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Part 2 of NewsLetter
Catherine Eva Mitchell4
(Alexander3, William2)
Catherine Eva Mitchell was born at the family home called the Maples on December 23, 1893, a farm outside the village of Douglas, Manitoba. She was fourth in a large family. There were 6 boys and 4 girls. She went to the local country schools and at the age of 16 went to Brandon to the college there to become a teacher. Her first schools included the local one, Elton School, where she taught her brothers and sisters, among others. At the start of her year she was told to have her class address her as Miss Mitchell. This was not really possible and Eva was what she was called, certainly by her siblings.
She taught for about ten years. First, in Manitoba in the rural schools around her home then further away. I’m not sure if she taught in Saskatchewan but she did teach in a French district school north of Calgary. At some point she teamed up with her cousin Marie Mitchell (who later was Marie Wolfe of Vulcan, Alberta). With Marie, Eva moved to the West Kootenay district of British Columbia. I’m not sure where she taught but I do know that one year she was at a school where all the children spoke Russian and were members of the Doukhobor sect that came from Russia. The move to Canada by this sect was financed in part by the proceeds from the novel "War and Peace" by Leo Tolstoy. The Doukhobor people were very hospitable and generous to the teachers but there were problems as one group in the Doukhobors considered education unnecessary and evil. From there the two cousins moved to Trail, British Columbia to teach.
During the 1918 flu epidemic, Eva was back in Brandon for a time. She helped out with the sick. The interesting thing was that although most of her family helped nurse the sick, none of them were sick. After the epidemic was over some people felt that farm dwellers had some immunity to the flu.
Some time around 1921 Eva met Bilson Merry, son of a Trail pioneer family, who had been a prisoner of war in Germany for 3 years during the first World War. They married back in Douglas, Manitoba on New Year’s Day in 1923.
Their first home was in Slocan City, British Columbia where my sister Patti was born (in the closest city, Nelson). About 1924 they moved to Paulson where Bilson built a mill and started a logging operation. This stop on the C.P.R. was called Merry’s Siding. Living in such an isolated place with no running water and not even a road, was not easy although I think they had a phone. My sister Sandy was born in 1925 in Trail where Bilson’s parents lived.
The mill was about a mile from the scene of a train accident in 1925. There was a continuing problem with the sect of the Doukhobors who did not like the leadership of John Verigan. He was on the train and a dynamite explosion at night killed him and eight other people including a Member of Parliament. The perpetrators were never found but probably known.
I was born in Grand Forks in 1927 and my brother George in 1929 while Eva and Bilson lived at Paulson. In 1930 it was time to find a new area to log so the Paulson mill was dismantled and the family moved to Trail where George, Bilson’s father, had built a house next door to his in an area close to Trail called Annable.
Bilson’s business grew and Eva’s brothers,
Stuart and Norman, joined the firm which had a retail business as well as the sawmills.
Eva lived in this part of British Columbia until she died in 1990 at the age of 96 (almost
97), leaving 15 grandchildren all living in British Columbia.
Our Trip Across
Canada
Danny and I had a wonderful trip this past summer. We drove across Canada, all the way to Cape Spear, Newfoundland. It was a trip of a lifetime. We left in early May and we were most fortunate to have excellent weather as we took the northern route across the prairies and into northern Ontario and Quebec. Then we came down past Lac St. Jean and the Saguenay River to the St. Lawrence and up around the Gaspé Peninsula. We fell in love with Quebec and the people were so friendly to us. We toured all the Maritimes and thoroughly enjoyed them - especially Newfoundland. What a gorgeous province - large jutting headlands with icebergs of various shapes and sizes floating along southward. The people were so warm, friendly and very hospitable and we so enjoyed their sense of humour - that was when we could understand them as they DO speak a different language! We were lucky to be in the Maritimes when the lobster were in season, so were able to have our fill of them and fresh snow crab as well. We actually preferred the crab, as it is much sweeter. We took in the Cabot Trail, Alexander Graham Bell’s Museum and Fort Louisberg on Cape Breton Island and we enjoyed everything immensely. The rest of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick were so picturesque and full of history. We loved the old houses - all so neat and well kept up with such beautiful grounds, that it made you want to live in them. One of our highlights was driving over the Confederation Bridge to P.E.I. Boy you should see the red soil and the green lawns contrasting with the bright blue sky and the deep blue sea. It is such a photographic province. We saw a huge rock, just offshore, called Elephant Rock and it looks exactly like an elephant standing about 40 feet high. The only thing we missed in the Maritimes was the fact that the federal and provincial campgrounds are only open in July and August, and we were there in late June. I guess they are not prepared for such good weather as we had this year.
