Charles Arkall Boulton
- by Mrs. Charles A. Boulton (1841 - 1899)
Graham Boulton (Cousin of C. A. Boulton)
- By William S. Boulton (grandson)
Reminiscences
of the North-West Rebellions
- By Major Charles A. Boulton, Commanding Boulton's
Scouts, Toronto: 1886
This site made possible by the Town of Russell
Family History Main Page | Town of Russell | Town History Pages
NEW - History being collected. If you live or have ever lived in the Russell area please click here.
The site created and maintained by The Grain Web.
Charles Arkall Boulton
- by Mrs. Charles A. Boulton (1841 - 1899)
In 1935, when she was 85 years of age, Mrs. C. A. Boulton
presented a memorable address to the Manitoba Historical Society The following passages
give a vivid picture of the part played by her family in the early years of the west.
Fifty years ago this April 10, her husband, Major Boulton, rode off to
the Norwest Rebellion at the head of his mounted men, known in the pages of Canadian
history as "Boulton's Scouts." When the golden anniversary of the North-West
Rebellion is celebrated this spring, Winnipeg has in Mrs. Boulton direct link with the
past.
But her "historical significance" goes back 65 years, to the
Riel rebellion in Fort Garry, 1869-70. Major Boulton, stationed as an officer of the
British army at Portage la Prairie, led the "Portage volunteers" across the
plains in February, 1870, to release the prisoners whom Louis Riel had in the stone fort.
Boulton and his party were, however, captured, and the Major threatened with death within
24 hours.
So Major Boulton was to "prepare to die at 12 o'clock
tomorrow." But that night, his jailer went out of his mind. The second night, the
jailer, six-feet-two though he was, and one of the strongest men in Red River, died. The
superstitious Metis had had enough. Major Boulton escaped, and Scott lost his life in the
Major's stead
After the rebellion at Red River was crushed, Major Boulton went into a
lumbering business in Ontario, married and settled down. But the business did not prosper,
and the call of the west was still strong in his blood, so in 1879 once more he set out,
following the Assiniboine river to Shellmouth. The next year Mrs. Boulton with her sister
left Orillia, Ontario, and with the three little Boulton children, set out to that
"well-cornered house," with descriptions of which the Major filled his letters.
The story of that memorable trip Mrs. Boulton told to the Manitoba Historical Society on
the night of April 19, 1932.
Major Boulton met her and the little party in Winnipeg, set them on the
river boat for Portage, and remained to get supplies. That was the first week in October.
Five weeks later, they reached Shell River, 250 miles west. There were wonderful skies and
sunsets to leaven the journey. At night camp was pitched, supper eaten, and the large
buffalo robe spread on the ground inside the tent. The children were always undressed for
the night, rolled up warmly and laid in rows.
The baby's things Mrs. Boulton used to put in a sack under her own
pillow. One morning they were missing. A search revealed one little sock in the grass some
distance away. A marauding coyote had been about.
All along the way, that had taken first days and then weeks to
accomplish, the lady from Ontario who was born in London, England was picturing to
herself the comfortable home on the edge a beautiful ravine, sheltered by poplar bluffs.
"All of us were very silent when we finally pulled up at the
'neatly-cornered house.' I shall never forget how little we said, but how awful we all
felt. Of course there were no windows in, no doors on, no floors down-we had these in the
wagons with us. A large rusty cook stove that had been used outside all summer stood in
one corner, two or three syrup and nail kegs turned up for seats, a large packing
case in the middle for a table, with a pannikin of fat standing on it and a piece of
cotton that served for wick. My little five-year-old daughter said, "But where is the
furniture?" "Out there," replied her father, and he pointed to the poplar
bluff.
The tent was put up once more, inside the house this time, and the
children were soon asleep. A night-light set the canvas on fire and it was only after
flames had eaten a large hole in the tent that Mrs Boulton found her children, and saved
them. And as if that was not enough for her first night in the western home,
nature staged
a prairie fire the next day and she was initiated into the broom-whacking that beat out
the flame from the dry grass.
By Christmas the little log house was more comfortable, the poplar bush
having yielded tables and chairs and the straw pile mattresses and cushions. Before the
party had left Ontario, Mrs. Boulton had packed Christmas dainties in a box to be
forwarded later with other of their possessions. As December days lengthened, the boxes
were anxiously awaited. At last, wonderful to relate, on Christmas eve, the boxes arrive.
