1.
[Source: The first part is from interviews with the surviving children of William Andrew Buchanan and Elizabeth Watson: George and Jack (John Henry) Buchanan, and Inez McCallum. They are since deceased.]
John and 6 bros. [plus father, mother and sister were] 9 weeks on the water. Out 10 days and a storm forced them back to Ireland. The trip was then completed in 7 weeks.
Great Great Grandpa died in Ireland at more than 90 (years of age). [This would be Andrew’s or Jane’s father]
The census for 1900 in Manitoba would give many helpful details.
Write Earl McGillivray, Melfort, Saskatchewan - moved
Family lived near Londonderry in N. Ireland right on the coast.
Watsons were farmers in Michigan, sold their produce to residents of Drummond’s Island, were related to Buchanans. "Pa" [William Andrew Buchanan] and Grandma were second cousins. [first cousins?]
2.
Buchanans and Watsons must have kept in close contact for "Pa" [William A. Buchanan] and Grandma to meet and get married.
Watsons lived near Sault Ste. Marie. Minnie used to sit on the pier. Emily and Carl were born in Michigan. Watsons migrated to Canada.
Allan Watson must have learned some Gaelic from his mother. – No.
Full names [of the family of William Andrew Buchanan and Elizabeth Watson]
William George Buchanan
John Henry Buchanan
Margaret Elizabeth Buchanan
Inez Marion Buchanan
Violet [stillborn] was probably born before Inez. Violet is buried on Dick’s farm at Millett. Possibly another [stillborn] child at Leedale.
See Jack about [Dick Watson’s] birth certificate.
Back of page 2.
Sheffields: Carl, Emily, Dewey, Arthur
Adam Watson named after Adam Linen?
Jim was caretaker for the school. Ernie used to interpret for Jim and do his writing for him and so on. Jim missed Ernie terribly after his death.
3.
Minnie Steel d. in Michigan.
Dewie Sheffield died in Calgary of pneumonia.
Buchanans lived in County Tyrone.
Linen estate in England through Watsons and Buchanans intermarried. Two brothers, second cousins to "Pa" and Dick and Allan Watson. Get in touch with Carrie and Merton Watson, Toledo, Ohio. Merton Watson – Toledo, Ohio – lives on the shore of one of the great lakes – son of Allan Watson.
Ida Keating is around Jasper Place [Edmonton] [died Dec 1961]
Davie Watson, Dick’s uncle was Adam Watson from Vancouver’s father [uncle] [His uncle Adam was James Watson jr.’s son]
John B. and Davey W. were in the California gold rush.
Dick and Allan were cousins of Adam.
7 [Buchanan] brothers
Dick’s birth certificate:
Richard James Watson b. Oct 24, 1878
Wingham, Turnberry Twp. Huron Co. [Ont.]
Reg. No. 78-05-010296 [died 1951]
Emily [Sheffield] Coeur d’Helene, Idaho
Back of 3.
Wm., Chas., and Andy settled around Donegal [Ontario], the others went west (Jas., John, Sam, and Robert)
Archie at Riding Mountain – Sam’s grandson
4.
[Source: Inez McCallum]
Ber [McCallum] and Inez m. Aug 27, 1938
Richard James McCallum – md. Stephanie Spicer [div.]
Kenneth Lloyd McCallum
Beverley Ann McCallum
Minnie [Watson] Steel – md. Frank Steel
Nate, Nellie, Jeannie & twins. Went temporarily insane from over-work and worry. –died giving birth to twins. Nellie and Nate caught polio. Nellie died and Nate was crippled. Jeannie died before Nellie.
Maggie Sheffield had a premonition of her son Dewey’s death. While washing with a scrub board she heard him calling her. At this same time he was dying in the hospital in Calgary of pneumonia.
Dick Watson used to be a miner. Married a Scottish nurse named Mary. – no children
Jim Buchanan had a grown son killed in a gun accident. - Ernie
Carl Sheffield married Leona Hagen, later divorced.
