Remembering our roots ~ Bryce Dougan

John Godsman
Times Contributor

 

Bryce Dougan’s great-grandfather Arthur Dougan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the early 1800’s, and family history shows he married Margaret Elizabeth Stanley, who had been born in Wales.
Henry Dougan was born in Napanee, Ont. in mid-1800’s, and married Maria Thompson in 1890, at Glenwood Springs, Colo.
Bryce’s great-grandfather on his mother’s side was William Hill Taylor, born in Northern Ireland in 1842, one of six brothers. He married Martha M. McKinny at Bushmills, Northern Ireland in 1873. His grandfather, John Taylor, was born at Ballymoney, Northern Ireland in 1878, and married Matilda Arthur, who had also been born there. After crossing the Atlantic by ship, they arrived in Halifax in March 1911, and continued their journey west by train. John suffered with asthma, and moved to Southern Alberta for the climate. Additionally, ‘free’ land was available for immigrants, from CPR and the Government of Canada.
Donald Stanley Dougan (Bryce’s dad) was born in 1918 at Denver, Colo. He married Annie May Taylor, a teacher at Nightingale School, who, having been born in Ireland, had moved to Alberta with her family at the age of four months. Their wedding was held on May 28, 1938 and they had three sons, the first born being Donald ‘Bryce’ Dougan born Jan. 21, 1940. He lived on the family farm at Nightingale, and attended school here through Grade 5, then attended school in Rockyford through Grade 10. This was followed by a correspondence course on mechanical engineering.
In 1963, Bryce married Irene Shrumm, who was born in Coaldale in September 1937. She was an elementary teacher at Samuel Crowther School in Strathmore. They met at Strathmore United Church. This wedding produced one daughter, two sons, and now seven grandchildren and one great-grand-daughter.
When Donald Dougan became unable to look after the farm due to ill health, Bryce took over. This was a mixed farm with cattle, hogs, grain and hay, and is still operated today by his son Alan and grandson Jared.
Bryce and Irene were Charter Members, and the first President Couple of the Wheatland Whirlers Square Dance Club in Strathmore, formed in 1974.
He was a church elder at the United Church for 30 years. In 1970, he became a member of Strathmore Lodge #53, and served as Worshipful Master in 1977, followed by Grand First Principal of Royal Arch Masons in 2003, and is now a Shriner with Big Country Shrine in Bassano. Of interest to my readers: Strathmore Lodge provided financial support to Wood’s Christian Homes in Calgary, for a number of years.
He has made a number of trips to the Middle East, and in particular to Jordan, with Samaritan’s Purse, providing much-needed aid to the residents of this war torn country.
The major changes he has seen in this area include the influx of acreages, the population growth, and the improvements in surrounding highways.