Eisenhower, the daughter of Marilla Knickerbocker and Michael Eisenhower.
They had four children:
Michael Eisenhower had a common ancestor with Dwight D., although it's back rather far. It's interesting to note that the original German
spelling was "Eisenhauer," which was anglicized to "Eisenhower" prior to the family lines diverging. On an interesting side note, "Knickerbocker"
was the result of a name change, since the family's actual name was "Ruiter." Both families were the product of the German immigrants who settled
in Pennsylvania. (Where they were known as "Pennsylvania Dutch," although they were, of course, of German origin.)
I don't know if my mother ever mentioned it to you, but any mention of Aseph Elias in her home was absolutely verboten. Etta hated the man with
an absolute passion, which has caused some to speculate that maybe he he had molested his own daughters. That's really the only way my mother
could explain the hatred her own mother felt towards the man. (Of course, this is all rumour and innuendo and should be treated as such--I don't
have any hard facts and I'm not trying to besmirch anyone's name.) Aseph Elias was something of a legend in Melfort, and a huge birthday celebration
was organized for his 80th. My mother was told by her own mother (Etta) that she was not--under any circumstances--to attend that party! She was not
to go near Aseph Elias!! Of course, my mother defied her mother's orders and went by, just to get a glimpse of the man. He was, after all, her
grandfather, and she had never actually met him. So, she was able to see him and watched as he entertained the throngs by playing various musical
instruments. He appeared larger than life, apparently. Anyway, she didn't actually speak to him, but just seeing the man satisfied her curiosity.
I think that covers most of the info that I have on the family. I hope that clears up any confusion. I'll pass along any new material I manage to come across!
Cheers,
Andrew
The following is a picture of the 5 girls
Front Row: Ethel Pat Etta
Back Row: Molly Jane
This is a picture of Etta and her father.
How many ways did they spell his name? Depending on the document or who sends you information his name could be Aeseph, Asaph, Aseph, Ace or just A. E. Guinn.
Asaph Elias Guinn (Etta s Father) homesteaded the north east quarter south side of highway 3, 1 mile east of highway six. Click this link to see a map showing the location near Melfort (NE quarter section 32 township 44 range 18 west of 2nd meridian).(Click this link to see the homestead papers). He burnt lime along the creek to plaster houses of those days. He then had a boarding house in Melfort. According to the 1906 census, the family is living north of Resource on SE quarter of section 10 township 44 range 18 west of 2nd merdian. Click this link to see a map showing the location near Resource. The members of the family living there are: Asaph (52), Abigail (46), John (22), Lormer (19), Molly (16), Ethel (14), Jane (11) and Patricia (4). He became the Indian Agent after he separated from Abigail Guinn which would have taken place between 1906 and 1911. In 1911, Ethel and Abigail are living with Geordie Stewart in Melfort. In 1916, Ethel and Jane are living with the Stewart's and Abigail is boarding with Thomas and Jane Granger in Melfort.(click to see the 1916 document) and Asaph (Ace) is living with his daughter Patricia at SE quarter section 27 township 43 range 18 west of 2nd meridian (click to see the 1916 document). In 1926 A. E. Guinn is living by himself on the SE quarter section 27 township 43 range 18 west of 2nd meridian (click to see the 1926 document). (click to see a map showing it was in Resource, SK southeast of Melfort).The Post Office in Resource was where he was supposed to have had a still. He is buried in the Silver Park Cemetery.
This is a picture of the bronze plaque that Uncle Bill Stewart and Aunt Audrey Braid purchased to mark the grave.
A book was published in 1955 titled "Voices of the Past: The History of Melfort and District" by the Melfort & District Golden Jubilee Committee who asked Tim Ryan to gather and write the history. The book concentrated on the late 1800's and included many references to the Guinns as Aseph was one of the first pioneers to settle in the area. Following are excerpts from the book that include many references to those first pioneers of the Melfort area. The following picture is from the book. Aseph Guinn is in the back row, fourth from the right.
