William Edmond Traquair

William Traquair immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1905  to homestead NE.16.25.15 near Dysart Saskatchewan.  He purchased the East half of section 3.32.18 near Dafoe from the Saskatchewan Valley Land Company in 1911.  After building a house on his new land, he returned to Scotland in 1919 to marry Agnes Adams and bring her back to the Dafoe farm.  William's brother Peter and his wife Helen followed him from Dysart and settled on the northeast quarter of 32 in 1920.  Agnes and William had three siblings; Elizabeth (Beth), James (Ian) and Dorothy (Doreen).  Beth married Wallace (Wally) Simpson in 1945 and moved to France.  Ian married Jean (Audrey) Dolan in 1946 and took over the family farm which they managed until 1966 before retiring to Regina.  Doreen married George Revell and settled at Melfort. 

??William had three brothers; Peter, Alex and Jim who lived at MacDonald Hills in the 40's but later settled in Lestock??

Elizabeth and Dorothy's names are on my wife Lila's hand written list of gifts that we received in 1940 at our wedding reception at the Copeland Community Hall.  I remember they gave us a clear glass pickle dish.  Lila mistakenly wrote their name as Fraquair. 

I only have one entry in my diary referencing the Traquairs.  On February 1st. 1933, I accompanied my older brother on horseback to capture runaway horses.  The chase took over 3 hours and covered about 10 miles of various terrain before we arrived home in the dark.

Feb. 1st. 1933.
Cool S. W. wind & bright. therm about 0º. Went to the bush, got home at 3.30. Dad had been doctoring Nell, he went looking for the other four horses. Came home & Clarence & I went on horse back down north. Went through Traquair's ravine, across Jordan's & up onto Olafson's, we found their tracks & then we went onto Blyths field & found them at a bin. We caught two & tore down a fence. Some other horses came along & led the colts away. Got them back. Got home at eight o'clock & had supper. Unloaded the wood.

William Edmond Traquair 1885-1959    Agnes Traquair (nee Adams) 1891-1979
Peter & Helen Traquair NE.32.31.18 (1920)