History of Calgary Division

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RCMP Veterans’ Association

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PREFACE

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Calgary Division, the birthplace of the RCMP Veterans’ Association, is indebted to its deceased member, Regimental #13407 ex-S/Sgt. R.C.A. Leech, for the foresight he had in the early 1970’s on the importance of documenting our history.  Ex-S/Sgt. Leech and his helpers did an incredible job researching the history of the Force, Calgary and the RCMP Veterans’ Association, and then committing that research to paper.  Much of our history would have been lost today if it had not been for his work documenting the first 100 years. 

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Ex-S/Sgt. Leech not only documents the history of the Veterans’ Association, but also documents the early days of Calgary and the Force in Alberta and parts of Saskatchewan and B.C.  Many ex-members played an important role in developing the west and held many important government positions. 

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The first recorded meeting of NWMP ex-members took place in Calgary on April 16th, 1886, at the town hall with twenty-four ex-members attending.  The first recorded dinner of ex-members took place at the Royal Hotel, Calgary, on November 4th, 1886.  After some setbacks, the NWMP Veterans’ Association, as it was known then, began to grow and spread to other cities.  Calgary was the headquarters for many years with the headquarters being moved to Edmonton and Vancouver for short periods of time, but always returning to Calgary.  At an Annual General Meeting in Calgary in 1965, a motion was passed to move the Dominion Headquarters from Calgary to Ottawa, the headquarters of the Force, where it remains today.  The association, from day one, was to be a fraternity organization with emphasis on comradeship, socials and the general welfare of its members.  That remains today. 

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The Leech document is dated 1975 and was produced by typewriter, the technology of that time, on long legal paper.  Many copies of copies have been made since that time.  When Regimental #21449 (O.1391) Insp. Clarence J. Lacey, retired, became Secretary of Calgary Division in 1998, he saw the importance of preserving the Leech document by computerizing same.  Also, the document was updated to include the next twenty-five years, bringing our 125 years of history up-to-date. 

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Hopefully this document will become a living document, and that our successors will keep it up-dated and republished again within twenty-five years, our 150th anniversary of the Force arriving in Calgary.

 

 

History of Calgary Division

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RCMP Veterans’ Association

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Part one – The Leech Document (the first 100 years)

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The early history of the Force is well-known and recorded.  Not so well-known is the early history of the R.C.M.P. Veterans' Association, Calgary Division, originally known as "E" Division, N.W.M.P. Veterans’ Association. 

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 In 1972, Calgary Division began to gather and document information on the part that the Veterans of the Force played in the early development of Southern Alberta.  The conditions under which members and ex-members lived and worked should be of interest to those of us who served in the Force in less arduous years.  Unfortunately, not much of this history had been recorded and so our objective was to locate and preserve what we could of those earlier days. 

The present city of Calgary resulted from an Order-in-Council passed in Ottawa on April 10th, 1875, authorizing the N.W.M.P. to establish a Fort in the vicinity of the junction of the Bow and Elbow Rivers in the North West Territories.  Colonel James Macleod received the instructions and made arrangements with the I.G. Baker Company of Fort Benton, Montana, to construct the Fort. 

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 It is conjecture, that the site of the proposed Fort may have been suggested by Reverend John McDougall, who, during the winter of 1873-74 had been requested by the Lieutenant-Governor of Manitoba, Alexander Morris, to proceed on a mission to the Blackfoot and other tribes of Indians.  The object of the mission was to explain to the natives the reasons which induced the Queen to send a body of policemen to the North-West Territories and to also send a portion of her troops with a party of American soldiers to mark out the border between the Territories and the United States.  Governor Morris also authorized the Hudson’s Bay Company to supply McDougall with gifts to the value of $2500.00 to distribute among the Indians.

McDougall would be best-acquainted with the locale in the vicinity of the forks of the Bow and Elbow Rivers, having established a Mission in 1871 about 35 miles west of the forks, which he named Morleyville.  McDougall and his brother David moved to the area from Fort Edmonton.  David, a fur trader, built a small trading post near the Mission.  The men brought with them twelve head of cattle, the first in what is now Southern Alberta.  A police Fort near the Mission and the trading post would have had some appeal for the McDougall’s.

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 Cecil Denny, one of the 1873 “Originals” who participated in the “March West”, gives us an interesting account of those next eventful months in his book “Law Marches West”.  He states that on instructions from Colonel Macleod, “F” Troop left Fort Macleod on August 18th, 1875.  The troop of fifty men with wagons, horses and supplies was under the command of Inspector Ephram Brisbois, with Denny second in command.  Instructions were to select a suitable site for the proposed new Fort near the Bow and Elbow forks. 

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 About two days after the departure of the troop, Col. Macleod received instructions to proceed north to meet and supply an escort for Major-General Selby Smyth, Commander of Canada’s Militia.  Smyth was making a tour of the west, inspecting the Militia and N.W.M.P. Posts.  Because of rumours of trouble, mainly with the Metis in Saskatchewan, the N.W.M.P. were to provide an escort for Smyth and his staff.  Macleod was to meet the General at the junction of Tail Creek and the Red Deer River, near the present day city of Red Deer. 

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Macleod overtook “F” Troop, issued new instructions and proceeded with the troop to the rendezvous.  Denny records that the trip was slow, with swamps and creeks to cross.  It took them two days to cross the Bow River with all their wagons and supplies.  The distance they had to travel from Macleod to the meeting place would be approximately 200 miles.  The approximate date of arrival at Tail Creek was about August 27th, 1875. 

