Potentially Significant People  / BUSINESS PEOPLE

Bjornson, Arni



Arni & Vala

Biography: Born 1897
Claims: Vet WW1 – 27th Battalion and 4th Machine Gun Corps – France and Belgium. Wounded at Cambrai
Worked as a harness maker, shoe repairer for Fowlers for 50 years.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 309
Images: As Above
Content: Some additional information

Chester, Jessie


Biography:  Born 1829, Ont. Died 1910
Claims: 1882 – settled on the present site of Baldur 14-5-14. Influential / responsible for the location of a station at the site.  Built the Chester House.
Probable Significance: Major
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 333
Images: Historical Sketches of Argyle
Content: Some additional information

 
Jesse Chester with his horse “Maggie”

Jesse Chester’s house became a sort of unofficial restaurant for railway workers in 1890 and he was soon persuaded to open a boarding house that became know as the Chester House. It was expanded over the years to become a full-service hotel until the early 1950’s. The Sample Room (where Traveling Salesman could display their “samples”) was in a rectangular building to the north of the gable-fronted “Hotel” part. In 1910 it was taken over by Jos. Morris and became the “Baldur Hotel”

Craik, Alex
Biography:  Born 1875. Died 1907.
Claims: Moved to Greenway from the farm in 1907 and took over the store and Post Office from Peter A. McBean.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 368
Images: As Above
Content: Some additional information


Craik, Ira
Biography:  Born 1890, Greenway area
Claims: Elevator Agent at Greenway. Ira took over the family store in Greenway in 1925 and operated it until 1975.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 371
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information


Cramer, George Washington
Biography:   Born Pennsylvanian
Claims: Built a blacksmith shop in 1890 – operated by Harry Goodman. On first municipal Council.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 132
Images: N/A
Content: Some additional information

Curtis, Percival
Biography: Born 1860 .England;  Died 1936
Claims: Bought out the business of George Griffith on the corner of Elizabeth and Second Street about 1895. It had been the first store in town.  In 1901 he completed a new brick two-storey building with a distinctive corner entrance and a second level balcony
Probable Significance: Major
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 376
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information

 

Came to Canada in 1883

Percy F. Curtis bought out the business of George Griffith on the corner of Elizabeth and Second Street about 1895. It had been the first store in town.  In 1901 he completed a new brick two-storey building with a distinctive corner entrance and a second level balcony. Proprietors included the Playfair Brothers, Neil McDonald, Frederickson’s Cash Store, W.G. Kilgour and the Co-op. The upper level was called the Victoria Hall after Queen Victoria. It was home to various public gatherings and entertainments, including movies in its later years. Mr. Curtis also operated a store in Greenway for a time. He had the areas first telephone installed to callow communication between the two operations.

Fowler, Alex
Biography:   Born 1881, ON
Claims: Built the Fowler Block. Postmaster. 1909 member of the first Canadian team to curl in Scotland.
Probable Significance: Major
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 412
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information

 

Fowler, William
Biography:   Born 1839, England
Claims: Came to Baldur in 1891, from the Wawanesa area. Built a flour and feed shop and a bakery. Major shareholder in the Manitoba Elevator Co.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 411
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information

 

Griffirth, D.W.
Biography:   
Claims: First business in Baldur – General Store. Elizabeth Avenue named for his wife.
Probable Significance: Medium
Source: Come Into Our Heritage
Images: N/A
Content: Little additional information

Johnson, Christian
Biography:    
Claims: Teacher. Implement dealer est 1893 in Baldur. (C. Johnson & Sons) Reeve of Argyle 1896.
Part of the expedition that settled upon the location of the New Iceland colony at present day Gimli. He later accompanied the first group of Icelanders to visit (1880) and file for homesteads in Argyle.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 495
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information

 

Lee, Foon
Biography: 
Claims: Arrived in B.C. from China in 1893. Returned to be married in about 1914
1916 left wife and son in China to establish himself in Canada. Est. Ice Cream Parlour in Baldur.
Wife came in 1919. 1924 built his own store.
Retired to Vancouver in 1959
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 527
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information. His story featured in CBC Radio documentary and Mb. History Journal.

 

Playfair, George W.
Biography:  Born 1839, Playfairville ON.
Claims: Established a furniture, lumber and coal business in Baldur ca. 1890. Grain buyer for Bawlf Grain Co. Built office and spur line.. In 1896 he built the first planning mill. Reeve 1881 – first Argyle Council.
Probable Significance: Major
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 602
Images: N/A
Content: Good additional information

Poole, Thomas
Biography:  Born 1859,  ON.
Claims: Came to district 1889. Built hardware store in 1890.
Build house in 1900, new Hardware building in 1910. Poole Hardware Building – now Argyle Museum.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 606
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information

 

Schultz, Frank
Biography:  Born 1859,  ON. ; Died 1915
Claims: Teacher. Homesteaded near Belmont. Established a Private Bank in Baldur in 1892, along with a Real Estate and Insurance Office.
Manager of the Union Bank when it was established.
Taught at Northfield School near Wawanesa where he was influential in the education of Nellie (Mooney) McLung.  Early advocate for the establishment of a “Cottage Hospital” a project that was taken up by his wife Margaret after his death.
Probable Significance: High
Source: Come Into Our Heritage / 625
Images: As Above
Content: Good additional information