Fletcher,
Samuel
Biography: (1858 – 1950) m. (1886) Elizabeth Smith (1860 – 1952)
Claims: Settled in 1886. In 1920 Samuel Fletcher was elected to the
Manitoba Legislature with the first group of Progressive Farmers.
Probable Significance: Medium
Source: Trails & Crossroads to Killarney p. 340 /
Reflections p.
Lawrence,
George
![](images/lawrenceg.jpg)
Biography: (1855-1924)
Claims: George and his brother Noble set out in 1879 and took
homesteads near Glenora. He saw that money could be made by bringing
out horses, and made several trips east to return with carloads of
horses for sale. He opened a Massey Harris agency in Glenora and later
in Killarney. In 1899 he was the elected to represent the Killarney
riding until he was defeated when the Roblin government was overthrown
in 1915. From 1911 to 1915 he was Minister of Agriculture. In that role
he oversaw the establishment of the Killarney Demonstration Farm. After
his defeat opened an implement business of his own. He acquired
considerable land in various parts of the province.
President of the Southern Manitoba Agricultural and Arts Association
and a member of the Church of England, the Orange Order, the Black
Knights of Ireland, and the Odd Fellows Lodge. About 1922 he and his
wife (Phoebe Coughlan) went to California. He is commemorated by
the RM of Lawrence.
Probable Significance:
Source: Trails to Killarney p / Reflections p.
388
From
the Local History Sources...
GEORGE LAWRENCE (1855-1924) was born on a bush farm near Uxbridge,
Ontario. He was the fourth son in a family of seven sons and one
daughter. Three of the sons, Joseph, George and Christopher, came
eventually to the Killarney district. From the time the boys were ten
years old they hired out with neighbors to make enough money to attend
school in winter. Wages were as low as $5 a month; later they got $10
and in 1881 Tom earned a record $16 a month.
When the Dominion Lands Act was passed, the boys read in the local
newspaper about the 160-acre homesteads and pre-emptions available in
Manitoba. For lads who had grown up on a bush farm this seemed
heaven-sent; they all wanted to go. They realized they did not have
enough money, so they saved from their meagre wages. George and Noble
set out in 1879 and took homesteads near Glenora. Having a shrewd head
for business, George saw that money could be made by bringing out
horses, and made several trips east to return with carloads of horses
for sale.
Disregarding the fears of neighbors that they would be eaten by wolves
or scalped by Indians, likewise the warning from one who had been to
Manitoba about swarms of mosquitoes and insects as large as birds,
William, Thomas, Christopher and John left for Glenora in 1884 and took
up homesteads there.
George Lawrence rented his farm to Thomas and went into the business of
selling implements. He opened a Massey Harris agency in Glenora and
later in Killarney. In the provincial elections of 1892 and 1896 he was
the Conservative candidate, but failed to defeat the sitting member,
Finlay M. Young, until 1899, when he won by 140 votes. He continued to
represent the Killarney riding until he was defeated when the Roblin
government was overthrown in 1915.. From 1911 to 1915 he was Minister
of Agriculture.
He resigned from his position with Massey Harris when con- : testing
the 1892 election, and after his defeat opened an implement business of
his own. He acquired considerable land in various parts of the
province, and in partnership with his brother Christopher had a large
ranch at Cochrane, Alberta, for a few years.
At one time he was President of the Southern Manitoba Agri-cultural and
Arts Association, located at Killarney. He was a member· of the Church
of England, the Orange Order, the Black Knights of Ireland, and the Odd
Fellows Lodge. About 1922 he and his wife (Phoebe Coughlan) went to
California. Their only son, Desmond, died in 1962.
George and Noble came in 1878 by boat to Duluth, train to Crookston and
paddle-wheeler down the Red to Emerson. (The railway from St. Paul to
Winnipeg was not completed until December of that year). They parted
company - George with only 15<1: went on to Winnipeg and Noble with
ox cart, tools and provisions set out for Nelsonville (that short-lived
town) to file for land at Glenora. George followed the next spring and
like Noble cooked his bannocks and slept under his cart. One morning he
found his hair was frozen to the ground. He filed across the road from
Noble and they were joined by William, Thomas, Chris and John in 1881
all homesteading nearby.
George Lawrence made several trips to Ontario to bring out horses for
sale and also brought a wooden grain separator - a great boon to the
settlers. In response to the demand for machinery he set up an agency
for the Massey Co (1883).
In 1886 George rented his farm to Thomas and moved his agency to
Killarney. He resigned in 1892 to contest the constituency of Killarney
for the Conservatives in the provincial elections. After his defeat by
the incumbent Finlay Young he opened an implement business of his own
with JM Baldwin, handling implements for several companies.
In 1899, and four successive elections, George was a successful
Conservative candidate, representing his constituency for 15 years. In
1911, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Immigration. His
empty seat on his acceptance of a cabinet position was returned to him
by acclamation in a by-election in October of that year. As Minister of
Immigration he set up immigration offices in England, Ireland, and
Scotland. His wife, Miss Phoebe Coughlan, was the daughter of a
prominent tea merchant of Dublin. They were married in All Saints
Church, Winnipeg, on September 12, 1904. One son, Desmond George Lloyd,
was born in 1907
Hon George Lawrence retired from public life when he was defeated by Mr
S M Hayden in the 1915 elections.
