MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
On June 13, 1880 William Hourston Bews was
His father, as a young man, had served with the
On July 11, 1904 he was granted entry for his
Early one summer morning Billy looked out and
Billy helped build many bridges: the first steel bridge
On March 24th, 1887, Mary Ellen McDonald was
Billy Bews became interested in this young school
A prized possession in the Bews home is the autographed
There were four children in the Bews family.
Billy and Ella led a busy and happy life as did their
born to Peter and Margaret (Clouston) Bews
near Dounby, Orkney, being one of nine children.
During holidays he herded cows for the neighbors,
and at the age of twelve began his apprenticeship as
a blacksmith. He took military training with the
Orkney Territorials, also joined the Masonic lodge;
learned to play the violin and bagpipes and played
at weddings and parties.
Hudson's Bay Co. in Canada and had driven dog
teains from Winnipeg to Edmonton; also bought
land near Winnipeg. His tales of life and adventure
in Canada inspired his boys to cross the ocean,
so in 1901 Billy left Orkney to join his older brother
Jim. He arrived in High River on May 10, 1901
and loved the country from the first. He worked
at a blacksmith shop first in High River then Calgary,
where he was a member of Calgary's first bagpipe
band.
homestead, SW'/4-14-18-2W5th west of High
River. While driving his team and wagon, loaded
with lumber and supplies out to the homestead he
wondered if that was what he wanted - to travel
that long road the rest of his life, so thinking of the
good job and fellowship he was leaving, he turned
his team around and headed back to town. After
a couple of miles, he decided he should not be a
quitter, so again turning around he went on to
making a home and prove up on his homestead.
In the winters he worked on bridge crews, and
in summer doing blacksmith work in his own
little shop.
saw something bounding up and down in the tall
grass. His first thoughts were "a bear!" soon he
found out it was his brother Jim catching
grasshoppers, so the two of them rode off for a
day's fishing up Sullivan Creek. Chatting over
the camp fire Jim said, "We might see Sullivan's
ghost up here." Later, as they rode passed the
old Sullivan home they heard a strange tapping
sound coming from within the deserted building.
Curiously they went to the door and called, but
no answer; again a tapping; they tried to open
the door but someone seemed to be pushing on
it. Finally they pushed till the door gave way;
a poor old cow rushed out so weak she could
hardly travel.
over the Old Man River at Lethbridge, the St.
Mary's, Cardston, ones at Pincher Creek and
Fort Macleod. He also did blacksmith work on
the windows and doors of the first Provincial Jail
built in Lethbridge.
born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McDonald of Vernon
River, P.E.l., one of ten children. Hiring out to
neighboring potato growers to pick potatoes was
a childhood chore 'enjoyed?' by 'Ella' and her
brothers and sisters. She trained as a teacher and
in 1911 she arrived in Taber on a harvest excursion
intending to stay only three years. Later her
application was accepted to teach Big Hill school;
while here she boarded with Mr. and Mrs. Francis
Noble. One day she asked Mrs. Noble to pack
a lunch for her so she could 'walk to the mountains
for the day.'
'marm'; and until they were married in 1914 she
taught at Donalda, Alta. a Norwegian settlement,
then at Fosk, where she boarded at the S. M.
Mace home. Meanwhile with the help of Cyrus
McBee Billy constructed the cozy log house that
was to be their home.
photograph of the Prince of Wales mounted on the horse
'Colonel' loaned to the Prince by Mr. Ellison Capers to
ride the foothills. Billy had shod this horse so he could
walk without limping.
children. Music was a great pastime in their home;
Billy also played at dances, with his brother Jim
step-dancing and Jim Andrews calling the square
dances. Among other local musicians taking part
were: Mrs. Ed McKethen, Leona Andrews, Cyrus
McBee, Mrs. Weidenhammer, Mr. and Mrs.
George Hoggan, Mrs. Archie Hogg, Tom
Weidenhammer, Knut Bokvist, Bill Lawrence
and the Wallators.
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