Introduction

This web site chronicles the Canadian pioneering efforts of Robert Battersby Sr. Born December 17th 1866 in Lancashire England.

Mr. Battersby was good enough to give to the Library of the University of Saskatchewan the original copy of his autobiography to be kept in the Archives of the History of Saskatchewan. (January 20th 1926)

This is a glimpse into Canada of the early 1900s as cities were being built, new land was being farmed and it could be a day's walk to the city to get supplies needed to survive the winter and the first order of business on your newly acquired farm would be to build your own sod house. It was a very different world back then.

Robert Battersby Sr. was the son of  John Battersby (died in 1897) and Nancy Edge (born in 1843, died in 1898) from Preston England. They had 10 children:

• Robert Sr. (born Dec 17, 1866), 
• Alice Ann (born Sept 3, 1868), 
• Elizabeth Jane (born June 1 1870)
• George (born Sept 17, 1871)
• Nathaniel (born Sept 23 1872)
• Harriet (born Mar 15, 1874)
• John and Ellen (born Mar 6 1877 - Ellen died)
• Arthur (born ?)
• Albert (born  May 2 1880)

Robert Sr. married Rose Hannah Robinson and had 3 children:

• Elizabeth Ellen (born Jul 2 1887, died June 9 1957)
• Nathaniel (born July 1 1889, died April 12 1946) - my great grandfather
• Robert Jr (born Mar 24, 1900, died Dec 28 1973)

As for me, my name is Paul Battersby. I am the great-great grandson of Robert Battersby Sr and Rose Hanna Robinson and the great grandson of Nathaniel Battersby.

p.s. Since I have it, I thought I'd include a link to an image of a page from the journal of Robert Battersby Sr.

Handwriting Sample

Click the link below for my page on the possible origin of the Battersby name

Origin of the Battersby name 

March 24th 1898 - Arrive in Canada

Sailed for Canada 24th day of March 1898, landed Halifax first day of April, took train for Winnipeg finally landing in Wawanesa Manitoba; stayed there three months.

I did not like the looks of the Country, it looked to me such a wide desolate place so I packed up and went East to Montreal then to Valley Field P.Q. and followed my trade there as a Loomfitter. Stayed eighteen months then left for Newbedford U.S.A. and worked there four years but the call for Canada kept ringing in my ears till I made up my mind to come back.

Newbedford USA 1902

(click for larger image)

(1) - Robert Battersby Sr (p.b.- my great great grandfather)
(2) - Rose Battersby (p.b. - my great great grandmother)
(3) - Nathaniel Battersby (p.b. my great grandfather)
(4) - Robert Battersby Jr (p.b. my great uncle))


[p.b : image of passenger manifest from the Parisian on April 1 1898 - Robert Battersby is 15th from the bottom of the list - be sure to zoom in on the image]

April 1st 1905 - Arrive in Saskatoon

I started on the 18th day of March 1905 landing Saskatoon on the first day of April about ten o'clock in the evening and it was a Railway tressel bridge with it so we had to be brought across the river by the Saskatchewan ocean liner called a Ferry Boat. We were almost frozen waiting our turns to be taken across. We got safely landed however.

I had with me my two boys, one sixteen years old (Nathaniel - my great-great-grandfather P.B), the other five (Robert Jr. - P.B.), leaving my wife (Rose Hannah Robinson - P.B.) to come later on. Well we must have a place to sleep all the hotels and boarding houses were full, the immigration hall full also scarlet fever in the place so I could not take my small boy in anyway.

At last they put us in the attic of the Carlton boarding house, it was a little better than being outside but not very much as it was a very cold night and snowing in the next day.

April 2nd 1905 - Bought a tent to live in

This was second day of April. We had breakfast then went out to explore the great City to be but there was not much then. We started from nineteenth street and first Ave. to twenty second street East down twenty second to the River along the Crescent back to first Avenue again and we had been around the great City to be.

