Muriel May (Wilson) Johnston (1901 - 1981)

Born 2 Sep 1901 in R.M. of Pembina, Snowflake, Manitoba, Canada

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 6 Aug 1981 at age 79 in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

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Biography

Muriel was born in Snowflake, Manitoba, Sept. 2, 1901, the daughter of Thomas Wilson and Eva Doney.

In 1906 their father went west to Summerland where he purchased six acres of land in Trout Creek. Muriel was raised on the farm in Snowflake until 1908 when her father came back from Summerland and moved the family to Moosejaw, Saskatchewan.

On Jan. 10, 1912 they left via C.P. Railroad, heading towards their new home of Summerland, B. C.. Muriel at the age of ten would be helping her mother with her younger brothers on the long railroad trip to Sicamous and then Okanagan Landing at the north end of Okanagan Lake near Vernon, B.C.. They would board the S.S. Okanagan sternwheeler there for the long day's trip down the lake to the dock in Lower Summerland.

The family lived in Lower Summerland for several years while their father cleared and built a house and barn on the Trout creek property.

At the age of 17 years, Muriel was hired on a casual basis at the newly opened Agricultural Research Station. In 1920 she was hired full time as a stenographer, a position she held until 1925.

She married Hugh Johnson and they had 2 children; Margaret (Peggy) and Bill.

Muriel was very talented in pottery making and painting pictures of local scenes.

Muriel passed away in Penticton at the age of 79 years.

Sources

• Wilson family tree. (Barry C. Wilson Nov. 19, 1994
• Birth Information Reg. No 1901-001876. vitalstats.gov.mb.ca
• Summerland Research Station (1914-1985) by W.W. Fleming (1986)