John was one of two sons who signed and witnessed his father’s will (the other was William F.).

Date of marriage verified by Manitoba vital statistics record.

They moved to Saskatchewan from Manitoba in 1908 (by which time, their first child, Viola, was born). There homestead was about 5 miles northeast of Asquith. They stayed with John’s sister Janet and her husband Tom Grasby until their own house was ready.

The 1916 census shows them as J.E. (farmer) and Jenny JB Souster, in the RM of Park, Saskatchewan, along with their kids Viola, Margarite and Irene. They also have a boarder from England named Lizzie Richmond with them, who is a teacher.

In the 1921 census for the RM of Park in Saskatchewan, he and his family are living close to his brother (Cyrus Ernest) and mother (Harriett).