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The
Geates History
Family
History - Dad was English. His father moved to Canada when Dad
was small from the Isle of Wight, England, settling in Hepworth,
Ontario, where Dad grew up. Later he married Mary Ann Dodds of
Wyoxeter, Ontario, where five children were born. Then they moved
to Killarney, Manitoba, where six other children were born. Five
are still living.
The
reason they moved was to better the family condition. They were
very hard up. Mother worked along the way to help finance the
journey.
The
Home - They lived in a one-room (with attic) log house. The
furniture was home-made. They used a small iron cook stove.
Beds were made of lumber with straw ticks and no springs. The
washing was done in a galvanized tub with galvanized wash board.
The ironing was all done with sad irons. The butter was made by
setting milk in pans, the cream being skimmed off and churned with a
wooden dash churn.
Discipline
was administered with the good old hickory stick.
Mother
knit socks and mittens and baked bread for the bachelors to help
support the home.
The
floor of the house was of plain boards scrubbed with rushes from the
slough.
Social
Life - The association of neighbours was the one and only recreation.
Religion
- The Church of England, later Seventh Day Adventist. Evening and
morning worship was conducted in the home.
School
- There was no school when our family first settled. Later a
school was opened in the upstairs of the old post office.
Clothing
- When Dad settled on the homestead there was no Killarney there.
The clothing and much of the groceries were brought in from Brandon,
sometimes on Dad’s back. I remember his telling of carrying a
hundred pounds of flour home on his back.
Transportation
- Travel was by foot and oxen.
Business,
Farm or Job - While we were hard up Dad worked on the railroad to
support the family. Later he farmed, getting a homestead and
pre-emption.
Political
Activity - Strong Liberal.
Military
Experience - None.
Stories,
Anecdotes, etc.
Their
first child born in Killarney, Manitoba, was born January 15th,
1883. It was in the dead winter, with Dad away fishing on the
lake. Mother was alone with the children, the oldest being eight
years. All through the night the two eldest – eight and six years
old – stayed up and kept the wood fires burning. The baby was
born during the night. When morning came, Mother dressed the
eight-year-old and putting a little red shawl around her so she could
watch her on her way, she sent her to the Hossacks for help. They
lived a mile and a half away on the lake shore.
Our
barn was of sod, and one morning when Mother went out to feed the
cattle (Dad was away working), a big pappa pig had fallen through the
sod roof of the barn. When Mother opened the door, the big pig
ran between her legs and carried her about a block and a half before
she fell off. Was she frightened!
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