130 years ago today, February 17, 1888, my paternal Grandpa, John Griffith Williams was born to Joseph and Elizabeth Williams, in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales.
He seems to have been quite a character. He immigrated to Canada in 1910 at the age of 23. He was the only one in his family to do so. He never went back to Wales.
He married Ellen Egerton in approximately 1918 or 1919. She was also from North Wales, so I have a hunch they met over there. They had 2 sons together, but sadly one of them died in 1925, and then Ellen died in 1926.
Thankfully for me, Grandpa re-married Alma May Palmer in 1928 when he was 40, and their first son, my Dad, John Herbert, was born in 1929. Grandpa had 6 more children, 9 in total.
This photo shows my grandparents in my parent's home celebrating their birthdays together. Grandma was born January 20, 1908. She was 20 years younger than her husband.
Grandpa on the left, Robert in the middle, William on the right. Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, approximately 1910.
A young Grandpa on the prairies, probably Alberta.
He lived there for a while, then moved to Spalding SK.
He loved horses all his life, winding up taking care of the horses for Crystal Dairies in Vancouver BC in the 1940's.
This is my favourite picture of Grandpa. You can tell he was a real character. He moved to Vancouver in 1941, and began a new life working at Burrard Dry Docks during WWII, and having 3 more children here. By the time I knew him, he was a very quiet man, and quite frail. At least that's how he appeared to me. He died in June 1974.
Happy birthday, Grandpa! Thank you for your adventures which led you to Canada.
By Loretta Williams Houben
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