The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D. A Canadian Hero

APPENDIX A – EXTENDED BROOKS FAMILY GENEALOGY

A.9 SASKATCHEWAN - EXTENDED BROOKS FAMILY RETURNS TO CANADA

A9.1 ARRIVALS of EXTENDED BROOKS FAMILY

A9.1.1 ARRIVAL of the Warren Family SUMMER 1911 Canora Saskatchewan

In 1911 John and Dora Warren decided to immigrate back to Canada – likely seeking ‘ new opportunities’. They crossed the border at Bannerman, Manitoba on June 13, 1911.

The Border Crossing CARD for Bannerman Manitoba (see map at right) for June 13, 1911 shows J.G. Warren M.D. (age 31 born in Canada and still a citizen of Canada) along with his wife Mrs. J.G. Warren (age 22 born in US and still a citizen of US) travelling on G.N. (Great Northern Rail Co.) Train 195 from North Dakota with end destination Regina (SK). Dr. Warren had $3,000 on his person.

An image of the Border Crossing CARD for the Warren's trip back to Canada appears below.

The Warren�s would eventually end up in Canora, Saskatchewan where Dr. Warren set up a medical practice.

The Warren's would remain in Canora until 1950, at which point they "retired" and moved to Hamilton, Ontario.

During his approximate 40 year stay in Canora, Dr. John Warren served the Town of Canora as Medical Health Officer, Town Councillor, Mayor and in many other capacities in very difficult times.
SEE SECTION 18 for further information of the Warren's time in Canora, SK.

NOTE: The town of Canora was named from the first 2 letters of the 3 words Canadian Northern Railway. The town obtained village status on April 8, 1905.

A9.1.2   Brooks Family Returns to Canada 16-June 1913- Settles in LaFleche SK

In June 1913, Hubert and Marie (Rousseau) Brooks moved the family Aimé, Joe, and Otto north–west from St. John ND to LaFleche, Saskatchewan (Rural Municipality of Wood River 74) to operate a hotel. With the arrival in 1913 of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to Lafleche, the then hamlet became a central point for trading in the province.
(Lafleche was named in honor of a famous missionary of the northwest who later became bishop of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Most Reverend Louis-Francois Richer Lafleche)

According to border crossing recorders, daughter Nelida now ‘Nellie’ Bolstad travelled with them as well.

An image of the Border Crossing CARD for Bannerman Manitoba for June 16, 1913 appears below.

According to the border crossing records at Bannerman, the BROOKS family travelled on G.N.Ry. (Great Northern Rail Co.) TRAIN 195 from St. John N.D. getting off at LaFleche Saskatchewan.

In the COMMENTS column there was a note associated with Hubert Brooks that he had $3,000 in cash with him, and the note associated with Mrs. Nellie Bolstad was that she was going to join her husband and that she had $100 cash with her.
NOTE that Hubert's occupation here was listed as Hotel Keeper implying, as we shall see, that his co-ownership of the Hotel Metropole in LaFleche was already established.

The entry following Nellie Bolstad is not clear, but may be Olive Gregoire (relation to Marie) aged 16, occupation : waitress, also heading to LaFleche - perhaps to work in Hubert's Hotel.

Note that neither Oscar Bolstad nor his children; Hubert, Theodore or Frances appeared listed in the 16-June-1913 manifest nor can a date for their entry into Canada be established. As inferred, presumably Oscar had gone ahead to set up a residence. Presumably they followed Nellie some time later and their crossing documentation has fallen through the cracks.
(Brother Anton (Tony) Bolstad ended up back in Riverside Minnesota and so appeared in the 1920 US Census)

Although the definitive move by the Brooks family back to CANADA occured with the 16-June 1913 border crossing, it is clear from the Saskatchewan Homestead Records that Hubert Brooks had been thinking of and preparing for the move north since early 1911. (perhaps in conjunction with the move of daughter Dora Brooks warren).

Why Hubert (Rousseau) Brooks decided to leave a prosperous business and nice house in St. John is an open question. Perhaps after 26 years in St. John as a general store merchant and at the age of 50 he was set to slow down and join his children's migration north. Perhaps it was the aggressive ‘advertising’ that CP Rail was doing to attract homesteaders with land grant offers north to Saskatchewan to make their fortune. Perhaps when his store burnt down that was the "trigger" he was looking for to make a change. The move is even more puzzling as will be seen in the next section where Hubert Brooks and sons tried their hand at farming in LaFleche....tried their hand and failed ...and this was before the move!

A9.1.3 The Bolstad Family and Scotsguard Saskatchewan

The Bolstad's would end up in Scotsguard, Saskatchewan. (located about 70 miles from LaFleche)

A9.1.4 The Eugene Turcotte Family and Webb Saskatchewan

Clara Rousseau Turcotte and her husband Eugene and their family would end up in Webb, SK.

The 1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta had the Eugene Turcotte family living in the electoral district of Mackenzie Saskatchewan, on 4th Avenue in the town of Webb SK.
Eugene Turcotte and his family was as follows:

One other brief item of note, BORDER CROSSING RECORDS from Canada to USA indicate on 20 Nov 1928, Eugene Turcotte (age 74, born abt 1854 in St. Marys Quebec, occupation farmer), crossed the border into the USA at Eastport, Idaho, United States it would seem from the barely decipherable handprint to visit a relative in Los Angeles California. Eugene lists as contact in Canada his son L. Turcotte living in Webb, SK.

The Life and Times of Hubert Brooks M.C. C.D.