Daughter of Oliver Hiram and Mary Johnson. Married Clarence Orion Pool.
Eighty Years of Rambling
by
Mrs. Mina R. Pool
Some friends have asked me to jot down some of the happenings during my eighty years of life. Well, where to begin. I am thankful for the influence of a devoted Christian Mother that taught me to rely on the "Peace
that passeth all understanding."
My Norwegian Parents had deep religious principals, though both had had very little schooling - they could read and write the English language and saw to it that their nine children had educational opportunities beyond public school.
Our trek to Edmonton, Alta., came after my parents had more or less pioneered in five different localities in the U. S. Father loved pioneering, and I like to call these moves stepping stones to better living.
He came to Alberta in 1907 and NW to Lesser Slave Lake and the Peace District (1908) where he decided to
settle at Beaverlodge and start a store and trade in furs with the Indians- as well as the few men who traveled through the district to British Columbia (and a few bachelors also). He was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rede Stone, their four sons, Bob Stone and son Archie when he finally came to Beaverlodge, and he saw a lot of these folks for the next 18 months. They helped each other build log homes - just exchanged work.
In January 1909 my husband Clarence 0. Pool and I sold our Oklahoma farm and chattels, packed two trunks and followed Mother and seven of her children ( including son Arnold & wife Maude, and their baby boy Percy. The others were Emma, Lisa(Elizabeth?), Ruth, Anna, John, and Pauline.) They shipped a car-load of settlers goods (Arnold had come with the goods) there in Aug. of the previous year (1908). Mother and the family were living in a rented house on Fraser Ave., so we moved in with
them, until March 3* 1909, when we all were leaving for Peace River District.
Father came from the north in Jan, 1909 so we were all together again (except for Helen, (Mrs. Gault) who was
married and living in New Mexico.)
Father (Oliver Johnson), son Arnold and son-in-law Clarence Pool spent about six weeks preparing for our Northern trip. They built a caboose on a sleigh of lumber base and canvas overhead 8xl6(?), a door in the back and a small opening in the front for the driver who guided the horse team when traveling. A small wood burning cookstove was bolted to the floor in the center, that was
to furnish heat 24-hrs. daily. This caboose housed the women and children by night. The men carried their roles of bedding to stopping places for nights or slept near a camp fire, all meals were served in the caboose for 13 folk.
The men purchased five more sleighs and 6 teams of horses (and one single that died on the trip). These horses required baled hay and oats. That was bought near High Prairie, but not enough to feed them well for the remainder (3 wks) of the trip. Before reaching High Prairie there were stopping places where food for
animals was plentiful. After High Prairie we were in the
Wilderness! except for a few who lived at Sturgeon Lake, and at the crossing of the Smoky River where Maynard Bezanson and family lived.
What were the five sleighs loaded with? Mostly food and clothing enough to last one year (until the men went to Edmonton the following winter). Our furniture consisted of stoves for our three families. Our men folk made benches later for chairs, bunks for beds ext. Oliver Johnson brought in some supplies for his (future) store.
A German man drove one team and loaded sleigh for his
transportation to this Land of Promise, Sister Ruth drove an outfit. Maude drove the caboose most of the time, when her six week old baby girl (Muriel) wasn't demanding attention. I could take the lines then, My baby Ralph was six months old, and Percy was eighteen months old. -our three small ones, that slept most of the tine. Father, Clarence and Arnold each had teams and sleighs. These teams required a lot of care and harnessing - time
consuming while the Ladies cooked meals and washed dishes (all enamel ware).
