Heritage in the Hat: Col. F.O. Sissons, Horseman and Soldier
By Medicine Hat News on December 9, 2017.
The name of Col. Francis Ogletree “Frank” Sissons comes up in connection with the Third Canadian Mounted Rifles and the recently completed First World War monument (3CMR, 175) on Robertson Hill. Since we share the last name, I am frequently asked about him although we are not directly related (my grandmother’s first cousin). His story is, however, very interesting. Daniel Sissons, Frank’s father, was born on a farm in Ontario to immigrant parents Thomas Sissons and Helen McKay. Dan came west in 1868 to work for an uncle on a farm at Portage la Prairie and accompanied the Portage party to Fort Garry to “sort out” Louis Riel and the Metis who had taken control but he ended up in the clink. He survived that episode and married childhood sweetheart Annabell Ogletree in Portage, who died 18 months after giving birth to Frank in 1874. When Dan went out to Medicine Hat in 1883 with his partner and brother-in-law James Hargrave, he left Frank with his inlaws. About 1885, Frank joined his father operating the Fort Carlton trading post for the partnership. As a young man, Frank attended college in Winnipeg and trained with the Manitoba Dragoons. Later, back in the Hat, he operated their ranch north of Walsh and in 1898, age 24, he undertook a legendary cattle drive. A hundred steers were railed to Vancouver, barged to Skagway, driven over the steep White Pass to Lake Bennett where they were slaughtered and the meat rafted down to the Klondike and sold at great profit! Upon Dan’s death in 1899, he took over the various ranching and real estate interests, such as the Hargrave Sissons block and Merchants Bank building. Frank married his childhood sweetheart Jessie Garland in 1900 and they lived in a house at 5 First St. SE, still standing but considerably modified. They had three children, Francis Ogletree (II), Donovan, and Alice (who later married teacher Ken MacKenzie). He was a founding member and President (1906) of the Cypress Club, an elder at St. John’s Presbyterian Church and an officer with the 21st Alberta Hussars. In February 1915, he was appointed Colonel of the Third Canadian Mounted Rifles, a regiment to be raised in Medicine Hat. In March, the 1, 2, 3 CMRs were combined as a brigade under Sissons. The brigade went overseas as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in June. Mounted Rifles trained with horses for raiding and rapid movement, having served effectively in South Africa but were not very useful in trench warfare. They went into the line in September 1915 at Messines but were not well trained for infantry fighting. At the beginning of December, the Germans secretly built a barrier across Messines road to prevent attacks and the leadership of the CMR brigade was severely criticized for not reporting it nor the casualties and general disorganization after a heavy shelling. Senior officers were replaced including Sissons, who resigned his commission and returned to Canada. Many troopers resented the conversion to infantry, however the CMRs were reorganized into the 8th Infantry Brigade in January 1916 and CMR disbanded. Col. F. O. Sissons, as he was called, continued to pursue his business interests, although drought and poor cattle prices brought an end to the ranch in the 30s (now part of JH Ranch). Frank Sissons passed away in 1936 after an exciting life spent as a horseman in the pioneer era of the Canadian West. Malcolm Sissons is the Chair of the Heritage Resources Committee. 8-7
