Talk:Norman Leslie McLeod

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reMost of my edits (March 21 2013) use the 3 articles from Estevan and Regina on his death. However having access to family photos and written materials I have used a few of such to be more specific on dates, fill in blanks and to correct errors (e.g. Sarah's name). When I have more time I will clarify which sentences depend on the newspaper clippings and which depend on less attributable sources. GardenMulch (talk) 10:25, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

Here are the less attributable pieces that I haved used Family archives to document; The dates for John McLeod (1860-1938) and Sarah Hurdig? Hannah Harding (1866-1952) and the correction for Sarah's name come from things like their diaries (available on the web and partially recalled in a old Estevan Mercury article) and other things like family trees. Doubtlessly more attributable source are available, I'm just being a bit lazy until I have more time. His parents move to Estevan in 1892 is part from the newspaper articles from his death and their diaries and the web page referenced. His work with/for the railways is quite evident from the note book which identifies the place and office but is less useful for how long or under what title he sketched the drawings on track layouts. His return to Regina is from the articles after his death. The engineering notebook is the only article in the family archives that may explain the 2 year gap. Norman'a first marriage was known to his later daughter with Minerva and a 1975 photograph of the grave or memorial marker did confirm the dates that she understood for the first marriage. However Family archives do not have any other information for the period. Photographs prior to 1924 are mostly from the Johnston family of Minerva, and the first letter in Norman's script is December 1923. This early relationship needs a further search to finds attributable material to solidify this marriage and loss. (Update: first wife's info and marriage found in Manitoba Vital Stats on-line lookup and in online lookups for 5 census years 1901-21)

The date of his second marriage is from the newspaper articles, only the place and subsequent trip are taken from their lengthy photographic album (with much text and dates) of their honeymoon. The importance of this otherwise trivial bit is to establish that Norman did travel to Alberta and that they did return to Unity at the close of the year. The date of their move to Estevan is reported in the articles as 1924, but the album may suggest that it was slightly later. Once I find the old Mercury article celebrating Sarah's longevity again the correct date and reasons can be added to the article.

The information on his later life and death comes from the newspaper articles except for the dates he was president of the Rotary Club. The dates are from a framed plaque presented to him, and now in the family archives.

Lacking from the stub are notable items from his political life or legislative time, but such material is almost entirely absent from the family archives. GardenMulch (talk) 23:14, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

Ancestry.com says his first marriage was to Helen Brady. I believe there is a picture of her grave marker someplace, maybe in the McLeod Family archives. Must look for it next time I have access.GardenMulch (talk) 18:31, 3 May 2013 (UTC)

Hour of Death - There is some confusion in the newspaper reports of the exact date of death depending on description/hour. The first reports appears in the Last edition of the Saturday Sept 24th Regina Leader-Post as "Friday night" i.e. the 23rd. The Regina Leader Post again says "Friday" in its Wednesday article about the funeral that occurred the day earlier. The following day (Thursday) the Estevan Mercury say "early Saturday morning". Find a grave website has a record for a Norman Lester McLeod that appears to be really Norman Leslie's record, and gives the date as the 24th but no picture of the marker. His Daughter in the 1990's appears to have possibly given the date as the 25th to a website for the ECI reunion. If a picture of the grave marker can be found (or a death certificate) then the date should be validated or corrected GardenMulch (talk) 19:27, 14 May 2013 (UTC)

Start in Estevan - Article clipping 2nd and 3rd paragraph (most likely from Estevan Mercury April 10, 1952) "Mrs. John McLeod Estevan Pioneer, Passes" - states:

"Mrs. McLeod was the first white
woman to come to  what is now
Estevan when she accompanied
her husband by team from Ox-
bow in 1892.  They followed the
railway to Melita, Man., from Ar-
row River, Man., where Mr. Mc-
Leod had established a homestead
in 1882.
It was the lure of the coalfields
that brought the McLeods to this
area and they lived in a tent at 
the Souris river until the town-
site of Estevan survey was laid
out.  They opened the first butcher
shop in Estevan, a business that
is carried on at the present time
by a grandson, Kenneth Turner,..."'''

(Mrs John McLeod had passed away on Monday April 7th.) GardenMulch (talk) 19:53, 14 May 2013 (UTC)

Re: the engineering notebook from the family archives, its title page in handwritten ink says;

"Norman L. McLeod, B.C.E.
Resident's Engineers Office
Moose Jaw
Sask.
July 17th 1916

and contains various fine nibbed pen drawings of railroad track geometries, clippings for weight calculation of track materials, a small blue print of an unknown town's train station track complete with track side building lots and a couple of street names. Interestingly enough a few pages in the middle were used (later?) to list names and numeric grades for what seems likely a class of 3 grade-levels of primary school children.GardenMulch (talk) 07:14, 11 March 2014 (UTC)

Re: the grave marker. More recent photos from the 1990's document all 4 sides. I suspect it was installed many years after the death of his kids, possibly right after the death of his father. His First Wife's name is on it only in context of the 2 kids (no maiden name). Her death is now known to have occurred elsewhere. The other sides document his death, his parents' and sister's death.GardenMulch (talk) 07:14, 11 March 2014 (UTC)