The Bar-X Rangers
The Bar-X Rangers in Spences Bridge, circa 1937. From left, the siblings are James “Jim” Antoine (1915-1940), Mary Frances “Minnie”, Louis Joseph “Joe” Antoine (1911-1981) au saxophone, et Peter Antoine Dominic (1909-1981) Minnabarriet. Source: Daryl Minnabarriet (colourised)
Joe was the most proficient of the musicians, playing the fiddle, the saxophone and many other instruments. The violin was his favourite instrument.
The band played swing and Big Band music at local gatherings.
The name Bar-X describes the cattle brand from the family’s ranch, the 89 ranch.
The principal source of information on this family, Daryl Minnabarriet, inherited his father Joe’s violin.