Walter Edward Bushby (1882 - 1961)

Walter Edward Bushby

The older brother of Randy's Grandma Elsie was Walter Edward.  He was born in Worthing, Sussex, England on April 5, 1882.  He lived with his family in New Milton, England and would have learned the carpentry trade from his father, James William Bushby.  He can be found in 1904 as a 22 year old immigrant heading for Winnipeg, Manitoba.  He must have returned to England because he can be found crossing the Atlantic again on a passenger list from April of 1905.  This time his destination is Reston, MB and the 1906 Manitoba census lists him in the village of Reston with his brother Arthur Bushby and his wife and their two young children. 

In 1907, there is a marriage registered in Pipestone, Manitoba on June 2 for a Walter Edward Bushby and Ethel Elizabeth May Houre. 

A border crossing to the US was made in May of 1908 for Walter, age 26 and Ethel age 21.  The form states his brother is Arthur from Reston, MB, that he is a carpenter and that he is going to Westfield New Jersey.

The 1910 United States Census has them still living there but for some reason, his immigration year is written in as 1894.  That must be an error as he is on the 1901 English census with his family as an 18 year old boy and all the other forms list his immigration year as 1906.  Living in the household along with Walter and Ethel is her brother, Ernest House, also a carpenter.  His last name was likely mis-written from Houre.  This is where the story of Ethel appears to end.

I have been contacted by Toni from California through Ancestry and thinking it was our Ethel Bushby, she sent me the postcard copied below:

Postcard:  Addressed to Mr. L. Shore, 430 St John's Ave, Winnipeg from Toronto - July 1910

Well Luke, this in one of the many cousins you know but it is a case of position is not everything but it was taken in Hamilton for the 1st.  Got you card send me one of yours.  Ethel

She also emailed me many more photos and postcards referring to Shore relatives in Winnipeg and another addressed to Miss Katie Bushby at the same 430 St John's Ave. The unidentified photo on the left below I think looks so much like Walter's father James, on the right.  The mystery continues....



The next mention of Walter Bushby in the online documents is October 11, 1912 where he married Martha Florence Sparkman who was born in Westfield.

Walter Martha and Dorothy Bushby about 1914

  For the next 30 years, he is found on census and city directory documents with Martha and a family that grows to 4 children, Dorothy, Edna, Walter S. and John William.  The 1920 census shows Walter's 67 year old father James is living with them.  This fits with Uncle Frank's stories about him touring throughout the US in the 20's.  Walter died in 1961 and his wife 10 years later.

A Google search found that Walter and Martha's youngest son, John William,  had recently died and his obituary is linked here.  John was a WWII veteran and was an author of espionage novels and that website is linked here.  Interestingly, he was also a woodworker, as was his father and grandfather before him.

Thanks to Toni for the postcard and the mysteries to solve!

Arthur Henry Bushby (1879 - 1933)

Arthur Henry Bushby

Arthur Henry Bushby was born on May 5, 1879 in Brighton, England right on the southern seacoast.  He was the son of James William Bushby and Patience Emily Wooler and a brother to Randy's Grandmother Elsie.

Arthur married Eliza Louisa "Lou" Wardell in London at St Peter 's Church, Vauxhall on October 27, 1901.  They had 2 children, Ted and Norah, and then decided to immigrate to Canada.  In the 1906 Canadian census, they are living in the Village of Reston, Manitoba with Arthur's brother Walter.  Their growing family is in the same area on the 1911 and 1916 census.  The latter shows 6 children along with Arthur's 19 year old sister, Gertude in the household. 

The 1921 census shows them living on 4th street in Reston with 7 children.  Arthur is a carpenter and built many homes and buildings in the area including the RM of Pipestone Municipal Office, the first high school and the James Fotheringham farm home at SW 32-6-27.  Bill Mutter helped him with these buidlings as well as the Archer home, later that of Dave and Irma Braddell.   Living next door to the Bushby's on the 1921 census was Arthur's sister Elsie's sister and brother in law, Hazen and Susan Bigney and their daughter Ida.  Hazen helped Arthur in the carpentry business. 

Trails Along the Pipestone History book, available online at Manitobia, says Arthur has a carpentry shop on Main Street and later at the south end of Third Street.   

Uncle Frank says the family moved to Dollarton, BC where Arthur was killed at the age of 54 in an accident while working on log rolling in 1933. 

Family of Arthur and Lou:

• Edward Arthur Marrington "Ted" 1902 - 1985
• Norah Louise 1905 - 1985
• Ivy Patience 1907 - 1985
• Violet Helena 1910 -
• Richard James 1910 - 1987
• Mona St Celia 1916 - 2009
• John Jack 1918 - 1989

William Benjamin Boulton Jr ( 1877- 1916)

Death by Beefsteak

 

 

William Benjamin Boulton Jr., born June 9, 1877,  was the son of Ben Boulton and Maggie Chapman.  Ben was the sister of Randy's great grandmother, Ann Henrietta.  William is listed in the 1881 and 1891 Canadian Census living on a farm near Elizabethtown, Ontario.  He was referred to as "Willie" in 1891.  His parents and remaining siblings 2 sister and 3 brothers were farming near Reston, Manitoba on the 1901 census but he wasn't present.  By the 1906 census, they had moved to 545 Furby Street in Winnipeg.