Mother Johnson baked all the bread or bannocks. The last three weeks were hardest for cooking and everything. No farmers to buy butter from, so we relied on corn syrup, baked beans, no fresh meat so salt side or bacon unless we thawed out some white fish (if there was time). Fish was a treat. Ever try eating potatoes that had been frozen and tasted sweetish, but a change. Remember,
we left Edmonton Mar 3. It was 25 below zero on the 5th day of our trip, at Athabasca. We had come over settled country 100 miles on land. Here we began traveling on the river ice which, was smooth most of the time, about 30 miles a day for about 10 days, which brought us over two rivers - up the Athabasca River to the Little Slave River then down (or up) until we reached Lesser Slave Lake. Then we traveled 75 miles on this lake to Grouard (Gru ard) and on land there to High Prairie. From this
place we followed a trail the rest of the way, except for
crossing Snipe Lake; later Sturgeon Lake (on ice yet) and then tocSimonett River. That brought us to the Smokey River. Some ice, sometimes broke through and horses pulled sleighs on rocky bottom.
We crossed the Smokey when there was about twelve inches of water running on top of the ice. The loaded sleighs made the crossing OK so the caboose followed - were we ever glad to see, the Bezansons ranch. They marveled at our fat healthy babies, their baby boy at that time was having a struggle to live - very poorly. Here we rested a day before pulling for the Smith ranch (which is now part of Grande. Prairie). The Smiths were like old friends - so hospitable and friendly. We then pulled to Meade and
Grants crossed Saskatoon Lake to the village, where Hudson Bay and Revillon stores were doing a barter trade, with the Indians for furs. A night there. Next stop was a bachelors shack. Very, neat and clean. They said when we left "Didn't leave one of those babies, did you?" Seemed worried for fear, ha! We stopped one more night before reaching Fathers cabins north of present Beaverlodge on April 9, 1909.
Father (Oliver Johnson) had chosen a new location less than a mile north of B'lodge, where he had log buildings started. He had these made habitable and moved there in a couple of weeks (April) That left Arnold, Maude and children Percy and Muriel as well as C.O. Pool, wife and baby Ralph at the first little cabin about 2 miles up the B'lodge river.
C.O. Pool built his first cabin on his homestead (which was surveyed during the summer of 1909) now « mile east of the present B'lodge. We moved into it in July. The men who helped build this log shack were Don Cranston, Garnet Truax, Simeon Bauman and Ed Carlson. A trusty ox rolled the logs up into position. Arnolds Homestead joined Fathers on the South side, now next to B'lodge town, where he still lives with his son and his family. The other Johnson and Pool homesteads have passed into
other families.
Those who have passed on are Mr. And Mrs. O. H. Johnson, Arnold's son Percy Johnson, Clarence Pool's oldest son Ralph, who lost his life in 2nd World War. Born to Arnold Johnson family six children, likewise the Pools, six children. Most of these are now grand parents, living in Western Canada.
Footnote: Written 58 years later by Mrs. Pool. (Formerly Mina Randine Johnson). (This would be in 1967, which is the year she died at the age of 86 years.)
B'lodge Woman Passes
Funeral service was held Jan 3, 1968 for Mrs Mina R. Pool, 86, of Beaverlodge who died Dec 29 at Grande Prairie.
Rev. D. Waite officiated at the service held in the United Church in Grande Prairie. Internment followed in the Beaverlodge Cemetery.
Mrs Pool, daughter of Mr & Mrs Oliver Johnson, was born in Barron, Wisconsin, USA. In 1894 she and the family resided at Interior, South Dakota, until moving in 1901 to Gordon Nebraska. She again moved, and this time to Lawton Oklahoma where she stayed until moving to the Beaverlodge district in 1909.
She married Clarence O. Pool in 1907 at Lawton, Oklahoma, and then came over the Grouard Trail by sled with other members of the Johnson family to Beaverlodge.
Mrs Pool was a life member of the United Church Women and the Old Timers Association.
She was predeceased by a son, Ralph in April 1945 and her husband, Clarence In February 1954.
Mrs Pool is survived by there sons, Harold, Lee and Clarence; two daughters, Yukola and Mina; two brothers John and Arnold; five sisters, Elizabeth (Mrs Cranston), Emma (Mrs Corregan), Anna (Mrs H. Carrell), Ruth (Mrs R. Carrell) and Pauline (Mrs Brekky) 19 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Mark Hanson, Colin Clarke, James Hodges, Scotty Ray, Jack Gaudin and Donald Sherk.