On our way back we stopped in Quebec City and Montreal before heading to Ottawa. We particularly like Quebec City - so rich in history and such great shopping and beautiful scenic places. We spent over a week in Ottawa at my family reunion of the Mitchell Clan. It was great seeing all my distant cousins again. We get together every three years in different parts of the country - Brandon, Edmonton, Richmond and Vernon as well as several times in Ottawa. Even Danny enjoys the gang. Then we drove due west to Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Rainy River and along the south shore past Lake of the Woods and into Manitoba. Here we drove into the most amazing storm - a mini hurricane. It was frightening but spectacular and we were awed. We had to pull over as we couldn’t see to drive and the wind was so forceful that we were a little afraid of being blown off the road. What a sight!
We continued across the southern prairies, so different from the northern parts. Here it was much flatter and the sunsets were so glorious, but we were very hot. Actually we had been having very hot weather since before Quebec City and we were still not used to it. We camped a couple of nights in the Cypress Hills and visited Fort Walsh. Here the days were cooler as we were in a forested area. Then we headed west across Alberta to Waterton National Park and we were lucky to get a campsite in Town and on the Lake. We took a boat trip down the lake into Montana - it is a very pretty lake surrounded by towering Rockies. After a few days there we went to Cranbrook and visited Danny’s brother and family. Then we headed to Hedley for the long weekend in August. Hedley was celebrating its Centennial and since Danny had spent some of his high school years there, he enjoyed meeting some of the old timers. I enjoyed it but boy was it HOT! We finally arrived home after three months on the road in our 8 foot camper - only to do our laundry and sleep in our bed before taking off again to the Island for Danny’s family reunion, which had also been on the long weekend. We caught the tail end of that as many of the family were able to stay on till the next weekend when Brian (Danny’s oldest boy) and his wife celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. It was great seeing everyone and Gabriola is such a beautiful island. We love to golf and swim and walk and bike and of course shop at the many different home craft places.
Our trip across Canada was the trip of a lifetime - one
every Canadian should make at some time in their lives - and don’t go to the east
coast without going all the way and visiting Newfoundland - a real jewel of our country.
Cousins
& Curling
During the course of the Canadians, Ryan7, Darryl6, Bud5, Heather, Nate7 and Tara7 from Brandon and Laurie6 from Edmonton, travelled to Saskatoon at different times to cheer them on.
Last week Neil added to his record by winning the
Brandon Curling Club Men’s Monday and Wednesday Night League Championship. Had Darryl
not lost his semi-final game by one point, he would have played big brother in the final!
MITCHELL FAMILY
REUNION
Click HERE to see Photos from Last Reunion
Engagements and Weddings
Brian MacMillan6 (William Noble3, Samuel2) and Diane Berriault of Gloucester, Ontario, announced their engagement at Christmas 1998. No date has been set as yet for the wedding. Brian is son of Eileen (Mitchell) MacMillan5 of Nepean, Ontario. Congratulations to you both!Jeremy Moore7 (William Noble3, Samuel2) and Christine Pratley were married on December 19, 1998 in Ottawa, Ontario. Jeremy is son of Nancy (Campbell) Moore6 of Ottawa. Congratulations!
New Little Cousins
Samantha Maureen Taylor7 (William3, William2) was born to Tom Taylor and Jane Hawkins6 on October 13, 1998 at Calgary, Alberta, a granddaughter for Patricia (Mitchell) Hawkins5 of Calgary.
In Memoriam
Deepest sympathies to Beth
(McClelland) Falck5 (William Noble3, Samuel2) of Portal, North Dakota, on the
passing of her husband Roy on October 14, 1998.
Deepest sympathies to Jack Becher (Eva5, Robert3, William2) of Qualicum Beach, B.C. on the passing of his wife Eva on November 27, 1998. She will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Jack; children, Paddy6 (Gary Straughan) and Michael6. Her granddaughter Amanda Straughan7 and her dog Preppie were her greatest joy and they will treasure her memory forever.
Deepest sympathies to Jim and Karen6 (Mitchell) Douglas (William Noble3, Samuel2) of Brampton, Ontario, on the passing of Jim’s father, Raymond Roy Douglas on December 31, 1998 in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. He was in his 82nd year.
Deepest sympathies to the family of Florence (McClelland) MacKenzie5 (William Noble3, Samuel2) of North Portal, Saskatchewan, on her passing on January 15, 1999. She would have been 87 on March 16, 1999. Florence was mother to Sherry6, Sandra6, James6 and Wayne6.
