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William James Thomson (Billy)
1929 -
Billy Thomson is the oldest son of Willie and Ida Thomson. He was born at the Red Cross Hospital at Wood Mountain.
Billy grew up breaking, riding and driving horses. As a boy he used horses to seed and harvest crops on his father's place. Presently he farms with 4X4 tractors, air seeders and large combines. He still keeps cows and where he once cut hay with a mower he now putts up feed with a round baler and stack wagon. He brands his cattle with W over T. |
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William James Thomson
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Mechanically inclined Billy repairs most of his own machinery and vehicles. He also built a modern |
home for his family and has often helped neighbours with building projects.
In 1956 Billy married Maxine Kimball of Canopus. They had a family of five children: David, Forrest, Eric, Roxanne and Celeste. All of their sons have taken up farming.
David Thomson is more interested in the farming operations. Like his father he is mechanically inclined and often finds automated ways of doing things. He |
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recently devised a hydraulic method of unrolling barbwire.
Eric Thomson is particularly interested in |
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Billy Thomson (centre) playing
with his friends
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livestock. He breaks his own horses, trains border collies, and does vet work in addition to the usual work of fencing, marketing and maintaining a cow-calf herd. He brands his cattle with a double upside down T.
Forrest Thomson ranches independently near his father's place. He brands his livestock with the S dot brand.
Celeste Thomson the youngest daughter took an agriculture course and has worked as a crop insurance adjuster as well as working on the ranch. She is equally at home vaccinating and branding cattle or driving 4X4 tractors.
The Thomson family runs an efficient farming and ranching operation. As his sons take over more of the work, Bill has more time for his main hobby, music. He plays several instruments including banjo, guitar, mandolin and violin. He has played for many programs and wagon trains at Wood Mountain. |
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BIOGRAPHIES
Fort Berthold | Okanagan | Wood Mountain
Introduction | Early Ranching | Ranching Life | Contemporary Ranching Life | Community Stories | Transition to Rodeo
SACRED BEINGS | RANCHING | ENTERTAINMENT | RODEO | ARTS AND INDUSTRIES
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