Lorraine b. about 1935 and Duane b. about 1937
Back of 4
Dick and Allan, first cousins to Adam [Watson]
Old Davey and Adam’s kinship [Davey was a brother to Adam’s father James.]
Linen Estate – [rough sketch showing the position of the two second cousins of Adam and Allan who acquired the estate]
5.
[Source: a list kept by William Andrew Buchanan in the possession of Jack Buchanan]
Births
Elizabeth Buchanan – July 4, 1857
Jane Buchanan [Hamilton] – Dec 20, 1859
Robert [Red Bob] Buchanan – Jan 28, 1861
James [Dumby Jim] Buchanan – March 10,1864
Margaret Buchanan [Keating] – Feb 13, 1867
Mary Buchanan [Ash] – Feb 14, 1869
William Buchanan – Oct 22, 1874
Annie Elizabeth Buchanan [McGillvray] – Nov 14, 1876
John Charles Buchanan – June 14, 1879
Deaths
Elizabeth Buchanan – Dec 15, 1873 [in Ont.]
John Charles Buchanan – Nov 19, 1882 [in Man.]
John Buchanan sr. – Feb 15, 1909
Isabell Buchanan – March 30, 1917
Robert Buchanan
Jane Hamilton – 1932 (aged 73 years)
Annie Elizabeth McGillvray –
William A. Buchanan – 28 May 1948
Births
Lloyd McCallum – Dec 14, 1929
James McCallum – May 4, 1931
Beverley McCallum – July, 1949
6.
Maggie [Keating] had the old family Bible, Ida may have it now.
Some Buchanans belonged to the Plymouth Brethren.
John willed everything to Jim, leaving $10 to "Pa" [Wm. A. Buchanan] he handed it back saying, "Let the tail go with the hide."
Carl Sheffield, Pr. George, BC.
Elizabeth Watson Buchanan
(d. In Tacoma, Washington about 1926 or 1924) died at approximately 42 years of age. 4 years difference between George and Maggie. Maggie was 14, Jack 12, Inez 8.
(I arrived in Neepawa, Manitoba at this point.)
[Source:] The Neepawa Press, page 4, February 16, 1909
John Buchanan, one of the early settlers here, and brother of Samuel Buchanan of town, died yesterday at the residence of his son-in-law Dan McGillivray on the [survey] correction line. Deceased was 68 years of age and came from Elma, County of Perth, Ont. He is survived by 7 children – Mrs. J. Hamilton, Mrs. Caithness [should be Keating], Mrs. W. Ash, Mrs. Dan McGillivray, Robert, James, and William. The funeral will take place
7.
to Riverside [Rosedale or Buchanan] cemetery at 1:30 PM on Wednesday afternoon.
Source: Mervyn Buchanan
Tradition of the Neepawa branch says that 6 brothers and a sister came over from N. Ireland during the famine in Ireland. 3 brothers came west. Actually there were 7 brothers, 1 sister, 2 parents, Williams’ wife and daughter.
Robert J. Watson – witness to will. Adam’s brother, James’ son.
Source: John Buchanan in Birnie, grandson of Robert
Jane Watson was a sister to the 7 brothers.
2 Watson girls married 2 Buchanans
Isabel [married John] and Mary (married Sam)
James (one son in States, 2 girls in Man. – Russell’s mother Maggie, Jennie Keating),
John, and Sam came to Man. James came on horseback from [after is scribbled out] Nevada (from the gold rush). It took the Buchanans 11 days to go from Ont. to Nevada by train.
Sam, John, James, Andy, Charles, William, and Robert.
8.
Watsons came from the same place as the Buchanans (in Ontario).
Source: Mabel Henry of Riding Mountain, daughter of David James Watson
Write Mrs. Earle Chatwin (nee Roxy Watson) 2611 Fernwood Rd., Victoria, BC
Certificate of Marriage
Sept 22, 1856. James Watson of the Twp. Of Elma in the Co. of Perth and the province of Canada and Jane Buchanan of the Twp of Elma, etc. were married by me by the authority of Publication of Banns in the presence of the following witnesses – James Buchanan, Elizabeth Glen. Witness my hand at Elma this 22 day of Sept 1856. James M. Clark, Minister of the W. M. [Wesleyan Methodist] Church in Canada.
