Colin Case

Colin Case was born in Uxbridge, ON in 1880. At a young age, he heard of Alberta, the opportunities in the West and that the Canadian government had rich farmland to give away in Western Canada. Alberta was booming! In 1905 Colin left Ontario on his own and took the railway to Lloydminster (which was the end of the rail line.) He completed the last leg of his journey to Edmonton, by bicycle.


Colin’s first job was with Clark Lumber. Later he took a job delivering groceries on his bicycle for the Hudson’s Bay Company. In 1906, Colin sent for the rest of his family to come to Edmonton. His mother Sarah and father Edwin came with their four daughters. Their first home was on the corner of 101 St. and 102 Ave. where the Tegler Bldg. used to be. Edwin was a cabinet-maker and finishing carpenter. While Sarah and the children lived in Edmonton, Edwin homesteaded at Redwater. The government required a certain amount of work be done each year, such as clearing land, so Edwin pursued this and was away from home quite a bit. He traveled to Redwater by horse and wagon. Sarah and Edwin moved to another home in the area known as the Hudson’s Bay Reserve.


While working for the Hudson’s Bay, Colin met his wife Lucy who was employed there as a cashier, starting at $16.00/month. Lucy had come to Edmonton from Portage la Prairie, MB, in 1892 in search of a job. In 1907, Colin and Lucy married and bought their first home on 105 St and Sask. Ave. (97 Ave), immediately across the street from the Parliament buildings. It was at this home that their 2 daughters and 2 sons were born in the upstairs bedroom (Madeleine, Carl Edwin (“Ted”), Hazel and Horace.)


After several years’ employment with Clark Lumber and Hudson’s Bay Company, Colin wanted to get into a business of his own. One day, he and his brother-in-law saw a shoe repair machine in a magazine, so they got enough money together to order it. When it came, no one knew how to use it. They learned and went looking for shoes to repair. Thus was the start of “Lightening Shoe Repair” on Jasper Ave. between 101 St. and 102 St. They repaired shoes for the Police and Fire departments. In 1912, Colin went on his own and opened up the “Sample Shoe Store” on Jasper Ave. between 103 and 104 Street, next to the Lycium Theater. He paid $10.00 advance on the rent and bought his first shoes on consignment. His first chairs were apple boxes. Colin bought “sample” shoes at bargain prices, bought and sold and recycled old shoes and he was in business. Shortly thereafter, the theatre caught fire and he moved his store to the North side of Jasper Ave., between 101 St. and 102 St. Colin was so vibrant and ambitious.


He was always the first to the store and the last to leave. When he went home, he was never too tired or busy to play ball or tennis with his children, or work in the garden. Sundays, he would be up at 7 a.m. and get everyone else up too with the saying “It’s a beautiful day, everybody up.” Colin retained ownership of the store until 1926. During the years he had the Sample Shoe Store, Colin started buying and clearing farmland around Edmonton, Edson, and Blue Ridge. He found it a challenge to buy property that seemed to have nothing going for it – clear it and work it until he could grow fine crops. He loved the land and felt Edmonton had a great future. Colin had great foresight and would buy ravine or river view property thinking ahead to the time when the City would expand West and people would build on and enjoy the beautiful views. During the great depression in the late 20’s Colin had a very difficult time paying taxes on all the property he owned and as a result lost some of his precious land.


Colin bought 3 lots on 136 St. and 102 Ave. (west of Glenora School) for his parents Edwin and Sarah. They moved their house from the Hudson’s Bay Reserve. During the move, the movers dropped the house onto the basement and cracked the house quite badly. Edwin being a carpenter kept the house in good repair. They had a big vegetable garden, which they lived off all summer and into the winter. Sarah was an impeccable housekeeper and homemaker. She had an old black iron cook stove that she polished with stove polish until it shone like a mirror - everyone always talked about it. She always had a canary singing in the kitchen. Edwin passed away in 1943 and Sarah passed away in 1965 at the age of 105.


In 1914, Colin and Lucy and family, moved to Jasper Place (148 St. & Summit Drive). Colin bought the house and lot and the 3 adjoining lots on the ravine. Two of the lots, he seeded in grass which all the neighbors used as a playground and the 3rd lot became the garden. Like so many of the neighbors, they had a cow barn and chicken coup in the back yard. In the fall Colin dug the potatoes, carrots, turnips and parsnips. He then dug a hole in the garden – filled it with the vegetables and covered it with an old blanket or tarp then a layer of dirt. These vegetables were used well into the winter. Lucy canned raspberries, saskatoons and vegetables. There was always dozens of quarts in the basement. Lucy also loved to cook and many times would arrive at the Jasper Place School across the street with a steaming pot of home-made soup and put it on the top of the pot-bellied heater. The kids loved her soup and enjoyed the warmth on cold days. Lucy was always helping those less fortunate, knitting warm mittens for Christmas, visiting those who were sick, or helping financially. She worked with the “Shine Organization” and spent a great deal of time gathering and distributing clothes and food to needy families.


Around 1939, Colin moved to Stony Plain Road and 150 St. on the ravine, where he grew excellent corn and celery. Everyone always looked forward to “granddad” coming with a bag of corn on the cob. In 1946, Colin opened “Corner Supply” hardware store on the corner of 149 St. and Stony Plain Road. The store remained there until approx. 1957. Lucy passed away in 1954.


Colin was a quiet soft-spoken man and never wanted to be in the limelight, preferring rather to help in his own way behind the scenes. Many times he turned down invitations to speak at various occasions. He loved sports of all kinds, especially baseball and would always find time to get out and play in the evenings with his family, including children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We played many games suck as “run sheep run” and “kick the can” until bedtime. Colin loved to take his grandchildren to Renfrew Ball Park.


Colin passed away in 1964.