Such a woman was Mary Whitford of Worsley, Alberta. In the book Bridging the Years published by the Worsley Women’s Institute, Mrs. Whitford’s was the first biography in the book. Mr. Harold Hobden has done further research for which we are grateful.
Our first first-hand knowledge of Mrs. Whitford came in a conversation with Mr. D. Bright now of Dawson Creek.
For many years Mr. Bright had had on his ankle a large ulcer which had been treated without success by many doctors in many new ways. One day Granny Whitford saw it. Producing a jar of ointment, she said, “Put this on for two nights. Be sure to wrap your foot and leg well because it won’t come off the bed clothes.”
It was black; it was sticky; it smelled! Mr. Bright put it on. Years later now, he reports: “I don’t know what was in it, but that sore began to heal. It healed completely. It never returned.”
Intrigued by his praise for “a wonderful lady” this writer made inquiry of Worsley people. This is what came out of it.
Mary Whitford was the daughter of famed “Chief Ermine” or “Ermine Skin” of the Hobema Band, and educated at St. Albert and Lacombe Schools. At some time she lived at Stettler, during which time she walked many miles back and forth each day to work. It seems that she was employed in a hospital, or possibly in a doctor’s office.
Little more is known of her early-married life except that there was tragedy.
In 1917 Mary Whitford brought her two sons Billie and Danny to Clear Prairie, north of Fairview, where she worked as an interpreter for the proprietor, H.A. Lathrop. Apparently Mrs. Whitford had a sum of money for she soon became a partner with Mr. Lathrop in a small ranching enterprise when they bought out an old-timer. The store and ranch was a centre for the local Indians. In the autumn of 1918 five bands of Indian had gathered there to trade when the flu epidemic reached Clear Prairie. Mrs. Whitford, to keep them away from the contagion, made them leave at once for their camping grounds at Sweeney Creek, with strict instructions not to visit or allow visitors. A notice was put up in the store warning people not to go near the Indians – but it was torn down, and the flu was carried in. All had been well while Mr. Lathrop carried supplies out near to the encampment to be picked up be the Indians. Once introduced, the disease raged through the camp, and nineteen died. An Indian cemetery on the SW [?] 1/4 of section 11, Township 87, Range 8 West of the 6th Meridian marks the site of a tragedy all too frequent in that epidemic when many Indian bands were all but wiped out.
In 1919 they moved to the Worsley district. Billie Whitford had served in World War I and on his return he took up ranching, ran stampede, “located” newcomers on their homesteads and kept open house for travelers.
His son, Granny’s eldest grandson, was named “Worsley” after an officer whom Billie had admired overseas. When the name was submitted in a contest, it was chosen for the new settlement.
Meanwhile Granny went on with deeds of mercy in her quiet way. Before the arrival of a medical man she was always “on call as doctor, nurse of midwife”. Tales of her skill are still told, as we discovered in 1973. No journey was too long or hazardous for her to ride or to trudge on foot when roads were impassable, carrying her “little black bag”. She said, with justifiable pride, “I never lost a (maternity) case.”
When a doctor came she still worked along with him, as nurse or mid-wife in his absence.
Between times she raised a foster son, and her grand daughter, Mary, daughter of her deceased son Danny. No child need lack a home as long as Granny lived.
Her three eldest grandsons — Worsley, Leo and Keith — followed their father Billie into World War II in which Worsley was killed in action.
Her life was summed up by an old-timer of the district: “One long, long trail of service and hardship, with many moves, and many long trails of rough traveling and living conditions. Her services to a community were priceless.
“God Bless Her!”
Such a pity that nobody wrote down her Indian medicine lore!