Births of Watson Family [Children of James Watson and Elizabeth Linen]
James Watson – July 23, 1825 md. Sept 22, 1856
Jane Buchanan – Feb 27, 1836
Robert Watson – Nov 12, 1857 Margaret Watson
Margaret Watson – Jan 25, 1859 Joe Willerton
Elizabeth Watson – May 10, 1860 Robert Buchanan
Adam Watson – March 2, 1862 1. Christina Adamson, 2. Mary Anne Folston
Jane Watson – March 30, 1864 d. Feb 25, 1898 Jack A. Snider
[Spouses’ names are scribbled in the right-hand margin]
Page 9 is missing
10.
[These appear to be death dates from the lists kept by David James Watson]
Mrs. Wm. Buchanan Sr. - Nov 6, 1911
Evelyn Watson – Oct 16, 1907 b. 3 Aug 1899 (daughter of Solomon)
Mrs. D A Snider - Oct 1st 1911
Andrew Buchanan – March 1912
(old) Samuel Buchanan – Dec 25, 1912
James [Watson] sr. and Elizabeth Watson (Linen)
James [Watson] jr. md. Jane Buchanan
Robert [Watson] –
Elizabeth [Watson] md. Solomon Simons
David [Watson] md. Jane Buchanan born on shipboard (Scott?)
John [Watson] md. Phoebe Barrett
Isobel (Bella) [Watson] md. John Buchanan
Mary [Watson] md. Sam Buchanan
George (Jordy) [Watson] md. Jane Welsh
William (Billie) [Watson] md. Elizabeth Ash
Elizabeth Watson md. Solomon Simons - Robert, Lizzie, Annie, Bert
James Watson and Elizabeth Linen md. in Scotland
James Watson jr. and Jane Buchanan
b. July 3, 1825, near Prescott, Ont. D. May 24, 1904
Robert [Watson] –
David [Watson] md. Jane Scott (Buchanan?)
John [Watson] md. Phoebe Barrett, family John and Ruth
Back of page 10.
[Source: Gertie Wilson?]
Old Billy Watson married Liza Johnson
Jim [Watson] (May)
Mary [Watson] (Bylowe)
Sarah [Watson] (Dumby Jimmy)
Ellen [Watson] (Paine)
Jordy [Watson] (Mary)
John [Watson] (Mary Willerton)
Katie [Watson] (Robt G. Buchanan)
Evelyn [Watson] (never md.)
Dave [Watson] (Dora Graham)
Lucille [Watson] (Potts)
Elgin [Watson] (Mary Ellen his cousin)
Gertrude [Buchanan] Wilson says the family came out [to Manitoba] in 1872. Wrong – Lizzie Buchanan died in Ontario.
Big Sam [Buchanan] lived with a Mills woman for years and had several children before she left him and married.
Mrs. Walter Hunter
475 – 5 Ave, Neepawa
Md. Dave Beare and lived in Calgary or Moosejaw. [This is in pencil like the note about Mary Ellen Mills, and may be a continuation of the same note.]
Buchanan family reunion near Donegal, Perth County, Ontario.
Beck and John [are] Charles’ descendants at McCreary.
Page 11 is missing
Page 12
James Watson and Elizabeth Linen
Married in Scotland
Son James b. July 3, 1825, near Prescott, Ontario, d. May 24, 1904
James Watson married Jane Buchanan
Robert –
Elizabeth – Solomon Simons
David – Jane Scott (Buchanan?)
John – Phoebe Barrett
Isobel (Bella) – John Buchanan
Mary – Sam Buchanan
George (Jordy) – Jane Welsh
Wm. (Billie) – Liza Johnson (Plumas – Bert’s grandparents)
Elizabeth Watson married Solomon Simons
Robert
Annie
Lizzie
Bert
David Watson married Jane Scott (Buchanan?)
