{Submitted by Dianna (Hart) McCarty}

Following is a history that was written by my Great Uncle, Ray Hart, and many years ago a copy of same came into my possession. I retyped it at the time, and gave copies to several people. At the encouragement of my friend Rae Chamberlain, I am submitting it to the Biggar Branch Wiki, for the enjoyment of those of us who love local history.

Warren Hart spoken of in this story, is my dad's (Parker Hart) father, brother of Ray, and dad's mom is Elsie (Atkinson).

Having recently moved back to Landis after being away from the area for many years, it has been fun seeing the family names that are still around from my growing up years, and even from this story.

Uncle Ray's writings say he wrote this around the time of the death of King George VI, which was February 1952.

Now, for your enjoyment....


History Of The Pinwherry Church District


This is a history of the Pinwherry Church district situated twelve miles south and east of Landis, Saskatchewan, which should have been written years ago while more of the first settlers were alive. Now there remains only George and Edward Taylor and myself, Ray Hart of the first congregation of the Church.

The Rev. Dr. Dix was the special speaker at our fortieth anniversary of the founding of the Church held in October, 1948, and he encouraged me to write a history of this Church to be preserved in the archives of the United Church at St. Andrews College, Saskatoon, Sk.

There will be many errors and omissions in these records. I am writing this while visiting with my brother, Bruce, in Tampa, Florida. This seems to be the only time I can settle down to remember the happenings throughout the years and I am unable to get any help to gather stories or recollect information from the few old neighbors remaining in the district.

I believe this district was surveyed in 1904 and later opened for homesteading. It may have been 1904 when the first land was filed for homesteads.

My brother, Warren Hart, was one of the first to look over the country for prospects for homesteading. He with two other young men, came to Battleford in the Fall of 1905 and looked over other districts but decided they liked this best, so filed on homesteads for themselves, and later for a homestead for myself and others.

It was very interesting hearing my brother tell of the three days they scouted the districts. The only markers were mounds which were really four holes dug about six feet apart. At the corners of some of the quarter sections and at certain corners on the road allowance lines, there would be an iron stake or pins with the number of the quarter section lying southwest from that pin. To illustrate: my homestead, the N.E. quarter of section sixteen, township thirty-six, range seventeen, west of the third meridian, was marked on the iron pin, thus: XVI, XXXVI, XVII. These stakes were square and less than a foot above the ground excepting on the township lines six miles apart. These were round and longer than the square pins.

These were the only marks. The boys, three of them, hired a half breed guide with a team of broncos hitched to a democrat and took three days out from Battleford to scout the country for homesteads. Warren would tell that when they wanted to find a certain quarter section, they would find a mound and the driver would stand up in the democrat and take a due north direction, and ask the boys to time for so many minutes and fractions and to call when the
time was up, and he would point out the holes in the ground. These boys had to come to Battleford by train and had been living in Winnipeg for a few
years. Although they were country boys before going to live in the City, they had forgotten how cold it could be on a the bald prairie. Although it was early fall, the mornings and evenings could be very cold, so they felt very sorry for themselves when they found themselves with "Christie stiff" hats and light coats.

At this time, there were some Metis ranchers and a small Catholic mission in what is still called Sixty Mile Bush, because it was on the Battleford, Swift Current trail and sixty miles from Battleford. This place is near the siding of Duperow on the now Biggar-Loverna line. There were settlers in the Eagle Hills, a few miles out from Battleford and at Lizard Lake there were some ranchers.

In the year 1906, the settlers began to arrive. Some came and just made a dug-out or a small shack of sod, or anything to show that they had a claim on the land.

When Warren and I arrived about November 8, the family of Hauzners had settled and built a sod house and barn. They had oxen and some other cattle and some hens. The buildings were located where they now live, about one mile east of the Pinwherry Church.

The Zimmer family were living five miles west and one mile north of where the Pinwherry Church stands. One and a half mile south and one mile west, lived Mr. George Paul and son George. They had also moved in from Battleford.

During the summer, George and Ed Taylor, and Jack Johnson, came in from Saskatoon with a team of oxen and built a sod shack and stable in the middle of section sixteen where the Church now stands. They (George and Ed) arrived a short time after Warren and I arrived.

Warren and I spent the winter on Warren's homestead S.W. 20, one half mile north and a little east of where Warren built his home. One half mile west of where the town of Landis is located, a Mr. J. Dane from Massachusetts, now about sixty years old and a former shoe manufacturer, had bought all that section and built a house and store combined. He had some stock, mostly clothing. He went back to his old home in Massachusetts for the winter
and Arthur White, a boy from Mr. Dane's home town, who had worked for Mr. Dane in the east, was looking after the place. They had horses and freighted their supplies out from Battleford.

