Notes |
- ?b?From Memories Along the Badger Revisited.
?/b?It is noted that this area was covered by large trees of mixed forest oak, elm etc. some several feet in circumference when the settlers first arrived. A fire went through the area some time after settlement and, combined with cearing and lumbering activities, removed this vegetation. The current vegetation is mature but not of the size reported.
1st mail delivery to Cartwright was 1882, earlier Clearwater, 16 miles away.
Present owner of Section is Ken Barkman (1979), Member of the Mennonite Church of God in Christ. Bought the farm from Earl Trembath. it was a treed property with a small amount of cultivated land. Strawberries and broilers.
(William) Bill and Flora (Sommerville) East (to Cartwright in 1905), lived on 29-3-14 for 22 years, then bought section 19-2-14, known as the Duncan Estate, a most beautiful farm, and lived there for 22 years. Son Murray farmed with them. They owned and raised standard bred race horses. In 1966 Bill and Flora retired to Killernay, MB.
Thomas Mowbray, born West Linton Scotland, came to Canada about 1906. Moved to Manitoba 1908 and worked for Bob Duncan for a short time.
?b?Visit to Cartwright and Property, October, 2009?/b?
The Badger River cuts deeply into the rolling prarie landscape at, and near, the Old Cartwright location and through the farm. A large portion of the Duncan section is occupied by river bed and the steep banks. Further north is a marked buffalo jump site where hunts were conducted.
On Robert's E 1/2 section, there is a deep V valley extending back from the river and we were told that the door to the 'cave' in the river bank was still there when Ken McKibbin was a young man. He is now in 80's but remembers the Duncans. In this V valley there is a quicksand swampy area that never freezes and into which farm animals (team of horses) have been lost. We walked along the river bank and up onto the hillside but the cave was in a location further from the river. The flat area along the river was the site of the Sunday School picnics. Robert's side of the river had more gradual access, David's opposite on the W1/2 of the section has very steep banks.
Robert's house, first one of small logs, was located on the SE corner of the property near Keith Barkman's house.
The Boundary Commission Trail (wagon wheel ruts) are still evident to the east of the road near the bridge on the hill behind the cairn for Old Cartwright.;;
In MB in 1893 when his father died.
- (Research):From Letter from Art Thompson, Box 334, Cartwright, MB dated 16 Nov 1973.
Robert went to Manitoba in 1878 and in the spring of 1879 went to 'Old Cartwright' (a location which wasn't settled then - section 18-2-14 West of 1st meridian)
He squatted on section N 1/2 section of 19-2-14 W of which he later purchased the north half. Although Robert squatted on this section in 1879, he didn't register immediately and the official entry date was 8 May, 1883.
His first dwelling was on the banks of Badger Creek. In later years he lived on the southeast quarter of Sec 19-2-14 until he died which was Wednesday evening 13 October 1937. He was in ailing health for over a year and the immediate cause of death was pneumonia. Age at time of death 80 yrs, 8 mos, 15 days.
Robert remained single. He is buried in Cartwright cemetery but there is no marker for his grave. At the time of death he was survived by three brothers and three sisters - Alex, William and James, Mrs. GA Robertson, Mrs. Simpson and Mrs. L Caskey.
Mr. Duncan was a shy retiring man and took no active part in community affairs but was well liked and respected. Mr. Duncan was one of the earliest pioneer settlers in this area.
Notes from Memories along the Badger Revisited, 1985
First Cartwright settlers (Sutherlands [Andrew, SE 1/4 30-2-14 10 Jun 1879; and Mrs. Andrew forest tree claim, on SW 28-2-14], McKibbins [John P. NE 30-2-14], Duncans [Robert N 1/2 19-2-14, registered 8 May 1883] and Waughs [J C S 1/2 18-2-14, 20 Oct 1881]) arrived via the Boundry Commission Trail with teams of oxen, Red River carts and supplies. David Cochrane settled on SE 7-2-14 but is not noted as arriving at this time. (sourced from Dept of Lands and Natural Resources) The McKibbin [site of school] and Waugh sections [in river valley] became the site for Old Cartwright
Received his education and a degree in civil engineering in Ontario.
"He was a lover of nature, an honest man, and always willing to give a helping hand. He helped many settlers to build their first home, mostly of logs." He was a successful farmer and lived on his farm until his death in 1937. His brother Alex lived with him for a few years before going west to Penticton, BC.
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