Oxteam clearing land
1880
Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
These farmers soon set about cutting down the forest pulling up the stumps and establishing their farms.
Oxteam helping to clear land on Duncan Lidgate farm, Mount Newton Valley (SPS989.1.308)
These farmers worked long hours cutting cedars, pulling stumps. With the help of teams of oxen, they carved out their homes. Working and helping with each other depending on their neighbors in time of illness or death, and celebrating births and marriages.
Group of several early pioneer men
1890
Saanichton, British Columbia, Canada
This is the fertile Mount Newton Valley in Saanichton, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It is situated on the Saanich Peninsula surrounded by the ocean on three sides.
Many hardy pioneer families came in 1852 and 1853, on a six month voyage at sea on the Hudson Bay Company sailing ship the "Norman Morison". These farmers, carpenters and blacksmiths worked on the local farms of the Hudson Bay Company for five years.
After that time they could go back to Great Britain, or as many of them did they could purchase land from the Hudson Bay Company for $1.00 per acre to start their own farms. This is the area many of them settled. They cleared the land and raised their families and built their farms and businesses, many of them intermarried.
Three Hudson Bay Company families settled in this valley. Henry Simpson purchased his 500 acres from the Hudson Bay Company his farm is in the foreground the Saanich Pioneer Museum is situated on part of what was his farm land. Duncan Lidgate's farm is situated facing him across what is today Mount Newton Cross Rd. Further down the road on the south west was William Thomson's farm. William Thomson married Mrs. Duncan Lid gate's daughter Margaret Dyer.
The land is still farmed today and descendants from these families live in the area.
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/pm_v2.php?id=display_original&lg=English&fl=0&rd=111726
I1/06/25 Thomson, William, m, h, m, 5 Apr 1832, 68, SCT, to Can: 1854, Psb, Farmer.
……Rems: Obit Search: Thomson, William, 11 Aug 1908, 78, South Saanich.
I1/06/26 Thomson, Margaret, f, wife, m, 16 Mar 1841, 60, SCT, to Can: 1853, CE.
……Rems: DN, Times, 12 Oct 1920, p.7: Margaret Thomson, wid.o.William (d,1909), 79, r.Bannock Burn Farm, South Saanich, b.Haddington, PER, SCT, d.11 Oct 1920, leaves daus: Mrs A.M. McKenzie (d.I1, p.4, l.26), Mrs W.A. Bissett & Miss Grace, Saanich; Mrs (Dr) R.L. Fraser (d.8, p.6, l.49), Victoria; Mrs H.S. Hughes, Vancouver; sons: David & John, Cumberland; Alexander & Walter, Saanich; Richard, Victoria & Chas. A., Metchosin.
I1/06/27 Thomson, Alexander, m, son, s, 14 May 1858, 42, BC, CE, Farmers son.
I1/06/28 Thomson, Grace, f, dau, s, 19 Jan 1876, 25, BC, CE.
……Rems: Obit Search: Thomson, Grace, 8 Jan 1924, 49, Saanich.
I1/06/29 Thomson, B. Robert, m, son, s, 1 Jul 1880, 20, BC, CE, Farmers son.
……Rems: BRI: Robert Burns Thomson, 11 Jul 1880, South Saanich.
I1/06/30 Thomson, G. Margaret, f, dau, s, 22 Aug 1882, 18, BC, CE.
……Rems: MRI: Harry Stewart Hughes (d.15, p.8, l.21) mar Margaret Gertrude Thomson, 12 Feb 1920, South Saanich.
Elizabeth Thomson
08/06/48 Fraser, Roderick L., m, head, m, 17 Dec 1859, 41, ON, Psb, Doctor.
……Rems: 1900DIR: Fraser, R.L., physician, City Health Officer, 98 Yates. Obit Search: Fraser, Roderick L. (Dr.), d.16 Nov 1925, 65 at Victoria. MRI: Roderick Fraser mar Elizabeth Thomson, 27 Feb 1887, Victoria.
08/06/49 Fraser, Elizabeth, f, wife, m, 23 Apr 1867, 34, BC, CE.
……Rems: Obit Search: Fraser, Elizabeth (Mrs. Dr. R. L.), d.6 Oct 1934 at Victoria.
08/06/50 Fraser, Catherine E., f, dau, s, 2 Aug 1894, 6, BC, CE.
Helen Thomson
R 2, E, sec. 7, Saanichton
I1/04/26 McKenzie, Alexander, m, h, m, 24 Jul 1852, 48, NS, Psb, Farmer.
……Rems: MRI: Alexander M. McKenzie mar Helen Thomson, 25 Dec 1880, Victoria.
I1/04/27 McKenzie, Helen, f, wife, m, 22 Sep 1863, 37, BC, Psb.
I1/04/28 McKenzie, H. Hugh, m, son, s, 18 Nov 1881, 19, BC, Psb, Farmers son.
I1/04/29 McKenzie, E. Lilith, f, dau, s, 13 Nov 1883, 17, BC, Psb.
……Rems: HNSS: Lilith Edith McKenzie mar R.E. Nimmo.
I1/04/30 McKenzie, Margaret, f, dau, s, 26 Nov 1885, 15, BC, Psb.
……Rems: HNSS: Margaret Helen McKenzie mar A.D.J. Pitts. MRI: Arthur David John Pitts mar Margaret Helen McKenzie, 22 Sep 1924, ?.
I1/04/31 McKenzie, M. Martha, f, dau, s, 17 Nov 1887, 13, BC, Psb.
