[J[1].Bankhead.GED]



Preston Barry lived in Oklahoma during Territorial Days,where his second marriage took place,in what is now Rogers County.
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The following is taken from the book " Growing in the Grizzly" a history of Wanham and area.
The Bankhead Story by Leona Campbell Bankhead

In May of 1915,Mr and Mrs. Preston Bankhead and their children, Chris(James Christel),Levola, and Annie left Wallowa, Oregon,to seek homesteads in the Peace River country. They travelled by caravan from Wallowa to the border at Kingsgate,Idaho. There, after passing through three officials, they boarded a train for Edmonton,Alberta.
In Edmonton, they resided at Immigration Hall headquarters. This was necessary for foreigners to gather more information regarding homesteading in Canada. While awaiting more data, they met Mr. and Mrs. Fleon and family. The Fleon's were also coming to the Peace River Region to homestead. Mr Bankhead and Mr. Fleon used the same boxcar to load their effects and livestock in. Chris was in charge of the effects and livestock till the car arrived at Culp-the end of the steel then. When the train would stop, Chris would have to mow hay or grass along the track sides to feed the animals. Water had to be given also. The trains were very slow,-tracks and road beds were very uncertain and unpredictable due to weather,etc. The rest of the Bankhead's and the Fleon's travelled to Culp in the passenger train. At Culp they unloaded their belongings into caravans. Mr Fleon's son and Chris herded the livestock on foot. It took them a week to travel from Culp to Rycroft.
By June of 1915 the Bankhead's and the Fleon'shad parted company at Rycroft. The Bankhead's went to Bear Lake near Peace River. Pres (Preston) Bankhead located his brother Jim (James Bowlin) who was settled near Reno. He told Jim about coming through the Egg Lake country,that was the area Jim was looking for, so with itchy feet,again Jim decided to pull up stakes at Reno and go to Egg Lake.
Pres Bankheads' went back to Wanham-Belloy country. This area was then known as the Great Grizzly Bear Prairie. There were few settlers here then.

They (Pres and Jim) met Mr. Trumpower. He was a real talker and wanted settlers. He showed them much better land near and around the Birch Hills and they cosidered this better land than what they travelled through at Egg Lake. There were more prairie openings and also better roads and trails,and not nearly as many sloughs. The area was still unsurveyed, so they squatted on the north half section of 29,T77-R2,W6M, near Birch Hills. As summer was slipping, they decided to put up feed for the livestock and build a home. They cut logs and put up the walls and a sod roof, all before freeze-up.
Money and work were scarce, so Chris gathered laundry from men making ties for the railroad at the Hickey stopping place,east of Belloy. Mrs. Bankhead would do the laundry. They also trapped fur bearing animals to get the necessary money for groceries and other supplies. The nearest shopping centre and post office was Spirit River which was some 25 miles away.

During 1918-1920 there was a flu epidemic and everyone in the district had it. Minnie Bankhead passed away due to the flu in March of 1920. She was buried on Robert Gilmore's land. There were seven others as well,laid to rest there.
At the place all these Bankhead's squatted, Pres took up a 1/4 section, Chris took a 1/4 ( even though he was not old enough),James took a 1/2 section and filed for a 1/4 under his son, William's (Bill),Bill was never in Canada.