 

On December 17, 1906, William married Bessie Irene Nixon of Wapella, SK.  Sadly she died in 1909 as did their infant daughter Margaret a year earlier.  Both are buried in the Wapella Cemetery.

 

The next record for William is when he signs Attestation Papers in 1915 to join the fighting in WW1.  He lists Reston as his residence as he is a widower, his next of kin is his mother, Margaret whose residence is also Reston.  

 

As I hoped would be the case with this blog, I received "the rest of the story" by email from by fellow Boulton genealogist, Keith Sly. He was in touch with Susan Bracken who shared this story about the unfortunate death of William in January of 1916. 

 

From the Manitoba Free Press, January 10, 1916:

  W. Boulton, a soldier whose regimental number was 718126, went into the Boston Beanery, Albert street in company with a lady friend at 8 o’clock last night. He ordered meals for himself and friend, and about 15 minutes later, when he had just commenced to eat a juicy beefsteak and chip potatoes which he had ordered for himself, he was taken suddenly ill. Annie, the waitress, and several customers went to his assistance the impression being that he had only fainted. The police ambulance was summoned, and Constable Burnett and Dixon rendered first aid. Boulton was taken to the General hospital, never having regained consciousness, and on being examined by a doctor at that institution was pronounced dead. Boulton’s antecedents could not be traced by the authorities last night. Prior to enlisting he had been in the real estate business and is believed to be the owner of one or two houses in the city and some vacant lots in a western town. He was about 40 years of age, height 5 ft 11 in. weighing about 200 pounds, hair brown, tinged with grey and slightly bald, full face clean shaven. Saturday night he occupied a room at the Congress hotel. Coroner McConnell is investigating the case and a post mortem examination will probably be held today.

From the same day in the Winnipeg Tribune:

William Boulton Expires at Table in Boston Beanery - Accompanied by Woman
     William Boulton, a private in a battalion stationed in Winnipeg, died suddenly when partaking of a meal in Boston Beanery, Albert street, Sunday night. He was in the company of a woman whose name is not known.
     Boulton ordered meals for two, and when his portion was brought he started eating, showing no signs of weakness. Suddenly his head dropped on his chest and his features became drawn and white. City police constables who were patrolling that beat were called and hurried the soldier to the General hospital where a doctor pronounced him dead.
     The man’s antecedents cannot at present be traced. The only clues the police have to his identity are his regimental number and his name. Coroner BJ McConnell will hold a post mordem today.

 

 

From Tuesday, Janaury 11, 1916 Winnipeg Tribune:

 

     Pte. William Boulton, who died suddenly while eating in the Boston Beanery, Albert street, Sunday evening, was choked to death through the lodging of a piece of beefsteak in his windpipe, according to Dr. Capt. Turner and Dr. Gordon Bell, who conducted the post mortem examination Monday afternoon. The relatives of the soldier have not yet been found, but it is believed his mother resides somewhere in Western Canada.

 

The style of writing of the day is really something. There is not the concern like today for privacy, political correctness, or graphic descriptions. William Benjamin Boulton Junior is buried in the Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg.

 

Thanks to Keith Sly and Susan Bracken for their help with this biography.



Unprecedented Flooding?

The Flood of '35 

Uncle Frank told me a story about when he was nine years old that helps put the Manitoba Flood of 2014 in a new light for me.

He remembers that the 1930's had been dry, dry, dry.  Area farmers would have enough soil moisture right after the snow melted in the spring to plant their crops and watch them emerge but lack of rain for week after week saw the crops' growth stunted.  Hoards of grasshoppers would then move in and strip any bit of green that may have been left on the plants.  The insects would even chew and destroy the clothes hanging on the line, just to get the moisture.  The Boulton family had sent their livestock on the train to pasture elsewhere but finally things began to improve in the spring of 1935 and the pastures were coming back.  Just like it was yesterday, Uncle Frank told me the story of the day when they went to get the livestock from the train at Broomhill, 6 miles south of the farm.

It began raining on the way there but by the time they arrived at Broomhill, you couldn't see any distance ahead for pouring rain.  It was a sheet of white in all directions and must have been hard to know where you were, much like in a zero visibility snowstorm. They took shelter upstairs at Kilkenny's store and the intense rain continued all day and night until finally early the next morning it seemed to be letting up.  They no sooner got to the stable to get the horses than down it came again and they were forced to wait with the animals in the stable for a long while again until there was a break. 

They then set out to drive the animals home and he remembers seeing his older brother Edwin, Randy's dad, who would have been 15 at the time.  The horse that he was riding had to swim to cross the Stoney Creek, normally dry as a bone by that time of year.  That moment in time is as clear to him 79 years later as it ever was. 

Looking at the RM of Albert history book called Reflections of Time that was written in 1984, it confirms this incredible rain happened.  It says that there had been some good rains in 1935 and the pastures came back but then in July 1935, over thirteen (13) inches of rain ruined a great deal of crop, and relief for the people and livestock of Albert was again required.

Each generation of prairie farmers has their own trials and tribulations and the memory of those days will stay with the people who lived through them. I hope they they will share their stories with the next generation to give hope that - "This too shall pass".