APPENDIX
FIRST OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, COMMITTEES, ETC., OF THE FARMERS' MOVEMENT IN WESTERN CANADA, ETC.
1. Territorial (Saskatchewan) Grain Growers' Association—1902.
President, W. R. Motherwell (Abernethy); Secretary, John Millar (Indian
Head). Among those who acted on the first Board of Directors were:
Messrs. Walter Govan and M. M. Warden (Indian Head); John Gillespie,
Elmer Shaw and Peter Dayman (Abernethy); Matthew Snow (Wolseley).
2. Virden (Manitoba) Grain Growers' Association—1903.
President, J. W. Scallion; Vice-president, George Carefoot;
Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Dayton; Directors: J. A. Blakeman, Isaac
Bennett, Peter McDonald and C. E. Ivens.
3. Manitoba Grain Growers' Association—1903.
President, J. W. Scallion (Virden); Vice-President, R. C. Henders
(Culross); Secretary-Treasurer, R. McKenzie (Brandon); Directors:
Donald McEwan, Brandon; William Ryan (Boissevain), W. A. Robinson
(Elva), D. W. McCuaig (Portage la Prairie), John Wilson (Lenore), and
H. A. Fraser, Hamiota.
4. Committee to Investigate Possibilities of Farmers Trading in Grain—1905.
The first step towards co-operative trading in grain by the farmers of
Western Canada was a scheme, fathered by E. A. Partridge, of Sintaluta,
Sask., the first official action being taken by the Manitoba Grain
Growers' Association at their annual convention in 1905, when the
following committee was ordered to investigate and report:
Chairman, E. A. Partridge (Sintaluta, Sask.); J. A. Taylor (Cartwright,
Man.); A. S. Barton (Boissevain, Man.).
5. Local Committee to Organise Meeting of Sintaluta Farmers—1906.
The following committee of Sintaluta farmers made arrangements for a meeting of the farmers in the Sintaluta district to discuss co-operative trading in grain and to pledge support of the trading company proposed by E. A. Partridge:
E. A. Partridge, Al Quigley, Dave Railton, W. J. Bonner, T. McLeod,
James Ewart.
6. Preliminary Organisation Committee of Sintaluta Farmers—1906.
E. A. Partridge (Chairman), A. J. Quigley (Secretary), William Hall
(Treasurer), James Halford, James Ewart, D. Railton, Sr., J. O.
Partridge, William J. Bonner, Thomas S. McLeod, W. Malhiot, H. O.
Partridge, G. K. Grass, Harold Bird, H. T. Smith, George Hill—all of
Sintaluta, Sask.
Subsequently this committee was enlarged to include a number of
Manitoba canvassers.
7. Provisional Officers of Grain Growers' Grain Company—1906.
Provisional organization of the Western farmers' pioneer trading company finally took place at Winnipeg, July 26th, 1906, when the following officers were chosen:
President, E. A. Partridge; Vice-President, John Kennedy;
Secretary-Treasurer, John Spencer; Directors: W. A. Robinson (Elva,
Man.), and Francis Graham (Melita, Man.).
At a general meeting of the shareholders these same officers were elected subsequently and the directorate increased by two—Robert Cruise (Dauphin) and T. W. Knowles (Emerson).
8. Sintaluta (Sask.) Farmers Who Pledged Personal Securities—1906.
Finding themselves $1,500 short of the necessary $2,500 for the purchase of a seat on the Winnipeg Grain Exchange, the young trading company of farmers had recourse to personal securities in order to finance their start in business. The friends to whom E. A. Partridge appealed and who immediately gave the bank their personal notes were the following Sintaluta men:
Dave Railton, Al Quigley, Tom McLeod, Jim Ewart, William E. Hall.
9. Inter-Provincial Council of Grain Growers' and Farmers' Associations—1907.
It was under this name that the executive officers of the various farmers' organizations in the three Prairie Provinces first came together to discuss problems affecting the Movement as a whole. The first officers of the Inter-Provincial Council were:
President, E. N. Hopkins (Moose Jaw, Sask.); Secretary, M. D. Geddes
(Calgary, Alberta).
10. United Farmers of Alberta—1909.
Until January 14th, 1909, the farmers of Alberta had two provincial organizations—the "Canadian Society of Equity" and the "Alberta Farmers' Association." On this date amalgamation took place at Edmonton under the name, "United Farmers of Alberta" with officers and directors as follows:
President, James Bower (Red Deer); Vice-President, Rice Sheppard
(Strathcona); Secretary, Edward J. Fream (Calgary); Directors: G. A.
Dixon (Fishburn), A. Von Mielecki (Calgary), George McDonald (Olds),
George Long (Edmonton), Thomas Balaam (Vegreville), L. H. Jelliffe
(Spring Coulee), E. Carswell (Penhold), H. Jamieson (Red Deer).
11. Canadian Council of Agriculture—1910.
The name of the Inter-Provincial Council (Par. 9) was changed to the
"Canadian Council of Agriculture" in 1909 when relations were
established with The Grange, the early organization of Ontario farmers.
The first officers of the new inter-provincial body were:
President, D. W. McCuaig (Portage la Prairie, Man.); Vice-president,
James Bower (Red Deer, Alberta); Secretary, E. C. Drury (Barrie, Ont.).
