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Baxter
THE
BAXTER STORY
On
March 14th, 1886, Henry Baxter and his wife Helen arrived in
Killarney by train from their home in Grey County, Ontario.
With them were six of their nine children, four boys and two
girls. The oldest son Bill had come out to Killarney from Ontario
in 1883, and had been joined by his brother John in 1884. These
two older brothers had established a homestead just across the border
in North Dakota, this was the destination of the Baxters when they
arrived in Killarney on that March day.
Son Bill met the family in Killarney with his team and sleigh and they
all headed south toward the U.S. border and their new home. They
stopped and had supper at Stuart Foster’s place five miles south of
Killarney, it was after dark before they were on their way again, and
had not gone far when they realized they were lost. They followed
the sleigh road they were on and ended up at a hay stack. Father
and Mother and the six children dug into the haystack while Bill took
off with the team to see if he could find out just where they were.
Bill
arrived back several hours later and Mother and Father and the
youngsters were bundled into the sleigh and again they headed out.
Son
John and his sister Ellen, who had come out to Manitoba the year before
to keep house for her brothers, waited up far into the night for Bill
and the family to arrive.
After
a
long wait they decided to go to bed figuring the family had stayed in
Killarney for the night. It was a dark and cold house that
greeted the family when they finally did arrive near dawn. It was
a long cold night of March 14th, 1886 for the Baxter family, their
first night in the Killarney area.
Later
Henry Baxter and his family moved back to the Lena district where they
lived the rest of the lives. Henry Baxter died in 1907, his wife
in 1922.
THE
BAXTER FAMILY CHILDREN OF HENRY AND HELEN BAXTER
Bill
Baxter – Arrived first in Killarney area in 1883. Homesteaded
across border in North Dakota, on land now known as Baxter
County. Later married in St. Paul, Minn. Moved to St. Rose
area of Manitoba,
Mary
Jane Baxter – Oldest girl, married in Ontario, widowed, joined family
in Manitoba. Later married Dan McInnes. Had three
children: John, now deceased, Annie, married Wm. Pratt, they live
in Lena. Mary, married James Nichol, now widowed, lives in
Killarney.
Jack
Baxter – Arrived in Killarney in 1884. Farmer, married Libby
Foster, had three children. Nellie (Mrs. Lorne Archibald)
deceased. Leslie and Eldon, both retired farmers, now living in
Killarney. Jack Baxter died 1939.
Richard
Baxter – Bachelor, farmed most of his life in Lena District. Died
1944.
Ellen
Baxter – Married Joe Darrah, moved to Detroit. Raised a family of
two boys, Fed and Andy; two girls, Mae and Ella. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Darrah deceased.
Alex
Baxter – Bachelor, lived most of his life in Lena district. Died
1936.
Hanna
Baxter – Married Fred Foster, moved to Kerrobert, Sask. Had one
daughter, now Mrs. Jack short of Kerrobert. Mr. and Mrs. Foster
both deceased.
Robert
Baxter – Farmer, married Mary Finlayson, had four children:
Wilfred and Jack, Gertie and Ella. Mrs. Baxter and Wilfred now
reside in Killarney, as does Gertie, widow of the late Norman
Denton. Robert Baxter died in 1956.
David
Baxter – Youngest boy and the only living member of Henry Baxter
family; will celebrate his 88th birthday August 23rd, 1964.
Married Gertrude Dafoe in 1915; had four children. Wilbert and
David, Laverne and Dorothy. Laverne and David both
deceased. Dorothy married H. A. Smiley and lives in Boissevain.
Wilbert and his wife Helen live in Killarney.
Mary
Baxter – Married Dave Pyper, who was killed in First World War.
Had two sons, Dave Pyper who farms at Lena and Richard Pyper living in
Killarney. Mrs. Pyper died 1958.
A
FEW
NOTES FROM THE PAST
Grand
Central Hotel was under construction when the Baxter family arrived in
Killarney in March 1886.
Land
just south of where U.S. Customs house now stands was broken by Dave
Baxter, driving yoke of oxen in 1889.
Dave
Baxter worked in Killarney as Machinist, Steam Thresher Operator,
Carpenter; operated Killarney Electric Light Plant from 1918 until 1929.
Was
first Hydro supervisor in Killarney after Hydro was installed in 1929.
Retired
from Hydro in 1941, went back into building contracting business.
Built several homes and barns in Killarney and District. Built
Holmfield and Margaret Schools. Built present skating arena in
1947. Retired from contracting business in 1954.
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