Maggie and Robert Watson – Jeannie [Jean Victoria Watson] from Dauphin
Mary and Ben Everall
Roy [Everall] md. Helen Lunsted – Kathleen Robert Watson
Watson [Everall] md. Mary Paterson – Louise
Anne May (Dalby) md. Jim Smith
Kathleen [Everall]
Eliza Jane [Watson] married Josh Ritchie
Ellen [Ritchie] (Des)
Evelyn [Ritchie] & Robt Coulter – Gertiet, Dorothy
Laura [Ritchie] & Anson McGorman
Elsie [Ritchie] –
Melville [Ritchie] & Kate
Jennie [Ritchie] & James McGorman
Winnie [Ritchie] & Geo. Ellis – Fred, Alvin, Patricia, Wendy
Annie [Watson] – unmarried
James [Watson] – unmarried
Robert [Watson] & Jessie Howe – Olive
Back of Page 12.
James and Jane Buchanan Watson’s Billy’s daughter Clara married John Alexander
Ask John at Birnie or Nels what his grandmother’s name was.
John died in Oct. or Nov 1962
Ted Dafoe md. Margaret Buchanan
Daughter Alma married Howard Buchanan from Birnie (John and Florence’s son)
Mary may be able to help.
Grace Buchanan in Washington died leaving a lot of family information. – son Virgil
Grace Ann Campbell daughter of Big Bob md. Charles Buchanan son of Andrew
Nels is keeping a family record [This may have become the basis of the
Buchanan Family Tree book.]
Page 13.
Robert Buchanan and Margaret Booth – Eliza, Andy, Big Bob, John James
1. Eliza [Buchanan] & Big Bob Campbell – Bob, Pete, Jane (Orton), Johnny, Andy, Grace (Charlie Buchanan), Bill, Mary (Bill Chambers)
2. Andy [Buchanan] & Letitia Campbell – John (at Birnie), Maggie, Bob, Howard, Nels, Melvin, Dick, Bert, Webb
3. Big Bob [Buchanan] & Lizzie Bell – Ida (Holmes), Essie (Art Smith), Nellie (Jas. V. McLaughlin), Bob (dec), Lucy (Coulter), Beatrice (Fenwick), Flossy, Florence, Sanford, Weldon
4. John James & Bella Campbell – Kate, May, Anne (Bill Gerry), Norman, Archie, Tom, Lawrence (d. in WWII), John, Harold
Margaret Booth Buchanan [Robert’s widow] married Alex Long. Their only child was Mag (McBride)
Back of page 13.
Don Buchanan is RCMP at Swift Current, Bill at Birnie’s son. Bill is Sam’s Little Jimmy’s son.
Little Sam’s Andy lives at Williams Lake [BC]
Myrtle Rupert and Georgina Harris live in Melfort
Write Archie at RM and ask him for a list of his aunts and uncles.
Lizzie Graham died giving birth to twins Merle and Alex
14.
Sam Buchanan and Mary Watson
Davy Buchanan’s Bill and Marian are at Abbotsford, BC. Bill looked up Buchanans in Ireland and Scotland.
Annie Watson and 1. D. Gardner – Al, Weldon, Roy (dec)
2. Andy Snider – Jim, Eldon
15.
