J.M. Wilkie

J.M. married K. Benjamin [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. G. Benjamin

J.M. married W. Dyck [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. G.B. Dyck
2. G. Dyck

Other Events and Attributes:

• Organizations: Elks, Masonic Order
• Pilot: Flew his own plane/Cessna
• Religion: United Church
• Occupation: Between 1968 and 1981; Electrician/ owned his own business in Castor/Coronation, AB

Notes:

OBITUARY
RICHARD WILKIE
Castor plane crash kills businessman
A funeral service will be held here, tentatively on Friday for
Richard Wilkie 42 of Castor, who was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the wreckage of his light plane after being reported overdue on a flight to Castor from Edmonton.
A Twin Otter 440 search aircraft from CFB Edmonton found the plane at 3:15 near Heisler, about 50 km N. of Castor.
Search director Capt. Keith Hummel said Mr. Wilkie was alone on the plane, which left Edmonton Municipal airport about 12:30 am Tuesday for the 50 min flight to Castor.
Capt. Hummel said there was no indication at the site of the cause of the crash. The aircraft went down in flat, farming terrain, mixed with patches of trees. 2 search and rescue aircraft put in about 16 hours of flying time said Capt. Hummel.
Mr. Wilkie was piloting his Cessna 182, returning from a business trip to Edmonton for his firm E&R Electric Ltd. Of Castor.
Capt. Hummel said the federal transport dept. will investigate the crash.
Officials notified Mrs. Wilkie at about 5 am Tuesday that her husbands' plane was missing. Earlier at about 2 am, she received a phone call asking for her husband. Peggy knew it was the airport phoning said a family member.
The wreck was spotted about 15 hours after takeoff. Mr. Wilkie was a pilot for 7 years.
Survivors include his wife Margaret Rose, daughters Janice - 17 and Jacqueline - 16 of Castor. Services held at Community Centre February 27, 1981.

Interment at Castor Cemetery.

Richard married Margaret Rose Allen on 5 Oct 1962 in Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. Margaret (daughter of H. Allen and G. Mabbott) was born on 12 Jul 1944 in Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada; died on 14 Nov 2010 in University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; was buried on 19 Nov 2010 in Castor Cemetery, Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obituary: Margaret Rose "Peggy" Brown
Margaret Rose Allen, known as Peggy passed away suddenly on November 14th 2010 in the University of Alberta Hospital at the age of 66 years.
She was born July 12 1944 in Castor. She was the fifth child of six and the first daughter to Harold & Goldie Allen. She grew up on the farm south of Castor in the Horsehoe area with her brothers Clarence, Merle (Ken), Jim, Don and younger sister Phyllis. Peggy attended school at Pollux School and Castor School for high school and helped out on the family farm.
She moved in to Castor where she worked at the Castor Hotel, Joe Bain's Furniture Store, and then Revelstoke Lumber Yard for over 25 years. She married her first husband Richard Wilkie on October 5th 1962. They raised two children Janice and Jackie and she was very active playing baseball, gardening and working in the community. Richard passed away in 1981 in a tragic plane crash. She carried on running the family business E & R Electric.
She married Richard Brown on July 26 1982. Peggy continued to live and work in Castor. Her passions were baseball, gardening, bird watching, traveling and spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and many friends.
Peggy was predeceased by her parents Goldie & Harold; first husband Richard Wilkie; and brother Merle (Ken) Allen.
peggy is survived by her devoted husband Richard, loving daughters Janice (Warren) Dyck and Jackie Johnsguaard, three wonderful grandchildren Gena (Victor) Forno, Gregory Dyck and Krista Johnsguaard; two wonderful great grandchildren Madison and Clara, numerous very special nieces, nephews and many friends. peggy was truly loved and admired by her entire family.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Organizations: Masonic Order
• Religion: United Church
• Occupation: 1915; Coalminer
• Occupation: Between 1926 and 1965; Esso Oil/Gas Bulk Agent /CPR Dray or Freight deliveries
• Death: 1976, Tillsonburg, Dereham Twp, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; Coronary

Notes:

OBITUARY
ANDREW WILKIE
Suddenly on Friday June 18, 1976 ; Andrew Wilkie of Castor AB beloved
husband of Hazel Weeks, dear father of David Allan of Kingston; Richard Andrew of Castor AB; and Mrs. Dennis (Heather Williams) of Calgary. Also survived by 7 grandchildren. Resting at the Funeral Residence of Gordon F. Tompkins, 49 Colborne St from Sat. evening. Service in the Chapel Sunday evening at 8 pm. The Ancient St Johns Lodge No. 3 will hold a service at 7 pm. Mr. Wilkie was a member of Beaver Lodge No. 56 of Castor. Service conducted from Knox United Church June 24, 1976.

