Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

Elven Hubert Leard was born on 11 August 1889 in Kildare Capes, Prince Edward Island to Archibald Johnston Leard (1843-1924) and Margaret Ellen MacRae (1847-1936). His siblings were: Henry Oliver (1866-1941), Ira Leslie (1870-1959), Minnie Mae (1870-1962), Alvah Johnstone (1872-1948), Myles Fulton (1874-1942), Laura (1876-1921), Katie Elizabeth (1877-1948), Lillie Ida (1879-1970), Willis Burton (1881-1974), Carrie Lorena (1883-1983), Harris Raeburn (1887-1948) and Lewin Turle (1891-1973). He was raised in the Prince District of Prince Edward Island. In 1905 he appeared on the nominal roll and paylist for the Volunteer Militia of the 82nd Regiment, Abegwit with the rank of Bugler.

In 1907, Elven moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with his parents and some of his siblings. In 1911 he was living at home and was a book keeper. He married Jean Adaline Poast on 14 August 1912 in Saskatoon. Jean was born on 24 September 1885 in Omemee, Ontario to Richard Poast (1858-1946) and Elizabeth Jane Balfour (1857-1953). Her siblings were: Mary Emma (Minnie) (1883-1972), Caroline (Carrie) (1888-1976), Lottie "Winnifred" (1890-1937), Orman Wesley Lockhart (1894-1983) and Roy Irvine (1897-1916). In 1901 the Poast family was living in Emily, Victoria, Ontario.

According to her obituary, Jean moved to Saskatoon in 1910. In 1916 and 1921 Elven and Jean lived at 707 McPherson. For many years Elven represented several well known firms and institutions as a wholesaler and manufacturing agent. Elven and Jean had four children, two boys and two girls. Elizabeth Jeane died at the age of three months in 1922. Donald Richard Leard was born on 25 September 1915, likely in Saskatoon and died on 12 March 1993 in Edmonton, Alberta. He married Winnifred Steele Glencross (1914-2004). They had one son, Donald James (1943-1970). Jean died on 4 September 1939 in Saskatoon. At some point, Elven married Ada. He died on 29 December 1959 in Saskatoon. Helen Leard was born in 1914 in Saskatchewan to Elven's brother, Myles and his wife Sarah A (Sadie) McPherson (1888-1978). Her siblings were: Annie Ellen (1908-1993) and Archibald Fulton (1911-1992).

Percy Howard Coad was born on 24 December 1875 in East Wawanash, Huron County, Ontario to Thomas Coad (1842-1890) and Esther Halpenny (1842-1901). In 1901 he was living with his widowed mother in Wingham, Huron, Ontario and was a druggist.

Percy moved to Saskatoon about 1908 and by 1909 was living at 137 20th St W, Saskatoon. He was manager of Saskatoon Drug & Stationery Co operating at the same address.

Percy married Mary Emma Poast (see above) on 4 August 1909 in Emily Township, Victoria, Ontario. Mary was born on 22 January 1883 in Emily Township to Richard Post (1858-1946) & Elizabeth Jane Balfour (1857-1953).

Percy & Mary lived at Richardson-Taylor Block, 218 20th St W until 1913 when they moved to their family home at 506 Bedford Road. Ruth Coad was born in 1911 and Howard H Coad was born in 1913. In 1918, Percy Ruth & Howard were members of the Saskatchewan Red Cross.

Howard followed in his father’s footsteps and became a druggist. He married Irene Vernatte sometime prior to 1942. Irene was a nurse and continued her career after her marriage. Howard died on 7 June 1956. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Saskatoon. Irene subsequently married Claude Angus and she died in 2008.

Mary died on 29 August 1972 and Percy on 26 March 1974. They both buried alongside Howard in Woodlawn Cemetery.

The family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Coad/Leard Tree.

Donald, Helen Ruth and Howard were all small children, the eldest being 7 in 1918. The Coads were members of 3rd Ave Methodist Church. We speculate that someone wrote the children's names on the quilt for them as we could find no other candidates in Saskatoon for any of these signatures. Donald's name was signed directly above that of Helen on the quilt, suggesting that their bearers were related. The other two names were not grouped in any way. It is possible that a verbal request was made to add the names of Ruth and Howard Coad to the quilt and that the person who wrote them did not realize that the spelling was not Code. It is also possible that we have not correctly identified the signers of the four names attributed to children.

Coad’s Drug Store is featured in the permanent exhibition “Boomtown”, a full-size replica of a typical main street in a Saskatchewan town, 1905 to 1910, at the Western Development Museum. (See the Google Street View on the website for a view of the drugstore in the exhibition; the Drugstore is the building with yellow trim next to the RCMP office).

Over a hundred years later, Coad’s Drug Store is still in business at 137 20th St W, Saskatoon and is listed in Yellow Pages.

ELVEN HUBERT LEARD, DONALD RICHARD LEARD and HELEN LEARD

HOWARD H COAD and RUTH COAD