In 1883 Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dowkes, Sr. left Manitoulin Island for the West. At Deloraine, Manitoba, they met their son William, Bide Jones and his wife (Ann Jane Dowkes), and John Fitzpatrick, some of whom had journeyed as far west as the Souris River, north of the United States border, in the previous year. At that time this district was known as Assiniboia, N.W.T. This party of six traveled westward by wagon and oxen as far as the Souris River about four miles north of the United States boundary. They camped on the east side of the river overnight and in the morning built a raft from trees on which to cross over the river. How they lived while building their houses we do not know, but Wm. Dowkes, Sr. built a log house on SW 20-1-34 W1. His son, Wm. James Dowkes, built his log house on NE 16-W1. Bide Jones built a sod house NE 24-1-1 W2. Frank Dowkes (son of Wm. Dowkes, Sr.) and his wife, Margaret Scott, soon followed with their son Oliver. They moved into his brother William's log house on the west bank of the river, NE 16-1-34. Their daughter, Hilda, was born in 1886 in this log house. Later, Blanche and Dora were born into the Frank Dowkes family.
By the time Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dowkes, Sr. came west they were getting up in years and no doubt finding pioneer life a great burden. Consequently, William(who could neither read nor write ) had someone write to his son Thomas, of Listowel, Ontario, asking if he and family would come west and care for them, (his parents). In return for this favor, Thomas and family were to be given the homestead of the parents, SW 20-1-34 W1. The letters took a long time to go back and forth in those days, as the mail was taken to Deloraine, Manitoba by oxen. In May, 1888, Thomas decided to take his father's offer. It was a great undertaking. Just three months prior to this, they had lost four-year old Bennie, with diphtheria, and the two-year old baby, Frank, also caught the disease, but recovered. As many other brave pioneers of that time, Mr. and Mrs. T. Dowkes launched out on the journey, with their remaining six children ranging in age from two years to thirteen years. It was then the latter part of May and Mother Dowkes was expecting another baby in July.
In those days the train was without comfort, with slat and board seats and they had to carry food for the family. After travelling from Listowel, Ontario, to Deloraine, Manitoba, they were met by Wm. Dowkes Jr. Continuing the trip with oxen, a wagon packed with furniture, and a need for food, meant hardship again. The children's excitement ran high. On the open prairie they ran ahead of the wagon for awhile, then would sit down to wait on it as oxen were slow movers. One night they stayed at a friendly bachelor's place. He arranged for the mother and children to sleep in the house, while the men and boys bunked down in the stable. However, because of the heat, mosquitoes and bedbugs, there was not much sleep for those in the house and they were glad to move on in the morning.
On arrival at the Souris Valley, the family moved into the log house of Wm. Dowkes, Jr. (location SE 24-1-1 W2) where they stayed about a year. Then they moved to the house of Wm. Dowkes, Sr. as he had died in May, 1889 (65 years). Mrs. Wm. Dowkes, Sr. passed away the next spring at 69 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Dowkes, Sr. are interred in Meridian Cemetery.