James Buchanan married Bessie Glen
Jennie married Jim Keating
Annie Gilbert married Frank Grasby
Maggie married 1. Harvey Tibbetts, 2. Red Bob Buchanan
Andy (drowned in the Fraser River)
Note Annie Gilbert is daughter of Henry Gilbert by [Bessie Glen’s] second marriage
Jane Buchanan married James Watson
(Jane Buchanan b. 27 Feb 1836, d. 24 May 1917)
(James Watson b. Edwardsburg, 23 July 1825, d. 24 May 1905)
Robert [Watson] married Margaret Watson (Davy Watson’s daughter) – 1 child
Maggie [Watson] married Joe Willerton – 11 children
Lizzie [Watson] married Robert Buchanan (Old William‘s Bob) - 6
Adam [Watson] married 1. Christina Adamson – 3
Solomon [Watson] married Blanche Matthews – 6
Annie [Watson] married 1. Dave Gardiner – 6
2. D. Andy Snider
Dave [Watson] married Min Snider – 3 (Mable Henry’s parents)
Mary [Watson] married Dave McLarty – 7
Bill [Watson] married Sophia Munro – 6 (lives at Bowsman)
Sam [Watson] (drowned at Neepawa)
Belle [Watson] (Andy Snider’s first wife) – 2
Allan [Watson] married Kitty Harvey – 10 (At Abbotsford, may have diary)
Obituary
Robert Buchanan – d. Sept 27, ’38, 81 years
Son of William and Anne Buchanan who came here from Tyrone County, Ireland, 60 years ago. He married Lizzie Watson, daughter of the late Mr. And Mrs. James Watson. Survivors: Sons: Charles, William, Alex, Herbert, Reuben. Daughter: Annie and a daughter died in infancy. 2 sisters: Lizzie (J. Patrick), Jane (R. Terry), 2 brothers predeceased him. Daughter Annie d. Apr. 14, 1942, 54 years.
Back of 15.
3 of Big Sam’s brothers were mixed up in a murder – sons of Andy.
16.
Andrew Buchanan married Mary Jane Wallace
Jimmy
Bill
Bob
Charlie
Andy
Big Sam
Jane (Sam McCauley)
Mary (Isaac Hodge)
Maggie (Bill Hempill)
William Buchanan married Anne Thompson
Andy (Liza Burke)
Jimmy (Annie Scott)
Jane (Dick Terry)
Lizzie (Patrick)
William Sam (Maggie Burke, later Maggie Cuthbertson)
Alex (Emma Scott)
Robert (Lizzie Watson)
Charles Buchanan married Nancy Cooper
Bill (Mary McGregor)
Johnnie (…)
Grace (Bill Blair)
Charlie (…)
Big Bob (R. M.) Buchanan (Robert’s son) married Elizabeth Bell
Ida (T. Holmes)
Essie (Art Smith)
Nellie (James V. McLaughlin)
Robbie (dec)
Beatty (Bert Fenwick) of Brandon
Lucy (W. E. Coulter) of Steelcam, Sask.
Sanford (Margaret Averill)
Weldon (McGee)
Flossie (Allan Scott) of Neepawa (twin)
Florence (Maurice Halkirk) of Osprey
Back of page 16
John [Buchanan?]’s place was 4 miles west [of where?]
Bill Buchanan, Abbotsford
Marian Buchanan, Abbotsford
Ask Mabel Henry for Allan Watson’s address
Mrs. G. A. Wilson 22320 Selkirk Street, Haney, BC
See Willie about immigration details.
Jack Broadfoot, Aunt Jennie’s son.
17.
[Source: Belle Hunter]
(Red Bob) Robert J. Buchanan married Margaret Tibbetts, nee Buchanan
John James
Isabelle
Russell
Elizabeth (Livingston)
Douglas
Stanley
Hazel (Griffiths)
Edward
Andrew [Buchanan] and Jane (McNielens) and 8 children (original immigrants)
Lived in Omagh, Co. of Tyrone, Ireland, and knew they were Scotch
Buchanans left Scotland during a rebellion
Andrew Buchanan and son William’s wife died and were buried at sea. Her daughter, Little Jane, born in shipboard married Old David Watson, was on the California gold rush. [This paragraph is mixed up. William’s daughter died, not his wife. David Watson married Jane Scott. Their oldest child was born in 1861, making it unlikely that Jane Scott was born on shipboard in 1847]
Old James Watson had a thick diary. No one knows where it is now. Al had it at one time, may still have it.
There was an old log church on the corner of John’s farm, 4 miles west
of town. (Methodist)
Back of 17.
Earl and Carl McGillvray both live at Melfort
Dan McGillvray married Lizzie Buchanan
Earl
Carl
Annie (Bell)
Alma
John Charles’ boys live at McCreary.
