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B.X. Stage Coach

A stagecoach is hooked to a team of six horses. Two men are driving the stagecoach and several people are inside and on top of the stagecoach. A man is in front of the horses holding the reins. There are tall poplar trees in the background.

Joanne Goldthorpe Collection

Alexander MacDonell (1862-1925) was born in Alexandria, Glengarry County, Ontario.  He headed west when his parents died in 1879.  He pre-empted land in Lumby in 1885 and homesteaded 160 acres at Blue Springs, seven miles (11.2 kilometers) east of Lumby.  In 1899, Alexander sold his ranch for $10,000.00 to a man named Dixon.

Alexander was a driver for the B.X. Stage Coach.  On April 1, 1900, he later purchased the B.X. Ranch from Frank Barnard.  The ranch consisted of 13,500 acres, 300 horses, 125 cattle, sheep and hogs, and an orchard.  The purchase price was only $36,000.00.