Tombstone Tuesday: COLES, Clara

Clara M. Coles' full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Clara M. Coles
1930 - 1985
Rest in Peace

Mother

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Clara Coles grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: COLES, Heather

Heather Coles' full grave site.

A Little Angel
Coles
1979   Heather   1980
Gone to Heaven

Daughter   Sister

Heather Coles was born on 26 December 1979 to Richard Donald Coles and Cathy (Simonar) Coles and died in a fatal accident on Good Friday, 4 April 1980 at age 6 months, 9 days.²

Source:
[1] Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Heather Coles grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2] Coles, Cathy, ed. "Richard Coles." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 54-55. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, Jean

In Loving Memory
Jean Henderson
1901 - 1978
At Rest

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Jean Henderson grave marker, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Lycan Family Graveyard Found!

I have been taking time here and there to research further into the most interesting burial ground that I am aware of in the region, the Lycan graves on their family homestead. I first became aware of these graves back in 2008 when I began my cemetery research and found them noted on the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society Cemetery Index. Further investigation in a community history book, Our History of Memories, revealed a short biography of the family¹ that offered up more tantalising clues.

• John filed on his homestead NE 32-50-2-W3 on 16 October 1906; on the farm for a short time before dying of cancer.
• John's son Winn, daughter-in-law Florence and baby granddaughter Gertrude all died of tuberculosis and are all buried on the homestead.

Later perusal of the history book's Sturgeon Valley's Pictures section really got me excited with the discovery of a photograph of the shared tombstone of Florence and Gertrude with the caption "One of the five Lycan graves located on their homestead (N.E. 32-50-2-W3)".² The photo was not clear enough to read the marker with great confidence but I could make guesses. Another scan through at another time of the pictorial section and I realized there was a copy of a court document regarding John's wife Flora taking control of John's estate and that it stated his death date.³ Each clue further contributed to the whole picture.

• John F. Lycan died of cancer, 25 June 1907
• Florence M. (--?--) Lycan died of tuberculosis, 19? May 1908
• Gertrude Lycan died of tuberculosis, 24? April 1910
• Winn Lycan died of tuberculosis

I also viewed and located some of the late John Lycan's family in the 1916 Census of the Prairie Provinces⁴, a special census for the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Widow Flora was living with her eldest son, Frank, Florance's widower, who had remarried. At the time of the 1916 census Frank and his new wife had one son and according to the history book, they would have three sons before separating.

I had starred the homestead location on the R.M. map in the beginning of my research but did not think much of it until this afternoon when I re-confirmed the location and viewed it via Google Maps satellite view. Locating the closest landmark I counted quarter sections until locating the presumable homestead quarter section.


Google Maps satellite view of the area in question, 9 December Dec 2011.⁵

The satellite view was not very promising, mostly cultivated field with a forested drainage gully and no evidence of old roads or homestead. I worried that if it was the correct location, the homestead had been in close proximity or within the now forested areas and it would take time to search a quarter section and I would be very fortunate to locate the graves considering I had no idea where exactly they were. But I was happy to solidify in my mind the area where I suspected the homestead to be.

But driving home this afternoon after work, due to a drizzle of rain in the town of Shellbrook over the snow we got in early November I elected to drive home via Foxdale route which has more gravel than the predominant pavement route of Holbein. On route home I came to an area where the road curved north and I figured, that as it is impossible to get lost on grid roads, I would take a road I never had and instead of curving north would continue straight east. Eventually I came to the area where I suspected the Lycan homestead to be and thought "Wait a minute, there is a very odd copse in that field."

Odd copse in NE 32-50-2-W3, 9 December 2011.⁶

Farmers do not leave wooded copse in their fields without really good reasons so I stopped the car, hopped out, and tromped across the snowy stubble to the bluff. The closer I got the more excited I became, hoping, hoping here were the Lycan's. As I got closer I even thought at one moment—ah! that might be one—took a few more steps and went—pah! discarded farm machinery—a few more steps and—eek! it is a tombstone!