(Furnished by Brad Pool).
Eighty Years of Rambling
by
Mrs. Mina R. Pool
Some friends have asked me to jot down some of the happenings during my eighty years of life. Well, where to begin. I am thankful for the influence of a devoted Christian Mother that taught me to rely on the "Peace
that passeth all understanding."
My Norwegian Parents had deep religious principals, though both had had very little schooling - they could read and write the English language and saw to it that their nine children had educational opportunities beyond public school.
Our trek to Edmonton, Alta., came after my parents had more or less pioneered in five different localities in the U. S. Father loved pioneering, and I like to call these moves stepping stones to better living.
He came to Alberta in 1907 and NW to Lesser Slave Lake and the Peace District (1908) where he decided to
settle at Beaverlodge and start a store and trade in furs with the Indians- as well as the few men who traveled through the district to British Columbia (and a few bachelors also). He was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rede Stone, their four sons, Bob Stone and son Archie when he finally came to Beaverlodge, and he saw a lot of these folks for the next 18 months. They helped each other build log homes - just exchanged work.
In January 1909 my husband Clarence 0. Pool and I sold our Oklahoma farm and chattels, packed two trunks and followed Mother and seven of her children ( including son Arnold & wife Maude, and their baby boy Percy. The others were Emma, Lisa(Elizabeth?), Ruth, Anna, John, and Pauline.) They shipped a car-load of settlers goods (Arnold had come with the goods) there in Aug. of the previous year (1908). Mother and the family were living in a rented house on Fraser Ave., so we moved in with
them, until March 3* 1909, when we all were leaving for Peace River District.
Father came from the north in Jan, 1909 so we were all together again (except for Helen, (Mrs. Gault) who was
married and living in New Mexico.)
Father (Oliver Johnson), son Arnold and son-in-law Clarence Pool spent about six weeks preparing for our Northern trip. They built a caboose on a sleigh of lumber base and canvas overhead 8xl6(?), a door in the back and a small opening in the front for the driver who guided the horse team when traveling. A small wood burning cookstove was bolted to the floor in the center, that was
to furnish heat 24-hrs. daily. This caboose housed the women and children by night. The men carried their roles of bedding to stopping places for nights or slept near a camp fire, all meals were served in the caboose for 13 folk.
The men purchased five more sleighs and 6 teams of horses (and one single that died on the trip). These horses required baled hay and oats. That was bought near High Prairie, but not enough to feed them well for the remainder (3 wks) of the trip. Before reaching High Prairie there were stopping places where food for
animals was plentiful. After High Prairie we were in the
Wilderness! except for a few who lived at Sturgeon Lake, and at the crossing of the Smoky River where Maynard Bezanson and family lived.
What were the five sleighs loaded with? Mostly food and clothing enough to last one year (until the men went to Edmonton the following winter). Our furniture consisted of stoves for our three families. Our men folk made benches later for chairs, bunks for beds ext. Oliver Johnson brought in some supplies for his (future) store.
A German man drove one team and loaded sleigh for his
transportation to this Land of Promise, Sister Ruth drove an outfit. Maude drove the caboose most of the time, when her six week old baby girl (Muriel) wasn't demanding attention. I could take the lines then, My baby Ralph was six months old, and Percy was eighteen months old. -our three small ones, that slept most of the tine. Father, Clarence and Arnold each had teams and sleighs. These teams required a lot of care and harnessing - time
consuming while the Ladies cooked meals and washed dishes (all enamel ware).
Mother Johnson baked all the bread or bannocks. The last three weeks were hardest for cooking and everything. No farmers to buy butter from, so we relied on corn syrup, baked beans, no fresh meat so salt side or bacon unless we thawed out some white fish (if there was time). Fish was a treat. Ever try eating potatoes that had been frozen and tasted sweetish, but a change. Remember,
we left Edmonton Mar 3. It was 25 below zero on the 5th day of our trip, at Athabasca. We had come over settled country 100 miles on land. Here we began traveling on the river ice which, was smooth most of the time, about 30 miles a day for about 10 days, which brought us over two rivers - up the Athabasca River to the Little Slave River then down (or up) until we reached Lesser Slave Lake. Then we traveled 75 miles on this lake to Grouard (Gru ard) and on land there to High Prairie. From this
place we followed a trail the rest of the way, except for
crossing Snipe Lake; later Sturgeon Lake (on ice yet) and then tocSimonett River. That brought us to the Smokey River. Some ice, sometimes broke through and horses pulled sleighs on rocky bottom.