18.
John and Isabell are both buried at Rosedale
Isabell died also at Dan McGillvray’s
Jim Buchanan married Sarah Watson
Lottie
Ernie (accidentally shot)
Allan
Marjorie
Eleanor
Edith
Whole family moved to Winnipeg.
Elma Centre [now Attwood, Ont.] was near where John lived.
John and Sam [Buchanan] were in Manitoba for a year before they brought their families out, probably brought their families out in 1876. There were no stores this side of Portage [la Prairie] and they had to drive all the way for groceries.
Hunters were also an early family (1878).
Long Johnny’s wife (the Coulter girl) was first to be buried in the [Rosedae] cemetery. (Actually, after the survey, her body had to be moved further from the road.)
Jane Buchanan married William John Hamilton
Guy
Edith
Mary
Isabell
Lillian
John (adopted)
Back of 18.
Red Bob [Buchanan] may have been named for his house. [No, his descendants insist he was named for his red hair. The house being red was coincidental.]
Davy Watson married Old William’s daughter, whose mother died on shipboard. [This is incorrect, unless Jane Scott’s mother died on shipboard and she was subsequently raised by William and Anne Buchanan. This could make her the "Little Jane Buchanan" referred to by some people.]
Jessie Watson married Bob Arnold (she was a Howe), 1 mile east of town [Neepawa]
Married a Watson, then Bob Arnold.` Where and when did Davy Watson’s wife die?
[They traveled by] covered wagons from Winnipeg to Neepawa.
Charlie Ash works on boats at the west coast. Captain running between the Island and the mainland. Ship named the Neepawa.
Mary Buchanan married Bill Ash
Charlie
Nellie (Duncan Sinclair) - Vancouver
Mary (Elgin Govenlock)
Jessie (died at 14)
Maggie (Ritchie)
Myrtle (Henderson)
Ada (Caulay)
Bill
Alice (Donnely)
They were quarantined at Kingston, Ontario.
The Watsons were all Presbyterians and were more of church people than the Buchanans.
Rosedale church at Joe Jackson’s – When Eden got a church, it ws moved to the Rosedale cemetery, then to Riding Mountain.
The old log church was built by family and neighbors. It was very small, and may have had a few people buried in the churchyard.
(This is the end of Bella hunter’s account.)
[Source: Jessie Howe Buchanan Arnold]
They sailed from a port on the dividing line between the Scots and the Irish. Watsons lived on one side and Buchanans in Londonderry. [It seems quite definite that Watsons came from Scotland, not Ireland.]
There were 14 or 15 deaths on board the ship.
[Source: Gerald Buchanan]
Family Record of Sam Buchanan in the possession of Sam’s son Robert’s son Sam and Sam’s son Gerald, of Neepawa, given to Gerald by Miss Benson of the Municipal Office,
1. John Buchanan b. May 7, 1857, married January 18, 1888
2. Andrew Buchanan b. June 2nd, 1860, d. June 9, 1877
3. James Buchanan b. Sept 16, 1862, m. Nov 30, 1892
4. Mary Buchanan b. Sept 20, 1864, m. Feb 22, 1885
5. Samuel Buchanan b. Aug 15, 1866, d. July 19, 1869
6. Samuel Buchanan b. Jan 25? 1870, m. Nov 16, 1892
7. William Buchanan b. Dec 15, 1873
8. Robert G. Buchanan b. Sept 28, 1875, d. Apr 20, 1951, m. Feb 14, 1900
9. David Buchanan b. Aug 17, 1877, m. July 21, 1905
[This is the end of these notes from my 1963 trip to Neepawa, Manitoba]
[Other Notes in the Same Notepad:]
Genealogical Data
Births of Family
William George Buchanan, May 1, 1906 – Riding Mountain or Neepawa, Manitoba
Dorothy May Ing, May 5, 1920 – Kirriemuir, Alberta
William Richard Buchanan, Feb 6, 1942 – Rimbey, Alberta [Me]
Reginald Charles Buchanan, Oct 13, 1943 – Leduc, Alberta
Lloyd George Buchanan, March 19, 1945 – Edmonton, Alberta
Edward John Buchanan, March 29, 1950 – Edmonton, Alberta
Judy Margaret Buchanan, Dec 7, 1952 – Edmonton, Alberta
John [Buchanan] married Isabell [Watson] [family are not listed in order]
Maggie md. John Keating
Lizzie md. Dan McGillvray
Charlie (died old enough to walk but not talk)
Jennie md. John Hamilton
Bill md. Lizzie Watson
Lizzie (choked on a hot potato and died, in Ontario)
Jim (deaf mute) md, Sarah Watson
Bob md. Margaret Buchanan
Bill [me] < George < William Andrew < John (from Ireland) < Andrew
John (and Isabell? [no]) and John’s 6 brothers and 1 sister were 7 weeks on the ocean from Ireland.
