The Cox Family of Wiltshire

Info is from "The Humboldt History Book" submitted by Evie (Robins) Grisdale

Fred Came from Manitoba in 1906 looking for greener pastures. He took up a homestead in the bush. He enlisted in the Boer War, and went to Halifax. He helped build Brithdir Church, then known as Morven Grove Presbyterian. He was a strong Presbyterian.
He married Ella Pocock on 19 December 1911. He looked after a telegraph station (on McDonald's place). It was put in to take messages during the war. He was first councillor in Division 6 and served for a few years, Clarence and Evie were born there. In 1916, we moved out to the prairie, as it was called then, (about 8 miles west). Dad had bought a furrow plough and he had a steam tractor which he could use there. He also operated a threshing machine. Lilly, Norma and a brother Victor (now deceased) were born out there.
Dad put in the first telephones, and was trouble-shooter for years. He went to Regina to take a course. He made the first line-tester. I recall many trips I had with him, when I went along to hold the horses while he would snowshoe across fields to fix and test lines. If it was very cold he would put the horse blankets on to keep them warm and quiet. He started the Rifle Range, and went to Regina and Ottawa in 1922 for competing. He was on the Wheat Pool Committee at Carmel for years.
Some may recall a radio he put together and it worked. He used bed springs on the house for an aerial and people would come in and ask us what it was for, and we would let them listen to the radio, on the headphones. When Amos and Andy came on we would put the head phones to the telephone mouthpiece and let the neighbors listen to it. It was against the rules and noisy with static, but that was minor, too.
Dad died in June of 1926 at the age of 42 years. Mom's brother Herbert stayed with us. We lived in the Glynfield school district, but were allowed to attend school at Hillsley as there were others going from near us and the road was better. We touched on Pilot Grove and Golden Acres school districts, too. Our High school grades were taken by correpondence and exams written in Humboldt - even grade eight in those years. Christmas concerts were a big event then. We have so many wonderful memories. Things like walking on stilts, riding the barrels, sliding down the straw stacks in winter, skating on the sloughs, games like "steal sticks", "red white and blue", etc. Then the play "On a Night Like This" under the guidance of the Stacey's and taken to Guernsey. It was a big success.
My mother worked for her brother Sydney for a while before she married Fred. She did start going to school at Hillsley, but her Mother was ill and she had to help at home. She was on the first Ladies Aid at Brithdir and is the only surviving member from that time. She always loved visitors and still does. She is ready to help when needed.
She re-married in 1933 to Sidney Clarke.

Sidney came to Canada from England (Norwich) in 1907. In 1912 he settled in the Golden Acre District. His brothers Fred and Bert stayed with him until 1914, when they enlisted. Fred was killed in battle.
Sidney made many trips back to England to see his parents and relatives. He married Ella Robins, June 6, 1933. Sidney and Ella were faithful members of Mancroft Anglican Church and later joined as active members in St. Andrews in Humboldt. Sidney served on the Golden Acre Telephone Co. Wheat Pool and School Board and they also joined in with all community events. He enjoyed curling and all sports. He farmed only with horses.
They retired in 1968 and moved to Humboldt. They celebrated their 40th anniversary in St. Andrews parish with so many friends. Sidney died on December 3, 1977.
Ella lived alone in her house at Humboldt. She always enjoyed having friends call for a friendly chat and a cup of tea but she died on June 16, 1990.