We crossed the Smokey when there was about twelve inches of water running on top of the ice. The loaded sleighs made the crossing OK so the caboose followed - were we ever glad to see, the Bezansons ranch. They marveled at our fat healthy babies, their baby boy at that time was having a struggle to live - very poorly. Here we rested a day before pulling for the Smith ranch (which is now part of Grande. Prairie). The Smiths were like old friends - so hospitable and friendly. We then pulled to Meade and
Grants crossed Saskatoon Lake to the village, where Hudson Bay and Revillon stores were doing a barter trade, with the Indians for furs. A night there. Next stop was a bachelors shack. Very, neat and clean. They said when we left "Didn't leave one of those babies, did you?" Seemed worried for fear, ha! We stopped one more night before reaching Fathers cabins north of present Beaverlodge on April 9, 1909.
Father (Oliver Johnson) had chosen a new location less than a mile north of B'lodge, where he had log buildings started. He had these made habitable and moved there in a couple of weeks (April) That left Arnold, Maude and children Percy and Muriel as well as C.O. Pool, wife and baby Ralph at the first little cabin about 2 miles up the B'lodge river.
C.O. Pool built his first cabin on his homestead (which was surveyed during the summer of 1909) now « mile east of the present B'lodge. We moved into it in July. The men who helped build this log shack were Don Cranston, Garnet Truax, Simeon Bauman and Ed Carlson. A trusty ox rolled the logs up into position. Arnolds Homestead joined Fathers on the South side, now next to B'lodge town, where he still lives with his son and his family. The other Johnson and Pool homesteads have passed into
other families.
Those who have passed on are Mr. And Mrs. O. H. Johnson, Arnold's son Percy Johnson, Clarence Pool's oldest son Ralph, who lost his life in 2nd World War. Born to Arnold Johnson family six children, likewise the Pools, six children. Most of these are now grand parents, living in Western Canada.
Footnote: Written 58 years later by Mrs. Pool. (Formerly Mina Randine Johnson). (This would be in 1967, which is the year she died at the age of 86 years.)
B'lodge Woman Passes
Funeral service was held Jan 3, 1968 for Mrs Mina R. Pool, 86, of Beaverlodge who died Dec 29 at Grande Prairie.
Rev. D. Waite officiated at the service held in the United Church in Grande Prairie. Internment followed in the Beaverlodge Cemetery.
Mrs Pool, daughter of Mr & Mrs Oliver Johnson, was born in Barron, Wisconsin, USA. In 1894 she and the family resided at Interior, South Dakota, until moving in 1901 to Gordon Nebraska. She again moved, and this time to Lawton Oklahoma where she stayed until moving to the Beaverlodge district in 1909.
She married Clarence O. Pool in 1907 at Lawton, Oklahoma, and then came over the Grouard Trail by sled with other members of the Johnson family to Beaverlodge.
Mrs Pool was a life member of the United Church Women and the Old Timers Association.
She was predeceased by a son, Ralph in April 1945 and her husband, Clarence In February 1954.
Mrs Pool is survived by there sons, Harold, Lee and Clarence; two daughters, Yukola and Mina; two brothers John and Arnold; five sisters, Elizabeth (Mrs Cranston), Emma (Mrs Corregan), Anna (Mrs H. Carrell), Ruth (Mrs R. Carrell) and Pauline (Mrs Brekky) 19 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Mark Hanson, Colin Clarke, James Hodges, Scotty Ray, Jack Gaudin and Donald Sherk.
(Furnished by Brad Pool).
