12

Not all came by railway.
1 June 1891
Olds NWT Canada

13

Not all the new settlers came by train:
According to the History of Olds and Area
*In 1891 John Siverthorn and his family arrived to Olds with his wife and 3 children, after a very arduous year long journey. They traveled by oxen drawn covered wagon from North Dakota trailing their livestock.
He filed for a homestead quarter. [Where the Auction mart stands now 2003]
He took over George Old's store and post office. He expanded the store, and built a new store to rent. The store was also living quarters for the family and provided room and board for people that came to Olds.
Enterprising Silverthorn soon had a log home on the homestead and ended up owning a section of land to the south of the town close to the railway line.
Provincial Archives records contain a letter --- requesting to donate an acre of his land for a school, "Can I do so without affecting my chances of making proof and acquiring patent ... and can I futher release half an acre for a church"
The first school was built on his land and he later donated land for a town cemetery
His daughter Mae said, "my dad was like a gypsy: loved adventures. He loved racing, too, and had the first track for horse racing at Olds. Daughter Florence [Mrs. Fred Shackleton] would ride with him to exercise the horses, but mother refused. She said she had enough of roughing it over the years with him and his gypsy ways".
On April 1, 1892 Siverthorn was officially appointed as the first Postmaster of Olds.
Silverthorn was elected Mayor of Olds in 1912.

* The History of Olds and Area 1980 Published by History Committee for the Town of Olds