Southeast view of Lycan graves, 9 December 2011.⁶

Northeast view of Lycan graves, 9 December 2011.⁶

Happy jiggle inside! I had found the Lycans! John, Winn, Florance, and Gertrude where all there with lovely, sturdy stones in the dying light of the afternoon sun. I half circled the buff, took pictures of the two similar tombstones, Florance with Gertrude and John with Winn and bounced back to the car with plans to return in the spring and summer for more pictures, look for carver mark, etc. and to do some tidying work.

Inscription detail of Florence and Gertrude tombstone, 9 December 2011.⁶

Inscription detail of John and Winn tombstone, 9 December 2011.⁶

I was so excited that when I got home I just had to share my discovery with someone and as no one of my family was home, I bounced over to the neighbours to share it with them! After a two hour visit I returned home and got to work on this post and as I worked on it realized that the history book caption says "five Lycan graves"! What, five Lycans? Who am I missing? Did I miss a tombstone in the grass and dead-fall during my visit?

I guess I shall have to go back very soon to find out!

Sources:
[1] Coles, Cathy, ed. "Lycan Family, John." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p. 55. Print.
[2] Coles, Cathy, ed. "Sturgeon Valley: Pictures." [Lycan tombstone picture.] Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p. 608. Print.
[3] Coles, Cathy, ed. "Sturgeon Valley: Pictures." [Lycan court document.] Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p. 613. Print.
[4] Library and Archives Canada. Census of the Prairie Provinces, 1916. Digital image online.. (http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/census-1916/index-e.html : accessed November 2011.)
[5]"Screen capture." Google Maps, Europs Technologies. (http://maps.google.com/ : 9 December 2011.)
[6] Lycan Family Graveyard (Lycan Family Graveyard, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in NE Section 32, Township 50, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Lycan family graveyard and grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, December 2011.

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, Dave

Dave Henderson's full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Dave Henderson
1898 - 1990
At Rest

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Dave Henderson grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, Thomas

Thomas Henderson's full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Thomas Henderson
1892 - 1943
At Rest

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Thomas Henderson grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, May

May Henderson's full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Mary Henderson
1887 - 1962
Forever With The Lord

Grandma

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Mary Henderson grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

"On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a Shoppers Drug Mart store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the store's PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the store's leadership role in adopting the Legion's "two minutes of silence" initiative. He felt that the store's contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the "two minutes of silence" to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the store's clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was later channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, "A Pittance of Time". Terry later recorded "A Pittance of Time" and included it on his full-length music CD, "The Power of the Dream"."

Source: A Pittance of Time - Terry Kelly [Video]. (2006). Available:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYlrrAWCTRg. [11 November 2011]

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, William

William Henderson's full grave site.¹

In Loving Memory
William Henderson
1904 - 1969
At Rest

Brother

William "Bill" Henderson was born in 1904 to Ralph Henderson and Mary King (--?--) Henderson in Scotland and was one of twelve children. He immigrated at age nine with his family in June 1913 on the steamship Hesperian which took seven days between Glasgow, Scotland and Quebec, Canada. From Quebec they travelled via train to Winnipeg, Manitoba and from there to Saskatoon where the family resided.

In 1914 the Henderson family moved ten miles northwest of Shellbrook for the winter, to the Anton Simpson homestead in the Rich Valley district. After a year on there they moved to their own homestead in Foxdale, SW 13-51-3-W3.

William schooled in Scotland, Saskatoon, Rich Valley, and Foxdale until 1920 when he quit school to help his father on the family farm. In later years, William took over the family cattle herd and leased the school section for pasture.

"He took great interest gardening and many times won prizes for his well kept garden.

Bill also spent many hours decorating the hall each year for the school Christmas Concerts. He was also called upon to decorate the hall for all local weddings. He had the ability to turn the hall into a beautiful setting for any occasion.

A few years prior to his death, Bill developed a serious heart condition which eventually took his life. He passed on in 1969 at the age of 65 in the Shellbrook Hospital."²

Sources:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), William Henderson grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "History of Bill Henderson." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p.76. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: MULLER, Kelly

Kelly Muller's full grave site.¹

In Loving Memory

Kelly D. Muller

1964 - 1982

Son & Brother

Kelly D. Muller born in 1964 was the second born son of Lloyd Muller and Doreen (Rask) Muller. He has one elder brother and sister and one younger sister and died at age 17-8.