Daughter of Oliver Hiram and Mary Johnson. Married Clarence Orion Pool.
Eighty Years of Rambling
by
Mrs. Mina R. Pool
Some friends have asked me to jot down some of the happenings during my eighty years of life. Well, where to begin. I am thankful for the influence of a devoted Christian Mother that taught me to rely on the "Peace
that passeth all understanding."
My Norwegian Parents had deep religious principals, though both had had very little schooling - they could read and write the English language and saw to it that their nine children had educational opportunities beyond public school.
Our trek to Edmonton, Alta., came after my parents had more or less pioneered in five different localities in the U. S. Father loved pioneering, and I like to call these moves stepping stones to better living.
He came to Alberta in 1907 and NW to Lesser Slave Lake and the Peace District (1908) where he decided to
settle at Beaverlodge and start a store and trade in furs with the Indians- as well as the few men who traveled through the district to British Columbia (and a few bachelors also). He was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rede Stone, their four sons, Bob Stone and son Archie when he finally came to Beaverlodge, and he saw a lot of these folks for the next 18 months. They helped each other build log homes - just exchanged work.
In January 1909 my husband Clarence 0. Pool and I sold our Oklahoma farm and chattels, packed two trunks and followed Mother and seven of her children ( including son Arnold & wife Maude, and their baby boy Percy. The others were Emma, Lisa(Elizabeth?), Ruth, Anna, John, and Pauline.) They shipped a car-load of settlers goods (Arnold had come with the goods) there in Aug. of the previous year (1908). Mother and the family were living in a rented house on Fraser Ave., so we moved in with
them, until March 3* 1909, when we all were leaving for Peace River District.
Father came from the north in Jan, 1909 so we were all together again (except for Helen, (Mrs. Gault) who was
married and living in New Mexico.)
Father (Oliver Johnson), son Arnold and son-in-law Clarence Pool spent about six weeks preparing for our Northern trip. They built a caboose on a sleigh of lumber base and canvas overhead 8xl6(?), a door in the back and a small opening in the front for the driver who guided the horse team when traveling. A small wood burning cookstove was bolted to the floor in the center, that was
to furnish heat 24-hrs. daily. This caboose housed the women and children by night. The men carried their roles of bedding to stopping places for nights or slept near a camp fire, all meals were served in the caboose for 13 folk.
The men purchased five more sleighs and 6 teams of horses (and one single that died on the trip). These horses required baled hay and oats. That was bought near High Prairie, but not enough to feed them well for the remainder (3 wks) of the trip. Before reaching High Prairie there were stopping places where food for
animals was plentiful. After High Prairie we were in the
Wilderness! except for a few who lived at Sturgeon Lake, and at the crossing of the Smoky River where Maynard Bezanson and family lived.
What were the five sleighs loaded with? Mostly food and clothing enough to last one year (until the men went to Edmonton the following winter). Our furniture consisted of stoves for our three families. Our men folk made benches later for chairs, bunks for beds ext. Oliver Johnson brought in some supplies for his (future) store.
A German man drove one team and loaded sleigh for his
transportation to this Land of Promise, Sister Ruth drove an outfit. Maude drove the caboose most of the time, when her six week old baby girl (Muriel) wasn't demanding attention. I could take the lines then, My baby Ralph was six months old, and Percy was eighteen months old. -our three small ones, that slept most of the tine. Father, Clarence and Arnold each had teams and sleighs. These teams required a lot of care and harnessing - time
consuming while the Ladies cooked meals and washed dishes (all enamel ware).