Source: The Castor Advance
Death Registration:
Andrew Wilkie, Male, Married
Date of Death: June 18, 1976
Location: Tillsonburg, Ont
Age; 74 years
Reg # 1976-05-029861

Andrew (Andy) was an active member of the Masonic Lodge, holding many offices in that order.

Dad worked in the coal mines in earlier years, but after being married worked for the CPR as a drayman. His job was to meet the daily train, remove the freight that was brought to Castor and deliver the goods to the various businesses. Then Mother would go on Wednesdays and collect the freight charges owing and turn this money into the CPR Station Master. This was quite time consuming, requiring much diplomacy as often receipts were there and not all the parcels had arrived; discrepancies in prices, totals. Often the CPR Station Master had a different Total figure than did the copies that were given to Mother, and it was an accounting nightmare. Common Sense did tend to prevail and Mom was always the one to remain calm in those situations. (which is why I think Dad turned the task over to her to do)

Dad also worked full time for Esso bulk agencies, under Mr. Jim Lone. When Jim died suddenly, Jim's wife Sybil took over and Dad continued to work for her. Dad set up the tank cars from the railway to empty into the large bulk tanks that were located close to the CPR tracks, at the East end of the townsite. There was also a building which contained many large barrels of fuel, which was delivered to the farmers for their use. Dad always had control in the warehouse or bulk station, and Mrs Lone worked in a small building at the end of mainstreet, where she kept the books, ordering etc. It was not unusual for Dad and Mrs. Lone to have many different opinions. Dad always drove a 'company truck' a large tanker like truck to the various farmers places.


Cause of Death: Coronary Heart Attack. Mom and Dad were holidaying in Tillsonburg, Ont. Had gone East for grand-daughters wedding. They were visiting Ola Beaman's place (a cousin of Mom's). Mom was aware that sometime during the night Dad had gotten up to go to the bathroom, but upon wakening in the morning, she didn't hear Dad breathing, and reached over; he was gone. Allan was called and Dad taken back to Kingston. Then Mollie and Mom returned to Edmonton, then Castor via train as a pilot strike was on with Air Canada, thus Dad was in the freight compartment of the train, while Mom and Mollie, exhausted came via passenger cars. Most unpleasant trip. Allan and his family drove out to Castor.