The children's excitement was intense. There was no time to be lost. All hands
turned to. One box was opened that contained linen silver glass chintz and curtains.
I do not think there ever was such a moment. Red curtains were lifted out and hung at the
windows covering much of the log walls; chintzes over cushions stuffed with hay gave
comfort to the chairs made of poplar poles; pictures from our eastern home were hung up
and excitement ran high when finally the long, rough table was covered with a snowy cloth,
silver candlesticks taken out and real wax candles rummaged for and put in the
center.
Places were laid that night with silver and glass"
High days were ahead too. Next spring the Boulton's decided to
move to a new location 15 miles away to what is now Russell—which Mrs. Boulton named
and which is now her summer home with Winnipeg only her winter home. "By that time we
had neighbors and they formed a bee and took the roof off and the logs down and carted
them away to the place that is now Russell, but was then only empty prairie with our
house for its nucleus. The work began early in the morning and as I hastily dressed my
children, I heard the sound of hammer and saw the sky appearing through gaps in the
roof" recalls Mrs. Boulton in the picturesque language of her address before the
Historical Society.
Five years after Mrs. Boulton began housekeeping in her log home she
was compelled to say good-bye to her husband, for the North-West Rebellion had broken out
and the Major gained permission to raise a body of men who knew the country and how to
look after themselves to scout ahead of the main body troops. He came back from Winnipeg
on Good Friday, 1885 to tell her the news, and on Easter Monday he was gone.
That weekend saw busy preparations. Had she preserved his scarlet
uniform from his British officer's days? Yes, indeed, and Mrs. Boulton got it out of a
box, everything except the spike for his helmet, which screwed in separately.
"Afterwards I felt glad he had not got spike—it might have glittered in the sun
and attracted a shot" she smiles, as she lives over the events of 50 years ago this
month.
The Indians had always been friendly but with the war, fears took
possession of everyone, and the Boulton family often thought they saw lurking forms behind
the "tepees" of wood. A trapdoor was made in the floor of Mrs. Boulton's bedroom
beneath which was a couch. just in case a hasty escape had to be made. One night
blood curdling screams awoke the woman. and her little family The Indians might be
murdering the young hired man who slept in the downstairs room! "But the poor lady
was only having a nightmare" she discovered.
It was one of Major Boulton's mounted scouts who captured Riel. But
Gabriel Dumont, Poundmarker, and Big Bear remained to be taken so it was not until fall
that the Major rode home again with his scarlet uniform dusty and war-stained, leading a
troup riding in Indian file. "How well I remember that day", says Mrs. Boulton.
She had been left with a baby two months old when he rode off on Easter Monday The
children of the town of Russell gathered wild flowers and scattered them before the
returning scouts.
"Then came the day when I went with my husband to Birtle, the most
central place to gather the scouts and I pinned their medals on the brave men". In
Russell there is a rugged stone monument erected to the memory of Boulton' s Scouts and of
the two who fell in action: each Decoration Day a service is held at this shrine.
Fifty years ago, on Easter Monday, Mrs. Boulton saw her husband ride
off to war. On another Easter day she said good-bye to her son Russell, off to another
war, never to return. "Had the Major been alive he would have raised a company his
friends said, "but he had died on the eve of the South African war, though he had a
son to go off to the Great War. "
All this history Mrs. Boulton can look back upon calmly. She is serene
in her ruched widow's cap. She is happy and trustful. "I am cared for
every day. People think it is dull for me to sit here but I thank Him for the
mercies I have" says the little modern Queen Victoria. Her daughter Miss
Heather Boulton, says visitors are made happy by her peace and content.
These are he children Major D'Arcy E. Boulton, Russell, Lawrence, C. Boulton barrister in Russell; George E. Boulton, Consort, Alberta, Mrs. Alfred Gattey, also at Consort, Mrs. A. L. Bonnycastle wife of Judge Bonnycastle at Dauphin and mother of Richard Bonnycastle in Winnipeg; Miss heather Boulton in Winnipeg at present with her mother, Lieut. Russell Heath Boulton was killed in the war.
There are also 27 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Also see Reminisces
of the North-West Rebellion
- by Major C.A. Boulton
D'Arcy Everard Boulton
- by Dacre Boulton
D'Arcy Everard Boulton was among the earliest settlers in Russell.