Deepest sympathies to Lester5 Mitchell (Alexander3, Samuel2) of Powell River, B.C. on the passing of his wife Dorothy (Martin) on March 10, 1999. Dorothy was sister to Nora (Martin) Mitchell (Melvin5) of Parksville, B.C. and mother to Murray6, Larry6, Monty6, Renae6 and Randy6. She is also survived by many grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Deepest sympathies to Juliet (Grimson) Jabour5 (William3, William2) of West Vancouver, B.C. on the passing of her husband Donald Essey Jabour on September 29, 1998, after a brief battle with cancer. Father to Cal6, Suzanne6 (Gordon Doerkson) and Dan6, grandfather to Kathleen7 and Benjamin7.
Cousins
in the 
Gertrude (McGill) Mitchell (Wilfred Lorne5, Henry3, William2) of Virden, Manitoba, celebrated her 90th birthday on July 15, 1998. Congratulations Gertrude!
Eileen (Mitchell) MacMillan5 (William Noble3, Samuel2) of Nepean, Ontario, will celebrate her 80th birthday on June 25, 1999. Congratulations Eileen!
Marie (Savage) Mitchell (Melburn4, Samuel3, Samuel2) of Richmond, B.C. will celebrate her 80th birthday on July 14, 1999. Congratulations Marie!
J.D. Hassan7 (William3, William2) is living on the Left Bank in Paris, France and has just finished his M.B.A. His brother Kim7 is managing a travel booklet company ( www.inyourpocket.com ) on the Internet) and is living in Vilnius, Lithuania. His sister, Saira7 has finished her schooling and is travelling the world - she has been spending time with relatives in Old Delhi and was in Nepal at Christmas time. Next stop is Japan via Singapore. As for parents, Asif and Donna Lynne6 (Anderson) Hassan of Oakville, Ontario, they spent time visiting J.D. and Kim in October.
Best wishes are sent out to Sharon (Hanson) Cestra (William3, Jane2) of Brampton, Ontario as she has been ill. Sharon is daughter of Shirley (Burgess) Lodge6 of Havelock, Ontario and Mesa, Arizona.
Best wishes are sent out to Nora (Martin) Mitchell5 (Alexander3, Samuel2) of Parksville, B.C. Nora spent some time in hospital recently but we hear she is home and doing well.
Nathan Andrews7 (Alexander3, William2) of Rapid City, Manitoba graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a major in Phys. Ed. from Mayville. Nathan is son of Neil6 and Heather (Stewart) Andrews and grandson of Bud5 and Doreen (Wolfe) Andrews of Brandon.
Best wishes are sent out to Roberta (Coulter) Mitchell (Kenneth A.5, Alexander3, William2) of Spruce Grove, Alberta as she recovers from cataract surgery on both eyes.
Best wishes are sent out to Keith5 and Ada (Wareham) Mitchell (Alexander3, William2) of Brandon, Manitoba as Ada settles in for a long stay in hospital. Our thoughts are with you both.
Bradley Mitchell6 (Isaac3, Samuel2) of Santa Rosa, California, travelled to Ireland in March 1998. He is very interested in his heritage and travelled to County Cavan and Cavan Town to the Geneological Centre to look up his relatives. Any luck Bradley? Bradley is son of Roy5 and Karen (Fleming) Mitchell of Santa Rosa.
Merlin Chatwin8 (Henry3, William2) of Aldergrove, B.C. graduated from grade 12 last June. Good luck in your future endeavours. Merlin is son of Calvin and Sharon7 (Mitchell) Chatwin of Aldergrove, B.C., and grandson of Orval6 and Evelyn (Sheane) Mitchell of Calgary.
Shalena-Lee Graham8 (Henry3, William2) of Fort McMurray, Alberta graduated from grade 12 last June. Good luck in your future endeavours. Shalena-Lee is daughter of Billie and Brenda-Lee7 (Mitchell) Graham of Fort McMurray, and granddaughter of Orval6 and Evelyn (Sheane) Mitchell of Calgary.
Jamey Mitchell6 (William Noble3, Samuel2) is editor of a small town newspaper - The Armada Press. It was on the verge of shutting down but now has doubled its subscriptions and in June, 1998 the Michigan Press Associated awarded it 6 awards, 2 first place awards for editorials (Jamie’s) and the other 4 for news items. They were overwhelmed. Congratulations Jamey! Jamey is son of Eldon5 and Ruby (Anderson) Mitchell of Sterling Heights, Michigan.
Best wishes are sent out to Irene (Wardle) Mitchell (Cleland5, Henry3, William2) of White Rock, B.C. as she has been in hospital with pneumonia.