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The men camped for a day or two at Tail Creek, but then new orders from General Smyth at Edmonton sent them 40 to 50 miles further west for the meeting.  When the expected meeting finally took place they were inspected by General Smyth and then instructed to carry out their original assignment without delay. 

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 Col. Macleod and escort went with Gen. Smyth, taking the best horses of “F” troop and heading south.  Smyth had left Fort Garry on the 19th of July, travelling via Shoal Lake, Swan River and Fort Carleton, a distance of 610 miles.  He reached Carleton on August 5th.  On August 7th, he set out for Fort Edmonton, about 520 miles away.  At his former speed of 35 miles per day, his earliest arrival at Edmonton must have been about August 23rd.  He then had to send a rider to notify Col. Macleod of the change of plans and would no doubt spend a day or two in Edmonton on inspection duties and to rest the men and horses. 

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After their inspection, “F” troop, with their wagons and equipment pulled by tired horses, had to return south, crossing untravelled prairies, with no roads or bridges, with creeks to ford and hills to climb.  It seems unlikely, therefore, that they could reach the present site of Calgary until about September 3rd, 1875 at the earliest. 

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 Denny states in his book, that they arrived at the forks in early September.  He described the beautiful site of the valley, the two rivers and in the distance the foothills and the mountains. 

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He does not mention other inhabitants in the vicinity, other than the McDougall Mission at Morleyville.  However, in the Calgary Herald, in 1925, other sources record that when “F” troop arrived, a Roman Catholic Missionary, Father Doucette and an Indian youth were living in a tent near the river forks.  Another Missionary, Father Scollen, was located upstream on the Elbow about twenty-five miles away, having established there in 1873. 

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Grant MacEwan, in his book, “Fifty Mighty Men”, records that Sam Livingstone and his family, were also on the scene and were preparing to build a home.  Livingstone came to the U.S.A. from Ireland, took part in the California gold rush, then trapped and traded for furs in the North West Territories.  He later grew the first crops in the Calgary area.  The Livingstone Range of the Rockies was named after him. 

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 It seems very likely that another family were located on the banks of Fish Creek, several miles south of the proposed Fort.  The man was John Glenn, already well known to the men of the Force.  The earliest mention of him, found during research for this history, was in the book, “Ocean to Ocean”, which covered the Sanford Fleming Expedition through Canada in 1872.  This book records that on the 21st of September, 1872, near the North Thompson River and Grand Cache, they met a prospector named John Glenn.  He was looking for gold, and was described as a “self-reliant Anglo-Saxon, travelling with two horses and had departed from Kamloops to seek fresh fields”.  Glenn had brought a letter for the Expedition from the Hudson’s Bay factor at Kamloops.  This letter was dated August 24th, 1872 and informed the members of the expedition that their luggage had arrived from Toronto, via San Francisco. 

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 John Glenn is mentioned again in the book, “A Winter at Fort Macleod”, by R.B. Nevitt, Surgeon of the Force.  He stated that John Glenn and his pretty Metis wife were at the Fort selling vegetables and butter.  Mrs. Glenn was described as the most civilized woman in these parts, the former Adelaide Belcourt of St. Albert. 

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Nevitt indicates that Glenn was born in Ireland in 1833, emigrated to the United States and there served in both the Confederate and Union forces.  In 1866, he went to British Columbia to prospect for gold and in 1873 he married and moved with his wife to Fish Creek. 

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In 1874, during the month of October, shortly after Col. Macleod reached Fort Benton, Montana, looking for supplies for his men, John Glenn, now a freighter and trader, left Fort Benton with a load of supplies and headed north toward Fish Creek.  He carried a wagon load of canned fruits, sugar, flour and other luxuries.  He soon located the N.W.M.P. camp on the Whoop-Up Trail, where the men awaited the return of Col. Macleod.  Glenn traded his supplies to the men, to the mutual satisfaction of both parties and with no doubt a handsome profit for Glenn. 

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In 1875, shortly after the arrival of the I.G. Baker Company at the proposed site of Fort Calgary to begin the construction, John Glenn again appeared and was hired as a stonemason.  In this capacity he built all the stone fireplaces in the officers’ and men’s quarters in the Fort. 

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During his years at Fish Creek, Glenn planted crops on his land which he irrigated with water taken from Fish Creek.  This new venture was begun about 1878, and is believed to be the first time that crops had been irrigated in Southern Alberta.  His land was located near present day Midnapore, now a suburb of Calgary. 

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Inspector Brisbois, who commanded “F” Troop and who selected the site of the Fort, joined the Force in September, 1873 as a Sub-Inspector.  He was employed first as a recruiting officer in the Maritimes. 

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 Inspector Brisbois was born in Quebec and was very well-educated.  In 1867 he volunteered to fight in Italy for the Papal Zouave.  He returned to Canada in 1870, and then in 1874 he took part in the March West.  Indications were that Inspector Brisbois was not popular with his men or his superiors.  He was removed from command of “B” troop and posted to “F” troop and thus came to be in charge of the men who located and started the preparations for the building of Fort Calgary in 1875.

 

In early March of 1875, Col. Macleod decided to ride on horseback  to Fort Benton, a distance of some 300 miles.  He was accompanied by Jerry Potts, the guide made famous by his exploits with the Force.  The rest of the party consisted of Cecil Denny and Constables Cochrane and Ryan.    The morale of the men at Fort Macleod was very low, they had not received any pay or uniforms and their clothing was worn out.  Some 18 men had deserted the Force and entered the United States.  Col. Macleod had expressed his concern to Ottawa about the problems that he and the men were having and had received word that money would be made available to him in Fort Benton.  Instructions were also issued for him to commence extradition proceedings to bring the Americans and Canadians back for trial for their part in the Cypress Hills massacre of Indians. 

