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THIRD AVENUE METHODIST CHURCH QUILT

A CANADIAN RED CROSS QUILT

Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

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FRANK LOWELL SURBER

Frank Lowell (Frank) Surber was born on 12 August 1873 in Ottumwa, Wapello, Iowa, USA to William Henry Surber (1834-1904) and Nancy Maria Webster (1834-1916). His siblings were: Sylvester A (b 1856), Irvin A (b 1863), May Christina (1865-1916), William H (b 1867), Sarah Elizabeth (1870-1944) and Helena (1876-1937). Frank lived with his parents and siblings in various places in Iowa until at least 1885 - Jackson (1880) and Woodbine (1885). He was enumerated in the 1895 Iowa State Census in Young Valley. By 1900, he and his sister Lena were boarding with the family of Andrew and Maria Erickson and teaching in Spring Valley, Iowa.

Census records indicated that Frank immigrated to Canada in 1905 and this is supported by the fact that a homestead was issued to him on 9 December 1909 on NW-24-36-12-W3 in the RM of Perdue, Saskatchewan. It generally took about 5 years to do the work required to obtain title to homestead land. He also homesteaded SW-24-36-12-W3 and had that grant issued on 28 December 1918. He married Emma May Harrison in about 1910, likely in Perdue or somewhere near there. She was born in 1893 in Bethany to Thomas Harrison (1844-1928) and Elizabeth Corts (1869-1950).

The Harrisons homesteaded SE-14-36-12-W3 in Perdue RM located about a mile away from Frank's homestead. Emma's siblings were: Thomas Corts (1886-1982), Anna Lisa (1888-1973), John Hunter (1890-1971), Paul (1897-1988) and Mary (b 1906). Frank and Emma had four children, all born in Perdue: Evelyn Elizabeth (1911-1996), Floyd W (b 1913), Lillian (b 1914) and Ines Gertrude (1919-1971). They were living on their homestead land in census records from 1911 to 1921. Frank died in Perdue on 10 April 1947 and Emma on 18 November 1978. Perdue is about 60 kilometers from Saskatoon and Saskatoon is the nearest large city, so it is likely that Frank happened to be in Saskatoon on business when he signed the quilt.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Surber Tree.

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