Andrew Wilkie Story as told by Andy himself to Kay Morasch
My father and mother,Mr. And Mrs. David Wilkie, my sister Nettie, and I left Scotland in 1911, arriving in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia where Father worked in the mines until May 1914 when we returned to Scotland to try to improve my sister's health. War started in August 1914 and we couldn't get back to Canada because Father was needed in the mines and had to stay. When he wasn't in the mines, he was coaling the warship at the Naval Base, one of the things that they had to do.
In 1920 we came to Garden Plains, where Father's sister Mrs Jim Easton was living and where Uncle Jim was working in the mines there. We then moved to Castor where Father and I worked in the Remillard mine until Father had an accident in 1921 and we both gave up that line of work.
I did odd jobs for awhile, then went to work for Imperial Oil, and stayed with that for thirty years. Father and Mother lived to have their 60th Wedding Anniversary. Nettie died in 1925. Mrs. Easton now lives in the Paintearth Lodge. Uncle Jim has passed on.
After Father's accident, when we quit the mine, I worked for Mr. Pickles on the farm for two summers. In 1926, Hazel and I were married. She was working in Ramsden's store and I had spent one summer delivering groceries that was how we met. We have had a good life. The Hungry Thirties were not very pleasant but we managed to get over that.
We have two good boys and a good girl. Allan, the oldest, joined the Air Force in 1950. He'll be due to retire in about two and a half years. Heather went through for R.N. and Richard, our youngest, is an electrician - got his papers a month ago. We are all very happy about that. ( Fact, Heather is the youngest)
What wages did we earn in the mine? That is a hard question to answer because you were getting paid a certain amount a ton for mining it. But I worked on the farm for $30. A month at Bulwark, and worked that summer in town delivering groceries for $30. a month, just to have a job. It was a big lift when I started getting $90. A month, but that dropped considerably in the Dirthy Thirties.
What mines were operating in your time? Well, there was Shaw's, Remillard's, Phillips', McCormick's and there was one West of the County Shop on that land of Nichols. They said that there was very good coal there, but I never worked there myself. And there was Jack Armstrong's and that one was across the Highlevel Bridge, over there by Fletcher's buildings that was operated by Alfred Mc Neil, who used to have the Boarding House in Castor. He was an elevator agent at Veldt too for awhile.
I have a picture here. This is my Uncle Bill Scott, this is Omar Remillard, here's Edson Miller, Tim Miller's uncle. And of course the wee chap with the curly hair is me. This is Ray Trost, and this is my Dad, this is Mr. Jasper and this is my cousin Bob. And this one I am not sure of, but I believe it is Gus Wetter. Gus worked there.
How could you see without electricity? We had carbide lamps. If you want to go into Ray Meyer's barber shope, he has one he will show you. You screw off the bottom and fill it half full of carbide, the rest water. Then turn the little lever at the top and the water starts to drop. And out comes air, just like gas. There is a flint on it - just like a cigarette lighter, and there's a flame that comes out of there.
What were some of the dangers of working in a mine? Very few. I never saw a real accident until Dad had his. Cut and bruised fingers were common, just as in any other work. But in the explosion, Dad lost his eye, and the coal dust was embedded in his skin, that is, on his face and it was impossible to get it out. His skin pebbled over and never returned to normal, and his face looked dark. It was something that no one had ever before seen around here.
How did the mines here compare with those in Scotland? No comparison. The mines here were, at the most, thirty or forty feet deep. Both mines used props. The props here were wooden, and approximately five foot. The mines that I worked in, in Scotland, were 250 fathoms straight down, and that is a six-foot fathom. When you reached the bottom, you went into work, then you would start to climb to the coal face that had all been worked out until you came to where they were digging out the coal.
There was a long seam of coal where you worked, a man and a boy like myself would work every ten feet along. The coal was cut with a machine, during the night or in the afternoon. There would be a man down there who would bore a hole, pile it with dynamite, and blow that down. When the man and the boy would come in at six o'clock in the morning, they would clean all this coal out. It would go down the incline and go out to the bottom, as we called it. It would go out the shaft to the top. This incline was steep enough that the full coal cars going down would bring up the empties. And from there a pony would pull them up to the shaft. The ponies would get up to the top once a year and would be practically blind from having been down there for so long. When I started to work, it was in 1915-16 and there was no light except for the carbide lamps.
When you worked on the mining crew, you were down in the hole for eight hours, and you didn't get out until your hours were up. You took your lunch with you in a tin can, for if you didn't you wouldn't have any, because the rats would have it all eaten.

Andrew married Hazel Belle Weeks on 13 Dec 1926 in Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. Hazel (daughter of Ira Weeks and Roxy Alvina Andress) was born on 3 Mar 1905 in Tillsonburg, Dereham Twp, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; died on 13 Dec 1987 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada; was buried on 17 Dec 1987 in Castor Cemetery, Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: United Church
• Occupation: Between 1925 and 1970; Housewife/Store clerk/Matron Seniors Lodge
• Death: 13 Dec 1987, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Parkinsons Disease/Complications Fractured Hip

Notes:

Birth Registration:
Weeks, Hazel Belle, Female, Born at Tillsonburg, Mar, 03, 1905 AFHS Reg. is 227453 -07

Death Registration:
Hazel Belle Wilkie
Date of Death: Dec. 13, 1987
Female
Age: 83 years
Place of Death: Calgary, AB
Widow
Source: Vital Statistics, Province of AB, Reg # 87-08-012622


Obituary:
Hazel Belle Weeks was born March 3, 1905 at Tillsonburg, Ontario. At a young age she came with her parents to reside in the Bulwark district. She attended school at Knob Hill. On December 13, 1926 she was married to Andrew Wilkie. Their union was blessed with three children - 2 sons Allan and Richard; one daughter - Heather.
Hazel loved her family and home, she was a good wife and mother. She held a keen interest in her community and church. She was the Sunday School Treasurer, then Sunday School Superintendant at Knox United Church for 15 years.
She worked for a time as collector for the CPR dray business of Andy's, as a clerk for Joe Bain in his Furniture and Appliance shop, chef at Paintearth Lodge and then Matron of Paintearth Lodge from 1962-1974 when she retired.
After Andy's passing, she came to live in Calgary with her daughter Heather. She moved into Shouldice Lodge for a few years, and when her health was deteriorating, she moved to Bethany Care Centre Calgary in 1981.
Hazel was predeceased by her husband Andrew June 18, 1976, her son Richard February 24, 1981; one brother George and 3 sisters - Elsie, Clara and Pearl.
She is survived by her son Allan (Mollie) of Kingston, Ont., their children Deborah and Kevin; her daughter Heather (Dennis) Williams of Calgary, their children Darryl, Bonnie and Colleen; her Daughter-in-law Peggy (Allen, Wilkie) Brown and her daughters Janice and Jacqueline of Castor, 2 brothers Ross Weeks of Stettler and Omar Weeks of Kelowna; many nieces,nephews, and friends. Also one great granddaughter Jena .