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The patrol set out for Fort Benton but was caught in a sever blizzard.  For two days and nights they were forced to shelter in a dugout on the river bank.  The men suffered from frost bite, and Denny became snow blind.  However, in spite of the storm, Potts led the patrol safely to an American military camp where they received shelter and assistance in reaching Fort Benton.  After several weeks, they returned to Fort Macleod with the payroll and with mail and provisions. 

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 Inspector Cecil Denny, later in that same year, as mentioned previously was second in command of “F” troop when they arrived to choose the site of the proposed Fort which became Fort Calgary. 

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Cecil Denny was born in England in 1850 and educated there and in France and Germany.  When he was 19 he emigrated to the United States where he farmed on land purchased for him by his father.  This land is now part of a Chicago suburb.  Then in 1874, he came to Toronto, joined the Force and came west.  While at Fort Macleod he led many patrols which were aimed at curtailing the liquor traffic.  He was one of the Signatories of Treaty No. 7 in 1877 with the Blackfoot Confederacy at Blackfoot Crossing near present day Cluny, Alberta. 

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In 1882, Denny resigned his commission in the N.W.M.P. to assume the duties as Indian Agent for the Cree and Assiniboine Indians of the North West Territories.  During this period, the Indians were in a state of constant turmoil because of the changing conditions in the region.  The Metis, in what is now Saskatchewan, were worried about the land surveys being made by the white men and were demanding increased food rations. 

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The plains tribes, faced with the disappearance of the buffalo, were suffering particularly severe hardships and hunger.  Denny was constantly making requests for permission to increase the rations issued to the Indians, but with no success. 

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In 1884, Denny was instructed to cut back on the rations to the Indian tribes and to reduce his staff.  These instructions were issued by the Superintendent of Indian Affairs.  He was also told to stop issuing permits for Indians to leave their reserves.

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 Denny was so indignant at these orders that he wrote a very critical letter to the Department.  He stated that the rations were insufficient at their present levels and that to cancel the leave permits was a breach of the intent of the Treaties.  As he could not carry out the new orders, he resigned as Indian Agent. 

Denny next took up ranching in the Fort Macleod area, but not for long.  With the outbreak of the Riel Rebellion, Denny’s efforts on behalf of the Indians were acknowledged to be fully justified.  The Government finally recognized their short-sighted behaviour in their treatment of the Indians and Metis.  On April 6, 1885, Denny received the following telegram from E. Dewdney, the Lieutenant-Governor of the Territories:

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“You are authorized to act for the Government in Indian matters in Treaty No. 7 in any way which you may deem advisable.”

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This rather remarkable testimony of Dewdney’s confidence in the good judgement of Cecil Denny.

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Denny immediately took over his new duties.  He made his headquarters at Blackfoot Crossing which was on the reserve of the Blackfoot under Chief Crowfoot, who was well-known to Denny.  Denny’s first undertaking was to increase the rations for the Indians and to make arrangements to receive seed potatoes for their use. 

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A great deal of credit has been given to the early missionaries for controlling the Blackfoot Confederacy during the Riel Rebellion.  However, credit should also be given to men such as Inspector Denny for the part they played in helping keep peace.  It would appear that Chief Crowfoot realized that with the disappearance of the buffalo, that starvation faced his people and that co-operation with the white men was their only salvation.  That Cecil Denny had a great deal of influence with the Blackfoot is shown in the following letter received by him on July 6, 1885 from Father Lacombe, Calgary:

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            “Dear Captain Denny:  The people of Calgary are very uneasy at the presence of a large number of Blackfeet in the town.  Would you be good enough to come up and take them away?  They say you gave them permission and they will not leave without you tell them so, so please come as soon as you can.”

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Denny complied with the request and the Indians returned to their reserve. 

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Denny has stated that Father Lacombe had not visited the Blackfoot during the summer of 1885, but other reports say a visit was made. 

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The Blackfoot Nation’s decision not to go to war can doubtless be credited to the good judgement, loyalty and influence of Chief Crowfoot.  But it is also apparent that Cecil Denny played an essential role as Indian Agent in influencing Crowfoot’s decision and that both history and government did him an injustice in not really appreciating his contributions to the peaceful settlement of the west. 

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In the spring of 1886, Denny left the Indian Agency for the second time, as the promised position of special agent in charge of Treaty payments was withheld by the government officials. 

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Denny went back to ranching in Southern Alberta, where he raised horses.  A few years before, in 1881, he and Dr. John Lauder had registered their D L Brand, the second brand to be registered in the Territories.  After only a few years on his ranch, he left to become a magistrate at Fort Steele, B.C. for a period of two years. 

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 Denny’s next venture was to take charge of a N.W.M.P. pack train from 1904 to 1906.  With another officer and thirty-four men they began the task of cutting a seven-foot wide trail from Peace River Crossing to Fort St. John in the northern region of the Territories, then across the Rockies to Fort Graham on the Finlay River, connecting with the telegraph line to Dawson City.  The Government wanted an all-Canadian route to the Yukon.  It took two years of arduous work through heavy bush and timber areas to complete the trail, but by then the gold rush was over and the trail was never used. 

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For several years, Denny next worked for the Provincial Government of Alberta and in 1922 at the age of 72, he was appointed Provincial Archivist and held this position until 1927.  During this period, he inherited the title of Baronet, and became Sir Cecil Denny.  He died on the 24th of August, 1928 at the age of 78, in Edmonton.  He was buried in the Union Cemetery in Calgary, the city he helped found in 1875.  He never married. 