Mother Johnson baked all the bread or bannocks. The last three weeks were hardest for cooking and everything. No farmers to buy butter from, so we relied on corn syrup, baked beans, no fresh meat so salt side or bacon unless we thawed out some white fish (if there was time). Fish was a treat. Ever try eating potatoes that had been frozen and tasted sweetish, but a change. Remember,
we left Edmonton Mar 3. It was 25 below zero on the 5th day of our trip, at Athabasca. We had come over settled country 100 miles on land. Here we began traveling on the river ice which, was smooth most of the time, about 30 miles a day for about 10 days, which brought us over two rivers - up the Athabasca River to the Little Slave River then down (or up) until we reached Lesser Slave Lake. Then we traveled 75 miles on this lake to Grouard (Gru ard) and on land there to High Prairie. From this
place we followed a trail the rest of the way, except for
crossing Snipe Lake; later Sturgeon Lake (on ice yet) and then tocSimonett River. That brought us to the Smokey River. Some ice, sometimes broke through and horses pulled sleighs on rocky bottom.
We crossed the Smokey when there was about twelve inches of water running on top of the ice. The loaded sleighs made the crossing OK so the caboose followed - were we ever glad to see, the Bezansons ranch. They marveled at our fat healthy babies, their baby boy at that time was having a struggle to live - very poorly. Here we rested a day before pulling for the Smith ranch (which is now part of Grande. Prairie). The Smiths were like old friends - so hospitable and friendly. We then pulled to Meade and
Grants crossed Saskatoon Lake to the village, where Hudson Bay and Revillon stores were doing a barter trade, with the Indians for furs. A night there. Next stop was a bachelors shack. Very, neat and clean. They said when we left "Didn't leave one of those babies, did you?" Seemed worried for fear, ha! We stopped one more night before reaching Fathers cabins north of present Beaverlodge on April 9, 1909.
Father (Oliver Johnson) had chosen a new location less than a mile north of B'lodge, where he had log buildings started. He had these made habitable and moved there in a couple of weeks (April) That left Arnold, Maude and children Percy and Muriel as well as C.O. Pool, wife and baby Ralph at the first little cabin about 2 miles up the B'lodge river.
C.O. Pool built his first cabin on his homestead (which was surveyed during the summer of 1909) now « mile east of the present B'lodge. We moved into it in July. The men who helped build this log shack were Don Cranston, Garnet Truax, Simeon Bauman and Ed Carlson. A trusty ox rolled the logs up into position. Arnolds Homestead joined Fathers on the South side, now next to B'lodge town, where he still lives with his son and his family. The other Johnson and Pool homesteads have passed into
other families.
Those who have passed on are Mr. And Mrs. O. H. Johnson, Arnold's son Percy Johnson, Clarence Pool's oldest son Ralph, who lost his life in 2nd World War. Born to Arnold Johnson family six children, likewise the Pools, six children. Most of these are now grand parents, living in Western Canada.
Footnote: Written 58 years later by Mrs. Pool. (Formerly Mina Randine Johnson). (This would be in 1967, which is the year she died at the age of 86 years.)
B'lodge Woman Passes
Funeral service was held Jan 3, 1968 for Mrs Mina R. Pool, 86, of Beaverlodge who died Dec 29 at Grande Prairie.
Rev. D. Waite officiated at the service held in the United Church in Grande Prairie. Internment followed in the Beaverlodge Cemetery.
Mrs Pool, daughter of Mr & Mrs Oliver Johnson, was born in Barron, Wisconsin, USA. In 1894 she and the family resided at Interior, South Dakota, until moving in 1901 to Gordon Nebraska. She again moved, and this time to Lawton Oklahoma where she stayed until moving to the Beaverlodge district in 1909.
She married Clarence O. Pool in 1907 at Lawton, Oklahoma, and then came over the Grouard Trail by sled with other members of the Johnson family to Beaverlodge.
Mrs Pool was a life member of the United Church Women and the Old Timers Association.
She was predeceased by a son, Ralph in April 1945 and her husband, Clarence In February 1954.
Mrs Pool is survived by there sons, Harold, Lee and Clarence; two daughters, Yukola and Mina; two brothers John and Arnold; five sisters, Elizabeth (Mrs Cranston), Emma (Mrs Corregan), Anna (Mrs H. Carrell), Ruth (Mrs R. Carrell) and Pauline (Mrs Brekky) 19 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Mark Hanson, Colin Clarke, James Hodges, Scotty Ray, Jack Gaudin and Donald Sherk.