Interment at Castor Cemetery.

Cause of Death - Complications of femur fracture, Parkinsons Disease.


Eulogy of Hazel (Weeks) Wilkie by Fred McHenry
Picture, if you will, 1906 when a small family abandons its efforts at tobacco farming in Tillsonburg, Ont and winds its way West to seek better fortunes in Alberta. Gazing at the stars as the covered wagon approaches their perspective homestead near the hamlet of Bulwark is a tiny one year old girl, Hazel Weeks.

Some four years later, she looses her mother in childbirth leaving her father with the unenviable task of raising a family of seven. It is a tough life in the lean-to shack where the children rapidly learn to fend for themselves. It is through this experience that Hazel develops a resourcefulness, which will support her well in later life. She walks daily barefooted the five miles to the Knob Hill School but his only in the better weather of summer for obvious reasons. Out to work at the tender age of 12 year, she is hired full time three years later as a domestic maid by an English family, the Belchers. It is they who train her in a much more sophisticated lifestyle - one of silver tea services and cutlery and a uniform of a quality that she had never experienced before.

Into Hazel's life comes Andy Wilkie, a tough Scot, a former coal miner, who has taken to delivering fuel to the rural areas surrounding the town of Castor. The relationship blossoms into one which is close and permanent. The year is 1926 and the wedding date is set for December 13, a date which is Andy's birthday and one which ironically was last Sunday when Hazel parted with us and this world. Married on a Saturday and back to work on a Monday, there was neither time nor the wealth for honeymoons in those days. Settling down in a two-room house, they had greater aspirations, moving ultimately to their pride and joy, a beautiful home overlooking the creek in a superb natural setting on the outskirts of Castor.

With a fervor for the quality and wellbeing of their community, Andy and Hazel develop an insatiable urge to participate and contribute; from construction of the curling rink to organizing bonspiels to development of the Elks playground. They are often the catalyst which solidified community support. To them it is more important to fund a community project than it is to afford a new dress or enjoy a vacation. Truly, they believe in a Castor community based on support one for another and all together.
And as they take pride in their developing family, Allan, Richard and Heather they instill in them the values, which they share with each other. They choose their friends not on the basis of what the friend can do for them, but rather what they can do for the friend. From the crusty Dr. McCartney to the lowliest CPR labourer, they choose their acquaintances not based on outward appearance, but rather on the quality of the inner person beneath the skin. With a strong bond to her United Church, Hazel has an innate faith in people which is unshakable and she is rewarded by their corresponding faith in her.

Easy going by nature and down to earth in her approach to life, Hazel tends to be the unflappable Mother and wife. She is one who can take the time to enjoy nature surrounding her and on the other hand an industrious mistress of her kitchen which had few equals for excellence.

If there is one disappointment in Hazel's life it is that of missing out on the opportunity for education; with an instinctive tendency for caring for others she would have been a natural in the nursing profession. But the opportunity comes in a different form; a chance to work at the Painearth Seniors Lodge in Castor. Unsure of her abilities when she is chosen as the Matron of the lodge, she demonstrates to herself and to others her willingness to succeed. She is a person who believes that the elderly can and do enjoy each other together in a setting where they do not become a burden on the younger generation. At the same time she believes in the respect and the need of privacy in one's own room. These are the fundamentals which she preached as a Matron, fundamentals which created an atmosphere of caring and self-support. Truly this becomes one of Hazel's greatest achievements, one in which she can take a great deal of pride. This is the success which is implicitly expressed in the fact that her retirement is delayed three years beyond the normal age of 65.

There is no doubt that Hazel's sense of caring and concern for others is evident in her later years in Shouldice and more recently in the Bethany. If I was to describe the Hazel whom I have known and grown to enjoy for over half of my lifetime, I would have to say it in three simple words
"humble, accepting and caring".

Of those seven brothers and sisters of the Weeks family who had to fend for themselves on the Bulwark homestead there remain Ross who lives in Stettler and Omar in Kelowna. Of Hazel's children, Heather, who has cared for her so faithfully is with us today, but Allan was not able to travel from Kingston, Ontario. There is no doubt that Hazel took great pride in all her grandchildren as she watched them grow and mature.
Darryl, Bonnie and Colleen
Kevin and Debra
Jackie and Janice
And her great granddaughter, Jena

Think back; the one year old on the wagon trek West, the barefooted school girl, the young wife and mother and the Matron who had a strong penchant for caring. Hazel brought to this world much more than she took from it and the world is a better place for her having been part of it.