12. Saskatchewan Co-Operative Elevator Company—1911.
Provisional Officers: President, J. A. Maharg (Moose Jaw);
Vice-president, F. W. Green (Moose Jaw); Secretary-Treasurer, Charles
A. Dunning (Beaverdale); Directors: A. G. Hawkes (Percival), James
Robinson (Walpole), Dr. T. Hill (Kinley).
Upon early withdrawal of F. W. Green for personal reasons, George
Langley (Maymont) was called by the Board in an advisory capacity.
First Election: President, J. A. Maharg (Moose Jaw); Vice-President,
George Langley (Maymont); Secretary-Treasurer, Charles A. Dunning
(Beaverdale); Directors: James Robinson (Walpole), W. C. Sutherland
(Saskatoon), N. E. Baumunk (Dundurn), A. G. Hawkes (Percival), J. E.
Paynter (Tantallon), Dr. E. J. Barrick.
13. Alberta Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company—1913.
Provisional Officers: President, W. J. Tregillus (Calgary);
Vice-President, E. Carswell (Red Deer); Secretary-Treasurer, E. J.
Fream (Calgary); Directors: Joseph Quinsey (Noble), William S. Henry
(Bow Island), Rice Sheppard (Edmonton), P. P. Woodbridge (Calgary).
First Election: President, W. J. Tregillus; Vice-president, J.
Quinsey (Noble); Secretary-Treasurer, E. J. Fream (Calgary); Directors:
E. Carswell (Red Deer), Rice Sheppard (Edmonton), P. S. Austin
(Ranfurly), J. G. McKay (Provost), R. A. Parker (Winnifred), C.
Rice-Jones (Veteran).
14. United Farmers of Ontario—1914.
Organisation Committee—1913: E. C. Drury (Barrie), J. J. Morrison (Arthur), Henry Glendinning (Manilla), Elmer Lick (Oshawa), H. B. Cowan (Peterboro), W. C. Good (Paris), Col. J. Z. Frazer (Burford).
First Election of Officers—1914: President, E. C. Drury (Barrie); Secretary-Treasurer, J. J. Morrison (Arthur).
15. United Farmers' Co-Operative Company, Limited—1914.
President, W. C. Good (Paris); Secretary-Treasurer, J. J. Morrison
(Arthur); Executive: Anson Groh (Preston), C. W. Gurney (Paris), Col.
J. Z. Fraser (Burford), E. C. Drury (Barrie).
16. United Farmers of British Columbia—1917.
Provisional Committee (Vancouver Island Farmers' Union)—1916:
Chairman, R. M. Palmer (Cowichan Bay); Secretary-Treasurer, W. Paterson
(Duncan); H. G. Helgesen (Metchosin), G. A. Cheeke (Shawnigan Lake), A.
E. Brooke Wilkinson (Cobble Hill), E. H. Forrest (Hillbank), F. J.
Bishop (Cowichan Station), G. H. Hadwen (Comiaken), C. G. Palmer,
C.I.E. (Quamichan), F. Maris Hale (Deerholme), A. A. Mutter (Somenos),
L. F. Solly (Westholme), R. U. Hurford (Courtenay), A. C. Aiken
(Duncan).
First Election (United Farmers of British Columbia)—1917:
President, C. G. Palmer (Quamichan); Vice-Presidents: J. W. Berry
(Langley), R. A. Copeland (Kelowna), P. H. Moore (Saanich); Secretary,
H. J. Ruscombe Poole (Duncan); Directors: J. Johnson (Nelson), R. U.
Hurford (Comox), L. Dilworth (Kelowna), R. H. Helmer (Summerland), W.
E. Smith (Revelstoke), W. Paterson (Koksiloh).
17. United Grain Growers, Limited—1917.
By Act of Dominion Parliament, June, 1917, the necessary changes in the charter of the Grain Growers' Grain Company, Limited, were granted to enable amalgamation with the Alberta Farmers' Co-Operative Elevator Company under the name, "United Grain Growers, Limited"; authorized capital, $5,000,000. The first election of officers was as follows:
President, T. A. Crerar; 1st Vice-president, C. Rice-Jones (Veteran,
Alta.); 2nd Vice-president, John Kennedy; Secretary, E. J. Fream
(Calgary, Alta.); Directors: C. F. Brown (Calgary), R. A. Parker
(Winnifred, Alta.), J. J. McLellan (Purple Springs, Alta.), P. S.
Austin (Banfurly, Alta.), H. C. Wingate (Cayley, Alta.), Roderick
McKenzie (Brandon, Man.), F. J. Collyer (Welwyn, Sask.), John Morrison
(Yellow Grass, Sask.), J. F. Reid (Orcadia, Sask.).
18. At the meeting of the Canadian Council of Agriculture in Winnipeg on July 5th, 1918, Norman P. Lambert was appointed Secretary-Treasurer to succeed Roderick McKenzie, who now occupies the position of Vice-president.
19. R. A. Bonnar, K.C. (Bonnar, Trueman, Hollands & Robinson), has been solicitor and counsel for the Grain Growers since 1906 and has been identified closely with them on many dramatic occasions.