He was born at Orillia, Ontario on the 26th of April, 1876. Four years later
his parents faced the rigorous of prairie travel and brought four small children to
pioneer with them in the log cabin days of early Manitoba. He grew up in Russell.
Russell was always his home, though part of his education took place in Cobourg and
St. John's College in Winnipeg. The family tradition was a military one, so it was
not surprising to find him taking part in the Boer War. He was given a good send off
by the people of Russell when he left. During the year 1900 there were issues of the
Russell Banner which carried letters which he wrote in South Africa. There is a old
faded photograph in which four young men are posed in high necked uniforms with brass
buttons, their stiff brimmed hats at a jaunty angle. These were Archie Arnold,
Jimmie Sinclair, Jack de Balinhard and Everard Boulton. They had gone to South
Africa together. On their return there was a warm welcome by the people of Russell.
D'Arcy married Georgina Boswell Barrett-Lennard in 1903
Mrs. Georgina Boulton was born in Peterborough, Ontario on the seventh
of January, 1882. Lennard was an early settler in the district. His wife's family lived in
Peterborough and this is where his eldest daughter was born. she came to Russell as a
child and lived in the brick house her father had built at the top of the hill near the
Manor.
In 1903 she married Everard Boulton. They lived on a farm four miles west of Russell
where they faced up to the vicissitudes of a farmer's life and surrounded themselves with
small children. In 1915, Georgie moved back into the brick house on the top of the hill
and looked after her family while Everard was with the Canadian Forces. After the war they
lived for a short time in Winnipeg and then returned to the farm. In the bad years, the
hard times of the farm became overwhelming and they retired to Russell. They had always,
taken an active part in the affairs of Russell. For many years Georgie held office in the
Women's Institute and was also an active supporter of the Women's Auxilliary of the
Anglican Church. Everard was also an active supporter of the church and took the services
when the occasion demanded. He was a Mason and a member of the Canadian Legion. For many
years he was a director of the Russell Agricultural Society. After an extended illness
Everard died in Victoria on the 14th of April, 1948, in his 72nd year. In August of this
same year Georgie sold out and left Russell. Until she died in Victoria on the 31st of
July, 1965 she felt that Russell was still her home.
The children who surrounded them on the farm were seven. The eldest, D'Arcy,
died at the age of nine in 1913. At the present time Dacre with his wife
Ruth and two children, Jonathon and Mary Georgina, are
in Toronto. Dacre is an Art director.
Zaidee, who became Mrs. George Ferber of St. Louis,
Missouri, died in 1952. Her child Anne is now Mrs. Steele and lives
in England.
Keppel is a Chartered Accountant and is in partnership
with his uncle Charles Barrett-Lennard in Vancouver.
Angus retired in February with the rank of commodore after a very distinguished career in the Navy. He is living in Victoria with his three children, Peter, D'Arcy and Moira and his wife Frederica.
Rhoda is Mrs. Armin Oberbeck and lives in St. Louis with her husband and three children David, Joan and Charlie and David's daughter D'Arcy.
Melfort, after a full career in the Air Force has retired after reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant, and is now teaching in Trenton, Ontario. John, a graduate of R.M.C. is in the army. Richard has joined the Air Force, Shirley and Ross are at home with their mother Jean.
April, 2007 - The below was submitted by Debbie Haigh
Georgina Boswell Barrett-Lennard who married D'arcy E. Boulton in 1903 was my Grandmothers older sister. I believe my grandmother Gladys Dacre Barrett-Lennard (who became Jancowski) also lived in Russell and married Frederick Richard Jancowski. The current Boulton's and Barrett-Lennards from British Columbia will be attending our first ever family reunion in Nanaimo, BC on the August long
weekend 2007. We have heard from Basil, Eric (his farm is Sommerset Farms) Gabriola Isl. Some of these Boulton's will be attending as they are related to our family. Angus (Gus) Boulton has passed away and Freddie is in an old folks home. If you wanted an e-mail address for these BC Boulton's I can get it for you. My grandmother and Great Aunty Georgie come from a titled family of England - the
Barrett-Lennards. Granny's great-grandfather was Sir Thomas Barrett-Lennard 1st. Baronet Barrett-Lennard of Belhus. The title continues today. You may wonder about names like Dacre and Keppel. The name Dacre is after Lord Dacre of the South and continues today. Keppel (my mothers middle name) is after Earls of Albemarle and continue. We are cousins to Princess Diana (same (7th great grandparents) and Camilla Parker-Bowles (Keppels). Like in many families - names continue and are re-used. My sister and I have pictures on some of these folks and I'm sure that the Boulton's wouldn't mind us sharing photos. Love to hear from you and you can also contact our cousin in Victoria who is currently working on the family reunion and has everyone's phone numbers etc. Her name is Evelyn Jancowski
Ejancowski@shaw.ca or myself Debbie Haigh
ed.neufeld@shaw.ca Evelyn has the Boulton info.