Death:
at Bethany Care Centre, Calgary
Cause, Parkinson's Disease, Complications fractured hip

H. married G. Mabbott. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Dave

Notes:

Occupation: Coal Miner

David married Ann Scott on 3 Jun 1901 in Unknown. Ann (daughter of J. Scott) was born on 8 Feb 1877 in Tranent Parish, Haddington, Scotland; died on 19 Aug 1961 in Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obituary:
Mrs. Janet Easton passed away suddenly on July 15, 1974 in the Dr. A.E. Kennedy Auxilliary Hospital in Stettler at the age of 89 years. Mrs. Easton was born in Perth Scotland on October 26, 1885 and came to Canada and to Alberta in 1916;lived in the Garden Plains area for some years before moving to the town of Castor where she lived with her family for many years until her retirement in 1969 when she became a guest at Paintearth Lodge in Castor. Mrs. Easton was predeceased by her husband James Easton in 1969 and is survived by one daughter Janet (Alex) Mix of Grandforks b.C. and one son David of Red Willow Alberta. She is also survived by her grandchildren, one nephew Andrew Wilkie of Castor and many friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Easton were held from the United Church in Castor on Saturday July 19 at 1 pm with Rev. Allen Smith of Stettler officiating. The pall Bearers were Ivor Bowen, Don Dorval, Cyril Bowen, Tom Bunbury, Bud Marshall, and Harry Cousineau. Burial followed in the Castor Cemetery.

Source: Newspaper clipping

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer
• 1901 Census: 1901, Tillsonburg, Dereham Twp, Oxford County, Ontario, Canada; 1901 Canada Census
• Religion: 1901; Presbyterian

Notes:

BIRTH:
March 21, 1870, Ira Weeks, Male, son of Isaac Weeks and Nancy Westbrook,
Occupation of Father - Farmer; Informant: Isaac Weeks at South Norwich,
Oxford Cty, March 28, 1870. Source: LDS Film # 1844884; # 4693 - 70.

1871 Census - listed with his parents, siblings
Weeks, Ira, male, age 1, birthplace Ontario, Origin German.

*1901 Census 93 Norfolk, c-2 Middleton, Page 6, Line 7-10*
Weeks, Ira, Male, White, Head, Married, Born Mar 21, 1870, Age 31, Birthplace rural Ontario, Origin English, Religion Presbyterian, Farmer
Weeks, Roxie A., Female, White, Wife, Married, Born Oct. 16, 1876, Origin German, Religion Baptist
Weeks, Clara S., Female, White, Daughter, Single, Born July 18, 1898, Age 2, Birthplace rural Ontario, English, Baptist Religion
Weeks, Pearl A., Female, White, Daughter, Single, Born Mar. 13, 1900, Age 1, English, Baptist

Schedule 2 1901 Census Info:
Middleton, Lot 6, Conc. 4 NTR, 1 wood house with 3 rooms, 40 acres, 1 barn.

Clipping of Obituary from Castor Advance weekly newspaper - Thursday May 31, 1951
Ira Weeks, 81, passes Tuesday
A pioneer of the Knob Hill district, Mr. Ira Weeks, passed away at the Castor Hospital on Tuesday, May 29th, at the age of 81. He had been in ill health for some time.
Born in Tillsonburg, Ontario in 1870, he came as far west as Lacombe in 1905 and the following year brought his family out and settled in Knob Hill area, 22 miles east of the present town of Castor. In later years he moved to Castor and six years ago went to live with his oldest son at Fleet. His wife predeceased him in 1911.
He leaves to mourn his loss, two sons. Homer* of Vancouver and Ross of Fleet; three daughters, Mrs. Clara Quaife of Rimbey, Mrs. Pearl Strome and Mrs. Hazel Wilkie, both of Castor; 24 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren; 3 brothers, two in Ontario and one in Chilliwack, B.C. and a sister in Ontario.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 01, at 2:30 p.m. at the Markham Chruch, with interment in the Markham cemetery.
Matthias Funeral Home, Castor in charge of arrangements.
* - error - should be Omar


Thursday, June 07, 1951
Funeral services for the late Mr. Ira Weeks, who passed away on May 29, were held on Friday, June 1st, from the Markham Church, with Rev. R. Shantz officiating.
Pallbearers were Messrs. Joseph Wideman, Wilmot Wideman, William Seth, Rav Davey, and A. Geiger.
Beautiful floral tributes were received from: The Family; Knox United Church W.A., Mr and Mrs. Ernest Wimmer, Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Holloway;, Mr. and Mrs C.S. Johnson; Mr. and Mrs. R. Holloway; Mr and Mrs. D. Holloway.
Mr. W. Wideman and girls; Mr. and Mrs. D.C. Quaife; Friends of Fleet community and Mr. and Mrs. D. Morasch.