"He attended Foxdale School and was in grade twelve in Shellbrook at the time of his death on 1 January 1982. [...] The children have taken a number of different projects: cooking, sewing, outdoorsman, beef, and woodwork. Kelly had made a miniature bat and ball on the lathe with woodburning imprints when he was ten--leader was Robert Henry. It was always a keepsake."²

Sources:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Kelly Muller grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "Lloyd Muller Story." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 117-118. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: COLES, Francis

Francis Coles' full grave site.¹

In Loving
Memory
Francis Mary
Coles
1985 - 1978
Rest in Peace

Wife & Mother

Francis Mary "Fay" Harding was born 20 December 1896 to George Harding and Elizabeth (Brunt) Harding of Mells, Somerset, England. The Hardings were farmers and Francis trained as a nurse at Salisbury.

Franics wed Donald Lewis Coles on 2 July 1925 in England. Together they had three children, one son and two daughters.

Francis immigrated to Canada with her new husband in 1925 and in spring of 1928 the family of three, after the birth of their son, returned to England for Don to receive medical treatment for his WWI injury. She then travelled with her husband and son as Donald worked showing tractors across Europe, the Middle East, and Egypt.

Farming in Canada, Francis had adventures in growing Indian hemp for rope (which the Department of Agriculture took a dim view of), reversing up hills in Ford Model T's when the cars were unable to drive up said hills, sewing up neighbours when they lost battles with saws, axes, and other objects, collecting skates for the children in Depression of the the 1930s, handling the farm while her husband Donald fought in WWII, and other pioneer adventures.

Following her husband's death in 1965 Francis learning to drive a car herself and moved from the farm in 1967 to Shellbrook where she resided until her death on 8 March 1978 at age 81 years, 2 months, and 16 days.

Sources
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Francis Coles grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "Don and Fay Coles." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 52-54. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: COLES, Donald

Donald Coles' full grave site.¹

In Loving Memory Of
Donald Lewis Coles
Born Hamstead, England
Feb. 5, 1897
Came to Foxdale In 1920
Served His Country
In Two World Wars
1915-1978      1941-1946
Died July 14, 1964
Beloved Husband Of
Frances Mary

Rest In Peace

Like all pioneers, Donald lead an interesting life that involved a fair amount of travel abroad as learned from from Out Harvest of Memories (1983)².

Donald Lewis "Don" Coles was born 5 February 1897 to Alexander Coles and Annie (Lea) Coles of London, England. His service in WWI was with the British Army and WWII with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Donald immigrated to the Foxdale district in 1919-20 where he filed on homestead SE 6-52-2-3-W3 and purchased the quarter section, with house, of NW 19-51-2-3-W3.

Donald returned to England to wed Frances Mary "Fay" Harding on 2 July 1925. Together they had three children, one son and two daughters.

The newlyweds returned to Canada within the year and in spring 1928 the family of three returned to England for Don to receive medical treatment for his WWI injury. After that time, he joined an engineering firm and demonstrated tractors in exhibitions across Europe, the Middle East, and Egypt before returning to Foxdale in 1931.

In the community Don served for many years on the school board, was for a time a Justice of Peace in the area, was active in the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) political party. He had just retired from farming in the spring of 1965 when he died at age 68 years, 5 months, 2 days.

Sources:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Donald Coles grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "Don and Fay Coles." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 52-54. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: EARBY, Clifford

Clifford Earby's full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Clifford Earby
1895 - 1983

Husband   Father
Grandfather

Too much interesting things in Our Harvest of Memories (1983) history book so here are some vital dates.²

Clifford Earby was born 27 April 1895 in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England to Edwin Earby and Martha (Johnson) Earby.

The Earby family immigrated to Canada in 1907 and arrived at Hartney, Manitoba on 27 April. In 1911 the family moved to Redvers, Saskatchewan and in 1917 they moved north and began homesteading in the Foxdale District.

