Glencoe Transcript, as indexed by the Glencoe and District Historical Society. Copies obtained from microfilm June 1999

M; McBean; Alexander; vol 11 #47; 1882/11/23; ; married to Mary McLaren

November 23, 1882

Mr. Alex. McBean, formerly of Ekrid, was married on the 1st inst. to Miss Mary McLaren, of Clearwater, Manitoba. A good time was had at the wedding which was attended by thirty-two couples. We wish the newly-wedded pair much joy.²

Glencoe Transcript, as indexed by the Glencoe and District Historical Society. Copies obtained from microfilm June 1999

; McBean; Alexander; N; vol 13 # 11; 1884/3/13; ;

born to wife a son ( Clearwater, Manitoba)²

Glencoe Transcript, Thursday, Oct 9, 1884 ; Glencoe Historical Society Archives

" Mr. Alex McBean, of Clearwater, Manitoba, is visiting his folks in Ekfrid."²

Echos of the Past; A history of the rural municipality of Louise and its people. Published by The RM of Louise, 1968 (MGS Library 971.27 GOS )

The history of the village of Clearwater goes back to 1876.

The early pioneers must have been attracted by the abundance of clear water, beautiful valley, and trees, and rich soil, and to this little hamlet gave the name Clearwater.

( The Manitoba boundary was extended to it present Western location in 1881 to then include the village of Clearwater.)

The 1st storekeepers were Mr. Tatchel, succeeded by Mr. Reed... then Mr Hugh McKellar. Mr Robert Rogers was the next storekeeper. He built his store west of the creek and north of the Mound hill. His first clerk was Jim McKnight Followed by Alex McBean.

.....

Mrs. A. McLaren ran a boarding house...

Robert Rogers who opened the first completely equipped store in Clearwater hamlet in the '80's later went into politics and became a provincial and then Dominion cabinet minister.

...

One of the earliest weddings west of the Pembina River Alex McBean married Mary McLaren November 1882 by Rev. Jas Farguharson Presbyterian missionary.

REBELLION

1885 was the year of the North-West Rebellion. These must have been anxious times for the early settlers with their young families. Rumors arrived in the village of smoke signals being sent between Swan Lake and Turtle Mountain. Happily it ended in rumors. The Indians of the district were not interested in the rebellion and the village was in no time in great danger. Great was the anxiety of parents back home in the East for the safety of their relatives in the West.

...

RAILWAY

There was great jubilation among settlers in 1883 when the railroad reached Manitou. Instead of having to travel the 100 miles to Emerson farmers of the district were now within 30 miles of market.

The outstanding event in 1885 was the Coming of the CPR through Clearwater and on to Boissevain.

(map of RM showing Clearwater)²

#33. CLEARWATER 16-2-12w, Louise Municipality. In 1873 the Boundry Commission established their LONG RIVER DEPOT at the CYPRESS CROSSING. In 1880 Rev. Armstrong laid out the townsite of Clearwater. Today the Distance between Clearwater and Crystal City is four miles but prior to the arrival of the railroad, the survey of each had been so enlarged that their suburbs were just a mile apart. Today clearwater is the only town along the trail remaining on it's original location.

source: The Boundary Commision North West Mounted Police Trail; Guide to historic sites along the trail. published by the Boundary Commission-NWMP Trail association 28 Morley Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3L 0X4

March 2000: The only visible buildings built in the 1800 were the United Church and the Anglican Church²

March 2000 from http://www.pagedepot.com/canada/towns/clearwater/index.htm

Imagine coming to visit a little town on the edge of a valley where

white-tailed deer roam the streets at dusk, bald headed eagles soar over

the valley, and wild turkeys pick for food along the road.

The Hamlet of Clearwater was established in 1876. It was considered to be

in the Northwest Territories, as the official boundary of Manitoba was the

99th meridian (which was one mile east of the town). In 1877, the boundary

was extended to its present location.

Take a walk down a side street and see two beautiful 100 year old

churches...St. Paul's Anglican Church was built in 1889 and its interior

remains untouched by redecoration or design. Just a few steps away is

Knox United Church which was built in 1893 at a cost of $1,625.00²

March 2000 from http://www.pagedepot.com/canada/towns/crystal-city/index.htm

The closest town to Clearwater is --- Crystal City Village Office (204)873-2591

The town of Crystal City was founded when Mr. Thomas Greenway,

former member of the House of Commons for South Huron, Ontario,

moved to Manitoba and filed for the quarter section of land on which the

Boundary Commission Trail forded Crystal Creek.

A unique attraction in Crystal City is the early 20th century printing

museum. This small town press is in perfect working order and housed in

the original building located on Broadway Street. Crystal City has food

stores, pharmacy, curling and skating rink, dentist, hardware store, craft

store, framing shop, police station, gas stations, post office and a park with

full trailer hookups.

Crystal City Community Museum - Located in Crystal City on 218

Broadway St. Western Canada has only two pioneer printing museums

operating as viable businesses. One of these is located in Crystal City.

Established as the first newspaper in pioneer, Thomas Greenway, later

premier of Manitoba, this working museum still uses original equipment

and machinery from the 1880's and 1890's housed in the original building.²

Excerpt from 1901 Census index for Author Municapility, Manitoba, created by the South West Branch of the Manitoba Genealogical Society ; MGS Ref Man 312 Aut .

