The Bowtell Family had a long impact on both Lindbergh and Heinsburg area as well as the whole region from Lloydminister to Vermilion. Harry and Fred Bowtell moved to the area in 1903 to help with the CNR survery between North Battleford and Edmonton. Harry homesteaded near Vermilion near a small settlement called Breage and set up a stopping place. A local school was named after Harry who had become the homestead inspector and a land guide.
Art arrived in the area in 1903 and was a telegraph operator at Lloydminster from 1907-1911. He was transferred to Mooswa (now called Lindberg) on the St. Paul branch of the C.N.R. and was there as telegraph agent for about fifteen years. He and his wife Lily had a house at Riverview where the Curling Rink is now located. Many people boarded with them. The house was later moved to Pasmore's farm. More about Art here: https://heinsburg.ca/bowtell-arthur-and-lily
The Bowtells continued to reside in Vermilion until 1909, when Harry acquired N 1/2 of 8-56-3-W4 at Frog Lake from the H.B. Company. Green logs were got out for a home to be built later on Frog Creek. The land was rocky, but there was a very adequate water supply for livestock. And again, railroad prospects played a part in Harry's choice of land. If the proposed railroad from St. Paul was laid through Ferguson Flats and southeast, Frog Lake would be a divisional point. As history verifies, this was not to be. The railroad continued to Elk Point and Lindbergh, and the choice was made to follow the North Saskatchewan River to what is now Heinsburg. Harry proceeded to establish the Frog Lake Trading Company on a point at the south end of Clearwater Lake, about half a mile east of the actual 1885 massacre site. In June 1910, Fred joined Harry in the running of the store. More about Harry at:https://heinsburg.ca/bowtell-harry-and-emma
This is from a 1976 book put out by the Bowtell Community Association:
BOWTELL FAMILY
The Bowtell family moved from Collingwood, Ontario to a homestead east of Lacombe in 1892. Through many hardships Mr. and Mrs. Bowtell and six children built up a good farm. School was only open in the summer months, but the children attended regularly then. In the fall of 1902, Harry, the oldest boy, worked on the C.N.R. survey between North Battleford and Edmonton. In the early spring of 1903, he persuaded his brother Fred to move with him into what is now the Vermilion area. Harry filed on a homestead on NW 36-50-6-W4. On Harry’s land a two-storey building was built with logs from the river valley. Close by was built the store and post office called Breage after a place in Devon by Matt Brimacombe, the postmaster who was also a homesteader. Harry and Fred Bowtell made trips to Edmonton on horseback for mail addressed to Breage, N.W.T. They also hauled freight with team and sleigh in winter. The only stopping place between Breage and Edmonton was at Mr. Lavoy's. A town there now bears his name. At this time, 1903, the Barr colonists (over 1500 men, women and children) came to Lloydminster area.
He also freighted for the Miller Bros, who had started a store where now stands the city of Lloydminster. In the summer of 1904, he brought the Roberton and Sherwood families into the Breage area. Harry Bowtell, in his position as homestead inspector, land guide and town clerk, became well known in the area. He married Emma McClenaghan, whose father fought in the Riel Rebellion in 1885 and later operated the Government Telephone Agency at Onion Lake. The railroad went through in 1905, and Bowtell's stopping house was moved. Breage faded away. However, the proposed school was built and completed by May 1st, 1906, and named Bowtell in honor of Harry Bowtell, who was so well known now by many settlers for a hundred miles around. A few homesteaders began coming into the area so in 1904, brothers Frank and Art arrived from Lacombe.
Frank operated a stagecoach from Vegreville to Lloydminster and helped his brothers to guide settlers to their homestead land. He later moved to Denwood, now Wainwright. Art was a telegraph operator at Lloydminster from 1907-1911. He was transferred to Mooswa (now called Lindberg) on the St. Paul branch of the C.N.R. and was there as telegraph agent for about fifteen years.
In the winter of 1904, Fred Bowtell freighted lumber for the Barr Colonists at Lloydminster from Fort Pitt. In the winter of 1910, Harry Bowtell gave up his “livery” business in the new town of Vermilion and moved to Frog Lake where he built a store. His wife was appointed Government Telegraph Operator there. The old Fort Pitt Trail passed through this area.
Fred Bowtell joined his brother Harry at Frog Lake in June 1910. In 1912 he married Mary Bristow, oldest daughter of Dave Bristow. Their four children are Eileen (Mrs. Louis Garnier) in Clandonald, Arthur or “Bud" Bowtell in Wainwright; Dalt Bowtell in Surrey, B.C. and Harvey Bowtell in Lloydminster.
Fred and his wife retired in 1945 to Edmonton. Fred passed away. Harry Bowtell has four daughters: Alma, Mrs. Herman Johnston of Saskatoon; Ina, Mrs. Maxwell of Vermilion; Margaret, Mrs. Wenzel, Edmonton; and Helen, Mrs. Dean Logan, of Edmonton.
In this year of 1976, Harry’s son, Bruce Bowtell, is a pump and battery operator, and services the oil wells at Borradaile. He lives in Vermilion.