After Warren and I got settled, we walked across country to the Danes's place to see if there was any way to get some mail out and where we could have our mail sent. We found that there was a post office called Pascal near where the elevator and siding of Cathkin is at present located. This postmaster, a Mr. Delaney, also had a general store and later that winter, the R.N.W.M.P. established a temporary post to look after the settlers. This winter of 1906 and
1907 was the coldest and stormiest and the longest I have known, with the greatest fall of snow.

It would be the end of January or the first of February before our mail began to arrive. This was the first mail received since October, when we left Winnipeg. Arthur White was a real friend to us that winter, and ever since. We had neither horse nor ox, but Warren and I had a pair of snowshoes between us, and after the mail began to come to the post office at Pascal, one of us would snowshoe across country to Dane's, stay overnight and the next day, follow the G.T.P. grade which was partly completed. We followed to about four miles west of where the town of Cavell now stands. A winter trail crossed the grade there running southwest and northeast. We would follow the trail about eight miles to the Pascal post office, get the mail, and return to the Dane place and stay overnight with Arthur White, and go home the next day.

The first church service that I attended, or at least my first acquaintance with a Minister, was at the Dane home. When Rev. Wright and another Minister stayed one night. There were three or four young fellows there, and Rev. Wright had prayers. Mr. Wright was later elevated to Canon and resided for years at Wilkie. This, I believe, was in the winter of 1906 and 1907. During the summer of 1907, Mr. Wright held church services in the Pinwherry district at the Robert Jamieson home. They were, of course, Anglican services.

In the early summer of 1908, the Rev. George Gervin was sent out from eastern Ontario by the congregational church to establish a missionary field. He got off the train at Landis and made his home with Mr. and Mrs. John Glaister. He was then a bachelor and under 30 years. He bought a horse and buggy and travelled around visiting and looking for locations to establish places to hold services.

He visited the Pinwherry district and had a service one Sunday in the home of Robert Jamieson. Later, he held a little informal meeting and made a survey of the district and found we had Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Catholics. He decided it was a wonderful opening for a congregational minister. Mr. Gervin held church services every Sunday at Mrs. and Mrs. Robert Jamieson's. They had a sod house built in the N.W. corner of the N.W. 1/4 10-36-17-3.

We at once began planning to build a church. Mr. Gervin arranged to get a grant from the missionary society of the Congregational Church in the east to help build a church in what is now the Pinwherry Church district.

Of course, the missionary society was paying Mr. Gervin's salary. They offered to buy the lumber for a floor for a sod building and windows and lumber for seats , and they paid something for the labor making the pews.

Sometime in the early summer of 1908, we began to put up this, our first church. Mr. Robert Jamieson gave us the land for the church near his home and facing west on the north and south road. We plowed the sods on the quarter section across from the church and laid it out 20 by 30 feet, as nearly as I can remember. The walls were about 30 inches thick and we built the side walls over 8 feet high and on the ends we build a gable to support the roof.
This work of plowing the sods, hauling them on planks on the running gear of wagons, was done nearly all by men and oxen. The sod was plowed with a 14 inch plow and cut out 30 inches long, and when put in the wall, the layers were alternated for binding purposes. The Jamieson's cut and hauled the heavy poles for the roof and posts to support it, and small roofing poles which were laid close together up and down the roof. Then we covered them with hay, and laid sods carefully on this roof. I might say here that the roof turned the rain for a few years. When finishing the inside, I believe we trimmed the inside walls and plastered them with mud plaster. We had three windows on each side and a door in the west end facing the road. There is a picture of this old sod church hung in the church we now have. Mrs. Gervin is standing in front of the church beside their teams of horses. This will give some idea of the shape of the building outside. There was a platform built across the east end of the church for the pulpit. The ceiling was covered with cheesecloth. This made the room quite bright and clean looking.

Mr. Gervin, the minister, had a portable organ sent out from the east and there was always someone who could play it. Besides church services, we quite often had entertainments in the church, using local talent. Rev. Mr. Gervin was a great entertainer. He had a good singing voice and was a real mimic. We would always have lunch after an entertainment.

There were a few snapshots left of this building. When we got snapshots we nearly always sent them home to our families.

Now to mention some of the people that helped to build and who attended the church. I might start with Mr. George Paul and son George. They were Englishmen. Mr. Paul was a widower. He died in the Old People's Home at Wolseley. The son, George, married and left the country with his wife around the beginning of 1914 and was never heard of since. The father and son had settled here in 1906.