Pages 9 and 10
Coming now to homesteading days and to living memory. Many settlers began their lives in the New World with little capital, and
nothing but the desire to establish themselves on the land and a liking for pioneer life. Equipment at first was pitifully inadequate
and in some cases consisted of only four large oxen, a walking plough and a wagon. Why did they come? One might well ask, and the reply
might well have been the probability of free land and later the strong advertising appeals made all over the continent. The records
show that many were induced to come, by reading such articles as that published by Peter Aikenhead, on the Carrot River Valley, a copy
of which, was on display at the Glasgow Exhibition in 1903 and resulting in at least one settler coming into the Valley.
At the turn of the century a homesteading entry cost but $10.00 with the homestead consisting of one hundred and sixty acres. At the end of three years a title to the property could be obtained by the pioneer, provided that he had lived on it for not less than six months out of each of the three years previous and had put under cultivation at least forty acres. This at times proved not an easy task. Reg Beatty in 1884 only broke six and one half acres, although apparently credited with nine and one half acres, such being the rough estimates of the time.
The homesteader was by law required to have a house on the homestead but nearly anything would serve, even a sod hut eight by six feet, although most of the houses were indeed well built of logs, and quite comfortable. Homes in those early days were often roofed with sod. This was a warm and comfortable roof for the Winter, and when the weather was dry, but when the heavy rains came the water continued falling inside the house for half a day after it had stopped outside. In 1899, a disastrous hailstorm swept the Melfort Community destroying all their crops and all their hay. Only two fields of wheat in the whole settlement were left standing, one in the extreme north, and one in the extreme west; the latter a ten-acre plot owned by Bobbie Woods in Pleasant Valley. All the windows in Thomas Buffin Pengelly's house were broken and the rain came through the sod roof like water through a sieve, soaking the beds and the furniture. At the house of Joe Smith,. SW1/4-14-44-18, who lived about four miles south of Mr. Pengelly the storm took the roof off, killed the baby and badly injured Mr. Smith. Homes were often plastered, whitewashed outside and with fencing put up about the house.
Long and arduous labor went into the building of those homestead shacks. On February 24th, 1894, Jim Aikenhead commenced cutting and hewing the thirty-two-foot and twenty-two-foot logs for his house, and the twenty-six-foot ones for the stable. For a month nearly every day the entry in the diary reads: “took three logs, thirty-two feet long and two logs, twenty-two feet long”, or “cut and hewed seven, thirty-two—foot logs and two logs twenty-two feet long.” The labor later changed, in form not intensity, for the entries now read “Hauled six logs, thirty-two feet long and two logs twenty-two feet long.” The culmination of their efforts came July 28th, when kindly neighbours gathered for a bee and put up the walls of a house, sixteen feet by twenty-two feet. That did not mean, however, that the little house was finished, for after the summer’s work was over, Jim went at it again. The gable ends received his attention first of all, as did the windows and doors later, finally plastering the walls.
With two trusty neighbours as witnesses, and a detailed report from the Homestead Inspector, as to the amount of land broken and the nature of buildings erected, a “patent” would be granted him and he would become the rightful owner of one hundred and sixty acres, more or less. This last appendage to the document was a canny safeguard by the Government to cover any errors that might have been made in the survey, or possibly the inclusion of any small body of water within the boundary of the land aforesaid.
The survey of the prairie now known as Saskatchewan, followed the Homestead Act of 1870, and the agreement on the International Boundary between the United States and Canada.
Using the American plan, the province was divided into Townships of six miles square, each Township being sub-divided into thirty-six sections of one mile square, and each section divided into four quarter sections of one hundred and sixty acres.
The Homestead Act of 1882, under which most settlers obtained their holding is herewith given.
Any even numbered section of Dominion Lands in Manitoba or the North-West provinces excepting 8 and 26, not reserved, may be homesteaded by any person who is the sole head of a family, or any male over 18 years of age, to the extent of one quarter section of 160 acres more or less.
Entry may be made personally at the local land office for the district in which the land is situate, or if the homesteader desired, he may, on application to the Minister of the Interior, Ottawa, the Commissioner of Immigration, or the local agent, receive authority for someone to make entry for him.
The homesteader is required to perform the conditions connected therewith under one of the following plans:
(1) At least six months’ residence upon and cultivation of the land in each year for three years.
(2) If the father (or mother if the father is deceased) of the homesteader resides upon a farm in the vicinity of the land entered for, the requirements as to
residence may be satisfied by such person residing with the father or mother.
