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MOUNTAIN MILL PIONEERS: THE WILFRED AND LOUISA LYNCH FAMILY

by Farley Wuth, Curator,
Kootenai Brown Pioneer Village
Copyright, Pincher Creek & District Historical Society

Wilfred Francis Lynch, commonly known as Bill Lynch, was born in Michigan on October 16th, 1877.

During his early years, Bill along with his family moved to Spokane, Washington where he attended Grade School for four years. Upon completion of the four year of school, Bill began working in a dairy and later, during his early twenties, he moved to Moyie where he worked in a Quartz Mine for two years.

In 1905, Bill moved to the Mountain Mill district where he worked as a ranch hand for the McLaren Ranches. A year later, in 1906 he married Louisa Pope.

Louisa, who was born in Medicine Hat, Northwest Territories on May 2nd, 1884, had as a young girl moved to the Mountain Mill district with her family. Her father Alfred Pope had, before this move, been one of the first members of the North West Mounted Police.

Upon their marriage, Bill and Louisa moved to Beaver Mines where they opened a boarding house, known as “The Round House”. Most of its patronage came from the coal mines. Bill also worked in the mine but upon its closing down, he sold the Round House, and he and Louisa moved back to a farm, owned for many years by Wilfred Clemens whom they had adopted early in 1918.

Bill and Louisa worked their farm until 1961 when they took up residence at Crestview Lodge in Pincher Creek.

During 1943 and 1944, Bill acted as President of the Castle River Stampede Club for which he was noted and remembered by the many who knew him.

Bill Lynch died at the age of 85 years on December 2nd, 1962 in St. Vincent’s Hospital. His funeral followed from the Pincher Creek United Church. Louisa Lynch passed away, aged 82, on Saturday, January 14th, 1967 in Lethbridge. Her service too was held from the Pincher Creek United Church.

MOUNTAIN MILL PIONEERS: THE WILFRED AND LOUISA LYNCH FAMILY
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