The Atkinson family, Mr and Mrs. Atkinson, Bob, Cliff and Gladys, moved to their homesteads in the summer of 1907. Later the other daughters, Elsie and Ethel, arrived from their old home in Manitoba. Their home was always open to the community or anyone passing through on the trail. Mrs. Atkinson was a mother to all the boys in the district, and no one ever left her home without being fed.

The Taylor family had moved to Saskatoon and some of the boys had taken up homesteads where they now live. George donated the land where the church now stands. George and Ed spent the winter of 1906 and 1907 on the homestead. They had built a sod shack and barn in the summer of 1906. They lived between the homesteads and Saskatoon. There was always
some of them on the farm. I think Mr and Mrs. Gilbert Taylor, the parents, came to the country with Florrie, the youngest, and at that time about six or seven years old. The family came from Ireland. Richard, the youngest boy, had a homestead with the rest of the family. He died very suddenly in Saskatoon. William the oldest, did a lot of building in Saskatoon, but later lived in the district for a long time. He, being a carpenter, contributed a lot to the
church. He did a big share of the building of the new church. He married and had a family of three boys and three girls. Bill is now living in New Westminster, B.C.

There were two other girls in the family beside Florrie. They were Mary, now living near Rosetown. She married Wise Baldwin and had four of a family. She married John Manley and had one son, Gordon, who has made a name for himself as a pianist.

George, the second son, was the first of the bachelor homesteaders to marry. He married Margaret McCullough, a young girl just out from Scotland with her parents. They had three boys, Ivan at home, Norville married and living in Prince Rupert, and Glen at home but now attending Agricultural College at Saskatoon. The girls, Dorothy married Albert Cowan of Biggar and May married Dennis Sizer and is living near Cavell.

Ed married Annie Slocum of the Rosetown district. They had three daughters (Olive and Velma are twins). Olive married Ed Boisvert of Lydden. Velma married Glen Hart. They live at Lethbridge, Alta. Norine is married and lives in Vancouver, B.C. Gordon the youngest, lives at home. He married Norma Dirks of Biggar.

There was a cousin of the Taylor's, Jack Johnston, about twenty-five years of age, who came to the homestead in about 1907. He had filed on a homestead on section 18, which was later cancelled and proved up by Mr. Gilbert Taylor.

Jack was in poor health and was slightly lame. He was living with George Taylor in the sod shack. He became mentally unbalanced early one morning and managed to get George out of the house. He barred the door and having shotguns and axes, George did not like to attempt to get back in the shack, so walked to my shack about three-quarters of a mile, on frozen ground, in his bare feet.

We went right back and sneaked up on the windowless side of the shack, and broke the door open so quickly that we caught Jack before he could do any harm. (I just now remember that he got away from the boys two days before and everybody was looking for him for hours. They found him early in the morning his legs and part of his body in a slough of water, and was unconscious.) George walked to what we called the Breed's place, in the Sixty Mile Bush about fifteen miles way, where the N.W.M.P. were sometimes, stationed and
the police came with a team in a democrat, and got Jack and took him to the hospital in Battleford. That was the last I saw of him. He later went back to Ireland.

George tells some interesting stories of that trip. According to George, the policemen had some liquor and were very quarrelsome. They and George fought for hours but at last when over twenty-five miles
from home, they managed to get George out of the democrat and left him there to get back home as best he could.

Mr and Mrs. Taylor Sr , died in the 1930's. They were a very fine couple. Mr. Taylor was a well educated man, a real gentleman. He was Treasurer of the Pinwherry Church until shortly before his death.

A cousin of the Taylor's, a George Crawford from New York City, came to the Taylor's in 1907 or 1908. He was a young man when he came, and had a lot of hard luck. He had a homestead about three miles S.E. of the Church, and was a faithful supporter. His foot was caught in a disc harrow, and it was so badly hurt that he was always very lame. Going home from Church one Sunday about noon in a blizzard, he lost the trail and wandered around the remainder of that day, the next night, and the next day and night, and the following morning
he found his way home. He was badly frozen but recovered. The snow was deep and there were lots of drifts, and the horses couldn't travel all that time. They say he used the sleigh robe and his fur coat to help keep the horses warm. He went back to New York and died in the 1930's.

During the first winter, George Taylor left our shack to go home one night and lost the trail. He walked steadily that night and the next night arrived at a German's place about seven miles northeast of our place. He got something to eat, but had to sleep in the unfinished shack. They, the family, his son and his mother, were living in the stable with the cattle to keep warm. Poor George nearly froze that night. The next day he got directions again and
started for home, but got on the wrong trail and got away south when he met an oldtimer and George told him the number of his quarter section.

