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Daniel Bird Ripley1890
Seattle, Washington
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The Ripleys were one of the families which arrived just around the turn of the century.Daniel Byrd Ripley, born in Richland County, Wisconsin in 1861, left his grocery store in Port Angeles, Washington in 1903 to come to the Buffalo Lake area to apply for a homestead.
Daniel sent for his family, wife Alvina, and his children, Bryel, Alvin and Violet, a year later.
The area where he established his homestead was eventually named the Ripley district, after his family.
They first had a team of oxen with which to break land with, because many horses were succeptable to swamp fever. Later, they did use some horses, which did do well in this area.
This photo was taken around 1890, in Seattle, before arriving here.
Daniel Byrd Ripley died in 1935 and is buried in Alix, a small town, 10km from Mirror.
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Elvina Ripley (Buttke)1890
Seattle, Washington
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This is Alvina Matilda Ripley (nee Buttke), Daniel's wife. She was born in Stein, Germany in 1867, and died in 1939. Alvina is also buried in Alix.After Daniel brought his family out to the Ripley homestead, it wasn't an easy life. Wooden apple boxes were their only furniture, but Daniel played the violin, and they threw party dances where everyone would come and dance till daybreak.
Alvina Ripley and daughter, Violet travelled to Wisconsin a few years later, after Alvina's father passed away. She inherited $1100., with which she bought their first team of horses, some furniture, an organ and a Thomas A. Edison Amberola cylinder player (which her grandson, Robert Ripley later donated to our museum). Mr. Ripley bought a two-seated democrat.
In the early days, the Ripley's shopped at Lamerton, riding in on the trail which travelled past St. Monica's church. The family soon moved their shopping to Mirror, especially once the Post Office moved there from Lamerton.
In 1928, the Ripley's built a large chicken house, which housed 300 purebred chickens, the largest flock in the district. It sadly burned down a year later. They also had the first bought radio and the first electric lights in the district.
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Daniel Bird Ripley as a Young Man1860
Seattle, Washington
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Daniel Byrd Ripley at a young age. Possibly in Wisconsin, before living in Seattle.7
Daniel Byrd Ripley's Homestead Patent7 February 1907
Ripley Farm, near Mirror, Alberta
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Daniel Byrd Ripley's Homestead PatentDaniel applied for his homestead in 1903, and brought his family out in 1904.
He finally got his Homestead Patent approved in 1907.
Page two of this Patent follows.
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Page two of Daniel's Homestead Patent8 February 1907
Ripley Farm, near Mirror, Alberta
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Bryel Ripley at Age Five1860
Seattle, Washington
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This is Bryel Ripley at age five, around seven years before he arrived here with his parents.12
Alvin and Bryel Ripley1912
Ripley Farm, near Mirror, Alberta
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Bryel, Daniel's oldest child, was about 19 or 20yrs old when Mirror began. On the day of the sale of town lots, Bryel and his Dad attended the sale to watch.This photo, of Bryel and his brother Alvin was taken the next year. Bryel and Alvin worked on the family farm while growing up.
Bryel left in 1913, to take his own homestead in the Hanna area. After his father passed away, Bryel moved back to the Ripley district to run the family farm.
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Bryel and Dorothy Ripley at the Ripley school1953
Ripley Farm, near Mirror, Alberta
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