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Sir Cecil left a fund of some $2000.00 to be distributed to destitute members and ex-members of the Force.  This fund was administered by Calgary Division Veterans until 1968, when it was transferred to Dominion Headquarters in Ottawa. 

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The Force attracted many young men from Eastern Canada and abroad to its ranks during its early years.  The lure of adventure, the frontier life and the opportunity to acquire land grants outweighed the poor pay and the dismal living conditions which were supplied by a government reluctant to loosen its purse strings. 

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Some years ago, Mr. N.L. Barlee, Publisher of the Canada West Magazine at Summerland, B.C. came into possession of letters written by 19 year old Constable A.R. Dyre of Ontario, who was serving in the Territories in the early 1880’s.  Mr. Barlee kindly gave permission to us to use them in this account of the early days in the west.

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These were Mr. Barlee’s comments on the letters in his magazine:

’’Some years ago Canada West received from a subscriber a series of letters written by a North West Mounted Police Constable while he was stationed on the western prairies.  Although some passages display some of the prejudices of the day, they do provide a rare insight into the life and duties of a young North West Mounted Policeman shortly after that famous force came into being…. 

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The following letter was selected because it was written from Fort Calgary and vividly described the conditions and the atmosphere of those early years as viewed by this young man:

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“North-West Mounted Police”

Fort Calgary, Sept. 14, 1882.

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 Dear Josie:

                              Yesterday I was nineteen and I must tell you how I spent my birthday.  Sam Brown and I had all day and I took my herd horse, Serge a Severne broncho.  The cuss bucks a little sometimes and the first time I mounted him he tried but did not succeed in bucking me off, but when we had been out on the prairie till dinner I left Sam in charge of the herd and mounted the broncho to ride to the Fort, but I had hardly got my feet into the stirrups when he started to buck and I can safely say that I never got such a shaking up before.  Imagine a horse gathering himself up till his feet were nearly all together and then jumping as high as he could coming down stiff as a poker, then open his mouth, lay back his ears and give one buck after another almost as fast as you can count and you will have a faint idea of this cat with a horse hide over it.  All at once he gave a buck that threw all the preceding ones into the shade and straight way a red and yellow ball flew in one direction and a roan broncho in another.  When the ball lit in the long grass it unwound itself and found that it was yours truly.  I looked around and saw that horse running to join the herd for all he knew how.  I went for dinner on Sam’s horse and when he was gone for his I lassoed one of the herd with my picket rope and it proved to be Old Emperor, the one that fell back on Sergt. Major Lake.  I herded all afternoon with him but did not ride him to the Fort as the Sgt. Major might be mad at me riding his trooper, whom no person ever mounted but himself, so I caught a little mustang and he carried me through alright. 

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I went to a dance last night and you would gently snicker if you could see one of these western brakedowns.  Ranchers, cowboys, halfbreeds, Indians and policemen were the gallants, while the “ladies” were all squaws and halfbreeds but nary a white woman.  I suppose you want to know how they were dressed, but I all know is there were a great many beads, ribbons, moccasins and such truck flying about.  I got back to camp at three o’clock and was up when “dress for stables” blew. 

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Sept. 17.  My turn came for night herd last night and as I want to learn to ride those bronchos I picked out one that I thought would run well.  He did not buck but as my chum and myself were going at a pretty stiff pace after the herd, my horse all at once got his foreleg into a badger hole and over his head I went kerflop and the horse on top of me.  He tramped on my left arm and as he said goodbye I felt a gust of wind on each side of my head when he let his heels fly, but a miss is as good as a mile and as he galloped among a lot of brush the bridle got caught and held him till I caught him again.  I mounted him again and we drove the herd into a nice grassy bottom field and left them.  We then rode about a mile further on where two men were burning lime and one of them turned out to be a man from Ottawa, knew people in both Richmond and Manotick.  We picketed our horses and sat near the fire talking of people in Ontario and they invited us to share their tent with them and we slept soundly till about five o’clock when we gathered the herd up and got back to the Fort in good time for stables so everything turned out lovely after our “hard night’s herding”. 

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 But I guess you are about tired of hearing about our horses so much so I will stop and tell you about our new fort.  The kitchen, barrack rooms and mess rooms are beginning to look something like a fort and the officers’ quarters have been commenced and when everything is finished we will have a snug a roost as there is in the North West.  The barrack room will be finished in three or four weeks (time enough to move the tents, won’t it).  We get 15 cents a day extra and work enough to keep us from getting lazy.  From half past 8 till 11 o’clock and half past one to 4, then stables, and when our turn comes for guard we have 4 hours on and 4 off as it is Provost Guard, that is 4 men are on guard and do 4 hour sentry, then are relieved for 12 hours to do whatever he likes then he goes on again for another 4 hours and so on for a week when the new guards come on.  The Commissioner and head surgeon are expected here today.  The Blackfeet swear they won’t take the treaty money this year. 

Give my love to all at home and remember me to all inquiring friends and be sure to write soon too.

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                                                                                 Yours as ever,

                                                                                    A.R. Dyre.” 

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Further letters in the series tell of moving into the new Fort on October 27, 1882 after nearly five months in tents.  He also describes a grand ball they gave in early November with a sumptuous supper at midnight.  At a Treaty money ceremony at Blackfoot Crossing a flying bullet narrowly missed one of the constables.  During the winter the men were skating on the ice of the Elbow River for recreation. 

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April 7, 1884 he is complaining of the low pay, which can only be supplemented by catching a whiskey dealer or a gambler.  Then he says, “The nigger was strung up here on the 29th of last month and died game.” 

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The next series of letters begin five months later from Columbia Crossing, B.C. during the railway construction there.  He is chasing horse thieves, braving avalanche dangers and dealing with a mentally deranged prisoner. 