He started George off on the right course with the sun over the left shoulder and showed him how to follow his shadow. Meanwhile, Warren had travelled all that first day on George's track. We had only one pair of snowshoes. The snow was very deep and you could cut off a lot of corners and loops, so made good time, but at night he had to leave the trail and come home. Next morning, I took the trail but George got home just before me. The last mile or two George travelled before he came to the German place, he would lie down
and rest and eat snow. George was very husky. Maybe there wasn't another man in the district that could have endured that hardship.

As I have told, Robert Jamieson allowed us to build the sod church on his land and the Jamieson's were loyal and faithful to the Church. At one of our first church meetings, we had to decide on a name for our Church and Andy Jamieson suggested the name "Pinwherry", that being the name of their Post Office in Scotland. We all agreed it was a good name, and so it has always been called the Pinwherry Church.

There was Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jamieson and they brought the first baby to Pinwherry. He was born in Saskatoon. He was named Albert. Another son born later was named David. He, with his father and mother, now live in Peace River country. There was the grandfather Jamieson who died in the 20's, and the youngest son, Andy. He married Annie Kennedy and they have two girls, Mary who is married and lives in Vancouver, and Marjory Irving, now in
Kelowna. Andy and family moved off the farm and went to Chilliwack, B.C. They are still there.

The Peter McCullough family came at different times. They came from Scotland. Mrs. McCullough was a sister of Andy and Bob Jamieson. Tom, the oldest of the family, got a homestead. The family made their home with him. There were Sam, Jim and Andy who fought through the war of 1914-18. Jim was killed in France. There were Bob, John, Margaret, Jennie and Mary. Tom married a girl from Scotland and is the only one of the family living in Pinwherry. Sam married a Miss Marshall. She died about 1946. Sam has a
home in Meath Park but spends winters with his sister, Mrs. George Taylor. Andy lives near Rosetown. He had, I believe, five children, but I am unable to name them. Bob married a school teacher and moved to B.C. She died in the forties. John married a Miss McKinley, had three children and lives in Ontario. Jennie married Mike Marshall and lives near Dawson Creek. They have a large family. Mary, the youngest married Hawthorne Marshall, Mike's brother. They lived near Fort St. John, and may live there yet. They had a large
family. Margaret, the oldest daughter married George Taylor and leaves near the Pinwherry Church. Mr. and Mrs. Peter McCullough ended their days with some of their family, near Fort St. John, and both are buried there. I would like to say that Mrs. McCullough was one of the outstanding women of the Pinwherry district; she was the most loved and respected mother and neighbor.
Although never blest with much of this world's goods, she always had something to give and was always helping someone. Perhaps in the final summing, up, it would be found that she gave more, and had a greater influence in our community in the St. John district and in her old home in Scotland, than any of us can realize.

I want to record here that while I am writing this record in the City of Tampa, Florida, that word has come through of the death of King George VI. I am rather proud of the way the papers and the radio are expressing the sympathy of the American people and of the nice things they are saying about our new Queen Elizabeth and her husband.

I mentioned earlier the Hauzner family living a mile east of the Church. They came here from Chicago. They were Bohemians and Catholic. They took some part in the community. They were the earliest settlers. Mr. Hauzner is now dead but Mrs. Hauzner is quite active, at something over eighty years. They brought their young family with them. Frank Jr. is living
with his mother and Sybil, Mrs. Hauzner's granddaughter. One daughter Annie, lives near Argo, Mary lives in Montana, and I think Bessie died in the U.S.A.

The McLeod family moved in through the spring and summer of 1907. Rod came in the spring and began breaking up his land one mile north of the Church. Mr and Mrs. McLeod came later in the summer and built their home out of sod. They were Highland Scotch from Glengary, Ontario, and spoke Gaelic as fluently as English or even better, as they seemed to be more at home with their Gaelic. They were a fine looking couple, both tall and very
straight. He was a piper and many a time he helped out at entertainments with his pipes. We would often have him play for us at his home. He also played the violin and sang. I will always remember a picnic held near the Church either in 1908 and 1909, when Mrs and Mrs. McLeod and Rod drove past my place with a team of oxen hitched to a wagon. They picked me up on the way and Mr. McLeod played the pipes nearly all the way to the grounds. It
was a lovely calm day and everyone got a thrill listening to the pipes.