We met all classes and conditions of men, some wanting work and could not get it, now I have made a mistake, they could get lots of work but there was very few would could pay wages for doing the work so there was a lot of men had to be shipped away to where they could earn wages. Of course there was others, as there always is, wanting wages but not work. They were loafing around to find some greenhorn or tenderfoot as they named the newcomers so that they might relieve them of their Dollar bills if they had any.

You ask was it a busy place then? Well the stores and lumber yards were very busy selling supplies to men going out on their Homesteads and Broncho or horse dealers also, what they called Bull punchers. Anyway there was a great mixed up lot.

Well we walked around till we was tired. "Do you want to buy a team of Bronchos" one fellow calls out. "no". A little further on "Can I sell you a team of Oxen, good team, do anything". "How much do you want for them?" "Oh two hundred and fifty dollars, come see just the kind for you". "Well I'll go see them, they might have been Oxen once but but now they were nothing but a bunch of bones and skin and you want Two hundred and fifty dollars for them?" "Yes, them cheap."

I guess he thought I was a green Englishman but I had some experience with cattle before, though not a great deal but I could tell their ages just the same. I did nothing more that day in the way of trading but went to the Land offices to see about locating a homestead. A man in the name of R. MacIntosh was Agent then gets a lot of plots. I got all kinds of advice. Someone tells me to go to Goose Lave way, lots of good homesteads. Others would say go Lloydminster.

Well it was go there go here till one did not know just where to go for the best so I came out of there to try and think things out for myself so we walked up first Avenue again when a man spoke to us. He asked me if I was going homesteading. I said Yes. He asked me many questions. I felt I could trust him so I told my circumstances and how I was placed so he advised me how I could save expenses until I could get located. It was to buy a tent and leave the boarding house. He knew someone who had a tent to sell so I went and bought it and I don't know how I should have got on without it. That was the best bit of work done that day. That man is now Sheriff of Saskatoon, Mr Colder. We pitched our tent and slept until that night so now we were rent free.

April 3rd - April 4th 1905 - 45 mile walk

Third day of April. Got amongst the Bull punchers and Broncho busters again this time gets into conversation with a man who was a Butcher and Rancher. He lived across Eaglecreek near the North Saskatchewan River, I had two more men with me, two brothers, Harry and William Clarke. Harry died January 1921, left a widow and one son now in Raddison. The other brother went back to U.S.A. The Rancher is Harry Smith still across Eagle Creek. He told us he could get us homesteads if we would help him to take some Bronchos home. We agree so we started out that noontime on a 45 mile tramp. Me leading one by the halter, not one of them could be ridden. We made our first stop started out early next morning reaching the Doukhobors, started again to compete our journey, arriving at the place about 8 o'clock that night weary and tired out. No need to ask if we slept that night. This closed the 4th day of April.

April 5th 1905 - Searching for a homestead

5th day of April. Starts out to find homestead land. There was lots of it. We drive about 18 miles over the prairies, sees nothing but prairies, a house here another house two miles away. the men I had with me growled and grumbled at me for bringing them to such a Country. Mr. Smith told them that the Railway would be coming through the Country soon but they would not listen to that so we came back; another day gone and nothing done - The Railway did come through that Country 3 years after it is now called Perdue.

April 6th 1905 - Selected a homestead

6th day of April. Mr. Smith then took us out again this time nearer to his own place but the best of homestead lands had been taken up there was some but stoney. They were near Battleford, trail did not seem too lonely, lots of traffic on the trail so we chose one each there, I taking M.E. q 14-39-11. They chose on 12-39-11 W. Third Meridian. As we had come here together we did not like to be separated, it would have been better for me if we had.

April 7th 1905 - Long walk to register homestead

7th day of April. Started back on foot to Saskatoon, got to the Doukhobors Village again at noon, had dinner, started off again. One of the Brothers, the oldest, thought if we crossed the prairie at this point we would cut a mile or so off but I wanted to stick to the trail., I said we were liable to get lost, I had experience like it in Manitoba. I got 12 miles out of my way and told them, "Oh no we won't get lost, just across here and we shall stroke the trail again, we won't get lost, no fear". But we did. We struck a trail but not the one we came on. I told him we were not on the trail we came on. "Oh yes we were".

