AHOF Members archive

Robert Oliver (Bob) Douglas was born January 25, 1932, to Oliver and Eva Douglas of Minnedosa, Manitoba. His early education was received at Hazelwood School, Minnedosa Collegiate and United College. In his youth he was an active participant in 4-H, being a Manitoba representative to the National 4-H program at the Toronto Royal Fair in 1950. He was elected chairman of the first National 4-H Youth Council. In 1956 Bob married Shelagh Sutherland and together they raised a family of three: Barbara, John and Anne. Bob’s life-long contribution to the Manitoba agricultural community began with his appointment as Youth Director for the Manitoba Federation of Agriculture and Co-operation (MFAC) in 1956. In this position he became Director and Manager of...

James Drysdale Deveson was born, raised and educated in the Inkerman School District. After finishing school, Jim stayed on the farm and helped his father. In 1936 he married Doris Ross and they raised a son and three daughters. In 1961, when his father died, he began to operate the mixed farm. He practised good soil management and conservation. The Deveson farm became a working model for agricultural students. Mr. Deveson contributed much to Manitoba. He was a farmer, a business leader and a community worker. The very significant contribution was his thirty-five years of dedicated service to the Manitoba Pool Elevators. His involvement started when he was elected Director of the Arden Co-operative Elevator Association in 1945 and ended...

Norman Criddle was born in Addlestone, Surrey, England and came to Canada with his parents in 1882. The Criddle family established a homestead at Aweme, Manitoba. Criddle was well known for his lifelike drawings of flowers and insects. Proof of his skill exists in abundance. His talent led him to collaboration with Dr. James Fletcher on the book Farm Weeds of Canada and later Fodder and Pasture Plants. In the grasshopper outbreak of 1902, Criddle became prominent by producing the Criddle Mixture. This poison mixture was accepted by the Dominion Department of Agriculture as a proven weapon against grasshoppers. In that same year, he was hired by the government to travel from place to place showing farmers how to use...

Sen. Thomas Alexander Crerar was born on a farm in Huron County, Ontario in 1876. At age five, he came west with his parents to homestead in the Silver Creek District near Russell. There he received his schooling to age 12, helped on the farm and worked for others. He obtained his teacher’s certificate, teaching in local schools until he was able to acquire a quarter-section of Hudson Bay Company land. He farmed with his wife, Jessie Hamilton, worked for others and operated a sawmill for several years. He was hired as manager of the Farmer’s Elevator at Russell and bought grain for a Winnipeg firm, Graves & Reilly. When Grain Growers Company formed in 1906, Crerar became interested, attending...

Almon James Cotton was born in 1858 near Port Hope, Ontario. In 1880, he married Esther Louise Ford and thus was established a life-long partnership. Her constant support and encouragement was a strong, binding element for their union. Life for this couple began on a small inherited acreage. However, the West was quite enticing, so in 1888, he sold the farm and moved his young family to Treherne, Manitoba. For 10 years, Cotton very successfully grew excellent crops on rented land. He was able to improve the yield of his wheat crops to such a degree that he became known as the “Wheat King” of Manitoba. His thoughts turned to the promise of the newly opened up area of the...

John Murray Cormack was born and raised on a family farm at Rossburn, Manitoba. He obtained a BSA from the University of Manitoba, an MSc from the University of Nebraska and a PhD from Iowa State University. Murray and Catherine (nee Crookshank) raised four sons: Ron, Ken, Neil and David. From 1957 to 1959, Murray was employed by Manitoba Department of Agriculture (MDA) as an Agricultural Representative in Swan River. Following post-graduate studies in the US, Murray became Senior Economist with the Manitoba Economic Consultative Board. In 1967, he rejoined MDA, first as Assistant Deputy Minister and then a year later as Deputy Minister. Murray’s review of Agricultural Services led to a major reorganization of the department and the implementation...

Edward James Connery was born and raised in St. Vital where his parents operated a market garden and greenhouse. He received his formal education at Glenlawn Collegiate. Ed and wife, Beverley Sager, have four children: Doug, Jackie, Jeff and Tim. In the late 1950s, Ed began looking around the province for an area more suited to vegetable production than the heavy clay soils of the Red River Valley. He decided that Portage la Prairie presented the best combination of soil, climate and location for large-scale mechanized production. In 1960 Ed established Riverdale Farms along the Assiniboine River near Portage la Prairie. Ed was an industry leader in mechanizing the harvesting of carrots, onions and rutabagas, as well as their bulk...

Francis John Collyer was born February 18, 1865 at Rye, Sussex, England. He came to Canada in 1882 and was one of the first farmers in the Welwyn district, where he homesteaded. He, his wife, Jane Traquair and their son and daughter lived on Houghton Farm for the better part of their lives. Collyer was the first secretary-treasurer of the Welwyn Farmer’s Elevator Company. He was the main organizer of the company and through his efforts, the company obtained a building site. In 1913, he was elected director of the Grain Growers Grain Company and after 1916, as a director of the United Grain Growers, serving in this capacity until 1944. He was a leader and a member of the...