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 When word reaches him of the Riel Rebellion, he reveals his eagerness to get back to the prairies and take part in the action.  His wishes are fulfilled and he tells of his march from Calgary with the troops to Fort Edmonton and on to Fort Pitt. 

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His description of his experiences, with bullets flying around him and friends being wounded beside him are vivid.  He is anxious for his brother not to reveal all this to his parents.  His last letter is dated Sept. 3, 1885 from Battleford.  He has rather strong criticism of General Middleton and his troops.  The final letter of the series, dated Nov. 23rd, 1885, comes as a shock to the reader who has been getting to know this young man from his letters home.  Inspector John Allen is writing to Constable Dyre’s older brother to report his death on October 31st from typhoid.  He was buried with military honours in the cemetery near the Fort, beside his comrades who had been killed in the Rebellion. 

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During the first two years of the Force’s service in the west, a reputation was established for fearlessness and integrity in dealing with the Indians and whiskey traders.  Assistant Commissioner James F. Macleod was most responsible for setting this example and his officers and men held him in such respect that they willingly followed the same course. 

Macleod was assigned 10 officers and 140 men and given orders to build a fort and establish law and order in what is now Southern Alberta.  He carried out these orders and also soon won the confidence of the Indians, including Chief Crowfoot, who considered him a good friend. 

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During this same period, the reputation of the men for hard work and hard drinking was being established, while the government at Ottawa were known for poor pay and penny pinching toward the Force. 

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Col. Macleod was eminently qualified for the position he held in the Force at this time.  He had obtained a law degree in Ontario in 1860.  He also served in the Militia and took part as a Brigade Major in the Wolseley expedition to the Red River in 1870. 

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He joined the Force in 1873, was appointed an Assistant Commissioner and spent the winter with the Force at Lower Fort Garry.  He was in charge of the first patrol sent out by the Force to investigate a complaint of bootlegging along the shores of Lake Winnipeg.  The patrol travelled by dog team and they completed arrest and the destruction of liquor. 

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In late 1875, Col. Macleod resigned his commission to accept an appointment as stipendiary magistrate.  In 1876 he was appointed Commissioner of the N.W.M.P. following the departure of Commissioner French.  He served in this capacity until June of 1880, when he was appointed a Judge of the Supreme Court of the North West Territories.  He remained a Judge until his death in September, 1894, at the age of 58.  He was buried in Union Cemetery in Calgary. 

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The Force was not the first organized group of white men on the northern plains.  Early explorers and fur traders crossed these plains years before the arrival of the N.W.M.P., usually in comparative safety.  The Canadian-United States Boundary Commission, with a small escort of troops were completing their survey of the border west to the Rocky Mountains in 1874 at the time of the arrival of the Force.  

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Although the police were few in numbers, their arrival did encourage settlement of the western plains by farmers and ranchers.  Many ex-members of the police played prominent roles in the development of the west, becoming involved not only in farming and ranching, but in trading, in the lumber business, some became magistrates and judges.  Some progressed to high military rank in the Armed Forces, two of these were Major-General Sam Steele, and in later years, Major-General George Pearkes, V.C.  General Pearkes also became a member of Parliament, was appointed to the Cabinet and later served as Lieut.-Governor of British Columbia.  P.C.H. Primrose, another ex-member served as Lieut.-Governor of Alberta.  Some members became involved in business ventures while still serving in the Force.  Reg. No. 102, Constable R. Whitney was said to be the first white man to run cattle during the winter on the open range in Southern Alberta.  He had purchased 25 head of cattle in 1876 from Montana, released them south of Fort Macleod and in the spring found the herd in good condition and all in tact. 

Within the next two years, thirty ex-members were ranching and farming in the Macleod-Pincher Creek area.  

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These men who shared the bond of membership in the N.W.M.P. and had served in this sparsely settled land had much in common and no doubt had attended social gatherings wherever possible to meet and renew friendships with old comrades.  As their numbers increased they perhaps would discuss forming an Association of ex-members who had shared so much of the adventure and hardship since 1873. 

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The earliest recorded information of the N.W.M.P. Veterans' Association appears in editions of the Calgary Herald, dated April  3rd and 17th, June 19th and November 6th, 1886.

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            April 3rd, 1886 

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            'The meeting called for Friday, the 9th instant to form an Association of the ex-Mounted Police of the district, will, we expect be largely attended. 

            Such an Association could have nothing but good results.  Bound together by the ties that years of service together must form amongst anybody of men, the old Mounted Police of the Territories are in a peculiarly excellent position for forming a union amongst themselves.  Such unions are frequent amongst the ex-members of Militia in Canada but the Mounted Police are much more in the position of a regiment on active foreign service than of the volunteer battalions.  They are on duty together for a number of years continuously, have the same hardships, pleasure, pursuits and aims in common, and in after life may be supposed to take the greatest interest in each other's future. 

          It is for the sake of allowing this interest to take a practical shape that no doubt this Association is proposed.  In cases of sickness, and death it is not unnatural that the police should like to aid each other.  A benevolent and mutually helpful union would be nothing but right and we hope the preliminary meeting will be largely attended.' 

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            April 17, 1886 

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            'A meeting of the ex-Mounted Police of the Calgary District was held in the town hall yesterday.  Twenty-four ex-members of the Force turned up and it was decided to form an organization for benevolent purposes of residents of the district who had served in the Force. 