……Rems: HNSS: Mildred M.M. McKenzie mar ---- Ibbetson.
I1/04/32 McKenzie, T. Jessie, f, dau, s, 26 May 1893, 7, BC, Psb.
……Rems: BR: (late registration, 1957) Jessie Theresa McKenzie, b.26 May 1893, Saanich, d.o.Alexander Murray McKenzie, b.Pictou, NS, 40 (in 1893), hotel keeper & Helen Thomson, 30, b.S. Saanich. HNSS: Jessie Theresa McKenzie mar H.E. Kennedy. MRI: Harold Edward Kennedy mar Jessie Theresa MacKenzie, 22 Apr 1924, ?.
I1/04/33 McKenzie, M. Doris, f, dau, s, 23 May 1899, 1, BC, Psb.
……Rems: HNSS: Doris May McKenzie mar Allen Dorman. MRI: Allan Jack Dorman mar Doris May MacKenzie, 22 Apr 1924, ?.
Margaret Gertrude Thomson b.22 Aug 1882
61 2nd Lt. Work Estate
15/08/18 Hughes, William O., m, head, m, 8 Jun 1848, 52, USA, to Can: -, Meth, Master mariner.
……Rems: RBCR: Hughes, William Olas, 61 y, 19 Feb 1910 at Victoria, b.NS.
15/08/19 Hughes, Adline O., f, wife, m, 13 Sep 1859, 41, ENG, to Can: 1886, Meth.
……Rems: RBCR: Hughes, Adeline Ophelia, 82 y 10 m, 21 Aug 1942 at Victoria, b.ENG.
15/08/20 Hughes, Kitty B., f, step dau, s, 13 May 1881, 19, USA, to Can: -, Meth.
15/08/21 Hughes, Harry S., m, son, s, 4 Mar 1884, 16, NS, Meth.
……Rems: MR: Harry Stewart Hughes, 35, master mariner, r.Brentwood, Tod Inlet P.O., b.Digby, NS, CE, s.o. Wm. Otis Hughes, master mariner & Grace Harriett Dakin mar Margaret Gertrude Thomson (d.I1, p.6, l.30), 38, spinster, r. & b. Bannockburn, Mt. Newton Rd, S. Saanich, CE, d.o. William Thomson, farmer & Margaret Dwyer, 12 Feb 1920, South Saanich.
15/08/22 Hughes, William P., m, son, s, 8 Oct 1893, 7, BC, Meth.
15/08/23 Hughes, Graham O., m, son, s, 23 Sep 1899, 1, BC, Meth
Fanny Mary Thomson b 9 Aug 1869
R 2, E, sec. 6, Saanichton
I1/04/39 Bissett, A. Willizm, m, h, m, 22 Oct 1864, 36, CB, CE, Captain on steamboat.
I1/04/40 Bissett, M. Fanny, f, wife, m, 9 Aug 1869, 31, BC, CE.
……Rems: Obit Search: Bissett, Fanny Mary (Mrs.) [nee Thompson], 23 Aug 1934, 65, Victoria.
I1/04/41 Bissett, M. Clarice, f, dau, s, 29 Mar 1893, 8, BC, CE.
……Rems: BRI: Marguerite C. Bissett, 29 Mar 1893, Sidney.
I1/04/42 Bissett, W. George, m, son, s, 12 Jul 1894, 6, BC, CE.
……Rems: BRI: George William C. Bissett, 12 Jul 1894, Sidney.
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canbc/1901vic_cen/div15/d15p07.htm
Within four months, prayers for a school had been answered. In January 1862, the Daily Press informed its readers that land near William Thomson’s farm had been surveyed under the direction of the Bishop of Columbia for a school, adding that “an institution of this kind was greatly needed in the vicinity.”4 (Newspaper stories of the day vary on whether a school or a church was being built; Church accounts show payment of $25 in February 1862 to William Thomson for land for a church and a parsonage.)5
http://www.viu.ca/homeroom/Content/Schools/Public/ssaan.htm
Duncan Lidgate eventually settled next door to his son-in-law William Thomson in Saanich, B.C. William had married Duncan's step daughter Margaret Dyer Lidgate in 1856. Duncan lived at Mt. Newton Crossroad were he built "Rose Cottage" and all its furniture. "Rose Cottage" has been restored and as of 2003 it was still standing and a commemorative plaque to Duncan Lidgate can be found on the side of Mt. Newtown Crossroad by the property which he originally owned. Duncan Lidgate was one of ten farmers who got together in 1868 to establish the North and South Saanich Agricultural Society which started, and still holds today, the yearly Saanich Fair. The second Fair was held in 1869 in the farm buildings of Bannockburn, the home of his son-in-law William Thompson who was also a founding member. Elizabeth's step sister Margaret is widely reported to have been the first white female settler on the Saanich Peninsula. She and her husband William Thompson had fifteen children, ten boys and five girls, all of them, except David, were born on the Saanich farm. David, who was the eldest, was born beside Fort Victoria. Elizabeth's half brother William Lidgate also farmed in Saanich and had eight children many of whom are buried at St. Steven's church yard.
http://www.surreyhistory.ca/pikefamily.html
Died accidentally at South Saanich, British Columbia, Mar 5, 1869, Son of Mr Thompson, aged 9. It appears that the lad was driving a cart home across a field, and from some sudden jolt was thrown to the ground, when the wheel of the cart passed over his head causing instant death. [Colonist, 1869-03-06*]
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bcvancou/saan18581871.htm
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