Anybody out there have information, pictures or documentation about William John Speers (alias Barbwire Johnny)? He lived, ranched and trapped in the southwestern corner of Alberta in the early to mid 1900s. I've located some of his old sets and am trying to document his history.
Johnny had a registered trapline along the Livingstone River during the 1940s and 1950s. He had a cabin on the east side of the Forestry Trunk Road beside Speers Creek which was named after him by surveyors. The cabin was burned to the ground by unknown persons after he moved to a seniors lodge in Pincher Creek.
When did you take over the trapline and what kind of sets did you find.?
My dad knew him, he would stop to visit him in the Nov hunting season.
He was not an early riser, but when they woke him up, he would sit there
visiting, w/o a shirt on at 20 bellow or so, happy as hell. Tough old bird, for sure.
I have a close relative that knew him. He’s told stories about how Johnny would walk into town (Bellevue) once in a while.
Heard a few stories about him.
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