            Major Walker was elected President, Mr. G.C. King, Vice-President, Mr. Gilmour, Secretary, Mr. Ellis, Treasurer, and Dr. Lauder, Physician.  A committee was appointed composed of the following gentlemen: Messrs. Owens, Boys, Butlin, Grogan, Ward, Dunne and Wilson, and the meeting adjourned for three weeks.  Gentlemen at Macleod and Edmonton have been corresponding with a view of getting them to form similar associations in those districts.' 

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            June 19, 1886 

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            'A special meeting of the N.W.M.P. Society was summonsed on Tuesday afternoon to consider various subjects of importance, among others we understand, to get a general opinion of the Calgary (members) which, to speak, the mother society, to what the general aim and object of the Association shall eventually be, whether it shall simply exist as a purely benevolent society or partake of the semi-military character, and in the latter case, whether the Government might not reasonably be asked for a subsidy in the shape of arms and money for the erection of an armoury and to recognize the society generally.  We think ourselves that this latter shape is the one which any organization of former officers and troopers of the N.W.M.P. should naturally take while still existing for benevolent and social purposes.  Of course all ex-mounted policemen could not be expected to serve again as volunteers in scarcely any event but such as would summons every citizen in town to the field.  Some may be physically incapable while others would be prevented by the nature of their occupations and business.  But there will always be left a large number of ex-M.P., who would be only too willing to put on their belts again in case of any emergency in their own district.  And it would greatly strengthen the hands of the Government to know they could depend on this district of Alberta of, say, a couple of hundred men, well acquainted with the country, accustomed to riding and the use of arms and last but not least, to discipline and able either to give an order or obey it.  Had such a body been organized and armed the famous Sunday a little over a year ago, we venture to think there would have been very little alarm at the threatened Blackfoot raid. 

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            Another part of the work which such a society could well perform which is especially stated in its Constitution, is the collection and preservation of documents and traditions concerning the past history of the Force.  There must be many a "curious yarn" about the great march of '74 and old times at abandoned posts, stories of Pelly and Walsh and Wood Mountain worth preserving.  The sooner that the experience of the "old timers" of the Force and their description of the country as it used to be are collected the better, since every year lost increases the difficulty of so doing.  There are many ex-members of the Force, both here and all over the country to whom such a task would be both interesting and congenial. 

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            At any rate we hope soon to see the society placed on a practical working basis for extension all over the Territories as whatever shape it may ultimately assume it cannot help but be a benefit both to the ex-M.P.'s themselves and the community at large.' 

            Nov. 4th, 1886 

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                         THE ANNUAL DINNER OF THE EX-M.P.

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          'The first annual dinner of the ex-members of the Mounted Police force took place at the Royal Hotel, Calgary on Thursday, Nov. 4, 1886.  The repast was served in the new dining hall, which was prettily decorated for the occasion with flags, mottoes, and colored streamers, while a huge buffalo head, the badge of the Mounted Police, frowned on the wall over the President's chair.' 

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This is the earliest mention of a "Constitution" as such in any of the material that seems to exist today for examination.  Whatever format it took, whether written or printed, we can only assume, as no copy has been found at this time. 

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            'Amongst the guest present General Strange, Major Stewart, Major Hatton, Inspector Moody, Dr. Henderson, the members of the new council, Rev. J. McDougall, Sam Livingstone, Sgt. Major Wilde and the Sgts. Mess, F. Annand, A.G. McDonald and others. 

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            An excellent dinner having been done ample justice to, the health of the Queen and Royal family was heartily responded to, after which followed a long list of toasts to the Army and Navy, which brought General Strange to his feet with an excellent speech.  The N.W.M. Police, the Alberta Mounted Rifles, Steele's Scouts and Rocky Mountain Rangers; the Lt. Governor and N.W. Council, Sister Societies, the Press and Pioneers; to which Sam Livingstone and Rev. J. McDougall responded, and several other toasts.  The speech making was interspersed with music from the N.W.M.P. band, and songs from Messrs. T.H. Dunne, Braithwaite, Henders and Kenly.  Shortly after midnight the group dispersed, well pleased with the way in which the ex-M.P.'s ran the dinner.' 

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 Colonel James Walker, ex-Superintendent, was deeply involved in the formation of the Association, since 1886.  In fact the early history of Calgary reflects to a great extent the activities and interests of Walker.  He joined the Force in 1874 as a Sub-Inspector.  For four years, 1876 to 1880, he was in charge of the Battleford area, which along with Wood Mountain and Fort Walsh was the most troublesome area in the West due to the presence of Sitting Bull and his Sioux tribe.  The Cree Indians were also very demanding and the responsibility for control of such chiefs as Big Bear and Poundmaker fell on Major Walker’s command.  In 1880 Walker was promoted to Superintendent and was posted to Fort Walsh.  Prior to taking over this command, he was ordered to Ottawa, where he was interviewed by Sir John A. MacDonald, then Prime Minister.  As a result of this interview, Walker was offered a position as manager of a large ranch to be established by Senator M.H. Cochrane of Montreal.  Walker resigned his commission and accepted the offer to manage the ranch. 

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This ranch was to consist of one hundred thousand acres bordering the foothills of the Rockies, with its headquarters at present day Cochrane.  At the time it was the largest ranch in the territories and at one time ran close to 12,000 head of cattle.  Walker managed the ranch for three years during which time very severe winters were encountered and cattle losses were in the thousands. 

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In 1883, Walker resigned from his position and plunged into the business and civic life of Calgary.  He purchased the Cochrane Ranch Saw Mill and operated it for many years.  He obtained the contract to supply material for the first wooden sidewalks in Calgary.  He was President of the first Agricultural Society formed in 1884 and was instrumental in obtaining land grants of 90 acres from the Minister of the Interior for $2.50 per acre.  The present site of the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede were in this acreage. 

