County of Ponoka GenWeb Project: Pioneer Biographies pg 20

The TA IDDINGS Family

Symonds District

In the spring of 1903 my parents, TA (Tom) Iddings and Elizabeth Pridgeon-Iddings with Glenn and Verne (my half brothers), Alta (my two year old sister), and Don Burdette (my one year old brother), came from Danbury, Iowa, U.S.A. to make their home on land 3 miles south of Rimbey. Father had previously come to find a location, purchased 2 quarters, and filed on a homestead.
The household goods, stock and machinery were shipped by rail to Ponoka, and the family came by train. They first lived in the "Joiner Place" which was 1 1/2 miles south of Rimbey. That house was in use up until the time Walter and Essie Peabody built a new dwelling. While living there, young Don Burdette died in an accident when his clothes caught fire from sparks that came from the heater. Donnie was the first to be buried in the Rimbey Cemetery.
That first summer a barn was built in an eastern style with siding running vertically. Four rooms were built into the northwest part of the barn to be used later for grain, but initially became the family's living rooms until the new house was built. There was timber in the country, and sawmills were already in operation, and all other supplies had to be hauled from Lacombe or Ponoka.
Uncle Dick Pridgeon, mother's brother, also immigrated to the area with his sister Emma and her husband, Wes Diamond. They lived across the creek 1/2 mile east of where the school was later built. In June 1904 Aunt Emma died when her first child, Alvin Diamond, was born. She too was laid to rest in the Rimbey Cemetery. My mother, late with child herself, cared for baby Alvin who was six weeks old when I (Bernice) was born. My birthplace was the new barn, with Mrs. Grueneuch (also called Mrs. Greeneye), a midwife in attendance.
Mrs. Grueneuch was from Russia, and had taken the same medical studies as doctors, but because she was a woman was not allowed to continue with her education, nor practice as a doctor. She lived down towards Lockhart.
By the time my brother Homer was born in 1906, the house had been built.
The people I remember while very young were the Coverdales,the Langmuirs, Mike Uhls, the Symonds, the Bowkers, Uncle Dick Pridgeon and Mr. Springer. I played with dolls upstairs in the Symond's log house. My first teacher was Miss Smith from New York City.

Based on an excerpt from: "Over the Years: A History of the Rimbey Area" (1983) written by Bernice Iddings Frisken

TA Iddings & first family: Thomas, wife Elizabeth Dean, and sons Lynn, Glen & Vern
Photo from "Over the Years: A History of Rimbey"

Additional notes on Iddings family:
Possible family: Thomas Iddings (born 31 December 1856 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA) was the 2nd husband of Elizabeth Pridgeon (born on 5 November 1872; died: 29 June 1960 in Oto,Woodbury County ,Iowa, USA) whose parents were Isaac Pridgeon and Nancy Ann Martin. Thomas and Elizabeth married on 29 October 1899. They had the following children: Teresa Alta (born 23 October 1900 Anthon,Woodbury County,Iowa, USA; married Charles R. Wilton) Donnie Bernice Helen (born 17 August 1904 Rimbey, Ponoka, Alberta,Canada; married Donald Frisken born 5 September 1901 Napanee,Ontario,Canada; children Donna & John E Frisken) Homer (born 2 January 1906, Rimbey, Ponoka County, Alberta, Canada)	Source:	"My Genealogy" database by M.W. Whitford

