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Pictures of Old Bienfait Post Offices
1915
#32 Main St., Lot 39, Block 2
1965
Postmaster Info
First
Postmaster-
Robert Sanford Grogan
b- Apr 1856 in Canada
his wife was Annie Carswell,
daughter Alice Maud Grogan (went by Maude), b- May 7, 1891 in Sask.
son, Clifford Ray Grogan, b- Jan 22, 1893 in Sask.
son, Robert Stanley Grogan (went by Stanley), b- Oct 9, 1894 in Sask
Robert's mother and father were born in Ireland
other children:
Beach S. Grogan
Lulu Grogan
Charles J. Grogan
Margaret Grogan
In 1900 they were all living in Duluth City, St. Louis Minnesota
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Archibald (Archie)
John Milligan,
1915 he was on Walsh St, lot 28 and 29, Block 4
He was also the Villages first Overseer in 1906 (Mayor today).
He was born in England Apr 30, 1875
Birth registered in Belper district of Derbyshire, England.
Came to Canada in 1892, was living in Bienfait in 1906, age 31.
Shown as head of the family, no spouse in 1906 census.
1911 Census he was 35, now an Anglican, Occupation farmer.
He died in Dec, 1931, Buried in Estevan City Cemetery
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Aug 20, 1907,
Here we see F. O. Karnagel is Karnagee
replacing A. J. Milligan as Post Master.
I believe Karnagel is correct,
and I believe his first name was Fredrick,
but can't verify that yet.
A Fredrick O. Karnagel married Mary Hanke
Apr 25, 1885, in Hamilton Ohio, USA, or another one,
1901 census there was a Fredrick Karnagel, b- May 17, 1866
wife Amelia, 2 daughters and a son
living at Louise, Lisgar, Manitoba
which I would bet is the right fellow.
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Valentine Frederick Doerr
b- Oct 4, 1879 in Ontario
d- June 5, 1968
German Nationality, Presbyterian Religion
wife- Mary Jane Doerr, nee Golding
b- 1883
d- Apr 24, 1982
buried in Bienfait
Cemetery.
His father- John Doerr, b- Mar 15, 1835 in Germany
occupation- Shoemaker, Lutheran Religion
Mother- Elizabeth (Lizzie) Doerr, b- Aug 20, 1845 in Germany
All his family living at Easthope South, Perth South, Ontario in 1881
Valentine was the youngest of 7 children by 1901
Christoph, Annie, Henry, Jacob, Matilda, and John
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Stewart Emil Doerr,
b-
1913
d- Dec 20, 1992
wife- Hilda Doerr, nee Sherratt
b- Aug 4, 1916
d- Aug 5, 1986
Both
buried in Bienfait Cemetery.
married Apr 26, 1936
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Annie Thompson, nee Billis,
b- ca 1908
married Mac Thompson.
b- ca1908
d- May 16, 1945, age 37
her sister Amelia Billis was married to Peter Markunas
who was killed during the 1931 Riot in Estevan
The Post Office was broken into, in the early 50's (53-55)
and the culprits cracked open the old safe.
This safe was about 3 feet square,
and was purchased by my Dad,
as a storage cupboard I assume.
My brother Don recalls that it
weighed a ton,
and was in the basement of our Farm home
when we moved out in 1958.
It is probably still buried in the ground,
under where the house used
to stand.
Would have been great for the museum!
Anyone got a big backhoe?