(3) If the settler has his permanent residence upon farming land owned by him in the vicinity of his homestead, the requirements as to residence may be satisfied
upon the said land.
Six months notice in writing shall be given to the Commissioner of Dominion Lands at Ottawa of intention to apply patent.
W.W. Cory
Deputy of the Minister of the interior
Page 14
The coming together, or Bees were popular methods of undertaking the really big jobs. J. Schmitzel's shanty and stable were erected that way, as were Aikenheads,
Will Eastman's, Wood's store and likely most of the others, although unrecorded. When Mr. Guinn set up a lime kiln, it took five days of concentrated effort to get
it in working order.
Travel for the pioneer was difficult to say the least. Beatty records his quickest time to and from Prince Albert at five days, this in October of 1890. Before the railroad came through, Prince Albert was the nearest trading centre for the settlement. Such a trip was a major undertaking and usually took a week to complete. Two or more neighbours usually went together to help to break trail or to give a hand when difficulties were encountered. In summer the swampy places were a hazard and Mr. Pengelly often told how his outfit being so badly mired that not only did he have to carry his load across to dry land, but he had to take his wagon apart and carry it out also. Those who made the trip carried with them a week’s supplies of food and either ate it on the trail, or cooked it on the stoves of the settlers who entertained them along the route. There Were no locks or unwelcome signs on anybody’s door then. When night fell one simply stayed at the nearest farm house, stabled the horses, cooked your meal, spread your blanket on the floor and stayed all night; as long as there was floor space you were welcome.
The aboriginal inhabitant, the Indian, travelled on foot and in fair weather with a light load, consisting perhaps of a Hudson’s Bay blanket, two spare moccasins, a single barrel flint lock rifle, a tomahawk and a scalping knife as well as tea, tobacco and matches. No other provisions were carried, depending on the game killed on route.
Page 22
As Secretary of the Vaughan School Board, Mr. Wild served until January, 1906, indeed the first school had been built on his land, while Mrs. Wild often acted as substitute teacher.
In those early days, money was a scarce commodity, and barter was prevalent, and Wild in his capacity as school secretary met many similar situations. A record is extant in which
Peter Aikenhead met his school tax of $6.72, by bringing 22 1/2 bushels of oats. This, in 1895.
The establishment of a school must have been in the minds of the pioneers for some time prior to March 24th, 1894, which is the date of the first meeting recorded in the old minute book. With a full board, S. H. Scroggs, A. E. Guinn, A. E. Wild present. The previous minutes are not available but would have shown Jim Cameron, A. E. Wild, and S. H. Scroggs, as the first trustees, with Wild as chairman and A. Guinn as first secretary treasurer. The following year Wild took this latter post which he held for many years.
Page 24
The new school was put up during 1896 and A. E. Guinn was hired for $45.00 to plaster the inside of the school which he did with lime from his own kiln. On the night of January 20th, 1897,
there was a grand gathering of over one hundred and fifty people assembled to admire the new building and although a blizzard was blowing outside, Mr. Beatty as chairman conducted quite a
program of speeches and songs.
Page 30
Harry Bird came to Saskatchewan from Portage La Prairie, where he had a butcher's store. He settled near the Vaughan school, for this was the centre, the seat of he Post Office, and the
possible site of a new town. He established a boarding house and rooming establishment and when the townsite was finally decided in 1902, he moved
the buildings in to the west side of Main Street, north of Burrows Avenue. His first customers here were Phillip Crampton, now of Saanichton, Vancouver Island, and two
bachelor friends who had the first meal bought and paid for in Melfort. This repast consisted of fried eggs, bacon, fried potatoes and butter, and was a rush job as
Harry was working on construction at the time and was not officially opened. His remarks are worthy of mention - "You chaps are the first customers I've had - twenty
five cents each". In Bird’s boarding house at Melfort space seems to have been at a premium, at any rate when Mr. G. L. Stewart stayed there at Christmas 1902-3 he had
to put his own bed on the floor in the dining room. Later Harry went to Star City and entered partnership, in the Real Estate business.
