David Caswell 1856 - 1926

DAVID CASWELL   1856-1926

           David Caswell was born on 10 Apr 1856 in Granton, Ontario. He died on 10 Dec 1926 in Juniata, Saskatchewan. David married Martha Hathaway in 1906 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She was born on 30 Apr 1882 in London, England and died on 30 Nov 1974 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

Children of David Caswell and Martha Hathaway:

i.            Frederick William Caswell, B: 05 Mar 1909 in Regina, Saskatchewan, D: 18 Dec 1991 in Asquith, Saskatchewan, M: Ila Hoff, 07 Apr 1942 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

ii.           James Brokenshire Caswell, B: 27 Sep 1918 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; adopted, D: 1994 in Asquith, Saskatchewan.

The information about David came from Ila Caswell, wife of David’s son Fred William Caswell.  She never met Dave but found some information in the Asquith history book.  “Dave came to Saskatchewan from Ontario around 1880 landing in Moose Jaw.  He then went by oxen to the Rosthern area where he took up a homestead.”

“Martha and Dave then moved to the Junita district to what we now know as Caswells Crossing.  In the early years it was a great gathering place for picnics.”

“Dave raised purebred cattle and horses, winning many ribbons and trophies.”

Notes from Cliff Davidson said “Dave was a nice old gentleman.  Prize ribbons meant more than anything to him.  Dave homesteaded at old Clark’s Crossing near Eagle Creek and bought CPR land at $8 per acre in 1905 or 1906."

Land records showed that David obtained entry in 1886, applied for a patent on the SW ¼ Sec 2, Twp 39 range 4W 3^rd meridian in July of 1899 and filed for abandonment in 1901.

From his will we know he was farming the SE ¼ of Sec 28 in Township 36, Range 10, West 3^rd Meridian.  Dave must still have been actively farming as the inventory list attached to his will lists 12 horses, four horned cattle, 2 pigs and 30 chickens as well as a long list of machinery.

Martha and Dave adopted James Brokenshire who was born in Saskatchewan in 1918.