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Lewis Y. Clarke came from the USA, stopping first at Ponoka in 1902, moving on to Lamerton that same year. He brought his wife, Mary and three children, Mabel (Mrs. Ray Simpson), John and Dan with him.They opened a boarding house when they arrived in Lamerton, and another son, Leonard was born there the next year, 1903.
The mounted police barracks was a log house standing behind the Clark's home and Corporal Vernon, the officer stationed there at that time, took his meals with the Clarke's during 1903.
Records show that Lewis Clarke also had a blacksmith shop 1903-04-05, and that he and his father hauled freight for the Lamerton stores from Lacombe and Ponoka.
At some point in 1903, Lewis and his family also moved to a homestead, SW quarter of the north section of the present townsite of Mirror.
Lewis's father, R. Clarke came shortly before Lewis, homesteading the quarter section of land directly north of Lewis's.
Lewis's homestead was the main parcel of land Mirror's developers bought out to build the town on. Lewis' dad's homestead was also purchased by the development company.
They most likely received local land value amounts for their quarter sections, but once the land was sub-divided, the value increased exponentially. Mabel, Lewis' daughter, said she saw one lot sell for more than her father received for his whole quarter section.
Lewis then moved his family back to Lamerton, where he bought the blacksmith business owned and operated by Robert Curr. Once Lamerton began to die, as Mirror grew, Lewis moved there and opened another blacksmith shop.
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Mrs. Lewis Y. Clarke (Mary) and Freda Beaman1905
Lamerton, Alberta
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Here is Lewis Y. Clarke's wife, Mary, with a friend, Freda Beaman in Lamerton in 1905.4
Mr. Lewis Y. Clarke1930
Lamerton, Alberta
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A photo of Lewis Young Clarke, most likely in the 30's.6
John, Len and Bettie Clarke1918
Near Mirror, Alberta
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Lewis Clarke's sons, John and Leonard, and a girl named as Betty Clarke. Betty (deceased) was Leonard and Thelma (Neis) Clarke's daughter. Leonard and Thelma also had two more daughters, Iris and Joanne, and one son, Bruce.This photo is most likely taken in the late teens or early 20's
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Young Leonard Clarke1916
Lamerton, Alberta
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Young Leonard Clarke at Lamerton, probably around 1916.Leonard was born in 1903, son of Lewis Y. Clarke, and was believed to be the first white child born in the Lamerton district.
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School Bus with Len Clarke, the driver1918
Mirror, Alberta
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Leonard Clarke again, in 1918. He was a school bus driver. He picked up children East of Lamerton and drove them to the Mirror school. |
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