SETTLEMENT
PALMERSTON
HISTORY OF PALMERSTON CHURCH
By the late Mrs. P.S. Warren

Palmerston Church was built in 1910. Church services had then been held in the district for many years before this: Anglican, Presbyterian and Salvation Army. In fact, it was many years before, that the first church service was held at the home of Mrs. Roe, a log house south and west of where the church now stands. After Mrs. Roe's death, it was decided to continue services at what we called old Mr. McKinnon's - just at the ravine. Mr. McArthur, who was minister at Beulah and the Indian reserve was the minister. Mr. Drummond came next and after a short stay, decided to go elsewhere, but the people got a petition signed, and he accepted the appointment again. Some of our members recalled that he chose for his text the following Sunday "Why have ye sent for me". Before any elders were appointed here, the elders from Breadalbane, south of where Lenore is now, came and gave the sacrament.
In 1892 the school was built and Mr. Brokenshier announced that the services would then be carried on in the school house. The people did not think he had any authority to do this without their consent and so they wrote to Winnipeg to inquire about it. Dr. Robertson, head of affairs, was sent out to decide the matter and he said the school was the proper place, being a public building. He said "Mr. Black might not want to go to Mr. Green's, nor Mr. Green to Mr. Blue's", and so it was settled to go to the school. Mr. Brokenshier then decided to appoint two elders and chose Mr. Simon Fennell and Mr. Thomas Douglas Sr. (better known as "Cousin Tom"). After the removal of the latter, Mr. Thomas Douglas, Jr. was appointed to the position and served faithfully until his death in August 1932. Services of the various denominations were carried on in the school after it was built in 1892. Generally the school was filled to capacity - all the parents came and brought their family. They came in wagons and as times got better, in democrats and buckboards, and later buggies and cars. The last people to come in a wagon drawn by oxen were Mr. and Mrs. William Kidd.
In about 1909 Mr. Philip Duncan, then a student minister, came to this field and after a time, decided to find out what the people thought of building a church. He called on Mr. Fennell, had dinner, and asked what he thought about it. Mr. Fennell said he thought it would be fine if everyone else was agreeable and if the money could be raised. He offered to give an acre of land. Mr. Duncan called a meeting at Mr. Douglas' that night, and when the meeting was over, $1,000 and more had been subscribed. Another $800 was borrowed from Mr. William Hyndman Sr., and in a very few days, the work began. Mr. W.P. Wallace and his man, Mr. William Barrett, brought a four-horse team, plow and scraper and Mr. Duncan was there waiting to help. The first sod was turned and then everyone turned in to help - some drew gravel, some lumber, and everybody worked. The women were as enthusiastic as the men, and meals were always ready. Mr. George Thompson was appointed boss, and the church shows his capability. The lumber was purchased from Mr. Thomas Hamilton of Crandall, and the drawing on the north side of the basement, still plain to be seen, was done by Forbus Hyndman. Roy Hyndman made the figures "1910" on a plaque which was set into the front of the building.
On October 30 the opening service took place and it was a big event. Rev. Peter Strang of Virden preached at morning and evening services. The choir was a decided success, and in it were — Mrs. John Hyndman, Mrs. W.P. Wallace, Mrs. R.E. Kidd, Mrs. George Harris (Lizzie Hyndman) — soprano soloist, Mable Whitney (Mrs. E.M. Warren) - alto, Mr. Peter Boyd — baritone (then working for Gerald Brown), Mr. S. Hyndman — tenor. The organist was Miss Mabel Wallace, later Mrs. Duncan. The chairs and lamps were borrowed from Crandall Hall. The following night the first fowl supper was held and over $100 was realized. It was a decided success, but being Hallowe'en, it was decided to have a guard appointed for the night. Mr. S. Fennell, better known as Uncle Simon, guarded until morning and then the people gathered to clean up. The men helped too and it was recalled that Mr. J. Hyndman and Mr. Whitney scrubbed even the outside steps in their enthusiasm, though there was a very cold wind blowing. An invitation for dinner was extended to the teacher and the school children and this custom continued. The elders now were Mr. S. Fennell, Mr. T. Douglas and Mr. W.P. Wallace. The first Women's Missionary Society was organized in the summer of 1915 and Mrs. Robert Gow was President.
The only wedding in the church during the first twenty-five years was that of Mable Wallace and Rev. Duncan, with Rev. Strange officiating. There were several baptisms and one funeral — Mr. T. Douglas in August 1932.