Clifford wed Dorothy Elizabeth Strike of the Three Creeks District on 20 December 1932. Together they had a daughter and a son.

Source:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Clifford Earby grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "Clifford and Dorothy Earby." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 61-62. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: KURZ, John & Anna

John and Anna Kurz's full grave site.¹

Mother    Kurz    Father
John Leonhart
31.12.1887 - 3.11.1938
Anna Maria
13.3.1892    At Rest    2.22.1981

This blogger only hopes, giving the convolutions of Anna Maria's vital data on the marker that the dates stated below are correct!

From Our Harvest of Memories (1983)² it is learned that John Leonhardta Kurz was born on 31 December 1887 in the farm village of Englhardtshausen, Germany. John was born to a family with five brothers and served in the German army before immigrating to Canada and arrived in Saskatchewan in May 1913. In April 1915 he "filed on homestead at Foxdale at SE 1/4 14-51-3-W3 for the sum of $10.00."²

Anna Maria Kohler was born on 13 March 1892 in the black forest town of Egenhausen, Germany. Anna was introduced to her future husband through one of John's brothers and correspondence.

John and Anna married in 1923 and in 1924 on a "twenty-five below zero December morning"² their son and only child was born on the farm. In addition to the traditional pioneer farm activities of land clearing, breaking, well digging, grain threshing, and wood sawing "the Kurz' were the first to raise bees for honey."²

John passed away on 3 November 1938 after a lengthy illness at age 50 years, 10 months, and 3 days.

Anna remained on the homestead farm for another fifty years before moving to Port Alberni, British Columbia where her son and his family resided. She suffered a stroke in 1979, passed away on 22 February 1981 at age 88 years, 11 months, and 9 days, and was interred in Foxdale with John.

Source:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), John & Anna Kurz grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "The Kurz Family." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. pp. 104-105. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, Hugh

Hugh Henderson's full grave site.¹

In Loving Memory
Hugh K. Henderson
1888 - 1939
At Rest

Father

From Our Harvest of Memories (1983)² we learn that Hugh Henderson was an assistant gardener at Onedeen Castle,  Berwichshire, Scotland before he immigrated to Canada, arrived in Quebec on 10 June 1910. From Quebec he travelled to Winnipeg, Manitoba, to Bredenburg, Saskatchewan and eventually Foxdale district where he homesteaded NE 27-51-3-W3.

Following the death of his brother Ralph (who was homesteading in neighbouring Lone Spruce district) Hugh moved his family to the Lone Spruce district. Additional information will be added when this blogger get's their hands on that district history book.

It is known that Hugh "came to an untimely end, the result of a fire in his house"² which he perished from several months later.

Sources:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Hugh Henderson markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "History of Hugh Henderson by Brother Dave." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook.: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p. 77. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: TERREL, Ernest

Ernest Terrel's full grave site.

Terrel
Whom God Loveth Best
He Taketh Soonest
Ernest Mason
1888 - 1948
In Silence We Remember

Father

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Ernest Terrel markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: SCHMIDT, Emil

In Memory Of
Emil
Schmidt
1899 - 1982¹

Emil Schmidt was born in Warnsdorf, Austria on 14 June 1899 and he died on 7 May 1982 at the age of 82 years, 10 months, 23 days.²

Sources:
[1] Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Emil Schmidt grave marker, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "Emil Schmidt." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p. 126. Print.

Tombstone Tuesday: CLAUSEN, Edward

Edward Clausen full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Edward Clausen
1914 - 1942
Rest In Peace

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Karin Skamers grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: WINKLER, Franz & STROBEL, Anna

Franz Winkler and Anna Strobel's full grave site.

In
Loving Memory Of
Franz Winkler
1890 - 1948
Ever Remembered

In Loving Memory
Anna Strobel
1893 - 1985
At Rest

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Franz Winkler markers and Anna Strobel marker, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.

Tombstone Tuesday: WALL, Phillip

Phillip Wall's full grave site.

In Loving Memory
Phillip Wall
1899 - 1954
Rest In Peace

Husband & Father

Source: Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), Phillip Wall markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.