I think John Lawther's daughter (Mary)married my great-uncle Walter James Barrett-Lennard, but not sure. William Barrett-Lennard married Margaret Letitia Boswell and had 5 children. Georgina Boswell Barrett-Lennard (m. D'arcy Everard Boulton (1903)) Walter James Barrett-Lennard married (1904) Mary Lawther and my grandmother Gladys Dacre Barrett-Lennard married (1909) Frederick R. Jancowski and Mary Caroline Pearl Barrett-Lennard married (1911) Vice Admiral Harry R. Godfrey (England). I hope this helps you with some of your names. Maybe you can help me? I believe it is my Great Grandfather William Barrett-Lennard that you refer to in some of your writings about 'the manor'. There was apparantly quite alot of family connections in those days.
George C. Boulton
George was born at Shellmouth. he was the first of the Boulton children to be born in the west, far from doctors and nurses, and reportedly the first white baby in a large area. He was born in 1881, October 26th. His schooling was at the local schools, A. L. Bonnycastle being one of his teachers. Love of animals and particularly horses influenced his mother to let him go west to the foothills of Alberta.
George homesteaded near Consort - he would ride to Calgary to get horses to break and work them. After three years he and his partner, Reg. Needer, decided to work together proving up George's homestead and then moving twenty-six miles to the Neutral Hills to work and prove up Reg's homestead. In 1914 he married his partner's sister, Molly.
From 1914 to 1938 George and Molly and seven children lived in the Neutral Hills. Their family consisted of four sons - Russell, George, Eric and Basil; and three daughters - Helen, Margaret and Norah.
Russell joined the air force in 1941 and trained as a navigator; like all young men he was anxious to go overseas and was sent to England in 1942. While on a training flight with six other air force personnel who had all done their tour of duty overseas, the plane overshot the runway and crashed in flames, February 13th, 1943. There was a mass funeral for all seven at Evesham Court Cemetery near Stratford on Avon.
Susan Everest Boulton
Susan was born at Russell may 2nd, 1886, where she lived and was active in church work, tennis, riding and general home making with her mother and sister, Heather. She wen west to visit her brother, George, who was ranching in Alberta, in the summer of 1914, and there met Alfred Gattey, who was born at Cape Town South Africa and came to Canada to ranch. He enlisted with the 200th Battalion Winnipeg in May, 1916, went overseas and was transferred to the 107th Battalion in France, then to Dunster Force, which took him to Mesopotamia, Persia, Bagdad and Hamadan, during 1918. He was married to Susan E. Boulton at Russell Christ Church Sept. 17th, 1919, and they went to live at Cross Bar Ranch, Consort, Alberta where they raised three sons and a daughter: Heath Boulton Gattey; Frank Arkol Gattey; Paul Boulton Gattey and Patricia Marguerite Gattey (Mrs. J. F. M. Crerar).
Lawrence Charles Boulton
Lawrence Charles Boulton, the second son of Charles Arkoll and Augusta Boulton, was born at Lakefield, Ontario, December 10th, 1878.
As a boy with his family and aunt he moved to Manitoba to his father's new homestead. First living in Shellmouth and then later the "Manor" at Russell. As a boy he attended the village school. later, after a few years farming one of father's homsteads, Section 17, he attended St. John's College in Winnipeg.
He worked had and played hard. In 1908 he captained the district championship football (soccer) team. The only hard clay tennis court in the region for many years was at the manor where Lawrence was one of the leading prize winners. Even polo was organized and played.
In 1910 he went to British Columbia and articled for law in Vancouver, receiving his call to the Bar. Shortly thereafter, he travelled to Toronto where he acted as legal advisor to the new suburb of Islington.
After the Great War broke out in 1914 he returned to Russell to organize family affairs before leaving for England. In due course he went to the Continent, joining the British Expeditionary Force, finally taking command of the 200th Battalion as Major.