Palmerston, Ravine and Kinsmore were first under one charge, then Scotia and Palmerston and later Palmerston, Crandall, Miniota and Arrow River. Ministers I can recall are Reverends McKay, Duncan, McBain, Ferguson, Grant, Horn, Bygrave, Brady, Robertson, Radley, Kippen and McNair.
The 25th Anniversary was held in September 1935. Mr. McNair preached at both services. The choir was made up of the next generation — Mrs. D.C. Douglas, Mrs. G.K. Douglas, Mrs. Maddock, Miss Paynter, Etola Robinson, Ruby Angus, Doris Warren, Harvey Hyndman, Warren Robinson, Clarence Warren. Mrs. E.A. Barnes was organist. Mr. Fennell and Mr. G.K. Douglas took up the collection. The following Tuesday the 25th Anniversary fowl supper was held and in the audience was Mr. R.L. Kidd and family of Brandon and Mr. Barrett of Miniota. A letter was received from Rev. P. Duncan expressing his regret at being unable to attend. He enclosed $5.00 to add to the collection. This letter was read by Mrs. H.S. Hyndman and in it Mr. Duncan spoke of Mrs. Fennell and all she had done for the church.
Mrs. P.S. Warren made and presented a three-tier anniversary cake with its twenty-five candles. The candles were lit by Mr. S. Fennell and the cake cut by Mrs. W.P. Wallace. Mrs. Warren then cut the cake for serving and Mrs. Hyndman, Mrs. G. Robinson, Mrs. Barnes and Doris Warren wrapped it individually. It was then passed to the audience in rose trimmed baskets by Mr. J.N. Warren and Mr. Albert Warren - oldtimers of the district. Those taking part in the program were the Lynch family from Miniota, Scotia Quartette, Mr. Pue, Mr. Hunsaker, Marjorie and Geraldine Doupe, and Mr. Jimmy Stuart. Rev. McNair, Rev. Bygrave, Rev. Dunnett and Rev. Bowman. spoke. Fifty dollars was realized.
On September 1, 1936 Mr. Simon Fennell was buried from the church. Rev. McMillan conducted the service.
In 1938 Rev. McFarlane came to the district.
Rev. Bill was the last minister to conduct services in this church.
The last few years that the church was open, the services were irregular until finally it was decided to close the church. This was due to the fact that families, were becoming fewer and smaller. The depression also had its effect on the church. The Palmerston families joined with the Crandall and Arrow River congregations and the actual closing was some time in 1940.
This old church has stood empty now for many years and will soon be just a memory in the minds of those who were connected with it in earlier days.
NOTE: This history was compiled by Mrs. Warren just prior to her death in 1948.

MEMORIES OF PALMERSTON
By Mrs. W.C. Lorimer (Frances Warren)
My father, Nixon Warren, as a young lad, helped to lay the railroad into Palmerston, Ontario. The Warren family named the school after Palmerston, Ontario. I remember moving down to Penrith P.O. area from Viola Dale which is now McConnell, when I was three years old in March 1886. We became lost that day as it was snowy and foggy and nothing to guide us, but we finally arrived at our destination which was a log house with a sod roof. This was situated on NW 10-13-25. Dad built a lean-to for a bedroom and made a bunk for we three girls, which folded up and served as a couch by day. "Mack", or Percy Frazer, lived with us then. We called him Mack because my eldest brother was also named Percy. Mack taught Edna to walk and gave me my first birthday card.
George Cooper, who was a blacksmith, lived nearby and eventually a lake there was named after him. My grandfather, Peter Warren, was drowned in this lake at the age of 79 years.
Prairie fires were very common and I remember one roaring in from the west. The Frazers were there with us, and we all got out fighting with wet brooms and bags, while the men ploughed furrows. When we were all back in the house, we found Mother's skirt was all burned away on her dry side.
We used to have good times at the Christmas dances, etc., going from one house to another as was the custom, dancing to mouth organ music. Dad, Aunt Frances Farrand, Rachel Kidd and her brother Tom, or Serstine Farrand dancing the Red River Jig, which needed no calling.
A cousin of mine and I drove 25 miles in a toboggan to buy skates, went home to Quadra, did the farm chores, then drove six miles, cleared a pond, and skated for three hours. We then went up the hill to Uncle Jim Warren's and had a cup of tea, and then home. The five of us used to go to school in the toboggan, and sometimes rode on a cowhide.
Our school didn't open until 1892. Three Warren brothers who had eight children ready for school formed Palmerston. Mr. Thomas Hamilton was Secretary. Our first teacher was Mr. William Miller, a one-armed logger from British Columbia who lost his arm in a log boom. He later became a minister. My father was instrumental in starting the Sunday school of which he was Superintendent for one year.. We always attended both at Penrith and Palmerston.
