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Robert S. Cairns and Wife, Janie1905
Mirror, Alberta
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Robert S. Cairns and second wife, Janie.Robert was born in Prince Edward Island in 1858. He worked in the lead mines in Leadville, Colorado for a few years, before moving to the West.
Early in 1892, Robert took a railway car of settler's effects to Lacombe and built a small sod-roofed house, to which he brought his wife, Isabel, son, James (Jim), and daughter, Jennie.
Two years later, in 1894, he built a farmstead on the banks of Spotted Creek, NW of Mirror, becoming the second homestead in what later became the Gadsby Lake district. He both farmed and ranched here.
His daughter, Jennie died in 1901, while riding with her Dad. Her horse shied, and she was thrown and dragged to her death.
Robert's wife, Isabel also died, in 1910, and Robert remarried in 1912 to Janie.
Mr. Cairns was prominent in community affairs, especially the church.
Robert and Janie Cairns moved to Vancouver in 1919, after holding a farm sale.
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Isabel Cairns1905
Near Mirror, Alberta
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A photo taken around 1905 of Isabel Cairns, Robert Cairns first wife.Isabel was mother to Jim and Jennie Cairns, and was a member of the Lamerton Ladies' Aid.
She died in 1910.
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The Cairns Threshing Outfit1905
Near Mirror, Alberta
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A photo of the Cairns family's threshing outfit.Most likely on the Robert Cairns farm.
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Jennie Cairns and Brother?1905
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Jim's sister, Jennie, who died in an accident in 1901. The boy in the photo is most likely Jim.9
Jenny Cairns Death Notice21 April 1901
Near Lamerton, Alberta
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Jenny's death notice card.11
Grading on Railroad with Elevator Grader1918
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Jim Cairns operating an elevator grader for the railway, around 1918.Jim, son of Robert Cairns, was born on Prince Edward Island in 1890. His father moved the family to Lacombe in 1892 to homestead.
They returned to the East in 1893 for a couple of years, moving back to the West in 1895, to Lamerton, where there was more open range.
Jim, his sister, Jenny and his Mother drove in 40 below weather on Christmas eve, 1895 from Lacombe to Lamerton. (this would have been by horse and wagon or buggy)
In 1900, Jenny died as a result of being dragged by a horse, after being thrown.
Jim attended boarding school for four years at Western Canada College in Calgary, where he played football, hockey and lacrosse. He played baseball and hockey at both Lamerton and Mirror.
Jim married Mabel Simpson on December 12, 1911, moving to the George district, just NE of Lamerton. They had three children, Bob (died in an accident 1949), Isabelle and Jean.
After increasing their land holdings to 911 acres, they moved to Mirror in 1923, so the children could attend school. Jim's family first lived in a two-story home on the South side of town, which was later replaced by a single story home. This final home was built in the early 50's, by Jim, out of recovered lumber from one of the very early buildings in the town, which was being torn down. The main writer of the stories in this exhibit owns and lives in Jim's last home.
Jim ran the grader for the municipality from 1918 to 1939, and was a well-known sportsman, hunter, and baseball player on the local teams.
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Jim Cairns' original house1932
Mirror, Alberta
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Jim Cairns' original home in Mirror. The home was built in or pre 1923, and this photo was taken in 1933. |
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