1

Henry Stelfox in the South African Constabulary, at Ladybrand, South Africa, 1905
20th Century, 1905
Ladybrand, Orange River Colony, South Africa.

Credits:
"Rambling Thoughts of a Wandering Fellow" by Henry Stelfox

2

Henry Stelfox's father and his paternal grandfather were tenant farmers in England. After Henry completed his schooling, he worked on the farm for his father. After he had saved up enough money for a good holiday, Henry told his father he was going to see some of the world. Henry also intended to find a place where he could own his own land, but he didn't impart this desire to his father. Henry set out for South Africa, and signed up with the South African Constabulary. Once Henry was enlisted, he spent a fair amount of time on patrol on horseback, and met people of the Zulu nation, and many families of Boer ranchers. He was very interested in the customs of the Zulu people, and spent his spare time learning their language.

3

Henry's brother Jack Stelfox, and their team of oxen
20th Century, Circa 1910
Morningside, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stelfox, Henry "Rambling Thoughts of a Wandering Fellow"

4

After coming to Alberta in 1907, and working on a ranch near Calgary, Henry thought he should have his own farm. After buying a quarter section near Lacombe, Henry filed on a homestead near Battle Lake. In the winter of 1909 - 1910, Henry invited his brother John (known as Jack) to join him in Alberta, and Jack came and batched on Henry's homestead along with a friend. Henry had been in Alberta for a few years when he began to get the itch to wander the globe again, and made a deal with his brother, that on the flip of a coin, it would be decided if Henry would go on a walking tour of Russia and Asia, or if Jack would go. One brother had to stay and keep the farming operations going. But it turns out that Henry and Jack's parents didn't think that Henry should still be following the whims of his restless spirit; that he was of an age to settle down. So to stall Henry from going to Russia, his father and mother emigrated from England in 1912, and settled in the Lacombe area. So neither Henry nor Jack went off to Russia. Sadly, after nine years in Alberta, Henry's mother Mary Eliza Stelfox passed away, and his father Thomas returned to England.
Henry met Janet Glyde in the Springdale district (which is northwest of Ponoka, Alberta), and they were married in Edmonton on January 3, 1915. Henry was 31 years old, and Janet was 27 years old. Henry had since let the Battle Lake homestead go back to the government, as there was just too much brush to clear. The newlyweds settled on Henry's Springdale homestead, where the first three of nine children were born. When their oldest daughter was nearing the age to attend school, Henry and his family moved to Rocky Mountain House.

5

Stelfox, Burns, Glyde and Robinson families gather for a picnic, Springdale 1918
20th Century, Circa 1918
Springdale, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
"Rambling Thoughts of a Wandering Fellow" by Henry Stelfox

6

Henry and Janet Stelfox with daughters Margaret, Janet, and baby Henry, circa 1920
20th Century, Circa 1920
Springdale, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
"Rambling Thoughts of a Wandering Fellow" by Henry Stelfox

7

Janet Stelfox and baby Dave, circa 1924
20th Century, Circa 1924
Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
"Rambling Thoughts of a Wandering Fellow" by Henry Stelfox

8

Henry and Janet Stelfox in the living room of their home
20th Century, Circa 1954
Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Unknown

9

Henry and Janet remained in Rocky Mountain House for the rest of their lives. Janet took holidays to visit her brother and sisters who moved from Alberta to live on Vancouver Island. Henry, however, only left his business concerns and the farm and ranch for consultations and meetings with Premier Aberhart and various government departments in Edmonton, Red Deer, and Ottawa. His restless mind was forever seeking new clues as to the origin of the native peoples of North and South America, such as the Mayans who had built great pyramids in Guatemala, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, while supposedly only possessing stone age tools. Through reading and correspondence, Henry heard about new archeological discoveries in the United States, and in South America that fueled his curiosity about the where and how of ancient civilizations. He questioned how it could be that the walls built by the Incas in Peru are very similar in nature to the great mortarless walls found in Palestine (present day Israel).

10

Henry Stelfox at Ram Falls, Ram River, Alberta
20th Century, Circa 1955
Ram Falls, Ram River, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stelfox, John

11

Henry Stelfox on the Kootenay Plains, April 1956, prior to the flooding of Lake Abraham (reservoir)
20th Century, Circa 1956
Kootenay Plains, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stelfox, John G.

12

Janet and Henry Stelfox in front of their home in town (Rocky Mountain House) 1953
20th Century, Circa 1953
Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stelfox, John

13

Henry Stelfox in his garden on the day of his 86th birthday
13 August 1969
Rocky Mountain House, Alberta, Canada

Credits:
Stelfox, John