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He also served for 18 years on the Calgary School Board, was Chairman of the first Municipal Council and Director of the first Hospital. 

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Tony Cashman in his book, “Singing Wires”, states that James Walker received the first government message over telegraph wires at North Battleford on Nov. 20, 1877, from Superintendent Jarvis, N.W.M.P., Edmonton.  It appears that this earlier involvement and interest in the new methods of communications to the Territory, led to his having it installed in Southern Alberta, first in Calgary in 1886.  He also managed to find the time to operate the first telephone and switchboard. 

In 1885, with the outbreak of the Riel Rebellion, Walker was appointed by General Strange to be in charge of the protection of settlers between High River and Red Deer. 

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The years from 1899 to 1900 found him a member of the Royal Commission appointed to settle the Metis claims in the North West Territories. 

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During the First World War, although in his sixties, Colonel Walker served overseas in the Forestry Corps.  

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Although James Walker did not receive the publicity and the recognition of some of the other early members of the Force, he must surely rank in stature with Macleod, Steele, and Walsh in his achievements during his service years.  And in reading any accounts of the early days of Calgary, one must be impressed by the scope of the things he introduced and the influence he had in the city's growth and development. 

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It is a pleasure to report here, that since this report was begun, when Calgary celebrated its Centennial year in 1975, the citizens were asked to choose the "Citizen of the Century" and they chose Col. James Walker, as the one who had done the most for Calgary in the first 100 years of its history. 

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The name of Col. Walker is found frequently and prominently in all the affairs of the newly formed Veterans' Association from 1886 and for as long as he lived. 

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It is not really known how active the new Association was in those years.  At least 245 members and ex-members of the Force took part in the Boer War and so it seems likely that this was the cause of it becoming somewhat inactive during this period. 

The Association was re-formed in 1901, when a convention of former members of the Force met at the N.W.M.P. Barracks in Calgary on the 10th of July.  (Quote from Calgary Herald) 

 

           "THE VETERANS' BANQUET"

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          'On Friday evening the North-West Mounted Police Veterans held their first annual dinner at the Queen's Hotel with Commissioner Walker in the chair and Colonel Herchmer in the vice chair.  On the chairman's right were Commissioner Perry of the North-West Mounted Police and the Hon. A.L. Sifton, and on his left Inspecting Supt. Roberts of Winnipeg.  On either side of the vice chair were Capt. White of the Navy, and A.E. Cross, M.L.A. and R.S. Lake, M.L.A. for Grenfell.  After all had partaken of the repast, the chairman rose and proposed a toast to the King, which was duly honoured.  The next toast was to the Lieut-Governor and North-West Government.  A letter was read from His Honour expressing his regret at not being able to be present, and name of the Hon. Mr. Sifton was included.  He made a happy reply, complementing the North-West Mounted Police on the efficient work they had performed in the North-West. 

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          The Chairman called on Ex-Mayor Reilly, who delivered an eloquent address of welcome to the visiting delegates and complimented the Force on the efficiency which had marked their administration of affairs in the country. 

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          The next toast was Our Fallen and Absent Comrades, drunk in silence, after which Comrade S.L. Saunders sang The Boys of the Old Brigade with much feeling. 

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          Colonel Herchmer proposed the next toast, which was the Legislative Assembly.  It was responded to by Messrs. Cross and Lake, of the Legislative Assembly, after which Mr. Hooley sang When Jack Leaves Home Again. 

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          The delegates was responded to by Comrades Roberts of Winnipeg, Woods of Fort Macleod, Johnson of Medicine Hat, Forbes of Edmonton, Burton of Battleford and Chaplain Bray of Medicine Hat. 

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          The Press was proposed by Assistant Commissioner Wood and responded to by Braden and McCaffary of the local papers. 

          Comrade Whitehead sang The Sunshine of Paradise Alley.  Comrade Miller gave a humorous recitation. 

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          The next toast was the North-West Mounted Police, coupled with the names of Commissioner Perry and Inspector Wilson.  Commissioner Perry stated that the Force numbered 830 men.  He hoped to see it increased.  Nowhere in the world were the same number of men covering so large an area of country; the North-West Territories, parts of Manitoba, British Columbia and the Yukon were covered, and it was also contemplated to establish a post at the mouth of the Mackenzie River.  He said that the police had a better reputation outside of Canada than at home, and referred to the name they had won for themselves in South Africa where such a large number of Strathcona's Horse and the C.N.R., both officers and men were either members or ex-members of the Mounted Police, including the first Victoria Cross Winner and the first Colonial to receive it.  He hoped to see the time when the Government of Canada would establish the Veterans as a reserve corps of the Force.  There were about 2000 in the country.  On resuming his seat he was loudly applauded. 

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          Inspector Wilson complimented the members of the Veterans' Association on their marching and drill, which he witnessed in the morning on their march to the graves of the late Colonel Macleod and Superintendent Jarvis, so showing that although long years had elapsed since many of them had done duty, they had not forgotten their drill and it certainly was a source of congratulation that in case of need the country had only to call and 2000 of her citizens in the north west were ready to step into the ranks, a well drilled and disciplined corps.  He said that although the Veterans' Association were good men and true he would remind them that they had just as good stuff in the force today as ever. 

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          An orchestra composed of F.A. Bagley, S.L. Saunders, C.A. Whitehead and A. Goodler rendered several musical selections and concluded the entertainment with a collection of patriotic songs, among them being the old Indian war music which caused some members to take to the floor and perform the dance. 