Their home was always open to all, and we bachelors were more than welcome. One of my greatest debts and happiest memories are of Mrs. McLeod. She took care of me and nursed me, fed me and I think loved me, and took the place of a mother in my lonely life. She was in rather poor health all the time, but never complained. So many times I think of her as one of the best women and mothers, and how little she received in comforts and wealth, for what she did for us. She and Mrs. Atkinson mothered more lonesome bachelors and I am
glad to have a chance to tell of these mothers who were always ready to feed the poor bachelors and open their homes to all of us. They were the most refined and dignified women I know of.

Rod McLeod died during the flu epidemic of 1918. He had married Edna Jasper and had three boys and one girl. Clarence, the oldest married Hannah Wurtz, and has two children. Clarence is a school teacher and has been in the Pinwherry district many times since he grew up, and has played a part in the community. They now live in Chilliwack, B.C.. Wilbur moved away after he grew up and is now in Edmonton. Rod spent over four years in the
services overseas during the second World War. He studied medicine and now is interning in Vancouver. He married a girl from South Africa. She was going to University at Saskatoon when they met.

Helen is married and lives in Winnipeg. Duncan McLeod was the second son of Mrs. and Mrs. K.K. McLeod and homesteaded with the parents, doing his homestead duties but living with them. He is married and has a home in Winnipeg. Mr. and Mrs. McLeod are buried in Landis cemetery. A stone marks Mrs. McLeod's grave.

Earl Hindley bought the homesteads of Rod and Duncan McLeod and homesteaded the quarter section NE of 22 on the same section, and built a home and lived there until Ernest Hindley, a brother, came out from the old Hindley homestead at Rockwood, Ontario. Ernie and Mrs. Hindley, just married, came out in August 1913, made their home and lived on this homestead established by Earl who returned to Ontario and made his home on the Hindley homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Hindley lived here until about 1947 and they moved to Victoria, B.C. They were very loyal and staunch supporters of the Church and of every community project. They were, and still are, very much missed by all the people in the district. Mrs. Hindley always seem to be responsible for the music and singing, also the music in the church and the community. They had two children. Bill was born in 1914. Married Annie Rennie of Saskatoon. She had taught in the Cecilia School. They live in Ontario and have two children. Verle married Harry Hawkins and attends our Church.

George Hindley and Mrs. Hindley moved to the district around 1925 or 1926. Mrs. Hindley's home was in Embro, Ontario and her name was May Cody. She was a sister of Canon Cody of Toronto. George preached in our Church, and I shall tell more of him later. They had two children. Jim was born in 1925 and married Thelma Carberry and lives on the Ernest Hindley homestead. They have one son. Marybeth is a school teacher. George bought and lives on the Gratton homestead, three miles north and east of the Church.

S.A. (Steve) McHargue came from Iowa in 1912 with Mrs. McHargue and family. Harold married Etta Young and they have two boys, Steve and Elwood. Luverne married and moved to the western states or Idaho. Gladys married Merril Rutherford and moved to Washington or Idaho. He died in the early 1940's. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Rutherford of Pinwherry. Raymond McHargue, the youngest, married Carrie Kerfoot of Landis, and they live in the old Varley place. The have two children, Eldon and Marilyn. They attend our church and support it.

Mrs. Steve McHargue died in the 1930's. She was loved by all the people, was the first Pinwherry Ladies' Aid President. The McHargue's attended and supported our church.

John Rutherford moved to the district in 1913 and lived two miles east of the Church. He and Mrs. Rutherford came from Iowa and brought their family with them. The children were Edna, who married Ted Geary in the district. She died during the flu epidemic in 1918. Marril married Gladys McHargue and moved to the western states. He died in the early 1940's. Mary married Clarence Cushing of Landis. Lucille married in the U.S.A. Jack
married Willa Brace of Biggar and lives in Saskatoon. Emmet is married and lives in Herschel, Saskatchewan.

The Noble famly moved here from one of the western states in 1908; the father, mother, two daughters and their husbands, two sons and their wives and some grandchildren. They lived three miles east of the church. They later moved away but not all at once. Ed Sheets,
the son-in-law, lived here longer than the rest of the family. They attended the services and entertainments in the sod church.

Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel and daughter Hetty were among the earliest settlers. They lived six miles east and one mile north of the church and attended the sod church. They moved to Biggar and, I believe, are all dead.

There was a bachelor, Brownjohn (we always called him Buster), who lived three miles east of the church and came to the sod church. He stayed only a short time, and I don't know where he moved to.

The Murdoch family lived four miles south and three miles east of the church and attended it after we had built the first lumber building. They were a large family. Corrine, the eldest girl, married Alex McLeod, and lives eight miles west of Biggar. Mr Murdoch is now dead but the widow and two of the family live in Biggar.

