Person:Edward Butchart (1)

My great-grandfather, Edward Neil Butchart, was the third son of John Butchart and Isabella Kennedy. He and my great-grandmother, Maria Moyer, lived in Carrick Township, Bruce County of Ontario where Edward was a merchant. The family moved west to Edmonton about 1906 where Edward joined his brothers, Peter E. an Alexander in the Real Estate Business.

In the 1909 Henderson's Edmonton Directory there was a large display ad for the real estate company that the Butcharts founded:

GREAT WEST LAND COMPANY LTD. P.E. Butchart, Pres. & Mgr. P.T. Butchart, Vice Pres. E.N. Butchart, Sec. Real Estate, Fire Insurance and Rents collected 45 Jasper Ave. E.

In 1912 and 1913 Edward Neil was with "Butchart's Real Estate" along with his brother, Alexander. By 1919 Edward Neil and Alexander were back with the Great West Land Co. Ltd., Edward was Secretary Treasurer and Alexander was Vice President. By 1921 Edward Neil was just listed as Real Estate or Broker.

Edward died from complications of diabetes on November 28, 1923. The following obituary appeared in the Edmonton Journal on November 29, 1923:

"The funeral service of Edward Neil Butchart, late of 10247 - 124th Street, will be held Friday afternoon at two o'clock from the family residence, Rev. Lorne McTavish officiating. Interment will be made in the Edmonton cemetery. Deceased passed away on Wednesday morning, November 28 after an illness of several weeks. He was sixty years of age and had lived in Edmonton for eighteen years, coming here from Ontario in 1905. He was well-known in Edmonton and for several years prior to his death had been engaged in the real estate business. He was a member of the McDougall Methodist church and a prominent official of the high court of the Canadian Order of Foresters. The late Mr. Butchart is survived by his wife, three sons, Elwood and Willis at home, and Clayton of Grande Prairie, and three daughters, Mrs. J. S. Bellamy of 11437 - 95th Street, Edmonton; Mrs. York Blayney of High River, Alta, and Mrs. Jack Laughlin, Elnora, Alta.

Deceased also leaves three brothers, Alex Butchart, at one time a city commissioner of Edmonton, now residing in Ontario, P. E. Butchart, 11117, 88th Avenue, Edmonton, and W. L. Butchart, of London, Ont.; and three sisters, Mrs. M. C. Hambly, Mrs. W. M. Haight and Mrs. Jos. Williams, all of Vancouver. A cousin, P. T. Butchart, lives at 10014 - 107th Street, Edmonton.

Howard & McBride, funeral directors, have charge of the arrangements."

He left the following will:

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF EDWARD NEIL BUTCHART, (Broker) of EDMONTON, PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA.

I, EDWARD NEIL BUTCHART, Broker, of the City of EDMONTON, in the Province of ALBERTA, Canada, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, do make and publish this my LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT HEREBY REVOKING ALL FORMER Wills by me at any time heretofore made.

1. I hereby appoint my wife, Maria Butchart, and W. T. Henry both of the City of Edmonton, Province of Alberta, to be my Co-executors of this my last Will, directing my said Executors to pay all my debts, funeral and testamentary expenses out of my Estate as soon as conveniently may be after my decease.

2. After the payment of my said debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, I give, devise and bequeath all my real and personal Estate which I may now or hereafter be possessed of or interested in, in the manner following, that is to say;-

3. I give, devise and bequeath to each of my children, vis., Vinetta, Tremaine Bellamy, wife of John S. Bellamy, Isabell Vivian Blayney, wife of York Blayney M.D., Leila Veronica Merle Loughlin, wife of John J. Loughlin, Goldwin Clayton Butchart, Elwood Alexander Butchart, and Willis Bowman Butchart, the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) each.

4. I give, devise and bequeath to Maria Butchart, my wife, the balance of all my real and personal Estate and hereinbefore disposed of.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 19th day of November in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-three, at the City of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta.

SIGNED, PUBLISHED AND DECLARED by the said Edward Neil Butchart, the Testator, as and for his Last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, both present together at the same time, and in his presence, at his request, and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses to the due execution thereof. "Julia F. Frank" "Beth Magler" "E.N. Butchart"