Page 32
The present town site was surveyed in July and August, 1902, by George B. Bemister, P. L. S., of Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. A Beatty diary entry mentions a town site
having been contemplated as far back as June 8th, 1892, by Dr. Spence and his party, but no more details are available. One of Melfort's enterprising entrepreneurs,
Mr. Ed. Crawford was one of Mr. Bemister's assistants, as was also the young Min Guinn. (Min would have been about 16 years old; parentheses added by webpage designer)
Page 33
John S. Hatton, a man of vigorous personality, a native of Ireland, and a graduate of Toronto Veterinary College, set up a livery stable on Saskatchewan Avenue East, which
he conducted in connection with his work as a veterinarian for eight years before selling out and entering the Real Estate profession. He later served
as Mayor of the town, this in 1909. Ted Guinn, son of A. E., also conducted a small livery and feed stable, at The Palace on Burrows Avenue.
Charlie M. Dorr, with Angus McLean as assistant was another blacksmith who came early on, opening on Burrows Avenue West, just opposite G. B. Jameson's store. Mrs. C. M. Dorr had a dress—making parlor in the lower part of the building which had been purchased from J. H. Lambert, while the upper story housed George Bennet photographer. The first millinery display in the history of Melfort took place in A. E. Wild's General Store, in December, 1905. Mrs. Dorr had just returned from a purchasing trip to Winnipeg, and the leading styles of the time were polo turbans in different shades and colours, with Napoleon hats a close second. Accommodation for the traveler was increasing. McKague and Guinn's Boarding and Lodging House, was opened in September 1903. Herb McKague later entered the baking business while A. E. Guinn opened Melfort House for boarders. Both Harry Bird and Guinn, it is noted, made additions to their establishments in April of 1904.
Page 36
The country surrounding Melfort was rapidly being settled by Ontario and American incomers who all seemed to thrive from the start. The town was growing fast on what
less than two years before had been prairie. The expansion provided much employment for Guinn and Petterson, brick and stone masons; A. E. Eastman, constructor, A. B.
Carson, contractor; A. M. Clagget, contractor, late of Missouri arriving in Melfort Thursday, March 31st, 1904; The Schneider Bros., Contractors of Edran, Manitoba.
The first water supply was from a pump on Main Street near the site of the present Royal Bank then shortly afterwards galvanised iron roofs, coupled with plentiful rain
provided abundance of soft water.
Page 37
Early residents in town and district who are still here are Mr. and Mrs. G. L. Stewart, James Claggett, Mrs. Ira Monsees, Crawford McAusland, John Taylor, J. Bethune,
C. Trevethick, Lydia Trevethick, Mrs. J. R. Aikenhead, Mrs. W. J. Young, a resident until recently, Mrs. Roy McLean, Gordon Cameron, Cecil Davidson, Ellis and
Lindsay Cowell, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stewart, Mrs. W. J. Eastman, Mrs. E. E. Jameson, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Cowell, Mrs. George Wittig, Mrs. John Wittig, Mr. and
Mrs. Fred Ashdown, Mr. C. Rush, Mr. W. McMahon, Mr. R. Wood, Mrs. W. Clift, Mrs. M. Clift, Mrs. V. Clift, Mr. Dave Flett, Mrs. Sam Maxwell, Mr. E. Grainger, Mr. C. Lutes.
Ed. Carwardine, late Town Clerk came here in 1906 and remained since.
Page 39
Steps were soon made for the establishment of a Board of Trade to expedite such matters. A meeting was held as early as Friday May 15th, 1904, in Mr. Johnston’s
store, with A. E. Wild as chairman and W. W. Rutan as secretary. Discussion revealed that "transportation and rail service were highly unsatisfactory, and on the motion of
Mr. G. T. McCullough and W. W. Rutan it was decided that it was expedient to form a Board of Trade. Copies of the resolution were duly forwarded to Superintendent James and
the Secretary of the Winnipeg Board of Trade, Mr. Guinn being asked to look into the question of incorporation, the certificate finally arriving on Saturday, July 1st, 1905.