He married Jennie Dimmock Thompson of Tillsonburg in June, 1919 in the old grand style ceremony with military crossed swords, etc., just after his return from the War. Jennie Thompson was enroute to Russell from the East to teach, when war was declared August 4th, 1914 and well remembers the "stampede" for newspapers at each train stop. In Russell she taught high school until her marriage.
Major Lawrence and Mrs. Boulton took up residence at the Manor. The following Spring he received his call to the Manitoba Bar and opened a law office in Russell in 1920.
He continued to rent, lease and manage his Section 17, Section 4 and other properties owned by his mother near Russell, Shellmouth and Binscarth until the depression and health took their toll, and one by one they were sold.
Although the draught of the 30's saw an end to intensive farming of the property surrounding the Manor, a few cattle, horses and sheep were kept for a few years. His horses, Percherons, consistently took prizes at the Russell Fair.
Lawrence Boulton's sternness with principle was amply mellowed with humor. A heart attack sent him to Winnipeg in 1943 for recuperation, but after two years his desires brought him home to Russell. With no ambulance in the region the local hearse was sent to pick him up. Momentarily parked in front of his office in Russell (while the driver picked up some requested files) curious Russell boys peeked inside. With a ghostly groan Lawrence lifted himself up slowly - modern jets could not have departed more swiftly nor resulting chuckles done more good for the soul. Perhaps those boys, now men, will recollect.
Mr. L. C. Boulton died in the Manor in Russell, July 29th, 1946. There were four children; Lawrence Beverly Bargemen, born May 9th, 1922, Clive Arkoll, born Nov. 6th, 1923, Naomi Dimmock born August 11th, 1925, and Gerald Burn born May 10th, 1929.
His son Clive was killed as Flying Officer with the R.C.A.F. over Germany on March 15, 1945 during his second tour of operations. He was a bombardier with the Pathfinder squadron 401 in the Lancaster "Lady be Good."
His other two sons are now Forest Engineers in British Columbia, presently living in Kamloops. His daughter, now Mrs. Michal Dierden lives at Campbell River, B.C., Jennie Boulton, his wife lives in Vancouver.
Heather Boulton
- A Tribute
Heather Boulton was born at Orillia, Ontario in 1878. She was the youngest of the "three little Boulton children" who came west with their mother in 1880.
In 1961 at the age of 83 she was interviewed by Lillian Gibbons. Characteristically her memories are those of her mother and father and of the events in which they took a leading part. She said nothing of her own life or of the devotion with which cared for members of her family in their later years.
There is a picture of Heather as she was at the age of 18. It is an excellent photo, challenging and appealing. During her long life she gave herself fully to what she thought to be her duty. She was utterly unselfish, devoted to her Church and to the family to whcich she belonged.
Heather Boulton will long be remembered by all who knew her and admired her integrity and her generous selflessness.
Ellen Mary Boulton
The eldest child of Senator and Mrs. C. A. Boulton was born at Lakefield Ontario, on January 11th, 1875.
At the age of 19 she became editor of the Russell Chronicle which was the first newspaper in the area. It was started by her father who got a printing press and a printer, but being absent many months of the year, left Nell, as she was called, in charge. She wrote later of this experience: "I took up my duties in fear and trembling. Everyone in Russell was very kind and helpful. The town itself was not 15 years old but as those first editions show...very well grown and prosperous. Weekly news came in from Shellmouth, Millwood, Silver Creek, Angusville and other country points. My personal contribution was a serial story entitled, "Go West, Young Woman" and various small poems from time to time."
Eldest of seven children, she was largely taught by her mother, and in turn helped to teach her brothers and sisters. She was an avid reader, a life long Conservative in politics who loved political argument and a great imperialist, who read and enjoyed the English papers, thus keeping abreast of events of the day.
On November 19th, 1902, she married Angus Lorne Bonnycastle. Following their marriage, R. and Mrs. Bonnycastle lived at Binscarth and Russell, moving to Winnipeg in 1911, and thence to Dauphin in 1917 where they lived until the death of Mr. Bonny castle in 1941.
A member of the Anglican Church, she and her husband were regular church goers and church workers.
Mrs. Bonnycastle insisted that all her children received the best education to be had, a privilege denied her as a child. All six sons and daughters at great sacrifice to the parents were sent to the best schools in Manitoba, Ontario and abroad. The three eldest boys attended Oxford University, Lawrence, youngest of the three, as Rhodes Scholar for the Province of Manitoba.