Bill Dungate is a pioneer from Houston in northern BC Canada

		PAGE TWO OF THREE

Bill and Amy Dungate, Pioneers

In 1918, the Dungates built a new home on land close to town. They bought a herd of dairy cows and began shipping cream to a creamery in Vanderhoof.

That same year, George helped with building the first schoolhouse. His own two children and his neighbor's five children totalled the number of students needed to request a teacher.

The first Houston students, including young Bill Dungate

Bill remembered getting up early enough to milk up to eighteen cows by hand before heading off to the one-room school. Bill also vividly remembers a later classmate... a young girl named Betty who, when she turned 21, became his wife.

Bill Dungate and Betty got married in 1935 in Prince Rupert where they lived for seven years before returning to Houston. In 1943 they bought the 160 acre Benadi property from Betty's mom and, together with their daughter named Nora, they farmed cattle and chickens.

Bill and Betty Dungate's wedding picture

Betty's father was Tom Aitken - a man who left Scotland in 1898 and who also ended up walking his way into the Pleasant Valley. He arrived in 1908 and promptly started the first sheep ranch in the area. In 1913, Tom married Nora Booth- a woman who had left her home in Sheffield England "...just to see what it was like" in Canada. Her short visit never ended and for eight years the couple managed the post office at North Bulkley (8 miles east of Houston). They had 3 children: Nancy, Betty and Richard (Dick).

Bill Dungate supplemented his income with working in the bush until his retirement in 1974. But it was what Bill did with the rest of his time that earned him the Queen's Jubilee medal for his contributions to this community. In 1985 both Bill and Betty were named "Freemen of Houston."






copyright © 2003-2005, Northwest Design, Smithers, BC, Canada