That coordinated, organized action on the part of the store owners at this early date soon followed is indicated by a letter to the Moon, published May 18th, 1904, signed by A. E. Wild, W. W. Mansell, W. W. Rutan, G. B. Johnston, Crawford and Douglas, Clift Bros., R. J. Hunter, Wood and Co., Geo. B. Jameson, stating that the above merchants agreed to close their place of business each evening at 7 p.m. with the exception of mail nights, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Mail was certainly a problem, being often one or two hours late and very seldom on time, but had the merchants only realised it, worse was to follow. Mail was often left at stopping places along the trail, passengers being taken and mail sacks left behind. Merchants contended that in this spring of 1904, it was impossible to do business satisfactorily with outside points. The citizens of Melfort had patiently put up with the unavoidable delays when the railroads were stopped by floods in the spring but by June the roads were good and it was felt that the Post Office should be compelled to give better service and so a letter was dispatched to Postmaster Inspector W. W. McLeod at Winnipeg being the same signatures as were mentioned on the, early closing edict, "together with the following: Reginald Beatty, F. C. Grant, James Wilson, G. T. McCullough, editor of the Moon, F. B. Goodwillie, Chester Arthur, Druggist. The struggle with the Railroad was a long and arduous one, and its culmination had yet to come.
Pages 40 and 41
Public holidays were observed with rare zest and elan. For the 24th of May, 1904, the town took on a holiday appearance. Flags flew on Main Street, stores were
closed and pedestrians in gay attire thronged the streets. The great centre of attraction was the game of baseball in the afternoon between the married and single men
which a large crowd turned out to witness. Some brilliant plays were made, and the star players on the married men's side were Crawford, Monsees and Cameron. While H.
Hatch, M. Aikenhead and J. Claggett were stars among the single men. Seven innings in all were played in this very first baseball game in Melfort, with the final score
four to five in favor of the married men. In the evening the town boys arranged a dance which by the kindness of Mr. Hammond was held in his new hotel building. A large
and jolly crowd patronised the event, music being supplied by Monsees Bros, and supper being served at Wm. Flett’s boarding House just across the street from the hotel.
The dance continued until the sun had brightened the eastern heavens.
The morning of July 1st opened with a threatening look that prevented a large number of people going to the picnic of the Melfort Athletic Association held on A. H. Anderson’s farm West of town and, brought worry to the committee of R. Beatty, W. Mansell, J. Cameron, A. H. Anderson, E. J. Crawford, R.E. Dunning which had been appointed on Saturday, June 11th, in McMaster's Hall, to look after the event. No rain fell however and by ten o'clock when the baseball game between Star City and Melfort began several hundred were in attendance. The game resulted in a win for Melfort by a score of 14-3.
Football was next on the programne and by 1.30 p.m., when the game was scheduled to begin, the spectators must easily have numbered about one thousand and they witnessed a hard fought and well contested game between Pleasant Valley and Fletts Springs which Pleasant Valley won by a score of 1-0.
Directly after the game of ball ended the foot racing began and the prize winners, so the records state, were:
Boys under 6 years -
1st C. McKague
2nd C. Smart
3rd G. Cameron
Boys under 10 years -
lst C. Tucker
2nd J. McKague
3rd Clarence Rush
Boys under 16 years -
1st G. Hodson
2nd W. Copeland
3rd W. Aikenhead
Girls under 10 years -
1st Hazel Curtis
2nd A. Preete
3rd E. Grainger
Girls under 16 years -
1st Myrtle Curtis
2nd Olive Curtis
3rd N. Mansell
Men’s 100 yard race -
1st C. McAusland
2nd M. Aikenhead
3rd J. Solinger
Men's 200 yard race -
lst J. Solinger
2nd C. McAus1and
3rd P. Coulter
Ladies unmarried -
lst Miss C. Solstein
2nd Miss M. Thompson
3rd Miss A. McKay
Indian Pony Race -
1st Essa-wapun—wao
2nd Gipsy
3rd Big Jim
All the jumping and several races were cancelled on account of the rain but the night turned fine and a large crowd attended the dance which was held at the ground on a platform erected for that purpose and shaded by green boughs which made an ideal spot for dancing.
Page 106
When the Aikenheads first came to Melfort, Stewart attended the little old schoolhouse made of round poplar logs, plastered with mud, with a sod roof, located on the
northwest corner of A. E. Wi1d’s homestead. They had teachers who taught on permit and some had rather poor discipline. Pupils would sometimes sit up on their desks
with their feet down on the seat and their books in front of them as they faced the rear of the school. Others would jump out the side windows when leaving the
room. Finally they got a new school on section thirty-one and Stewart personally helped Ace Guinn lath and stucco the outside. They made lath with boards sawn to one
half inch thick and split and splintered these on the side of a log, then nailing them diagonally on the wall, opening the cracks for plaster.
