On Saturday May 28, 1881, Dan McKinnon, travelling with
A. McLean, was part of the first group to arrive what would become
known as the R.M. of Pipestone. A few days later, the first sod
in the area was turned on his farm on June 1st., 1881, by William
Lothian, part of the second group to arrive. Dan was soon joined by
other members of his family, including his brother John. Local
historian, Ellen Bulloch, refers to the KcKinnon family as,”one of the
best known pioneer families, owning a great deal of land and farming on
a large scale.”
They came from near Austin where they had farmed for some years before
hearing that the C.P.R. would be running their line through the
Pipestone Valley. The line went to the north through Oak Lake and
Virden instead, but the McKinnons stayed and prospered.
So intertwined is the family’s story that Mrs. Bulloch at one point in
her narrative writes, about attendees at an early church service thus:
“Among those present were George Campion…Mr. Walter Crask and some of
the McKinnons.”
Brandon Sun 1887, March 3.
On Saturday May 28, 1881, Dan McKinnon, travelling with A. McLean, was
part of the first group to arrive what would become known as the R.M.
of Pipestone. A few days later, the first sod in the area was
turned on his farm on June 1st., 1881, by William Lothian, part of the
second group to arrive. Dan was soon joined by other members of his
family, including his brother John. Local historian, Ellen Bulloch,
refers to the KcKinnon family as,”one of the best known pioneer
families, owning a great deal of land and farming on a large scale.”
They came from near Austin where they had farmed for some years before
hearing that the C.P.R. would be running their line through the
Pipestone Valley. The line went to the north through Oak Lake and
Virden instead, but the McKinnons stayed and prospered.
So intertwined is the family’s story that Mrs. Bulloch at one point in
her narrative writes, about attendees at an early church service thus:
“Among those present were George Campion…Mr. Walter Crask and some of
the McKinnons.”
Brandon Sun 1887, March 3.
John McKinnon
As much as the McKinnon’s story is about that family as a team, the
individual stories emerge. It was at John’s home that a dance described
as, “The first event of a social nature,” took place in the new
settlement in January of 1884. It was John who is listed as
Secretary-Treasurer of the newly formed Pipestone Mutual Improvement
Association, a society that met once a month and sponsored events such
as debates. It was at John’s farm that the large barn loft served as a
social meeting place. John served a Reeve of the first Pipestone Council
John McKinnon
Adapted from Trails Along the Pipestone, page 1, 343
Adapted from Pioneers of the Pipestone. page 7, 9, 31, 36
As much as the McKinnon’s story is about that family as a team, the
individual stories emerge. It was at John’s home that a dance described
as, “The first event of a social nature,” took place in the new
settlement in January of 1884. It was John who is listed as
Secretary-Treasurer of the newly formed Pipestone Mutual Improvement
Association, a society that met once a month and sponsored events such
as debates. It was at John’s farm that the large barn loft served as a
social meeting place. John served a Reeve of the first Pipestone Council
Adapted from Trails Along the Pipestone, page 1, 343
Adapted from Pioneers of the Pipestone. page 7, 9, 31, 36
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