Family History
John and Mary Jane (nee Nicholson) Pallister arrived in Canada from England in 1889. They settled on the south-east quarter of section 32.11.8., now owned by the Barry Braden family of Burnside.
The couple were both active members of the old Methodist Church at Burnside. John served on the church board and also acted as superintendent of the Sunday School. Mary Jane taught a Sunday School class and sang in the choir at church services.
In 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Pallister, with their four children, moved to South Burnside (NW 18.11.8.) or Fox, as it was then called. Later, when the railroad went through, the name of the district changed to Edwin, the same as the railroad station. Ties with Burnside remained strong. For several years Mr. and Mrs. Pallister and family drove out to worship at the Burnside Methodist Church. In 1925, when the churches amalgamated as the United Church, they joined and continued to attend.
While living in Burnside, four children were born to the Pallisters: Jessie, Eva, Harry and Daisy. Jessie, their oldest, graduated from Normal School in Portage in 1911, taught at Ferris and married James Crosbie on January 21, 1914. Friends came to their wedding in democrats as there wasn't any snow. They were blessed with three children: Mary (Charlton), Clifford and Bernice (McIntosh).
Eva married Tom Ferguson on November 25, 1914. They had four children: Jack, Isabel (Matthews), Margaret (Semrick), and Jessie (Carson) all living in the Portage area.
On November 30, 1916, Harry married Jessie McConochie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McConochie, who were also adherents of the Burnside Methodist Church. Harry and Jessie raised six children: Jack (Ruth) and Ann, of
Peachland, B.C.; Carl, 1920-1980, (married to Arlene); Beth (Slater) 1922-1982; William (Anne) on the home farm; Harley (Marie) in Brandon, Mb.; Jean (Vankoughnet), Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Another of John Pallister's daughters, Daisy (1899-1908) is buried in the Burnside Cemetary. She was joined by John in 1939 and by Mary Jane in 1951.
In 1913, the Pallisters decided to move their farm site to the south side of Rat Creek. A few years thereafter, young Harry, enroute home from either a Beef Ring meeting or Burnside Cemetary bee, came across a cottonwood sapling growing on the rich Burnside soil. He transplanted it to the immediate south-west of the newly built two story brick house on the Pallister Farm. This Burnside transplant developed into a huge tree. Harry knocked out many grounders and fly balls under its shade. Two generations of Pallisters have been lulled to sleep by the soft cooing of the mourning dove in its towering branches. In September, 1953, it provided shelter for the guests at the wedding supper of Jean and Harvey Vankoughnet.
John Pallister's grandson, William, has expanded the acreage and crop productivity of the Pallister homestead. He successfully built a cow-calf operation with Troop, Askin, Munro and Hyde cattle in neighboring pastures. Was it John Pallister or William McConochie who taught Bill how to sow such straight rows?
Bill fondly recalls the community plays performed as joint-efforts by Edwin and Burnside members. He also remembers the picnics near Burnside School at Rat Creek.
Bill's wife, Anne, had the pleasure of teaching many of the offspring of the early pioneers when she was employed in Grade three at Yellowquill School in Portage (1969-1988). The keen competition between Burnside and Edwin in sports activities, and the thorough teaching of 4H leaders such as Lloyd Hyde, Allan Munro and Orval Troop were unquestionably conducive to the success of Bill and Anne's children. For example, Brian (Esther) is one of Canada's top fastball pitchers and highly rated farm estate planner and politician; Jim (Colleen) is a keen curler and seed grower; Peggy is a school teacher who joins forces with Helen Hyde in local sports' teams. Harry and Jessie Pallister retired to Portage in 1965. There he enjoyed what he always had, being with people - whether it be playing sheebah with his grandchildren, attending the Austin Thresherman's Reuinion with Gordon Troop, and of course enjoying fastball with Dewis and Galbraith fans. Harry passed away quietly on October 5, 1985, and rests with his parents, sisters Jessie and Daisy, and son Carl and his wife Arlene in the Burnside Cemetery. His wife Jessie is attributed to her keen knowledge of people and events. Jessie passed away in November of 1995 at the age of 100.
The aging cottonwood tree from Burnside still stands firm on the Pallister Farm. Perhaps one day some of the fledgings from the nests in its branches will make their home in the newly planted saplings at Jim and Colleen's new home at NW 2.12.8. in the Burnside district along the Rat Creek.
This Pallister Family history is taken from the book, 'Beside the Burn - Burnside Area History' printed in 1990.
John and Mary Jane (nee Nicholson) Pallister arrived in Canada from England in 1889. They settled on the south-east quarter of section 32.11.8., now owned by the Barry Braden family of Burnside.
