Forsyth, William “Billy”
Branch (Tree/Willarson) Forsyth (1887-1988)
Sons: William Tree Forsyth (1924-1994), Bruce Forsyth
William Forsyth was born on February 9, 1883 in Milton of Bolgonie, Fyfeshire, Scotland. He was the son of David Forsyth, Sr. and Ann (Bruce) Forsyth. He married Branch Tree/Willarson on December 18, 1923 in Vancouver. At the time of their marriage, he was working as miner and she was working as a merchant. He died on December 9, 1953 at home in Princeton.
He was a charter Member Vermilion Rebekah Lodge #24 (May 30, 1910).
He was a bagpipe player – played at Anglican Church building benefit (1911) and the Ladies Hospital Auxiliary Pie Social (1912) and numerous Robert Burns dinners.
He played selections on the bagpipes at the Burns Dinner at the Great Northern Hotel in February 1912.
He was on the Princeton Collieries Board of Examiners, 1912 1914,1915 (alt).
Forsyth donated $10 to the machine gun fund (Princeton and area were purchasing a machine gun for 47th Battalion) and donated to the Canadian Patriotic Fund in 1916.
He worked for Vermillion Forks Mining Company in the 1920s.
In 1918, he enlisted with the Gordon Highlanders at Vancouver. He enlisted as Class A but was assigned Class B and, the Similkameen Star noted, “may not be needed for some time.”
He was installed in the Rebekah Vermilion Lodge No.24, July 10, 1922.
Death registration (BC Archives); Similkameen Star, October 4, 1911, page 2; March 27, 1912, page 1; May 22, a912, page 2; July 23, 1915, page 1; August 4, 1916, page 1; December 21, 1917, page 1; March 8, 1918, page 1; Princeton_Star July 7, 1922, page 1