#1921 item no.49 hou 11 McBean Alex Male, Head, married, b. Oct. 17, 1856, age 44, Ontario, Presbyterian, Clk Gen Sto, Dist. Brandon, sub 6A7, page 1

#1922, 1, 11, McBean, Alex, m, son, s, Feb 2, 1884, 17yrs, MB, PS clk gen sto, BDN, 6a7, 2

#1923, 2, 11, McBean, David, m, son, s, Nov 13, 1899. 1yrs, MB, PS, , BDN, 6A7, 2

#1924, 3, 11, McBean, Donald, m, son, s, Jun 13, 1890, 10yrs, MB , PS BDN, 6A7, 2

#1925, 4, 11, McBean, Frederick A, m, son, s, Aug 2, 1890, 7yrs, MB, PS BDN, 6A7, 2

#1926, 5, 11, McBean, Margaret S, f, dau, s, Nov 12, 1896, 12 yrs, MB, PS BDN, 6A7, 2

#1927, 6, 11, McBean, Mary, f, Wife, M, May 29, 1866, 34, Ont, PS, BDN, 6A7, 2

#1927, 7, 11, McBean, Mary E F, f, dau, s, Sept 22, 1887, 13 yrs, MB, PS, BDN, 6A7, 2²

Notes from "Pioneer Days of Napinka and a Rambling History from 1881-1930" written by Agnes Yeoman Cosgrove.

- p391 McGregor & McBean built the Post Office building which later was a general store

- p391 The Village of Napinka was incorporated May 28, 1908, Alex. McBain was a councillor (of Napinka)

Notes from "Pioneer Days of 'Napinka"

p13 David McBean (was first owner) the Webb store²

Notes from" Bridging Brenda", Volume 1, page 286

A History of Napinka

According to the Deloraine Times, Nov. 5, 1891, "Napinka is the name of a new town situated on the Brandon Souris branch southwest of Brandon and twenty miles north-west of Deloraine, and is steadily growing into a place of importance being the centre of a fine farming community well settled and well supplied with wood and water. The Deloraine branch is presently about half completed and it will add ease to the travellers to reach Napinka and afford a choice of routes."

Accounts of the following establishments can be found in the year 1891. Mr. McBain, a grain buyer, had a building on main street with a stock of flour and feed.

March 2000: The only visible buildings built at the turn of the century (1900) was the brick Bank of Montreal building near the tracks on Broadway, and the school and United Church both are cut field stone buildings.²

A further description of businesses in Napinka at that time is taken from "Pioneer Days of Napinka and Rambling History from 1881?1930" written by Agnes Yeomans Cosgrove:

"Major Cates had a store partly built when the first train pulled into Napinka. Titus & Son soon had a hardware store in operation and A. E. Slater a lumber yard. Mr. Phinney built the Russel Hotel, Dr. Snyder a drug store, which still stands remodelled and enlarged into the 'Bake Shop'. McGregor and McBean built the Post Office building which later was a general store, G. Hall the butcher shop; T. W. Graham the blacksmith shop; The hall above was used by the different churches for service. The Massey off?ice was originally the McKay dressmaking shop . . . there was a Chinese laundry, and Mr. 1. E. Gaudin had a lumber yard ... S. A. Armstrong was first owner of the East End lumber yard; . . . Dave McBean had the Webb Store; Jim Burnett the Pool Room?, and W. Dandy and Mr. Allison the livery barn next to the bakery . . . the Presbyterian church was built in 1895 . . . the Methodists in 1899, and the Anglican a few years later."²

Napinka

The following appeared as an article by Bert McKay, Sun correspondent, in the "Westman" published by The Brandon Sun, Thursday, April 26, 1979, and is included here with his kind permission.

"Napinka's pioneers had a fever for flour mills"

"About 90 years ago Napinka needed a baker, but the councillors thought the booming village also needed something grander than that . its very own grist mill.

6' Pioneer settlements all across the West had a fever for flour mills, and each place tried to outdo the other, in bribing a mill to establish. Five thousand dollars seemed to be about the average bonus offered, and Napinka was going that far at least in 1892.

"Some shifty mill operators moved into a town, started a mill, collected the bonus offered, and then vamoosed.

"Anyway, in 1892 Napinka was really a boom town and had visions of a railway city in the future. The Dominion Illustrated, a well known pictorial magazine of the past century, carried a story that year about Napinka . . .

"Napinka, the junction of the Pembina Mountain and Souris branches of the CPR is flourishing. Two express trains and two freight trains arrive every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and the 'mixed' from the West comes in on the same night, which will establish Napinka as a railroad centre.

"The first building in Napinka was built just before the rails were laid that far, in July of 1891, and just before the town site was surveyed. During the first six months of its history it was quiet and unpretentious, its citizens feeling that its natural resources and geographical position would ensure a steady and healthy growth of the village, consequently they did not boom or overrate the prospects.

"Since July I of 1892, when the Deloraine branch was connected with the Brandon?Souris Branch, Napinka has been selected as a divisional point, from which all trains are run on the Pembina Mountain. Southwestern and Napinka?Estevan divisions.

"A substantial engine house has been built (which has been found to be too small), a coal shed with a capacity of a thousand tons is being erected, and several miles of side track, and the 'y' have been laid.

"There are two general stores, three hardware stores, two butcher shops, one flour and feed store, one watchmaker, two dressmakers, builders, coal and wood dealers, one elevator, two lumber yards, a drug store and a barber shop established. A good bridge has been built across the Souris river, and altogether Napinka is one of the busiest places in Manitoba.

"There is room for a large hotel, and a baker is needed worse than any other business . . . unless it be a grist mill. A petition is now before the council. asking a by- law be submitted to ask the electors to raise $5,000 for a 125 barrel mill."²