Major Frank Fane

Major Frank Fane has been on my list of subjects for this column for some time. When a picture of his gravestone appeared in last week’s observer, I decided that the time had come. Twenty cadets from 341 Mundare Air Cadet Squadron were out recently doing a cleanup of the pioneer graveyard at Beaver Lake. The graveyard is on the east side of Beaver Hill Lake and is in a clearing amongst some trees, If one does not know exactly where to look then this cemetery would remain hidden as there is no marker at the roadside.Frank William Walter Fane was born on November 9th, 1864 at Canterbury, Kent, England. At the age of 16, he came to Canada and stayed with his aunt in Toronto. Two years later, he joined the Northwest Mounted Police where he stayed for eight years taking his discharge in 1890 with the rank of Quarter-Master. With the NWMP he was stationed at Lethbridge and Fort McLeod in Alberta and Fort Steele in British Columbia. He received the Riel Rebellion War medal for serving during that period. Upon his discharge, he married Margaret Duff who had come to Lethbridge with her parents from Scotland five years previous. She had been the first woman teacher in Lethbridge. From then, with the exception of a few years in Vegreville just before the First World War and a brief time in Edmonton when Frank was connected with the Soldier Settlement Board, they resided at the Beaver Lake homestead.

After his many adventures during the 2nd Riel Rebellion and his other years with the NWMP, his married life to 1905 was comparatively quiet. The couple had three girls and one boy but one of the girls, Frances Helen, died at the age of five years.

In a previous column we saw that the trail from Vegreville to Edmonton and Strathcona passed by the post office at Beaver Lake. Frank started this post office on Sept. 1, 1892 and was postmaster until May 22, 1911. There were four other postmasters after that until the closing on June 13, 1928. The mail route included Bathgate, Beaver Lake and Ryley.

Frank also served as Police Magistrate in Beaver Lake district. Politically a strong Conservative, he opposed many provisions of the Autonomy Act including those relating to separate schools. In 1905 and 1909 he contested the then provincial electoral division of Vermillion. He was defeated both times running against Mathew McCauley and J.B. Holden. Although strongly partisan, he was at the same time highly patriotic. When war was proclaimed in 1914, he was in command of “C” Squadron, the 19th Alberta Dragoons. This squadron became “C” Squadron of the 3rd Canadian Mounted Rifles with Major Fane the commanding officer. While engaged in action at Ploegstreet, Belgium, he received injuries which ultimately brought about his death. During his command he endeared himself to his men by his constant attention to their requirements and their confidence in him was justified.

Major Fane was so highly thought of that the first chapter of the IODE in Vegreville was named after him. This Chapter with its many activities was formed in 1932 and lasted until 1971. Fane’s widow, Margaret was Honourary Regent. She was born at Pitlochry, Perthshire, Scotland on Dec 18th 1863. She was the first white woman settler in the district between Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta and Battleford, Saskatchewan.

The Fane’s son, Frank John William, also had distinguished military and political careers. He won the Military Cross, also became a Major as well as a Member of Parliament.

Major Frank W.W. Fane died on July 3, 1922. “A final salute was given to a dead soldier by a firing squad after which the Last Post was sounded and the earthly career of Major Frank W. Fane was closed.” On February 5th, 1942, death came to Margaret, and they both rest side by side in this little cemetery near the Beaver Hill Lake.