OSMENT, Arthur and Loretta - Bell Farm contractor
Arthur James Osment (1852-1911) and his wife Loretta Ann (1859-1939) were Bell Farm employees and long-term Indian Head residents. They were married in 1878 and raised four sons and two daughters.
Osment was a trained carpenter who came from London, England and moved to Brockville, Ontario in the 1870s, where he met his future wife - Loretta Hendershot. In 1882 he was hired by Major W.R. Bell to serve as the general contractor to supervise construction of the numerous Bell Farm structures. During 1882 and 1883 over 100 buildings were erected, including about a dozen stone buildings.
After completing his work for Major Bell, Arthur Osment remained at Indian Head, where he opened a General Store and built many of the community's wood frame and brick residential, religious and commercial buildings. One of the largest structures that he erected was the Osment Block, built in 1904, which included an Opera House. He also imported brickmaking machinery and constructed a brickmaking factory in the Qu’Appelle Valley, among the earliest such industrial ventures in Saskatchewan. This business was later sold to Clem Peltier. Osment was active in civic and education activities, serving on town council and on the local school board.
The Osments enjoyed recreational activities on nearby Katepwa Lake, where Mr. Osment also built and operated several boats. His brickmaking factory was located at the east end of that lake.
SOURCES:
Indian Head: History of Indian Head and District, 1984, p. 585-586.
Find a Grave Canada: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/search?firstname=&middlename=&lastname=osment&birthyear=&birthyearfilter=&deathyear=&deathyearfilter=&location=Indian+Head%2C+Regina+Census+Division%2C+Saskatchewan%2C+Canada&locationId=city_251477&memorialid=&mcid=&linkedToName=&datefilter=&orderby=r&plot=
RESEARCH BY:
Frank Korvemaker, Regina, Saskatchewan