I was not altogether sure about it so we walked and walked for about three hours when we came to nothing but bushes when he realized it. Now what shall we do, leaves the trail, crosses the prairie again, walks a long way - no trail, no house to be seen. "Well" says our leader "what shall we do", we had no food with us, the sun was beginning to set then he began telling stories he had heard of men getting lost on the prairies and their bones bleaching in the sun. "Whatever shall we do" he was in an awful way. I said "If you had not left the trail when I told you we should have been all right". He replies "Yes and if you had not brought us to such a Country we should have been all right".

This answer made me a little cross, I cannot tell you here all I said to him but I know Saskatoon lied East and the sun set in the West we had no compass. I said "Look here, I am going to lead". "What can you lead" the oldest brother says, "Well you can either follow me or stay where you are, I am going my way" I did not say anything to them about East or West but started off, they soon followed.

I kept the sun to my back. We walked about 4 miles when we came to a trail, it was now getting dark, strikes a match examines the trail discovers horses inquires "Are we on the right trail for Saskatoon?". "No but it will lead you to it". This was encouraging news. Walked another two miles, comes to another house tired out, asks to let us stay the night. The man says "You are only two miles from a stopping place". "What place is that?" "It's Harmours". We knew that place, we stopped there going out. The younger brother says "Oh Mister I cannot move from here, I am dead beat" "Well if that's the case come in". His wife made us some supper. We slept on the kitchen floor. We had not time to think whether it was hard or soft but was soon fast asleep.

These people know me today for I have stopped at his place many times since they are Norwegians, named Andersons, 18 miles N.W. Saskatoon. This ends the seventh day.

April 8th 1905 - Still walking

The eighth day starts again on our journey, so stiff and sore that we would scarcely move. It is now half past seven in the morning when we started and half past three in the afternoon when we reached Saskatoon, 8 hours walking 18 miles - just over two miles per hour. I had been awfully troubled while away wondering how my boys was getting on because I had to leave them in the tent but all was well. I then examined my feet, they were blistered. I pricked them, got something to eat then went to the land office filed on the quarter chose, put down my Ten Dollars, come out with the receipt. the Government was to give 160 acres of land but we thought we was earning ours all right. This ends this day.

April 9th 1905 - Buying supplies

The ninth day - a very busy day. Went to a dry goods store to get some supplies, the store-keepers name was Grayham on Second Avenue. he asked me if I want to buy a pair of steers, he would sell them cheap. "How much do you want for them" I asked. "$75.00 for the two" he said. That sounded cheap to me towards $250.00 as most of them was asking. Goes to look at them, one has a damaged horn that was done getting it fast in the barn he says. They were small, I bought them, I thought they would grow bigger. They would do for me for a while anyway. Then bought a second hand wagon, went to Massey Harrow bought a set of Harrows, a walking plow. Buys the rest of my supplies, small cook stove, bag of flour, stoves sky high, flour way down. I paid $2.75 per bag of Champion milled in Saskatoon at that time. Finished our buying in it was now near supper time

Now we must try the steers in the wagon. I might say here that they had been trying to break them in before I bought them and could not do it, that was the cause of one having a damaged horn and not by getting fast in the barn. All the men was having a great laugh at my expense. "You will never get out of Saskatoon with them brutes" I had already got harness for them which consisted of a collar and tracing chains, ropes for the line. These cost me $12.50 anyway I put the harness on them, they certainly did look wild.

Everybody in town turned out to see me hitch these wild steers up, they was going to see some great fun but they got left in that. I tied them together, put ropes to each one, gave my boy one rope, me the other, each of us a stock, started to lead them round just with the harness on. If they started to run we just put the sticks in front of them. After this training we put them in the wagon, they showed like giving trouble but a little patting and kindness did the trick.

In two hours we had them doing what we wanted them to do so we was going to what other said we could not do. The two brothers started out this same afternoon, they did not wait to see whether I could get out or not and I was not sorry they got a days start of me. The end of this day.