Resource Collections

Influential People Brief notes regarding just a few examples of the characters in the Wakopa Story… Bennett, George George Bennett was born in 1849 and came out from Ont. in 1879. He located a homestead at S.W. 12-2-19 and filed on S.E. 11-2-19. His family came out from Ontario when the first train came to Brandon in 1881.    George freighted from Emerson to Wakopa with a team of oxen, Buck and Bright, a fast team of oxen. He brought the first grist mill stones to Wakopa imported from France. These stones are very heavy and are in various places. Ernest Taylor has two of them; one is in the Cairn at Wakopa and one is in the museum in Boissevain. Coulter Mrs. Tom Mrs. Coulter was known for her leadership and kindness and her attention to the sick. She was largely responsible for the success of the Wakopa Picnic for a period of thirty years.  Coulter, Tom. John & Henry Pioneers in 1878 Cowan, William James William James Cowan (1862-1924), was born in Consecom, Ont, the son of Irish parents who emigrated during the potato famine. He came to Wakopa in 1882 and homesteaded NW 36-2-18. He was first a cattle buyer then a livery barn proprietor in Killarney. He married Addie Gouldie (1874-1964) Crawford, George George Crawford built the first bridge in the municipality at Wakopa in 1881. In the nineties he moved to Killarney where he built two livery and feed barns. About 1905, his horse, Pathmount, established an outstanding reputation on the racetracks of Manitoba. Mr. Crawford came out from Exeter, Ontario, in 1880 and explored the surrounding country on foot. Observing that there was a ready market for horses he returned the next spring with some for sale. The last team was exchanged near Morden for a yoke of oxen, which he drove to Crystal City. Crawford, William William Crawford followed his brother George to Manitoba in 1881. He filed on SW 12-2-15 and spent the winter getting out logs for a house. George, whose house was finished, went back to Ontario and returned in March 1882 with both families. Harrison Brothers Founded the sawmill & grist mill as well as a store. They moved their operations to Killarney, then established Harrison Milling in Holmfield. Henderson Large prominent family. The Henderson Family Cemetery. Henderson School. La Rivière Bernard. B. A former fur trader whop started the settlement at Wakopa by establishing a trading post and stopping place. Melville, John John Melville (1842-1935) came with the Harrisons to Wakopa in 1878. His wife Jane Hannon (1853-1944) and three children came the next spring. Some years later Jane opened a boarding house in Killarney (The Melville House).  Ryan, William William Ryan, came to the area in 1882. He was instrumental in organizing the Rural Municipality of Turtle Mountain, and served as Reeve of the RM between 1884 and 1886. He was aqlso one of the people who built the trail to Lake William that helped popularize that spot. Scott, George George came to Wakopa in 1880 from Kemptville, Ontario, and took up a homestead on 4-2-19 at a cost of ten dollars for 160 acres. In the winter of 1882 George returned to Papineau, Quebec, for his bride, Louisa Hews. They came back to the homestead in the spring by the Boundary Commission Trail. Their son James was the first white boy registered as born in Wakopa. Scott, Philip Phillip came west to Wakopa with Finlay Young in 1879. He worked on the survey party during the winter, and the next summer for the C.P.R. In 1882, they settled down on the homestead. He was the first superintendent of the Wakopa Sunday School. Lee Severne First Postmaster Young, Finlay One of the first settlers, he went on to be a prominent Killarney businessman and an MLA.