Source of Death Certificate: Vital Stats of AB, Pre Reg. # 154977; Reg # 08-003883

Family Legend by Ross Weeks and Pearl (Weeks) Strome
In the spring of 1905, Ira Weeks came from Tillsonburg, Ontario to Lacombe AB. He found work there for the winter, lived in a tar paper shack, and filed on a homestead. The next spring, his wife Roxy( ANDRESS) and five children came by CPR to join him. They lived for a month in Lacombe then put their belongings onto a wagon, hitched up the cayuses, Polly and Gin, and headed for the homestead, a 101 miles to the East.
For two nights we slept on quilts out under the stars and got to the homestead on May 08, 1906. On the way Dad had to buy a loaf of bread, costing 35 cents, a very high price in those days.
Dad had only $35.00 in his picket, no house and no well. The first thing he did the next day, he took his spade and went to draw about a quarter of a mile away and dug a shallow pit that soon filled with water so we had a temporary well. We unloaded the packing boxes and the cupboard and then set up a sort of shelter. It was just four big quilts fastened to upright poles, with a canvas over top, and we called it the "Quilt House". It stood right out on the open plain, just a little shelter for all of us and we lived in it until early winter.
To start our house, Dad dug a trench one spade-width all around a rectangle 6'x24'. Then all summer long, Mother dug the dirt out to a depth of five feet. While she was doing this Dad was busy cutting logs and hauling them from Beaver Dam Creek - 3 1/2 miles North of the homestead which was on NW 1/2-22-38-12-W4, about 6 miles NW of Bulwark. The neighbours came and helped put the logs up and the roof on. Chinking had to be done with small pieces of wood nailed over the cracks and then smeared with mud. The dirt walls were covered with rough lumber to keep them from caving in. We had just a plain dirt floor that winter.
When it came to digging the well, Dad dug while Mother pulled the dirt and mud up out of the well in a heavy bucket attached by a rope to a big windlass. It was heavy work.
It was beautiful country and we enjoyed going barefoot all summer. We had a good garden because Dad ploughed up a garden patch and we planted potatoes right in the fresh sod.
The following year, Dad bought four oxen, for which he paid $35.00 each. He had earned money by hauling freight loads of lumber and supplies from Stettler. He still had the cayuses, which he kept for many years. The little blue roan, called Polly, lived a long life for a horse, 38 years and raised many fine colts. Dad finally gave her to a neigbhouring family, the Stoffers.
Father ploughed sod for a barn and built it. He bought a roan cow from Mrs. (Maxfield) Williams who had a grocery store at Brownfield. Ross never liked the milk because to him it had a peculiar flavour. Besides the cow, we had some chickens and 2 guinea fowl.
Ross remembers an old song on the gramophone that said "J stands for Jersey City where the mosquitoes weigh a pound" and that, he says, certainly applies to the ones on the homestead. He remembers going with his father on one trip when they had to camp out for the night and sleep under the wagon. The oxen were turned loose to take comfort in a slough. The mosquitoes were so bad, that you couldn't leave your head uncovered or they would grab you by the ear or throat, and you'd have quite a battle going.
In the fall, Mother was really sick. She had pneumonia, and we though that she wasn't going to pull through, but God spared her for us. One windy night Mom and Dad carried all of us to the dug out part of the new house as they thought the Quilt House would blow away. We didn't know anything about it until the next morning. Three-day rains were a problem too, in the Quilt House, and that summer we had three of them, everything getting soaked but one big bed. For firewood we had only small brush and green wood, so it had to be kept dry somehow.
Winter 1906-07 was sure a hard winter. Six feet of snow on the level. Bitter cold. Snow came October 16 and snow was still around the bush until June 12. Mr Kelly, a neighbour, had gone to get us a load of wood as we had no coal. By the time he had the wood loaded, twas dark, the snow was deep, his team tired, it was snowing and blowing, but he stayed all night in the bush. He cut branches to keep a little fire going to keep from freezing. Next morning, he came to our place nearly blinded with smoke. He wouldn't come in the evening as he knew Dad was away to Stettler for freight. Mother gave him a good breakfast.
Next spring when the French Creek was flooding, the oldest Doering girls had a horse and buggy and were on their way to see their sister Bertha, who was working for Mr. Gorrell. The current was so high and strong that the girls were thrown into the stream and drowned. The horse broke loose and was found grazing in the coulee. Mr. Chabrier lived in a little log house near the coulee, and he showed the folks where the girls were in the creek. They were buried on a high hill on the Doering homestead. Later on in the summer, the mailman called Shortie, lost his team and mail sacks in the same creek when the water was high. He managed to swim to safety.
For the first few years, we got our mail at O'Delville, 18 miles W of our place. There was a grocery store there, where we could get our supplies. In 1909, we got our mail at Lindsville, where there was also a small store and post office. There was, also later, a post office at Lorraine, on the old Seamans place, and we have several postcards with that address.