During his time in office, George kept abreast of all matters affecting
the development of agriculture in the Province and maintained an
interest in farming. He owned three farms in the Killarney District,
two south of the town and one to the north which he sold to Mr Wilbert
Worden.
He was president of the Southern Manitoba Agricultural and Arts
Association located in Killarney and encouraged the holding of
agricultural fairs. He was instrumental in having the railway put
through from Greenway to Wakopa through government negotiations with
the CNR. He also sponsored a bill called the Cor- poration Tax Act to
lighten the unfair load of taxation on the farmers. He sincerely
believed it was the duty of a member of parliament to do his best for
the division he represented and for the province. He strove to be as
fair to his opponents as to his own party.
Fraternally he was a member of the Independent Order of Foresters and
belonged to the Loyal Orange Lodge. He was a member of the Church of
England.
After several years spent in BC, the family took up residence in
Berkeley, California, where Desmond enrolled in the University, later
attending Oxford where he married. After graduating in Law he returned
to Berkeley to practice his profession.
Hon George Lawrence died on May 25th, 1924 at age 69. His widow died
about seven years later. His son, Desmond, died in 1966 at the age of
59. There are no descendants.
Young, Finlay McNaughton
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Biography: b. Quebec. (1852-1916) 1891 he married Louisa
Nicolson
Claims: Farmer.Pioneer. MLA
Came west in 1879 to Wakopa. Founded the Young Grain Company which
operated nineteen elevators in Southwestern Manitoba until 1921 when it
was sold to N. M. Paterson and Sons. In partnership with Thomas Buck
they established a grist mill in Killarney which could handle 100 bags
of flour a day. Elected MLA in 1883. Moved to Killarney in 1888.
Appointed to the Senate in 1900.
Probable Significance:
Source: Reflections P.
From
the Local History Sources...
He
moved to Killarney in 1888 and built a large house, later a nursing
home, on the corner of Clarke and Finlay.
Farmer, MLA (1883-1886), MLA (1886-1888), MLA (1888-1892), MLA
(1892-1895), MLA (1896-1899), Senator.
Born at St. Chrysostome, Chateauguay County, Quebec, in 1852, the son
of farmer Duncan Young. In 1882, with his brothers, Charles A. Young,
Fred W. Young and Duncan D. Young, he came to Manitoba and homesteaded
at Wakopa in the Turtle Mountain district. He farmed there for several
years, later acquiring a number of farms in the Killarney district. He
entered the grain business, was a member of the Young Grain Company and
part owner with Thomas H. Buck of the mill at Killarney. He married
Louisa Nicholson of Valleyfield, Quebec. He was elected to the Manitoba
Legislature in 1883 and 1886 for Turtle Mountain. In 1888 he was
acclaimed in the new constituency of Killarney and was re-elected in
1892 and 1896. From 1896 to 1899 he was Speaker of the Legislative
Assembly in the Greenway government. Defeated in the 1899 general
election, he was appointed to the Senate on 30 January 1900, serving
until his death, which occurred at Killarney on 16 February 1916.
The YOUNG brothers, FINLAY, CHARLES, DONALD, and FREDERICK came from a
stone-strewn farm near St. Chrysostome, Quebec. They homesteaded but
none of them remained active farm- ers for long. Finlay went into
politics in 1883; some of them were directors of the steam-powered
creamery which John Hettle estab- lished on Sharpe's Creek near Wakopa
in 1885. They founded the Young Grain Company which operated nineteen
elevators in South- western Manitoba until 1921 when it was sold to N.
M. Paterson and Sons. In partnership with Thomas Buck they established
a grist mill in Killarney which could handle 100 bags of flour a day.
FINLAY McNAUGHTON YOUNG came west in 1879 accom- panied by his brother
Charles and Philip Scott. They bought a team of oxen for $165 and a
second hand wagon for $25 and set out along the Commission Trail. They
filed for land in Township 2, Range 11, but, meeting a group who were
on their way to Turtle Mountain where they said wood, logs and game
were plentiful, Finlay Young and Philip Scott decided to look this land
over, and left Charles in charge of their camp. Finlay Young and Philip
Scott decided in favour of the Wakopa area and Scott went back to
inform Charles. They squatted on their chosen homesteads until the Land
Office opened in August, 1880, when Finlay Young filed for NW 20-1-18
and soon added to his holdings.
Running as a Liberal he was elected in 1883 and again in 1886 to
represent Turtle Mountain in the Provincial Legislature. In the
elections of 1888, 1892, and 1896 he was elected in the newly formed
constituency of Killarney, serving as speaker during his last term. In
the election of 1899 George Lawrence defeated him, but he remained in
public life, for he was appointed to the Senate in 1900.
He moved to Killarney in 1888 and built a large house, now a nursing
home, on the corner of Clarke and Finlay. In 1891 he married Jane
Nicolson of Valleyfield, Quebec .
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