Honour Roll archive

John McLean I, born in Midlethanty, Scotland, came to Canada in 1837. He settled in Puslinch County, Ontario. In 1862, he, with his family, moved to Manitoba. They came to Pembina, and on the maiden voyage of the steamer “International” they traveled down the Red River to the Forks. Unlike many others who wanted to go to the Cariboo Country and the gold fields, he wanted to farm. Traveling west from the Forks, to what is Portage la Prairie; he bought land from a Mr. Revere. This property’s frontage was along Crescent Lake, “the slough”, and stretched northward for two miles. Today, this area is marked by Main Street East to 4th Street West a central part of the city....

Tully McKenzie, the second son of Mr. and Mrs. W.K. McKenzie, was born on his grandfather’s “homestead” (NE 1/4 36-13-19) in the Tremaine School District. He is a third generation of the McKenzie family to live in Canada. Tully received his elementary education at Tremaine School, his Secondary at Rapid City, and a diploma in Agriculture at the University of Manitoba. In 1930 he married Ethel Bridge. They framed the “homestead” and raised a family of four, three daughters and son. During the thirty years of farm life, Mr. McKenzie was very active in the community. He served as chairman and secretary-treasurer of the School Board. He was also a steward and elder in the local United Church. For ten...

Mr. McCrindle was born on the farm in 1913 and has spent his entire life devoted to farming and to the community. George has been a member of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association since 1945, and served on the Board of the Manitoba Branch for ten years – two as president. Nearly all of Mr. McCrindle’s 1350 cultivated acres are in seed production. Some of the oilseed crops are sold to the Seed Trade, but most of the cereals are sold to local farmers. Several times George has increased seed for the Government of Canada and the University of Manitoba. From 1961-64, George was enrolled in the Farm Business Group at Russell, taking a Farm Management Course. He was Reeve...

William McCreery was born and educated in Ballybay County, Monaghan, Ireland. He left Ireland in 1875 and landed in New York, continuing on to Huron County, Ontario. In the spring of 1876 he left Southampton, Ontario to travel west; going up the Red River to Fort Garry, on to Selkirk and from there to Whitemouth. At Whitemouth he secured employment with Sifton Ward and Company, contractors, who were building the CPR. Mr. McCreery walked from Whitemouth to Portage la Prairie and there he struck out again on foot for the Indianford district. It was here that he made his home with his wife, Rebecca Berry, whom he wed in 1877 and their son. Rebecca died in 1896 and William remarried...

Arthur Lombaert was born on March 6, 1890 in Belgium, immigrating to Canada with his parents in 1906. After spending a year in Quebec, the family moved west to homestead at Mariapolis. Arthur married Rachel Rosier in 1912 and they raised a daughter and a son. Mr. Lombaert raised purebred Shorthorn cattle, but his true interest was in heavy horses. In 1921, he purchased a purebred Belgian stallion and traveled the country providing many farmers with fine draught offspring. Arthur raised horses for show, winning top prizes at fairs across the West. He assisted farmers in beginning their own purebred breeding stables. He assisted exhibitors in learning good feeding methods, grooming techniques, and proper foot care, along with halter-breaking and...

Joseph La France was born in Pembroke, Ontario in 1902 coming to south-western Manitoba in 1931. He married Jeanne Radoux in 1932. They became parents to six children. Joe began his 29 year career as Agriculture Representative at St. Pierre in 1931, where his organizational ability, foresight, and imagination quickly won him the respect of the community. Mr. LaFrance immediately began to compile background information on the application of artificial insemination and related operations, gleaning much assistance from established American innovators. In 1945, the A. I. Stud Rat Creek Breeders’ Co-op was opened with Joe as Administrator. In addition to the A. I. Industry, Joe was the founder of the Dairy Herd Improvement Association; established 13 cheese factories in the...

John Gordon Baxter Killoh was born in the Hamiota Municipality, the youngest of four children of Scottish parents Jane (Baxter) from Aberdeenshire and John Killoh, Banffshire. He received his education at the rural school of Ellenville, and later at the Agricultural College in Winnipeg. He and Edith Rothnie were married, and they raised a family of three daughters, Agnes, Lyla, and Edwina of whom they were justly proud. Gordon raised shorthorn cattle on the “Ridgeview” farm. Many of the pedigreed animals from there formed the foundations of the herds in both Canada and USA. He learned to judge cattle and was sought out for local fairs and at the larger places. He judged at Brandon, Portage la Prairie, Saskatoon, and...

Susan Gertrude Jasper’s (nee Robson) influence is far reaching for she is a woman of many talents. Her career spanned three major areas of interest. She was a school teacher for 1 ½ years, a farmer’s wife from 1922 – 1954, musician and piano teacher for many years, and horticulturist with innate skills. For thirty-two years she lived on a mixed farm and was very involved in agriculture. She served as secretary of the district for the United Farmers of Manitoba. When she was on the Canadian Federation of Agriculture Board and the Provincial Council of Women, she lobbied Federal and Provincial Cabinets to improve: agricultural conditions, women’s rights, and educational facilities. For nine years she was chosen as the...