The Exeter Times-Advocate, 1973-06-28, Page 49C:>
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Family leaders in
church since 1861
Section 2, Page 29 THE EXETER TIMES-ADVOCATE JUNE 28, 1973
By GWYN WH1LSMITH
One of the early pioneers in
the Exeter area was John Strang
who emigrated from Scotland
in 1850 and settled on a farm in
Usborne Township. Shortly after
his arrival he married Janet
Dougall, the daughter of another
settler, Mrs, Margaret Dougall of
Rodgerville.
John Strang was a stonemason
by trade and many of the lovely
old stone houses in the district
were built by him, including the
beautiful home on his own farm
which is now occupied by his
great-grandson Keith Strang.
Both John and his wife were
hardworking, deeply religious
folk and John was one of the first
three elders elected when the tiny
Caven Presbyterian
congregation was first formed in
1861.
Seven children were produced
from this union and their parents
took a keen interest in their
education keeping them in
regular attendance at school.
The two oldest sons, Peter and
Henry, farmed for a brief period
in Winnipeg. Then Peter returned
to college to complete a
theological course in Manitoba.
At church union he became a
minister with the United Church
of Canada and for 15 years was
superintendent of Home Missions
in Saskatchewan.
Henry returned to Exeter to
take up the running of the home
farm. He married Annie Caldwell
and they like their parents,
continued to be ardent supporters
of the church. Mr. Strang was a
member of Caven session for 50
years.
MISSIONARY DAUGHTER
They had nine children, one of
whom, Margaret made a
tremendous contribution to the
benefit of mankind as a medical
missionary in northern Alberta.
She graduated from the school
of medicine at Western univer-
sity in 1929 . the third woman to
do so after the founding of the
school, Two years later she ac-
cepted a call from the
Presbyterian Mission Board to
the remote village of Dixonville
in the Peace River district 30
miles from a railway line and 400
miles north-west of Edmonton.
Here, she married Douglas
Savage and for 12 years looked
after the medical and spiritual
needs of that frontier territory.
In 1943, Dr. Strang Savage
moved to Cold Lake to the United
Church Hospital where she
conducted a busy practice until
the time of her death in 1970. She
was lauded by her alma mater,
the University of Western
Ontario in 1965, when she
received an honorary doctorate
of laws.
The citation read: "When
courage is defined essentially as
an attitude of facing and dealing
with anything which is
recognized as dangerous, dif-
ficult or painful, then Dr. Strang
Exeter Times, Nov. 16, 1900
Mr, E.A. rollick has made the
purchase of one of the most
handsome up-to-date bread
wagons we have yet seen. The
interior is made so as the driver
is not exposed to the weather and
the other compartments are most
convenient for carrying supplies
of bread, buns etc. The rig was ,
made by Mr. E. Treble and
reflects Much credit on the
builder.
Exeter Times-Advocate, Nov. 9,
1925
Several from Exeter motored
to Whitechurch in Bruce County,
in Mr. H. Bagshaw's motor van
on Thanksgiving for a rabbit
hunt. They bagged 26 rabbits in a
couple of hours. Among those in
the party were H. Bagshaw, H.
Bierling, Milt and Homer
Russell, George and Ed
Anderson, Ed Pollen, Silas Reid
and Ulric Snell,
Savage must be described as a
most courageous person."
War took the lives of the eldest
and the youngest Strang sons.
John was killed in the Great War
and Alexander died in World War
II. Kathleen, the youngest Strang
daughter, married a
Presbyterian minister, Rev.
George Lamont. She was active
in all facets of the church until a
tragic automobile accident took
both her life and that of her
husband in 1962.
Four children remain in the
Henry Strang family: Mrs. Annie
Percival of North Bay, William of
Goderich, and Mrs, Carman
(Maybelle) Cann and Harry H. G.
Strang both of whom are active
workers in Caven. Mrs, Cann has
held many offices in women's
organizations over the years
While her brother, Harry, has
served on the board of managers,
as trustee, and acted in the
capacity of an elder for many
years.
His son, Keith presently holds
the position of chairman of the
board. Thus the tradition of
active church participation
established by John and Janet
Strang in 1861 remains unbroken.
BILL SMITH
President
RABBIT DRIVE - These men were not ready to leave for the battle front, as the picture might suggest, but got
together, as many groups used to do, to go into the surrounding countryside to hunt rabbits. Standing on the
ground from the left are George Armstrong, Police Chief John Norry, Bill Balkwill, Bill Chambers and Irwin
Ford. Not all the men in the truck can be identified but the man sitting on the rack, second from the left is
Homer Russell. Leaning against the rack from the left are Charles Triebner, Ray Creech, Percy Campbell, Earl
Campbell, Ed Alexander, Darrell Parker and Bill Wareing. The man at the far right is Louis Davey.
When we were looking for a home,
Exeter residents responded generously
and helped build our plant on
Highway 83. We'll 'never forget that
gesture that helped us on our way.
Since then, we've purchased that
building ... and extended it on two
occasions and now we're nearing the
completion of 1800 mobile homes.
We hope the part we've played in
Exeter's progress and economy has
in some way helped repay the debt
we owe.
CUSTOM TRAILERS LTD.
A Debt of
Gratitude
Northlander Mobile Homes