Best wishes are sent out to Orval6 and Evelyn (Sheane) Mitchell (Henry3, William2) of Calgary, Alberta. Both have been suffering illnesses.
Glen Mitchell5 (Alexander3, William2) of Hope, B.C. last spring flew to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and then cruised to Vancouver via the Panama Canal arriving in Vancouver on May 1st.
Tricia MacMillan7 (William Noble3, Samuel2) and her family have moved from Gloucester, Ontario to Calgary, Alberta. We wish them well! Tricia is daughter of Gary MacMillan6 of Ottawa and granddaughter of Eileen (Mitchell) MacMillan5 of Nepean, Ontario.
Financial Donations to the Newsletter
We really appreciate donations as well as the many subscriptions we receive. All these funds will help keep the Newsletter going. An issue such as this one, costs approximately $800 to get out to you. If you haven't subscribed in the past, or know of someone who might like to subscribe, please consider doing so. All information pertaining to subscriptions appears on the last page. As always, a GREEN SHAMROCK on the front page of your Newsletter indicates that your subscription is paid up. You can save money by receiving the newsletter by e-mail. See details earlier in this issue. NATURALLY, we can still use your donations!Acknowledgement is given to the following for their donations to the newsletter fund since the last newsletter:
The Mitchell Memorial Restoration Fund is used for the upkeep of the old pioneer cemetery in the Gatineau Hills of Quebec. Anyone wishing to donate to this project may do so by making a cheque payable to Mitchell Memorial Restoration Fund and sending it to Pam for deposit in the fund. Many thanks for your continuing support.
Acknowledgement is given to the following for their donation to the cemetery restoration fund (and apologies for missing this in the last issue):
Keith5 and Ada (Wareham) Mitchell (Alexander3, Samuel2) of Brandon, MB
Family History
We are trying to compile stories from each branch of the family for use, hopefully, in a future book about our Mitchell Family. How did YOUR family come to settle where they did? Please share with us any stories you might have. We would like to get them written down and compiled. Between Jane2, William2 and Samuel2 who came to Canada in 1840 (the children of William1 and Jane (Stuart) Mitchell) they had 26 children. Although it will be very difficult to accomplish, we would like to try and have stories from each of the 26 branches. Please help if you can. Even if you just have a little tidbit to share, please do so! Nothing is too insignificant to pass along. We look forward to hearing from you. A sample of one family history appears in this issue.Archives
The Mitchell family tree is an ongoing and never-ending project for which we will always need your assistance. Please keep us posted of births, deaths, marriages, etc. so we can keep it as up-to-date as possible. We are also compiling an archives of old family pictures, copies of documents, etc. If you have anything you'd like to share with us along this line we'd be pleased to hear from you. At the same time, we are looking for up-to-date pictures for the "Family Scrapbook". Please send us your family snapshot.
Our Mitchell family pin is a lapel pin, 3/4"
in diameter, shaped like a shamrock to depict the Irish background, with red, green and
white taken from the Mitchell dress tartan to depict the Scottish background.
"Mitchell" is inscribed across one white band. The pins sell for $5.00 each
(which includes postage).
Ottawa Reunion Video
Danny Foote has sent us a video which he took at last summer’s reunion in Ottawa. If anyone is interested in a copy of the video, Ken Mitchell will endeavour to do the copying for you. The cost will be just the cost of a videotape and mailing, about $12.00. Ken can be reached at 174 Oakridge Blvd., Nepean, ON, K2G 2V2. AND --- we thank Danny for all his efforts recording this event!Souvenirs
We have a small supply of T-shirts left from Reunion 1998. They are available on a first-come-first-served basis. The cost is $12.00 plus a little something for mailing. They are a plain white T-shirt with the same crest as our Mitchell family pins on the left front. If anyone is interested, contact Pam and Ken Mitchell.We also have some decals (for your car window or bumper, school bag, binder, etc.) with the same family crest. They are available for $2.00 each. Again, contact Pam and Ken if you are interested in having one or more of these decals.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $5.00 (Canadian funds) per year (multiple years or donations accepted with pleasure!)
CHEQUES PAYABLE TO: Mitchell Family Newsletter
Please send subscriptions and donations in CANADIAN FUNDS. An example is a cheque for $5.00 U.S. for which we receive approximately 70˘ in foreign exchange and are charged $2.00 for a foreign cheque, which leaves us with about $3.70. We would appreciate your assistance with this, either by sending subscriptions in Canadian funds or making sure the U.S. or other currency cheque covers the charges. Many thanks for your help.
SEND TO: Any one of the editors - their addresses are above.
NEXT NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 1999
