"The Meadow Lea disaster is an event which might be regarded as one that had passed into history without having been accorded the treatment which this intense tale of suffering, sorrow, and heroism deserved at the hand of the historian. The early settlers of Manitoba well remember the awful blizzard in March, 1882. With a fair amount of correctness some of them can tell you the main facts of the sad havoc which the two opposites, fire and frost, in their turn, made upon that memorable night, when John Taylor and his family, of Meadow Lea, Manitoba, were burned out of house and home, and, as a consequence of exposure to the fierce blizzard and bitter cold, the mother and three daughters were frozen to death.
The sad announcement went to the world in due time; many hearts doubtless were moved to tears upon reading the press dispatches which summarized in brief form that awful night on the prairie as one without a parallel in the history of the country, in view of the hardships, heroism, sorrow and sore bereavement attending it ... It is a great pity that Mrs. Ivey's unfortunate literary work could not be replaced; but considering the difficulties under which she has to abor, it is too much to ask of her a second attempt along this line. It is more than pro- bable, however, that her memory has retained all of interest in connection with the fire at Meadow Lea, and thus preserved to many readers, in spite of all subsequent fire, smoke or adverse winds, one of the most impressive, intensely spiritual and touching stories belonging to the realm of real life that has ever been told. Mrs. Ivey, as has been stated, is the only liv- ing survivor of the disaster. John Taylor, the bereft husband and father, having died about two years after his sore trial and sad experience took place."--Amazon.com (diff. ed. "Fire and frost ... Meadow-Lea").
John Taylor family of Meadow Lea Manitoba were frozen to deaath when their grass thatched house burned down and instead of making shelter for themselves in the snowbanks they left to look for help and lost their way in a blinding storm.
Finlay Booth : Story of a farmer from Manitoba after getting lost in a blizzard suffered the amputation of his hands and feet due to severe frostbite. A teetotler, he blamed taking a drink of alcohol for getting lost. He also lost part of his nose/face. Includes the story of getting some artificial limbs and gaining a certain amount of independence.
