Nor'West Farmer Page 277

NOR'-WEST FARMER NEWSPAPER, MAR 21, 1904 Issue

Robert King Home, Fairfax Manitoba, 1904

September 22, 2008, brought a nice email from a Robert A. King, the Great Grandson of Robert King,
whose house appears in this issue of the paper, on page 277 above.
Bob tells me this house was built about 1886, and was the home of his Grandfather, Andrew King.
“My grandfather, Andrew King was also a newspaperman beginning his career with the Souris Plain Dealer, and eventually moving to Rouleau Saskatchewan
Where he bought the Rouleau Enterprise and then off to Estevan, where he owned the Estevan Mercury, and establish a profitable business, King Show Print,
which printed circus posters from his own hand carved wooden plates”
He then sent me more info, and gave me permission to include it here, which I think tells the rest of the story, as Paul Harvey says.

In the book, “Pen, Paper and Printing Ink,” by my Grandfather, Andrew King, he treats me to, too few tid bits of family history.
Here is a bit of that family history.

“It was in the late eighties when my father moved his family to the homestead.
Curiously enough my first conscious memory was that of seeing him on the roof of the house he had built, laying the last few bricks of a chimney.
That brick chimney was a luxury in the eyes of the nearby neighbours, who used tin pipes poking through a hole in the roof or a wall
to carry away the smoke from their stoves.
The scenic background of the building is still a vivid memory - a monotony of level prairie with not a tree in sight.” Andrew King

Bob King then writes-
The Family farm, which may have been called the Fairfax Farm, I understand was located on the north half of Section 19
and south half of Section 30, both in township 6, Range 20, West of the Principal Meridian.

The King family: Robert, his wife Janet Agnes and four young sons, Robert Alexander, John Linkison, James Blair and Alexander
emigrated from Edinburgh, Scotland in 1885.
My Grandfather, Andrew, the first King in our King family line to be born in Canada, was born in Winnipeg in 1885.

Robert King apparently knew absolutely nothing about farming when he came to Canada.
He must have learned quickly for the farm was successful.
He was however a joiner (carpenter) having learned his trade in Scotland, and as such was well qualified to build his own house.

The JBK referred to in your pictures would be James Blair King.
He was an avid photographer and may have submitted one of his pictures for the newspaper in 1904.
He took over the farm in about 1912 when the parents retired and returned to Edinburgh to live out their lives
In a style impossible to achieve when they left Scotland 27 years earlier, and subsequently supported by income from the farm.

All five sons were talented, well educated and did very well in their chosen professions and careers.

signed- Bob King

Now from a simple farm picture from 1904, we have a complete brief family history, associated with this picture.
Being raised in Estevan, and very familiar with the Estevan Mercury, and the King Family, this even means more to me.
Thanks to Bob for enlightening us all.

Labori #10791 Clydesdale Stallion

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