(Furnished by Brad Pool).
Eighty Years of Rambling
by
Mrs. Mina R. Pool
Some friends have asked me to jot down some of the happenings during my eighty years of life. Well, where to begin. I am thankful for the influence of a devoted Christian Mother that taught me to rely on the "Peace
that passeth all understanding."
My Norwegian Parents had deep religious principals, though both had had very little schooling - they could read and write the English language and saw to it that their nine children had educational opportunities beyond public school.
Our trek to Edmonton, Alta., came after my parents had more or less pioneered in five different localities in the U. S. Father loved pioneering, and I like to call these moves stepping stones to better living.
He came to Alberta in 1907 and NW to Lesser Slave Lake and the Peace District (1908) where he decided to
settle at Beaverlodge and start a store and trade in furs with the Indians- as well as the few men who traveled through the district to British Columbia (and a few bachelors also). He was accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Rede Stone, their four sons, Bob Stone and son Archie when he finally came to Beaverlodge, and he saw a lot of these folks for the next 18 months. They helped each other build log homes - just exchanged work.
In January 1909 my husband Clarence 0. Pool and I sold our Oklahoma farm and chattels, packed two trunks and followed Mother and seven of her children ( including son Arnold & wife Maude, and their baby boy Percy. The others were Emma, Lisa(Elizabeth?), Ruth, Anna, John, and Pauline.) They shipped a car-load of settlers goods (Arnold had come with the goods) there in Aug. of the previous year (1908). Mother and the family were living in a rented house on Fraser Ave., so we moved in with
them, until March 3* 1909, when we all were leaving for Peace River District.
Father came from the north in Jan, 1909 so we were all together again (except for Helen, (Mrs. Gault) who was
married and living in New Mexico.)
Father (Oliver Johnson), son Arnold and son-in-law Clarence Pool spent about six weeks preparing for our Northern trip. They built a caboose on a sleigh of lumber base and canvas overhead 8xl6(?), a door in the back and a small opening in the front for the driver who guided the horse team when traveling. A small wood burning cookstove was bolted to the floor in the center, that was
to furnish heat 24-hrs. daily. This caboose housed the women and children by night. The men carried their roles of bedding to stopping places for nights or slept near a camp fire, all meals were served in the caboose for 13 folk.
The men purchased five more sleighs and 6 teams of horses (and one single that died on the trip). These horses required baled hay and oats. That was bought near High Prairie, but not enough to feed them well for the remainder (3 wks) of the trip. Before reaching High Prairie there were stopping places where food for
animals was plentiful. After High Prairie we were in the
Wilderness! except for a few who lived at Sturgeon Lake, and at the crossing of the Smoky River where Maynard Bezanson and family lived.
What were the five sleighs loaded with? Mostly food and clothing enough to last one year (until the men went to Edmonton the following winter). Our furniture consisted of stoves for our three families. Our men folk made benches later for chairs, bunks for beds ext. Oliver Johnson brought in some supplies for his (future) store.
A German man drove one team and loaded sleigh for his
transportation to this Land of Promise, Sister Ruth drove an outfit. Maude drove the caboose most of the time, when her six week old baby girl (Muriel) wasn't demanding attention. I could take the lines then, My baby Ralph was six months old, and Percy was eighteen months old. -our three small ones, that slept most of the tine. Father, Clarence and Arnold each had teams and sleighs. These teams required a lot of care and harnessing - time
consuming while the Ladies cooked meals and washed dishes (all enamel ware).
Mother Johnson baked all the bread or bannocks. The last three weeks were hardest for cooking and everything. No farmers to buy butter from, so we relied on corn syrup, baked beans, no fresh meat so salt side or bacon unless we thawed out some white fish (if there was time). Fish was a treat. Ever try eating potatoes that had been frozen and tasted sweetish, but a change. Remember,
we left Edmonton Mar 3. It was 25 below zero on the 5th day of our trip, at Athabasca. We had come over settled country 100 miles on land. Here we began traveling on the river ice which, was smooth most of the time, about 30 miles a day for about 10 days, which brought us over two rivers - up the Athabasca River to the Little Slave River then down (or up) until we reached Lesser Slave Lake. Then we traveled 75 miles on this lake to Grouard (Gru ard) and on land there to High Prairie. From this
place we followed a trail the rest of the way, except for
crossing Snipe Lake; later Sturgeon Lake (on ice yet) and then tocSimonett River. That brought us to the Smokey River. Some ice, sometimes broke through and horses pulled sleighs on rocky bottom.