The Harry Hawkins family, Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins, Albert and Harry, were good supporters of our church. They may not have attended services in the sod church, but Mr. Hawkins was Superintendent of our Sunday School for years. Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins have now retired and live in Victoria, B.C. Albert, the eldest son married May Schnedar, and lives on the Jamieson homestead. Harry married Verle Hindley, and they have one son Ron.

A Mr. Harrop and his maiden sister came to his homestead one mile east and one mile south of the Church. They moved in from Saskatoon about 1910 and lived there until the early twenties. They were very fine English people and although they never took an active part in the community, they were very hospitable in their home. Mr. Harrop was the expert gardener.

A Mr. Wm. Moore moved here from the western states and bought the Harrop and Crawford land. They made their home in the Harrop home. There was Mrs. Moore and three girls and a boy. Mr. Moore died a few years after and the family moved back to the states. Mrs. Moore still owns the land. They were very active in the Church and Mr. Moore was Sunday School Superintendent for a few years.

Mrs. and Mrs. Arthur White lived on the same farm for quite a few years. They now live ten miles south of Biggar. They had two daughters, Lois, who is married and lives in Lethbridge, Alberta, and Eunice, living with her parents.

The Riddell family moved to their homestead two miles south of the church in about 1909 or 1910 from Asquith. George was here some time before. They had come from Ontario. There was Mr. and Mrs. Riddell and Grandma McClure, Mrs. Riddell's mother, and three boys, George, Jim and Jack. Mrs. McClure died about two years after they moved here. Mrs. Riddell died in the winter of 1915 and Mr. Riddell died in the early 40's. I cannot speak too highly of the older folk. Mrs. Riddell was one of the kindest and best women I have known, although she had poor health, was very active and they made everyone
welcome in the home. They are all three buried in the Riddell plot in Aurora, Ontario. Jim, the oldest son, died in the early 30's and Jack died in the late 1940's. They, too, are buried in Aurora, Ontario. George built a fine home and married Alma Kennedy of Brandon, Man., sister of Russell Kennedy. They have four children. Muriel married Bruce McDonald and lives in Melfort and has one child. Elta married Clive Farnsworth, who is living in Winnipeg, and has one child. Hugh lives in Saskatoon and Murray is now living in Calgary. Mr. and Mrs. Riddell (Geo) now live in Saskatoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger and son with his family and Edna, the daughter who married Rod McLeod, moved here from Illinois and homesteaded four miles south and four miles west of the Church. The son and family later moved back to the U.S.A. and Mr. and Mrs. Jaeger moved to Saskatoon and lived there until the time of their deaths.

John Johnson moved to this farm in 1920. He married and lives there now and is a good supporter of the Church.

Lou Varley came here from Stuart, Iowa, around 1910 or 1911. He bought section five and built a fine home two miles west and one and one-half miles south of the Church. He was a bachelor. We saw a lot of his family from Iowa. They were great church people and his sister who visited him, was a wonderful singer. His brother Charles, who spent quite a lot of time here after Louis' death in 1917, was a good supporter of this church until his death in 1949.

The Brouilette family moved to the Varley home around 1921. They were from Illinois. There were two brothers and their families. They were good supporters of the church and Community. "L.C." was one of the first men in the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. He gave a lot of time and money to get it started and was the first Vice-President of the Pool, and later the President. He died while still President in 1934. During the last years of his life, he moved and made his home in Regina. Mrs. Brouilette now lives with some of her children
in Murphysboro, Illinois. The children are Mary Louise, married and living in lllinois, Eugene, George, Louis and Wilfred.

The brother, Tony, lived here until 1940, then moved back to their old home in Illinois. Their children are Kent, Ed, Wendel, Dick, Charles, Elizabeth, Laura and Dianna. They are all living in the U.S.A.

Harvey Carberry came west from Ontario in about 1919, bought land and built a home two miles south of the Varley home. He married Annie Francis of Springwater. Their children are Floyd, married now, and living two miles west of the Varley home. He married Gloria Cauldwell of Saskatoon and they have two children. Eileen married Tom Archdekin and has one child. They live on the first Harvey Carberry home. Thelma married Jim Hindley and has one child. They live on the Ernie Hindley homestead. Lorne, Shirley and Dale live
at home. In 1940, Harvey Carberry moved to the Varley home and later bought it. He moved to Biggar in 1945. Harvey was one of our best supporters while he lived in the district. He is still represented by his three children and their families, and they all come to this church and support it.

