VIEWFIELD RANCH - 1919-2009

Okotoks Western Wheel
July 2, 2008 Vol 33 No 43

Francis Sinclair-Smith was born to Robert and Annie Sinclair-Smith of Montifieth, Scotland on May 7, 1894. He received his education at Bedford School. While there, he excelled in the sport of rowing.
At the age of 16, he came to Canada to visit his mother’s brother, Malcolm Millar. M.T. Millar ran the post office and the North West Mounted Police post at Millarville which was located on the Millar Ranch. The longer Francis stayed at M.T. Millar’s ranch, the more he fell in love with the foothills and the Rocky mountains. After the post office was moved west, the hamlet was named Millarville after its first resident.
During the following years, Francis worked on a number of ranches in the High River, Pekisko and Stavely district. Doc Seaman has his home on the site of Malcolm Millar ranch. For about a year, he delivered mail from High River to the Black-Tail post office at Pekisko.
In 1916, along with neighbors Bill Tosh and David Glaister, he joined the 31st Battalion Overseas Expeditionary Force, serving in the First World War, and seeing action in France until the conclusion of hostilities. He received his discharge from the 31st Battalion on April 13, 1919.
Francis stayed with his family in Montifieth for a short time, then made plans to return to Alberta.
Upon his arrival in Alberta, he made arrangements through the Veteran’s Land Act to purchase section 2-21-2-W5, and the SW 1/4 of 11-21-2-W5. The land in question was owned at the time by J.B. Cooper. The outbuildings were not much, but the house was extraordinary.
It was built of sandstone quarried from the ridge just to the west of Millarville, hauled down to Millarville, sawn, then on to the ranch where it was turned into doors, windows, trim and flooring. All the work was done by hand-powered tools, which included ornate work on all door frames and trim. The interior was lath and plaster construction, with all corners being round, No small feat in 1907.
After taking possession, Francis immediately started on a log barn to house his work horses and other stock. He had a great affection for fine horse flesh and was an active member of the Millarville Racing and Agricultural Society. During this time, cars and trucks were almost non-existent and all travel was by saddle horse or team and wagon. Many long and arduous journeys were made to dances and other social functions in the surrounding communities.
To attend a function in Okotoks or Calgary, you just started earlier! For many years, George and Gwyneth Kelson would ride across country from the Cottonwood Ranch to spend Christmas at Viewfield. Polo was a popular sport to participate in or be a spectator of. Many peaceful Sundays were spent at the Deane-Freeman field or the field at W.H. King’s Galloway Ranch. Tennis, another popular sport, was played at Viewfield on the present tennis court below the house.
The southwest quarter of Viewfield was fairly flat terrain, so lent itself well to breaking for farmland. In the early 1930s, Francis purchased his first tractor. It was a Fordson tractor and greatly reduced the time needed to plow land.
With the tractor on one plow and a team of four horse on another, the southwest quarter was plowed in relatively short order. Francis was a lover of good crops and many a harvest saw full grain bins and large straw piles. In the late thirties, he acquired a threshing machine and did his own harvest plus some for his neighbors.
In March of 1938, Francis married Helen May Cannon. The ceremony took place in the new log church at Millarville. Because of the spring thaw, the roads were next to impassable. After becoming stuck numerous times trying to get the newlyweds and their car to the road at Millarville, Charlie Bull finally hooked up his team to the car and off they went.
After being towed to what is now Bill Lee’s Corner, the newlyweds eventually arrived in Calgary, only to find out that the festivities had been cancelled hours ago. Francis and Helen honeymooned in Banff, returning to Viewfield on dry roads. The ranch now sported chickens and turkeys, as Helen enjoyed working with poultry, not to mention the eggs and roast chicken. Francis raised purebred Herefords for a number of years, selling some of the progeny at the Calgary Bull Sale.
Hogs, horse, cattle, sheep, chickens and turkeys were all raised at Viewfield ranch, which made it almost self-sufficient. Cream was taken to the Okotoks Creamery which today is the Bull Pen Pub. Five gallons of cream sold for $2.68.
Francis’s good friend and next door neighbor David Glaister, whom Francis had gone through the Great War with, was a great bird hunting enthusiast. In the early thirties, the provincial government asked Francis if he would be a game warden for the area. He had to gratefully decline, as each morning he could see one or two of his neighbors out getting the odd Sharp-tailed Grouse of the straw stacks.
During the early forties, a daughter Cathie Helen and a son Francis Stuart were born to Helen and Francis. Both children received their formal education at Sheep Creek School at Millarville and their practical education at Viewfield.
Cathie worked for a time in Calgary, then married Jim Scatterty on October 17, 1959. They live on SW 1/4 11-21-2-W5, part of the original Viewfield ranch. They have two children Gerald, living in Red Deer and Barbara, living in Calgary.
Stuart finished grade 11 at Millarville, then attended Olds Agricultural College from 1959-61. Learning all the new ways of ranching and farming were great, until you had to convince your father — who had done it such-and-such a way for years — that you knew a better way. I believe it’s called “trial by fire.”
On July 25,1963, Stuart married Ruby Lowe. Together they still operate Viewfield ranch. They have two boys, Jeff, born January 29, 1964 and Steve, born February 16, 1966.
Francis, who had been struck with mustard gas during the First War, suffered from emphysema in his later years. Getting around became more difficult because of rheumatism in his knees and he spent a great deal of time at his favorite hobbies, reading and woodcarving. Some of his work graces Millarville church, including the hymn board and the covers for the history book and the guest book. During an extended stay in the Colonel Belcher hospital, he completed the carving of the coat of arms of Canada, measuring 3 feet by 3 feet.
On February 2, 1966, just two weeks before the birth of his third grandson, Francis passed away at Viewfield. He was buried at Millarville church, where he was involved with the church vestry and also as people’s warden.
In July of 1968, Helen married Joe Preston of Millarville. The Preston family have been residents of Millarville since 1939.
Helen, who turns 91 this year, was born and raised just a mile from Viewfield. Her father A.S. Cannon, came to Canada in 1889, homesteading the ranch that his grandson, Lloyd and his family still operate.
Helen attended school at Ballyhamage, now locally known as “The Leighton Centre.” In summer they would ride the two and a half miles to school and in the winter they would snowshoe.
Francis and A. S. Cannon worked together on many farm projects, including fencing, branding and harvest. During that time, he watched this gangly girl child Helen, grow into an attractive young woman, whom he took for his wife in 1938.
On July 26, 2008 there will be a 90th anniversary celebration for Viewfield ranch, starting at 4:00 p.m. Helen Preston will be the guest of honor. There will be a short program of introductions and stories, followed by a dance, toonie bar and visiting.
The festivities will be held in the big tent, so dress is very casual. There will also be a display of pictures, etc. Some of the faces in the pictures don’t have names, so any help is much appreciated. If anyone has stories of the ranch, we would be pleased to hear them.
If you have been missed on our invitation list and are interested in the history of the ranch please consider this your invitation to the Open House honoring Viewfield Ranch 1919-2009 on Saturday, July 26, 2008 at 2:00pm at the home of Stuart & Ruby Sinclair-Smith.