James Steppings - Manitoba

[RunKitty]

Hi,

Found an obituary in the Shoal Lake Star - March 3, 1938. 

Said James Steppings was a pioneer of the district and was buried on Monday in the family plot in Shoal Lake Cemetery.  He had been in failing health for the last 3 years.   He passed away at his home in Winnipeg on Feb 23rd, in his 89th year.

He was born in Gamblingay, England in January 1850.  He and his wife left London in 1882 and came to Ontario, where they lived for 5 years, before coming to Manitoba.  They went to his homestead, 4 miles north of Shoal Lake, which he had taken up "some time previously" (I have no idea when... it doesn't say.)  In his early years, Mr Steppings had engaged in railroad construction work.

In the spring of 1915, the Steppings left the family farm and moved to a house in Shoal Lake.  Mrs Steppings passed away on Nov 1st 1915.  IN 1918, he married Elizabeth Dillon of Winnipeg, who survives him.  They lived in Shoal Lake until 1931, when they moved to Winnipeg.  They sold their house to George Campbell. 

Funeral was at St George Church. 

RK

[*Sandra*]

Well done RK - no mention of the adopted daughter - never found her after 1906 

Sandra

[Decker21]

Thank you both for so much helpful information. I am quite astounded! Have you any idea why his immigration date keeps changing? I think the 1882 date tallies with the newspaper article and I can't find him in England after 1818. His birth in Gamlingay 1850 confirms that this is the person I was looking for. Thank you again for your help.

[*Sandra*]

It was not unusual for immigration dates, birth years etc to vary - in fact quite common.

Sandra

[RunKitty]

Hmmm - will see if I can find her. 

In the meantime, there is an article in the Winnipeg Free Press Feb 28, 1935.  It is about Mr Steppings 85th birthday.  There is some good information in here!!  It starts out by referring to him as "Uncle Jim" - but doesn't mention an author's name.  I have no idea if this is what he was called as a sort of nickname, or if a niece/nephew wrote the piece

Anyway - the important bits are:
He had his 85th birthday in January.  He lived at 502 Notre Dame Avenue.  He likes parties and having a good time, and he walks every day.  He was born in Gamblingay, Cambridgeshire, England in 1850.  He came to Canada at age 22.  He went to Peterborough, Ontario first, where he worked for the Midland Railway, doing construction work.  He is considered to be one of the pioneers of railroad construction.  In March of 1883, he was transferred to Thunder Bay, where he continued with railroad construction until 1887.  Then, he moved to Shoal Lake to take up farming. In 1901, he returned to England for a vacation to his home town, then he came back to Canada several months later.  In 1914, he sold his farm and moved to the village, where he had intended to retire.  He didn't like retirement, so he worked on some of his neighbours' farms.  In 1922, he regained his own farm and worked it for 5 more years.  In 1928, he retired to Shoal Lake again, where he lived for 3 years.  He later moved to Winnipeg.

Mr Steppings has been married twice.  First in England in 1872, then in 1920 at the age of 70.

RK

PS - there is a picture of him too.
Marriage date for second marriage is a bit different here... I guess it was either 1918 or 1920...

[sami]

Hi:

There is a current blog called 'Shoal Lake History' written by Reid Dickie, a writer and former resident of Shoal Lake. It contains a great deal of interesting information on Shoal Lake and its history.

You may be able to get further information on the Steppings family by contacting him.

http://shoallakehistory.com

sami

[*Sandra*]

Hmmm - will see if I can find her. 

In the meantime, there is an article in the Winnipeg Free Press Feb 28, 1935.  It is about Mr Steppings 85th birthday.  There is some good information in here!! It starts out by referring to him as "Uncle Jim" - but doesn't mention an author's name.  I have no idea if this is what he was called as a sort of nickname, or if a niece/nephew wrote the piece

Anyway - the important bits are:
He had his 85th birthday in January.  He lived at 502 Notre Dame Avenue.  He likes parties and having a good time, and he walks every day.  He was born in Gamblingay, Cambridgeshire, England in 1850.  He came to Canada at age 22.  He went to Peterborough, Ontario first, where he worked for the Midland Railway, doing construction work.  He is considered to be one of the pioneers of railroad construction.  In March of 1883, he was transferred to Thunder Bay, where he continued with railroad construction until 1887.  Then, he moved to Shoal Lake to take up farming. In 1901, he returned to England for a vacation to his home town, then he came back to Canada several months later.  In 1914, he sold his farm and moved to the village, where he had intended to retire.  He didn't like retirement, so he worked on some of his neighbours' farms.  In 1922, he regained his own farm and worked it for 5 more years.  In 1928, he retired to Shoal Lake again, where he lived for 3 years.  He later moved to Winnipeg.

Mr Steppings has been married twice.  First in England in 1872, then in 1920 at the age of 70.

RK

PS - there is a picture of him too.
Marriage date for second marriage is a bit different here... I guess it was either 1918 or 1920...

Just going from memory on passenger lists I looked at earlier,  feel sure one showed a Geo Stepping aged 25 years as well as an Eliza aged 9 years.  Could Eliza have been Frances - same age group. 

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

Here it is a Canadian Passenger List - Liverpool to Montreal arriving 24 April 1900 on the Vancouver. Geo Steppings aged 25 years, labourer.  Eliza (daughter) 9 years. J Stepping 50 years and Eliz aged 50 years. All going to Portage la Prairie Ma.

Sandra

[RunKitty]

Hi again

The obituary for Mrs James Steppings was in the Shoal Lake Star, November 4, 1915.  Her own name is never mentioned!!!

It says she died on Monday.  She was 64.  She and her husband came to Canada from England in 1882.  They came to Manitoba 5 years later, but went back east "for a while" (doesn't say where, but I assume Ontario - from the other notices about James.  Doesn't say how long, either), then came to Manitoba to live about 4 miles north west of Shoal Lake.  They remained there until a year last march, when they came to live in town.    She attended the English Church.  She leaves her husband, a sister and 3 brothers in England, and a brother Alfred in Shoal Lake.  Funeral at St Paul's Church. 

RK