Prelude Mossie Kitson; Butters; Bullis; 1891 Census; Sydney Birth Certificate
1904 Sydney, Bullis in Emerson
1905 Charlie Homestead; Mossie Memoir
1906 Bullis Weyburn; Mossie Memoir
1907 Bullis Emerson; Mossie Memoir
1908 Bullis 50th; Bullis Weyburn; Mossie Memoir
Prelude
1904
1905
Charles J. Boyle Homestead Documents
1905 in the Words of Mossie Boyle
My name at the beginning of this pioneer story was Mossie Kitson. It is now Mossie Boyle, and I live in one of the cottages at Pioneer Place, Weyburn. My father, Robert James Kitson, was a farmer for many years near Creemore, Ontario, but he had an urge to leave Ontario and go West to farm.
In the spring of 1905, we came to Saskatchewan—bringing settlers effects by train, bringing horses and cattle as well as household needs. We did not homestead—bought ¾ sections of land 18 miles south of Weyburn. We—the family, a hired man and a girl who was with us in Ontario from Dr Barnarda’s home in England. She was not adopted, but was almost like one of the family, and was a real help to my mother. Our family was—Father, Mother, myself at the oldest age of 14, my brother Josh age 10, my younger brother Robert age 4 and my baby sister Madeleine 2 months old.
We came in a railway car where we slept and made our meals in a kitchen at one end of the car. Our tables were let down in front of our seats. We ate well and enjoyed the experience.
We arrived in Weyburn in mid-March, and lived in Weyburn until we could get some living quarters set up on the farm. The first summer we lived in a large tent and a stable of a sort was set up for the horses and cattle. The tent was the largest I have ever seen, before, nor since, excepting Circus tents, etc. It had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a hall up the centre, earth floor, of course, which became quite hard, and we kept sweeping it every day. Our house was built during the summer and was ready for us to move into by Fall.
I might add we were not without any of our own folk in this new country, as Grandpa and Grandma Kitson came shortly after we came, and they lived in Weyburn. My aunt and uncle—Mr. and Mrs. Seth Mathers and family came the same time. My Grandpa—J.J. Kitson had been a lawyer and was now a judge and practiced in Weyburn for a few years before retiring. Uncle Seth Mathers worked in the Saskatchewan Hospital until 1936 when he became ill and died in November of that year at the age of 73. He worked at “fine” carpenter work. Possibly someone hearing my voice will remember him.
The first year my brother Josh and I went to Riverview School about 3 miles away; went by horse and buggy in the summer, horse and cutter in the winter.
(click HERE to read Mossie’s Full Radio Memoir, including illuminating links)
1906
1906 in the Words of Mossie Boyle
The second year Ingleford School was built and we went there to school. We also held church and Sunday School there every Sunday. Before that we had meetings in the homes. Someone always volunteered to conduct the brief service and we never had any trouble getting teachers for Sunday School. We were all the same nationality in this district and were all friends and neighbours who many times got together at our homes, playing the piano and singing. Some had other musical instruments. We didn’t have radio and television in those days.
We had a small store and Post Office called Ingleford Rural Office. Mr and Mrs Charles Mackey lived there and attended to both Post Office and store. The mail was brought from Weyburn by Stage Coach, then on to Goose Lake further south. We had Sunday School picnics at Goose Lake in summer for a few years. Everyone enjoyed this. (click HERE to read Mossie’s Full Radio Memoir, including illuminating links)
1907
1907 in the Words of Mossie Boyle
After leaving school at Ingleford I went to Weyburn to school, but my brother Josh stayed home and helped on the farm. While in Weyburn, I stayed with my Grandpa and Grandma. I didn’t get home many weekends in winter. We had much more snow than we have now and roads were just country roads and treacherous in winter.
Stranded in the blizzard …
Clara Mooney was a classmate of mine in school, and we were good friends. Her family lived 6 miles north of Weyburn. One week-end, Mr Mooney came with his cutter and team of horses to take us out to the farm. It was snowing a bit when we left Weyburn but it turned into a blizzard before long. Soon we couldn’t see the road. The horses got off the road which was built up and when we got off the road the cutter upset and we all tumbled out. The horses were frightened and so were we. Mr Mooney held on to the lines, unhitched the horses, and said he would go on home and send someone back for us. He knew the horses would take him home, which they did.
The storm subsided and Clara and I could see a light and it didn’t seem too far away, so we began wading through the snow, heading for the light. We came to the road from which we had been upset, and just across the road was the entrance to a farm home—not too far from the Mooneys’s. They took us in and made us comfortable, and soon we felt fine and none the worse for our stumbling through the snow. Before long the Mooney boys found us and took us home. When we went in they had blankets all warmed up and ready to put around us thinking we might be nearly frozen. I will never forget this—and here we were hale and hearty.
Mr Mooney didn’t recover from his outing for a few days, but he soon was feeling better and in the end—no bad effects. We were all thankful for he might have been worse. Country roads were all like this when there was lots of snow. If one had to get off the road to let someone go by, you invariably upset. One was always hoping they wouldn’t meet anyone until you got to your destination.
I would like to mention one of the winters when there was so much snow and storms one didn’t make it to Weyburn very often—a baby died in our vicinity and there was no way of getting a minister or an undertaker to come out over the roads in stormy weather to be at the burial. It was sad–-the parents made a little casket, the neighbours dug a grave and my father took over the service as minister and the little one was laid to rest. Even as it was sad—it was rather wonderful too. We all did our best and the Heavenly Father took over from there. I will never forget this. (click HERE to read Mossie’s Full Radio Memoir, including illuminating links)
1908
1908 in the Words of Mossie Boyle
I came home after getting my grade 10 in Weyburn to help my mother as Alice, the girl who came out west with us, married Bob Martin who lived a mile from us. After 2 years he decided to move to British Columbia and we never saw Alice again. We corresponded for a while, but she quit writing and we never heard from her again.
After tilling the land, we were rewarded with very good crops. Had to haul wheat to Weyburn with wagon and horses or sleigh and horses—a long journey. We all liked the prairie and never regretted leaving Ontario. We were all busy with horses, cows to milk, pigs to look after, and also chickens. We just milked enough cows to supply our family with butter, milk and cream. We had a pony to ride so we children enjoyed that. (click HERE to read Mossie’s Full Radio Memoir, including illuminating links)