I married W.C. Lorimer in 1902, who bought wheat for Ogilvies along with Herb Hall and John Steel, in Crandall. We moved to Manor, Saskatchewan, in 1906. I remember the Fennells, the Kidd families, Hyndmans, Wallaces, (Warrens and the Murray brothers, forming the Palmerston community.
I was Dad's boy when my brothers went threshing. At one time Dad was strawman with his span of mules. My eldest brother, Percy, was feeder, and Milton was waterman. We had a pet pig that skipped a rope, a dog that separated the milk cows into their corrals, and the calves to their pen and sat at the gate until the family came home.
Dad had race horses, or pacers. The Anglican minister always had supper at our place on Sunday nights, service being at 7 o'clock at Palmerston school. I remember one instance when he went out to Dad's little practise field and forgot to go to his service. Dad got so mad he quit the church.
Mr. Philip Duncan, who married Mabel Wallace, a cousin of mine, helped to build Palmerston Church. Mrs. Willie Wallace and John Hyndman were twins and cousins of Mother's.
I lived on and off at Grandmother's after I was 11 years old, so my schooling was very sketchy. My last teacher was Kate Carswell, later Mrs. (Rev.) Watson, mother of Ken Watson, the great curler.
I am now 86 years of age and live at 4756 Dunbar Street, Vancouver 8, British Columbia.

PALMERSTON PLAYGROUNDS
By Mrs. Frame (Warren)
In the rolling countryside of the Palmerston district lie several small lakes and ravines cupped between high hills. Two of these lakes, Murphy's Lake and Cooper's Lake, are especially interwoven in Palmerston history with the usual mixture of tragedy and comedy. Murphy's Lake, furthest to the west, had clear, cold water, as it was deep and fed by springs. It connected with Cooper's Lake, which was also spring-fed, by a shallow ravine. Numerous ravines and marshes led ever westward until eventually the waters of these lakes emptied into the Assiniboine River via the Arrow River. In early days of the settlement, these waters teemed with migratory water fowl in spring and fall. Many an aspiring young hunter bagged his first trophy in this hunters' paradise.
George Cooper's homestead lay just east of the small lake which still bears his name, Cooper's Lake. He built a substantial two-storey log house and farmed there for several years. He was not the usual type of prairie farmer, being interested in poetry, of which he could recite reams. The Coopers' one child, Sophia, had an unusual pet, a wild crane, which followed her everywhere and acted as her watchdog. After a few years of homestead life, the Coopers moved to Portage la Prairie.
Cooper's Lake had its tragedy in a drowning, the only one to occur in all the years these lakes were used for recreation by the people of the district. Mr. Peter Warren, an old gentleman, whose three sons farmed in the Palmerston district, was found drowned in the shallow water at the southern end of the lake one evening in August, 1897. It will never be known if this was a natural death or a suicide. The old gentleman suffered from a mild form of what today would probably be diagnosed as Parkinson's disease, and may have had a seizure.
Murphy's Lake was named for an Irish homesteader, Mr. Murphy. He and another Irishman, Mr. James McKinney, had adjoining homesteads, each claiming half the lake. They built a joint cabin on the south shore of the lake where it was sheltered by a small stand of trees. Both men were hot-tempered Irishmen, and so inevitably they quarrelled. Neither would give up the jointly owned cabin so although, already in very cramped quarters, they divided the cabin across the centre and each occupied his own corner. It was said they never spoke to each other again. Mr. Murphy left first and Mr. McKinney, frail and now nearly blind, carried on alone for another year or two. He was an exceedingly proud old gentleman and never asked help of anyone, though his neighbours would have liked to have made him more comfortable. The last winter he occupied the cabin, the neighbours became so concerned they collected a box of food and some fuel for him. Their only thanks was a complaint he voiced one time that the meat given him was so tough he had to cook it all day. Everyone was relieved when he retired finally somewhere into a home for the aged.
In the days before refrigeration, everybody cut ice from these lakes, both for summer and winter use. In winter it gave a supply of soft water for washing and in summer with ice which was stored in unused wells or sheds packed between layers of straw or sawdust, ice cream could be enjoyed most of the summer. The ice well was also the refrigerator for the farmer's fresh meat supply when beef rings were established in most country communities.
