William Gilbert McKechnie
* Blind Missionary of Alberta *


(Sources: the CANADIAN CHAMPION, Milton Ontario June 10 1926 and the Red Deer Advocate, Summer 1926.)

Rev. William Gilbert McKECHNIE

"Rev. W. G. (Gib) McKECHNIE died on May 29th at his home in Sylvan Lake Alberta, leaving a great blank in Red Deer West, which will not soon forget the unselfish and devoted pioneer service, which he unstintingly poured out to church and charitable work for the past 10 years in that territory.

He had to overcome failing eyesight from his teen years and latterly, total blindness.
In the blindness and ill health of the past couple of years, he had been weakening.

He was a man of very strong will and he could bend his body
almost to every good aim within his reach.
He used various methods during his life to overcome his disabilities
and was thus enabled to fight life's battle with a really outstanding amount of success,
when measured by the sympathy and service that he gave along the way.

For the 12 years before his death which followed a lingering illness of several months,
he had been pastor of the
Presbyterian Church at Sylvan Lake and Evarts.

Gib was known widely in Alberta as the 'blind missionary'. He was held in highest regard by the entire district.

He was born March 31 1870,
in Scotch Block, Esquesing Township, Halton Ontario
and lived there until his removal to Alberta in the Fall of 1905,
a few months before his mother, Janet Stewart McKechnie died, in Jun 1906.

On the family farm, he had gained a good knowledge of farming and carpentry
and he was able to adapt himself to other occupations.
He was a student from the very beginning
but his failing eyesight and home responsibilities
(his father Dougald, had succumbed to consumption in 1880 at a very young age)
shut him out from more than a regular high school education.
All of his later study came from his own initiative.

He took almost naturally to home missionary work
in a comparatively neglected district near his home,
and conducted a Sunday School and other church enterprises
at Boston and Speyside (near Esquesing Township).

He campaigned in Halton County for the Scott Act
and for J D McGregor, the Liberal candidate.

Thinking the West would help him,
he arrived in late 1905
and joined his brother, James Stewart McKECHNIE
in the lumber business,
in Alberta, British Columbia and Montana
up to the time of the First World War.
Gib spent his spare time organizing classes and services of various kinds
for the benefit of the men in the lumber camps.

Since 1915, he had been the travelling Presbyterian preacher
of the Red Deer West country as far as Norvegg,
under Rev. Dr. Shearer and Rev. W. G. Brown.

During the years 1916-1918,
Gib lived with the Henry JAMIESON Sr family
who were located on the East 1/2 Section 6-T, 38-R in the Centreville District.
(Gib's brother James was married to Henry & Marion JAMIESON's daughter Arabella)

Edith, a granddaughter of Henry & Marion JAMIESON, once said,
"Many of us remember with joy the time we could be 'eyes' for Uncle Gib
and take his hand to meet a train, a visit to the sick or just a social call in the district;
we also were over awed by his magic watch
which chimed the hour and minutes when he pressed the stem."

He never turned a deaf ear to any appeal for help
and was especially ready to advise and aid young people to a better education.

He was mainly instrumental in procuring the erection of Presbyterian churches
at Sylvan Lake and Rocky Mountain House.

He wasn't officially ordained in the Presbyterian ministry until May 23 1921.

For many years while living at Rocky Mountain House,
he travelled by train to Sylvan Lake where he held services from 1922 to 1926.

He also served at Evarts and Benalto,
with various members of the congregation driving him about with team and buggy or cutter,
depending on weather and road conditions.

At the time of his death, Gib was survived by:
his brother James McKECHNIE of Sylvan Lake,
and sisters, Mrs. Euphemia STIPE and Miss Mary McKECHNIE of Hamilton Ontario
and Mrs. Anne CAMPBELL of Sylvan Lake, living with her brother James.

The funeral was under the auspices of the Red Deer Presbyterians and the Knights of Pythias.
Interment at Red Deer Cemetary.

* ~ * ~ *
In Boston Church Cemetary in Esquesing Township,
these other members of the McKECHNIE family are listed on a a huge tombstone :

Janet Stewart McKECHNIE ~ his mother (d 1906)
John McKECHNIE ~ his brother who died of pneumonia at age 18 in Brandon Manitoba
Elizabeth Jane (Lizzie) McKECHNIE ~ his sister who died at 18 months
Mary E (Minnie) McKECHNIE ~ his sister (d 1950)
~ Gib's birth and death are listed there as a memorial ~

Barely a step away are Gib's grandparents:
James STEWART and Janet McGregor STEWART

Contrary to what would be expected,
his father, Dougald McKECHNIE born about 1844 in Esquesing Township,
and his paternal grandparents Gilbert & Jessie McKECHNIE,
both born in Scotland,
don't appear to be buried in this same cemetary
and right now,
that's the mystery I want to solve!!



Return to My McKECHNIE Direct Ancestor Line
Return to My STEWART Direct Ancestor Line

Return to: James Stewart McKECHNIE ~ Pioneer's Trek West


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