Fonds 0633 - Hawkesworth Family fonds

In 1774 a large group pf settlers from Yorkshire, England decided to make a new start in Nova Scotia. Adam Hawkesworth and his wife Elizabeth Wedgewood were one of the thirteen families that made this journey. These pioneers were Aubrey Hawkesworth’s great grandparents and by the time he was born on the 3 of October 1889 the family had been in Canada for 115 years. Aubrey Edwin Hawkesworth was born in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia to parent’s William Young Hawkesworth and Maria Lohnes. This was William’s second marriage, his first wife Mary Jane Elliot passed away in 1876. Aubrey was the third youngest of 14 children. Once grown Aubrey started working in various lumber operations in Nova Scotia and Maine, and in 1912 a harvest excursion brought him west. When the work was done and after spending some time in a lumber camp Aubrey with friends Harley Conrad, Dick and Steve Sharkey made his first trip to the Peace Country. They travelled from Edmonton to Grande Prairie area over the Edson trail in a quick seven days. Aubrey must have liked what he saw as he was back in 1913 and filed on SE 16 T73 R11 W6 by Hythe. This location was soon abandoned due to flooding and a new homestead was filed on a little north of the previous one SW 28 T73 R11 W6. Aubrey’s brother Murray filed on NE 16 T73 R11 W6 which he too abandoned for SE 26 T73 R11 W6 also in the Hythe area. In 1916 the brothers went to enlist, Aubrey was refused due to an older hip injury, Murray was accepted and after the war did not return to Alberta. Aubrey was put in charge of the stock for his brother Murray and other neighbours who had left to join the fight.
Aubrey worked at many jobs to support his family, he worked in a livery stable, freighting for I.E. Gaudin, in various lumber camps, trapping animals, and on the building of the Pouce Coupe highway.
On January 1, 1919 Aubrey married Dessie Armstrong at the home of Susan Armstrong. Aubrey and Dessie had four children, Violet (b.1920), Charlotte (b.1921), Aubrey (b.1924) and Marie (b.1930). Their only son Aubrey was born dead and little Marie suffered a burst appendix when she was four. After operating on her at the Hythe Hotel Dr. McRae was unable to save her. She is buried in the Hythe Cemetery and little Aubrey is said to be buried at Lake Saskatoon or Valhalla Cemetery.
Aubrey was an active member in the Hythe community, he sat on the board of the West Hythe School as well as the committee for the Circle Bank Hall. In 1948 Aubrey was part of the newly formed county council and worked in that capacity until his retirement in 1960. In 1962 the Hawkesworth’s sold their farm and moved into Hythe. Aubrey became involved in the Hythe Pioneer Club which helped organize the building of the Hythe Pioneer Home. Aubrey was selected to turn the sod at the start of the Pioneer Home’s construction in 1969. Aubrey passed away May 24, 1970 and Dessie on October 23, 1976 and they are both buried in the Hythe Cemetery.
Violet Hawkesworth married Art Greber and they settled and farmed in Lymburn.
Charlotte Hawkesworth married Lester Olson and later Allen Tolton. Allen and Charlotte lived for a time in California but later came back to the area and settled in Hythe. Their last move was to Calgary to be closer to their daughter.