William Maxwell Houston
Pioneer, Cattleman, Horseman
Born in July 17th 1880 Chatham Ontario, was the second oldest in a family of 9 children, born to Robert and Margaret Houston, 1st and 2nd generation Scottish immigrants. He married Ida Inez Campbell of Rodney Ontario in 1907, moved to Gull Lake Saskatchewan in 1909, and took out a homestead in the Garden Head district in 1910.
A transcript from the December 10th 1956 issue of "A WHO’S WHO" IN SASKATCHEWAN A BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY , Reads
HOUSTON, William Maxwell, Butcher. William Maxwell Houston, retired butcher at Shaunavon, was born Chatham, Ont., on July 17 1880, the son of Robert and Margaret (Morrison) Houston. He took his elementary education near Harwich Ont. From 1900 t 1903 he worked in a butcher shop owned by John Lamond in Rodney Ontario. And from 1903 to 1908, he owned the Star Meat Market in Rodney. In 1908 he came west to harvest and the next spring he came to Gull Lake and worked at a meat market there until the Spring of 1910. He then homesteaded at Garden Head Sask., until 1929, when he sold his farm (buying it back again in 1946). In 1929 he bought the Shaunavon Butchers, in partnership with Dave Burness, whom he bought out in 1934. In 1935 he traded in cattle for a time, and then bought the Bolten Meat Market in Shaunavon, where he remained until retiring to let his sons take over, (A D, Bob, and Max). |
Mr. Houston married Ida Inas Campbell of Duart Ontario, on October 14, 1907. They had five children, Maxwell Ethelbert, Alexander Durand, William Morrison, Robert Michael, and Ida Jean (deceased in childhood). He was a member of the Carmichael school board for three years and a member of the Garden Head council for three years. He has been an Odd Fellow sine 1904 and a Mason since 1906. He helped organize the Mesonic Lodge at Gull Lake, Sask. He has bred and trained horses for harness racing for more than 50 years, producing many prizewinners in that time. He is a Conservative, and a member of the United Church. His home is at 530 First Street East, in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan. ____________________________________________________________ William passed away April 10, 1959. Ida passed away August 12, 1973. Both are buried in Hill Crest Cemetery, Shaunavon. |
He had been a harness racing enthusiast all his life and in this capacity he was widely known throughout the prairies as a breeder and driver. He enjoyed many successes but his greatest triumph came in the twilight of his career when in 1951 he acquired the mare Eva Riggs in a trade. She was sore footed at the time but under his careful treatment she became sound and in the following seasons he lost only one race with her on leading prairie circuits, finally selling her to eastern Canadian interests.
Not to much information exists on Will’s racing career prior to 1908, when he moved to western Canada. The one picture shown here, it is assumed that this was a horse of his in his early years. The scenery doesn’t look like anything in around his home in Saskatchewan, so one can only assume it is in Ontario.
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From research thats been done, We have come up
with the following information, concerning Will's horses and
racing career.
This is the first horse we have information on pictured here, Predestined, 202-36643, by Norvalson, out of Axtellita f. 1902,
Oregon, Ill. James H. Cartwright. Will purchased him in 1914 from
Sinclair & Davidson of Gull Lake Sask. If you check out his pedigree, you will see this was a foundation Standardbred Sire, being line bred to Hambeltonian top and bottom all with in 4 generations. In 1915 he won the FFA at Gull Lake. (May 24th). His registration papers, and a picture of him after winning the race in Gull Lake are shown here. Not much info has show up as far as races go, but he was raced once in 1912, click here for his race records.
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An interesting note about Predestined was that he was referred to asPerdestine,I guess they figured this was a more suffisticated sounding name than predestined. Will must have thought highly of this horse, And to keep his memory alive, he had his hide tanned, and lined to be used as a lap blanket for those cold winter cutter rides to town. I remember seeing this blanket as a kid, but I am not sure what ever became of it.
The next horse is Balistine, circa 1921, The picture here is of a race in Gull Lake with her name on the back, not much else is know about her.
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Then there were a couple of foals out of a mare I think is Queen Electric The filly was Eileen H. by Birdman, and the colt was Billie (Nort???) by Sir (Nort???) not to sure of the sires name or the colts names. I think these foals were in the 1920 some time.
This series of photographs take place form c1920 to 1930, while he was still living on his Garden Head homestead in southwestern Saskatchewan. No to much is known about the horses in this period.
There doesn’t appear to be any information about the 1930 and any racing that may have gone on then. Chances are that because of the depression, and the drought of the "Dirty Thirties", harness racing was not an active sport during those times.
Things skip to the 1940's Four horses are listed here circa 1940-44
There are a couple of mares, that my Dad mentioned, but not much other information has shown up yet, one is Gracie Fields and an other was Grace Wood.
We move on to the late forties, and a story develops. The story goes that Will bought an old stallion (real old) (?) Azoff, I have two names, Garnet Azoff, and Gilded Azoff, so I am not sure which is which, other than then information on the following horses all being by Gilded Azoff. I could be that Garnet was just miss quoted by one of my sorces..
The story goes he nursed him through the winter on boiled wheat, (cause the old guy had no teeth). Then in the spring he bred him to Blondy Axworthy,and produced Bobby Azoff. There were a number of Azoff foals that my Grandfather had, so I am not sure if they are all by the old Azoff, or one of his get. I have the papers shown here are for Gary M. Azoff - 9731 f. July 4th 1949, by Gilded Azoff - 6678-67478, by Azoff - 50354, out of Blondy Axworthy, - 8079
But I also have these pictures of which have written on the back
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Red Azoff, born May 15 Dam: Blondy Axworthy Sire: Gilded Azoff.
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Saddie Azoff , out of Grace Wood by Gilded Azoff,
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L.R. Azoff. This picture looks like L.R. at Shaunavon, C. 1950. Probably as a 2 year his first race???
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This picture of L.R. racing in 1957 in Three Rivers, Que. after he was sold to G.E. McNabb.
Bobby Besure, (1956)
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Johnny Norton- 9526, Sire: Laurel Guy, Dam: Lady M Direct. Shown here is a duplicate copy of his papers, f. July 15th 1948 bought by Will May 5th 1953
The following is a news paper clipping from the Edmonton Journal of Eva Riggs, 1952. The story on Eva Riggs is that Will traded Bobby Azoff for her and $500 to boot. She apparently had a front leg that she would go lame on, but he figured he could fix that. He treated her leg regularly for a week, and then put her back on the track. Apparently she went on to break all track records in western Canada at that time from Manitoba to B.C. Then a group form Que. bought her for $5000, her is a copy of a telegram from the new owns. Apparently thy could never win with her. Either they didn't know how or didn't bother to take care of her leg. They tried breeding her, but could never produce a winning foal form her.
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Not knowing for sure when Will started racing, I can only assume it was about 1910 in Western Canada, but he might have been involved pre 1908 in Ontario. If so that would have made him an active breeder, trainer and driver for over 50 years, He drove his last race on May 27th 1957 in Saskatoon, Saskatchwan. The picture here is of his last race, and it appears to be L.R. Azoff he is driving. He passed away April 10th 1959. (79 years old)} .
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