We crossed the Smokey when there was about twelve inches of water running on top of the ice. The loaded sleighs made the crossing OK so the caboose followed - were we ever glad to see, the Bezansons ranch. They marveled at our fat healthy babies, their baby boy at that time was having a struggle to live - very poorly. Here we rested a day before pulling for the Smith ranch (which is now part of Grande. Prairie). The Smiths were like old friends - so hospitable and friendly. We then pulled to Meade and
Grants crossed Saskatoon Lake to the village, where Hudson Bay and Revillon stores were doing a barter trade, with the Indians for furs. A night there. Next stop was a bachelors shack. Very, neat and clean. They said when we left "Didn't leave one of those babies, did you?" Seemed worried for fear, ha! We stopped one more night before reaching Fathers cabins north of present Beaverlodge on April 9, 1909.
Father (Oliver Johnson) had chosen a new location less than a mile north of B'lodge, where he had log buildings started. He had these made habitable and moved there in a couple of weeks (April) That left Arnold, Maude and children Percy and Muriel as well as C.O. Pool, wife and baby Ralph at the first little cabin about 2 miles up the B'lodge river.
C.O. Pool built his first cabin on his homestead (which was surveyed during the summer of 1909) now « mile east of the present B'lodge. We moved into it in July. The men who helped build this log shack were Don Cranston, Garnet Truax, Simeon Bauman and Ed Carlson. A trusty ox rolled the logs up into position. Arnolds Homestead joined Fathers on the South side, now next to B'lodge town, where he still lives with his son and his family. The other Johnson and Pool homesteads have passed into
other families.
Those who have passed on are Mr. And Mrs. O. H. Johnson, Arnold's son Percy Johnson, Clarence Pool's oldest son Ralph, who lost his life in 2nd World War. Born to Arnold Johnson family six children, likewise the Pools, six children. Most of these are now grand parents, living in Western Canada.
Footnote: Written 58 years later by Mrs. Pool. (Formerly Mina Randine Johnson). (This would be in 1967, which is the year she died at the age of 86 years.)
B'lodge Woman Passes
Funeral service was held Jan 3, 1968 for Mrs Mina R. Pool, 86, of Beaverlodge who died Dec 29 at Grande Prairie.
Rev. D. Waite officiated at the service held in the United Church in Grande Prairie. Internment followed in the Beaverlodge Cemetery.
Mrs Pool, daughter of Mr & Mrs Oliver Johnson, was born in Barron, Wisconsin, USA. In 1894 she and the family resided at Interior, South Dakota, until moving in 1901 to Gordon Nebraska. She again moved, and this time to Lawton Oklahoma where she stayed until moving to the Beaverlodge district in 1909.
She married Clarence O. Pool in 1907 at Lawton, Oklahoma, and then came over the Grouard Trail by sled with other members of the Johnson family to Beaverlodge.
Mrs Pool was a life member of the United Church Women and the Old Timers Association.
She was predeceased by a son, Ralph in April 1945 and her husband, Clarence In February 1954.
Mrs Pool is survived by there sons, Harold, Lee and Clarence; two daughters, Yukola and Mina; two brothers John and Arnold; five sisters, Elizabeth (Mrs Cranston), Emma (Mrs Corregan), Anna (Mrs H. Carrell), Ruth (Mrs R. Carrell) and Pauline (Mrs Brekky) 19 grandchildren and 28 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Mark Hanson, Colin Clarke, James Hodges, Scotty Ray, Jack Gaudin and Donald Sherk.
(Furnished by Brad Pool).
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