The Irishmen's cabin at Murphy's Lake gradually crumbled down into a heap of rubble, but the lake became a recreation centre for the people of the surrounding communities. In summer on Saturday evenings the young people would gather at the lake to enjoy boating, bonfires or driving around the pleasant countryside. Every young man tried to acquire a smart horse and buggy outfit. Percy Warren's little brown trotter, Mag; George Reddon's grey gelding, Fleet; and Joe Kidd's beautiful bright bay gelding aptly named Amber, were familiar sights. In later years, around 1910, mixed bathing was introduced much to the horror of the more conservative-minded ladies, though the girls' bathing suits were certainly not the siren type, being very cover-up even to long black stockings. Several neighbour romances and consequent marriages were the result of these gatherings. There was even one elopement.

PALMERSTON SCHOOL No. 638
Palmerston District is five and one-half miles southwest of Crandall.

From 1882 on, settlers were coming into this district and taking up homesteads — some even came on foot. They built log houses, from logs hauled from the Assiniboine Valley. In 1892 the people got together and formed a school district, which they called Palmerston, because so many of them, namely the Warrens, had come from Palmerston, Ontario. Three trustees were sworn in by the postmaster of Carlingville, then Mr. Thomas Hamilton. First trustees were Mr. Joe Warren, Mr. Nixon Warren and Mr. Thomas Douglas.
The first site for a school was not approved by the inspectors. It was too close to Cooper's Lake, so they chose another on the northeast corner of Mr. Simon Fennell's farm, the latter donating one acre of land for school and church purposes. Mr. William Cox, a carpenter of the Carlingville district (now Crandall) was engaged to build the school. He drew the lumber from Birtle.
The trustees engaged Mr. Miller as teacher, at a salary of fifty-five dollars a month. He lived with Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kidd, on the farm subsequently owned by Perry Wallace.
The school house was not ready for occupation when the teacher arrived to start school on April 1, 1892, so school was conducted for six weeks in a small log cabin on the farm of Mr. Nixon Warren. Temporary desks were boards nailed in the spaces between the logs and slanted to accommodate the pupils' slates. Boards laid on blocks served as seats. The school term ran from April 1 to November 30 for the first three years. Mr. William Miller taught the school during those three years. Some twenty-two pupils attended school that first year, only about one-third of whom had had the advantage of previous schooling. Some of that class walked as much as nine or ten miles a day to attend school.
In August 1, 1919, Palmerston School District became part of Miniota Municipal School District No. 149. Palmerston was finally closed in 1944, when consolidated into the Crandall School District. Percy Warren who had been the oldest pupil when the school opened, was at the closing ceremony, fifty-two years later. Also present was George Douglas, who was the youngest pupil when the school opened.
Palmerston School was pronounced as nearly a Model School by the then acting School Inspector, Mr. S.E. Lang, while in charge of Miss Kate Carswell, afterwards Mrs. J.S. Watson. Mr. George Daintry, while teaching at Palmerston organized a football team which fought some bouts with Arrow River's team and at one time were champions of the local football division. Miss Margaret Elliott (now Shelly) began her teaching career at Palmerston. Mr. Miller became Rev. William Miller, and served many years in western pulpits.
Of that class of 1892, in Palmerston School, at least four are still living (1970). They are Frances Warren (Lorimer), Vancouver; Edna Warren (Frame), Winnipeg; Elizabeth McKinnon (Smith), Lenora, Manitoba; and Nellie Bray, Kenton, Manitoba.

The old school building is gone now, and a cairn erected in 1970, stands in its place. "The old order changes yielding place to new" as Tennyson so truly said.
The following is a list of teachers, not necessarily complete or in order:
Mr. William Miller, Mr. John Lane, Miss Margaret Elliott, Mr. MacDonald, Mr. Southcomb, Mr. George Daintry, Miss Kate Carswell, Miss N. Sutherland, Miss Pearl E. Jackson, Miss O.M. Fleming, Miss Jean Jefferson, Miss L.M. Fowler, Miss Lydia Rivers, Miss Irene Christie, Miss M.A. Allen, Miss Hattie Young, Miss Wheaton, Miss Winnifred Grant, Miss L.E. Robinson, Miss Bessie Logan, Miss Eva. M. Sweet, Miss Elsie Shier, Miss Rita Hawthorne, Miss M.E. Thring, Miss Lila Boyd, Miss Marian Robertson, Miss E. Myrtle Burt, Miss E.H. McLenehan, Miss Thelma Thornton, Miss Florence Bardwell, Miss Muriel A. Paynter, Miss Mable Mylrea, Miss Evelyn MacPherson, Miss Mavis E. Hanlin, Mrs. M. Ida Meyers.