Life History

Notes

• Previously I had no record of her from Leonard, but found her in the 1901 census as their first born.
  Nellie was married young to James Russell and had 4 children then their marriage ended. Nellie worked as a housekeeper for a few years mostly at Mulvihill north of Winnipeg. In 1924 she married Walter Smith and in 1925 they began farming near Souris Manitoba. They had a tiny house a few cows, chickens and a big garden, as well as a half-section of farmland. They moved to Souris in 1962, due to illness. Nellie did not like living in town. She became a shut-in due to strokes.They moved to the International Nursing home in Brandon later where she died in 1976.
  She kept a diary from 1926 to 1974. She did a lot of Red Cross work and a 1959 article said she had made 140 quilts for the Red Cross, she provided the material and quilted them. She loved to knit and made hundreds of pairs of mitts over the years.
  In early years the teacher at Riverview School often boarded there. Their yard was known for it's long row of Lilacs planted by Nellie.
  She joined the Orange Lodge in 1943 --the Glenview LOBA #833.
  She was active in events in the local Riverview district.
  Walter was a loving and respectful father to Nellie's children and a wonderful grandfather to her grandchildren.
  1901 census shows her born in 1887?