Mrs. Smith – Jim Graham’s daughter
305, 594 – Ave, Neepawa
Mrs. Ida Holmes – Big Bob’s oldest daughter
(at Osborne Home)
305 – 1st Ave, Neepawa
Sam Buchanan’s Davy’s family live at Abbotsford
John and Isabell, Geordie Watson, Maggie Sheffield, Allan Watson, Maggie Keating, Minnie Steel, Carl Sheffield, Old James Watson, James Watson jr, Davy Watson, Solomon Simons, Lizzie Buchanan, James Watson and Phoebe Barrett, Bill Watson and Liza J, Maggie Watson and … [This list continues and makes no sense that I can see.]
[Source: Inez Buchanan McCallum]
Maggie Buchanan married John Keating
Billy
Murray (died in a train accident)
Alec – 2 children
Ida married a Cochrane
Birdie married a McCartney – had a boy and a girl
Mary Buchanan md. 1. Wm. Ash
2. Skeets
Buchanan and Watson families frequently intermarried.
George Allan Watson sang songs in Erse. Some of them weren’t very nice apparently.
Moves of the William Andrew Buchanan Family
Manitoba – births of Maggie, George and Jack
Millett, Alberta (Dick’s place)
Leedale, Alberta – birth of Inez
Stettler, Alberta
Leedale/Leslieville, Alberta
Tacoma, Washington – Elizaabeth died
Millett, Alberta
Stettler, Alberta
Breton, Alberta – Pa and the boys (George and Jack)
"Pa" [William Andrew Buchanan] and Grandma [Elizabeth Watson] were cousins
George Watson – father of Elizabeth
Sam [Buchanan]
Prospected in the Caribou with James [Buchanan] jr. John went to Nevada, worked at Gold Hill.
Bill Watson (husband of Fia Munro) ran a blind pig [bootleg liquor establishment]. "Pa" [Wm. Andrew Buchanan] was against it. When Bill [Watson] was squealed on he blamed "Pa" and made it as miserable as he could for "Pa". Bill [Watson] later found out who the "squealer" was and sent "Pa" his best regards.
Scoutens owned a store and blacksmith shop and bought "Pa" out. [i.e. they bought his blacksmith shop at Riding Mountain]
"Pa" got a farm out by Riding mountain and cleared and broke it. He was offered $500 more than he paid for it, and against his father’s counsel, he sold it. John told him he could never get another like it for that price, but Pa thought it was pretty good money for a year’s work.
George Watson married Jane Welsh
Dick (Mary, a Scottish nurse) – no children
Allan (Carrie Shuster)
Minnie (Frank Steel) – Nate and Nellie
Maggie (Arthur Sheffield)
Elizabeth (Bill Buchanan)
Family pictures – Jack Buchanan and Mrs. Sheffield
See Ida Keating in Edmonton and Earl McGillivray in Melfort, Sask.
Gt. Grandpa George Watson b. Ontario
Gt. Grandma Watson b. Scotland, nee Welsh
John [Buchanan] and 6 brothers including Sam came over from Ireland, also sister Jane and parents.