In the summer of 1908, Knob HIll school was built, just a mile west of our place. Miss Lord was the first teacher and she boarded with the Ellis Warrens. Other teachers were Miss Pearl Howe, Mr. Purdy, and Jack Haynes.
The families that started that year to attend Knob Hill wre those of:
T.C. Gorrell (farmer): Roy Lawsen, Charlie Grover, Laura Gladys, Bert and Alice. They lived 3 miles NW of the school.
Charlie Coyne (carpenter) Cyril, Ila, Lillian, Thecia, Bernice. They lived 2 miles W. of us.
White: Eldon, Thorton, Floyd. Lived 1/2 mile East of us.
Tom Gordon: Louis, Gregory, Fay. Lived 1 mile SE.
Chabrier: Emile, Edmond, Marcel. Lived 3/4 m SE
Martin Ice: Ruth, Amry, Marjorie. Lived 1/2 m West.
Mrs Hall, Albert and Hilda.
Mrs Fred Logan: Laura, Lucy Rosie, Mabel.
Ira Weeks: Clara, Pearl, Ross, Elsie, and Hazel.
We had a good time with the neighbours. In 1909, Ross, Clara and I became janitors at the school. Ross built the fires, Clara and I did the cleaning, and generally had to split wood besides. For pay we received 5 cents a day in the summer, and 10 cents a day in the winter. When we quit, the pay went up to 25 cents a day and has kept spiralling to what it is today. Quite a difference.
We walked to school summer and winter, and didn't have many warm clothes for the cold weather. We had to spread lard on our bread instead of butter, and the Chabrier kids and Ross used to go North of our place about 2 miles on Sunday and shoot bush rabbits for food.
For entertainment, we had Box socials once in a while, or square dances. Sometimes a group would get up a big debate and try to outdo each other with logic. There were not many sports days, but on July 1st, we were given about 15 cents to spend and we had a good time on that. Maybe an orange, an ice cream cone, and 5 cents worth of all-day suckers.
T.C. Gorrell and his three boys all had homesteads in the Knob Hill district. Tom had a saw-mill and sawed the lumber for T. J. Coppock's big house, where Doug now lives and for the houe that the Gorrells lived in, in which M. K. Christiansen lived in until spring 1973. I well remember when George Sullivan worked at the saw mill and had one arm cut off. They hitched the driving team to the buggy and took off for Stettler and the doctor.
In 1908, Mother took a milk pail, several small pails and five kids, and walked 3 1/2 miles to the beaver Dam Crek to pick Saskatoons. She made three such trips and canned 40 quarts. In the summer Dad had Mr. Gorrell break thirty acres of land with the big steam engine and 14-bottom plough. The crop in 1911 was good, but frost wiped out the hopes of nearly all the neighbours. Dad's crop was not frozen and he sold it next spring for seed wheat.
In 1911, Mom's mother (Charity Sophronia) took very ill, so Mom and the four smaller children went back East (Ontario) for a visit. On the trip home, Mom became ill, lived for a month, passed away, leaving Dad with seven children. Clara was 13, I was 11, and the youngest Omar was just two. But we baked bread, and scrubbed clothes on the washboard and helped to cook and look after the family. Dad bought a windmill and a grinder and we used to grind grain for the neighbourhood at 10 cents cwt. Many were the sacks we ground. Ross was especially good at the mill.
In the fall of 1911, Ross had an accident. He jumped off the slant-roof shed on the back of the school barn, caught his foot on the top wire of the fence, and broke his elbow. He had to be taken to Calgary to have it set and as Dad didn't have that much money on hand, Dr. JJ McPherson loaned him $50.00. Ross was away three weeks at the Holy Cross Hospital, Dr. McPherson wa a very kind man.
Somebody must have complained about us to the authorities, because that fall, the police and one man came to see us. Dad was away so they looked the house over. We had just baked 14 big loaves of bread, and had a quarter of beef on the table. Someone wanted to split the family up, but Dad wouldn't hear of it.
When Dad sold his frozen grain the next year, he got only 35 cents a bushel. but he repaid Dr. McPherson. However, Dad had a loan on his homestead and because he couldn't meet his payment in 1913, he lost it and we had to move into a tent for the summer. ( The loan was taken at the time Roxy went East to see her family, also to Gorrell to clear more of the homestead, as required by the Homestead Act, then later when Roxy died, more financial troubles, poor crop) A most difficult time.
That year the CPR and CNR were both putting railways into French Coulee. Grade was built and track was laid from Coronation to Bulwark, and this was used for some years. However the track from Bulwark to Lorraine Bridge was abandoned and the bridge was removed a few years later. Crews that were working on the projects were those of Sharkey and Homes, who were camped down in the valley; Foley and Coughlin, who were up on the level, and Sandeens, who had a big steam shovel working in French Coulee.
Ross adds the following information:
Clara, who married Charlie Quaife in 1915, lived in Bulwark for quite a few years, where Charlie did blacksmithing. They moved down to Taber.
Pearl maried Milton Strome in 1917, and moved to the Castor district.
Ross married Zillah Irene Troyer.
Elsie worked for the Kishes who lived up near the river. She took an attack of appendicitis and died when she was about 17.
Hazel married Andy Wilkie, and lives in Castor. She was Matron of the Paintearth Lodge from 1968-1973.
Two brothers were born in Alberta, George and Omar.
George died when he was about 12.
Omar lives in Vancouver. He married Dorothy Dettlaff, whose family lives South of Throne.


