Traffic
- 30,840 hits
Hello World! Welcome to Shoal Lake History
Shoal Lake Minute #18
FRANK DOBBS
Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1855, Frank Dobbs came to Canada at age 16 to work on land survey crews in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In 1874 he joined the North West Mounted Police and went west on their famous trek. During his tour of duty, he took part in the Riel Rebellion in 1885, resigning from the force in 1886. In 1902, he was awarded a silver medal from the Dominion of Canada for services rendered during the 1885 Rebellion.
For his duty in the NWMP, Dobbs received a free half section of land seven miles south of Shoal Lake and started farming. Realizing farming was not for him, Dobbs took up selling real estate and insurance and bookkeeping. Shoal Lake Rural Municipality hired him as secretary treasurer in 1899, a position he kept until 1933. He held the same position for the village from 1909 to 1931.
Frank liked being busy. He was secretary-treasurer of the Shoal Lake Agricultural Society from about 1900 to 1925, Clerk of the County Court from 1885, agent for eight insurance companies, real estate agent with Hudson’s Bay Land Development and a Mason. An ad he ran in the 1905 Henderson’s Directory says in addition to real estate and insurance, Frank has “money to loan” and improved and unimproved farms for sale.
In 1909, Dobbs, as village clerk, received over a hundred applications in response to an advertisement for a constable that appeared in Winnipeg papers. The village’s new constable would be Donald Findlayson.
Frank and Mary Dobbs moved into Winnipeg where he died in 1940, laid to rest New year’s day, 1941. Frank, his two daughters Kathleen and Norah and wife Mary are all buried in the family plot in Shoal Lake Cemetery.
283 words
-
Recent Posts
Top Posts & Pages
Categories
Archives
- October 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- January 2015
- March 2014
- January 2014
- October 2013
- April 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- November 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
-
Blogroll
- Agnes Kokke Real Estate
- Assiniboine Regional Health Authority
- Crossroads This Week website
- Doug Susinski Turf
- Manitoba Herps Atlas
- MB Heritage Video Reports
- Murray's Farm Supplies
- Parkland Tourism north of Shoal Lake
- Prairie Mountain Museum
- Reid Dickie`s blog ReadReidRead
- Shoal Lake Flying Club
- This Was Manitoba
- Town and Municipality of Shoal Lake
- Woodworth Dodge
Author Archives: readreidread
Shoal Lake Businesses 1979
The town of Elphinstone celebrated its centennial in 1979 and the Shoal Lake Star printed a special issue commemorating the event. Several Shoal Lake companies advertised in the paper including Menzies Department Store where Junction 16 Clothing is today, and … Continue reading
Two Aerial Views of Shoal Lake
Former resident Terry Lewycky sent me a couple of aerial views of Shoal Lake from the 1980s. Above is a great summer shot taken by Pradniuk Advertising about 1982. Terry was Advertising Manager for Travel Manitoba (remember the slogan Good … Continue reading
Towering Spruce
This photograph was taken by Mark Fikkert in May 2015. Past the spruce trees around the edge of the lake is the RCMP Museum.
Griffin Family Inquiry
Reid Dickie Today I received this inquiry: Hello, I’m the curator at the Wellington County Museum and Archives near Fergus, Ontario and am looking into the William James Griffin Jr. family of Shoal Lake. William’s uncle, William A. Griffin, was … Continue reading
SL History Blog 3rd Anniversary
Reid Dickie Three years ago today I began sharing this blog with the world and the world has responded! Almost 15,000 views have been recorded since March 30, 2011, a pleasing and rather surprising number. This represents people from 73 … Continue reading
School Opening Program 1962
Reid Dickie Looking through a box of family stuff I came across this program from the Nov. 16, 1962 opening of the newly-built Shoal Lake elementary school (right side of picture) and the transition of the red brick school to … Continue reading
Requesting info on Charles Concordia
I received this contact from Don Menzies: This is a long shot but I recently heard a story that might be true. During WW1, a boy from New York state spent a year or two with relatives (possibly) in Shoal … Continue reading
M. J. G. McMULLEN – Who?
Reid Dickie He was manager of North American Lumber in Transcona where he became president of their board of trade. He was a Transcona school trustee and elected five times as a town Councillor. He was main organizer in the Transcona … Continue reading
Phoenix Family History Request
Reid Dickie I received this email from Robert Boynton in Calgary this weekend. The homestead was between Shoal Lake and Strathclair. If anyone has information to help out Robert, he came be emailed at rctboynton@shaw.ca Robert’s email: Thanks for having this website. The Phoenix family … Continue reading