The couple were both active members of the old Methodist Church at Burnside. John served on the church board and also acted as superintendent of the Sunday School. Mary Jane taught a Sunday School class and sang in the choir at church services.
In 1898, Mr. and Mrs. Pallister, with their four children, moved to South Burnside (NW 18.11.8.) or Fox, as it was then called. Later, when the railroad went through, the name of the district changed to Edwin, the same as the railroad station. Ties with Burnside remained strong. For several years Mr. and Mrs. Pallister and family drove out to worship at the Burnside Methodist Church. In 1925, when the churches amalgamated as the United Church, they joined and continued to attend.
While living in Burnside, four children were born to the Pallisters: Jessie, Eva, Harry and Daisy. Jessie, their oldest, graduated from Normal School in Portage in 1911, taught at Ferris and married James Crosbie on January 21, 1914. Friends came to their wedding in democrats as there wasn't any snow. They were blessed with three children: Mary (Charlton), Clifford and Bernice (McIntosh).
Eva married Tom Ferguson on November 25, 1914. They had four children: Jack, Isabel (Matthews), Margaret (Semrick), and Jessie (Carson) all living in the Portage area.
On November 30, 1916, Harry married Jessie McConochie, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John McConochie, who were also adherents of the Burnside Methodist Church. Harry and Jessie raised six children: Jack (Ruth) and Ann, of
Peachland, B.C.; Carl, 1920-1980, (married to Arlene); Beth (Slater) 1922-1982; William (Anne) on the home farm; Harley (Marie) in Brandon, Mb.; Jean (Vankoughnet), Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Another of John Pallister's daughters, Daisy (1899-1908) is buried in the Burnside Cemetary. She was joined by John in 1939 and by Mary Jane in 1951.
In 1913, the Pallisters decided to move their farm site to the south side of Rat Creek. A few years thereafter, young Harry, enroute home from either a Beef Ring meeting or Burnside Cemetary bee, came across a cottonwood sapling growing on the rich Burnside soil. He transplanted it to the immediate south-west of the newly built two story brick house on the Pallister Farm. This Burnside transplant developed into a huge tree. Harry knocked out many grounders and fly balls under its shade. Two generations of Pallisters have been lulled to sleep by the soft cooing of the mourning dove in its towering branches. In September, 1953, it provided shelter for the guests at the wedding supper of Jean and Harvey Vankoughnet.
John Pallister's grandson, William, has expanded the acreage and crop productivity of the Pallister homestead. He successfully built a cow-calf operation with Troop, Askin, Munro and Hyde cattle in neighboring pastures. Was it John Pallister or William McConochie who taught Bill how to sow such straight rows?
Bill fondly recalls the community plays performed as joint-efforts by Edwin and Burnside members. He also remembers the picnics near Burnside School at Rat Creek.
Bill's wife, Anne, had the pleasure of teaching many of the offspring of the early pioneers when she was employed in Grade three at Yellowquill School in Portage (1969-1988). The keen competition between Burnside and Edwin in sports activities, and the thorough teaching of 4H leaders such as Lloyd Hyde, Allan Munro and Orval Troop were unquestionably conducive to the success of Bill and Anne's children. For example, Brian (Esther) is one of Canada's top fastball pitchers and highly rated farm estate planner and politician; Jim (Colleen) is a keen curler and seed grower; Peggy is a school teacher who joins forces with Helen Hyde in local sports' teams. Harry and Jessie Pallister retired to Portage in 1965. There he enjoyed what he always had, being with people - whether it be playing sheebah with his grandchildren, attending the Austin Thresherman's Reuinion with Gordon Troop, and of course enjoying fastball with Dewis and Galbraith fans. Harry passed away quietly on October 5, 1985, and rests with his parents, sisters Jessie and Daisy, and son Carl and his wife Arlene in the Burnside Cemetery. His wife Jessie is attributed to her keen knowledge of people and events. Jessie passed away in November of 1995 at the age of 100.
The aging cottonwood tree from Burnside still stands firm on the Pallister Farm. Perhaps one day some of the fledgings from the nests in its branches will make their home in the newly planted saplings at Jim and Colleen's new home at NW 2.12.8. in the Burnside district along the Rat Creek.
This Pallister Family history is taken from the book, 'Beside the Burn - Burnside Area History' printed in 1990.
An aerial photo taken in 1960 of the 'Home Place', the site where three generations of Pallisters have been born and raised. Located NW 18.11.8 in the Edwin district, it is still farmed by the Pallisters today.
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Five generations of Pallisters: John (Top Left), Harry (Top Center), Bill (Top Right), Jim (Bottom Left), Bryce (Bottom Center), and William (Bottom Right).
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