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ALFRED CLEE
Alfred Clee came to Canada with his brother Richard in 1882. He
homesteaded beside Bob McCallum in the Craigie district on Section 32-20-28. He married a
widow Mrs. Whitford, who had two children, Nellie and James. They first lived in the old
mill, while the Queen's hotel was being built. He was its first proprietor. He moved
the mill to his farm east of town and later gave up the hotel. Years later he bought back
the hotel and enlarged it. They ran a very popular establishment he being a jovial
hospitable sort and Mrs. Clee being a wonderful cook and hostess. Mr. Clee was at tithes
an auctioneer. He was also a Strong supporter of the Anglican Church. Mr. and Mrs. Clee
retired to New York to be near some of their family. They had a family of six girls and
four boys. Annie, Mrs. N. A. Bell; Cora; Olga, Mrs V. Siddall; Clara; Mildred and
Gertrude. Ben; Dick; William and Roland.
THE HENRY CLEE FAMILY by Mrs. C. A. Campbell (Gussie
Clee)
Henry Clee was born in 1871 at Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales, moving
with his family at an early age to London where he received his early education. In
1887, Mr. Clee left London, England, to join his two brothers, Richard and Alfred, in
Russell, Man., where he was engaged in the blacksmith trade and in farming.
Always interested in community affairs, Henry Clee served as Mayor of
Russell for three terms and for many years as councilman He was also town assessor for
many years and at the time of his death in 1949 had been secretarytreasurer of the Russell
school beard for twenty-five years, before which time hit had also been school trustee for
approxirnately ten years. He was also interested in church work, being a choir member of
Knox United Church and Sunday School superintendent in his younger days.
In l896 Henry Clee was married to Margaret Campbell, whose family were
of pioneer Stock (U.E.L.) from Richibacto, N.B. They had five sons and three
daughters, namely:
Harold Clee - Ashern, Man. Retited from Forestry
Division, Manitoba Government, married with seven children (one deceased);
John C. Clee - Brandon, Man. Office manager Scott
Fruit Co., married, no children;
Cecil R. Clee - Detroit, Mich . Retired inspector U.S. Fire
and Rubber Co., married, no children;
Gordon H. Clee - Chemainus, B.C. Accountant B.C.
Lumber Co., married with three children;
Murial Clee (Mrs. Muriel K. Smith) Granada Hills,
California. Husband retired Cost accountant with Ford Motor Co., four children;
Augusta (Gussie) Clee (Mrs. Augusta M. Campbell) - Charleswood, Man. Husband retired Merchandise Manager, T. Eaton Co., no children;
Margaret Clee (Mrs. Margaret Ekstrom) - Vancouver, B.C. Husband retired Dept. Manager Eaton Co., two children;
Cliford V. Clee - (deceased 1957), was married with two children.
Mr. Clee passed away at his home in Russell on January 10th, 1949. Mrs. Clee passed away in Victoria, B.C., March 3rd, 1965. Both are buried in the family plot at Russell, Man.
Addition...The following information was received by a reader, Kathleen Ann Larsen, Daughter of Muriel K. Clee.
My mother, Muriel Kathleen Clee, was born into a large family in Russell around 1905 (5
boys and 3 girls). Her father and mother, Henry and Margaret Clee, were both very active
members of the
community. He served the community for 25 years as Mayor and Secretary/Treasurer of the
Town Council. I've heard alot about the Smellie brothers from my mother.
Funeral services were conducted Thursday by Rev. J.E.McNeill at Know United church for Henry Clee, pioneer resident of Russell. Internment took place at Russell Cemetery wth J.W. Currie, J.A. Newell, A.E. Leifer, J.A. Mckinred, A. Mather and R.A. Stevens acting as honorary pallbearers, the active pallbearers being A.G. Smellie, R.C. Smellie, R.C. Ledingham, L. Leifer, J.A. Burgess and Cpl. L. A. Ferguson.
Mr. Clee died at his home here Monday, Jan. 10, following a brief illness. Born at Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales, in 1871, he came direct to Russell in 1887, he came direct to Russell in 1887 to join his brothers, the late Afred and Richard Clee. He had been a continuous resident here since that time, taking an active interest in town and community affairs. He served on the council and acted as mayor for several years. School affairs received his twenty-five years he filled the position of secretary-treasurer of the Russell School Board. Time was also given to the promotion of the Agriculture Society reception committee at the annual fairs.
In September, 1896, he married Miss Margaret Campbell at Russell, and they celebrated their golden wedding in 1946 with members of their family in Winnipeg. He is survived by his widow and five sones, Harold of Ashern, Man.; John C., Brandon, Man.; Cecil, Detroit, Mich.; Gordon H., Choainus, B.C.; Clifford V., Vancouver, B.C., and three daughters Muriel, Mrs. G.F. Smith, Detroit Mich.; Augusta, Mrs. C.A. Campbell, Winnipeg; Margaret, Mrs. J. Ekstrom, Medicine Hat, Alb., One sister, Mrs. W. Doe, Kent, England.
There are also 17 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
THE HAROLD CLEE FAMILY (1965)
The story of my younger years will probably be covered by many of your members as at that time there were enough young Clees around Russell to have made at least some impact on the town. Today they are scattered over the whole of Canada and the United States, and while I have all their addresses, we seldom correspond unless some emergency occures.
I married Pearl James of Rossburn in 1921 and we had seven children. We left Russell when I secured the job I secured the job of Forest Ranger in 1930. I held that job until 1963 when I retired. I still do quite a lot of part time work for the Forest Service in different capacities.
We raised our children mostly at Grandview and Minitonas and my two eldest boys were in the armed forces during the Second World War. My oldest son was killed in a logging accident in British Columbia three years ago, and the remainder are all married, and are scattered all across Canada, from Halifax to Vancouver. We also adopted a baby girl in 1946, and in about two weeks we will be attending her wedding in Vancouver.
At the present time we have seventeen grandchildren.