Raymond McHargue bought the Varley home from Harvey Carberry and is living there now. They attend our church and support it. Raymond married Carrie Kerfoot and they have two children, Eldon and Marilyn.

Bert Russell came from Iowa and settled here in 1913. He first lived three miles west and one and one-half miles north. Later he moved where Fred Hart now lives. He married Annie Reid of Landis. They had three children. About 1922 or 1923 Bert and family moved to Stuart, Iowa. Bert was a great help to the church and community. He was a fine singer and gave generously of his talents. He and his wife very much were missed.

The Hart family came from Nova Scotia. Warren and myself came to the homesteads in November 1906. We came in from Battleford with a team of oxen hired to bring in lumber for our shack, and stove and winter's provisions. This wasn't our own team of oxen but was owned and driven by John Johnson of Cavell. Warren spent most of the summers working at carpentry and I stayed on the homesteads. He spent the first and second winter two miles
west and one mile north of the church. In the fall of 1915, Fred came west for the harvest. He and Joe came west to stay in 1919. Bruce and family came west in 1918. He came from Nova Scotia. A few months before that, he came from Cuba with his family where three of his children were born. The father and mother of our family moved here from Nova Scotia in 1920, having retired.
Francis, the youngest sister, came with them. They later bought Mr. K.K. McLeod's house and moved it to my place and lived right beside me. Their house is still there.

Hazel and Edith came west in 1921. My father, Parker Hart Sr., died in 1925, and my mother died in 1941, andthey are buried in Landis cemetery. Warren established his family home, two miles west and one-half mile north of the church. He married Elsie Atkinson in 1915. They have five boys: Parker married June Hanna of Biggar and has three children; they live on the
home place. Robert married Gladys Schneder of Lydden and they have one child. Bobby died in 1943, and is buried in the Hart plot in the Landis cemetery. His widow and son Gary live in Edmonton. She has remarried. George married Phyllis Molleken of North Battleford. They have two boys, Greg and Russ, and live in Lethbridge. Glen married Velma Taylor and they have three children, Elaine, Doug and Don. They also live in Lethbridge. Cliff married Jeanette Ballantyne and they reside in North Battleford. They have one child, Bobby.

Warren died in 1942 and is buried in Landis cemetery. His widow lives in Saskatoon. My brother, Joe, married Sarah Haye of Morris, Man. They have two daughters, Hazel and Lorna, and all live in Vancouver. My youngest brother, Fred, married Phyllis Ackrill from England. He lives four
miles west and one-half mile north of the Church. They have five children. Kenneth is married and lives in St. Thomas, Ont. I have forgotten his wife's family name. Annette is living in Ottawa. Joan married Harold Merryfield of Biggar. They have two children, Dale and Doug. Bruce and Jack are at home. Edith married Russell Anderson and lives in Toronto. Hazel lives in Ottawa and Frances lives in New York.
.
Bruce moved to Tampa, Florida, in 1925 and the family followed later. Five girls were born to this family. Hazel died in Nova Scotia before the family moved west. Elizabeth died shortly after leaving Pinwherry. Jean is married and lives in Kissimmee, Florida. Jean, Hazel and Elizabeth were born in Cuba. Mary and Helen were born in Pinwherry. Jean married Earl Lupfer and has three children. Mary married William Murphy; has one child and lives in Tampa, Florida. Helen married Vasky Zeiko and lives in New Britain, Conn. They have two children.

Jacob Hegan moved to his farm and built his home two miles west and one mile north of the church in 1915. They came from Phippen and are living there now. They moved away in 1918. They had four children. Edger is married and lives in Phippen. Carl is married, also Alma and May are married and they all live at or near Phippen.

I have no doubt left out many families and individuals. As I am writing this in Tampa, Florida, I am relying altogether from memory, but the people mentioned are the outstanding people connected with our Church.

The old sod Church was used from 1908 to 1912, when we built a lumber church across from the old church on land donated by George Taylor on his homestead on the S.E. corner of the S.E. 1/4 of 16-36-17-3. This church was used until 1930 when we built the present church. The second church was much too small when the bachelor homesteaders got married and began raising families. One thing outstanding in our church for any Protestant
Church was that the parents all came to church and brought their children with them, and when the families were growing up we would often have from 60-80 in attendance, and even with the new church with a full basement, we would often have two classes outdoors in summertime.

The most outstanding characteristic of our church was the spirit of cooperation. These three churches were built altogether by work and money donated by all of us excepting a small amount to buy the lumber for the sod church. The people were most friendly and cooperative. We find that this spirit is as alive as ever in 1951. When the church needed painting, decorating and cleaning, so many came there was scarcely a job for all, and the work was completed in one day. I had to remark that there was only George Taylor and myself there of the ones who helped build the sod church.

