BUTTONHOOK

Description: SILVER BUTTONHOOK. HANDLE FORMS A LOOSE FIGURE 8 SHAPE. HANDLE IS EMBOSSED WITH A DIAMOND PATTERN. EMBOSSED ON SHAFT OF HOOK IS "PAT. APD FOR". THERE IS A SMALL AMOUNT OF TARNISH ON UPPER SHAFT.

History: ITEM BELONGED TO DONOR'S HUSBAND'S GRANDMOTHER, MRS. HOWARD FRASER GREENWOOD, THE FIRST PERSON TO BUILD A HOUSE IN THE TOWNSITE OF LETHBRIDGE (OUT OF THE RIVER VALLEY). HOWARD FRASER GREENWOOD WAS BORN IN NOVA SCOTIA. BEFORE COMING TO SOUTHERN ALBERTA, MR. GREENWOOD WAS CHIEF ACCOUNTANT FOR THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANT AT WINNIPEG. IN 1882 HE ACCEPTED EMPLOYMENT WITH THE NORTH WESTERN COAL & NAVIGATION COMPANY AS THAT FIRM'S ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER AND CHIEF ACCOUNTANT, AND MOVED WITH HIS FAMILY TO FORT MACLEOD. IN 1885 THEY MOVED TO A COMPANY-BUILT HOUSE IN LETHBRIDGE. MR. GREENWOOD WAS ELECTED A MEMBER OF THE FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD IN 1888, FIRST POSTMASTER, AND FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE RIFLE ASSOCIATION IN 1886. HE LIVED IN LETHBRIDGE UNTIL 1900, AND THEN MOVED TO EDMONTON.