A book launch and reading took place last night at the Portage Regional Library in Portage la Prairie. The Stalwart Brydons was written by Dianne Brydon and her father James Emerson Brydon. Brydon says the book's about their family's journey from Scotland to Galt and finally Portage la Prairie.

Gathering for the book launch"There's a lot of stories about the hardships people had in trying to get ownership of their land," says Brydon. "There are stories about the hardships the women put up with. One woman, in particular, came from Ontario to Manitoba and she was seven months pregnant. She went on a six-week trip while pregnant and had to travel by canoe, horse, and ox-cart."

Brydon says the book was printed in December and research began 35 years ago by her father. Upon her retirement, she notes her father asked her to help him finish it. Brydon explains she uncovered more research causing them to start all over again. She adds the family always felt they arrived in Canada in 1841, but she learned they were here as far back as 1828.

Noting the earlier date of arrival into the country, Brydon says, "That's hard because you can change the ending of a story fairly easily. But if you change the beginning, the entire book has to be re-written and thought about in a whole new way."

Dianne Brydon introducedShe says she started helping four years ago and explains after it was printed in December her father passed away, leaving her to launch it alone.

Brydon says her father was born and raised in Portage la Prairie, and the book's cover photo hung on their dining room wall. She says he wondered about it throughout his life and was inspired to look into his family history.

She adds "Stalwart" is not a family name, but an adjective. Brydon explains the local newspaper wrote an article about the family in 1884 headlined A Stalwart Family. That's where the book title originated.