The Homer IDDINGS Family

Symonds District

My parents, T.A. and Elizabeth Iddings came from Iowa in 1903, filed on a homestead and bought two quarters all cornering in what later became the Symonds School District. It was on one of these quarters they established their farmstead and where I was born in 1906.
My first school was Symonds, one mile south of our home. In 1914 Dad built a house 1/2 mile west of Rimbey and it wasn't until 1934 that I, with my wife Emma, came here to live. So I am back where I was born.
In the intervening years the renters who lived here include the E.A. Connelly family, Edwards, Lloyd Schram and family (a cousin) and Ray and Olive Connett and children (a half brother).
Emma and I built a house in 1961. We have a daughter Betty Bask who has been receptionist at the Medical Clinic in Rimbey for twenty years, and who is now retired. We have a son Alan, pastor of Glen Evon Free Evangelical church near Irma, and who spent seven years in mission work in the Phillppines.
Roger is in real estate in Edmonton. Janet Ranger of Red Deer, and Wayne at home. Of our children all except Wayne attended school at Symonds. They finished high school in Rimbey, going by bus. Wayne has taken over the dairy and the farming, and has added some land to the farmstead.
I will tell of a few things I remember of the years I attended school at Symonds. Dad kept us supplied with balls and bats both for home and school. He used to play ball, as a proof his crooked nose. He had several small rubber balls inside manufactured base balls. These he wrapped tightly with store cord, which we saved from parcels. The worn out leather mitts made excellent cover cut from a previous cover pattern. Dad sewed the cover with hand waxed thread and a special curved needle using a "baseball" stitch. If a stitch wore out or broke, he would promptly mend it for us.
Dad was Justice of the Peace for some years, and many people came to our home on business and to have him fill out forms and give advice. Mr. Shelby Reed came for a permit to carry a pistol as he intended to ride to the mountains to retrieve some of his horses. I understand he did not make the trip after all.
I was the youngest at school who could walk the board fence the whole way around the years. It was not easy, for the top board was slanted, probably to keep us from walking on it. It was from this fence we watched (our first) automobile go by. It was owned by Mr. Shelby Reed.

Based on an excerpt from: "Over the Years: A History of the Rimbey Area" (1983) written by Homer Iddings

The Glen IDDINGS Family

Symonds District

Glen's son Roland Iddings

Glen Iddings, son of T.A. Iddings, was born in Mapleton, Iowa, in 1886. He came to Rimbey with his Dad and family in 1903. In 1904 he took a homestead on the SW1/4 - 12-43-3-W5 and also bought a CPR quarter NW1/4 - 1-43-W5 and later owned the NE 1/2 - 1-43-3-W5 and the 80 acres on SE-2-43-3-W5.
Glen married Eva Becker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Becker who had moved from Webster, South Dakota, U.S.A. in 1911 to Rimbey.
Glen spent many devoted years on the Board of the Blindman Valley School District and was a very staunch supporter of the Blindman Hog Pool.
In 1927 they built a pre-cut Aladdin home on the farm, an idea advanced for the times. Mr. Rasmas Mandseth of Hoadley was the carpenter.
Their marriage was blessed with four children, Marjorie 1914, Roland 1916, Gwen 1921, and Connie 1927.
Roland was well known as a talented horseman in the district and participated at the Rimbey Fair with his cart team, Roman team and saddle horse, "Shorty". Unfortunately he passed away in 1938 at age 22.
Marjorie married Everett Goings, the son of a well known pioneer of Rimbey. Their only child, Penny, was born in Dawson Creek, British Columbia.
Gwen married Donald Stevens, son of Walt Stevens of Rimbey. They have five children, Jackie, Wendy, Deane, Joanne and Clark. Donald worked at the Syncrude Plant at Fort McMurray but his home is in Edmonton. All of their children reside there too.
Connie taught school and married John Protti John was born in Pocahontas, a ghost town now in Jasper Park. They moved form Camrose to Penticton and Edmonton and are presently making their home in Richmond, British Columbia. They have two sons, Dana and Greg who also reside in Richmond.
In 1949, Glen and Eva retired, and Everett and Marjorie moved from the Yukon to home the home farm. In 1961, Glen and Eva built a new home in Rimbey. Glen died in 1971 at the age of 85.
Eva lived in her own home until 1981. She now resides at the Parkland Manor.

(left to right) Marjorie, Glen, Connie, Eva, Gwen
Photo from "Over the Years: A History of Rimbey"

(see picture included in above bio on TA Iddings to see picture of Glen as a child)

Based on an excerpt from: "Over the Years: A History of the Rimbey Area" (1983)