out in 1933, Jean with husband Andrew Scott and
daughter Eileen in 1934, and John with wife May and
their two daughters followed soon after.

Around the house on Point Grey, as the children
and grand—children arrived and became established,
a large new “colony” of the original group from
Selkirk developed. Unfortunately, Bob senior lived
only thirteen years after his move, long enough to
“strike it rich” with mining stocks, but not long
enough to enjoy the results. Agabella lived only eight
years longer. It was succeeding generations who put
down roots in British Columbia. Gradually the
Thomson dynasty made itself felt in Vancouver and
the Gulf Islands.

0.6.1
John Thomsonll’vlay Wood:
John (1.) Thomson —- 1885 - 1969
May Wood —-~ 1889 ~ l978

Married 23 Mar. 1910
0.6.1.1 Mary Isabelle —— 1913 -
0.6.1.2 Helen— 1921 -

 

0.6.1. John Thomson of Tamolton.

John, the eldest son of Agabella and Bob Thorn—
son, was not strong as a young boy. In fact, his

74

mother took great care of him, because she had been
so afraid “she would not be able to raise him”.
During boyhood he could assist only with the lighter
chores, but by his teen years he was working right
along with the men. It was sometime after he owned
three quarters of Section 17-12~22 a short distance
southeast of Bradwardine that John inserted his mid—
dle initial “J" as a distinguishing mark for his mail
and business transactions from those of “the other
John Thomson” , a neighbor.

John, Andrew and young Bob were all born in the
original small house on Section 22-ll~22 and walked
or drove together to Spring Valley School before
going on to higher education in the city. Only two
years apart, the three brothers went the same general
route, although John had neither the energy nor the
desire to pursue either a medical or legal degree as
did the younger boys. John was back in 'Parbolton and
was celebrating his twenty-first birthday when on
August 3, 1906 the great house—warming for the big
brick house was held with friends and well-wishers
from miles around. While brother Andrew was look-
ing foreward to medical school in Edinburgh, John
was courting May Wood, daughter of an early En~
glish settlers’ family, and planning to establish their
home just east of Bradwardine.

John and May were married in 1910, the spring
following Andrew's departure. They established
their home as planned, where their two daughters,
Mary and Helen, were born. An attractive, well-kept
farmstead, it was convenient for the girls to walk in to
the village school most days and for John or May to
slip in easily to do business or just visit with friends.
In 1928 John decided to give up farming, rented to
brother-in-law Andrew and Jean Scott, and went into
business in the second general store in Bradwardine.
There he could enjoy seeing friends and neighbors
frequently, and became involved in the young men’s
softball league.

When his parents sold the home farm, put his
grandparents on the train to live with Mary Mitchell
near Marsden, and departed for Vancouver, John and
his family remained. Even when in the ninteen—thir—
ties, they sold their business and followed the others
west, John maintained the Bradwardine house for
several years so they could return annually for the
ball team’s summer schedule.

in Vancouver both girls attended the University
of British Columbia and worked in the Meteorlogical
Bureau on Sea Island during the war. When, after the
war, Helen and husband Harold August departed for
Kelowna, John, May and Mary also moved inland.
John and May enjoyed their life together until John
died of a heart attack in Helen’s garden in October,
1969.