That was our start in Sunny Alberta.

PS: Many early settlers describe the mosquitoes as being so bad in the 'early days'. The mosquitoes could be so bad, that a team of oxen would not plough, but if a farmer tried, the oxen, plough and all would just head for the sloughs. Source: The Ice Family Story

Also the bad winter of 1906-07 was the worst ever. Snow was so deep that the buildings were all buried. One could walk right over the top of the house, barn and henhouse.

Farming schedules or routines; The day would start at 3 am, and lasted until 9 am when the oxen were rested for the next shift that started at 3 pm and lasted until 9 pm. Usually 20 half mile rounds were made each day.


Markham Cemetery is located approx. 8 miles NE of Castor, AB

Ira married Roxy Alvina Andress on 20 Apr 1898 in Aylmer, Elgin County, Ontario, Canada. Roxy (daughter of George Neale Andress and Charity Sophronia (Fray) Andress) was born on 16 Oct 1876 in Cultus, Houghton Twp, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada; died on 10 Sep 1911 in Castor, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada; was buried in Markham Cemetery, Paintearth County, Alberta, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Religion: 1901; Baptist

Notes:

Birth Registration: Roxa Alvina Andrews
Date: October 16, 1876
Female
Father: George Neal Andrews
Mother: Charity Sophronia Fray
Occupation of Father: Farmer
Informant: Mrs. C.S. Andrews, Walsingham
Source: LDS Film # 1845212; 18469 -77


*1901 Census 93 Norfolk c-2 Middleton Page 6, Line 8*
Weeks, Roxie A., Female, White, Wife, Married, Born Oct. 16, 1876, Origin
German, Religion Baptist


Registration of Death:
Roxy Alzina Weeks
Date of Death: Sept. 10, 1911
Place of Death: Castor Hospital, AB
Female
Age: 35 years
Married
Birthplace; Cultus, Norfolk Cty Ontario
Cause of Death: Incomplete Abortion
Physician: JJ McPherson MD
Relgion: Baptist
Source: Vital Statistics Record Canada, Province of AB, No. 2593 -0 of 1911

Notes:

Married:
Marriage Rgistration:
Groom; Ira Weeks
Age: 28 years
Residence; Dereham, Ont.
Birthplace: Norwich, Ont.
Bachelor
Occupation: Farmer
Parents: Isaac Weeks, and Nancy Westbrook
Bride; Roxy A. Andress
Age: 21 years
Residence: Tillsonburg, Ont.
Birthplace: Walsingham,Ont.
Spinster
Parents: George Andrews and Charity Andress* Spellings of these
names kept changing from Andrews to Andress in same documents.
Witnesses: Edward J. Moore, Walsingham; Minnie Andress, Houghton
Date of Marriage; April 20, 1898, Aylmer, Ont.
Religion: Baptist
Minister: C. H. Kimball by licence
Source: LDS Film # 1870920; #4368-98