Posted on behalf of Cecil Lynn who provided this history of the cattle and horse brands registered in the Shaw family.

Hello:

Let me start by introducing myself. My name is Cecil Lynn and I am the grandson of Helen Shaw daughter of H K Shaw. The following story takes place over a period of 40 years.

Back in the late 60's my father Ken Lynn and I had acquired quite a few horses and I asked him one day if he thought if me getting a horse brand was a good idea. He said yes of course, why don't you see if you can get papas old brand XL. I  told him I didn't think they would give me that brand as 2 character brands were not issued anymore. I sent in the application in 1969 and was issued XL bar.  As the years flew by occasionally I would ask my father if the XL brand was the Shaw brand for sure. He would get very mad at me and I would quickly let the matter drop. Once in a while I would come across an old brand book but could never find the Shaw brand.  In the late 80's the province privatized the brand dept and we had to buy our cattle and horse brands for a sum of $225 each. This was a lot of money for Betty and I as we had the quarter circle CL cattle brand and the XL bar horse brand. How well I remember the nite I phoned my dad and told him that Betty and I could not afford the expense of both brands and was dropping the XL bar brand. I could really sense the disappointment in his voice on the phone that nite.  My father passed away on April 17,2006 and shortly after I got a hold of LIS and asked if XL bar was still available and was told it was. I purchased the brand even though at the time I only had one horse.

Around that time I started collecting Alberta Brand books and low and behold I came across the SW Shaw brand XL for cattle on the left hip  and XL for horses on the left shoulder. I was also told by a person in LIS(brand office) that the rules had changed and that if I sent a letter to their office in Stettler with a copy of the Shaw brand (1894) that they had to give it to me. So in 2007 the XL brand for cattle on the left hip came back to the family. I traced the brand . It was first registered to SW in the 1888 henderson brand book which of course was NWT, again in 1894.  Then in 1900 it was in the the name Shaw and Co., again in 1903,1904-1907 but dropped in 1907-12 book. I can only surmise that an error was made and the renewal was not sent in.  So approx a 100 years later it was rescued and is back in the family. The only regret is that Dad didn't live long enough for me to fix the error.

------thanks  Cec

SW Shaw Family Brands   

      

In 1878 the NWT government council passed a law on Aug 2 in North Battleford regarding livestock brands.  The Lieutenant-Governor of the NWT was given the authority to declare Stock Districts in which the Clerk of the local court was given the job as Brand Recorder.  The first Stock District in the territories was in Fort Macleod and David Laird was the man you seen to record your brand.

In the first brand book of the NWT Hendersons was given the job of printing a livestock brand book in 1888.  In this brand book SW Shaw of Midnapore had chosen XL on the left shoulder for horses and on the left hip for cattle. In the 1894 Henderson brand book the brand is registered in the same way.  In 1900 it is changed to Shaw and Company Midnapore.  This carries on again in 1903 and 1904-07.  In the 1907-12 book it has expired.  The brand lies dormant for 100 years because the depart of agriculture will not register two character brands.  In 1998 the province privatizes the livestock brand department and producers are told if they want their brands they have to buy them as a permanent mark of ownership.  In August 31, 2007 Cecil and Betty Lynn Box 27 Madden purchase the lifetime brand XL on the left hip for cattle because of a rule change.  

In the 1947 Alberta Brand Book Maltman Shaw of Midnapore has the XL7 brand on the left hip.  In the 1958 book it changed to Shaw M and son Midnapore.  Also registered in the 1958 book is the brand bar L7 on the left hip.  In the 1970 brand book both these brands are registered to James M Shaw RR8 of Midnapore.  In the 1990 book both of these brands are expired, the XL7 in 1987 and bar L7 in 1989. 

In the 1994 brand book the XL7 brand on the left rib is registered to Janet E Brown RR8 Calgary.  This brand purchased as a Lifetime brand in the 1998 book.  Janet also purchases the X over L on the left shoulder horse brand in 1998 book as a lifetime brand

In the 2005 brand book Bruce and Mary Bamford RR8 Calgary purchase lifetime brand XL7 on right rib cattle brand.

On April 18, 1978 Kennaird Lynn RR1 Bowden registers circle XL on the left shoulder for cattle.  This brand continues until it expires Dec 31, 1990

On Sept 12, 1985 Kennaird Lynn registers half diamond XL left hip for horses.  This brand continues until it expires Dec 31 1993.

In 1969 Cecil Lynn of Calgary registers XL bar on the right hip for horses.  This brand stays active until 1998 when the province privatizes brands.  It lays dormant until its purchased as a lifetime brand in June 2006

In August 15, 1985 Cecil Lynn of Calgary registers quarter circle CL right shoulder for cattle.  This brand stays active and is purchased as a lifetime brand in 1998 and still in use in 2010 in the Madden area.