I have not any of the church records with me, but I will attempt to name the Ministers, who served us though the years.

The Rev. George Gerwin was our first Minister. Mr. George Hindley served a short time as a student and later when ordained, was our Minister for a few years.

Rev. Trevor Williams came from Wales with his wife. She died of the flu in 1918. Later he returned to Wales. Then the Rev. Kemp, Rev. Reid, Rev. Culp, Rev. Boyd, Rev. Phillips, Rev. Morrison and another Rev. Phillips, Rev. Tom Smith, Rev. Victor Levan and now the Rev A.C. Cross. I might mention also the Rev. George Cairns who served during the 1930's. During the first years, we had students and assistants but they were, most of the time, in the Cando field.

For awhile during the 30's, we had no minister but Mr. George Hindley carried on a Bible class on Sunday and sometimes preached. The young people were very interested and faithfully attended. I want to pay tribute to Mr. Hindley for what he has done and for the fine influence he has had on the young people of the Pinwherry district. Mr. Hindley was called on continually to speak at meetings, and to help in everything for the community. Because he was so well known, his services were called for, far from home, as well.

He has been Secretary of the Landis field for many years. Many times he has been called on
to officiate at funerals, because of his many friends, and his ability as a speaker. Mr. Hindley was a member of the R.M. of Bushville for many years and is now serving as Vice-President of the Trustees' Association of Sask. and I expect to hear very soon that he has been elected President.

Mr. Hindley has always been ably assisted by Mrs. Hindley, who has had to sacrifice a lot to help Mr. Hindley out in his different activities, besides her being a very active officer of the Wilkie Presbytery for the Womens' Missionary Society.

The story would not be complete if I did not tell of all the uses made of our church. For a few years in the 30's when there were a lot of young people in the district, who were unable to, because of finances, attend high school, the parents organized a cooperative high school at the church, got a small grant from the Dept. of Education and assessed the parents for the balance. A great many young men and women of our community have high school
because of the Pinwherry Church. I believe this school may be the only one of its kind in the county; it was the only one I know of.

I believe this Pinwherry Church has had a tremendous influence on the young people that have grown up here and will continue to have an influence on those now growing up. I know there are many of these young people now active in the church service, living in many places scattered over Canada and America, who got their start by parents taking them to church on Sunday mornings and to Sunday school, instead of sending them alone.

I know that getting together Sunday mornings and at church entertainments besides the meetings of the Ladies' Aid and the W.M.S. had much to do with warm and lasting friendships in this community. Perhaps not many districts have had and still have, this friendly cooperative spirit as we have had in this Pinwherry Church district.

***

This history and stories are written by G.R. Hart. I came to the Pinwherry district from Guysborough, Nova Scotia in 1906. In December 1916 I married Isabelle Gilmur of Attwood, Ontario. We have two daughters, Shirley May, who married Earl Kerr of Toronto, June 29, 1946 and Marion June. The latter is married to Ronald Sproule of Watson, Sask., and they have one child Rhonda Belle.










Atkinson........................................................ 5
Brouilette....................................................... 12
Brownjohn..................................................... 10
Carberry........................................................ 12
Crawford....................................................... 6
Dane.............................................................. 2
Delaney......................................................... 3
Gervin........................................................... 3, 4, 14
Glaister......................................................... 3
Harrop.......................................................... 10
Hart.............................................................. 1, 12, 13, 15
Hauzner........................................................ 2, 8
Hawkins........................................................ 10
Hegan............................................................ 13
Hindley.......................................................... 9, 14, 15
Jaeger............................................................ 11
Jamieson....................................................... 3, 7
Johnson......................................................... 11
Johnston........................................................ 2, 5
McCullough.................................................. 7
McHargue...................................................... 9, 10, 12
McLeod......................................................... 8
Ministers....................................................... 14
Moore............................................................ 10
Murdoch........................................................ 10
New Church.................................................. 14, 15
Noble............................................................. 10
Paul............................................................... 2, 4
Riddell........................................................... 11
Russell........................................................... 12
Rutherford..................................................... 10
Settling of Area............................................. 1, 2
Sheets............................................................ 10
Sixty Mile Bush............................................ 2, 6
First Church................................................. 4
Squirrel......................................................... 10
Taylor............................................................ 2, 5, 6
Varley............................................................ 11
White............................................................. 11
Wright........................................................... 3
Zimmer.......................................................... 2