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          At the convention held at the Barracks on Friday morning, called for the purpose of organizing an ex-North-West Mounted Police Association, delegates were present from Macleod, Calgary, Fort Saskatchewan, Millarville, Olds, Medicine Hat, DeWinton, Regina and Winnipeg.  Major Walker was appointed Chairman of the convention and F.A. Bagley, Secretary. 

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          After some discussion the name selected for the association was the North West Mounted Police Veterans.  All ex-members of the Force and officers and men of the North West Mounted Police, who had served 10 years were to be eligible for membership. A Constitution was adopted.  The organization was to consist of headquarters and local post.  Memorial Day would be observed October 13, the day the police arrived at old Fort Macleod.  The following officers of headquarters post were elected. 

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                        Comptroller - Colonel Irvine, Stoney Mountain

                        Commissioner - Major Walker, Calgary

                        Assistant-Commissioner - C.E.D. Wood, Macleod

                        Inspecting Superintendent - J.J. Roberts, Winnipeg

                        Adjutant - F.A. Bagley, Calgary

                        Paymaster - Colonel L.W. Herchmer

                        Surgeon - Dr. C.A. Kennedy, Macleod

                        Chaplain - J.H.G. Bray, Medicine Hat

                        Orderly Officer - J.F. Forbes, Fort Saskatchewan 

          

Macleod was selected as the next meeting place of the H.Q. Post.'

 

This article appeared in the Calgary Herald of July 15, 1901 and refers to the first annual dinner of the North West Mounted Police Veterans as an Association.  This should not be confused with the first annual dinner at the Royal Hotel, Calgary on Nov. 4, 1886, as ex-members of the mounted police force. 

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This is the second earliest mention made of a Constitution.  But again we have been unable to find an original or copies of such a document. 

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The titles used for the officers in the Veterans' Association were the same as those used in the Force, but this did not continue, as for some time now the officers of the Association have had the commonly used titles of President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and so on. 

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 At the Convention and dinner were two former Commissioners of the N.W.M.P., A.G. Irvine and L.W. Herchmer.  Irvine held the rank from 1880 to 1896.  He retired with a gratuity and then became Warden of Stoney Mountain Penitentiary in Manitoba. 

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 L.W. Herchmer followed Irvine as head of the Force in 1896.  Supt. Crozier had been acting as second in command and had had high hopes of becoming Commissioner.  However, Sir John A. McDonald appointed his friend and former Kingston neighbour, Herchmer.  He had served in the British Army and on the International Boundary Commission, but had never been in the Force.  Herchmer named his brother, Supt. W.H. Herchmer to be Assistant-Commissioner which caused further discontent in Crozier and other officers. 

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 Ex-Commissioner Herchmer was later the first president of the Vancouver Division of the Veterans’ Association. 

 It is known that in September, 1901, veterans of the N.W.M.P. gathered at Calgary, along with members of the Force.  The occasion was the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York to Calgary.  The Royal Party inspected 173 mounted members from Depot, "D", "E", "K" and "G" Divisions.  This was apparently the largest concentration of members of the Force at one place since the March West in 1874.  During the inspection the Duke presented South African War Medals to Veterans and Police members. 

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In the fall of 1906, Inspector Burton Deane, the first Adjutant of the Force and the man responsible for the first “Rules and Regulations”, transferred from Lethbridge to the Command of “E” Division at Calgary. 

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Deane was later the author of the book, “Mounted Police Life in Canada.”  The following information about Calgary was obtained from this book: 

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He states that upon his arrival to take command, the old officers’ quarters was condemned and torn down as the Force had already authorized the expenditure of $5000.00 for new quarters.  The Post consisted of about 37 acres.  The new house was “to be built on the site of the old one which had been prettily situated.”  Construction started in August, 1906.  The basement was dug by prisoners from the N.W.M.P. Guard Room.  To speed construction Deane instructed the cook to supply the working party “all the meat they want to eat and charge the excess ration to me,  but tell them I want to be in by Christmas.”  The carpenters’ union demanded a wage increase of 10 cents an hour to earn 55 cents an hour.  Because of this increase the cost of the house exceeded the budget by $1200.00, so the house cost $6200.00.  The house was finished in December, but Deane’s wife who had been ill “at the West Coast,” died Dec. 24th and never saw the new quarters. 

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Deane stated that the new quarters had a 12 foot veranda on the south and east sides.  Deane lived in the quarters until March, 1914.  The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway had been attempting to purchase the N.W.M.P. property for over a year and made the purchase for $250,000.00.  The City Assessor apparently valued the site at $1,000,000.00. 

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Deane mentions in his book having planted a carragana hedge around the house.  The Calgary Cricket Club was nearby as he mentions the players trying to keep the cricket balls out of his garden. 

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Also on the site was the only jail for females in Alberta, as well as a jail for men.  The only jail in the west with more prisoners was at Dawson.  Calgary had up to 96 prisoners, male, on occasions.  Deane mentions that his former residence was now to be moved to the opposite end of the enclosure for the use of the Railway Station Agent.  The Police vacated the area at the end of April, 1914. 

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The residence was later moved across the Elbow River, where it is still located and now the property of the City.  It bounds the east side of the new Fort Calgary Historical Park in downtown Calgary. 

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In 1912, H.J. Adams, was Adjutant (Secretary) of the Veterans' Association.  Applications for membership were received from four ex-members of the Force.  One of these was Reg. 128, R.W. Fletcher, who served from 1878 to 1887.  In the early years some regimental numbers were re-issued and some members who took a discharge and later re-joined the Police were not given their old number.  This is likely why Flecher's number was so low.  Reg. No. 581, Daniel (Peach) Davis also joined the Association in 1912.  Davis joined the Force at 19 years of age in April, 1876, and served until 1887. 

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