Try to get a large scale map of Londonderry, Tyrone, and Antrim
Maggie [Watson married Arthur] Sheffield
Dewie
Carl
Emily
Allan Watson married Carrie [Shuster]
Nate Steel (adopted)
June [Watson]
Ralph
Merton
Kathryn
Nellie Steel (adopted)
They broke up and Carrie took all of the kids but Ralph.
Gert Wilson remembers "Pa" as "Little Willie" was quite dapper and wore highly polished brown shoes.
Olive < Robert < Davey Watson
American estate [?]
The men left the women to farm and went to Nevada to prospect.
Bert Buchanan [Wilbert V.?] < Katie Watson (cousin to Robbie) < William Watson
Arthur and Dewie Sheffield are buried at Leedale [Alberta]. Buried at Millett: Dick, Allan, Mrs. Sheffield, George and Jane Watson.
"Pa" lived 5 miles west of Leedale.
Mervyn Buchanan married Mary May McCracken
Samuel Howard
Joanne
Judy
Came from Antrim, often walked the walls of Derry. – quoted by some man in Neepawa.
John [Buchanan]’s father died at sea and was buried in Kingston.
Buchanan [Rosedale] cemetery north of Neepawa 3 miles.
Bert [Wilbert V. Buchanan]’s mother was a Watson – Kate Watson
A rough pedigree chart of my genealogy [myself, parents, grandparents
and great grandparents]
Family History – rough notes [a single page, 2 sided]
[Source: William George Buchanan]
[They were] 9 weeks on the water, out 10 days and a storm forced them back to Ireland. The ship was refitted and the trip was completed in 7 weeks.
Great –great grandpa [this could be Andrew’s father or Jane’s father, but I had the impression it was Andrew’s] died in Ireland at more than 90 [years old]. [Some of the family] Lived near Londonderry in N. Ireland (right on the coast) I remember someone telling about someone going by with some large fish he caught. The census of 1840 would give some information.
[Source: Inez Buchanan McCallum]
Maggie Sheffield had a premonition of her son Dewey’s death. While washing with a washboard she heard him calling her at the same time he was dieing of pneumonia inn Calgary.
Minnie Steel went religious crazy from overwork. She soon recovered. Giving birth to twins, she died.
Dick [Richard James Watson] used to be a miner.
Allan Watson sang songs in Erse. Some of them were not very nice, apparently.
Family pictures – Jack [John Henry Buchanan] or Mrs. Sheffield.
[From memory of an account by Mabel Henry]
Sam and John Buchanan and George Watson were gold miners at Gold Hill, Nevada. The men left the women to farm and went mining. The train trip took 11 days. James and Sam mined in the Cariboo county of B.C. Just after he left his son Andy, [Andy] drowned in the Fraser River. James didn’t find out about it until he was back home.
Sam used to tell the kids about the "Club 101" vigilantes.
[From memory of the vigilante story, as told by Dad – William George Buchanan]
At Gold Hill there was a bunch of Australian "bushrangers" [i.e. outlaws] who had been kicked out of Australia. They were a pretty bad bunch. They used to rob and kill prospectors and miners. Any witnesses usually turned up dead or missing or else changed their minds. If a witness did stand up to them, they always had plenty of witnesses from their crowd who would be willing to swear that the accused man had been playing cards with 4 or 5 friends when the incident happened.
Finally one day a miner was robbed and killed and a reliable witness had definitely seen one of the bushrangers commit the act. The outlaws were quick to produce "witnesses" "proving" that the man was innocent, although everyone knew his guilt. The entire gang lived high but never worked, so they were obviously all guilty to some degree of the crimes.
That night a vigilante committee was formed. When people woke up in the morning there were bushrangers hanging from trees and store signs. A note was left advising any survivors to get out of town if they wished to see another sunrise. By noon there wasn’t another bushranger to be found in town.
[I have also heard it said that the gang of murderers "was centered in a group of Australian bushrangers", suggesting that not all of the gang were from Australia.]
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