Robert Roswell Broder

      Robert Roswell Broder was born on 16 November 1887 in Alturas, Modoc County, California, according to his aunt.¹ He was the son of John Broder and Alice Mary Graves.^1,2 Robert's mother claimed he was born on 16 November 1888.³ Later records use both birthdates. I have chosen to use 1887 because his father John, in a land petition, says that he moved to the land in July 1888 with his wife and family, which implies that Robert had been born before 1888, and because his aunt, May Bertha Graves, claims to have been 15 years old when she was photographed with him (she was born in 1872.)⁴ Robert later operated canneries in British Columbia and Alberta for many years, canning primarily fruits and vegetables. Photos of some of these canneries can be seen here.

On 21 Jan 1906, John Broder sailed from Seattle, WA to Victoria, BC. He made almost the same journey on 6 Feb 1906 accompanied by an unknown person . On this second trip they sailed from Port Townsend, WA. Both trips were on the CPR's steam ship Princess Beatrice. a wooden hulled, single-screw 193 foot 1,290 ton ship having 40 rooms with 114 berths.^5,6 Robert does not appear on the 1910 census of Washington State; however he was probably working with his father in Bellingham at this time. He married Violet Faye Jones, daughter of Amos Randall Jones and Mary Ann Misener, on 18 April 1916 in her brother Emery's home, 239 6th Ave, New Westminster, British Columbia.^7,8,9 He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 128 Queen's Ave, New Westminster, British Columbia, between 1916 and 1918. On their first wedding anniversary, Robert was in Princeton, BC on a sales trip and wrote a letter to Violet. The letter does not mention their anniversary. He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 31 Columbia Street, New Westminster, British Columbia, between 1918 and 1920. He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 40 Leopold Place, New Westminster, British Columbia, between 1921 and 1949. When the house was listed for sale in 1949 it was priced at $12,000. It has since been restored and moved to 21 Royal Ave.¹⁰ On 4 Apr 1924, The Seattle Daily Times reported that Robert and Violet Broder had incorporated the Mt Vernon Canning Co. Between 1949 and 1952 Robert Roswell Broder and Violet Faye Jones lived in a house on the grounds of Broder Canning, Lethbridge, Alberta. He signed his will on 27 September 1949 in Lethbridge, Alberta.¹¹ He and Violet Faye Jones lived in 2929 Parkside Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta, after 1952. He was a citizen of the United States. He was a member of the Masons, King Solomon Lodge, No 17, New Westminster, BC.¹²

Robert was ill for the last two years of his life. He suffered a stroke on 12 Jan 1954 that affected his right side. He had an operation for intestinal cancer on 17 Mar 1955 and was hospitalized until April 17. Shortly after that he suffered another stroke that badly affected his speech.¹³ He died on 31 October 1956 in Lethbridge, Alberta, at age 68.^2,14 He was buried on 5 November 1956 in Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge, Alberta.¹⁴

On 1 September 2012, Mr Alex Yanoshita dedicated a plaque at the Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden, Lethbridge, Alberta, commemorating the kindness shown by Robert to many of the Japanese internees at Lethbridge during WWII. He spoke of Robert providing them with jobs and a place to live when they were being shunned and mistreated by most people in the area. Members of Alex's family, some of Robert's descendants, and members of the Japanese community attended the ceremony.

A biography written by Violet Broder is here. Another, written by James & Marion (Broder) Doyle is here.

Robert was written up in several publications.