Page 111
Aseph E. Guinn was born in Walkerton, Ontario, April 10th, 1863, coming to Manitoba in 1863 for seven years, then to Oberon, North Dakota. In June, 1891, he
came to this country moving into town in the fall of 1903. He was the only and first mason in those early days, having his own kiln on the banks of Stoney Creek, near
Rothwell where he burned his own limestone, and worked as a stone mason at Carrot River. When the second Vaughan School was put up in 1896, Mr. Guinn was hired for
$45 to plaster the inside. When Mr. Guinn arrived in 1891, he was driven in by Mr. Badger and homesteaded NE 1/4-32-44-18, east of the present Vaughan School. The
journey from Prince Albert was rough, camping along the trail and cooking food. His first home was a tent but soon he had ten acres broken and his livestock consisting
of two cows and two calves. To help his growing activities he obtained a pair of horses by bartering two hundred tons of hay with A. E. Wild. He died in Melfort hospital
February 24th, 1935. His wife was Abbigal Watson, from Ontario, although born in the States.
Page 122
The Graingers came in June, 1894, although Thomas himself had surveyed the land on NW-18-44-18 the year previous, and decided on his location. Born in York County, Ontario,
in 1837, he then moved north to Walkerton, Bruce County, where he served as constable and in 1889 came to Griswood, Manitoba, where he rented a farm. Life on the soil apparently
so interested him that, hearing of the northwest he came and saw for himself. He married Jane Guinn, 1837 - 1918, from near Montreal and had issue of four girls and three boys,
Thomas, William and Joe.
Page 123
It was 1915. The first Canadian contingent had landed in France and at once proceeded to Flanders. Back in Melfort Thomas Grainger's (junior) health broke down and he commenced
the study of Chiropractic. During the next five years this study fascinated him and moving west to Kelowna, British Columbia, where he lived for three years, he introduced Chiropractic
into the little town, following which he returned to Melfort and resumed his practice in the Grainger Block over the Central Drug Store. He had been born in Walkerton, Bruce County, Ontario,
April 26th, 1866. At the age of nineteen he crossed the line to Wisconsin where he remained only a short time before returning east. We find him two years later Working as a plasterer for
A. E. Guinn in Dakota, and later he took up farming. He married in 1890, Miss Lucina Grant and some ten years later moved to Saskatchewan taking up a farm some nine miles south of town. He
had the honor in 1904, of being the first to ship wheat by rail car out of Melfort. He died June 10th, 1931.
The following article was published in the Melfort Journal when Abigail Watson passed away.
Mrs. Abigail Guinn, a pioneer resident of the Melfort district, to where she came some sixty years ago to homestead with her husband in the Vaughn district.
Born in Berlin [now Kitchener], Ontario in 1858, she passed away at North Vancouver, B.C., where she spent the last six years of her life with her daughter Ethel (Mrs. J.B. Wilson).
Active up until the last few months of her life, Mrs. Guinn enjoyed listening to the radio and reading the newspapers. She was a keen follower of politics and exercised her right to vote in the Federal election three years ago at the age of 95.
Surviving are seven children: Ted of Calgary; Min of Ghost River, Mer of Vancouver; Etta (Mrs. George L. Stewart), Melfort; Mollie (Mrs. H. C. Moorehead), Vanguard, Sask.; Ethel (Mrs. J.B. Wilson), North Vancouver; Jean (Mrs. W.J. Irwin), Calgary; Pat (Mrs. Wm. Crosswell), Westlock, Alta.
Leaving Melfort in 1928 she first moved to Calgary to be with her son Ted at Calgary and later moved to North Vancouver. The old-timers of Melfort will remember the Guinn family, who played such a prominent role in the development of this district. Their home was always open to the travelers and the headquarters for social life in the Vaughn district.
Her husband predeceased her in 1935.
The following is a picture of Abigail's grave marker in Queen's Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Calgary, Alberta
Ken Guinn is standing to the left of his grandmother Abigail and mother Gladine
Beginning with Richard Guinn, Etta's grandfather.
