Menzies Island

"Sheridan Hills" (plural) is the name shown on the maps made by Captain George Richards and the officers by H.M.'s surveying ship "Plumper" in 1859-1860 for the outcroppings in the Pitt Polder. Sometimes the name Menzies Island or Menzies Mountain props up in the literature for what is officially known as Sheridan Hill. I had the idea that the name referred to Hal Menzies, but Donald Waite corrected me as follows:

I got my information from Wilma Robinson, Hal's daughter. William Henry Menzies, Hal's father worked for the CPR and came out from Rat Portage, Ont. to New Westminster in 1890. He moved to Haney in 1893 and first settled at the north end of McKenney Creek (where it empties into the Alouette River) in 1898 before moving to Menzies Mountain in 1900.

Hal at that time would have only been 15. I believe Hal taught school in Whonnock or Ruskin for a few years before hanging out their real estate shingle at Port Haney. His partner was Donald Bruce Martyn and their clerk was Angus McIver, son of John McIver, Maple Ridge's first settler II believe Sam Robertson of Albion also claims that distinction). Anyway, Don left to fight in the First World War. He ended up running along a German foxhole by mistake and ran into several Germans. He shot a couple and took the rest prisoner and for this became a war hero.

Oh yes, his position in the real estate company was taken up by his brother from Ontario, John Blake Martyn (later Reeve of Maple Ridge). Fast forward 20 years and D.B.Martyn, Hal Menzies et al are on the Soldiers' Settlement Board with respect to the Japanese. Hal's full name is William Halbert Menzies. Hal married Ethel Best, daughter of Hannah and James Best, early Maple Ridge settlers.

Their real estate business catered to both river and boat traffic. Hal became great friends of Sol Mussallem and used his new autos to show potential clients sites for potential homes. They had a great networking scheme set up. They would hang out in the local coffee shop (beside the Bank of Montreal - the Billy miner pub) and wait like spiders for a client. They get a small down payment and turn the client over to the bank for a mortgage. Sometimes they even sold a car for Sol.